Philosopher

Was he worse than Mcginn? No! Was he worse than Buendia? No! Was he worse than Bailey? No! Was he worse then El-Ghazi? No! It was a poor performance, but at least they showed fight tonight. Smith seems like he is trying to get the sack, his management has been poor the last few games. Tonight was no exception.

Ramsey is better technically, he's also a smart player. I'm convinced he will be a better player than McGinn within a couple of seasons if he gets enough games.

So I think this is a little too simplistic. For me Luiz is a dynamic 6. His best position 6 as a regista. So he won't simply sit, he will get further into midfield when we have the ball, and be our main distributor from deep, look for shooting opportunities, but get into position to screen the defense when without the ball, rather than press. His pressing isn't great. Sanson is an 8 not simply a box to box 8 he is more of a mezzala. Which is taking up positions to support the wide player (who is usually a playing as an auxiliary striker looking for goals like muller). Ramsey is an 8 but rather than straightforward box 2 box he also exhibits playmaker qualities. Which is a roaming playmaker. He could also probably play as a regista like luiz. Luiz could probably play roaming playmaker too. Now McGinn is a curious one. When played as a 6 he plays as one of 2 6's as the most offensive of the 2. Sort of like a box 2 box coming from even deeper. Problem is he has to make longer runs as a result. He also has to come deeper, making it harder to support the attack. It also puts more emphasis on his decision making as a result. Problem is he is more of an instinctual than a clever player so he often leaves us exposed or without support going forward. This also affects how Cash and the right winger do their jobs, but that's a next discussion. if you look at McGinn's positional history he started out as a DM. So he certainly knows what it takes to play there. However his energy and all action style certainly suits the more dynamic always in the thick of things box 2 box role. For me you either tell him to be a proper DM or a proper box 2 box, don't halfway house him cos you're just f'ing with his head. Young is a fullback or wing back on either flank. Could play him as a left midfielder or right midfielder in a 442 as his auxiliary positions. Buendia is a right midfielder. Not right forward! Not a number 10. Could be a central midfield playmaker if given the right midfield partners (athletic, energetic, and combative players that will do the dirty work and support him going forward). Positions aren't as simple as such and such play this position. These days the roles players play in particular position is as contrasting as night and day. It's up to The manager to find the best way to use players that fits into the system, how they want to play, and that's complimentary to the players around them. Smith is making a hash of this at the minute.

That was the midfield that comfortably shut out Leeds last season. However I would be starting McGinn with Ramsey and Luiz as that's our best 3 at the minute. However if Sanson can stay fit and get up to speed that could change. For me I rate Ramsey and Luiz ahead of Mcginn.

I want to see McMcGinn on the bench! Great that Ramsey is fit.

Just looked up why. Sexual assault wow, should avoid a jail sentence, but it definitely doesn't Look good.

Personally I'd bring in Bissouma and bench Mcginn. I'm rating him less and less. His technique measn he can only be a supportive box2box at the most. His technique, and intelligence aren't sufficient to boss the midfield. I rate Doug and Ramsey to have higher potential and are already superior in terms of technique.

I said it god knows how times that Targett 8s a limited player and we needed a player with the potential to relegated him to the bench. I Also said Ash is just too old and not cut out to be the marauding modern fullback we require. I would still start Ash ahead of Targett mind.

Sounds like Aaron Ramsey then!

It's not about valuing them higher or lower than you. Hard work is expected. It's what underpins everything successful teams do. I expect it. Function and balance happens when playing players in their best position and to their strengths within the team style. The players we have can work together while playing to their strengths, the manager just needs to find the recipe.

I wouldn't call it dark arts at all. It's about winning individual battles, being first to the second balls, and simply fighting for everything. We certainly haven't shown any of that in the last 2 games. Arsenal jumped all over us and we never showed the heart to get stuck in a fight it out. And the same happened against West Ham. We came to play, they came win. We lost the fight against Arsenal, and never tried to fight against West Ham. This is why I say we made them look better than they are. We never made any meaningful attempts to play out from the back. We continuously gave the ball away in our own half, we never got the ball to our dangerous players in the positions where they can do damage. We made it easy for West Ham and they duly punished us. However despite that we were still in the game until the sending off. Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea would've smashed 6 past us. Leicester would have done at least what West Ham did. We didn't even make them fight for it. Going forward there is nobody in the team I particularly fear, yes Antonio and Bowen are handfuls. But no more. Their midfield is very solid, strong aerially and Soucek can finish, but that's all. They are a good, balanced, hardworking outfit that's all.

I agree about mindset. Instilling that winning mentality, a kind of resilience and persistence. I think we made West ham look better than they are.

I have voted the sack if we lose the next two games. The reason for this is: A. I have never been convinced by Smith's tactical nous. B. He has made a difficult situation harder by making poor tactical decisions, and not being consistent with his shape and tactics. You should never experiment with shape, tactics, and personnel at the start of a season where you have a new set of attackers to bed in. C. The staff brought in to support him in the wake of Terry and ROK leaving never looked up to it, to me. Why I give him a chance to turn it around is because these are 2 very winnable games, if he manages to lose both 6 losses in a row, most winnable games means he'd deserve the sack. Also he has had an injury crisis to deal with, and didn't know his best team even with everyone fit and available. He has done well for the club and has credit in the bank. My biggest fear if we sack him is that we end up with a Remi Garde. We need a people person. We must sign a manager good with young players this is a must. The talent we have in the u23s could save hundreds of millions. He also has to be know for his team being adept at keeping the ball while playing on the front foot.

You look at his stats and they suggest he equally good on either flank. I think they though both Bailey and Buendia are capable of playing in two or three positions. We need to remember Bailey is not Jack he needs to be given the ball in space with room to run. He didn't get that on Sunday.

He looks an athlete. Quick, tall, powerful. If the technique is up to scratch too then he could become a top player. But he plays box to box so we can't really start him if his fitness levels aren't upto scratch. If I were him I'd be doing loads of beep tests and extra runs. If he is fit enough we will have to play him.

To be honest I think Frank laid the ground work for what Chelsea are now. He brought through Mount and James who are now lynchpins of the current side. Also gave Tammy and Tomori a chance which made 70 plus million in transfer fees, which helped them afford Lukaku. He had to deal with bringing Werner, Ziyech and Havertz into the side when they clearly were struggling to adapt to the league. Perception is often different from reality. Timing is also important for managers and Tuchel timed it right. Mcginn when he plays well looks incredible as he puts himself about so much. However stray passes and overplaying are alway part of his game. I personally thinks he need to keep simple. And drill the whole midfield in short passing movement and staying compact.

Never said that either. I said I'd prefer Lampard over Fonseca (whom I consider an average foreign manager). I see Fonseca as a Portuguese Steve Bruce. I just think the remit for any new gaffer should be: 1. Good with bringing through youngsters. 2. Plays entertaining football. 3. Will get the team passing and moving. Lampard ticks all those boxes. I think people see him as a worse manager than he actually is. He is one of those managers fans love to hate on, like Bruce. I would prefer Smith to stay and turn it around. I'd prefer Potter. But other than Potter who else would be a manager that can take us forward? I don't see any other good option that would take the job. For me Lampard has shown more than Gerrard. Scotland with Rangers is a two team championship. Terry has not managed yet and Fonseca is a manager that has never managed in England, probably can't speak English, never done anything of note outside of Porto. After Potter what are the better options? Nuno? Howe? Dyche?

I never said anything like that! Read carefully!

The mention of Lampard is in relation to Fonseca. I would prefer Lampard over Fonseca, he brings more to the table. I would not want Lampard unless we could convince him and Terry to co manage, but that could be brilliant or a shitshow! Potter is the standout. Good manager, his teams play good football, and he's a Villa man. For now though Smith deserves a couple more games at least.

Certainly prefer him over Fonseca

Thing is our youngsters like the Chukwuemekas, Ramseys, Barry have higher ceilings then most first teamers. So bringing them through is key to our clubs fortunes. Lampard would be great for all the talented young midfielders we have. So while leaky is right, I think the benefits would be worth it longer term.

If McGinn is one of them them Luiz and Ramsey have to be with him in a 6 and two 8's set up. If we can get Sanson fit and up to speed then he could oust McGinn, McGinn is very wasteful with possession.

No average foreign managers please! Graham Potter my number one if Smith is to be replaced. Otherwise prefer Lampard. At least he would get the midfield functioning and bring through the youth. We must get a manager brave enough to play youngsters.

Like I have said. The passing out from the back has been a problem since last season. We are far to pedestrian when moving the ball around the defense and the defenders don't really move to create angles for the passing. This is clearly a coaching issue. Certain players don't seem to have the ability the move it quickly and accurately like Targett and Mcginn. Both Mings and Hause spend ages looking for a long ball as soon as they receive it. We don't play with a target man, our midfielders ate small wtf! The defense is the same as last season so is the midfield, so why is there such a disconnect? It has to be put a Smith's door. What is Danks doing he is our in possession coach, so why do we look worse since he has come in. We have a situation where we are having to change and adapt, but there doesn't seem to be a clear plan or vision. Are we a possession based team, or a counter attacking team? Do we play 442, 4231, 433 or 352? Smith needs to pick direction and way to play and just do that every game. You can't be tactical when you don't even have a base plan. Tactical coach's have a preferred system and then tweak it depending certain perceived threats and weaknesses. Things are just too unsettled. Footballers are creatures of habit. And all this chop and change is unsettling the existing players while not allowing new ones to settle. There is no conspiracy. it's just Smith having to juggle losing the player the team was built around, while having to integrate a new attack, while you have an injury crisis. Right now the only way to turn it around is to get the defense operating properly. Lets keep some clean sheets, be hard to beat. Defensively we are being pulled apart too easily right now. We have have goalscorers so if we keep a clean sheet we will turn draws into wins by virtue of having quality strikers.

I somewhat agree with you. I think we have played at least 3 different systems in less than 10 matches, playing almost every player in our first team squad. We are having to adapt our style or play because previously everything centered around Jack Grealish. We are also having to bed in a new attack. Throw that we had lost 3 matches in a row and 2 of which in rather demoralising fashion. Makes me believe it's part confidence in themselves, and part confidence in the system (they simply haven't had a proper chance to establish one). I think now the players may start to doubt Smith. I think players know when they aren't being played how they would like, and this definitely affects them. For me the biggest criticism I can levy is that he has changed things around too much (which isn't all his fault really, as injuries and availability have forced much of it on him), and playing players in new roles or not playing to players strengths. We were never going to hit the ground running and even without the injuries the first 10 games were always going to be difficult. My issues with Smith is a changing to 442 then 352, he should have stuck with 4231 / 433 for continuity. He shouldn't have tried to play Buendia as a 10 or an 8. It's also common knowledge that 352 away from home against 442 means if the home team look to attack the flanks it's overloads all day long! He has made a difficult start harder by by overcomplicating things. When you're are trying to integrate new players and a new style, play players in their preferred positions, and to their strengths. And do that consistently. Minimise formation changes and personnel changes. Yesterday he changed the formation, shoehorned Ramsey into the no 10 role, played Buendia without anyone making runs infront of him. Had Watkins taking up spaces that Bailey should be running into. Dropped the captain and main organiser. And played Mcginn in what is the worst way to play him (play him as the only DM he knows to stay back, hold his position and not go running everywhere, play him as a number 8 he knows he has the freedom to go where the ball is, playing as a half and half is not good for him). So play would obviously be slow and disjointed as many didn't know whether to stick or twist. Premier league football is high speed, so a manager has to make the decision making as simple as possible for his players. Drill the same shit over and over. Play them how they are used to playing, and in a system they are used to with players whose game they know. He needs to go back to basics.