28 Sep 2025 14:33:46
Ed, I've been thinking about what Slot said about Chiesa, and something just doesn't feel right. That quote has been bugging me:
"If he didn’t do as well as he did. we would probably not look at him as if he gets more playing time. But he did so well that it normally leads to a bit more playing time. "
On the one hand, I get the whole "earn your spot" thing. That's fair enough. But does that rule apply to everyone? It seems like some of our other players can have an off day, or even a few rough games, and still get a spot in the starting eleven. They get the time to play through it and find their form.
But for Chiesa? It feels like he's on a much shorter leash. Every time he gets subbed on for 5 or 10 minutes, it's like a final audition. If he doesn't pull off something brilliant, he's just forgotten about for the next match. And even if he does play well, there are no guarantees. I mean, Slot could have brought him on earlier yesterday, for example. You can't really build up any rhythm or confidence that way.
I'm not saying Slot dislikes the guy, but it just looks like a double standard. What do you all think? Is it just me, or does it feel like Chiesa has to work twice as hard for half the opportunities?
{Ed001's Note - sometimes managers just don't like what a player offers.}
28 Sep 2025 15:58:01
Behind only Ekitite. Chiesa has been one of our best forwards this season. He should start on Tuesday night, he’s earned the right to play.
28 Sep 2025 18:04:34
Absolutely LFC8. I think he'll thrive with more starts on the pitch. He's looking good.
28 Sep 2025 19:02:15
I have been thinking the same thing, ok we accept the reasons given regarding last season. Plus Chiesa was coming back from a awful injury. But Wirtz hasn't impressed since his move, not knocking the lad but Chiesa should have started over Wirtz IMO this weekend. I'm actually starting to think Slot just doesn't like him.
28 Sep 2025 19:22:31
Slots getting too big for his boots.
28 Sep 2025 19:49:09
Crazy to think he’s only played 63 mins in the league but has grabbed 2 goals.
Definitely deserves a start but different story on whether he gets it.
28 Sep 2025 19:56:03
If our manager thinks Gakpo is a good winger we might have a problem.
28 Sep 2025 22:51:29
It's blatantly obvious that Slot hasn't been Chiesa's fan from day one.
This is me reading between the lines a bit, as Slot obviously hasn't said these words. But my take on it is that last season we had all the conditions for Slot to not pick Chiesa unless absolutely necessary. And you couldn't really fault Slot, but I would still say it felt a bit cynical.
The conditions?
Chiesa had no pre-season
We had Diaz and Gakpo at LW
We had Nunez, Jota at CF
We had Mo who rarely gets subbed no matter how crap he's playing
We were walking it in the league
So there really was no reason to pick Chiesa unless it was a cup game we needed heavy rotation or at the end of the season when the league was tied up.
Even tho you could see Chiesa growing his fitness and sharpness, he wasn't getting the opportunities. and the above reasons were valid for Slot to hide behind (my take) .
This season, Chiesa has had a pre-season, has looked sharp in the opportunities he has had. And then we get this comment from Slot.
i think in isolation, Slot's comment is just Slot saying that Chiesa is making it difficult for him to not be picked. But put together with the context from last season, it does comes across a tad cynical.
Didn't ed1 say Chiesa was a Hughes singing?
I hope Chiesa gets more opportunities and is treated like a genuine option for the first team, not just someone we throw on to create a miracle. I'd like to see him not only rotated like Diaz/ Gakpo were last season, but also with Mo as well.
That is my hope, and the only way it'll really happen is if Chiesa keeps on turning these limited opportunities into magic.
28 Sep 2025 23:46:38
Maybe Chiesa is playing more because Isak, Ekitike and Rio are all being looked after.
He's still behind those, Gakpo, Salah and Wirtz and I don't think that is going to change.
29 Sep 2025 10:47:00
Rigsby, I see what you are saying however as managers have their favorites BUT I posit to you that many managers will tell you that sometimes, you have to go with the "hot hand" and right now, Chiesa is the "hot hand". That's just a fact.
Gakpo was the that guy at the start of the season but is now struggling for good performances so I would think Chiesa should come in as he has earned his start of late and Gakpo should earn his pot back.
As for Wirtz being Chiesa's competition on the left, that's not a thing anymore esp. after the Palace game.
30 Sep 2025 00:02:09
just coming back to this convo as I've read Chiesa has been left out of the travelling squad.
Similar to what I said above, there is context - he's just been added and wasn't included as an additional attacker anyways, so really having him in the match day squad doesn't really change anything, even tho he has been named in the squad.
But imo, now that he is in the squad, it's just petty not having him in the match day and travelling squad. Petty.