The fact he doesn't play like a Kane expy is also an asset, not a curse, as it means we have to rejig our tactics and also the players have to adapt Isn't that what managers are supposed to be able to do/ Adjust tactics on the fly if something isn't working?
At this point, Mourinho's exhibiting all the good judgment of Captain Ahab or Quint at the end of Jaws. He'll sacrifice everything and anything to prove that he's right..... and he's not.
That makes Levy into Mayor Larry Vaughan ... please log in to view this image "I'm pleased and happy to repeat the news that we have in fact employed a once special football manager that supposedly injured some other football clubs. But as you can see, it's a beautiful day, the terraces are closed, so, people aren't able to complain."
So the logic here is that instead we will use Son to drop deep and provide space and passes for Son to run onto? Ok, Jose.
Here we go then ... In "season compass" terms, the "zero sum" set for tonight is a 0-2 loss. So a non-loss is a bonus. However tonight has the possibility of becoming akin to the AVB 0-5 mauling by the Poool (and the consequences therein) . I am assuming that the pay-off to pull the trigger on Jose is a lot more costly than it was for AVB and Pochettino (probably far more so in Corona-chaos budget-constrained times) .
Having watched a lot of Tuchels first 2 Chelsea matches, I think that we will be lucky to see more than about 30% possession tonight. That means that we will need to be excellent in defence and that the counter attack is going to have to be at its very best. Looking at the form we are in and without Kane and Lo Celso, the latter is going to be a struggle as for defending well we all know thats not our strong suit. I like DH team as probably the best XI but I expect Dier and Bergwijn will start to for Tanganga and Bale. I am at work so though I will have it on, I probably wont see it all , but will probably glance at it enough to see Chelsea score at least 2 of the goals that they will score tonight, it has already been said, but a betting man would get money on both Werner and Havertz being amongst the goals tonight.
The reason Vinícius wasn't picked against Brighton is probably that he isn't one of our eleven best fit players. It is better to play Bale because he is a much better player even if well past his best. I'm less sure about Bergwijn so I would probably go with Vinicius instead of him, just for a change. Lucas and Lamela are also likely to be at least as good as Vinicius though. Anyone who has ever watched Darren Bent play should have learnt that picking a striker because he's a striker doesn't help the team. I think @PleaseNotPoll said....it's like playing with ten men and get awarded twenty goals a season at random times. It's not a good trade.
Teams need balance. Putting your 11 best players on the pitch has a history of not working - ask England's 'Golden Generation'. There's a place for youth and new signings and development and fitness and form. Bale's shown next to nothing and currently, does not deserve a place on the pitch. Vinicius looked far the better player when he was given the chance against Brighton. At least he looks like he's not afraid to 'run around a bit'
Line up: Meh Meh Meh Rodon Reguillon Meh Meh Ndombele Meh Vini Son Subs: Meh, meh, meh, meh, meh COYS
Based on appearances and returns. I’d say Vinicius has been our sixth best player this season after Kane, Son, Reguilon, Hojbjerg and Ndombele. So if Kane is out, he should absolutely be in the XI.
15 games, 6 goals and 3 assists. So 9 goal contributions in 15 matches. Impressive. Even more impressive when you narrow it down by minutes per goal/ assist contribution - A goal or assist ever 61 minutes. It's honestly baffling how he's only played 68 minutes of Premier League football so far. Bloke seems a genuinely good footballer and he's been miles above Lucas, Lamela, Bale and Bergwijn this season.
The Bent comparison doesn't work as we signed him at a time when he'd been an established PL player for 2 years and everyone knew exactly what he could contribute and exactly why that contribution wasn't what the team needed. Until Vini is given a run of games, we have no idea what he is or isn't capable of. So unless he truly sucks in training, which by the looks of his eagerness and work rate is unlikely, it makes more sense to see what he can do rather than persisting with players who have contributed next to nothing in any competition for months on end (Lucas, Lamela and Bergwijn I'm looking at yous).
Bent was a lazy bastard, though. One of my abiding memories of him was him begrudgingly closing players down after being shouted at non-stop by Robbie Keane. He really didn't want to put the work in and was nowhere near good enough to be carried. From what we've seen of Vinicius so far, he certainly doesn't have any issue with putting in a shift. He can play as a striker and hold the ball up properly, which nobody else in the squad appears to be able to do. Son can do it in a mobile, interchanging set-up with a creative midfield, but we don't have that. He's also better coming in from the left, so pushing him up top damages us twice.
Add to that neither Bergwijn nor Bale seemed interested in closing anyone down against Brighton, coupled with Bergwijn drifting so far inside he was practically changing our formation, it's amazing that you couldn't count Son's touches on one hand
