Men's Soccer (Football) Thread [ARCHIVED] Soccer • Page 92

I'd like to win it.

though I'm expecting pain today because big (relative, of course) matches against Chelsea give me hives

 

also wtf this semi is 2 legged? why

 

yeah thats always the gripe with fixture pile up, seems annoying

 

I didn't realize I put on Chelsea Wolfe before the game started. Not sure if the game was just on my mind or what. lol

 

Chelsea are actually shite? They constantly have no-one in the box but are putting crosses in like they are getting paid per cross lol - Kante the only one that's actually got on the end of one (and hit the post) which says it all really. Willian off Giroud on H/T.

 

Chelsea have dominated this half

 

Yeah, time of possession is killing the Spurs right now.

 

I mean I’ll take a 1-0 win considering we looked tired and were outplayed.

Another clean sheet for Gazzaniga.

 

Watching Chelsea is just not good, at all. Sat and watched the Palace game, part of the Forest game and this Spurs game in the past couple weeks and it was just boring - its like the entire team and manager do not know how to get a CF involved in a game. Morata and/or Giroud on the pitch, no crosses coming in? Play with a false 9 and crosses are being sent in to Kante who was frequently the only player in the box?

And it is a credit to Kante that he is sent out on the right, furthest forward or anywhere else besides his natural position and still performs to such a high level. He is the one player I look at and say I am glad he is at this club, even over Hazard.

 

What is the problem at Chelsea? Bad coaching? Or still taking time to adjust to his methods? It's strange the slump they've experienced recently, I really thought they'd be exciting to watch this season.

 

Spurs really need to sign a CM this window. Our depth there is not what it is used to be with Dembele gone.

Sissoko and Winks have been playing so many minutes. The only relief they get lately is Skipp and/or Dele/Eriksen playing deeper. Dier should be back soon which helps but I don’t see Wanyama having much of an impact this year.

Dier/Sissoko/Winks/Skipp are the four right now but I’d like to see another solid player added. I like Skipp but if we want to seriously compete we need to upgrade.

 

Problems in the final third I'd say, which I don't know whether to attribute to poor coaching or lack of quality from the players themselves. The action areas for the first 20mins of the 2nd half tonight showed that just 3% the ball had been in Chelseas defensive third; they were dominating midfield and pushing towards Spurs' box constantly but then they'd just pass around it until someone like Kante or Alonso got in there (?). They are just so slow; Jorginho & Barkley slow the pace down all the time and the whole game suffers and becomes boring/predictable.

RLC, CHO, Giroud (and maybe Emerson) need to start more games, as Barkley, Willian, Morata (and maybe Alonso) currently are not cutting it.

 

Sarri's time at Napoli focused around playing possession based football, switches to create overloads, fullbacks on the flanks overlapping, and putting in crosses for a striker that took a lot of his chances. Lack of a major striker/target man right now is a big issue (hear they're after Higuian), fullbacks are an issue (not some much in terms of quality but ones that fit his style), I think that midfield is a problem as well as they have a lot of good square passers of the ball and not a lot of progressive (aka risky) passers of the ball.

 

Athletic Bilbao Is Flush With Cash and Facing Relegation
thought this was an interesting article

 

Spurs are expected to announce the first game in the new stadium will be in March. Against Arsenal.

 

Seems like a bit much lol

 

No wonder Chelsea is bad

 

Pavard to Bayern. Haven’t thought of him once since the WC, but probably a good move.

 

What happened with Timo Werner? I thought he was for sure going to Bayern but it never happened.

 

Dortmund are apparently after him and are going to offer Phillip in exchange.

 

I’d love Spurs get someone like that but I’ve learned never hope for it to actually happen.

We’ve been playing a 4-4-2 diamond often this season and I think Werner would be a perfect compliment to Kane up top.

 

Do Spurs or Chelsea really want to play this City team in the EFL Cup Final?

 

I'm sure they do. And I'm sure they'll put up a much bigger fight than Burton Albion.

 

I’m surprised they played such a strong lineup lol

 

Also, speaking of Werner....apparently Liverpool are after him. What the hell do they need him for?