Match Report and Mom v Everton

The fact that Chelsea needed a pen and an o.g to beat the Geordies, even with 82% possession, seems that they are not yet at their best. If we get things right on the day we could get something out of it. Rafa said 'You have to drive the car you have'. I think Eddie's got a better car than him!
 
wingsnwheels said:
The fact that Chelsea needed a pen and an o.g to beat the Geordies, even with 82% possession, seems that they are not yet at their best. If we get things right on the day we could get something out of it. Rafa said 'You have to drive the car you have'. I think Eddie's got a better car than him!
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You are right there. Eddie has a new Range Rover Sport and Rafa has a maroon Seat Alhambra 06 plate...:grinning:
 
EverHopeful said:
I felt for long periods in the first half that we didn’t ‘own’ the midfield. Everton looked threatening (until the Richarlison sending off). We improved after that and it felt as if we would make the numerical advantage pay off. It was noticeable that S Cook especially had more time on the ball, they couldn’t press as effectively with only 10 men. And then came Smudger’s dismissal (never a red). I thought Lewis injected a lot of energy when he came on. We created more. Haven’t checked the stats but am certain we had more chances second half than first. Eddie’s substitutions worked well for me. Ibe impressed too. We finished the stronger of the two sides. I didn’t feel that way in the first half.
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I thought we were better with ten v ten than eleven v ten.
 
fritter said:
I'm sure you're right about cook and lerma. It's how change happens, the pace of it. Change the team while retaining balance. Key in midfield is someone running it. Surman holds the space well. He is calm and tidy. Gosling is a great harrier, and interceptor. Both get the odd goal, something arter stopped doing. Arter hasn't changed, 2 yellows in 2 games shows that. One should have been a red. An Arter who doesn't lose it is what is needed. (Pauses and looks at Lerma's disciplinary record).

I still think 3 in the middle is best against most teams. A triangle with one sitting deeper in almost a sweeper role, which is often what Surman does. I can see Ake doing that, but he is better where he is right now.

It has taken a long time to see Fraser and King develop into the players they are today. Wilson is still on that journey post injuries.

Rantie and Afobe never made it. Maybe Ibe will, maybe he won't.

It's going to be a huge change for Rico and Lerma. But it will come.

Chelsea will be interesting. I suspect he'll rest Brooks and I have a feeling he'll bring Ibe back. Wouldn't be surprised if Lerma came on with 30 minutes to go.
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Why rest Brooksy ? Both him and Lewis should play against Chelsea to give us maximum creativity.
 
I'm not suggesting he should be left out. I just suspect he might be. 3 games in a row and Eddie may feel he needs to rest him.

Who would you leave out for Cook?
 
fritter said:
I'm sure you're right about cook and lerma. It's how change happens, the pace of it. Change the team while retaining balance. Key in midfield is someone running it. Surman holds the space well. He is calm and tidy. Gosling is a great harrier, and interceptor. Both get the odd goal, something arter stopped doing. Arter hasn't changed, 2 yellows in 2 games shows that. One should have been a red. An Arter who doesn't lose it is what is needed. (Pauses and looks at Lerma's disciplinary record).

I still think 3 in the middle is best against most teams. A triangle with one sitting deeper in almost a sweeper role, which is often what Surman does. I can see Ake doing that, but he is better where he is right now.

It has taken a long time to see Fraser and King develop into the players they are today. Wilson is still on that journey post injuries.

Rantie and Afobe never made it. Maybe Ibe will, maybe he won't.

It's going to be a huge change for Rico and Lerma. But it will come.

Chelsea will be interesting. I suspect he'll rest Brooks and I have a feeling he'll bring Ibe back. Wouldn't be surprised if Lerma came on with 30 minutes to go.
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I suspect Franno will be back in a 3-5-2 formation, including Cook in midfield
 
fritter said:
I'm sure you're right about cook and lerma. It's how change happens, the pace of it. Change the team while retaining balance. Key in midfield is someone running it. Surman holds the space well. He is calm and tidy. Gosling is a great harrier, and interceptor. Both get the odd goal, something arter stopped doing. Arter hasn't changed, 2 yellows in 2 games shows that. One should have been a red. An Arter who doesn't lose it is what is needed. (Pauses and looks at Lerma's disciplinary record).

I still think 3 in the middle is best against most teams. A triangle with one sitting deeper in almost a sweeper role, which is often what Surman does. I can see Ake doing that, but he is better where he is right now.

It has taken a long time to see Fraser and King develop into the players they are today. Wilson is still on that journey post injuries.

Rantie and Afobe never made it. Maybe Ibe will, maybe he won't.

It's going to be a huge change for Rico and Lerma. But it will come.

Chelsea will be interesting. I suspect he'll rest Brooks and I have a feeling he'll bring Ibe back. Wouldn't be surprised if Lerma came on with 30 minutes to go.
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Quite agree. Gosling covered 12.7km's on Saturday. He was a real terrier.
 
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher believes that Richarlison's red should've stayed red.

"The referee has got no choice but to send him off. I can't explain why a player wants to do that. You have to send a message because if you allow a player to do that, everyone will push things a little bit further so the next week, someone thinks 'oh he got away with that, I can push it a bit further' and there has to be a stop point. I think that point is just don't do it."

http://www.skysports.com/football/n...-willy-bolys-goal-should-have-been-disallowed
 
fuzzydude said:
I suspect Franno will be back in a 3-5-2 formation, including Cook in midfield
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We’ve played 3-5-2 once in the last 4 years (home to City last season) and while we have played 4-3-3 a bit more often, we didn’t try it once in pre-season.

I’d like to see us try either formation but we look really comfortable with the current system. Fraser & Brooks coming narrow gives it that balance. Even if it’s Chelsea, not sure we’ll move away from what we’re currently doing
 
Didn't we play 3-4-3 last season at Chelsea? I seem to remember Ibe Stan and Wilson up front terrorising them in the second half. Daniels and Fraser as wingbacks dropping into a back 5 when needed.
 
A 3-4-3 with King and Fraser in place of Stan and Ibe is the most likely variation. I think Eddie will stick with his favoured system, with possibly Lerma or Cook coming in if either excels tomorrow
 
Depends if he wants to match their formation or not.

Last year Chelsea were 3-4-3. This year they are 4-3-3. That’s the difference....technically they have three central midfielders whereas last year they had two. I think it would be a massive ask for Surman and Gosling to match up to three central midfielders that include Jorginho and Kante.

That’s why I think he will go with Cook in there with King and Fraser wide.
 
DJ said:
Playing devils advocate just for debate...

Is their role all that different? Both play alongside Gosling. Does Gosling change his role? (Incidentally I see on cows he covered the most distance yesterday 12.6km.)

For England Cook also plays deep, same as Surman.
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This is something I find very strange. Almost like I watch a different player. Often people seem to think Cook is some luxury creative midfielder, even a number 10. Fopr me I see a player who regularly sacrifices himself for the team, a box to box midfielder who is looking to create, but also positionally aware and happy to cover defenders who look to maraud upfield
 
Also do we think Cook's confidence is shot or do we think that given his summer consisted of winning the Toulon Tournament, being on standby for the World Cup squad, plus a couple of U21 Euro qualifiers, he might just be being offered a bit of a break. We know we get a cup game and international break early in the season, I think we'll see a different side after the break
 
cockbeard said:
Also do we think Cook's confidence is shot or do we think that given his summer consisted of winning the Toulon Tournament, being on standby for the World Cup squad, plus a couple of U21 Euro qualifiers, he might just be being offered a bit of a break. We know we get a cup game and international break early in the season, I think we'll see a different side after the break
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I'm almost certain it's this - his pre-season wasn't what you'd want so let him have a break and slowly edge his way up to full fitness. If only the players that have been asked to do the job instead weren't so terrible that they could only muster 7 points out of three games. :wack:
 
I guess it's also really easy to forget that he's only 21, same age as Brooks, younger than Simpson. Just seems older because he's won pretty much everything he's entered with England and already got somewhere near 100 first team appearances
 
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