I know it seems impossible but if he loses the CL final it might very well be possible.
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Time will tell but quality is quality. Wirtz in the right system will be a monster for us. We have seen a slightly timid, almost confused version of him with little support and hardly ever anyone to pass to (it’s not a shock that his best run came when we played him and Ekitike close together). In Germany he was one of the best pressing forwards in the world with off the charts ball recovery. He suits being on the front-foot not this flacid defensive garbage he’s had to ty and fit into while also being moved around to play different roles every game.
As for how they all fit together… I don’t think it’s so much about positions. We don’t have to rigidly fixed on the idea of a formation. Wirtz, Isak and Ekitike should be a fluid front three that are constantly moving, interchanging and displacing defenders. Wide one minute, through the middle the next. I think we have a poor idea who these players are and can be because of this crappy season. Isak is seen as a beanpole who stands in the 6 yard box and knocks it in the goal when at Newcastle he showed he can drop deep, he can carry the ball, he can drift wide. We just need to give them a foundation and a system to excel in. We failed to do that this season.
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Well @Sweeting you give me hope so 
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Did he choose them over us? What’s the source for that?
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No, I don’t think we were ever interested in him this time around.
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I actually didn’t know he had signed for Chelsea when I said that but yeah it’s pretty clear cut. He was only here 4 years had two brilliant seasons - his first and last - and a couple of good not brilliant seasons in between. When you look at the list of players who are “legends” at CM for us: Gerrard, Souness, Hughes, Molby… Xabi isn’t anywhere close.
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I know! Isak can be a baller! I remember the player he became at Sociedad. And what he did when playing for Sweden. He has crazy skills on the ball! Can sit any defender down on his arse! And that goal he set up against Everton where he dribbled past their entire defence!
Not ideal use of your energies to do everything yourself like at schoolboy level (what a young Stevie used to do at times for example). But all that ability is still there.
It’s just I haven’t seen that version of Isak for some time now.
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Interesting thing about Chelsea’s squad building is they’ve ended up with a squad where few will be at the World Cup. He’s likely going to have a decent turn out on day 1
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Let’s see, Caicedo, Cucurella, Fernández, Gusto, James, Neto, Palmer, Pedro, Santos going to WC
He’ll be left with Badiashile, Chalobah, Delap, Essugo, Fofana, Garnacho, Gittens, Guiu, Hato, Jørgensen, Lavia, Sánchez, Sarr
Estevao is injured long term and Mudryk is banned long term
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That’s admittedly more than I thought it was (didn’t know Ecuador qualified and didn’t know Gusto made it), but I’d be surprised if Santos made the Final Cut for Brazil. Even still that is a sizable group of seniors he’ll have to work with. We’ve had pre season with 2-3 players before
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I hope Xabi’s aware that he now employed by the EPL’s answer to Jesus Gil!
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So Alisson, Bradley, Gomez, Ekitike, Ngumoha, Wirtz are all deeply unlikeable? Was Gravenberch unlikeable as he won the PL Young Player of the Year last season?
Going to be a long summer if this is anything to go by.
As they all disappear on their latest 2-3 day mini break after a gutless defeat, I’m not particularly finding any of them likeable.
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In that case…God help Alonso 
But, I guess for him…if we did approach him,he probably had to choose the best of the two worst situations. Edwards was never going to relinquish control. Apparently, Chelsea did agreed Alonso’s terms in contract this time as per Balague. So…there’s that.
To be honest, I am not really top fussed to have missed him. I feel we need someone with alot more authority over players. Alonso is deffo a good tactician and charismatic,but he seems too soft as a personality to me…and we have already seen we have got alot of softies in the playing 11. But, unfortunately our options are very limited now if slot departs. It’s either Iraola or Hoeness now , I think.
Back on Alonso…Having said that…It will be funny to know if any manager ever completed his contract at Chelsea though ? 
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It’s pretty simple really.
I’d replace Slot. Could see the appeal of Xabi but don’t think he’s the only option and nothing close to the certainty you felt you were getting with Klopp. Iraola would be my choice right now but he’s not the be all and end all. Saying that, unless Enrique leaves PSG I don’t think there’s an established elite world class manager we could, or could have, got this summer.
Don’t think Hughes bought badly in the summer. Wouldn’t have done Isak myself but it’s tough to moan about buying the second best CF in the league last season. Would instead have liked to see him do a couple of those more under the radar options instead of Isak whilst also replacing Diaz too.
None of the players are “deeply dislikeable”. That’s conflating their characters with their performances and is unnecessary when it comes to expressing frustrations. And no one was calling them that when we were winning…
Change is needed but I think that’s the manager more than the squad. We need some additions and some to move on but the there’s a group of players there performing well under what they are capable of. When that’s the case the buck stops with the manager. That’s why moving him on would be my preference but Xabi going to Chelsea doesn’t mean that can’t or won’t happen or that the team can’t improve under someone else.
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Was Ali at his most likable when he scored that winner against WBA or when he was justifying his love for Bolsonaro?
What is the point you’re trying to make here as you appear to be arguing both sides against yourself.
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I deffo agree with you on the recruitment model and the shoddy job that has been done in our recruitment last summer.
Infact, at a club like ours the manager must have more powers than the suits in terms of selecting players.
The model of coach and director is not wrong. It’s wrong when the powers shift at the wrong end.Chelsea currently is a prime example of that.In terms of player recruitment , Chiesa was a prime example of that. I don’t think this model of coach and sporting director ever works unless the coach is a ‘yes’ man or there’s a wonderful relationship between coach n Director of football, which is very rare or coach has more powers for player recruitment.
Unfortunately, Recruitment this past summer in terms of the players acquired is extremely poor… especially, if we map them directly with the heavy metal football we were so badly associated with.
You watch Frimpong,Ekitike or even Isak press and they make Nunez’s pressing look like a world beater.
It’s like someone changed the algorithm and the players retrieved from the data were completely opposite to the kind of profiles and personalities we have looked for.
I keep mentioning this season…that This is a team of softies,these players just cannot play and go toe to toe in an away fixture.
It’s an absolute shame but I think we have been set back many years by these two suits sittig at the top.
To be really honest, For me they are the real elephant in the room,that not many have actually pointed at or addressed. It sometimes baffles me how Edwards is treated like Godly figure who can do no wrong…but people will get down n dirty and even put personal abuse on Slot.
I also agree to you on purchases like wirtz and how Edwards would have stepped in to align the purchases with our current model. But, my personal theory on this is a bit different. I think they felt like their recognition decreased a little bit by Slot winning the league without buying any players except Chiesa. They felt like the world should know how great they are…this summer felt like Madrid buying not liverpool kind of buying. Like I said,trying to turn heads…looking for recognition and praise. Edwards was anyway never going to stop Hughes as they are best mates I heard.
Lastly, I have also heard theories the reason why Alonso was not pursued now, was because Edwards could not swallow his ego that Xabi rejected us when he left for Madrid. Again, this is all theories,no body know if this is real…but if there’s any truth in that…then these suits are the ones sabotaging the club much more badly right now, than Slot.
If I could have my way right now. I wish for a complete reset this summer. If Slot departs, both Hughes and Edwards should go as well, so that there’s no room of past mistakes to repeat and any biases towards coaching or recruitment.
The portrait of Edwards you have to create for this to be on track is an absurd one.
Way too much is made of the manager/coach thing. The decisions 9n personnel have not only not been taken in isolation from Slot and his wishes, but his vision for change has been extensively backed in ways it would have reasonable to not support given his identification as a continuity candidate.
Chelsea is a very different matter. Multiple managers have been given a collection of players they didn’t know before they met them and had players sold without their knowledge or input. There is a confusing structure that is influencing match day decision in obtrusive ways. It was considered a show of support and expanded authority when he came in that he was able to select the first team players he wanted exiled to the bomb squad, which is an all around absurd situation. Alonso reportedly negotiating for more control is reasonable and shouldn’t be interpreted as an indictment in the amount of influence and control a manager/coach gets here