GhostOfDembaBa

I was watching the highlights of Milan Sassuolo a few weeks back I think... He was terrorising their defence, scored a goal, too. I actually really liked him and wanted him to do well...

I don't mean to be a party pooper but we seem to be forgetting that Rudiger is also prone to mistakes. All of the centre backs atm are average-good at best with not much between them. I still prefer to see this combination most though until someone else is bought it. There's a lot of pace, physicality, aggression in that pairing. On a different note, Jorginho's presence in that defensive midfield is probably something the centre backs appreciate more than Kovacic's.

In those set pieces I pin my hopes on Zouma clearing... A lot of the time It feels like Zouma Vs the entire lot of opposition players 😛, and even he's been shaky in that area. He was playing really well for a period after that bar start but his form's dipped again.

I have a soft spot for him but Zouma in particular had a shocker. That pairing has to not start again this season.

I've always been someone who enjoys watching the physicality in football as much as the fancy stuff, which is why I was so fond of the old midfield of Essien, Ballack, Lampard... I've been saying it for a while. They do try... Jorginho, kovacic, they've got a lot better, but the lack of physicality and height combined means the team loses that dimension. It's worst when you see set pieces and how opposition teams tower over must of the Chelsea players. Obviously that small frame and nimbleness and better technique helps in other ways (as well with the pressing in theory) but I always prefer to see the team have players who can 'bully' oppponents or at least hold their own. It's also another reason I like Loftus Cheek so much and really want to see him become a permanent fixture in the side.

Kepa, Christensen and Zouma deserve official disciplinary action for that gross negligence of a performance.

Yeah, I think it would make sense to buy a Richarlison type who plays both wide and through the middle to cover bother spots, maybe one reason why Zaha is of interest. Would Koulibaly worth the price at his age...?

Pedro, Giroud, Alonso if a new left back is bought in. Striker, Winger, left back. If a top class centre half was available I'd say go for him... I would be happy to see things stay as they are but we all know it won't happen with the window now open. I can see Zaha and Ake being chased and two who are likely to come. Who's out there in terms of strikers...?

He could be English for all we know, despite his exotic name (ie. Jadon Sancho) I say we definitely go for the Brazilian out of that lot. (Charlie Brown.)

Look at that lineup yesterday... Giroud and Zouma... Two guys 6ft or over.... This team has too many players not good in the air of carrying physical presence... Who's there to attack the deliveries...? Tomori is a small centre half... Emerson and James? Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante? Mount? Willian? Pedro? Pulisic? Hudson Odoi? You could probably count on one hand the number of headed goals that lot have scored. One thing that Alonso has is a goal threat, in open play or on set peices... Funny thing to say considering he's so poor at defending and we all want him out of the side but it's games like these that Alonso has a habit of delivering in. He actually makes telling contributions in tight situations... Aaahhh. Can't be relying on an out of favour left back to come on and dig you out of trouble... 😛

The decision to go with Giroud and Pedro seemed like a sensible enough call given the tired legs but it just didn't work... And the subs in the second half were ineffective... I would have liked to see Batshuayi maybe alongside Giroud or at least on as his sub with maybe a system change... Having Willian put in hopeful crosses in s crowded box with Pulisic as the man through the middle seemed pretty pointless. A bit of a dip in form but to be expected. The same lack of confidence in defending set peices and balls into the box remains and the overall height of the team doesn't help much. Today once Giroud was off it was literally only Zouma who offered any presence aerially with all those crosses and corners going in.

There was me happily waiting for 7:45/8pm kick off. Went on my phone at around 7 to check which other games would be on and I see it's 61mins already on the clock and Valencia 1 Chelsea 2(!). I watched the game from 61 minutes and what I saw was probably the most bizarre game of top level football I'd seen in a long time. It was quite shockingly amateur in all honesty. Players all over the place... Huge gaps everywhere, mistakes from players on the ball and bad defending galore... End to end like there was no midfield in either side. The only player I was impressed by was Jose Gaya. He was terrorising the Chelsea players on that left flank and causing havoc with his crossing and link up. I don't know how good his defending is but that there looks like a left back who can cause damage going forward.

One of my favourite players to watch on the pitch in.any team. Shame he's been held back by injuries, first with his recurring back issue and and now this one.

Reaping. 11m? Record goalscorer all those honours, now manager. Not even close for me.

Morata, Bakayoko and Drinkwater were the ones that cost the most and returned the least on the pitch. Giroud was a veteran bought as an emergency and wasn't really expected to be huge success. I still see Barkley as a useful player (unlike most) so that was an average buy. Zappacosta, an overpriced fullback who was mediocre but we knew we were paying over the odds because it was a late signing and had failed to bring in the ones we wanted. Emerson and Rudiger are the two who have actually been quite good.