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Genuine question here, what do you all see in Fazio?
I've watched him week in and week and just cannot understand what he offers.
We can't be awesome in every game. We're getting a lot of points from losing positions - 16 now I think - the most of any team in the Prem. We might not be the finished article (which would be a joke after 7 months) but at least we've got some bollocks.
Poch trains these guys all week and picks the team based on loads of information cunts like you and me aren't privy too
second guessing him when we don't have a fucking clue about whats going on behind the scenes is futile
we've all got our favourite 11s and set ups but it's far more complex than that these days
second guessing him when we don't have a fucking clue about whats going on behind the scenes is futile
we've all got our favourite 11s and set ups but it's far more complex than that these days
But see I dont get this sentiment.
You've just talked yourself out of ever criticising a line up, formation or sub, because the manager knows best.
Of course he does. Of course Poch knows more than me.
Will I ever condone bringing on Paulinho to see out a game though when we need someone like Stambouli to come on? No....fuck no. Never.
I think everyone more or less agrees what 90% of our best team is, including Poch, and that we're just struggling with fixture congestion/squad rotation. Regardless of how well or how poorly this week goes, I think things will settle down once starting both Kane and Eriksen in the same game is no longer a luxury.
I'd go back to the team we had a few weeks ago, during our winning run. Can understand why it's been chopped lately (Mason minor injury, Chadli family issues) but I think it's time to go back to it.
----------Lloris---------
Walker---Fazio---Jan---Rose
----Mason---Bentaleb---
Lamela---Eriksen---Chadl
-----------Kane---------
I think Dembele should be used behind Kane in the big games, as he keeps the ball and can defend pretty well, but otherwise I generally like the 3 behind Kane.
I think Chadli on the right wing is a terrible idea, his best attribute is coming inside on his right foot and scoring goals. Putting him on the right sacrifices that.
I think Fazio was getting better and better, I always appreciate his experience and leadership. People forget he's won the biggest title in our entire squad. I think he communicates a lot more than Dier, who is one of the youngest players in our squad with no experience at all.
----------Lloris---------
Walker---Fazio---Jan---Rose
----Mason---Bentaleb---
Lamela---Eriksen---Chadl
-----------Kane---------
I think Dembele should be used behind Kane in the big games, as he keeps the ball and can defend pretty well, but otherwise I generally like the 3 behind Kane.
I think Chadli on the right wing is a terrible idea, his best attribute is coming inside on his right foot and scoring goals. Putting him on the right sacrifices that.
I think Fazio was getting better and better, I always appreciate his experience and leadership. People forget he's won the biggest title in our entire squad. I think he communicates a lot more than Dier, who is one of the youngest players in our squad with no experience at all.
I don't think the performance was disgusting. We started ok. I just thought we looked a a bit lacklustre. Not sharp enough. Remember they had 8 days rest and prep for this game.
The default way to play us at home, on a narrow pitch , is what they did and what many have done this season. Defend deep and hit us on the break.
We have obviously got to go for it. They put 3 in the midfield and 3 up front, 2 to stop our fullbacks getting down the flanks. We then have to go down the middle and they play a nice tight line with not much space in behind.
Unfortunately, MP has inherited a squad with midfielders that do not have many goals in them. Only two of them this, and two last.
We just struggled to cut out any clear cut chances. Not for the want of trying though.
Chadli is obviously not mentally or physically 100%. Lamela did ok if you ask me. I watch Lamela and he gets into good positions and does not get the ball when he should. He is getting there imo
When we have a starting midfield consisting of AT, Lamela, Dembele, Mason and Bentaleb where are the goals coming from?
None of them have exactly good goalscoring records.
If some of them would be comfortable finishing some of those chances would have gone in. That's the main problem with this squad and has been for a while.
I hope Poch is looking at midfielders who are comfortable in front of goal.
We also gave away possession for the first goal.
I would not have started with AT. I would have liked to have seen Eriksen on the left, Dembele in the middle and Lamela on the right. At least Eriksen and Lamela compliment each other with their movement to either side.
Change would have been bring Soldado on for Mason put him in place of Moussa and put Dembele alongside Bentaleb.
Maybe with Sodlado and Kane to worry about more space would have opened up. I also think Soldado, Eriksen, Kane and Lamela work well together.
I just think we suffer a lot because of EL. I would say that if we were not playing on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings and playing Tues and Sat our league form would be better.
Of course it doesn't help having players in the squad who are no help. We are not utilising 5 players named in the squad. We also have lost a right midfielder and not replaced him.
Obviously MP doesn't think they are up to scratch but no doubt we could do with a reliable midfielder, defender and an experienced, goalscoring forward.
The default way to play us at home, on a narrow pitch , is what they did and what many have done this season. Defend deep and hit us on the break.
We have obviously got to go for it. They put 3 in the midfield and 3 up front, 2 to stop our fullbacks getting down the flanks. We then have to go down the middle and they play a nice tight line with not much space in behind.
Unfortunately, MP has inherited a squad with midfielders that do not have many goals in them. Only two of them this, and two last.
We just struggled to cut out any clear cut chances. Not for the want of trying though.
Chadli is obviously not mentally or physically 100%. Lamela did ok if you ask me. I watch Lamela and he gets into good positions and does not get the ball when he should. He is getting there imo
When we have a starting midfield consisting of AT, Lamela, Dembele, Mason and Bentaleb where are the goals coming from?
None of them have exactly good goalscoring records.
If some of them would be comfortable finishing some of those chances would have gone in. That's the main problem with this squad and has been for a while.
I hope Poch is looking at midfielders who are comfortable in front of goal.
We also gave away possession for the first goal.
I would not have started with AT. I would have liked to have seen Eriksen on the left, Dembele in the middle and Lamela on the right. At least Eriksen and Lamela compliment each other with their movement to either side.
Change would have been bring Soldado on for Mason put him in place of Moussa and put Dembele alongside Bentaleb.
Maybe with Sodlado and Kane to worry about more space would have opened up. I also think Soldado, Eriksen, Kane and Lamela work well together.
I just think we suffer a lot because of EL. I would say that if we were not playing on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings and playing Tues and Sat our league form would be better.
Of course it doesn't help having players in the squad who are no help. We are not utilising 5 players named in the squad. We also have lost a right midfielder and not replaced him.
Obviously MP doesn't think they are up to scratch but no doubt we could do with a reliable midfielder, defender and an experienced, goalscoring forward.
Genuine question here, what do you all see in Fazio?
I've watched him week in and week and just cannot understand what he offers.
I think his speed isnt that big of an issue when he has Walker and Jan alongside him. Plus he has experience and positioning skills which he uses to compensate.
He's made some great last ditch tackles, great for defending corners, is aggressive and strong.
Personally, I dont think any forwards look and Dier and say "oh shit, dont want to get into a collision with that"
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Mate we were one mis hit with a keeper acting like a cat that just had its tail trodden on, and a missed penalty that happened to come straight back to Kane, away from an implosion here that would have made Hiroshima look like a firework.
Dont let the 2-2 fool you.
That was terrible. An awful, awful show.
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Not true. We scored in the last minute. That means we were fucking awesome and there's nothing to worry about.
[formation=4231, Lloris, Walker, Dier/Faz, Vertonghen, Rose, Stambouli/Mason, Bentaleb, Lamela / Dembele, Eriksen, Chadli, Kane][/formation]
Me too, Franco Baresi in his prime. I will settle for Fazio though. He has done a number on Costa in several games.
Its not really surprising that he looked shit when he had to form a unit with both Townsend and Lamela though.
Why, today, has Poch used that is beyond me.
Has Townsend offered more than Chadli of late? I must have missed something.
Even with the bad performance we still had almost twice as many shots/possesion as the hammers, asMensa said nowhere near the west brom game.
I remember it felt like 90% possession under AVB. Still wanted to claw my eyes out though.
Can you two just fuck off, seriously
Personally, I don't have much beef with Poch on the line-up in attacking midfield, as none of our players (Chadli, Townsend, Lamela, Dembele, even Eriksen) have managed consistently stellar performances.
What I'm a bit puzzled by is the absence of Stambouli and Capoue, as options for Bentaleb and Mason. I know they have their flaws, but are these so fatal that we feel we've no choice but to run Bentaleb and Mason into the ground? Poch must have his reasons, and I do wonder what these are.
As for Paulinho, I've given up
ochbye:
What I'm a bit puzzled by is the absence of Stambouli and Capoue, as options for Bentaleb and Mason. I know they have their flaws, but are these so fatal that we feel we've no choice but to run Bentaleb and Mason into the ground? Poch must have his reasons, and I do wonder what these are.
As for Paulinho, I've given up
ochbye:i don't know, Fazio is much better in the air than Dier imo
Dier is better than Fazio currently for me.
For me it's the pretty standard back 5 with Fazio over Dier. Any 2 out of Stambouli, Mason & Bentaleb as the 2 deeper midfielders. Any 2 out of Dembele, Chadli and Lamela as part of a front 4 with Kane & Eriksen. For me yesterday's starting XI was missing 1 must start player in Eriksen and on Thursday it was with Kane, throw in some players who are not up to being a starter getting a start like Paulinho, Soldado & to a lesser extent Townsend and I'm not at all surprised we've been a bit lacklustre