TheBrownBottle

I’ve always respected your POV, TCD. I know you genuinely think about this - but I just can’t agree with the fundamentals of your original point. I don’t think that managers at elite level are categorisable - I think the differences are slight. I write this with all the due respect possible - I just don’t think that managers at that level slot into easy boxes.

Looks like a massive gamble to me One which I hope fails on an epic scale

Benitez rubbing the players up the wrong way isn’t proof that they didn’t understand his tactical genius. You’re talking about some of the best players in the world in the Real Madrid side - do you honestly think all they’d had was some pep talks prior to Benitez rocking up? This isn’t to say that Benitez wasn’t a top manager in his prime. But Ancelotti, Ferguson, Wenger and Mourinho aren’t tactical managers - it was all just pep talks and a bit of coaching? Haddaway man. And you can knock the insults on the head.

Wenger and Mourinho weren’t tactical managers? Ancelotti isn’t as sharp tactically as Benitez? Wenger was absolutely a tactical manager - as well as an outstanding coach. Mourinho’s style could be hard on the eyes, but I’m flummoxed at the idea that he wasn’t tactically first-rate. The Ancelotti / Benitez one is the one I disagree with most. Ancelotti learned under Capello, Saachi, Liedholm and Eriksson. You can see their influences in his teams over the years - Liedholm’s zonal marking, Saachi’s creation of a high pressing system and high defensive line which built on Liedholm’s style as well as total football, Capello’s conversion of this into a more attacking style particularly from midfield - all of that you could see in Ancelotti’s teams over the years. He’s learned at the feet of tactical masters and applied the lessons himself - along with his own style. Organisation isn’t what tactics is all about. Benitez isn’t at Ancelotti’s level on that front.

We reached the semis or better four years in a row from 1908 to 1911 (final, semi, winners, final) We’ve never done this before in the LC, where our track record is bloody awful

Chelsea fielded individuals who cost several times more than it cost KLD to buy his stake in sunderland

Worry about when we get there

My favourite is still the 2-0 in 93/94, last day of the season. They would’ve had to win something like 10-0 to hop over us into 3rd, but we were so comfortable against them that day. Happy days.

He’s an abysmal finisher. Fuck knows why Chelsea were happy to cut Atletico’s losses on him.

Cheers Rod, no offence taken - I didn’t mean it was an end-to-end classic; I just meant if Felix had scored his sitter in the first half or Nkunku scored his in the second for starters.

No, I’m happy with the win and performance. But we didn’t limit them to potshots. We deserved to win, but I don’t think that a 5-3 scoreline would have been all that shocking.

They weren’t limited to potshots mind - they had several gilt-edged chances that they should’ve buried

The number that pulls out Arsenal away

That’ll dee

Honestly can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic

Quality that Osula

It’s hard to imagine another side missing as many chances as Chelsea have here

Looked off on the replay

Ooooof

Fucking hell a well-worked FK and we’re offside!

Never a pen

Thick Dope

Pope brain farting his way into the book

I bastard love Joe Willock, me

I really hope we do