Match Thread: Chelsea v Liverpool

[sydenham red]

Salah and baBoon Doors????? No chance if he was going to win it, he'd have won it already VVD has best chance when we won champions league

take a miracle to win the champions league like 2005 even then salah is not nailed on for it

if the miracle somehow, right now it is a miracle.... double... Isak and wirtz probably would have a big part to play.... maybe isak for the baboon doors

wouldn't even think about that, I'd think about getting through to the knock-outs and staying in the top 4 right now

Off subject is this the first international break that's done us in a favour? think we've needed it for once, can't remember the last one that was positive for us but I'm actually glad.

Intl break only helpful if the forwards find their shooting boots for their countries or we have players on injury list but due back when PL resumes. It won't help the squad work on the new formation in training. Arne has some tough choices to make, who to drop and if he could/should back to 433.

[Steveo]

Yep was thinking the same - BUT these breaks can disrupt other sides. Arsenal for instance. Also gives Slot a chance to talk to the Edwards/Hughes clusterfuck and ask WHO is targeting & prioritising players we don't essentially need before addressing the areas we urgently do.

Konate situation was known early doors this summer. That's before we mention the fact he is a liability - surely I'm not the only one who saw it years ago. If so - Go 'ed - Gis'a job...

[Red October]

It's just my thinking. Because I don't want to belive they looked at the squad and though, yes, this is it. They must know we lack at CB and cm. I'm hoping we can put in a strong challenge but unfortunatly I think it's arsenals year. They have kept a consistency in their team and added depth to the squad.

I saying all of that, I don't think slot is helping himself with some of his decisions.
Constantly changing the right back position. Gakpo as a constant at the left side. Mó getting a free pass. Totally ignoring chiesa when he at least shows fight and quality when he gets on the pitch. Adjusting the positioning of grav which seems to be leaving us open to counters.

Yeah, Slot has got tough decisions to make. I think he needs to drop Mo to the bench. How can he keep playing when he's done very little? He's a liability for us right now. Bring him on at 60 minutes for impact.

Attack
Isak - probably should start
Ekitike has to start every game I would think - we really missed him because of his stupid red card. Disrupted the team by losing him.
Chiesa -surely has to start. Been hungry and positive every time he's on.

Midfield
Grav - has been decent - we've seen glimpses of him marauding forward which is frustrating as it shows what he could do if he had a DM behind him.
Macca - needs dropping right now.
Szobo - probably needs to play Macca's role to protect back 4
Wirtz - maybe just play him. He will get up to speed eventually. He's shown glimpses. A lot of players are getting to know each other. He'll need time to build an understanding. It's better he does that with Ekitike and Isak rather than Mo who probably won't be here next year.

Defence
Frimpong - I say just play him at RB - surely that's what he's signed for even if he's more of a winger. He needs to get used to the position/team-mates
Konate - drop him like a stone - get Gomez is ASAP (as much as he's not a perfect solution either but hey ho)
VVD - holding things together right now for the most part
Kerkez - I say stick with him. He's got better despite having some screw-ups in every game. Think it's the pressure of big club scrutiny.

Marmardash - decent showing so far.

[sydenham red]

Yes, can he get isak,etikite and chiesa into a front 3 somehow? Gakpo and Salah to get 15-30 mins at end until/unless their form merits a start. And play the fullback for 90mins no matter who he picks. Kerkez may not be at the level we think he's capable of getting to but sadly robbo is near done despite his experience. Unfortunately if we don't play maccs then Jones has to play and isn't ripping it up either. Meanwhile we risk burning out dom and grav. Painfully short of added quality in midfield, no disrespect to Endo but hopefully Bajetic can come back in when fit and do a job somewhere.

[Steveo]

Yeah, Slot has got tough decisions to make. I think he needs to drop Mo to the bench. How can he keep playing when he's done very little? He's a liability for us right now. Bring him on at 60 minutes for impact.

Attack
Isak - probably should start
Ekitike has to start every game I would think - we really missed him because of his stupid red card. Disrupted the team by losing him.
Chiesa -surely has to start. Been hungry and positive every time he's on.

Midfield
Grav - has been decent - we've seen glimpses of him marauding forward which is frustrating as it shows what he could do if he had a DM behind him.
Macca - needs dropping right now.
Szobo - probably needs to play Macca's role to protect back 4
Wirtz - maybe just play him. He will get up to speed eventually. He's shown glimpses. A lot of players are getting to know each other. He'll need time to build an understanding. It's better he does that with Ekitike and Isak rather than Mo who probably won't be here next year.

Defence
Frimpong - I say just play him at RB - surely that's what he's signed for even if he's more of a winger. He needs to get used to the position/team-mates
Konate - drop him like a stone - get Gomez is ASAP (as much as he's not a perfect solution either but hey ho)
VVD - holding things together right now for the most part
Kerkez - I say stick with him. He's got better despite having some screw-ups in every game. Think it's the pressure of big club scrutiny.

Marmardash - decent showing so far.

Agreed on every single count. Probably the only way to get Wirtz up to speed quick. Gives the front line the chance to gel - leaves opposition with little clue what they face...leaves Mo knowing what he has to bring.. and the back line a better look and a better brain.

[Red October]

Yes, can he get isak,etikite and chiesa into a front 3 somehow? Gakpo and Salah to get 15-30 mins at end until/unless their form merits a start. And play the fullback for 90mins no matter who he picks. Kerkez may not be at the level we think he's capable of getting to but sadly robbo is near done despite his experience. Unfortunately if we don't play maccs then Jones has to play and isn't ripping it up either. Meanwhile we risk burning out dom and grav. Painfully short of added quality in midfield, no disrespect to Endo but hopefully Bajetic can come back in when fit and do a job somewhere.

It's what's left us all scratching our heads so much. We desperately needed someone else in midfield to do Grav's job. Imagine him further forward with Wirtz as a 10. That could be great. Sadly we won't see it this season.

[teesred]

It's what's left us all scratching our heads so much. We desperately needed someone else in midfield to do Grav's job. Imagine him further forward with Wirtz as a 10. That could be great. Sadly we won't see it this season.

Agree. Really frustrating because that's where he's going to be most effective. People talk about him being one of the best DM/6s in the world. Even if he is that's not where he's meant to play and it negates his best qualities.

[Red October]

Also, he might get fed up of being played out of position in a year or two and go somewhere they will play him in a more advanced role.

[Kev0909]

Will never happen but maybe we should play a diamond formation or as a backup tactic at least whilst we have no wingers, and salah underperforming, pack the midfield but allow them to drift off to the side and help the fullbacks when on the back foot

Slot obviously has a issue with chiesa.. even when he's fit which isn't often, Rio can't start often still very raw, option for the cups and bench though.

Wirtz behind Isak, grav holding Szob maca ahead..... if maca sorts himself out whatever the issue is or drop Maca play Szob/Grav as the 2 with endo behind, we really should've got a new midfielder and a CB..... bit of a farce neglecting these areas then making us weaker on the wings too, whoever's great idea this was needs to sort there heads out.. and Hughes can get fired, questions have to be asked.. but but guehi you say..... more to life than guehi out there

Salah can come on as a sub for Wirtz or to change things up.

Not sure why we're obsessed with 1 tactic we've tweaked to make us as open as a whore in a brothel

we don't seem very good at changing things when it's not going well, only one way of playing... unless that includes best midfielders at the back somehow..

What worries me, slot doesn't have a clue how to use the new boys it seems

[teesred]

Will never happen but maybe we should play a diamond formation or as a backup tactic at least whilst we have no wingers, and salah underperforming, pack the midfield but allow them to drift off to the side and help the fullbacks when on the back foot

Slot obviously has a issue with chiesa.. even when he's fit which isn't often, Rio can't start often still very raw, option for the cups and bench though.

Wirtz behind Isak, grav holding Szob maca ahead..... if maca sorts himself out whatever the issue is or drop Maca play Szob/Grav as the 2 with endo behind, we really should've got a new midfielder and a CB..... bit of a farce neglecting these areas then making us weaker on the wings too, whoever's great idea this was needs to sort there heads out.. and Hughes can get fired, questions have to be asked.. but but guehi you say..... more to life than guehi out there

Salah can come on as a sub for Wirtz or to change things up.

Not sure why we're obsessed with 1 tactic we've tweaked to make us as open as a whore in a brothel

we don't seem very good at changing things when it's not going well, only one way of playing... unless that includes best midfielders at the back somehow..

What worries me, slot doesn't have a clue how to use the new boys it seems

Good suggestion Kev and you're right about a seemingly rigid system we stick to. One of my pals said to me last week he thinks we've got the perfect players to have a back three but it would also mean Salah sitting out.

[Red October]

Agree with the above points. Slot needs to be brave and come up with a way of playing that makes the most of the players we have right now.

Surely we should be using the full-backs for width? Frimpong is a winger isn't he? To make the best use of Isak we need crosses into the box surely. Also, for Ekitike.

In terms of cover, the midfielders need to cover for the FBs when they're forward. Right now Salah is a passenger and I don't think the way we play allows for any passengers.

I think Slot needs to be back at the drawing board big-time to figure out how he wants to play and how to best use the players we have.

[redgold]

I'm not a football tactician, but why haven't we simply replaced last season's missing players and used the same system? We'd be similar but with more cutting edge with Isak. Did we actually need Wirtz or was it to replace Trent's passing range?
Also why did we let Diaz go to Bayern? To Barcelona I can understand, but Bayern? Surely we could have offered him enough to stay rather than move sideways? It feels like we've cut off our left arm and our engine room at the same time.

[Red October]

Will never happen but maybe we should play a diamond formation or as a backup tactic at least whilst we have no wingers, and salah underperforming, pack the midfield but allow them to drift off to the side and help the fullbacks when on the back foot

Slot obviously has a issue with chiesa.. even when he's fit which isn't often, Rio can't start often still very raw, option for the cups and bench though.

Wirtz behind Isak, grav holding Szob maca ahead..... if maca sorts himself out whatever the issue is or drop Maca play Szob/Grav as the 2 with endo behind, we really should've got a new midfielder and a CB..... bit of a farce neglecting these areas then making us weaker on the wings too, whoever's great idea this was needs to sort there heads out.. and Hughes can get fired, questions have to be asked.. but but guehi you say..... more to life than guehi out there

Salah can come on as a sub for Wirtz or to change things up.

Not sure why we're obsessed with 1 tactic we've tweaked to make us as open as a whore in a brothel

we don't seem very good at changing things when it's not going well, only one way of playing... unless that includes best midfielders at the back somehow..

What worries me, slot doesn't have a clue how to use the new boys it seems

What if we did something like this:

Mamar
Frimpong Gomez VVD Kerkez
Jones
Szobo Grav
Chiesa Isak/Ekitike Wirtz

Full-backs would provide width. Jones would be a Mascherano type destroyer. That's his only job. Grav could be more creative. Grav and Szobo could cover for the full-backs when forward. Chiesa would also provide width and double up when defending. Wirtz would do the same on the other side. However as the full-backs would provide width Chiesa and Wirtz would be more free to attack and move where they wish when we have the ball. Isak/Ekitike get on the end of things.

[jozza800]

What's happened to Grav dropping deep to receive the ball. The amount of times over the last week Konate has been stuck with the ball with only the RB or VVD as an outlet is crazy.

We've not been able to get out from the back at all. All 3 central midfielders are so far up the pitch it's kneecapping us at both ends of the pitch.

If this is by design then Slot has got it very wrong!

[Kev0909]

What if we did something like this:

Mamar
Frimpong Gomez VVD Kerkez
Jones
Szobo Grav
Chiesa Isak/Ekitike Wirtz

Full-backs would provide width. Jones would be a Mascherano type destroyer. That's his only job. Grav could be more creative. Grav and Szobo could cover for the full-backs when forward. Chiesa would also provide width and double up when defending. Wirtz would do the same on the other side. However as the full-backs would provide width Chiesa and Wirtz would be more free to attack and move where they wish when we have the ball. Isak/Ekitike get on the end of things.

Not sure about Jones....