They could and may yet still. This is not a side that should be giving us this type of problem. Tactically speaking, we are buggered during this spell.
Saw the most idiotic tweet from Opta saying he hadn't scored in the CL in over a year. Good observation ya idiots cause jokes on you, WE WERENT IN LAST YEAR. HA!
That reminds me of the banner after Naldo scored 2 goals against United in the CL: "Naldo has scored 2 goals in last 3 CL matches" ... as opposed to his last 50 CL matches?
Willian is so terrible now. Doesn't look the least bit interested and his decision making is lousy. Musonda should get his minutes and ship him on in January.
it's a shame drinkwater is injured at the same time as kante. kante would obviously be a true difference maker but drinkwater would be usefull in games like this when kante is out.
^Lmfao... Still not in panic mode but also still not happy. Unlike Jose, Conte will not continue to trot out the same shit doing the same damn thing (I think). I fully expect him to react and switch things up.
Yes, but injuries require him to basically put out the same team week in and out, unless he plays kids.
Our entire approach is wrong. Regardless of injuries, the play the last 3 games is pretty unforgivable. Today the only real miss was Kante. He can also start by dropping serial underperformers aka Cahill.
Well that was very poor, probably the worst I've seen them play since......well since last weekend. I don't think its simply 'Cahill' either like some seem to suggest, missing Kante enormously but even then its not that simple, right now we seem to be second to almost every ball, we must have lost at least 80% of the 50-50's, its almost like the team believes just turning up is going to get them the game. I also think that Antonio got it wrong tactically, he seems to want to cover 'holes' caused by injury's by playing people out of position or changing formations, personally I would stick to what works best and simply play the best player we have to cover any 'holes' and if that means a youngster then so be it, I feel at least that way we won't go to pieces the way we seem to have gone to pieces over the last month or so.
Dropping Cahill is a start. If you think I sum up my issues with the team as it being just him, you are way off the mark. He should be dropped, he is a nightmare, its that simple. Playing our best possible XI is a good start. Its Jose-esque sticking with a vet for the sake of sticking with a vet. Wouldn't mind seeing Rud-Luiz-AC at the back with Azpi pushed wide. We need some stability back there. As for the rest of it, I'm not sure playing a 3-5-2 screams of wanting to cover holes. Eden and Alvaro are very effective together and throwing in an extra mid, at least in principle, is a perfectly good idea. Don't think he trusts Fab & Baka to be our two mids.
Only had a chance to watch highlights, but was getting texted with updates from a friend. How did Zappacosta look? Haven't heard much about his performance
As far as I could tell he wasn't bad. Defensively he wasn't great but he wasn't our issue. It was our spine and again the 3 at the back. Christensen on the first had to come over and cover for Dave and he did, it just so happened the shot went off his leg.
It's happened with frequency this season. Luiz and Cahill aren't as athletic as they have were. Both have also been red carded and missed significant time. Part of the reason I just want to play Christensen and Rüdiger. Christensen reads the game better than anyone back there.
Yeah, they've both been total liabilities. AC and Rud have both shown they are quite capable. Would be very surprised to not see them both starting next game.