GWT: EPL - Matchweek 34 (ft. MW 29)

[bluesfan94]

Wtf Jackson. I swear the quality of finishing by every striker in the EPL is shockingly bad.

I think finishing is a lot harder than we give it credit for and we tend to remember misses more than makes.

 

[KJS14]

Trossard getting a yellow for stepping on a foot - fine, agreed. But Jackson got nothing for going studs up into Tomi's ankle.

Make it make sense.

And then give Arteta one for probably calling that out...

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

And then give Arteta one for probably calling that out...

I don't think Arteta has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to moaning lol

 

[bluesfan94]

I don't think Arteta has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to moaning lol

Find me the PL manager that doesn't complain.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Wtf Jackson. I swear the quality of finishing by every striker in the EPL is shockingly bad.

I don't watch Serie A as much as PL but I wonder if you could make an argument that Serie A is pretty much on par with PL. Hard to say as I'm not too familiar with the lower table of Serie A. But I think I might take the top half of the Serie A table above the PL's. The only thing that gives me real pause is how good City is.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I think finishing is a lot harder than we give it credit for and we tend to remember misses more than makes.

I don't deny that but this year specificaly it seems like even having an open net opportunity is an adventure for a striker.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

xG is hilariously level after that first half

Find me the PL manager that doesn't complain.

i'm just saying that only Pep, Jurgen, and Mikel have taken it to the level of press conference performance art

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I don't watch Serie A as much as PL but I wonder if you could make an argument that Serie A is pretty much on par with PL. Hard to say as I'm not too familiar with the lower table of Serie A. But I think I might take the top half of the Serie A table above the PL's. The only thing that gives me real pause is how good City is.

I watch Serie A, the pace is very slow but tactics and execution blow the EPL out of the water.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I don't watch Serie A as much as PL but I wonder if you could make an argument that Serie A is pretty much on par with PL. Hard to say as I'm not too familiar with the lower table of Serie A. But I think I might take the top half of the Serie A table above the PL's. The only thing that gives me real pause is how good City is.

The standard of coaching in Serie A is quite a bit higher, and I think they're definitely value for how good they've been in Europe this year. Within the top half, though, there's a lot of inconsistency week-to-week performance-wise, as I can tell.

 

[hatterson]

I think finishing is a lot harder than we give it credit for and we tend to remember misses more than makes.

The issue with Jackson wasn't that he missed the chance per se, it's that he ducked his head down and stuck his arm out like he was scared of the ball.

There's just no earthly reason for a striker to do that in that situation.

 

[bluesfan94]

xG is hilariously level after that first half

i'm just saying that only Pep, Jurgen, and Mikel have taken it to the level of press conference performance art

Also Ten Hag, Silva, Poch, Howe, etc.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

The issue with Jackson wasn't that he missed the chance per se, it's that he ducked his head down and stuck his arm out like he was scared of the ball.

There's just no earthly reason for a striker to do that in that situation.

Jackson very clearly lives or dies with his confidence, and I think the back-to-back flack he's gotten since the PK incident (justified) and the FA Cup semi (unjustified and veered in some corners into racist abuse) has him playing tense and overthinking today.

It's not just his finishing, when he's confident his interplay is close to Giroud level, and today he's been killing counters.

 

[bluesfan94]

The issue with Jackson wasn't that he missed the chance per se, it's that he ducked his head down and stuck his arm out like he was scared of the ball.

There's just no earthly reason for a striker to do that in that situation.

Yeah, I wasn't talking about that chance in particular, but the more general point about the state of finishing in the EPL.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Jackson very clearly lives or dies with his confidence, and I think the back-to-back flack he's gotten since the PK incident (justified) and the FA Cup semi (unjustified and veered in some corners into racist abuse) has him playing tense and overthinking today.

It's not just his finishing, when he's confident his interplay is close to Giroud level, and today he's been killing counters.

Is he the solution long term or do you feel Chelsea will look for a new starter next year?

 

[KJS14]

Also Ten Hag, Silva, Poch, Howe, etc.

Ten Hag is still complaining about calls from last September. At least the rest are "normal" complainers.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Is he the solution long term or do you feel Chelsea will look for a new starter next year?

I think it would be very foolish for Chelsea to look for a new starter - he's had a lot of really good games and shown that he can be up to the level, and this is only his second full season of first team football.

But how I feel is not what Chelsea does LOL

Ten Hag is still complaining about calls from last September. At least the rest are "normal" complainers.

add ETH to the appendix of my list, how could I forget the Crying Dutchman

 

[hatterson]

ETH is funnier when he complains because of how incompetent he is.

 

[KJS14]

add ETH to the appendix of my list, how could I forget the Crying Dutchman

Appendix?? That man needs to have a full 2 page photo with his name in bold.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I never listen to Ten Hag but I also have some tidbit of his press conference here and there on social media and I must admit I always laugh at how he always defend the players performance and results. You could swear by his comment that Man United is the best team in the EPL.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Appendix?? That man needs to have a full 2 page photo with his name in bold.

I love when rivals can share an enemy

also i think it was @Savant who posted about Enzo and Caicedo playing together...

it is definitely a concern. Caicedo looks a lot more comfortable next to Gallagher, i think because he knows that Gally can and will sweep behind if shit goes awry. I think there likely is a tactical answer that can have all three of them in and get the most out of all, but the double pivot is definitely not working.

 

[KJS14]

I never listen to Ten Hag but I also have some tidbit of his press conference here and there on social media and I must admit I always laugh at how he always defend the players performance and results. You could swear by his comment that Man United is the best team in the EPL.

The man said he's only been able to select his strongest squad once in 18 months ... and it was conveniently the dogshit team that lucked into beating City 2-1 over a year ago. Yeah they've had injuries, but he talks out of his ass constantly.

Edit: And that team for the City win didn't even have McTominay as a starter, so you now he's an idiot. They'd be in a relegation fight without his timely goals this year.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Badia Badia Badia ay ay ay

There it is!

 

[KJS14]

Benny Blanco!

 

[hatterson]

I like how White's job on corners is to repeatedly screw with the keeper and then stand there and hope something drops to him

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Chelsea is a fascinating case of 'where do they go from there?'

I think they pretty much have no choice but to quadruple down on what they've done because of the contracts and money but they've looked the same all year - ultra inconsistent veering on outright bad. How much wiggle room are they going to have for potential improvements? Are they actually going to lose Gallagher (out of all players!)?