Who’s more ‘dignified’ than Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp? Send your thoughts to theeditor@football365.com.
Dignified Tuchel
Thru all the vitriol on both sides: anti chelski, pro chelski… amidst real deaths in Ukraine started by a madman dictator out to restore his illusory and deluded famous golden age …
I just would like to highlight how grounded, settled, and yes, dignified, Tuchel’s responses have been since Roman A’s been sanctioned.
He empathized with the Ukrainian victims, as well as the innocent folks working for Chelski cfc who had nothing to do with the insane invasion. Even when he was frustrated with the journo/ tabloid writer trying to goad a response out of him, he did not respond in personal attacks (unlike Jose Moany).
He’s managed to steer a tight ship, his players have been professional, and pretty much they have focused on their jobs without bleating about how unfair it all is.
Unfortunately, Bruce Buck, maybe trying to pass the buck or trying to make a fast buck (lol), seemed to make it his personal mission to get everyone else to not just hate Putin and Roman, but also to hate the club and all associated with it.
Even amidst all that, I dont see or hear Tuchel moaning even tho he has got lots of excuses to.
My supported club is similarly managed by a dignified yet human and relatable guy, who says angry stuff in moments but apologizes for them, and is generally balanced and nuanced and fair (ref his comments on Chelski’s current situation : no one cared where the money was coming from initially; it’s good we are doing that now; but essentially let’s not come after chelski with pitchforks becos we were all culpable initially, even if it be tangentially.).
In times like these, with heated and partisan and possible irrational rhetoric, folks who keep their heads level , shine out
Much appreciation to dignified Tuchel. (And to Klopp).
Gab YNWA
Defending Trent’s defending
Like Klopp last night, I have had it with people like Ash saying Trent cant defend, “a defender’s first job is to defend”. Trent is statistically the best in the league at regaining possession, especially higher up. For simpletons like Ash defending means diving into tackles near your box and nothing else. Trent, like other Liverpool defenders, plays the game of percentages and shepherds attackers into safer areas. a lot of the times when he is one on one with the attacker.
Martinelli got past Trent twice i think and Trent stopped him more often. If that means Martinelli got the better of Trent then there has never been a good full back or defender in the history of the game, since attackers and quick wingers will more often than not be able to run past defenders in one on ones. That is just how football works. Martinelli was better against Man City and got past Cancelo numerous times. Into actual scoring positions too. Martinelli had one shot all game, after the 85th minute but he got the better of Trent, who cant defend? Never heard anyone say Cancelo cant defend. After Salah rinsed him for both Liverpool’s goals either. BTW Perisic was supposed to have rinsed Trent and Inter had the lowest xG of any team in the 2nd leg. Weird that
Trent is the only one who is observed with a microscope. Just watch the next game how easily wingers run past Cancelo and James the next game. Or just watch the Palace City game and see how often the error prone Walker messed up
AK
Yeah that’s right Ash, TAA is a defensive liability that England with their 3 centre backs, 2 wing backs and 2 defensive midfielders can’t afford. That defensive liability who is part of a defence to concede only 20 goals so far this season (third least in the PL the others being 18 and 19).
Risk aversity is why England will never succeed.
James Outram, Wirral
Big club managers
James (Liverpool) in the Wednesday afternoon mailbox notes in passing that Ragnick never being handed a job at a big club in the past is proof that he was wrong for the United job. It’s a common theme with certain coaches and it’s used for players as well. The shorthand for that is usually ‘Real Madrid or Barcelona were never interested so Player X/Coach Y isn’t that good’
I always find this a bit puzzling because the likes of Madrid and Barcelona don’t have a God-like ability to pick the perfect coach. Barcelona’s high turnover of coaches in the last few years is a clear indication of that and Madrid in the past have also gone through coaches pretty quickly. Most of the top teams are usually looking for a coach with a few trophies in the cabinet, but of course that doesn’t mean that said coach will be a success at the club because they had success elsewhere. We’ve also seen that successful coaches at the biggest clubs don’t always bring those talents to ‘lesser clubs’ (Mourinho at Spurs, Benitez at Everton, Ancelotti at Everton etc).
Long story short- it’s complicated and ultimately it is quite difficult to know if a coach can step up to a job at a big club regardless of whether he has had a lot of success in the past or little. Sometimes trusting a coach with ‘club DNA’ but minimal experience can also pay-off (Pep at Barca, Zidane at Madrid) and sometimes it can flop (Ole at United). There are too many unknowns in the process and no one has the perfect formula because no one can see the future. I think it’s statistically quite likely that there are many coaches at mid-tier sides who would have been a big success at the top clubs if they were appointed but alas we will never know.
Turiyo Damascene
Robertson the best Scot since…
Just a quick one on Andy Robertson. When you’re from a small country like Scotland (especially one with such a recent poor record of producing footballers) it’s really exciting to see a fellow countryman shine on the world stage. It’s even better when one plays for the club you support.
Andy Robertson is just a phenomenal footballer. Along with TAA he has redefined the role of a fullback. He’s won major trophies and been a key element of the best Liverpool player of my lifetime. Because he’s a left back he’s often overlooked, but he is genuinely one of the best players in his position in the world. When was the last time you could say that about a Scottish player? Not since the 1980s I would think.
I was thinking of the answer to the question: “Andy Robertson is the best Scottish footballer since…”
Not exactly sure on the answer. Alan Hansen? Kenny Dalglish? Graeme Souness? Whoever you pick doesn’t matter. The fact that he’s that conversation tells you all you need to know.
Mike, LFC, London
The final Arsenal ingredient
I can’t really take any positives from a 2-0 defeat at home against anyone.
It really doesn’t matter how well you play up until the final third unless you can put the ball in the back of the net. Lacazette really wasn’t the man to do that so there was an inevitability about the result in that it felt like we were holding on as long as we could.
The real positive was in the stands. The fans can see this remains a work in progress but you can tell they’re with the team and management all of the way.
A divided Arsenal can win the odd cup here and there but for Arsenal to truly compete – everyone needs to be pulling together and the right striker in the summer really could be the final ingredient to make that a reality.
Well done to Liverpool – go on and win it now.
Graham Simons, Gooner, Norf London
Arsenal on the right track
Like Beetlejuice or Candyman, an email from Stewie Griffin has invoked my name with some nonsense strawman statement (or maybe from another Arsenal supporting Tom; how many of us torment his dreams at night I wonder) so here I am with some thoughts on Arsenal, following the Liverpool game which I made it to the Emirates for.
1. Jesus christ, Van Dijk is a big man
2. Lacazette does several things well but world class CBs completely nullify him. He could be a good backup, but can’t start next season.
3. Xhaka is also a huge limitation on how we play. He’s fine, but not great and against Liverpool, everyone has to be great.
4. Arsenal gave it everything they got, but aren’t there yet. But closer than United or Spurs for now.
5. Young teams make mistakes, great teams punish them.
6. Bumped into a Liverpool fan completely out of his tree outside stadium, he had some nice things to say about Arsenal, gave me a fist bump and promptly fell over.
7. Who the f**k thinks 8.15pm is an appropriate kick off time?
Tom, Walthamstow
Presumably Stewie doesn’t even watch Arsenal games, he just types up an email every week in case they do lose and sends it in.
Maybe some actual facts will answer his questions about our progress:
– For the same fixtures as last season, we have 10 more points
– We have the same number of clean sheets this season as last season already
– If we gain more than 1 point from our remaining fixtures, we will have matched last years total
– We have had the youngest team pretty much every match week bar 1 or two
The “eye” test shows we are clearly on the right track as a team. Not sure exactly how you can’t see progress being made.
Yes we spent lots but on numerous players and nobody is out there claiming it was money poorly spent. Yes we got thrashed at City but you conveniently ignore the 1-0 at home many thought we deserved more and last night was far from a “bricking ourselves”. Can you call an Xg of 1.05 vs 0.61 a “home schooling” against one of the top 3 teams in Europe?
Ah I took the bait didn’t i? Last but not least, Emery wasn’t good enough at Arsenal. Emery also isn’t good enough for a Europa Conference spot in La Liga currently whilst we push for Champions League. You should do a quick google before you get excited Stewie.
Luckily I do watch our games and against City and Liverpool this year are the best we have played vs the top 4 for a few seasons now. He may not be as good as Klopp, or ever be, but he’s doing just fine thank you.
Rob A (should I sign off by saying 4th place and getting beaten in Champions League would in every way represent progress…) AFC
Juventus and the ESL
Is the ESL really what Juventus want? Having looked at the result last night and seen that they lost 3-0 at home to Villareal, I couldn’t help but laugh.
But what made me laugh even more? That Villareal team included:
– Lo Celso, failed to impress himself in the team at Spurs
– Arnaut Danjuma, signed from Bournemouth of the Championship
– Adolfo Pedraza, failed loanee of at the time, Championship Leeds
– Manic Serge Aurier
– Premier League forgotten men Etiene Capoue, & Francis Coquelin
Do Juve really want to go up against the big teams from Europe when they’re being dumped out of the CL by the team 7th in La Liga?
Mat, Leeds
Avoid Man Utd manager fanfare
So apparently united are going through a “thorough process” to select their next manager to ensure we get the right man.
Presumably that is the same thorough process which gave us the last 2 PE teachers is it??!
That aside, my one plea this time (please!!!) is that we avoid the arrival fanfare and marketing sh1te that we usually have to put up with when a new Man U manager arrives?!
With uncle Ralf, we got all the united-friendly reports from united-friendly journalists who had scouted the united-friendly comments from Klopp guardiola and others that this guy had taught them everything they know, father of the high press etc. Even at the time this felt a bit like Ed Sheeran selflessly telling us that, forget his £250m in record sales last year, the best songwriter he’d ever met was the guy busking over there in the arndale centre!!
But the best thing about the arrival of those 2 above-mentioned foes was that they joined quietly and let their results do the talking. So please let’s not prop the next guy up on a pedestal, the legs of which can be so easily kicked away the first time we draw with Watford! A slow and steady building project is what we need next so let’s add a bit of humility to his arrival package please!
Paul, Oldham
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