Good read?

I like Sarri and think he comes across as a likeable, honest and honourable man but I must admit that my backing for him has been wavering over the December/Jan/Feb/ March period despite my wanting to see him succeed.

Although not a great admirer of possession based football for which he’s associated with, I’ve been of the belief that now appointed, it’s in the best interests of the club to stick with him rather than give up at the first sign of adversity. It also did not sit well with me the abuse he received, particularly at the heavy defeat away to Bournmouth.

The doubts in my mind during the poor results and performances of the mid part of the season, however, were not fuelled by the malaise that appeared to be spreading through the team; indeed I’d prepared myself for such teething problems in his first season as we were adapting an already poorly recruited squad to a new style and formation of play.

My cause for concern was his seeming inability to recognise under performing players and react to their poor form where he had viable replacements. I don’t think I was alone in thinking Hudson Odoi had been the star of our pre-season and was looking forward to seeing him play a major part of our season, yet despite the shortcomings of both Willian and Pedro he was largely overlooked, not even making the bench for many league games. Likewise, the unerring faith he showed in Kovacic and Barkley I found disturbing, while Loftus Cheek who I consider a much more positive player who carries more of a goal threat was also left largely unemployed.

Touch wood, over the last month the penny appears to have dropped and Sarri has given them a far greater part to play and I personally don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’ve looked a much more cohesive and threatening unit. Conversely with them both rested on Thursday evening we reverted to the same pedestrian and static team of a month ago.

He had the answer to his problems under his nose, hopefully he’s seen the light and that will buy him the time he needs, because I believe that the fans will get behind him, now he’s shown himself open to changing failing team selections. That was all that I hoped from him and I hope he can keep up with the trust in the younger players and add to them from the academy next season; in particular, Reece James.

If we can show a little patience with him hopefully he can repay that with a more entertaining brand of football next season.

Nicely summed up Brummie if he keeps this going until the end of the season then IMO we have to give him next season to see if he can continue to improve himself and our team.

We need to bring James straight in so that Sarri has a full pre season to integrate him. Perfect competition for Azpi and at the perfect time as Azpi will be 30 at the start of next season.

comment by BrummieBlue! (U3487)
posted 7 hours, 50 minutes ago
I like Sarri and think he comes across as a likeable, honest and honourable man but I must admit that my backing for him has been wavering over the December/Jan/Feb/ March period despite my wanting to see him succeed.

Although not a great admirer of possession based football for which he’s associated with, I’ve been of the belief that now appointed, it’s in the best interests of the club to stick with him rather than give up at the first sign of adversity. It also did not sit well with me the abuse he received, particularly at the heavy defeat away to Bournmouth.

The doubts in my mind during the poor results and performances of the mid part of the season, however, were not fuelled by the malaise that appeared to be spreading through the team; indeed I’d prepared myself for such teething problems in his first season as we were adapting an already poorly recruited squad to a new style and formation of play.

My cause for concern was his seeming inability to recognise under performing players and react to their poor form where he had viable replacements. I don’t think I was alone in thinking Hudson Odoi had been the star of our pre-season and was looking forward to seeing him play a major part of our season, yet despite the shortcomings of both Willian and Pedro he was largely overlooked, not even making the bench for many league games. Likewise, the unerring faith he showed in Kovacic and Barkley I found disturbing, while Loftus Cheek who I consider a much more positive player who carries more of a goal threat was also left largely unemployed.

Touch wood, over the last month the penny appears to have dropped and Sarri has given them a far greater part to play and I personally don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’ve looked a much more cohesive and threatening unit. Conversely with them both rested on Thursday evening we reverted to the same pedestrian and static team of a month ago.

He had the answer to his problems under his nose, hopefully he’s seen the light and that will buy him the time he needs, because I believe that the fans will get behind him, now he’s shown himself open to changing failing team selections. That was all that I hoped from him and I hope he can keep up with the trust in the younger players and add to them from the academy next season; in particular, Reece James.

If we can show a little patience with him hopefully he can repay that with a more entertaining brand of football next season.

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I really do think that Sarri would have played RLC much more had he not been injured, he was starting to pick him more before the back problems hit RLC.

Sadly those back problems are there still though and RLC may need an operation

And going back to the article, who is to say for certain that playing CHO earlier in the season would not have backfired? Even if Willian and Pedro have been dissapointing this season, if Sarri felt it was the wrong time throw CHO into the team then he was right to hold him back.

comment by SWTN - Judas is number 1 (U7916)
posted 46 minutes ago
And going back to the article, who is to say for certain that playing CHO earlier in the season would not have backfired? Even if Willian and Pedro have been dissapointing this season, if Sarri felt it was the wrong time throw CHO into the team then he was right to hold him back.
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I don't think we had anything to loose Biggish, on his day Pedro can be very good, however those days don't come round that often and Willian flatters to deceive.

He looks good when he picks the ball up in midfield and bursts forward but how often do his efforts in the middle of the pitch amount to anything in the final third?

I've always been of the opinion that if players are good enough they're old enough and to have an asset like Hudson Odoi doing nothing while we floundered was negligent in my opinion. I don't want to see him burnt out at an early age but Sarri looks like he might have struck the right balance over the last month.

My hope is, now Sarri has shown himself capable of integrating young players, to be to be given next season to continue shaping the team, irrespective of how this season pans out or I fear we'll be back to square one at the start of next season.

If we can't buy new players, it certainly won't disappoint me if we have to rely on youngsters like Ampadu, Mount, Castillo/Dasilva, Abraham, Sterling and especially James to offset the effects of a prospective ban.

comment by BrummieBlue! (U3487)
posted 8 seconds ago
comment by SWTN - Judas is number 1 (U7916)
posted 46 minutes ago
And going back to the article, who is to say for certain that playing CHO earlier in the season would not have backfired? Even if Willian and Pedro have been dissapointing this season, if Sarri felt it was the wrong time throw CHO into the team then he was right to hold him back.
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I don't think we had anything to loose Biggish, on his day Pedro can be very good, however those days don't come round that often and Willian flatters to deceive.

He looks good when he picks the ball up in midfield and bursts forward but how often do his efforts in the middle of the pitch amount to anything in the final third?

I've always been of the opinion that if players are good enough they're old enough and to have an asset like Hudson Odoi doing nothing while we floundered was negligent in my opinion. I don't want to see him burnt out at an early age but Sarri looks like he might have struck the right balance over the last month.

My hope is, now Sarri has shown himself capable of integrating young players, to be to be given next season to continue shaping the team, irrespective of how this season pans out or I fear we'll be back to square one at the start of next season.

If we can't buy new players, it certainly won't disappoint me if we have to rely on youngsters like Ampadu, Mount, Castillo/Dasilva, Abraham, Sterling and especially James to offset the effects of a prospective ban.
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But if the manager felt by bringing CHO in too soon it could set him back then there is something to lose with the development of the player.

I just don't see how it would Biggish. If it didn't come off after a few games he still has Willian and Pedro to fall back on, in which case we struggle again.

On the other hand he could have been a success and delivered a far greater threat in the final third - which I feel he has and if he'd utilised him earlier he may not have found himself under the critisism he has suffered from both the media and sections of the support.

It was a situation he could lose in, in my opinion. Even if he tried it and it failed miserably it would have won time with the fans at least, as they would have seen him trying to change things rather than continue in the same vein as General Sir Douglas Haigh.

As I said Biggish, just my opinion!

The other bone of contention I had over him was the Centre Forward position. While I had total sympathy for him, in that he'd inherited a busted flush with our strikers, I felt he was totally wasting Hazard in the flawed false nine experiment which I've never been in favour of.

I'd rather us just persevered with Giroud up until the January transfer window until we could offload Morata who's confidence looked totally shot.

However the solution the Sarri and the club took to bring in Higuain I never believed was going to end well.

We were expecting a 31 year old who hasn't been in good form for 18 months to come into the Premier League and make a difference in just six short months, not only that but we would be paying him £270k per week.

I said on here in December that I'd much rather we recalled Abraham from Villa, again it may not have come off either but at least we could have had a chance to see if one of our own had what it took to play at this level - and we'd have been saving the best part of £1m a month.

I haven't been a fan....but eventually he's conceded that CHO & RLC are integral to our success, which has in turn improved the likes of Jorginho

So if Mr Magoo gets us 4th or the Europa, he gets my full blessing, & i'll have a huge slice of humble pie

From the beginning I've looked at this season very simply. Given the type of manager Sarri is and the circumstances at play, i.e. two world class players around a capable but aging squad with EL mixed in, the target was the same as Klopp, Guardiola and to a lesser extent Poch's first full seasons with Pool, City & Spurs respectively.

Assuming we lose to Pool & United and win the rest of our games + get to the final of the EL (all the expected results from our run in), that'll of ended the season on 75pts having reached two major finals. I dunno about anyone else but I'd have taken that at the start of the year even when everything was looking rosy.

My stance on Sarri's future is just as simple. If the transfer bans delayed, 100% keep him on but he will get judged on results next year. If the transfer bans upheld, I'd love for us to show him some faith but being brutally honest I'd understand if we made a change.