I’m going to say all of them for one reason or another
Collectively, as unit that midfield is off. Something ain’t right
I’m going to say all of them for one reason or another
Collectively, as unit that midfield is off. Something ain’t right
Isn’t that what Macca is there for? He’s the one with the passing range in midfield
I just can’t see how you can look back at the monumental job that replacing Klopp was and say picking a bloke who immediately won the league wasn’t the right choice.
United haven’t won the league since Fergie. Arsenal haven’t since Wenger. Chelsea are on their sixth manager since Conte last won then the league. Spurs, well fuck me they seem to make good managers look bad. Thomas Frank looked like an ideal choice and he’ll be gone before Spring.
It might not be a long term successful appointment but any time you appoint a manager and they win you the league, that’s a decision you look back on as being a good choice.
The fact we haven’t actively looked for an alternative this window perhaps? If Guehi was our man just the shrug of acceptance when we’re down to 3 and one being Joe Gomez and one being out of contract in the summer is frankly poor and I’ve been quite supportive of him.
I appreciate the midfield discussion immediately above.
I know two-fifths of fuck all about football, in all honesty, but even I can see that the Mac/Grav of last year was so far above the perfomances of this year it’s a fucking miracle CL qualification is still a possibility. Whatever the reasons behind the drop-off are, we are essentially the Black Knight claiming it’s just a scratch…we don’t stand a fucking chance.
Where the fuck would we be if Dom hadn’t had the season he’s had??
Couple the midfield as it is currently performing with the following issues in no particular order and it’s about as pretty as taking your sister to a blue-light disco…
Mo, VVD, Ibou, no Diaz or Trent, Isak, Cody, early Flo…
The biggest difference between Slots team and other teams…i can see the other teams plan and what they are doing or trying to do…i cannot phathom our game plan as we are an unbalanced mess…and that was even before the injuries.
And if they don’t watch out…Dom’s contract is due…if he gets disalliousioned…I reckon he’s off…so we really are up shit street…
Zero chance.
That’s where we differ; long term is what matters for me the most. Short term it worked wonders and 99% of the other clubs would bite your arm off for such a season. But that’s not how the club operates and for a good reason. Otherwise, we might as well as start changing managers with Chelsea’s frequency.
But do you think that’s solely a Hughes’ decision? I agree that we should have had another lined up for this window but it’s also got to be a long term decision not just one for the rest of this season.
I’m really puzzled over the lack of movement in central defence. At the least, we should be buying someone who can slot straight into the first team group of central defenders. They can even be third or fourth choice, as we need more than one central defender. If and when the manager changes he can still recruit his top option in summer, while also benefitting from a stronger group if we act now.
It’s hard to fathom what is going on at the club at the moment.
Which makes Klopp the only successful appointment since the 80s. Maybe Benitez too.
It seems a bit of a cul-de-sac to me. Surely the club has to look after both the short term and the long term! And when you have an opportunity for success you grab it with both hands.
If we end up letting Slot go we are still a world away from the way Chelsea see managers come and go. I am thankful that we tend to give our managers time. It is the right approach. And if and when a decision needs to be made we will do it, which again is right.
I’m curious, what is long term?
I have raised multiple issues this year of slots comments being difficult to reconcile…this isn’t a case of just disagreeing with his assessment but of his own explanation lacking internal consistency. Players notice that, especially when results or performances aren’t good and they are looking for clear direction to address it. That erodes trust really really quickly. And if I had to put my chips on the table this seems like the core of the issue this season.
https://x.com/jamespearcelfc/status/1837041727724462086?s=61&t=VxX1vHU3NOwwNhlbyICG-g

The idea I think for FSG is to have a system where the coach changes but it has minimal disruption and then must have grinning at the end of last season.
After shades of something bright against Marseille it was the same turgid situation yesterday.
People mention overhaul of squad but only perception of the current situation and the way we are playing suggests that’s needed, Yes there are issues with certain players dropping off and some it’s expected just not to the level they have, others who shouldn’t see any have been woeful.
People gripe at Dom for being arrogant but he deserved to be, he’s the only one sadly I see trying bar perhaps Hugo.
Ultimately I don’t expect anything this season. Even if we get in to good positions we revert back to the shit.
Fed up and a bit done with the whole club at the moment.
I think its quite presumptuous if not naive to think that everything was under our control and all we need to do to do is force their hand…
Parish came out publicaly saying they needed to sell the player that summer rather than let him go for free this year. It was widely reported they were looking to do a deal for around £45-50m.
It appears we had the player committed to joining us so there was no other interested party bidding.
The deal finally got agreed 2 days before the window closed when Palace approached us for an additional £5m in bonuses to the £35m we had tabled a couple of weeks before. I think we countered with an offer of a 10% sell on clause instead, which they accepted.
We also apparently turned down their request of loaning them Gomez, because we wanted to sell him only.
It’s not hard to imagine that had we a few weeks before come up with an offer of £5-£10m in add-ons that the deal could have happened sooner. Had we closed the deal before Arsenal had got Eze, we probably wouldn’t have needed to wait for them to sign a replacement as they were committed to selling as least one of those two players. With more of the window left to pursue a replacement (and a little bit more money to work with) that might have helped them not get down to the last day of the window with a player who can’t even get into West Ham’s line up as an alternative to their captain.
Hmm, am I reading this wrong or is Slot openly blaming the players? If that is the case, that will probably be the last nail… even if what he’s saying is correct.
Gravenberch’s lack of quality on the ball has become painfully apparent since the opposition have learned not to get tight to him. If he can’t turn a player he doesn’t hurt teams with the ball.
That, and no Trent covering for him with his ridiculous passing range.
This!
The opposition has figured out a simple method to nullify Gravenberch.
Just stand off him. He hasn’t really have that pinpoint laser passing range to hurt anyone. Hasn’t got that natural ball-winning ability as well.
The moment Gravenberch has no opposition player to take out by spinning him off, half of his skillset is useless.
Macca is pretty physically shattered by the start of the season which means there is no passing outlet for Gravenberch. And we haven’t had anyone that can do pinpoint passes since TAA…It doesn’t help when the movement of our players in the final third are so static, that Macca can’t even pick a pass out.
Jones being similar to Gravenberch doesn’t help. Szobo is more renowned for his energy while Wirtz is more renowned for his work around the box.
We literally need a Thiago/Xabi Alonso type of player who knows how to dictate play from deep.
Like WTF is he saying???
Just 2-3 months ago, he was whining about low blocks.
What is he thinking??