Apparently, Wolfsburg's local papers write that a move this January is not very likely. In the summer, however, somebody will surely trigger his release clause (reportedly around €20m).We should be fine over the next couple of games. Leicester have 3 key players off to afcon, that is a winnable game. So is Hull at home.
That said, we might drop 5 points vs the dippers and arsenal and even then we will be at worst joint top.Such was this insane run of form.
If we can get Rodriguez and Llorente in this window. We can have a strong ending to the season.
Chelsea 2016/17 - Very Content
- Thread starter duffer
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
James Rodriguez. I reckon that's where he'll end up if he leave RM this January
Sanchez.
Or another CB and young RW. Although that Musonda is supposed to be very good right?
This is interesting. So Pochettino is a student of Bielsa and yesterday's tactical master class (the first time anyone has figured out how to totally nullify Conte's 3-4-3) was a variation of Bielsa's methods. I didn't even know that, nor did I know much of Bielsa's philosophies as I don't follow South American football much. Is he regarded as a legendary manager in Argentina?
So Pochettino is a student of Bielsa, Pep is a student of LVG, and LVG himself was a student of Cruyff? why don't Fergie and Mourinho have any students?
Edit - corrected my own post. I am supposing that Steve Clarke, Karanka, Villas-Boas and to a lesser extent Rodgers are students of Mou.
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So wrong. Pep used some idea from Bielsa too, some of LVG, a coach who Pep spent his last active time as player in Mexican league to study under (forgot the name), but based most on Cruyff's idea. LVG was enemy of Cruyff.
Bielsa's idea offers way to retain possession quick and suffocate opponent team in their own half by pressing. LVG's method offers way to defend using possession, with majority of concept to increase possession stat (he's the pioneer in this matter). Cruyff blend Dutch total football with flair of Latin players to reduce the dependent on physical attribute as he noticed with Spanish players being smaller and less physical than in other part of Europe, this thus create the tiki taka as tiki taka is way to play short quick passing in small area to bypass big physical guys.
The last point is one of the main difference of Cruyff's school of though vs LVG's since LVG is not that good with Latin/ South American player as he's too rigid with his method. Cruyff believed in the old stat that player only have an average of 6 minutes on ball in game, so he worked more on attacking to capitalize on that amount of possession. LVG aimed to enhance the possession stats. LVG was view as pragmatic by Dutch football communities.
Mourinho learnt from Sir Bobby Robson then Barcelona's idea and LVG. He decided his managerial style by adapting and counter his opponent. What he brought into the table is narrow the playing field, kill the space between players lines and shut the central position to force the opponent to play on wing (reduce the players involved in the build up on wing) but by withdrawing and put 11 men behind the ball, and let the opponent having possession and pressing for mistake to counter.
SAF started out with traditional British 4-4-2 formation with high emphasis on wing play, 2 forwards partnership, combatant teams... SAF's influence lies with the discipline he instilled to his team on & off the pitch, which at the time English football having a drinking culture that affect performance on pitch. He is also keen on adding skillful flair players. SAF's biggest asset is the winner mentality which leads him to improve, and upgrade his method. He learnt from his new opponent and up his game according. He doesn't have a separate philosophy. In a sense, our ex players turned managers only learnt part of SAF's methods, but couldn't keep up with SAF's own improvement. Then SAF's own ability can be taught or learnt. It's natural charisma and self will.
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This is interesting! I would like to know more about the background. Why were LVG and Cruyff enemies?
Did Pep ever train under Cruyff? If I recall correctly he mainly trained under LVG and Rikjaard?
Read my edit in previous post.
Pep played under Cruyff. Cruyff actually nurture him into Barcelona dream team in similar way Pep did to Busquet. Pep is that football nerd who is not just a player but also a student while being active. He discussed tactic with LVG and Mourinho (assistant manager) during their time there.
Cruyff and LVG had deep root to Ajax. Both tried to embled their idea into Ajax system. LVG had the win as he did help Ajax to win CL which Cruyff failed and Ajax didn't hold Cruyff's idea as IMO they want to make themselves distinctive to Barcelona for the good or the bad. The story about their clash sound petty but the root is the philosophy clash. Cruyff said something like the way Ajax screen their academy recruitment now, he (Cruyff) would be disqualified if he admits to the academy as young player now.
Edit: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...uyff-bitter-feud-started-Christmas-lunch.html
As I said above, Cruyff philosophy focuses on enabling small, weak technical player oriented. Ajax is pure Dutch total football school which still physical oriented. Someone like LVG doesn't challenge that basic, just adding his concept of ultra possession. Barcelona is where Cruyff idea is held in high regard.
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I agree that Chelsea looked pretty devoid of creativity in the absence of Fabregas. Tottenham totally cut off their passing lines and unsettled Hazard thoroughly and forced him to play deeper than normal. He wasn't allowed to have the ball. That's why they struggled to create chances. And Conte paid the price for adopting a defensive mindset with two DMs instead of Fabregas.
Also, Pedro truly is a terrible player. So over rated, he has some skills but totally doesn't have the right mentality for the PL. he must have some compromising photos of Conte, there's no other explanation why he is still in their first team. Seriously I have seen him play 3-4 times this season and he has been totally anonymous.
Conte has been exposed, he is still a young and inexperienced coach and will need time to learn. All the posts on the Caf claiming that he is world class were very much premature, at this stage I think he deserves to be ranked slightly above Giggs, Neville and Howe, and significantly below second tier coaches like Benitez, Ranieri and Blanc. Which puts him on the level below the level below Jose.
Given your insight, I'd put you slightly above Giggs (both above Conte of course, who has done nothing in the game).
Lol good one.
Seriously though Conte has ONE system and plan. It was a new system as far as the PL was concerned and no one really knew how to counter it. But I think Pochettino figured it out and Conte had no response. How else do you explain that you never looked like scoring at all, and Hazard and Costa were kept totally quiet and forced deep to try and get the ball. He also severely exposed the flaws of Azpilicueta as a CB (he is a full back and not a CB) which was bound to happen when someone is played out of position.
Pep was a student of Cruyff not LVG. Pep played under Cruyff for 6 seasons at Barca during the "Dream Team" years. oh @ti vu already answered haha sorry for repeats
I missed the game. What did Poch do to nullify Chelsea and can we do the same?
Cheers
Giggs and Benitez
While I love Jose and rank him as the best coach ever, Conte is well on his way to finishing above Jose this season with half the money spent. Conte is one of the only two coaches who could upstage Jose within the next 5 seasons.
Your posts really are clueless. United finally have their very own version of GlastonSpur on the caf.
Yeah I would like to know what tactics gods also think about that one because when watching the highlights, I only have the feeling that Pochettino tried to cross over Azpilicueta.
Wow all it takes is One defeat for all this? They went away to the hardest place they will go all season where spurs has the best defensive record in the league. I know you are only as good as your last match but come on. Even a premier league record equalling run of victories doesn't buy any slack? Now he's already mentioned in the same sentence with the likes of Neville and giggs who have little to No managerial experience? This kind of knee jerk reaction is similar to "sell all players", "sack the coach" rhetoric after any loss. Just way over the top.
I really like Rodriguez, but he's basically what you're describing Alonso as - great on the ball, but totally lacks pace.
Great posts by @ ti vu !
As an Ajax supporter i must say LVG's style was not loved in Holland too but his approach made one of the best teams in history and in my opinion the best of the 90s (better than Cruyffs dream team at Barca). I personally loved LVG' s Ajax side and the way they played.
As an Ajax supporter i must say LVG's style was not loved in Holland too but his approach made one of the best teams in history and in my opinion the best of the 90s (better than Cruyffs dream team at Barca). I personally loved LVG' s Ajax side and the way they played.
Hope Leicester learn from the Spurs tactic of floating tricky crosses into the box. Outside of the goals, there were a couple of corners and other free kicks that were barely dealt with.
If Leicester don't bottle it on the pitch and actually give their striker some service, Slimani can be devastating.
That said I fully expect Costa to make Wes Morgan look worse than he already is.
If Leicester don't bottle it on the pitch and actually give their striker some service, Slimani can be devastating.
That said I fully expect Costa to make Wes Morgan look worse than he already is.
Slimani will be at the African Cup of Nations. Along with Mahrez.
I think while people pay majority praise for Alli movement to score the goal, it's Kane's role that the key to unlock Chelsea defend. Kane drags David Luiz and Cahill and left Azpi with Moses (not ideal to deal with cross). Kane in a sense more a false no 9 by dropping deeper than normal, which confused Chelsea lines.
If it's just about crossing then even 4-4-2 with good crossers could have done the job. But in reality it's not the case, wasn't it?
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442 with good crossers would certainly do the job, assuming the movement is right (as you eluded to).. Slimani is a very smart player in the box tbf.
It's not like Conte won't learn anything from yesterday and now everybody will be spamming crosses at the far post, don't be silly.
All it needs is a bit of tweaking, telling those morons in Cahill and Luiz that they don't leave the shortest of CBs with somebody who's over 10 cms taller than him at the far post. It's easy to blame it all on Moses yesterday but for the first goal Luiz was marking space that literally nobody was attacking and for the second goal they leave it for Moses/Azpi against Alli, who as I've already said, is a lot taller than both of them. In a system with 3 defenders against two strikers (because Alli simply played as a SS yesterday) you want your taller defenders to go for aerial duels, not the shortest one.
All it needs is a bit of tweaking, telling those morons in Cahill and Luiz that they don't leave the shortest of CBs with somebody who's over 10 cms taller than him at the far post. It's easy to blame it all on Moses yesterday but for the first goal Luiz was marking space that literally nobody was attacking and for the second goal they leave it for Moses/Azpi against Alli, who as I've already said, is a lot taller than both of them. In a system with 3 defenders against two strikers (because Alli simply played as a SS yesterday) you want your taller defenders to go for aerial duels, not the shortest one.
Ricardo Rodriguez would be a good upgrade for Alonso.
Obviously Conte will be working on the mistakes, but against a back 3 with Cahil and Luiz its not easy for them to follow positionally. I wonder how quickly they resolve the issue if other teams start pumping the ball into the box.
Pumping the ball in the box won't get teams anywhere, it took 2 absolute peaches of crosses to expose the space.
Thankfully him and Mahrez are off to AFCON along with Amartey. Should make things a bit easier for Chelsea.
But he would probably cost something like 50 Mil.
Wolfsburg are cash strapped now from what I hear and a bid of around £25m should do it from what is being reported in the media. Probably even less if we hand them Baba Rahman as a makeweight. Rodriguez could cover for Cahill when he is crap (which is often against good teams).
FFS. He's in my dream team as well!
This the same Rodriguez who hasn't had a good game for about 2 years yes?
I really rated him a few years ago but he has been terrible the last 18 months.
I really rated him a few years ago but he has been terrible the last 18 months.
Guess i must have imagined hazard missing two sitters
Look, pochettino did well, and tottenham did well but seriously, this had more to do with tottenham matching well against chelsea than anything. They dominated them in the first half the the bridge, too, pedro's wondergoal took the wind out of their sails and fatigue did the rest in the second half.
Yesterday's game could be easily resumed in a nutshell: the teams nullified each other, both conceded 2 huge chances due to defensive blunders, hazard missed his chances, alli scored his. That was the game
Aye, that's not far off. Bad day at the office but you're still favourite for the league. Pochettino may have got it spot on tactically but having the players to do so is a massive help. The shitter teams can go 3-4-3 all they like. They won't have players as good as spurs to hurt you.
Post of the year already for me. Can anyone better this? I would like to stand applaud for you.
Maybe not but they've conceded four in two games . Before these two games they had only conceded two since the 1st October I think.
Chelsea will keep on rolling the weaker teams. I think they will struggle against liverpool too, for the same reason they struggled against tottenham. I see them beating arsenal at home, and i don't they will lose to either manchester. All in all, i don't see them losing more than 10-12 points in the second half of the season. Don't think they'll finish below 90 points, unless diego costa gets injured
Spurs actually had the players to nullify our midfield and our wingbacks. Pool do not have the personnel. Milner/Moreno do not compare to Rose. Moses will roast them anyday. Plus Dembele and Wanyama were beasts in the centre yesterday. I doubt Can/Hendo can do that vs Matic and Kante.
They're faster, play with even more energy, and technically better. They're a better match for you than spurs, but still a bad match-up
The tabloid narratives popping up here around Conte and various chelsea players on the back of their first defeat in 14 games is absolutely ridiculous.
Losing one game != being found out.
Losing one game != being found out.
It is silly because those same tabloids all said one day the run will end. So this was an inevitable defeat in itself. Theyre still going to take some catching
I think they'll sign Rudiger for CB cover, I would get another wingback too and 1 more decent defensive midfielder as cover.