turnyitb

Getting excited now, come on Chelsea!!

Great news the guy is class and will fit in straight away. Gives Jose more options in formation and shape.

Probably? Lol do me a favour these two are light years apart! Like comparing hazard with Gutierrez lol

Don't get why there is so much negativity on here over this transfer, Willian is a cracking player who amongst other things destroyed us single handily at the bridge last season. He is talented,versatile and has good work rate , I can see him playing in a number of positions. We lack width at the moment and if we are going to go with lukaku up front that's something we will need more regularly and Willian can offer that. He can see a pass, he can finish and he can break up the play. In my opinion he could play anywhere from along side the holder in central midfield too any of the 4 attacking positions including striker if necessary. As long as mata stays and Jose says he is then personally I can't see a problem.

Been thinking more about this game today and the more I think about it the more I have a feeling Jose is going to play 4-3-3 Cech Dave, Ivan, luiz, ash Rami, Essien,Oscar De Bruyne, lukaku, hazard It's vital we control the middle of the park which IMO is man utd's weak area so I think with Essien sitting and the work rate of rami and Oscar we can put them under plenty of pressure. So when we get the ball both are quick enough to support our attacking 3 as well. Would also like to see hazard and de Bruyne swapping sides as well maybe getting to the byline a bit more as with lukaku up top he will thrive more on crosses into the box. We have had far to few corners in our opening two games considering the danger men we have at set pieces.

Lakaku must start. Don't think we will see mata, he looked off the pace tonight and I think Jose will want players that will work hard and press more. My team would be Cech Dave Ivan luiz ash Mikel Ramires Kdb Oscar hazard Lakaku

He is such a good player in many positions. I think some don't appreciate how good he is. The 2 games so far he has been asked to play mainly a holding roll. This he has done very well but I think it stifles a major attacking threat. His best position is where frank plays, the furthest forward of 2 central midfielders and I think we will see this more away from home with mvg,mikes oe Essen holding. His passing and vision aren't strong enough to play the number 10 role especially when his strengths are running from deep linking up with the front 3. There is no better sight than Ramires in full flight bursting past players making them look like they are standing still!

testicles ;-) let's agree to disagree. your best eleven changes depending on the opposition imo.

it not about leaving one out its about rotation. they are all good enough football nowadays isnt about your best 11 anymore. personally i would have kept kdb in tonight and rested hazard as i feel he was the quietest of the 3 sunday.

lol why bother buying them if you dont fancy them for big games?

why not?

If fit I can't see Luiz not playing against United. The guy is a natural athlete I can't see match fitness being an issue. There should be less defending to do tonight than OT I agree but obviously what threat villa pose will be different to what we will encounter at OT. If Jose feels there is a chance Luiz won't be fit for OT then he may be forced to rest JT tonight and play the other two but I don't think it would be his preferred pairing. Agree with you super cup comment though, it should be treated more as a showcase game ( as long as we aren't embarrassed like last season) although winning would be nice it isn't the be all and end all in the long run. Anyway it's all about opinions, at the end of the day I'm sure Jose knows his players better than you and I ! Come on Chelsea!

Luiz will be fit for OT and will play so we aren't asking JT to play 3games in 8 days. JT had a pretty comfortable match Sunday and looks in the best he has looked physically for a while so asking him to play 2 games in 4 days won't trouble him IMO . JT can then return to captain the side in the super cup the following Friday.

Can't understand all these people picking Cahill and Ivan together at centre backs. Yes it gives us more pace but neither is comfortable playing left of the two and I think players natural positioning will be affected and with villas main threat being counter attack at pace I think shape and players comfortable with their position will be more important. I know Ivan has played left side before but he is much better on the right side with a more natural left side in terry or luiz next to him. JT isn't the same player on the right when he has to play there when alongside luiz so my thinking is Jose will rotate Cahill and Ivan at CB alongside a rotated Terry and Luiz. So Ivan and Terry for me tonight with luiz not ready though Jose will probably blow my thinking out the water by playing Cahill/Ivan lol.

Cech Dave, Ivan, JT, ash Mvg, rami Mata,Oscar,kdb Lukaku

Listening to what Jose is saying on blues news I wouldn't be surprised to see no luiz, mata, Oscar,Moses or azipcuelta My guess at a starting line up would be Cech Ivan- Cahill-terry-cole - van ginkel- Ramirez- Shurle- de Bruyne - hazard ------ Lakaku------

Got 2 spares Sunday in the west stand lower if anyone is interested at face value plus booking fee. (£105 total) I will let you buy me a pint too as a thank you if you insist lol . Pm me if interested , would mean meeting me in pjs grill and bar Fulham broadway before the game.

Are those numbers official? If so why no website update? How about Lakaku?

Can't believe we are 3days away from our first premiership game of the season yet the club have still not got a full list of squad numbers for the upcoming season. Surely they are missing a trick here, there will be a number of supporters in the megastore before Sundays game looking to get one of the new signings proudly on the back of their shirt. Anyone got any info regards numbers for the newbies?

Used to start in brogans near the station but am meeting some friends in the bar and grill opposite (never been in there so no idea of atmosphere) then hopefully to the imperial nearer to Ko

Hi al, am heading to the game Sunday and was just wondering what everyone's plans were, whether going to the game or not, to celebrate jose's homecoming? Personally along with my 2 sons and a friend we will be heading down early. A few pints or ten, a bite to eat and hopefully a sing song in a bar before the game ( oh how I miss the So Bar) Hopefully also have one eye on palace beating the y*ds before heading to the ground to continue singing my head off watching the blues destroy the Tigers! A few celebratory pints after before heading home. Match days, you can't beat them!

Am in the middle of the MHL on Sunday, the atmosphere is going to be electric! Can't wait!

any early team news?

de bruyne a stand out for me, this guy has it all and i think will cement one of the midfield 3 positions this season with mata and hazard. where that leaves Oscar i dont know. what a conundrum to have. wallace looks a good prospect and Lakuka as well. Paizon and Ramires look our poorest players in that half.