honestly think Jose knew what he was doing when calling on Mikel + Lamps for midfield. This can be verified and vindicated in the near future. Mikel + Lamps will never start again even in FA Cup.
Ho hum.....no tears over this competition we won the more important match but it emphasizes what most of us been saying since the start of the season: no poke up front and a worsening state of affairs in our rearguard. Just hope that the cavalry is coming in January and not before time.
I hope people aren't just saying 'oh well it's a mickey mouse cup' cause that performance was not good enough. We should have finished them off in the second half easily... But then again when we have people who can't sodding finish it's never easy. Eto'o missing a sitter at 1-0... Extra time was very disappointing and Sunderland fully deserved their goal... But what did we expect with 8 changes and that? We should still be beating them but Essien was terrible, De Bruyne was absolutely woeful, Cole not good enough, Schurrle didn't have the best of games, Luiz reckless and Eto'o was pants! Big changes need to be made. We have conceded 5 goals against a side bottom of the league... We were lucky to beat Palace.... Lost at Stoke... Two losses to Basel... Scraped past Steaua... Jose needs to sort it out soon. Because although we're second in the league it's not good enough given the talent we have.
This was a game to give Omeruo or Kalas an opportunity, but now we are out, played pathetically and might have lost our best full back on form to injury. On the plus side , it is a distraction we could do without and Willian for me was a bright spot.
Spot on Bucks I think Ba should be first choice striker, he's looked very fitting under Jose and is always a threat in front of goal. Perfect target man in my view. Behind him should sit Hazard, Mata and Willian with Oscar rotating with one of those three. We also have to give Kalas or Omeruo a chance, JT is the only defender who has looked consistently competent this season so it's only fair we give a youngster a shot. Still, I think people are overreacting big time. The spine of the team wasn't going to last forever and we're now at a point where they are still strong players but deteriorating at pace along with our shoddy strike force. It's our first transition period under Roman and I wish people would accept that it won't be a walk in the park!
I think Jose is spot on here http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25425683 Looks like he's planning on tightening the back four.
Spot on drogs. The spine has needed rebuilding since 2010. The last one Jose built lasted more than six years surviving six managers. Let him build another one to last half a decade
He only bought 1 of the 4 though. Terry, Lamps and Cech were already here before Jose (who bought Drogs).
, More than six years that team took care of business on its own, with several de facto managers. who says Jose doesn't work towards the future?