Looks like Dier was meant to be the DM pivot and pick from Winks, Ndombele or LoCelso for the other MF spot. But Dier has crashed and burned as he looks like his best years have gone and Jose now has to re-think how he sets up. Until then cross fingers its going to be a bumpy ride. Not sure what Skipp has to do to get a game though.
If that's the case then the decision to sack Poch was a disaster - this is a manager supposedly renowned for his ability to set up a team to make them difficult to beat, and these players should be good enough
There's no doubt that midfield is our most pressing issue. For varying reasons, what was once a strength is fast becoming a crippling weakness. If we put together all of the best attributes of the current Jose front line picks, you'd be able to make one decent player... Moussa's running and physicality; Winksy's willingness to receive the ball in tight areas; Dier's abilty to stroll around the park looking like he's got all the time in the world. However, for varying reasons, none of them are suited to playing in a midfield 2 of a team looking to play 4 forwards and a right back who just doesn't know how to defend. Mostly, it's because 2 of them couldn't pass water successfully and the third has been coached to retain possession, at nearly all costs, by not passing forward often or fast enough. My frustration is that we have the players to assemble a pretty bloody good three man midfield. If you flanked Dier/Skipp with either Winks/Ndombele on the left and Lo Celso/Sissoko on the right, we'd have some balance and it would compensate for Dier's lack of athleticism and enable Moussa Sissoko to cover Aurier's deficiencies whilst not leaving our middle completely open. I'm more accepting of a 2 man midfield against some less able sides, but against the better ones (especially away), we just get overrun and will continue to do so with the current squad. I can see that Jose's backing our forwards to outscore the opposition and we've just about done that in most games. However, we'll overplay some players, as we're having to play flat out for 90+ minutes in most games. Mostly, because we're giving every opponent the encouragement that we're there to be taken and just not using players like Lo Celso and Skipp, who are suited to play in this system. Jose Mourinho rightly comes with high expectations but as yet, he's not fulfilling them for me. It's like Ossie's front 5 but with better defenders to try and defend The Alamo.
I thought that wasn't an issue and Levy tried his hardest but Dybala's image rights got in the way If I'm not mistaken...that was the Summer narrative we all had to follow because Teflon Levy tried(not)
What I don't understand is regardless of the formation...how come our key players forget the basics once we play anyone with a bit of clout. None of our 'star' players look hungry enough to take a big game by the scruff of the neck. Regardless of the formation....our main players are in their best positions but they don't seem to have the drive...they hide infact. I agree the CM is a total mess but come on...there's only so much you can accept from a footballer who can't make a 10 yard pass or a RB who's got less brain cells than my pair of trainers. Then we got Ndombele who's a bit snowflakey it seems and isn't up for a game. Lo Celso deserves a lot more game time but is he 90 minutes ready? In theory I understand our formation...but the players only seem to buy into it against mid table and below...so they are definitely limited.
So you are claiming that the "narrative" that Juventus had accepted the transfer fee, but pulled the plug at the last minute to keep Dybala (regardless of the PERSONAL "image rights" issues) is in fact a lie ??
Wouldn’t have mattered either way bro, Juve pulled the plug on the deal as they couldn’t get a replacement. So we were never signing him regardless of image rights. I like the look of Clarke though, seems a real good prospect and Leeds fans still rate him very highly.
Also, still don’t buy that our players as a group are bad. Just over half a season ago we were in a CL final. The mentality of the group took a hit that unfortunately Poch couldn’t get them to snap out of, it’s now on Jose’s shoulders to do just that whilst hopefully adding his own personnel and style to the team. Overall he’s done good, we’ve picked a very healthy amount of points but he’s failed miserably in his two biggest tests at the moment.
Lo Celso, Skipp, Ndombele, Sessegnon all criminally under used. When mixed in with Dele, Sissoko, Dier and Winks there is the basis of agood midfield to complement a front line of 3 from Maura, Son, Dele and Kane...and arguably Parrott. Dier or Wink with Sissoko simply does not work. Yet Dier starts with Sissoko week in week out under Maureen. Under Pochettino it was Sissoko and winks, which was equally poor. Every fan sees it yet both managers persisted with it. We have a decent squad but neither Pochettino or Maureen have sorted a system out that works and they are ultimately responsible for that.
Other teams have lesser players and concede less goals I have no arguments in getting rid of Poch, imo the time was right for him and the club to part ways. My issue is that Jose Mourinho was/is not the answer
A suspect mentality ends some Sporting careers. How many years have we all banged on about this group of players having weak mentalities? I think as a sports person if you're not right in the head then your not going to hit your heights. So they may have all the ability in the world but they are not good enough mentally. It's no coincidence for me that Mourinho always seems to be emphasising their mental processes
This is partly what Jose has been brought in for, to install a stronger mentality. Talent for the most part is there, just need to apply it in the big games. In time I hope he’s able too.
Under Poch we had no choice but to play Winkssoko for large chunks of last season This season we absolutely have a choice in who the midfield pivot is ...which still doesn't justify THE BASTARD DIAMOND
We know what we get with Jose...we have tried the other approach of trying to build a legacy. No doubt we improved under Poch but still we are here asking hundreds of questions...we have been watching **** football for a year not since Jose came. I see nothing wrong with appointing one of the all time greats to see how he does with us. If he doesn't get the players he needs then that is on Levy. As for his boring brand of Football that he gets labelled with...I personally thought our football under Poch was dog **** in the last year barring the odd glorious night(CL). I'm up for trying my hand at affective boring football for a bit tbh. I'm glad we have a manager who thinks bigger than our club does...about time Levy rubbed shoulders with a winner...wether he learns from it and elevates us with his next appointment is up to him and his ambitions. Who do you think we should have got?
Agree completely about Poch and the football for the whole of 2019 has been horrible to watch for most games Jose’s time as a top manager is done, the game has moved on in the last five years and his tactics and ‘style’ no longer works on/off the pitch. He even got tactically outclassed by Frank Lampard. You say he needs time and players but he’s already wasting some of the good players he has at his disposal yet persisting with Dier and Sissoko and not giving young prospects any game time at all.
