Matt

Hardly anyone turns out anyway.

****ing excellent. **** off "Citeh", **** off Pep.

Infallible though innit, the only way the game is supposed to and should be played.

Jonny Evans just got injured warming up? Well I never.

We're gonna have one of his "they didn't play the way we wanted them to play" rants aren't we.

But don't Man City play the game "the way it should be played". Bore off!

Get in there!!! **** off "Citeh".

I respectfully disagree and this isn't a slight on Enzo, but very much a slight on the style, a possession based game, playing out from the back. It's suffocating (to your own detriment), its negative(!) imo, by the nature of the style, play and ideology you play in your own half without going anywhere (That's no more positive than teams putting 11 behind the ball, no matter how you dress it up), allowing teams to press and attack you, teams like us with players like ours duly make a mistake bang you're 1-0 down, you only have to look at the amount of times it happened last season, fortunately finishing wasn't great from opposition teams in the Championship. It worked last season as someone who majorly dislikes possession based football and playing out from the back and i've gone on record numerous times throughout last season saying I enjoyed it and understood why we did it for the most part but unless you're a 'top' team (of which we were in the Championship) I foresee no reason for us playing it in the Premier League.

Remains to be seen as you say but a stand out for me was 5-0 v Southampton, one of our best and most exciting performances of the season and he didn't like it. (Much like Rodgers v WBA was stand out and telling)

There lies the problem. People don't want him gone per se, they want the style gone, or somewhat less.

Surely any manager worth his salt adapts, pivots, gets the best out of what he has available. Surely that is more impressive that playing to an ideology.

Which begs the question(s) why would he continue to play that way? (Who knows, he might not....he will/would) Surely any manager worth his salt adapts, pivots, gets the best out of what he has available. Surely that is more impressive that playing to an ideology. And an even bigger question - Why is there an obsession to play this way from within our club and other clubs.

Adi Hutter! Wanted him last summer anyway. Sorted.

"Name a successful counter attacking team"

Again though (Going on from my post regarding us appointing managers with the remit of being a possession based team/signing players for the opposite of that) Lookman wouldn't fit, look comfortable or be utilised to effect in a possession based team.

Something fundamentally wrong within football, when managers such as Kompany and Maresca are being linked with elite jobs (Granted 'elite' can be used loosely regarding Chelsea in current times). There seems be be this universal opinion by many people in football, clubs, fans, media etc that just because they've have links to Pep, Man City and play in that way, it'll be successful elsewhere. Kompany's just got Burnley relegated (Whilst spending, it has to be said) because he'd rather play to his ideology than change or try and do something different, i'm all for people having principles but there comes a point where you need to adapt, pivot and get the best out of them out of what's available.

And this is a point I've been trying to make for years but I always end up waffling. It's clear there is a remit from to top of the club to play a possession based game, that is what the powers that be want, that is the type of managers we've appointed since 2017. Puel, Rodgers, Maresca. Yet many of our signings have been suited to pre 2017 and continued to be. Now I don't like possession based football, playing out from that back, I make no bones about it, generally I think it's a load of nonsense, compounded by not signing players that don't really 'fit' within that style, it's destined to fail.

If De Zerbi wasn't given funds/happy at Brighton you'd think he'd warn his mate Enzo off wouldn't you think. Enzo not on the (albeit early) betting list for another job. Again.

Doesn't even make the (albeit early) betting list. Again.

Good riddance. Can’t come soon enough. And then, maybe, hopefully, there may be a change in this one size fits all style most clubs try to play regardless of whether it suits them or not. (That is as much on other clubs than him though)

Kind of humbling for him and his mates you'd hope. That aside you've gotta question why McKenna is on the list, as favourite and Maresca isn't. Is it because "lucky" or not McKenna plays a more open, exciting style and more than anything, adaptable? I like Maresca, I like he's bought some passion and pride back to the club, got a tight-nit team, he's bought some feel good back, I have reservations and question marks over playing styles and adaptability at a higher level but it remains to be seen either way. I do feel some of our fans and 'friends in the media' (We've been there before...) do blow alot of smoke up his backside though.

Any club voting in favour of VAR is voting against their own fans.

Makes Premier League football somewhat more appealing.

I admire people having principles and sticking to them. However, if there comes a point where it's not working, I think any manager worth his salt can get the best out of what they have. Adapt, adjust, pivot.

No, you didn't, but you spoke as if hoof ball was the (only) alternative, as most people do whenever anyone criticises possession based football or playing out. We have changed at times this season, although i'm not sure it's what Maresca wanted or was happy with (He even said as much a few times). FWIW coming from someone who clearly dislikes possession based football, playing out and possession for possession sake i've quite enjoyed our season, it's worked and there has been a reason for it, that reason won't be there next season however.