To randomly quote the Divine Comedy...
Jose and Conte have pretty rigid tactics though. Conte to the point where each player has to play a very specific position and role. It's totally different to Ange where he allows players to see a space and fill it. So it's not really a case of different tactics for different games. They have their philosophy and don't move away from it just like Klopp and Guardiola. I'm just not seeing successful managers at the top level play a defence first approach. Arteta the latest to challenge for the title and those 3 at the top are playing on the front foot. I just don't see a Jose or a Conte winning the title with those teams around. I'm also not seeing the top 3 teams change apart from Liverpool at ours when they went down to 9 men. Other than that they play their own way home and away. They make tactical tweaks but the fundamental part of the game is still the same and its with intent to get forward and score goals.
Spot on.
Great post, I feel the same.
Spot on mate
12 winners and counting, fantastic fantastic post.
Agreed. They need a good platform and environment to be able to succeed. Casually throwing them in carries a massive risk.
Eddie Howe started 17 yo Lewis Miley against PSG last night who didn't look at all out of place in an injury riddled side. You need to have a little more faith in these kids coming through. 2-3 years ago I would never have pushed for any of them to get minutes because they weren't up to it. The players I am talking about are stand outs in their age group and should be getting game time when half the squad is crocked and/or playing out of position. I'd also add if we had everybody fit I wouldn't be pushing it either. It's the fact that we are so light in personnel right now and they are still being ignored that is the problem.
It's not only the quality but also the fit for Ange really. In terms of numbers we're pretty good. It's a bloody good job a lot of the players we've recruited have turned out to be a good fit for Ange. Players like Gil and Lo Celso (albeit still question marks whether good enough) fit the style of football under Ange but not Conte. On the flip side Sanchez didn't fit the possession game, Dier doesn't fit the tempo and high line, Hojbjerg doesn't fit the technical play against opposition press, Richarlison and Skipp don't really fit either. Find players who fit that and don't keep changing manager or changing style of play and we'll be good. Once we have a squad of players who all fit the system then it will just be a matter of upgrading more on individual quality down the line. At least with players who fit the style it allows the manager to imprint his methods fully into the squad without playing fullbacks at centre back etc. The top 3 have all had 5+ years under 1 manager. We haven't had a manager complete a full season in 5 years.
I'm not saying Ange shouldn't. I'm saying that it's not as easy as just throwing them in because we're light in some positions due to injuries.
Happens every time a youth breaks through.
