Next Manager Watch

[Stavrogin]

People are assuming this is done. Hopefully things are going better than the last time Levy and Postecoglu met in space.

 

[sundanceyid10]

That's kind of my point. We don't have a winning culture. We thought that by appointing big name winners the squad would also become winners. That clearly never happened - even though we've gone through a whole cast of players since Poch. But at the end of the day, Jose and Conte both lead by reputation. They were incapable of putting together a viable cultural. Players respond to their managers. When your manager is throwing you under the bus over and over again, that is unlikely to motivate you as a player. You need someone that can galvanize a group and get everyone pulling the same way. You don't do that by constantly telling everyone that will listen that you are too good to be here.

There is no excuse for players downing tools, not really a surprise as a lot of our squad are not good enough anyway.

 

[McFlash]

I swear Levy pulls some kind of jedi mind trick over some of our fans, see it every summer.

I admire the optimism but been here a thousand times so i’m not buying a pen from Levy’s cup. I wish the new guy luck and all the best if he joins, he will need it as far as dealing with Levy is concerned. But i’m not remotely getting carried away, as history shows.

Mate, just because some of us are a bit excited about Ange and what he may bring to the club doesn't necessarily mean that anyone is being fooled by Levy.

I like the idea of Postecoglou but that doesn't mean that I don't want Levy to stay the fuck away from the football side of the club.
It's not like I've suddenly forgiven him for all his mistakes, it just means I'm looking forward to what our new manager may bring.

These can be separate things.

 

[spurs9]

Honestly Lenglet in an extreme high line/high press in the PL scares the shit out of me. I watched him at Barca and he just couldn’t cope. There was also a mental aspect and the hope is he would refined his form from Savilla but in general on the whole he was a calamity at Barca. We are going to need a lot better for it to work imo. Back up sure, starter not so much.

As an aside full backs in the Enrique and Ange systems are completely different. Enrique likes his FB’s to push high up the pitch like wingers (Udogie and Porro would have been great for this.) Ange likes to invert his on the whole. I’m genuinely curious to see what he does with Porro and Udogie as neither are strong enough in attack to be pure wingers IMO but both would be wasted as inverted FB’s.

Pushing up high and wide actually doesn't suit Udogie, as crossing is his major weakness, so he rarely does it. Udogie has actually played CM quite a few times already and if you watch him play, he cuts inside when dribbling almost as much as he dribbles down the wing and all his best work tends to be in the channel rather than down the touchline. If you look at Greg Taylor's heat map prior to Ange joining, it is similar to Udogie's except Taylor is involved a lot more (expected when Celtic had 62% possession compared to Udinese's 47%).

Porro I have more reservations about, but that is from a defensive point of view, specifically one on one defending. From an attacking point of view, I don't see why he wouldn't work, especially when you look at the heat maps of 3 RB's for Celtic (Juranovic, Johnston & Ralston), as they spend just as much time crossing area's as Porro, it's just the middle third of the pitch they come inside a lot more, so shouldn't waste Porro's crossing ability.

If we keep Kulusevski, I would be interested to see where he would play. Wouldn't surprise me to see him converted to the CM 8/10 role O'Riley plays.

 

[sundanceyid10]

Mate, just because some of us are a bit excited about Ange and what he may bring to the club doesn't necessarily mean that anyone is being fooled by Levy.

I like the idea of Postecoglou but that doesn't mean that I don't want Levy to stay the fuck away from the football side of the club.
It's not like I've suddenly forgiven him for all his mistakes, it just means I'm looking forward to what our new manager may bring.

These can be separate things.

Except they aren’t separate things as Levy is very much involved and always will be.

 

[HarryTed14]

Enjoying the positivity.

Michael Bridge tweeted earlier that his leave has been cancelled and he’s live from the training ground tomorrow morning. So it must be happening at some point tomorrow.

I’m actually at Hotspur way tomorrow so I will say hi to Michael

 

[McFlash]

Except they aren’t separate things as Levy is very much involved and always will be.

Maybe it's more that I can separate them because quite honestly, I'm sick of Levy casting a shadow over this club.

Just give me this moment to enjoy the thought of a loveable and attacking manager, coming in and clearing the decks.
Finally getting us back to where we want to be.

Yeah, it might not work and Levy might just mess it all up again but for the moment, I'm just happy to dream about what may come to be.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

Maybe it's more that I can separate them because quite honestly, I'm sick of Levy casting a shadow over this club.

Just give me this moment to enjoy the thought of a loveable and attacking manager, coming in and clearing the decks.
Finally getting us back to where we want to be.

Yeah, it might not work and Levy might just mess it all up again but for the moment, I'm just happy to dream about what may come to be.

I feel bad for the people unable to take this attitude. You might as well jack it all in tbh.

 

[only1waddle]

I’m actually at Hotspur way tomorrow so I will say hi to Michael

Hi Ange

 

[Snarfalicious]

This is long but a good look into the man. Also, no idea if this was already posted and if this is the 47th time, I don’t care.

 

[carmeldevil]

This is long but a good look into the man. Also, no idea if this was already posted and if this is the 47th time, I don’t care.

This is the 48th actually

 

[McFlash]

I feel bad for the people unable to take this attitude. You might as well jack it all in tbh.

There's no point if you can't enjoy the little moments.
It can't just be misery all the time, that's soul destroying in my opinion.

We all know that Levy is going nowhere and most of us doubt his ability to change his ways, we have to live with that but it shouldn't take away from what is an exciting appointment and potentially, the start of a brave new world for the club.

As I've said before, this was my club before Levy arrived and it'll still be my club when he's gone.
I'm not going to let him take that away from me.

 

[HedgieSpur]

Me, me, me!

I'm winning about £1300 from a 25/1 bet.

Just a shame I also took a punk on about 25 other managers throughout the 'process' too so my winnings get diminished somewhat!

Me too.., I did £40 @ 25/1 with PP so will win £1040 but that profit is reduced by my gazillion bets on Slot, Alonso and Luis Enrique

 

[ItsBoris]

I wanted nagelsmann but I actually think this one could work out quite well. We need a strong leader with personality more than a tactician.

 

[delawarespur]

IF Ange continues to use his 433, I think it would look something like this (235 in buildup).

Son Kane Porro
Ndombele/10 Kulusevski
Udogie Højbjerg Bissouma
LCB Romero
GK

442 pressing shape with the 10 pressing the CBs/opposing pivot player(s) with Kane.

We obviously need a GK, and in this case, a super athletic LCB who excels in 1v1s (Kalulu becomes my ideal target in this case). An explosive 1v1 touchline winger to replace Danjuma/compete with Son (Solomon kind of works, but Laurienté, Nico Williams, Doku, Barnes my ideal targets). A creative mid (Maddison or similar).

I will say, IF Ange takes to Ndombele and can get him working how he wants him to, I think he’d be great in that advanced inside left role in possession. Big if, but possible. Højbjerg probably our best option in the 6 until Bentancur is fit due to passing range, but we don’t really have a natural fit there (again if Ange replicates his Celtic system). Could also make a signing in this position. Richarlison quite a good fit of Kane goes (Nico Jackson would be a great affordable Kane replacement; Kolo Muani if we go big). Son up top also works if Kane goes and spend bigger on LW (is Mitoma possible?). Another option in possession would be a more static midfield three and Udogie occupies the inside left. Like others have said, he’s not a crosser but I think can invert really well and great at arriving in the box/finishing moves.

I will say, the biggest weakness will be the fullbacks’ defensive awareness/general defensive ability. I don’t love Son wide left in Ange’s system, and as I already said, the 6 could be an issue. But love the fit for Kulusevski and Bissouma in particular. Be prepared for some early defensive horror shows, but I think this could turn out great if Ange is given time and support.

 

[DenverSpur]

Good video. Still feel Ange could play a hybrid version of his 433 with Bissouma as the single pivot with Bentancur as an 8 and Kane an 8/10 and Richarlison as his aggressive pressing 9. Porro could play RW if he doesn’t fancy Kulu there with Emerson at RB. He could form a back 3 with Romero and ? Like City do with Udogie as the inverted FB helping to make a4 in midfield.

 

[muel]

I’ve been completely lost down an Ange wormhole.

Fuck. I’m going to end up loving this bastard.

I’m ready to get hurt again!

 

[kthwlsn]

Wonder if Ange is enjoying those training ground pillows tonight?

He's too bad ass for that. He'll be bivouacking on the pitch.

 

[spurs9]

Look like it will be announced Wednesday.

 

[Derryank]

There’s always the possibility he uses tactics that would being the best out of our players.

I know that’s a weird idea after dogmatic Conte, but it’s what a lot of managers do.

Exhibit A - Eddie Howe