We’re all feeling really angry and disappointed about this Barça game, and we deserve to feel this way because the team played the worst football I’ve seen since the Atletico Madrid game.
That being said, I wanna hear how you guys think Lopetegui has done since he’s arrived at the club and if you think he should stay or not. If you think he should leave, which coach would you like to join instead?
In my opinion, Lopetegui should stay at the club, I still and will continue to have faith in him.
I think lopetegui should stay. His results these past 2 seasons warrant that. However, he needs to improve his approach in the big games. As if results turn a bit against lesser teams then he could be in trouble.
Provided we get top 4 this year then for me he deserves another season at least but I do have my doubts whether he can takes to next level. I hope he can but the jury is still out.
Until the end of the season then out!
We should keep him. I was strongly against his appointment when he first came but he has grown on me since.
Just keep him until Monchi can find a better coach FOR SURE.
It’s not that i like his style or anything,
I just worry the next coach will be a Montella, I’m sure the board feels the same.
I don’t think we should even be discussing his future. Yes, losing sucks, and you can definitely make a case that Lope can’t do it in the big games. I’ll always compare him with Simeone, cause that’s the closest example. Simeone didn’t win a single game against Barça or RM in his first 2 seasons. Sure, those were stronger teams back then, but there’s still a difference in quality between us and the Big 3.
Lope hasn’t quite figured out how to beat the big teams yet, but I’d still give him time. Like i mentioned in the pod, we’re continuously improving, and we’ve seen forward strides in players like Suso & En-Nesyri. I’m positive that we’ll see a better Sevilla closing out the season.
Now, there’s still the possibility that he hits a ceiling and it’s as far as he can take us. If anything, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt. I say we wait to judge him next season.
Simeone joined Atletico in the second part of the 2011-12 season (January 2012), that’s half a season, then the next season 2012-13 is 1.5 seasons not even 2. In 2012-13 his team won the CDR and who did they beat? Real Madrid! Plus he’s won the UEFA Supercup vs. Chelsea in 2012-13 as well. So that’s 3 titles in 1 and a half seasons.
Sorry but comparing Lope to Simeone is not fair to Simeone… he is light years ahead of Lope in every aspect, not even close. Sure there are a lot of other factors involved like the finances etc., but Simeone’s approach vs. big teams is totally different of Lope’s. They are also tactically different in the sense that Simeone perfected the counters, his team plays more aggressive, has a winner’s mentality, while Lope’s doesn’t.
Simeone also won the EL with Atletico for half the season in 2011-12 after their crisis with Manzano. He then moved the club UP, making steps FORWARD after the EL triumph, not backward steps like us compared to previous season.
The only times Simeone didn’t win a trophy in a season with Atletico were the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2019-20 seasons.
However, in 2015-16 he finished 3rd in La Liga and sent Atletico to the CL final. In 2016-17 he finished 3rd in La Liga and sent Atletico to the semis of CL and CDR. In 2019-20 he finished 3rd in La Liga and reached the quarters of CL. The only time he did not finish in top 3 was in the 2011-12 season, finishing 5th, but he managed for only half a season.
We finished 4th with Lope last season and won the EL. This season we reached the CDR semis (faced piss poor teams in previous rounds) and are most likely (99.99%) out of CL in the round of 16, while we will try and finish 4th. This is Sampaoli level of achievement at best.
I don’t think we have the luxury and comfort on waiting for a coach to figure how to beat the top teams out or at least fiercely compete with them.
Status quo and keeping still on a level without aspiring more as a club will only hurt us in the long run. I remember well when La Liga fans used to call Atletico as Pathetico… and fairly so, as they won games sometimes and won a trophy now and then, but always failed to do what they had to do, win the important matches and do what it takes to win the trophies and become a top club.
Simeone changed that for them and now they are here. Lope is not the one that will do that for us I’m afraid. Ok maybe another season for him to prove that, but that’s too optimistic and dangerous. We need our own Simeone ASAP!
There ain’t no other Simeone out there. There aren’t even good coaches in Spain who are on the come up, except Martínez at Granada. And i wouldn’t give him this job yet. If you’re telling me we should sign Gallardo cause he’s done well with River Plate, you’re living a pipe dream.
This is by no means an excuse for getting knocked out against Barça, but these things happen.
The reality is, Sevilla are at their level right now. Can we at least qualify for the CL consistently? It’s our first season here in 3 years. The way Monchi has built this club up is not just to have a good run for a few years, win the league, and then flame out. He wants Sevilla to remain as a top club. We don’t have the budget to be this cutthroat with a manager that has clearly been the best of the last decade.
Now, onto the players. How many of our players walk into the Starting XI of the Big 3? Only Kounde. Ocampos is tailor made for Simeone so he would make the Atleti team. But who else? For me, that is where the gap is.
Again, Lopetegui should’ve done better against Barça. We’ve at least played well, and even beaten the big teams with “poorer” Sevilla sides in the past. Hell, even Levante manages to beat the big teams. But just like we shouldn’t quickly lose faith in players who have disappointed us (De Jong, En-Nesyri, Suso), we must give Lope the chance to improve. At least he’s trying different things. He’s not as stubborn as we think.
And one last thing, give my boy Papu some time to settle in. Things will be much different once he does. 
Not so sure about Lope not being stubborn, the fact that he fielded Rakitic vs. Dortmund tells a lot. It would be naive of him to think only because of Umtiti’s shit defending that Rakitic was going to do well or score vs. Dortmund too. The dynamic totally changed when Oliver and Oscar came in.
As for Papu I agree we should give him time. In the first couple of matches he was doing good, tracking back and pressing etc. but in the last few games he was almost non-existent. I think it will be very difficult for him to adapt in this formation and system, but you never know. We will need to see him for another season to judge him better, but I’m afraid he’ll have to be settled with a sub role - and it seemed that he was ok with that before Ocampos got injured and he knew that well before signing with us, so he was mentally prepared to be a sub and not a hero for us (considering the style of play and everything). So yeah we should have Papu for 2021-22!
Shall we revisit this thread? 
Certainly the pressure is starting to crank up now. I feel we will probably go out against Dortmund and all it takes is a couple more bad results in la liga and 4th is at risk.
I feel lopetegui needs 4th to be safe but if we drop out the top 4 his job could be under huge threat then.
I was on the fence at the end of last season (not sure which thread but you can defo quote me on my stance) but said he deserved another year in charge. Fast forward 6 months and the wheels are appearing to come off, worst thing is we’ve been here before - before the covid lockdown and the EL mini tournament Lope’s Sevilla were also flat and pathetic, then Sevilla came bursting out of the gates after the lockdown to secure 4th coupled with a fairytale EL tournament where almost everything went our way - a season to remember.
Lope has not done the same wonders this season with no extended break and is still found wanting against big teams. Jury is leaning against him but you have to ask if he does leave who would replace him? Gracia is struggling at Valencia, Pellegrini likewise at Betis, Marcelino was in charge of one of the blandest Sevilla teams in the past decade and didn’t even see the season out, though to his credit Valencia did look ready to take the next step under his stewardship before the Lims pulled out that step (pun) and he is still available. I can’t really name any manager from France, Italy or Germany who would be interested in this position so options are limited.
From what I have seen on the pitch and gathered transfer-wise, the 4-3-3 just isn’t the optimal tactic with this group of players. Look around Europe and only the best teams in each league have the quality to field a side of 433 (ManC, Liverpool, Chelsea under Lampard, Real, Barca, P$G, Ajax) with each player having both the technique and intelligence to play their role and cover for others. Sevilla do not have a squad of that quality, not even a starting 11. Adding Papu is a good move on paper but he isn’t a winger, he plays best as an attacking midfielder in a 4231 or even a 3421, same goes for Oscar, I would really love it if Sevilla try a 3421 but Lope is hellbent on the 4-3-3 and starting Rakitic and Jordan together.
There are also some questions transfer-wise, Rekik is a bleh transfer and one that was more panic than well thought out. I’ve been screaming for a decent backup DM/ ball-winner for 2 seasons and would probably never understand why the club went for De Jong rather than Aleksandr Isak given both were transferred for a similar sum, surely the latter fits the team physically and age-wise.
So my requirement is simple - 4th or bust. That is the absolute minimum.
I’d rather keep him even if we’re out of top 4 as I don’t think the squad this year is good at the beginning of the season anyway.
What I fear the most is if names like Gattuso pops up to be the next coach.
Even with the scraped 4th I’d think long and good before continuing with Lope for another season if I were Monchi.
Yeah if there’s no better coach in the market so that we can make an improvement or someone who is serious enough to try and take us to the next level then Lope for another season. But let’s see what Monchi is planning.
Forgot to mention Monchi - he handed an extension to Lope in January, even though Sevilla weren’t exactly flying or being the team to beat. Strange timing and one that may make it impossible to part ways with him if the termination clause is high af. We can read it as a signal of confidence and that Monchi’s mind was made up.
We’re getting too sloppy, I’m not sure where the old team that we saw in the Europa League but we need to see that team NOW. That team could’ve won the league title in my opinion. This one I’m not even sure is gonna be a top 4 team. Lopetegui, idk what he is doing RN it looks like a completely different team that is lacking ambition and the drive to win
From conceding 1 goal in 9 matches (or none in 8 matches in a row) to 10 goals in 5 matches is a huge difference. Beside all factors like quality etc. it’s also very much due to the mentality factor… we collapsed mentally from conceding 3 goals vs. Dortmund.
It’s very weird to play a phenomenal game and dominate vs. Barca 2-0 and then lose 2-0 and 3-0 against them 3 weeks later. Something is off and perhaps only the insiders at the club know it.
The football is fugly but we don’t sack managers for that until the results go smelly, then there’s no mercy. We have too much going for us right now and I don’t see any changes before the end of the season or until the right choice becomes available.
But yes, we don’t create much and fixate on possession for no good commonsense outcome, much better to have an aggressive plan.