HazardousChoice

He played. He just wasn't very good at all under 2 of those managers and was a mixed bag for the other 2. Conte was the only manager who experienced a world class Kante for a full season and that was the last season we were in a title race. Kante has a bit of Pulisicitus where people (though not confined to his own countrymen) take his absolute best performances and see it as his general level regardless of how many poor or inconsistent games he has or how regularly unavailable he is. Having great PR does wonders. If you actually look at what Kante has given us over the full season over the last 4/5 years i don't think many would argue he's been close to world class for the majority of that time unfortunately. Will rightly be allowed to go on a free, should have been moved on earlier and should be shipped in January if we can get a nominal fee.

Did Potters wizarding powers tell him Tomori would be sent off early? or did he select Jorginho from the start expecting our toughest game of the season in a hostile environment and felt Jorginhos composure would once again prove vital to our team. You don't have to like Jorginho, it's clear by now you're simply not capable of understanding what he brings to the team, that's on you. But acting like Potter has relegated him to game changing sub is simply not true, it's pure fantasy. Jorginho will continue to start many games this season just as he has under ever Chelsea manager who's coached him.

Started our biggest and most important game of the season in Milan 4 days ago... Will no doubt start again in midweek. I'm not sure why you can't accept Jorginho is a key player for us, the difference in how we control games with him on the pitch compared to constantly coming under pressure without him is night and day and has been during his time at the club.

Cucurella at LCB isn't an experiment he played there often for Brighton and performed well. Not a good half for him today but I think the problem comes from us playing Kepa (as good as he was today, he had a fantastic game) and Silva as well as Marc at CB we start to look very small and easily bullied in the box. At Brighton he played next to Dunk, we don't have that commanding aerial presence at CB and a lot of balls into the box today posed us big issues.

We're waiting Tim

That he did. But only 1 was with us and I'd argue that was the last time Kante had a world class season in which he played at a consistently high level from start to finish. Since had patches of world class games since then most notably being absolutely outstanding when Tuchel came in up to winning the CL which we don't win without him. But people gloss over just how inconsistent Kante has been for us and how often he's looked like a square peg in a round hole. As far as "world class" players go Kante is one of the most inflexible out there, he's incredibly limited to a specific style of play which we've generally tried to move away from since Sarri took over and Kante's been an extremely mixed performer since. Even before his injuries which should kill any chance of him taking up a squad spot next season.

They're a combo on the right wing of the medical ward now.

That was 3 years ago. I'd argue Kante has had a terrible impact on the squad for most of his time here, absolutely outstanding under Conte and key to our CL win so winning a premier league and a champions league means he's been a great signing. But we've suffered tremendously in midfield, first through his inability to play in a 3 which led to season long questions under Sarri and Lampard of where his best position actually is followed by constantly trying to shoehorn him into the side and a complete glossing over his flaws in possession and more recently his injury problems where we've left our midfield in Limbo because we've deluded ourselves into thinking Kante can replicate his 5 world class games a season across the full season and brought in loan dross to cover for his injuries rather than targeting the quality we need. I don't think it's a coincidence we've been much more of a cup team rather than a consistent force in the league while Kante has been one of our key players.

Is Super Frank a joke to you?

He's shone from day 1. The only Wigan supporter I know was adamant Reece James was the best player in his clubs history when they finished his loan there. Extraordinarily high praise for a player that spent one season on loan there while they were in the championship but he said by his 3rd game it was apparent he was so much better than everyone else at the club it was ridiculous.

In fairness Pulisic is fortunate enough to play with 2 time Chelsea player of the season Mason Mount who creates chance after chance for him including the one he put on a plate for him against Wolves. Mount has the misfortune of playing with this guy https://understat.com/player/2662 0.04xA per 90 this season, 0.09 per 90 last season. The statistics back up what is clear to anyone watching us, Pulisic is one of the least creative wingers in the league and the least creative winger to play for us in decades certainly since Roman bought the club. It's my main criticism of Pulisic on the pitch, he actively makes the team worse and the attack less functional because he's incapable of actually creating chances for his team mates due to having no passing ability and not having the dribbling ability to beat a man or create space. It's very difficult to have any kind of fluidity in the offence when 1 player has such a limited skillet.

Pulisic is the only player on the planet than can score his first goal of the season on the 10th attempt and then have certain people confidently come out and say he's proven all the doubters and all the criticism wrong and should now start forevermore.

I'd argue exactly that for attacking players, the Bundesliga is by far the worst defensive league in Europe, it's an absolute goal fest with most teams playing high lines and being routinely whipped by Dortmund, Bayern and 1 or 2 other teams on any given season lately Leipzig. The top 4 teams in the Bundesliga last season all averaged over 2.3 goals a game. Just look at the insane number of goals every attacking player manages in the Bundesliga, Batshuyai had 7 in 10. Our very own Havertz and recently departed Werner were hitting 20 goal seasons in their early 20s, Sancho and Dembele who were benching Pulisic as teenagers both put up much better numbers but have struggled since moving to tougher leagues albeit Dembele has really come into form lately. It's just a really easy league for attacking players to thrive, i genuinely can't think of an attacking signing coming from the Bundesliga to the Premier league that didn't put up big numbers except Pulisic. The reality is people try to Cherry pick whatever stat they can find to make it look like Pulisic is on Mount of Havertz level, perhaps it's goals per minute again West Midland sides, Perhaps it's goals against goal keepers born in July, perhaps it's assists made on the 4th of July. But simply by watching them play you can see both Havertz and offer so much more both with the ball and off the ball as did Werner (who averaged more goals a season for us than Pulisic scored in the best scoring season of his career) It's really not a surprise or some kind of agenda that every manager Pulisic has played under has preferred other players, they see what the fans see and Pulisics general level has been below his team mates his entire career. That's why the fans criticise him and that's why he doesn't consistently start games.

Across his entire career Pulisic averages a goal contribution every 8 games. Has the lowest G/A per 90 of any attacking player at the club across their careers. Is the only attacking player at the club to never score double figures in a league season, the only attacking player to never have double figures for assists in a season. Took his goal well today after a lot of missed chances but the idea of Pulisic getting more time on the pitch leading to consistent goals is flimsy. Don't think he did enough to get in contention to start on Tuesday but a positive step.

A perfect performance and a fantastic result. Never doubted it for a moment.

He'll be fighting everyone.

Mount, Havertz and Gallagher have linked up well today. If we take the author off and get a finisher on like Auba or Sterling, even Broja or Reece James there's goals in this team through the season.

Brilliant Cross by Mount and a wonderful header by Havertz to end a half in which the worst player at the club has missed chance after chance I don't think we'll be seeing @USATimfor a while.

Tuchel gave Puli far too much playing time. Was one of his biggest flaws bringing him on most games He simply shouldn't be getting minutes at premier league level at any club.

I am absolutely astonished that one of the worst signings in the clubs history is not having the first good season of his career on the 8th attempt. Astonished I tell you.

Someone could write an article about how we're playing a 2nd string team and Pulisic still looks like the weak link in it. Not sure why he's starting over Broja.

Wish he was starting for us. What a horrible team we've selected. Really not a fan of playing reserve teams in important league games.

Tying him down to a 6 year contract is the best thing we've done under the new ownership. Can't believe some questioned his salary. A home grown 22 year old is the best player in the world in his position, he's worth top top dollar and should be a star for years to come.

It's seriously bizarre. He's been a bench warmer primarily his entire career at 2 different clubs, 2 different leagues, 5 managers, 8 seasons. And some Americans genuinely think it's because he's had 5 coaches in a row with anti American bias it's actually hilarious.

Tbf we've only played dross. We've probably had the easiest run of fixtures aside from Arsenal and our hardest game on paper got cancelled. Still a lot of football to be played, anywhere from 2nd to 7th wouldn't surprise me.