2020/21 Carlo Ancelotti

[Goat]

We play in the hardest league in the world, anybody can and does beat anybody.

Some people have games they consider 100% wins and others they consider 100% defeats, but not me, I expect us to win every game, but its not realistic to win every game, so I'm happy when we win and "upset" when we don't, but we should not fear anybody and we should never expect to beat any team by default.

 

[Mkjjones]

We play in the hardest league in the world, anybody can and does beat anybody.

Some people have games they consider 100% wins and others they consider 100% defeats, but not me, I expect us to win every game, but its not realistic to win every game, so I'm happy when we win and "upset" when we don't, but we should not fear anybody and we should never expect to beat any team by default.

Whats the phrase? Something like 'If you want to win, you have to be prepared to lose'.

​

 

[catcherintherye]

We just need to stay at about 2 points per game. Doesn’t matter how we get them. We don’t ‘need’ to beat any individual side because we’ve shown we get unexpected results away at Spurs Wolves Leicester Leeds. If we lose one then win two we’re still staying at a very good rate. Even in the last three games we’re a Pickford error away from staying at 2 points per game. That gets us over 70 points that we’ve achieved once in our prem history. We’ve been on or just below that mark all season so far and if Carlo keeps it up then we’re easily finishing in the top 6 which would be an amazing achievement.

If we repeat what we have done until the end of the season, statistically we will finish 4th. That includes the two losses to Newcastle, losing at home to West Ham/ Leeds etc etc.

You don't have to win every week.

I felt if we were within 5 come the champions league/European football returning we were in with a great chance. That really piles pressure onto teams, especially this season. And by wihin 5, I mean, having dropped 5 or less points.

I have a sneak feeling Leicester my fall away again. City will get stronger, Chelsea will probbly be more consistent. Spurs are finished. That leaves United and Liverpool, and both could still go either way for me. This might sound mad, but if we won at OT & Anfield I'd make us favourites for top 4.

Either way, City are inked in, and then you've got us, Chelsea, Liverpool, United & Leicester all dogging it out for 3 places. You can find pro's and cons for all. West Ham, with Europe still have a chance too, even with Moyes in charge.

Once Europe start to kick in we wil have a big advantage, so hopefully we can stay in for that.

 

[Brisan123]

Looking at the fixtures this weekend Villa/Arsenal game aside most our rivals have on paper anyway pretty easy games

WHU have Fulham
Spurs have WBA
Chelsea have Sheff Utd
Saints have Geordies

Needs to get it right against Utd - twice Ole has done us this season got to find a system that works against them / keep Penandes from dictating the game.

Thats what the scum thought when Brighton showed up at the pit
Its a crazy season with crazy results

 

[Saint Domingo]

If we repeat what we have done until the end of the season, statistically we will finish 4th. That includes the two losses to Newcastle, losing at home to West Ham/ Leeds etc etc.

You don't have to win every week.

I felt if we were within 5 come the champions league/European football returning we were in with a great chance. That really piles pressure onto teams, especially this season. And by wihin 5, I mean, having dropped 5 or less points.

I have a sneak feeling Leicester my fall away again. City will get stronger, Chelsea will probbly be more consistent. Spurs are finished. That leaves United and Liverpool, and both could still go either way for me. This might sound mad, but if we won at OT & Anfield I'd make us favourites for top 4.

Either way, City are inked in, and then you've got us, Chelsea, Liverpool, United & Leicester all dogging it out for 3 places. You can find pro's and cons for all. West Ham, with Europe still have a chance too, even with Moyes in charge.

Once Europe start to kick in we wil have a big advantage, so hopefully we can stay in for that.

I felt we had the 9th best squad at the start of the season behind the sky six, Leicester and Wolves. That probably moved up to 8th best when Wolves sold Jota and lost Jimenez to injury. When we had that period of missing Allan James Digne Richarlison then I didn’t think we were even top ten in terms of quality. If Carlo lands this group of players in the top 6 it will be a brilliant achievement.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Both can take blame. Putting siggy in centre midfield and not playin Godfrey was a mistake by him . He can make mistakes. But he learns by them

He's the manager so ultimately takes final responsibility for the team he puts out. But you have to factor in that we are in the middle of a congested fixture run and he has to make changes to keep players fresh. He cannot play the same group of players every single match when there are only 3/4 days between each game.

Personally I think that both the team he put out and the bench were slightly unbalanced. The starting XI were too attacking, and the subs bench too defensive. I guess the game plan was to go out and blow them away for 60 minutes and then shut up shop. And if you can't do that against a team that had lost 5 on the bounce and had 2 points out of 21, when can you. But the players let him down badly. The attacking players never turned up, we went behind, and there was literally nobody on the bench we could introduce to turn it around.

But at the end of the day, those players he sent out to start the match were more than capable of coming away with all 3 points, and in that respect it's unfair to criticise the manager to harshly. They were good enough to get the job done, but apart from one or two they underperformed badly.

 

[Goat]

Whats the phrase? Something like 'If you want to win, you have to be prepared to lose'.

​

I prefer "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail".

 

[blue to the bone]

He's the manager so ultimately takes final responsibility for the team he puts out. But you have to factor in that we are in the middle of a congested fixture run and he has to make changes to keep players fresh. He cannot play the same group of players every single match when there are only 3/4 days between each game.

Personally I think that both the team he put out and the bench were slightly unbalanced. The starting XI were too attacking, and the subs bench too defensive. I guess the game plan was to go out and blow them away for 60 minutes and then shut up shop. And if you can't do that against a team that had lost 5 on the bounce and had 2 points out of 21, when can you. But the players let him down badly. The attacking players never turned up, we went behind, and there was literally nobody on the bench we could introduce to turn it around.

But at the end of the day, those players he sent out to start the match were more than capable of coming away with all 3 points, and in that respect it's unfair to criticise the manager to harshly. They were good enough to get the job done, but apart from one or two they underperformed badly.

Not been too harsh.
Just pointing out that at times he can get it slightly wrong. Of course circumstances dictate selection. But playin siggy in a midfield 2 is not a good move

 

[Saint Domingo]

Not been too harsh.
Just pointing out that at times he can get it slightly wrong. Of course circumstances dictate selection. But playin siggy in a midfield 2 is not a good move

Im sure if he had Doucoure Allan Gbamin and Delph fit and available then he wouldn’t have to play Siggurdson there.

 

[blue to the bone]

Im sure if he had Doucoure Allan Gbamin and Delph fit and available then he wouldn’t have to play Siggurdson there.

He had other options Saturday.
Ancelotti is the best thing to happen to the club in 30 years. But I think it is fair at times to question team selections if we think they are wrong. Wouldn't be much of a forum if everyone agreed all the time.

 

[Saint Domingo]

He had other options Saturday.
Ancelotti is the best thing to happen to the club in 30 years. But I think it is fair at times to question team selections if we think they are wrong. Wouldn't be much of a forum if everyone agreed all the time.

He had Doucoure Gomes Siggurdson Davies for the two slots. Gomes and Davies played against Leicester a few days earlier as Docuoure was suspended. So Ancelotti rotated to give us some freshness in there. I always think playing Sigurdsson is a mistake and so it proved once again so I’m not saying Ancelotti never makes mistakes, he makes lots, but I can see why he is often in positions of selecting players he’d rather not.

 

[Rob17896]

Quality does though. They have far better players than us from 1-11.

I don't think it is that bad. We have also got a more experienced and smarter manager. Much also depends on how the team play for each other, if it was just individual player quality Chelsea would not have needed (well decided) to fire Lampard, Leicester would not do so well either.
This season is more equal than others, I think it is not lack of supporters, I think VAR, although often rubbish has removed the bias shown by starstruck referees to a great extent.

 

[Bullens Rd]

I've said this a few times, but his book is a must read, particularly where he discusses the 'project' at PSG.

He was shattered the way that ended, as he saw it as a legacy project, an opportunity to build and lift a club.

With that I think that the shouts that Everton is his last pay cheque are way of the mark. While the money would be attractive, I genuinely believe he see's this as the chance to say I won the Champions League with the best, and I also got what was mediocrity to become an established European force (Everton).

It's often leveled that Carlo is a great manager of great players, here is the opportunity for him to debunk that and to prove that he is a world class manager with the best, and can make good become great.

That, in my view, is his motivating factor. I can see him hanging around for at least 3-4 years longer to build sustained success. Look how well we are going after one Summer window - imagine him after another 2/3, we can really move the needle with him.

I agree with all of that, but if we weren't paying him absolutely top dollar he wouldn't be here.

 

[blue to the bone]

He had Doucoure Gomes Siggurdson Davies for the two slots. Gomes and Davies played against Leicester a few days earlier as Docuoure was suspended. So Ancelotti rotated to give us some freshness in there. I always think playing Sigurdsson is a mistake and so it proved once again so I’m not saying Ancelotti never makes mistakes, he makes lots, but I can see why he is often in positions of selecting players he’d rather not.

And that is more or less what I said. Playin siggy in a 2 was a mistake.

 

[billyblue80]

He has found the balance away he needs to find it again at home