Chelsea won't bottle the lead, but 2nd would be good for us, even if the competition has been absolute poverty this season.
PL is in the toilet at the moment. No internal competition for the main prize and the race for the top 4 trophy looks done and dusted. There are no English teams left in Europe either so it's been pretty dire this season.
'If'. How about 'if' Giroud, Sanchez or anyone else took all of their chances?, or if Ox didn't give the ball away at 2-1? Or if Mert wasn't a gigantic pile of cack? Or if Ospina was 2 inches taller and had saved their 3rd goal? No point saying 'if', because that logic could very easily lead us to the conclusion that we need an entirely new team. The reason we lost 3-1 is because our tactics were awful, and Giroud (the guy who has scored in 6 consecutive PL games) had his worst game of the season. A 'poacher' might have scored those, but then again before the game if we were shown those chances, 99% of us would have bet on Giroud scoring those tap-ins he was gifted. Reasoning using 'if' is just flawed logic. Even then, we dominated Monaco over both legs, and it was ultimately our defense which let us down, which is why priority should be given to a new DM, CB and GK.
We don't need a 'poacher'. The only teams who need those are the ones who have 10 other lumps who can't win the game themselves (i.e. Tottenham with Kane), or teams who have everything except someone who is willing to shoot (i.e. Germany with Klose). Since we have ability in every position, and goalscorers in Giroud, Alexis, Santi, Walcott, Ox, Ramsey and more, we don't need anyone else there. We are fine up front, the only thing we need to move forward is to concede fewer, not score more, and this means a WC goalie, a CB at least as good as Kos, and a DM who is at least as good as Coq.
Like I said it isn't a must, and its negated by buying a winger, but we very much need an alternative striker as back up. Poacher fits as we already have Giroud for target man, and Welbeck is to remain on LW..
PL is in the toilet at the moment. No internal competition for the main prize and the race for the top 4 trophy looks done and dusted. There are no English teams left in Europe either so it's been pretty dire this season.
Exactly. I mean, Chelsea did start the season well, but they have been awful for the past few games, relying on penalties or late goals to scrape wins against small teams. The fact they still remain so far ahead (even after our amazing run our form) shows just how **** every team other than Chelsea has been. In another season, teams like Newcastle might be deep in the relegation zone, but they are more or less safe this time around.
Like I said it isn't a must, and its negated by buying a winger, but we very much need an alternative striker as back up. Poacher fits as we already have Giroud for target man, and Welbeck is to remain on LW..
Eh, I would say we don't need a poacher, because our team isn't set up to accommodate one. Giroud is the closest we need to get, as he scores tap-ins and headers alongside the long-range goals and good link-up play. I would liken Giroud to Dzeko or Mandzukic, and in both cases they play alongside Aguero/Griezmann, so if we did have to buy another striker, I would like a pacey CF, not a 'poacher'. Someone like Lacazette or Dybala would be amazing, but again, I would prioritize a DM or CB.
Exactly. I mean, Chelsea did start the season well, but they have been awful for the past few games, relying on penalties or late goals to scrape wins against small teams. The fact they still remain so far ahead (even after our amazing run our form) shows just how **** every team other than Chelsea has been. In another season, teams like Newcastle might be deep in the relegation zone, but they are more or less safe this time around.
Eh, I would say we don't need a poacher, because our team isn't set up to accommodate one. Giroud is the closest we need to get, as he scores tap-ins and headers alongside the long-range goals and good link-up play. I would liken Giroud to Dzeko or Mandzukic, and in both cases they play alongside Aguero/Griezmann, so if we did have to buy another striker, I would like a pacey CF, not a 'poacher'. Someone like Lacazette or Dybala would be amazing, but again, I would prioritize a DM or CB.
Maybe I got the term wrong, I dunno. But essentially yes someone pacey and who can finish eg lacazette. We dont need a cb for the reasons I mentioned before.
Also our team is set up to score mostly when we dominate possession in the final third. That isn't the case In some games and we need an alternative, e.g some one better suited to break off from the counter attack instead of welbeck.
End of the day I dont care what type of striker we sign, as long as he's competent. This is only for a back up option anyway so that Giroud isn't burnt out. Posted from TSR Mobile
Exactly. I mean, Chelsea did start the season well, but they have been awful for the past few games, relying on penalties or late goals to scrape wins against small teams. The fact they still remain so far ahead (even after our amazing run our form) shows just how **** every team other than Chelsea has been. In another season, teams like Newcastle might be deep in the relegation zone, but they are more or less safe this time around.
Bottom end of the PL has been way better quality than in the past, it's just a top end problem. With Man Utd Chelsea and Arsenal in the CL next season too, we should do ok. Moyes kinda ruined english football for a season
Bottom end of the PL has been way better quality than in the past, it's just a top end problem. With Man Utd Chelsea and Arsenal in the CL next season too, we should do ok. Moyes kinda ruined english football for a season
I'm not sure about that, the top end has definitely been worse, but I wouldn't say the bottom end has been way better. I know what you mean, Arsenal, United and Chelsea are all guaranteed to be in the final 16, and Utd/Chelsea usually go further.
It would be surreal if United or Arsenal won the title ahead of Chelsea . Buts its impossible, Mourinho would never lose a lead like this. They'll have the title wrapped up by the end of this month.
I can see Chelsea losing an absolute maximum of 12 points (3 utd, 3 arsenal 2 liverpool 2 west brom 2 leicester) - That would mean if either us or Arsenal won EVERY game, we'd be in with a shot. Almost impossible, unless we snowball them like we did to Liverpool with consecutive losses.
Maybe I got the term wrong, I dunno. But essentially yes someone pacey and who can finish eg lacazette. We dont need a cb for the reasons I mentioned before.
Also our team is set up to score mostly when we dominate possession in the final third. That isn't the case In some games and we need an alternative, e.g some one better suited to break off from the counter attack instead of welbeck.
End of the day I dont care what type of striker we sign, as long as he's competent. This is only for a back up option anyway so that Giroud isn't burnt out. Posted from TSR Mobile
In that case, I agree with you fully, but I would call that type of player a CF, when I think of poachers, I think of Klose - someone who doesn't have pace or lots of skill, but has enough of a brain to know where to be at the right time (some might argue that Harry Kane is a poacher). I think we definitely need a CB who can be back-up to Mert (Gabriel is a good stand in for Kos), and I would love someone like Sokratis or Howedes.
We have seen in quite a few games that we are at our best when we don't dominate (hell, in the 4-1 last time out we had 49% possession against a Liverpool team consisting of Allen, Lucas and Ebola). People say we are a possession team, and maybe we are, but our strength is in fluidity, not in keeping the ball. The faster and more fluent we are in moving the ball forward, the better we play, and naturally pacey wingers help this, as Ox has shown in his appearances this season. Getting bogged down in midfield playing for possession is exactly what our opposition want us to do, as long as we don't move it forward. If anything, Giroud is competent at being both our Plan A and Plan B, as his link-up play with Ramsey and Ozil in particular is sublime, often leading to us passing it into the goal, and as you say, when we are in the final third, he is also incredible in the air, so he provides an option for when we need to cross it in.
I can see Chelsea losing an absolute maximum of 12 points (3 utd, 3 arsenal 2 liverpool 2 west brom 2 leicester) - That would mean if either us or Arsenal won EVERY game, we'd be in with a shot. Almost impossible, unless we snowball them like we did to Liverpool with consecutive losses.
Das it mane, Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool tag-team Chelsea for the greater good.