‘Who misses out when all Chelsea’s defenders are fit?’

Oli Fisher
Kurt Zouma: Defender is close to first-team return

Kurt Zouma: Defender is close to first-team return

Plus, Liverpool fans believe they’ll win the league (again), Arsenal fans play down hopes of a title charge and Manchester United fans doubt Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s overall ability.

Anything to get off your chest? Have Your Say

Mkhitaryan not United standard?

“Something doesn’t add up. On the one hand we have a guy, neither German nor playing for that country’s dominant team, who nonetheless ended up being voted Bundesliga Player of the Year last season: given some of the talent in the German league, I think we can safely dismiss the possibility that Mkhitaryan isn’t at the very least a very good player. Mourinho was already in post when he was signed and therefore happy enough at the time with his acquisition and yet he’s barely given him a chance, indeed almost determined to shred his confidence further with public statements alluding to his weakness.

“If I were Mkhitaryan I’d already be having a word with my agent. Bundesliga Players’ of the Year are hardly ten-a-penny and he presumably wouldn’t struggle to find a club and a manager where things would work out a bit more satisfactorily”.

Zico

 

This is Liverpool’s year…now where have we heard that before?

“Don’t worry lads. We will win the league this year. We have played really tough away games and got something out of them. Our head-to-head with the other contenders is excellent. We can finally create lots of chances against teams that park the bus as we saw against Southampton.

“We have a lot of squad depth, and Klopp is a great man motivator. I am pretty sure we will win it with a game or two to spare. There is no such thing as jinxing. I feel it in me hairy bones…this year we finally win the league! Believe”

hairyharry

“Mark my word, Arsenal would be putting the UEFA Champions League as their top priority, United wouldn’t give up totally on the Europa League in case they need it to get into the Champions League next season, we will win the league cup.”

gabara

 

Back three headache?

“Reading the interviews with Antonio Conte after the game and he was really positive about David Luiz, saying how he felt that playing on the right of the back three was his best position

“I have also assumed that once fit, Kurt Zouma would also be an automatic choice as part of the back three as his pace and power would add another dimension to our defending. But it then begs the question as to who gets left out?

“In my opinion, that would be Gary Cahill as I think Luiz has slotted in perfectly into this formation and is also a potent tool going forward and at set pieces. Fast forward to next season and do we bring Andreas Christensen back and if so where does he fit in because I am guessing that he would want/expect first team football after having had two good seasons in Germany.

“I assume that these are exactly the type of issues that all managers like to face but for me, I can see a very strong set of three at the back who are generally young enough to provide us the solidity for a good few years to come and form the backbone for continued success.”

CFC1905

“Personally I think it would be unfair to replace Cahill at the moment. Not only he has improved since we moved in to the back three, he is also the only goal threat in our back three by being the only one who has got goals in the league. I would keep the defence at it’s current state, unless there is an injury, suspension or poor form.”

Chelsea.man

 

Arsenal have no chance of title success

Arsene Wenger

“The last two games, if nothing else, have illustrated that we haven’t got a hope in hell chance of winning the Premier League. Managerial incompetence, weaknesses in every area, vast amounts of money spent on the wrong players, tactical ineptitude continue to haunt the side. There can’t be anyone out there surely who still believes that Arsene Wenger has what it takes to win the league. We were totally outplayed by a weak Tottenham Hotspur side last week and then we went to Old Trafford and as usual, we were petrified. It was a truly pathetic performance against a very poor Manchester United side, which was their worst team since the early 70’s when they were relegated, but they still outplayed Arsenal.

“Our defence kept giving the ball away, our two holding midfielders kept giving the ball away, Sanchez wasn’t fit and played too deep whilst Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey didn’t receive enough of the ball. And as usual in the big games Mesut Ozil gave up in the warm up. What a total bottler this guy is, when the going gets tough Ozil gets going, into hiding, he was truly gutless and disinterested, it was a disgusting display from someone who is supposed to be world class. Don’t make me laugh, I’ve heard people compare him to Dennis Bergkamp, what a ludicrous suggestion.

“As usual Wenger did nothing until the 70th minute and then it was desperation but he got lucky yet again this season. How many games is that we could have and should have lost this season but we have fluked points, it really is embarrassing now. We will finish top four at best but as for the title forget it. Manchester City and Chelsea, two clubs with real managers will walk it, why does our club persist with Wenger, yet again he fails to beat Mourinho, no wonder he’s a laughing stock among other fans.”

The Oracle

“I think with Ozil, you must understand the type of player he is. he will never be a hard man, or get in the thick of things when it gets physical. That’s why better managers crowd him and intimidate him, that’s the way you close him out the game. They know if you let him have space to play, he will cut you up.

“Often, the tactics and players around him also do not assist, or help him. In fact, I would go as far as to say, we help the opposition in their plans to neutralize him.
I don’t like Jose Mourinho, but he knows how to make life difficult, especially for Arsenal. The mental approach is his first arrow fired, ’18 months, I last won league, some managers not in 18 years.’

“Aaron Ramsey to me is not the old one. Whether it’s the position, or set up, tactics or what, he’s not at the party. Maybe I am biased, but in my mind, Arsenal are not mentally at the level they should be. United are hard because they believe they are hard, even with this team, they have belief, misguided maybe, but it’s there. This we lack. This is seen in Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alex Iwobi, Ramsey (not as bad). Oxlade-Chamberlain especially, however his run for cross for Olivier Giroud, was class, but he didn’t have to think, if he had, he would have bottled it.

“I think it’s new manager time. We are not going to go further in present format. We have a good squad, with a few additions, we could be very good. This won’t happen, unless change is made at the top.”

Gooner54