₦airaland Forum

I cannot believe there is no link. The game is on TV for heaven's sake. Anybody get link?

Meanwhile, Alhaji Nihilist, is it time to revisit our debate?

You seeing any improvements now? And I mean tactical improvement.

Emaprince:
Truth!

As soon as we scored, I said to myself that manure's tactics will be buried immediately. Such type of goals dents confidence and spoils game plans.

It's not just a problem of confidence, it's a problem of an attacking plan or lack of one. When we were talking about the Manure v Liverpool game, all the booty lickers were screaming genius. But I always see beyond that.

His tactics heavily rely on that early goal not happening, if it does and the opposition is a near even match in quality, then he has no plan to attack them.

Conte went into the game to attack JM. JM went into the game again, to defend. It's a philosophy thing.

Murderrrrrr!

Gbagbe osi

Kanntteeeeeeeeee

Goooaallllllll

Gooooaalllllllllll

Gooooaaallllll

airmark:
Nailed it.



I just read what moses said about mou, and i am starting to believe he caused most of the problems we had last term .

Moses: "I'm delighted to be back," Moses told ESPN FC. "I thought I did well in my first season here, but due to circumstances – a manager [Rafa Benitez] going, a manager [Mourinho] coming in – I wasn't really given a chance.

"[Mourinho] never spoke to me. I thought in my head, 'He's got his own players already.'

"The manager who is here now [Conte] is giving everyone a chance – even the young lads. I'm pleased that he's here and I've just got to go out there and enjoy my football.

"As long as you work hard, the manager will see it and he'll give you an opportunity."

No wonder we lost good players like kdb and co.

I think you should find what Demba Ba and KDB also had to say.

Don't mind Don Jazzy. He's one of those fans who wouldn't admit it but they really love Jose much more than they love Chelsea.

Don Jazzy

Which one be neutral? Abeg bone that tin o.

Nihilist:
I expect Diego to pick up a card in this game though. His tussle with Bailly will likely be a key factor in determining the outcome of the game as both are clearly agberos by nature.

My only concern in the game is Matic. I suspect that Jose will go for the early goal and then look to shut up shop. Either way, we would need a real dynamic presence in the middle of the Park and I don't think Matic is dynamic(or creative enough) to be cause mayhem there. I think that Matic should be encouraged to just sit for us in this game like he used to do 2 years ago and let Kante do the running. Alternatively we play Fabregas to control the tempo from deep safe in the knowledge that he has 5 defenders behind him.

I agree with you. By this, you mean Fabregas in front and Kante sitting. The problem I have with this, is that Fellaini and Herrera have had a full week's rest as well. And both will easily pocket Fab. Herrera did some fantastic work against Liverpool. It's easy to under-estimate him.

Over the last two games anyway since the 3-4-3, Matic has been sitting with Kante doing the running. I will expect that even if this wasn't the case, it will be for this game. Because as you quite rightly pointed out, Matic is not dynamic.

Nihilist:
Can't argue with this analysis.

No. I cannot as well. Jose will definitely try to use Valencia and Young to pin Moses and Marcos. In the middle of the park, I am guessing he will also try to use Fellaini to watch Kante's forward runs. It's easier for them at SB because the pitch is smaller.

This is where I believe Hazard and Pedro are key to tilting the game. Assuming Moses and Marcos are successfully pinned, Hazard and Pedro will have to double as wing outlets and forwards so we don't isolate Costa. If they bring their A game, then it will be a busy day for United. I set-up will open up space in the middle.

Defensively, I don't see them doing much damage. Kante can hold Herrera and Fellaini on his own. Matic on Pogba and our wing backs on their overlapping wingers. Jose will not attack us with full backs. Not at SB.

This is how I see it unfolding. I hope for 3pts.

John Terry to miss crucial clash with Utd after suffering Ankle set-back.

They don't pass well under pressure. Conte must remember Liverpool and employ full press. We must make the full week of rest count.

donjazet:
Your statements reeked of massive dislike or hate for mourinho there is no doubt about that. I simply hope with time you realize that you were totally wrong in slandering him the way you are doing now.
Mourinho is the greatest manager Chelsea ever had.
Peace.

He spent more money than any other one ever did. That's not hate, it's the truth.

donjazet:
Guys Abeg e Don do!!!! This argument has carried on far too long!! Only time will tell. It's as simple as that! But Mou and pep are now in the same league and both started together at the same time. Let's watch and see.
But for now, it has become quite boring and repetitive.

Boring and repetitive Indeed. And some of us are now being quoted out of context, abused and accused of hatred.
Exactly why I have now left the discussion.


Time to discuss expectations for Sunday.

donjazet:
Don't mind nateevs!! Sheer hate has blinded his analytical interpretation.
What a shame! his bias is sooo bad.

Haba! Which one be hate?

Greatihex:
now you want pep to be given time, but you don't want to give mou time. Is that not hate?

Who says Jose doesn't need time? The question is what will come of the time he has?

pamcode:
last two of Messi came from a city player misplacing a pass to his team mate. To me they haven't quite mastered the art of passing the ball under pressure and to make things worse they met the masters of the style.

And logic suggests that tutored by the grand master himself, its only matter of time before they master it. It will be a combination tactical training and transfer of the ideal players to get it right. When he does eventually, most people will come up with a new story.

Greatihex:
the score line yesterday was 4-0. Check that.

What does it matter fella? Did they get a medal for losing 2-1, 3-1 that they missed on yesterday? So why are you pushing this agenda? So what if they lost 4-0?

The fact is, eventually, Pep with his style, will achieve much more with City than they would ever be able to match in their history - long term picture.

So what's the problem?

donjazet:
If you're trying to discredit mourinho's success at Chelsea, what about his success at Porto, Milan and to an extent Madrid??
Nateevs you baffle !! are you saying mourinho is tactically inept
For forks sake, nobody wins that amount of trophies being inept or average!! Stop this hating please. I can understand the bashing if it comes from other fans but for it to come from a reasonable Chelsea fan leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

Stop arguing on the extreme of the spectrum. The introduction of Avram Grant to the debate to give a different perspective and highlight the consequence of huge spending. It simply means that if you could outspend your rivals by a certain degree, buying expensive players in almost every position, then that team will go on and dominate for a long time and even Avram Grant can get to the finals of the CL with the team.

Very different from stating that Jose is inept.

skimanski:
as you can see the Stairs is protruding out of the wall without support, means for it to carry a reasonable weight, the part that goes inside the wall by be firm enough, and wood is not firm enough to hold that support.

Trust me when i tell you that the stairs in that pics is not all wood. there are some form of reinforcement internally. may be STeel rods or steel beams.

Okay. I agree. That makes sense.

Greatihex:
playing conservatively and parking the bus are not the same thing. It doesn't mean that playing conservatively means playing not to lose, but it means balancing the equation.


Don’t forget that the last four times Chelsea went there, they came back with a result.

How many times has City been there before? How did they play? Did they win? Were they not playing conservatively?

SIRcumalot:
For someone with such a "not losing mindset"
His away record in the UCL tells a different story.

I think you need to re-read what I typed.

Greatihex:
I respect pep and his work, no doubt. But, he should learn how to make his team dynamic and flexible. I hate it when someone is just stubborn for nothing.
Even wenger has learnt some lessons from his experience in England. He now knows how to close space and not leave his yansh open when the time calls for it.
It is not like pep can not tighten up at the back, because he did it against Manchester United in the league. I don't know why he can't just do the same after going a man down against Barca. Had it been he tighten a little at the back, maybe they would have started fighting again when Barca got their own red.
Well, that is by the way.
Why is no one talking about how sterling sent a player out within few minutes?

But what exactly is tactical flexibility? Most times, it is not limited to an individual's understanding. Perhaps tactical flexibility is understanding that instead of playing a striker against Barcelona, I play an extra midfielder to crowd the midfield and prevent Barcelona from keeping possession. Thereby allowing us to stand a better chance of winning the game.

The difference is in mentality. Pep was going there with a mindset of 'WINNING'; different from what all you are suggesting - a mindset of 'NOT LOSING' losing.

What's to say you are right and Pep is wrong? Give us the stats of the number of teams that have gone there, parking the bus, and not lost.

Nihilist:

Buhahahaha!

Ibime:
Stop exagerrating. Jose spent £275m in his first spell, some of that on Sheva who Roman signed. That same team carried us 10 years. When you watch old tapes of that team vs Barca and Bayern etc, you will weep for the current Chelsea setup.

How much did the ninny era team cost?

Oya start adding up the cost of Hazard, Willian, Cuadrado, Schurrle, Mata, Torres and co. Get your calculators out.

I heard you say Jose will not stand the test of time. Well I've got news for you, he has already stood the test of time. Jose started winnning with treble with Porto in 2002/2003, and was last seen winning in 2015. I dare you tell me how many of the great managers since you were born till now lasted 13 years at the very top. Is it Arrigo Sachhi? Marcelo Lippi? Van Gaal? Arsene Wenger? Who exactly won relentlessly for 13 years straight? Only SAF and Otmar Hitzfeld have won consistently over a longer period, and largely with one club.

How many top managers in the 90s stayed at the top a decade later? Football changes and rivals adapt tactics so any manager that can win for 13 years at the top is a great manager. Even the Pep Guardiola whose been going for 8 years is planning retirement in 5 years because no be beans to stay energetic with fresh ideas for that long.

So I have news for you. Jose has already stood the test of time. You've been writing the same obituary for him since 2007, yet he has won numerous titles since then, including a 2nd UCL. Quit it!

Jose may have spent £275m but there was a value of the team he met. There were purchases before he arrived. Maka, Lampard, Crespo Duff, Robben, Cech, Gallas to name a few. Go add the market value of those players. £400m or very close.

And it goes without saying that if you spent £400m in 2002 - 2004, that team should be best on the planet. I cannot find that article now but it explains the exponential level to which we were outspending other clubs in Europe. It was spending on an unprecedented scale. So please excuse my reluctance to show surprise about the team going on for the next 5 years at the top. I mean honestly, what else would the team have done?

In that era, no one was spending like this. No one before and none in that era until City and PSG came along. There is nothing to suggest that many managers, given the same access to huge amount of resources, wouldn't have built the same thing.

To give proper perspective, phucking Avram Grant almost won the CL with that team. Avram phucking Grant for Pete's sake!. Let no one tell me money did not play at least 60% of the job. If it didn't, let him come try that sh1t without money.

donjazet:
I don't know what you're saying. Bar the last 2 years, Chelsea has constantly been in the semis.

Please don't say that outside. Bar the CL win, we have been poor in the last 6 campaigns

chic2pimp:
Those same tactics got Him two CL as the underdog. Not saying Jose is perfect. As you know I am firmly in the Pep camp however He needs to change his tactics once in a blue moon. 2-3 games a season is not a lot to ask. He would have gotten Bayern to at least one Finals had He done that.

Perhaps if he thinks like that, Barcelona won't be what they are now. That idea has carried them through almost a decade now.

What's to say he cannot re-create it?

If he can, then it begins with an absolute conviction in a philosophy. You don't park the bus no matter what. You pass the ball.

Once you understand this, you know the loss means nothing in the course of history.

Ibime:
The team Jose built got to UCL semis and finals almost every year for 10 years.

Because the team cost £400m.

bigkesh:
If they play that game 100 times its still gonna go like that....
Even Arsenal did the same at Emirates


You gain soo much confidence with the possession that you leave spaces at the back

You what is funny about this statement? You guys will keep saying this over and over until Pep creates another Barca out of City. Then the story changes.