Sibierski

Chelsea I still don’t see as a good team. Compared to our game at home to them last season, there’s no change in gap between the sides IMO. And that was a relatively close first 30, before we utterly smashed them with the intensity and general play, exploiting the gaps. That’s what we need to get back too, something we can do, but coaching and players need to make it happen, along with fans to a certain degree.

I think whilst we’ve got the many limited players we have, the pressing high intensity is needed. It masks their technical flaws IMO. Can’t evolve the side too much if likes of Longstaff etc are having more of the ball in possession. Feels squad in bit of a shit place, and Howe caught in two minds to how to move forward.

Weren’t most of the injuries just a bit freakish rather than muscle strains? I believe the squad can still play high intensity, just requires Isak coming off after 60-70 mins for Osula so the press doesn’t go to shit because he’s shagged (like we saw plenty of times last season). Like if there’s some use from Almiron/Murphy, it’s pressing.

They’re going to have to sell assets each summer to keep their model going, and he’s one who will be attainable. Won’t be unlike them to sign another winger in the summer.

There’s no doubting that what worked in the first 18 months got the most out of the limited players we had. Those players peaks we’re not going to see again, so can the coaching set up get the best out of better players who may need different messaging? There’s question marks but hopefully they do. But wouldn’t be the first manager and wouldn’t be the last, that’s struggled with better players.

Play the long game, Madueke will be available in summer for similar price. I know what I’d rather have.

Ashworth on the phone to his mate Southgate. Backing ETH with more of his signings, then going cold after a few months. Ineos haven't got a clue, great to see.

Really hope this week is the week that ignites our season. 2 home games, where there's zero excuses for both the fans and players not fully at it. Win both, and it should be the kick start we need. Reminds everyone we can compete, and setting the bar for rest of season. Two defeats, and it's going to be a shite winter, which is compounded in December by getting Man City away in the FA Cup.

Would say, it’s with a caveat that if we are to improve as a side with the ball, then one isn’t needed next season. As the RW can be a goal threat, and Gordon can fill up top in emergencies, and you’ve got to trust Osula can play the odd game too. Isak back up is someone expensive with little gain. Young raw striker would be the option, but then that’s the whole point of Osula? Unless we accept he’s off on loan and hope to get money back for him in 2026. IMO, if we don’t have Europe again, we need to have a younger squad where money isn’t tied up in wages for scrap minutes across 38 league games. The current core of 23-26 year olds then progress into the experienced group, and you have the 19-22 year olds then move into that age above where value is high. Got to keep the squad moving like that. Burn / Schar / Joelinton / Bruno you expect to be the current leadership group if the ones left like I said. And you faze more into that as ones leave.

He’s faster than Gundogan / Kovacic. Just when you are a terrible side at controlling the ball, your weaknesses are exposed a hell lot more.

Thinking about the squad, and if we overhauled it and slimmed it down, this is what I would like to see it as. The goalkeeping situation is a mess though, as in theory absolutely none of them are required But going to need to keep at least one of them. So something like this: New 1st GK / Youth GK / Vlach Tino / New youth RB Schar (One year extension if he accepts that), New 1st CB, Botman, Burn, New youth CB Hall / Kelly (shudders, but what can you do on those wages) Bruno / Tonali / Miley / Joelinton / Willock / New CM (that can play either advanced or deep, depending on where we see Miley long term position) Barnes / Gordon / Sanusi New 1st Choice RW / New youth RW Isak / Osula 25 squad. Pope / Dub / Trip / Lascelles / Krafth / Targett / Longstaff / Wilson / Almiron / Murphy all gone. Thanks for what they’ve done, but absolutely none of them are needed in a top 10 club, especially with the wages they’ll be on where younger players with potential can take their minutes. That’s what I’d be expecting Mitchell to be viewing the team as, as the younger buys are your future sales, not keeping hold of aging players.

22-23 season, when we were not scoring, we were not conceding (as much). Can laminate not taking our chances in games, but we’re giving up far too many goals/chances, and even Pope is finished with some of the weak goals he’s letting in too now. Lost that cuntish edge we had in that season that pissed teams off. Just nothing appealing about us, as the flip side to being that type of team, is one that gets people off their seats and we don’t play that either. Feels all a bit emotionless and rudderless. Best thing we can hope for, Howe can at least get the players onside for a siege mentality, and we get home draws in cups and use it to our advantage.

Kelly in at LB, Longstaff/Willock in for Tonali/Joelinton. Murphy in for Almiron. (Gordon for Barnes if back). That’s my prediction. 4-3-3, flat midfield, because it worked so well today.

Struggle to play out from back as it’s often like this… ————Schar——-Burn——-Hall ———————Bruno——————- Tino—RW—Tonali——Joelinton——-Barnes ——-Isak———- Just one guy on his own who’s marked, then big gaps forward. It’s never a triangle, or 5-10 yard pass options close. It’s often something that needs fizzing in. When we do hook up some close passes, we look good as the equaliser came from it. But just see it so few and far.

Tonali/Bruno as the two sitting and Anderson in front. Could’ve been something but never seen it and never will. Need to sign someone who can play in front, or CDM and have Bruno in that advanced role. Don’t even see him crash into the box anymore.

Sad reality, the overall results for us this calendar year is where we are as a squad. Can’t expect more when it’s still Almiron/Murphy RW, slow CBs etc. Howe got the most of the guys in 22/23, those players like Longstaff / Almiron etc are NEVER hitting that level again. As they never showed anything close to it before. Just the issue is, has Howe got us set up where if we brought in 3 players, would we be better? And for me, that’s a no. Just can’t get going with a flat midfield three. He changes that, and it gives me hope that with additions we could go forward under Howe.

When it’s routinely clip it to burn, who not even be knows where his headers will go, then we are never scoring from them. Don’t even mix it up and try to knock one outside box etc. it’s literally clip it back post.

Hate Arsenal under Arteta. Proper moaning team. Hope we do them again next week so they lose their heads.

Feels a cup defeat is bigger than a league defeat. Go out midweek, question would be for upstairs, do you give Howe the January backing? If not, then you may as well start talking to new managers.

Stinky game today. But would still start him and Gordon every game going.

It’s not for one bad run of form though. It’s for not changing his approach. Same failings here are the same 12 months ago, so upstairs will be thinking “Do we give this guy £120m+ worth of players?”. And that’s a legit question, because Guehi/Elanga wouldn’t change the issues through the middle. Howe needs to change his ways, and say this is where we need players. I’m confident we could stick Bellingham in the midfield and he will look average as it’s a set up that doesn’t get the best out of anyone playing in it.

A week to prepare, and yet our intensity is still so many levels below 22-23. It’s like the players have switched off listening to Howe, so that extra 5% that elevated us has gone. Mixed in with a poor coaching set up, it’s making even the good players look average.

That Pope kick at the end made me laugh. So shit. Took an age to line it up, allowed himself to be closed down, then shanks it out anyway.

Does all the hard stuff, then just needed to roll it to Joelinton. Not do some step overs

WTF ISAK?!??