You're entitled to your opinion, but I think that's an insane take. That was the best final in 5 years. The last 2 were abysmal
Reminder: After representing the US at youth levels and taking a residency spot at Bradenton, Neven Subotic said he would never switch away from the USA, that he owed the US everything soccer wise, and leaving the US team would be like stabbing people in the back. "That would kind of be like back-stabbing, I would say. I'm an American 'til the end."
Personally of you asked me who changed Chelsea the most I'd say 2kel then Mendy. He changed Chelsea completely. Fantastic keeper.
I don't think there's any doubt that he's a world class coach. Unless I'm mistaken back to back Champions League Final treks corrects? Wins one of them. I do think you can win while making mistakes, and doing a poor job. The most interesting thing to me was how poorly Man City played while I was watching. Losing De Bruyne definitely hurt them the last 45 mins or so. You can't argue with what Teuchel has done with Dortmund, PSG, and Chelsea the last half decade or so, but in a game often decided by one or two mistakes (this was basically one mistake), you can be driving a clown car of idiot coaches and get lucky and win. The Cowboys won a Super Bowl with freaking Barry Switzer. Argentina made a WC run with Diego Marafreakingdonna. There's no doubt that Pulisic is the best, most talented attacking player on that team, and he keeps him on the bench repeatedly, that's a mistake, FULL STOP. Pulisic came on and in his first two minutes contributed 2 of the best goal scoring chances they had in like 50 minutes of watching the game (I was w/my kid at the pool for the first 35 mins or so). Keeping that kind of talent on the bench is idiotic. Teuchel isn't, but he definitely is the kind of tactician that can be too clever by half. Sometimes you get lucky inspite of it, sometimes you don't. De Bruyne goes down, a guy that's been largely anonymous this year scores his first CL goal this year, in the Final. Is that the grand plan? No, that's just what can happen in a game that's often decided by 1, 2 or 3 mistakes in more than a thousand touches in a 97 minute game today.
So I am going to simply say this to you, the other guy who replied to me, and anyone else who thinks like this: You have created a no-win scenario for Tuchel, which is funny as people were claiming here that Pulisic was in a no-win situation by starting on the bench. Tuchel loses, he is an idiot. Tuchel wins with Pulisic, he only did the bare minimum of what he should so. He wins without Pulisic, it would have been easier WITH Pulisic. I am ecstatic that he has represented the US and now gotten a CL medal. But cmon, these contortions people are engaging in to slam anyone who won't worship at the altar of Pulisic have gotten way over the top.
Real Madrid vs Liverpool was fun. You can dock points for the Ramos hack job and two howlers by Karius.
Forgot to give Mount his props, many of us trashed him in '19-'20, but yeah, he's become a fabulous player this past season so he might be on Pulisic's level, certainly better this year anyway, so I should own that exception, but Timo, and Havertz etc, I just don't see it.
You forgot the other one, he won without Pulisic but that was less a coaching success on Tuchel and more a failure by Pep. The truth is that Chelsea won a match that very few, especially here, thought they could win. At some point you give the manager credit, and not in a condescending "he just sucked less than Pep" manner. If Pulisic started and scored that game winner I daresay the feelings about TT would spin 180.
We just had an American win a CL trophy, and he did play a role. And he did play well off the bench, I just wish he could have that one chance back. He finishes that 7-10 times. why are some people unhappy?
I like Havertz, him and CP combine well together. Timo is in the wrong place. He would look great at Leeds or Leicester.
It wouldn’t be on P+ outside of the US either. So not sure what you are complaining about. Champions league is sold per country.
I missed the battle for Vichy France bragging rights . Pool vs hotspud was terrible and I have to admit I never watch Franco's real Madrid.
It's always hysterical when the idiots stumble to multiple footie titles and the geniuses post on anonymous message boards. Looks like there will be more of TT's idiotic game management to watch next season for our boy, however.
Kicks off the season on the bench for the Supercup vs Villarreal. Chelsea XI to face Villarreal: Mendy, Zouma, Chalobah, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi, Kovacic, Kante, Alonso, Ziyech, Havertz, Werner Bench: Arrizabalaga, Silva, Christensen, Azpilicueta, James, Chilwell, Emerson, Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Jorginho, Pulisic, Abraham Villarreal XI to face Chelsea: Asenjo, Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza, Trigueros, Capoue, Moreno, Pino, Dia, Moreno Bench: Rulli, Mario Gaspar, Pena, Mandi, Cuenca, Estupinan, Morlanes, Moi Gomez, Iborra, Raba, Paco Alcacer, Nino @bungadiri ok to just create these? Just curious, please delete if already exists and I couldn't find it.
I think the grass roots consensus is that I need to delete the years from the original pbp threads and that we all just keep on using those. I'll move your post to the Pulisic thread.
Chelsea wingbacks getting in behind a little bit... Villarreal having a back line holding outside their penalty area. Could see something come from this.