They should be. They are epic (right now) how long they can keep it up is another thing but for right now thry are miles out in front of any other side in Europe. But they are very get-at-able if you are willing to break fast and bypass that press. 2 up and two narrow banks of 4. Hooooof to the channel and win frees and get men in the box. It's anti style and anti football but if you can do it then its got the best chance. Real just got handed their heads and if it was another day after 3-0 psg don't slow up and they humiliate the galacticos
So, we're getting into pre-season this week and Chelsea still haven't finished last season. How does anyone think this is good for the game?
As I understand it, as soon as your guys are back they are pretty much heading off to Asia on tour. Think this will **** your (and the other clubs) season up. Tiredness will hit sooner than those of us who stayed at home.
Aye, we will probably be good at the start of the season cos our players are sharper, but by Christmas we will likely implode, as per.
Tbf, we’ve always called him out for his work off the ball….and then he delighted you his work on the ball. I think the Real Madrid fans will see things the same initially but in a team of megastars, many of whom don’t want to do the off the ball stuff, I do fear that he will be the one that they turn on. I honestly hope not, personally, I wish him well (unless we play him, obviously)
When he had to concentrate on defending (playing a top side that maintained person), Trent was good at it. It's when he had the freedom to venture forward that he'd be lazy and leave space etc.
Not so sure of that. I think I'll always remember the season before last, the derby at Goodison. Their second goal, and a ball floated up to the back post and Calvert-Lewin just raped him. Don't get me wrong, DCL, like all 6ft+ strikers, will probably win those, but it was the way Trent just shrank and hid - he looked like Softy Walter when Dennis and Gnasher had given him a Chinese burn. If that's Robbo on the other side (or many another decent fullback, tbh) he's at least jumping into the striker, elbows out, shirt-grabbing, falling over and trying to pull them down with you (you can tell I used to be a fullback), and Robbo is a good 3" shorter than Trent. And this wasn't a one-off; at least twice a season (Fulham away springs to mind), Trent got done like this on our back post, and simply made no effort at all. Don't get me wrong, ALL full-backs at the back post tend to be at a disadvantage against big strikers, but with Trent, you just knew it was 95% going to go the striker's way. You add to that that he doesn't track back and he just stands like one of Lewis's when he's been skinned by his winger, and you really have one ****e defender. But then ask yourself - how good a right-back would Beckham have made? That's a valid comparison. The difference is, though, that Beckham at least ran around the pitch when he played midfield/winger. Did Beckham ever play in a 4-3-3, though? As an afterthought, though, how did Carvahal stay on that pitch last night? He's only been on 2 minutes and he deliberately kicked (Barcola?) in the chest to stop him getting by. Ironic that the best right-back Real have on their books now is Valverde: I'm sure Real didn't get Trent in to cover the ageing Carvahal, just to have to play their midfield engine at right back instead (and they will, believe me, as much for form's sake as Trent's perennial injuries).
That was a game where he had a licence to get forward. I'm talking about the matches where had to defend all game, games against Man City or Real Madrid type teams; 100% focus on defending and nothing else. He can defend when he wants to. But that just makes it all the more annoying / frustrating when he doesn't.
Hmm. I think he's really weak in the air for a guy that's just under 6', he can't tackle like Robbo or Bradley, he's not slow, but he never dares to reach for 6th gear as he did when he was a teenager, and he reacts like he's a tit-in-a-trance to the ball over his shoulder. Apart from that...
Your season was over. This is not part of either season. People are just making out it is to talk about rest. It's a summer tournament. I think the impact will be interesting to study though, just not on a club thst will replace the entire first 11 before the end of July anyway. (Never.mind doing the same again in augist)