If you think I’m picking on Tuchel because he’s not Frank, I guess grow up? Frank’s gone. Tuchel’s here. This is how I feel about how things are going. Seriously, man, it’s like you’re always looking for something to be pissed about.
I'm fine if a manager doesn't have a best XI, in fact I prefer it. Different opponents have different strengths and weaknesses and the starting line up should be adapted to reflect that. Having a starting core 6-7 for sure but some pieces are fine if they are more fluid. If I had to pick who Tuchel leans on more: Silva Mount Kova Rudiger Werner Dave Could argue jorginho, alonso and others but this seems to be the core he plays when he can.
It’s like you’re a little too sensitive and can’t handle being challenged on anything. Perhaps you had a serious answer to my question? You don’t. No one has the slightest idea what our best XI is, the manager who has some 15+ players to choose from and started 3 weeks ago doesn’t know yet either. Frank had a year and a half to figure it out and didn’t. And yeah, it did sound like you’re picking on Tuchel. “Tinker man” was never an endearing term. Its ok that you’re still salty about Frank but if you can’t take the piss, throw me on ignore.
Honestly I read that as wanting to assess each manager by the same criteria. If we are calling tuchel tinkerman (which was not a compliment to ranieri iirc) it's reasonable to apply the same lens for his predecessor. To answer your original post, I think he is still trying to figure out combinations. Given the team are working in a new system it makes sense he is playing around with personnel. Time will tell if we regularly change the line up several times, match to match, but it's still early. He also hasnt had a healthy pulisic to call on and that will change things again. My biggest question mark over tuchel is how he treats players who may not be in his core. Jury is out but over time it's natural some players will feel left out and hope he handles them well.
Anyone have insight into what he was like at PSG and Dortmund? He seems incredibly transparent thus far, at least in terms of letting us know why he makes the calls he does. How that translated to actual treatment I can’t be sure.. he seems very sociable, refers to certain guys by their nicknames already (Chillwell = Chilly) so I have a hard time imagining he’d hit them with the unceremonious Lampard ghosting. Who knows though. I hope to see this team revert to 4 in the back as my heart is and probably forever will be biased towards a 4-3-3. 3 in the back only ever looked great for a 2-3 month period under Conte & has never looked more than a decent fall back formation since.
Tuchel fielding 8 defensive players against Southampton undermines just how lacking we are in terms of top defensive personal. If we switch to a back 4 we may start shipping goals again. A key difference between Conte's first back 5 system and Tuchel's is that we no longer have prime Matic, Costa, Hazard and Terry. It's an arguably weaker lineup now.
*I’m* being too sensitive? Oy. I just come here to talk about the team; no interest in pissing contests. You do you. I am picking on Tuchel a little, but not *because* of Frank. Frank’s time is done. Every/any time I make a comment that’s not in veneration of our new manager, it’s not *because* of Frank. I can compartmentalize just fine. If you’re asking a straight question, rather than taking your own shot, I *don’t* have an answer. I don’t think he settled on one...but it’s also a straw argument. I’m not advocating for for Frank’s best 11 or a static best 11 at all (I actually named, maybe 15 players). I do think athletes benefit from more consistent line-ups. You get to know what your teammates are going to do, how they move (practice isn’t the same). You build your own confidence, you get a little rhythm. You take a little more risk. If you feel like you’re always on the verge of being yanked, you play more conservative. Don’t make a mistake. I know some managers like to keep that kind of tension in the squad. There also the flip side of the argument, if you play a similar line-up every game, teams know how to prepare. I think KDB is right that he has some players he relies on as a kind of core. I’d like to see some different players in that core (fitness permitting). The 5 in the back feels like a stop gap, but to what? What’s next? What does he really want to do? I feel like there’s another shoe to drop and I just want to get there.
Although the Scarlet F I apparently wear may suggest otherwise, I really don’t have any interest in comparing the two. Seems like apples to oranges. Like I said, it very well may just be a new coach getting to know his team. He didn’t have the benefit of an off-season, he came essentially directly out of his last position, so he hasn’t been studying film for months. I get all that. Pulling CHO was really interesting. Here’s a player who seemed to be a favorite right away. That was pretty harsh. It’ll be interesting to see how CHO responds. Maybe TT felt like he had to send a message, or he feels like he already has a strong enough relationship with the kid to give him some tough love. CHO’s will-he, won’t-he history makes it seem dicey. I could see an argument either way.
You’re blind to your own backhanded commentary - as someone who has consistently bemoaned our performances, even when we’ve won and has made it clear they’re sore over Frank, playing like you don’t have a bone to pick is kinda funny to see. Feel free to just own it, that’d be a little more respectable. As far as Tuchel goes, the jury is still wayyy the ******** out. For now, its been 3 weeks and we’re back in the top 4, our best defender is still out of action, we’ve made it to this point after being in what looked like free-fall prior to his appointment and I’d say we have plenty of room to grow. If this is what he’s capable of with zero prep time, I have to say I’m somewhat optimistic about the future. This team needed some calm and relief from a toxic atmosphere: Tuchel brought it. Just like the times we brought Hiddink in midseason, nothing revolutionary happened, the squad simply started playing to something resembling their level. This is what’s happening now to a degree. Being boring and securing CL footy is fine by me. Better than look absolutely terrible and losing. Lamps had my support until he didn’t. Tuchel gets the same.
When he took CHO off my first thought was it was a message and the post match comments confirmed it. I agree, harsh move and maybe more about making the point, as you suggest, that even if he rates you doesn't mean you don't have to show up every single time. And I can get behind that. There needs to be a line between manager and friend but there also needs to be a (stamford) bridge. Tough balance and one I expect that comes with experience. As for cho, if he doesnt react well tbh it's probably better we know that sooner than later. I want the guy who takes adversity and builds on it. Gets angry about it. Works twice as hard to show he deserves his spot. Ultimately theres no way tuchel subs the sub unless he believed in him. This isn't george weahs cousin
Thank goodness you’re here to help me come to grips with my true feelings. It’s what I’ll miss about you most.
Tuchel is nowhere near Ranieri in terms of his management. Unless he starts playing Zouma up front and Jorginho on the wing or something.* That said, I’m waiting till we’re able to use Pulisic and Havertz consistently. Although Mount has been better than Havertz. Pulisic has me worried with his injuries. *: if the US followed the sport more, I’d use Ranieri’s strategy against Monaco as “have you lost your mind?!” In a leadership course. Along with Real Madrid being an example of toxic.
Tuchel has already said that there is no best XI, that in the modern game you are looking at a best 16 or 17 players. Only commentators seem obsessed with the best XI scenario. Tuchel has also mentioned that he is missing the 5 subs rule. Only 3 subs in the prem. Tuchel is after results. Not losing. Hence we have gone with the wing backs and the 3 CB’s. I would happily lose a CB and add an attacking player, because I am looking for entertainment. Tuchel is looking for results. He is also “probably” knows a bit more about football than me. Happy to not be losing. But I would say it is now time to play some of our very expensive attacking players and go to 4 at the back. 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-4.
Is that magic wand to make that selection happen or to restore some decent form to the selected players as I think several of those could use the latter
Imagine being as old as you are and pretending you weren’t having a go at Tuchel with your post. You have three people pointing out how ridiculous your comment was. Hav need time and he needs games IMO. Mount wasn’t playing like this every game last season, he was often underwhelming and inconsistent but belief and game time helped him become what he appears meant to be (an important part of this team for a very long time to come). Not sure how the two play together in the current setup.. the best we saw from Hav was in a midfield 3.
Looking forward to having Silva back. Am I being harsh in thinking Zouma was totally botched this? Massive error here IMO.. ball watching, basically gives up on the play. Really let us down there while Azpi had the other attacker marked and busted a lung trying to make up for Zouma's mishap. Shades of last season's "defending" is what that looked like. Teams only need a single chance if that's what you're going to give them. The most criminal part about the play was this moment here where he stopped running. Had he kept going there would have been an opportunity to stop Minamino's cutback.
Zouma has a history of not running out the play. Quite the opposite of what's required from a quality defender. Thinking back to Ivanovic, Terry, Carvs, christ, even Cahill.
Given what cho was subbed for he must feel cornered into starting zouma. More than anything else it suggests we will be in for a high price CB in the summer.
A shame too. I used to be big on Big Kurt (pre-injury) but he is just not up to par. AC looked fine enough when he has played. I tend to like him a bit more. He has far more upside, imo.
I still think that Zouma is the best out and out centre half of the 3. Defending in the box, and causing threat in the opposing box. Before his injury that was all that was asked/required of him However the world moves on and these days the position requires more skills and Curt does not have them. If we need his defence we have to accommodate these shortcomings until we can improve the squad. Don't put him under pressure in our half. All that said his long pass is second only to Silva, Rudiger is not as accurate and Christensen does not pass long Sorry for the rambling nature of the posting
Zouma is a good ol classic CB. Expecting him to be comfortable with the ball on his feet however, it's not going to be pretty. The only time I've truly and I mean truly frustrated with Zouma was in a friendly, when he clotheslined a dude that would have made a pro wrestler proud.