GWT: EPL - Matchweek 25

[bleedblue1223]

We don't really know, but I think the biggest issue right now is personnel and the squad selection aspect of that falls on Potter (or it doesn't which is an even larger issue).

We've had maybe 2 games where individual failures from players haven't caused a collapse in the on-field tactics, and that's a big issue. It's been typical where we see things like the Spurs game on Saturday where we just generate nothing down an entire flank because a couple players are there and they play like garbage. It becomes way easier for the opponent to only have to defend one channel.

The club seems to be suffering from the sunk cost fallacy currently. The squad is huge with over 30 players and many of the veterans have looked checked out since last season. The club was willing to spend an absolute fortune replacement them, but seem unwilling to just burn their contracts and have them f*** off to a reserve squad. I would prefer Potter and the club just play the players with potential and a future here, and remove everyone else from the squad. Focus the training on the 22-25 guys you need, cast off everyone else to the reserves. While guys like Gallagher or Hall have flaws, they work their f***ing ass off out there and drive the play. Playing Ziyech, Havertz, RLC, Mount, etc. to aimlessly drift around the pitch for 90 minutes accomplishes nothing.

Yeah, in one of the things I read today, it said it's been a challenge for Potter in training of trying to get everyone a proper training, and it simply just results in everyone not really getting a good training. Just way too many players and players that know they have no future here. It's like having 3 goalies on an active NHL roster, none of them are going to get a quality practice.

 

[Blender]

Yeah, in one of the things I read today, it said it's been a challenge for Potter in training of trying to get everyone a proper training, and it simply just results in everyone not really getting a good training. Just way too many players and players that know they have no future here. It's like having 3 goalies on an active NHL roster, none of them are going to get a quality practice.

I just really don't understand the mindset of starting guys like Ziyech when we tried to loan him out over players we bought to replace him. He was f***ing horrible against Spurs, close to a Saul level performance. If Madueke wasn't fit, fine play Sterling or Gallagher on the right instead.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Chelsea's problem is that they're still in the Champions league. It's their only chance to salvage the season so they need to have the best team ready for that. Madueke and Badasheile aren't on the UCL roster while Ziyach and Koulibaly are. I get wanting to integrate the younger players but you need the veterans hopefully playing well going into the UCL games.

Also if you sit Ziyach and Koulibaly the rest of the season it's gonna be hard to get them off the books in the summer. Not sure many teams will be lining up to sign guys who haven't played in 6 months and looked bad when they did play. So they've got multiple problems of too many players, trying to showcase guys for sales and just not clicking with what the manager is asking. It's just a bad recipe for success and I'm sure the rest of the season isn't going to be much better. A full summer of moving out dead wood and getting a proper striker should get them back into that top 4 debate.

 

[Blender]

Chelsea's problem is that they're still in the Champions league. It's their only chance to salvage the season so they need to have the best team ready for that. Madueke and Badasheile aren't on the UCL roster while Ziyach and Koulibaly are. I get wanting to integrate the younger players but you need the veterans hopefully playing well going into the UCL games.

Also if you sit Ziyach and Koulibaly the rest of the season it's gonna be hard to get them off the books in the summer. Not sure many teams will be lining up to sign guys who haven't played in 6 months and looked bad when they did play. So they've got multiple problems of too many players, trying to showcase guys for sales and just not clicking with what the manager is asking. It's just a bad recipe for success and I'm sure the rest of the season isn't going to be much better. A full summer of moving out dead wood and getting a proper striker should get them back into that top 4 debate.

It's likely Broja would have been our week-to-week starter at striker until he was injured. Tough to say how many goals he would score, but he created tons of space for others which is something neither Havertz nor Auba do.

 

[robertmac43]

So, were we just wrong and Potter isn't as good of a coach as we thought?

I think that is part of it. He may be out of his depth with Chelsea.

For me, I think he is just struggling to adjust. While at Brighton there was plenty made of his meticulous preparation process. Him and his staff would hyper fixate on the upcoming games and prepare the Brighton team accordingly. He also had a rigorous pre-season getting all the players up to speed. At Chelsea he doesn't have the luxury of time. No pre-seaon this year, and important mid-week games with CL.

 

[HoseEmDown]

It's likely Broja would have been our week-to-week starter at striker until he was injured. Tough to say how many goals he would score, but he created tons of space for others which is something neither Havertz nor Auba do.

I think Broja can be good I just don't think he's ready for that spot and wouldn't be the best idea to rely on a kid like that. He was good at Southampton and scored some goals for them but it wasn't like he was Lukaku when he went to WBA or Everton. Bringing in a proven veteran, not a washed up one like Aubameyang, to lead the like while Broja comes off the bench and gets back to health is the better option. He's still young so being the backup another year or two isn't going to kill him.

 

[robertmac43]

We don't really know, but I think the biggest issue right now is personnel and the squad selection aspect of that falls on Potter (or it doesn't which is an even larger issue).

Squad selection can't be easy right now. Big injuries and many new players coming in with big price tags beside their names.