Antonio Rudiger

I didn't think he was perfect tonight that bodycheck against KDB and he got sold a dummy once or twice tonight yet generally think he has been our best defender in recent months.
the body check on KDB was world class I dont think anyone could take that away from him. 

 
The Athletic reporting that Rudiger is undecided about signing a new contract and is open to leaving on a free next year. 

Currently we're heading into the new season with Silva, Rudiger, Christensen, Emerson and Azpi all in the final year of their contract. 

Not ideal and rather unlike us. 

 
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The Athletic reporting that Rudiger is undecided about signing a new contract and is open to leaving on a free next year. 

Currently we're heading into the new season with Silva, Rudiger, Christensen, Emerson and Azpi all in the final year of their contract. 

Not ideal and rather unlike us. 
Out of the five you mention I would imagine It will be Silva’s last season, Emerson I expect to be sold on this season if possible and Dave will be 33 come the new season so I only expect him to be offered a 1 year extension. 
However it shows that we could quickly end up short of options.

 
Incredible read, Id suggest everyone take the time out and do so.

Even if you take away the racist element, it does show the immense pressure these players have put on them.

Just look at Mount for example, spent his whole life at Chelsea dreaming of playing for us, gets there and one season later large amounts of online hate about him not being good enough, Franks pet, he needs to be dropped and he isn't ready. Then you get that at international level too and its everywhere you look. For a young boy to be reading that everywhere, when he's trying to make it in the game, and do his best for us. And that's actually not even that bad in comparison, then you look at how bad it can get for other players. I always criticize Jorginho, but take him for example, how bad it can be as a player and a human, to be a big part of a team winning The Europa League and then the Champions League, you give your blood sweat and tears for those cups, and leave it all on the pitch, then you go online and you read everywhere, I'm not good enough, we need an urgent replacement. I do have sympathy for these players.  

By all means if players aren't performing us as fans will tell them about it. But it cant be easy, and in Rudiger's case he was elite for us, came back and looked shaky and was probably reading everywhere he not good enough, and at fault for everything behind the scenes. Good for him and good for us, he's back to his best, and after reading his story it makes me proud he's playing for us and he has done his family proud. 

 
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Incredible read, Id suggest everyone take the time out and do so.

Even if you take away the racist element, it does show the immense pressure these players have put on them.

Just look at Mount for example, spent his whole life at Chelsea dreaming of playing for us, gets there and one season later large amounts of online hate about him not being good enough, Franks pet, he needs to be dropped and he isn't ready. Then you get that at international level too and its everywhere you look. For a young boy to be reading that everywhere, when he's trying to make it in the game, and do his best for us. And that's actually not even that bad in comparison, then you look at how bad it can get for other players. I always criticize Jorginho, but take him for example, how bad it can be as a player and a human, to be a big part of a team winning The Europa League and then the Champions League, you give your blood sweat and tears for those cups, and leave it all on the pitch, then you go online and you read everywhere, I'm not good enough, we need an urgent replacement. I do have sympathy for these players.  

By all means if players aren't performing us as fans will tell them about it. But it cant be easy, and in Rudiger's case he was elite for us, came back and looked shaky and was probably reading everywhere he not good enough, and at fault for everything behind the scenes. Good for him and good for us, he's back to his best, and after reading his story it makes me proud he's playing for us and he has done his family proud. 
It's (very wrongly) part of the package from such fame tragically.

It's inevitable someone will decide to take the same route Caroline Flack did sooner rather than later and it will be galling seeing some of the same people preach be kind and whatnot, like Piers Morgan did when she died only to a matter of months later publicly bully Denise Welch on social media and national TV for trying to raise mental health awareness.

 
Incredible read, Id suggest everyone take the time out and do so.

Even if you take away the racist element, it does show the immense pressure these players have put on them.

Just look at Mount for example, spent his whole life at Chelsea dreaming of playing for us, gets there and one season later large amounts of online hate about him not being good enough, Franks pet, he needs to be dropped and he isn't ready. Then you get that at international level too and its everywhere you look. For a young boy to be reading that everywhere, when he's trying to make it in the game, and do his best for us. And that's actually not even that bad in comparison, then you look at how bad it can get for other players. I always criticize Jorginho, but take him for example, how bad it can be as a player and a human, to be a big part of a team winning The Europa League and then the Champions League, you give your blood sweat and tears for those cups, and leave it all on the pitch, then you go online and you read everywhere, I'm not good enough, we need an urgent replacement. I do have sympathy for these players.  

By all means if players aren't performing us as fans will tell them about it. But it cant be easy, and in Rudiger's case he was elite for us, came back and looked shaky and was probably reading everywhere he not good enough, and at fault for everything behind the scenes. Good for him and good for us, he's back to his best, and after reading his story it makes me proud he's playing for us and he has done his family proud. 
Especially twitter. It's a cesspool of hate and abuse

 
Nibbled on Pogba yesterday.. don’t understand why would you do that.. with Rudy every now and then his crazy comes out.. having said that Terry too kneed an opponent in a UCL SF.

 
Nibbled on Pogba yesterday.. don’t understand why would you do that.. with Rudy every now and then his crazy comes out.. having said that Terry too kneed an opponent in a UCL SF.
And following that bodycheck on KDB he might be overdoing it and bringing himself more into the referees awareness.

Surely he does not want them looking at him to see if he is fouling. 

Strange behaviour for me, better for defenders to have  a low profile on the pitch.

 
And following that bodycheck on KDB he might be overdoing it and bringing himself more into the referees awareness.

Surely he does not want them looking at him to see if he is fouling. 

Strange behaviour for me, better for defenders to have  a low profile on the pitch.
yeah i am sure he will get a red in atleast 1-2 matches next season.. purely based on refereeing "home work".

 
Walking a thin line. I don't think he should have been booked for that yesterday but he couldn't complain if the ref sees it different - and then we're speaking about a red. The KdB incident is blown way out of proportion in my opinion. He sure has to keep his temper in check - but I guess his trash talk etc is part of his play...as long as he doesn't overstep that line I'm ok with it tbf, certainly a player you hate when not in you own team, but if he finally oversteps it someday the backlash will be quite immense I think.

 
Walking a thin line. I don't think he should have been booked for that yesterday but he couldn't complain if the ref sees it different - and then we're speaking about a red. The KdB incident is blown way out of proportion in my opinion. He sure has to keep his temper in check - but I guess his trash talk etc is part of his play...as long as he doesn't overstep that line I'm ok with it tbf, certainly a player you hate when not in you own team, but if he finally oversteps it someday the backlash will be quite immense I think.
TBF we haven't seen the KDB challenge at the point of impact, it might look much worse if it looks like he intentionally used his shoulder to hit KDB's face.

 
I like it a bit of spice gave poggy a little nip was more funny than viscous.

Rudi has become a world class defender if you want him to play like a beast and he does the extras sometimes come with it 

 
I like it a bit of spice gave poggy a little nip was more funny than viscous.

Rudi has become a world class defender if you want him to play like a beast and he does the extras sometimes come with it 
I think Rudiger has a few flaws but I think he is a top player. In some ways the back three suits him same as Christensen. It means others can cover when he has a brain fade which can happen from time to time.

 
I think Rudiger has a few flaws but I think he is a top player. In some ways the back three suits him same as Christensen. It means others can cover when he has a brain fade which can happen from time to time.
also allows him a Luiz esc charge up the pitch from time to time 

 
I think Rudiger has a few flaws but I think he is a top player. In some ways the back three suits him same as Christensen. It means others can cover when he has a brain fade which can happen from time to time.
He was very good under Sarri in a back 4 as well. And if my memory serves me right he always played in a back 4 for Roma and did well enough for us to buy him. He also was decent in Lamps' final games when he started getting his first appearances this season. He was comically bad last season, but who of our central defenders wasn't? It was more down to our defensive set up that season (or the lack thereof). I don't think it's a back 4/back 3 thing.

With Christensen it might be different. His best performances came at Gladbach, who played with a back 3 quite often back then, Conte and Tuchel. So I think that for him it might be the case that he is more comfortable in a back 3.

 
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Im not keen on Pogba, he should have been embarrassed at the final whistle after letting Kante do all his work for him.

I didnt see Rudiger do anything wrong, but if he destabilised Pogba then thats fine by me.

I think he may have been adjusting his mask on the back of Pogbas shirt.

 
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He was very good under Sarri in a back 4 as well. And if my memory serves me right he always played in a back 4 for Roma and did well enough for us to buy him. He also was decent in Lamps' final games when he started getting his first appearances this season. He was comically bad last season, but who of our central defenders wasn't? It was more down to our defensive set up that season (or the lack thereof). I don't think it's a back 4/back 3 thing.

With Christensen it might be different. His best performances came at Gladbach, who played with a back 3 quite often back then, Conte and Tuchel. So I think that for him it might be the case that he is more comfortable in a back 3.
Fair point. I think his work under Sarri was also good although I would say we were more compact defensively. Perhaps similar to the approach under Tuchel. I think the key weakness I have observed for Rudiger is when he is dragged out of the traditional CB lane either wide or deep in a two. Sometimes he can get sucked out of position easily. 

 
Im not keen on Pogba, he should have been embarrassed at the final whistle after letting Kante do all his work for him.

I didnt see Rudiger do anything wrong, but if he destabilised Pogba then thats fine by me.

I think he may have been adjusting his mask on the back of Pogbas shirt.
Pogba did his usual, waltzed around doing a minimum of actual work while pulling off some Hollywood touches from time to time. He'd be a hell of a player if he had a go each week.

 
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