2020/21 Carlo Ancelotti

[BrendanGOT]

Why is it that when someone criticizes Carlo and the way the team is coming out the default is always some asinine extreme "OH you want him SACKED!" response?

Cuz that's what it leads to mate, that's what it's gearing towards. It's also taking the spotlight off the actual problems and shining it elsewhere. This sqaud of players have failed how many managers now? Yet here we are blaming one of the most decorated managers in the game because he hasn't polished a turd to be champions league quality. It's gonna take him 3 seasons at least. We're half way so far. I see improvement so far and I'm excited for the future. Don't get fans wanting to get on Carlos back he's prob the best manager we'll get in our current form and if we let him do his job he'll have us in a position to attract whoever we want.

 

[BlueToff]

Cuz that's what it leads to mate, that's what it's gearing towards. It's also taking the spotlight off the actual problems and shining it elsewhere. This sqaud of players have failed how many managers now? Yet here we are blaming one of the most decorated managers in the game because he hasn't polished a turd to be champions league quality. It's gonna take him 3 seasons at least. We're half way so far.

One of our problems at the moment is the manager not finding a way to win games that we should win, even with these players.

He's not beyond reproach when it's so predictable and we have created f all in the majority of our games.

 

[AsiaAsia82]

Not sure why he took Tom off, Gomes was awful.
Tom made the goal and was pinging balls forward.

 

[pedro789]

We’ve improved on last season, sorted out our away form and beat them. I’ll take that for this year tbh.

We’re unlikely to get Europe and won’t win FA Cup. It’ll take time to build the squad and a real identity in our play.

My only criticism of Carlo is not willing/able to change things when we’re being outclassed by Newcastle, Fulham, Burnley. If teams at that level are playing through you like Barca 2011, there’s a problem.

 

[BrendanGOT]

One of our problems at the moment is the manager not finding a way to win games that we should win, even with these players.

He's not beyond reproach when it's so predictable and we have created f all in the majority of our games.

As I mentioned in a previous post. We rely on 3 players to create our chances. Two of those didn't start yesterday and one was missing completely. That's not Carlos fault.

 

[BlueToff]

Because we keep buying slow players, and the players we buy who do have pace keep getting injured.

So Brands isn't exactly covering himself in glory then over the last 3 years, is he?

It's all a bit of a mess.

Carlo has done brilliantly this season and by that same token the players deserve credit too, and Brands for the additions of actual pace and physicality.

But, on the flip side, it can't all be one of them when it goes wrong - the blame is shared. Our squad isn't good enough - well, that's on Brands, as he's been here 3 years. Our tactics have been pretty crap as much as they have been good - well, that's on Ancelotti and the coaching staff. Our players can't pass five yards - well, that's on them.

 

[BlueToff]

As I mentioned in a previous post. We rely on 3 players to create our chances. Two of those didn't start yesterday and one was missing completely. That's not Carlos fault.

Erm, it kind of is though.

Good teams - or teams that want to finish high up the table/compete - aren't so reliant on 2-3 players to do absolutely everything, especially when we signed one of those players knowing he'd play half of our matches, tops.

So, you have to have a structure of creating chances in place. Some moves that are tried and tested and each player knows their role within those moves. We're a moments team, we don't control spells of games never mind entire games, so having that attacking structure in place is just as important as having a defensive structure.

That's not about a formation. That's about having players - every single outfield player - being able to do a certain move and certain form of attack, and taking that responsibility.

That's the basic of any invasive, team sport.

Look at our goal yesterday, it's actually a decently worked move. Why aren't we doing a variety of that move all the time? It shouldn't matter that James or Gylfi aren't fit to create some form of clear opportunity.

I say all that knowing we need to buy better to add more pace, power and creativity, but you can still have some structure in place.

 

[BlueToff]

Not sure why he took Tom off, Gomes was awful.
Tom made the goal and was pinging balls forward.

It was a daft change.

Davies didn't play well, but you know what he does give us - a bit of structure.

He tries to get the ball off the defence and move it up the pitch.

As soon as he went off, there was a massive gap in midfield which hadn't actually been there since we switched from the diamond (so the 15 mins either side of half-time) and Burnley exploited it on the counter. All that change achieved was pushing us back and seeing us go direct down the flanks which Burnley lapped up.

 

[Saint Domingo]

So we just fluked top 8 finishes? 3 times? In a row? I mean it’s possible I suppose. Quite astonishingly unlikely, but possible.

We were fortunate to finish 8th in 17/18, I don’t think that team was a top 8 team, ok they won a couple of games end of the season when pressure was off and somehow ended up 8th on 49 points. 16/17 we were but that team had Lukaku Barkley Stones three very good players that were then lost from the squad. 18/19 Silva improved us a bit with the likes of Richalrison Digne Mina etc and also used the loan market well. Unfortunately the wheels fell off the season after with Gomes Gbamin Delph getting crocked and Gueye and Zouma exiting.

 

[Saint Domingo]

So Brands isn't exactly covering himself in glory then over the last 3 years, is he?

It's all a bit of a mess.

Carlo has done brilliantly this season and by that same token the players deserve credit too, and Brands for the additions of actual pace and physicality.

But, on the flip side, it can't all be one of them when it goes wrong - the blame is shared. Our squad isn't good enough - well, that's on Brands, as he's been here 3 years. Our tactics have been pretty crap as much as they have been good - well, that's on Ancelotti and the coaching staff. Our players can't pass five yards - well, that's on them.

It doesn’t have to be so binary which people seem to want to push people into Brands or Carlo in or outers.

Brands has brought some poor players, and some players who are good but add to our lack of pace problem. This can be recognised at the same time as holding the opinion that he’s also brought some good players in like Richalrison Doucoure Godfrey Digne that have helped improve the squad overall.

 

[riddick]

Cuz that's what it leads to mate, that's what it's gearing towards. It's also taking the spotlight off the actual problems and shining it elsewhere. This sqaud of players have failed how many managers now? Yet here we are blaming one of the most decorated managers in the game because he hasn't polished a turd to be champions league quality. It's gonna take him 3 seasons at least. We're half way so far. I see improvement so far and I'm excited for the future. Don't get fans wanting to get on Carlos back he's prob the best manager we'll get in our current form and if we let him do his job he'll have us in a position to attract whoever we want.

At the same time you are criticizing the players you are absolving him of any issue in the matter. Yes, it's the players. But, yes, it's also Carlo. We don't create ANYTHING. We have no movement on or off the ball. We still don't look fit. Do you REALLY think that taking off Tom Davies instead of Gomes was the right call yesterday?

You can't keep on saying "the players are letting him down" when everyone beats the "you don't see these players every day like Carlo does in training" whilst he chooses the same players, constantly, that "let him down". Why is it you think Carlo Ancelotti shouldn't be able to get a rise out of any of the players?

 

[BrendanGOT]

Erm, it kind of is though.

Good teams - or teams that want to finish high up the table/compete - aren't so reliant on 2-3 players to do absolutely everything, especially when we signed one of those players knowing he'd play half of our matches, tops.

So, you have to have a structure of creating chances in place. Some moves that are tried and tested and each player knows their role within those moves. We're a moments team, we don't control spells of games never mind entire games, so having that attacking structure in place is just as important as having a defensive structure.

That's not about a formation. That's about having players - every single outfield player - being able to do a certain move and certain form of attack, and taking that responsibility.

That's the basic of any invasive, team sport.

Look at our goal yesterday, it's actually a decently worked move. Why aren't we doing a variety of that move all the time? It shouldn't matter that James or Gylfi aren't fit to create some form of clear opportunity.

I say all that knowing we need to buy better to add more pace, power and creativity, but you can still have some structure in place.

I think the issue really is lack of players capable of doing what you're saying and or lacking the mentality to do so during the game. I mean like you say, for our goal, it's obvious its worked on in training. So if they're working on it in training what more can Carlo do? I'm sure he's doing exactly what you're saying as we don't have the players (bar James) who can have that fluid creative freedom on the pitch. We need to be structured and have moves and roles well thought out like you said. So once on the pitch it's in the players hands to make the moves happen.

 

[BlueToff]

It doesn’t have to be so binary which people seem to want to push people into Brands or Carlo in or outers.

Brands has brought some poor players, and some players who are good but add to our lack of pace problem. This can be recognised at the same time as holding the opinion that he’s also brought some good players in like Richalrison Doucoure Godfrey Digne that have helped improve the squad overall.

I know it can. And it can also be recognised that Ancelotti and the coaching staff have been pretty poor too, as much as they've set us perfectly in some games.

 

[BrendanGOT]

At the same time you are criticizing the players you are absolving him of any issue in the matter. Yes, it's the players. But, yes, it's also Carlo. We don't create ANYTHING. We have no movement on or off the ball. We still don't look fit. Do you REALLY think that taking off Tom Davies instead of Gomes was the right call yesterday?

You can't keep on saying "the players are letting him down" when everyone beats the "you don't see these players every day like Carlo does in training" whilst he chooses the same players, constantly, that "let him down". Why is it you think Carlo Ancelotti shouldn't be able to get a rise out of any of the players?

Agree with sub decision. I think ultimately its a mix of issues and I think we need better players before we really see what Carlo can do. He's not absolved of blame when he's in charge but he's also the best manager we're going to get at our current stage and it'd depress me seeing him get sacked due to fan frustration as for the first time in years I've actual genuine hope for us that he will get us silverware with 2 or 3 seasons under his belt. So patience is required. However we should be beating Burnley with this sqaud even with injuries a draw minimum. Newcastle also.

 

[BlueToff]

I think the issue really is lack of players capable of doing what you're saying and or lacking the mentality to do so during the game. I mean like you say, for our goal, it's obvious its worked on in training. So if they're working on it in training what more can Carlo do? I'm sure he's doing exactly what you're saying as we don't have the players (bar James) who can have that fluid creative freedom on the pitch. We need to be structured and have moves and roles well thought out like you said. So once on the pitch it's in the players hands to make the moves happen.

I'm not sure it is.

It seemed very off the cuff - all of our attacks are like that, because we rely so much on individual moments.

But yes, I do also see Carlo demanding that the players are more positive. But clearly, it's not been worked on enough