jamie#8

For me thats showing a team working hard and pressing our deep lying midfielder. This isn't genius or anything new. It's a simple press to stop us playing out easy all over the pitch.

I genuinely think the only game that has applied to is Spurs but that's not to say it cannot happen again. But relaying that narrative after the defeat at Arsenal & Bournemouth, the draw against Southampton and the poor effort against Newcastle is for me lazy. I cannot remember him being dispossessed in the week and the problems are far more complex than 'get around Jorginho'.

I certainly think there was an aspect of this against Tottenham and against bigger teams that press. But to simplify it as the main problem now is nonsense. We have struggled big time when he's had all the time in the world. Jose also points out that if you channel our possession to the right side (kante/azpi) our attacking options are very limited and i fully agree with that. Love Azpi but the amount of dangerous positions he wasted against Bournemouth was criminal.

This whole narrative of 'Stop Jorginho and you stop Chelsea' is BS. The only game that applied to was Spurs away when we lost 3-1. He had so many touches and lots of the ball without pressure against Bournemouth. That argument is completely flawed in games such as Weds and Southampton 0-0 etc.

Not at all. A system and philosophy like this takes time. A few poor results and we are questioning the manager?! We need some stability and a long term goal. With a constant change of managers/styles our team will never have an established identity. Some fans are so short sighted and think its so black and white.

We cannot bring in a manager that suits a squad full of aging players. Willian, Pedro, Luiz, Giroud etc. Top 4 is certainly a priority and can still be achieved. If you want to bring a certain brand of football to the club long term you must take some hits short term. Don't get me wrong if after two seasons there is little improvement and possibly he has failed in the transfer market then we can question him. But to do so at the moment is ludicrous.

Makes very good movements, especially between defenders. If we play with more speed through the lines think he could score plenty of goals. Needs to get himself fit enough for this league though

Struggling to see what this guy is offering. Tidy player but often wouldn't know he is playing. The one time he made the box yesterday he nearly scored. Plays backwards/way he is facing and safe far too often. Personally I wouldn't sign him in the summer and prioritise an attacking/goalscoring midfielder or put faith in RLC/MM

He broke up plenty of counter attacks last night. He is not going sniff everyone out single handedly. Its down to more than him, a team reaction defensively. It wasn't right but dont blame him solely. He canot be liable when Pedro/Luiz are giving the ball away needlessly in dangerous areas

IT TAKES TIME

Cannot subscribe to the notion that the players do not think the tactics are working. We pressed fairly well for the majority last night, we were undone on Counter attacks and sloppy play. They certainly haven't downed tools. This is a style most will want to play. Certainly more so than Conte or Jose's style.

Haven't been on for a while but got to make a few points. 1. Anyone calling for Sarri's head is part of the problem. A constant cycle of managers that have no long term structure is no good for anyone. We have just signed a 31 year old for Sarri and he is completely trying to change the way we play. It's nowhere near perfect but it doesn't happen overnight. Providing we get top 4 and maybe a trophy that for me would be a good stepping stone to build on. 2. Having said that, he NEEDS to freshen this team up. Jorginho/Kante/Kovacic offer so little going forward that we need RLC or even Mason Mount next year to have a threat from midfield. If RLC and CHO do not start at the weekend he is asking for trouble. 3. 90% of what we do is positive. We are now on the front foot in all games, look to win the ball back quickly and usually dominate. These are good foundations. Our attacking play needs to speed up, and our defence in Counter attack needs to improve but as I said this takes time. If at the end of next season we are still struggling, then it maybe time to say this isn't working. Trust in the long term plan!

Praying for Sarri. OK so he may not be a proven winner but the idea that he will implement an identity of attacking front foot football really does appeal to me and probably most fans. Having watched his training methods on YouTube there is no doubt you would see a different style playing on the front football playing 1-2 touch football. Even the way he drills the defence is exciting as it seems unless we are in an ultra low block, we have no idea most of the time. I'm fed up with watching Chelsea and being so disappointed at the lack of attacking intent. Was unbearable against united and got to the point where was literally giving it back to them so we can set up defensively again. Its not as if we have been successful under a pragmatist this year so surely its time for a new approach. No doubt he won't stay long term but hopefully he can implement a philosophy and style that can be continued.

I actually really like Conte and probably up until Newcastle I actually wanted him to stay. I thought given some support in a window you will see a different team next year. What I cannot handle is the style of football. I was happy that we won yesterday but jesus I did not enjoy the game at all. Back foot defending, far too passive and not even offering a threat on the counter. They should/could have equalised in the second half and I cannot bare another season of that. I can understand playing that way against Barca etc but against a Jose Mourinho united? No. 30% of the ball with no interest in keeping possession or building attacks ourselves. It was the same against Liverpool. I want to see Chelsea playing attacking football, on the front foot. Also Conte is very slow to see a shift in the game to make a substitution. How Fabregas stayed on that pitch is beyond me. And when counter attacks were available int he second half he persisted with Giroud who cannot run over Morata/Willian.

I know plenty will see this as irrelevance but on stats we are hugely outperforming where we should be this season. When looking into football statistically the buzz term now is 'xpg' (expected goals.) Calculated through high powered models/robots it suggests how many goals we should of actually scored based on many number of things (where chances were scored/missed, % chance of them chances being converted historically, possesion, shots on/off target etc). Off memory this data suggests we should of only had half the amount of goals now (actually 15th in the exg league) and also far less points. Many of you will say stats are pointless etc, and to an extent I agree. But this model/statistic is used by most if not all bookmakers to correctly price football matches. Its not the whole truth but its interesting that according to these numbers we aren't actually performing very well. I will try and find the exact data and post later.