The39thStep
Urban critical thinker
Also... Chelsea....questce qué cest are u?
The hope that springs eternal
Springs right up your backside
Also... Chelsea....questce qué cest are u?
His goal stats from his first spell at Leipzig are very impressive. I suspect he followed in a long line of decent/excellent strikers who flopped relatively at Chelsea (Shevchenko, Torres, Lukaku, Eto'o).Today's rumour mill - Timo Werner on loan, interesting. A guy who at Chelsea constantly seemed on the verge of being great, but was in fact complete shite due to (a) the offside rule and (b) a complete inability to finish.
Agreed on Ben Davies - he's been superb, held things together at the back, but our fullbacks are so important to the way we play. Almost as a pair of central, attacking midfielders at times, and that's just not Davies' style. Much better to think of the back line as either VDV or Davies alongside Romero or Dragusin.Radu Dragusin looks good. So useful having Paratici still fossicking about in the cash-strapped Italian leagues. And he chose us over Bayern Munich.
I think the next priority position might be left back. Ben is much more convincing as an emergency LCB than as an Angeball full back, and some cover for Udogie would leave us with a pretty complete squad even given the injuries and international defections.
im looking forward to tonight....man city games seem to always bring out fireworks...any prematch gos?
im looking forward to tonight....man city games seem to always bring out fireworks...any prematch gos?
Tonight?
Thought I was having a senior moment and flapped that I’d miss the game! The City cup tie is next Friday 26th…
hype starts now!I was quite willing to believe it and now I feel slightly cheated.
This ^ matches my thinking to a tee. From picking a back 4 of all full-backs, a midfield of whoever's available, and not having much of a subs' bench; we're just a short stretch away from having a full selection with genuine options as substitutes, not just fresher legs but lower quality.To be honest, I’m quite enjoying the mini break and hope the players are too. It’s come at the right time for the squad. Even though Spurs were the better side at OT last Sunday, quite a few of those players looked like they were running on empty.
A break - maybe some sunshine - and a full week’s training prior to City next Friday is ideal. Our next mid-week league game in Brentford on Weds 31st Jan. Most of our rivals will be back in European competition by early/mid February, when we’ll hopefully have Son, Sarr & Bissouma (Malaria nonwithstanding) back plus Maddison and a post-illness Kulusevski.
Tanganga is a decent player, he's had a few good games along the early part of his career. He's not really a youngster anymore though, and clearly not about to trouble our first team - Milwall to put him in the shop window, probably about 5 or 6 mil to be had in the summer from a Championship club.
Yes! Maddison has been training again. Probably too soon to start, but look for him to set up a late winner off the bench.im looking forward to tomorrow night....man city games seem to always bring out fireworks...any prematch gos?
City were really good, a lot of teams would have been absolutely blown away tonight. I think it sums up where we are in the pecking order - we're bloody good and we can go toe to toe with the very best, but we aren't quite the very best. Yet.Another trophy-less season arrives…sigh
Can’t fault the effort tonight - esp our back four (VDV amazing). Can fault the final ball and decision making though.
That said, City were clearly the better side and they’ve hit their groove.
I disagree in part about the playing out from the back. A lot of teams do it without any real purpose and the risk seems unnecessary; not us, can see exactly why we do it. 7 or 8 times we got out of a tight spot and passed around the press to get a midfielder in space running over the halfway line, with Werner and Johnson at full pelt turning their fullbacks around to stop them from moving towards the ball carrier. There was one moment when it looked like Werner was away - if it was anyone other than Kyle Walker (or Alphonso Davies, Bayern) then it's a 1 on 1 that even Werner would be favourite to finish.agree with that, cant complain at the score line, but some very impressive composure under pressure
i dont enjoy this playing it from the back football, especially with a quality press like man city - just stressful to watch risky passes around our box, kind of wish theyd play a bit of A1 once in a while and give my blood pressure a break
can i just say yet again....Richarlison....not good enough... unfair to pick him out but Im going to anyway.... i know hes scored some goals now but we need someone better in his role