The race for top four.

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I've just been awoken to the fact that he's still only 20... That's insane!

He'd only really stood out for me in 1 of the 4 games we played against BVB (The 1st at Wembley - where ultimately they flattered to deceive and got rinsed on the counter).

My impression was that he'd been on the scene for a while now and had plateaued; then usurped by BVBs next young prospect (Sancho).

We'll see eh? Hopefully I'm right on this one. :)
Yes, still very young. I'm torn. I hate him for going to Chelsea, but our national team desperately needs him to become great. Chelsea's purchase was as much for garnering US fans as anything else. Hopefully you're right when he's playing for club, and wrong when he's playing for country.
 
He's a very direct player with great pace and athleticism, but not necessarily the sort of quality on the ball and tactical nous to play the sort of ponderous tiki-taka type game that Sarri seems to favor.

Liverpool would have made more sense for him IMO. His ceiling would be a Sadio Mane-type player.

He does play more centrally with the US though, so maybe that's Chelsea's view of him, I'm not sure.

(Had initially thought you'd picked up on my talk of Kovacic... My apologies.)



Yes... Pacey battering ram of a player without the physique. (crap phrasing, but hope ya get me.).

Liverpool point is interesting given the BVB connection.

(Just made a few other points in post #1822)
 
You, me and ANYONE who is THFC affiliated.

Yet of the top 6 we are the ones you would worry about most.

A game for a back 5, Wanyama, Sissoko and Dier. + 2.

We had a back five against Ajax for the first 25 mins and the tie could have been over

I would prefer that we went for it
No more sitting back
Let’s press like we used to
 
You, me and ANYONE who is THFC affiliated.

Yet of the top 6 we are the ones you would worry about most.

A game for a back 5, Wanyama, Sissoko and Dier. + 2.
If we go back five, they'll go 2-3-5 on attack and murder us. We have to control the midfield, or at least press them and make them uncomfortable.

EDIT: Never mind. I thought you were talking about Ajax. My mistake.

:pochfacepalm: :pochbye:
 
We had a back five against Ajax for the first 25 mins and the tie could have been over

I would prefer that we went for it
No more sitting back
Let’s press like we used to

We won't be going fot it mate. Not a chance.

Unless Woolwich play a nothing side or Burnley take the lead we will play very conservatively.

Fcuk me there has been no sign of press for a long time, City games apart.
 
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For funzies:

If DL had given you £200m for the summer. Would he have been on your list?

Yes but as an American I'm super biased and would see Pulisic getting the benefit of Poch's player development skills as a big part of the appeal.

I do think he's the sort of player we could use though. Very two-footed and would add a more winger-y element to our 4-2-3-1. I think he could thrive playing next to Eriksen.
 
I like Pulisic (i'm biased) but he's nowhere near the quality of Hazard. (Not that you were saying he is.)
I agree with your assessment of his quality, but I favored signing him because he is a good young player. If our standard is the a player has to be as good as Hazard, it's slim pickings. Besides, Levy could sell a few of his shirts over here.
 
We had a back five against Ajax for the first 25 mins and the tie could have been over

I would prefer that we went for it
No more sitting back
Let’s press like we used to

Do we have it in our legs to mega-press for a good 60/70 mins?

We were at our pressing best when bossing the MF and with peak KW/DR.

- Vic & Dier don't much in their legs for differing reasons (I sense we see both on the basis of neither lasting a whole game anyway).
- No Winks to recycle the ball.
- FBs are struggling for end product. No aggression at RWB.

Meanwhile what are the strengths of those we have available... 2 pacey attackers (Son & Lucas), 2 technical/creative players (albeit needing to find a flash of top form for the occasion - CE/DA) and physicality in the middle (MS/VD/ED). Even if we don't intend to play through the middle we must be prepared to win the match there, so how do we get the best out of the CMs we have available? Let's not subject then to more running than necessary.

I'm sure someone will be able to set me straight, why not just let the FBs be FBs + 2 CMs. Press aggressively accross the attacking line(s) without over-committing in terms of high back line or number of bodies overall. Sissoko being the more mobile of the 2 can also join the press where required.

Might look stupid on paper, but:

Boss
RB / TA / JV / LB
Lucas / Sissoko / Vic / Son
Eriksen / Dele

or if not:

Boss
RB / TA / JV / LB
Sissoko / Vic
Lucas / Eriksen / Son
Dele

Either way those 2 wide boys got some running to do.
 
Do we have it in our legs to mega-press for a good 60/70 mins?

We were at our pressing best when bossing the MF and with peak KW/DR.

- Vic & Dier don't much in their legs for differing reasons (I sense we see both on the basis of neither lasting a whole game anyway).
- No Winks to recycle the ball.
- FBs are struggling for end product. No aggression at RWB.

Meanwhile what are the strengths of those we have available... 2 pacey attackers (Son & Lucas), 2 technical/creative players (albeit needing to find a flash of top form for the occasion - CE/DA) and physicality in the middle (MS/VD/ED). Even if we don't intend to play through the middle we must be prepared to win the match there, so how do we get the best out of the CMs we have available? Let's not subject then to more running than necessary.

I'm sure someone will be able to set me straight, why not just let the FBs be FBs + 2 CMs. Press aggressively accross the attacking line(s) without over-committing in terms of high back line or number of bodies overall. Sissoko being the more mobile of the 2 can also join the press where required.

Might look stupid on paper, but:

Boss
RB / TA / JV / LB
Lucas / Sissoko / Vic / Son
Eriksen / Dele

or if not:

Boss
RB / TA / JV / LB
Sissoko / Vic
Lucas / Eriksen / Son
Dele

Either way those 2 wide boys got some running to do.

Not sure Big Vic has 90 mins in him anymore
Sadly
 
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