Ole & United vs. Frank & Chelsea: who will have the better season?

The Boogeyman

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Edit: Now I think a team can have a worse starting XI but better squad than another side but it would be where the teams are closely matched to begin with in their starting XI. It would then be the squad players who make the difference, perhaps coming off the bench to impact games or covering for injuries and they'd end up narrowly achieving more than the team with the better starting XI most of the time. We're nowhere that scenario here.
To this point, I think City clearly has the stronger squad than Liverpool, but I think Liverpool has the better starting XI. Also, I would love to have a backup attacker like Willian or Pulisic, or a backup left back like Alonso, but no way would I want their whole squad over Liverpool's.
 

Needham

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Bookies would already have paid out. However Chelsea have quality throughout and on the fringes of their first team. Much credit to Lampard is due but was never a fair fight.
 

DomesticTadpole

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As was mentioned above, most of the recent teams Chelsea have played are in the bottom half of the table and don't offer the counter attacking threat that United and Leicester did earlier in the season. To be fair though, we really should have beaten Liverpool both times we played them. Problem is, those Liverpool games used the old 433 with Kovacic/Jorginho/Kante midfield. We probably won't play like that unless we are facing the best.

Which is to say, when Chelsea start stringing wins together against the top 10 it will be time to pop the champagne over Frank.
That would be fine, but as I said somewhere else there are far more poor teams than better teams and they beat the poor teams, which we don't. Ole found a system that seemed to be getting results then went back to a system that didn't.
 

Di Maria's angel

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Just realised fat Frank has won every away game since we beat them 4-0. 18 goals scored in those 5 games and in all reality, they should have thrashed us and would have if they scored first. Ole > Lampard though...
 

Chipper

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Just realised fat Frank has won every away game since we beat them 4-0. 18 goals scored in those 5 games and in all reality, they should have thrashed us and would have if they scored first. Ole > Lampard though...
Yes, heard that on the radio last night. 7 away wins on the bounce in all competitions, only the second time they've ever done that and for the first time since 88/89. Suppose their fixture list has helped and they've clearly had better teams in the past but that's still impressive. Better than last time they did it anyway as they were in division 2 then.
 

Stacks

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Collectively, as a squad of 23 players, I feel Chelsea's squad is better than Liverpool's.

Also, currently, I'd want quite a few of their players to replace ours.
Have you forgotten that Liverpool have Origi and Brewster to cover their front line, whereas Chelsea have Giroud, Batashuyi - two international players, to cover theirs.

Fortunately for Liverpool, they have few injuries, but you'd see how much they'd struggle if they racked up a few injuries in their first XI.
What you are trying to say is that Chelsea players are all of a similar level and their back up players do not make their 1st team worse so they can fill in with no drama. Liverpool back up players outside of CM, are quite a bit worse but their 1st team players are so much better than Chelsea that it's meaningless. It just means Chelsea will cope with injuries better but does not make them a force to be reckoned with.
I like that people are saying their squad is great now after they ended up performing well in the league. I doubt this was the opinion when the lost to us 0-4 on the opening day, or even before the start of the season. Now that they are performing far far better than us their squad has become great.

But what to say, credit to Lampard for making people change their opinion re the squad and convince them it is actually a good one with his coaching and integration of youth into the team. Signs of top coach in the making, unlike of course our clueless manager.
Lampard is making the best of what he has got but Chelsea still look meh to me. I don't look at them in awe of with any envy as there are not many players there that I crave. If someone said we are selling such and so to buy some of theirs, I'd only want Kante, Tammy (as rotation CF), Hudson (rotation option) and Kepa as a back up keeper. They don't actually have that great individuals.
 

duffer

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If someone said we are selling such and so to buy some of theirs, I'd only want Kante, Tammy (as rotation CF), Hudson (rotation option) and Kepa as a back up keeper. They don't actually have that great individuals.
You don't think any one of Jorginho, Kovacic, Pulisic or Mount would be a better option than any one of Fred, Pereira, Lingard or McTominay?
 

FrankDrebin

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Jorginho,Kovacic,Willian,Pulisic,Mount,Abraham and even Pedro would walk into our midfield and attack quite comfortably.

Yet,I still wouldn't have full confidence in Ole and his staff in getting them consistently performing.
 

Orc

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Not going to overdo it with hype for our squad, but I have to say it has gone way better than I thought it would before the season started. I figured the likes of Mount, Tammy, and Tomori would be no more than League Cup/early round FA Cup players with the occasional PL start here and there. Some weren't even sure if Frank would fancy Jorginho and lots of our supporters (myself included) were at many points last season thinking Kovacic could go back to Madrid and we wouldn't be that bothered. Now those are all our best performers.

Have to also keep reminding ourselves that we've had big, important injuries this whole time. Kante, Rüdiger, and RLC are still to come in. Our best midfielder, our best defender, and a powerhouse box to box midfielder who was at times unplayable during our run-in last season before his injury.
 

Aidan Azar

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Imagine having Utd's Midfield and not wanting Jorginho or Kovacic. :lol:
 

SirReginald

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Uniteds team is really poor, let's not beat around the bush. Pogba and De Gea aside, right now, who else would anyone want?

But it's not just on an individual level that you are bad, you are collectively a terrible team. The squad has been put together without any planning or foresight. I do not see many of them complimenting one another. You have quick forwards and 1 player capable of finding their runs (Pogba). What else?

On a technical level? No. You have a bunch of hard working pitbull midfielders. No Scholes or even a Carrick. Mata, as you guys say, is long past it. Sad, I loved the guy.

Wingers? You have 1 real winger, I dont see Rashford as a winger. He will never be a Ribery, who could actually cross a ball and score solo worldies. Martial the same thing, they are mismanaged forwards who will end up like Phil Jones, jack of all trades and master of none.

Forwards? No target man, No 'false 9'. Just 2 Inconsistent 9s. So you cant mix it up at all.

Defence is your one redeemable feature.
 

jeff gurr

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I think Frank is going to be a very good manager. He appears to have a good understanding of the game, rules with a firm hand while still being liked by his players. He may be at Chelsea for quite some time.
 

Gator Nate

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Frank's boys have given up two own goals today (and two others)... I don't think Ole's have done that just yet.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Good point. This is why I thought the Liverpool result (and the formation used in that game) means nothing in the grand scheme of things. We do have some desperate fans who are ready to from gear 1 to 5 on the back of a decent result
Same here
 

roonster09

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Chelsea are playing some excellent football, credit to Lampard for that. Having good players is all well and good but to make them play well and create so many chances need proper coaching.
 

blue blue

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Very well? Considering we were down 2-4 and now hold the tiebreaker over Ajax
I know people are saying the sending offs had a massive effect but as you say we were 2-4 down when they happened. Not only were we 2-4 down but the sending offs didn't have any impact on the ensuing penalty which Jorghino despatched in his usual manner. So Chelsea were only 3-4 down when the restart happened against 9 men. An advantage only then came into being.

Not sure if the second sending off was for the bookable offense of handball or dissent/crowding the ref.
 

Dancfc

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I know people are saying the sending offs had a massive effect but as you say we were 2-4 down when they happened. Not only were we 2-4 down but the sending offs didn't have any impact on the ensuing penalty which Jorghino despatched in his usual manner. So Chelsea were only 3-4 down when the restart happened against 9 men. An advantage only then came into being.

Not sure if the second sending off was for the bookable offense of handball or dissent/crowding the ref.
I think Reece James changed the game from an attacking and defensive point of view, makes so much difference having a dynamic RB.

He's the best out of all our academy products, I honestly believe he will be England's first choice RB from the Euro's onwards, even over Trent who I'm also a huge a fan of.
 

goatmeister

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Ole might not even finish this season ha!
But I hope he grabs few wins every now and then, and board allows him to stay.
The whole debacle makes good entertainment for neutrals, moreso liverpudlians.
 

Sky1981

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Uniteds team is really poor, let's not beat around the bush. Pogba and De Gea aside, right now, who else would anyone want?

But it's not just on an individual level that you are bad, you are collectively a terrible team. The squad has been put together without any planning or foresight. I do not see many of them complimenting one another. You have quick forwards and 1 player capable of finding their runs (Pogba). What else?

On a technical level? No. You have a bunch of hard working pitbull midfielders. No Scholes or even a Carrick. Mata, as you guys say, is long past it. Sad, I loved the guy.

Wingers? You have 1 real winger, I dont see Rashford as a winger. He will never be a Ribery, who could actually cross a ball and score solo worldies. Martial the same thing, they are mismanaged forwards who will end up like Phil Jones, jack of all trades and master of none.

Forwards? No target man, No 'false 9'. Just 2 Inconsistent 9s. So you cant mix it up at all.

Defence is your one redeemable feature.
They have ole at the wheel
 

tra1nee

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It's more the Robbie Williams connection that's awful.

Mind you, Mick Hucknell is a Man United fan.
no. i would probably go with the football is the most awful thing tbh
Ahh well, too late now.
never too late mate, i could switch allegiance to united tomorrow and be as legit as a vast number of your fanbase :lol:

its never too late to jump aboard the big club glory train
 
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blue blue

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I think Reece James changed the game from an attacking and defensive point of view, makes so much difference having a dynamic RB.

He's the best out of all our academy products, I honestly believe he will be England's first choice RB from the Euro's onwards, even over Trent who I'm also a huge a fan of.
He'll have to go some to overtake Tammy at the moment. I agree he looks good but he hasn't had a lot of PL game time and that will be the test. His performance on Tuesday was enough for him to get a pick against Palace so lets see if Frank will switch Dave to the left or even rest him.
 

Pow

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no. i would probably go with the football is the most awful thing tbh


never too late mate, i could switch allegiance to united tomorrow and be as legit as a vast number of your fanbase :lol:

its never too late to jump aboard the big club glory train
Small steps. Jump on the championship first lets say stoke...
 

Dancfc

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He'll have to go some to overtake Tammy at the moment. I agree he looks good but he hasn't had a lot of PL game time and that will be the test. His performance on Tuesday was enough for him to get a pick against Palace so lets see if Frank will switch Dave to the left or even rest him.
I mean In terms of coming through the setup, watching him I saw him as a level above anyone else even Hudson Odoi.

He is a serious serious talent.
 

WeePat

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I mean In terms of coming through the setup, watching him I saw him as a level above anyone else even Hudson Odoi.

He is a serious serious talent.
I have to agree, before the season started, Reece James was my pick of the academy graduates. He looks so complete.