Davey Baby

Well yes, Frank has clearly come round to my way of thinking, but as I said in my post, there's an argument for playing all three, though personally I think our best midfield was on show today, and we completely won the midfield battle, though Mount faded badly second-half. We conceded three terrible goals, the second two from terrible individual errors, that's not something you can pin on the midfield. First-half, we may not have created much but we were completely dominant and weren't half as open as we normally are. Second half starts calamitously and we're chasing the game with the clock ticking, so obviously we're going to be more open, but we still only conceded the third due to a farcical error. By the way, I never blamed Jorginho solely for us being open, that's just a narrative that you spun for reasons best known to yourself. I just said we looked less open without him. That doesn't mean it's solely down to him. In fact I've praised him this season. I've said he's a good player, he just doesn't get into my best XI. That's my opinion. You're going to have to get over it. Maybe start obsessing about somebody else's posts.

Tomori, Jorginho and Emerson had all clearly dipped in form. Frank was right to give Christensen a chance. He just hasn't taken it. Jorginho? We could go with a 3 in midfield and leave out Mount, but Jorginho was dropped for the first time against Villa, and we actually performed really well in that game, and Mount especially, and in the previous game where Jorginho was suspended, against Palace, we performed really well. I don't blame Frank one little bit for the starting line-up and he can't legislate for the goals we conceded, which were comical. Everton were really up for it today and we couldn't afford to gift them goals like that.

The word is personality. He's got none of it.

If we have a buy-back on Ake, I would do it. I also think Bournemouth would be happy to have Christensen. We give them him cheap, with another buy-back clause. We see how Christensen fares with regular first team football playing for a weaker side. Maybe he will develop, though I doubt we'll ever go back in for him. .

It's not just about strength, it's also about physical bravery. He's never had it. He's a bit of a weakling. Gets bullied in the air every single game. Doesn't impose himself, he's not assertive enough. He simply will never be a top centre-half.

We had loads of time. We knew Courtois was going long before he did. He didn't sign a contract.

Agreed. We were like a one man band today at times. Kante was poor, Willian and Mount faded badly in that second half, to the point where you hardly noticed them. Kovacic was having to do it all on his own. He was working so hard I wondered if he'd finish the game. The boy has some stamina.

Atrocious. Willy is a poor number 2 in my opinion but Frank has to be thinking about picking him. His distribution was poor all game. Twice he nearly played us into trouble in the first half and he didn't learn his lesson. That last goal, the ball goes through his legs, with his feet rooted to the spot. His feet are always rooted to the spot when the opposition score. It's unbelievable. Their first goal, he can come out and punch that clear with ease, it's hanging in the air on his six yard line, just come out and take control. Instead, the same old story with inevitable results. It's a lot of money we've paid for a number 2 keeper but that's exactly what we've done. He's not good enough. In English football, you have to be good on crosses. He's not an elite goalkeeper. A good one, that can play for a good side, but not good enough for a top side. Frank will be looking to strengthen in the summer. I think his patience is wearing thin.

As good a midfield performance as you could hope to see. This boy has everything. A couple of sublime passes that could have led to goals, a magnificent goal, covering, tackling, dribbling, vision, and skill like you can't believe. He's genuinely world class, as I've said many times. I don't know what happened at Real Madrid but boy are we lucky to have him. Maybe with Kroos, Modric etc in the picture he never really got a run in the side, but now that he has a manager that believes in him and now that he's found his feet in the Prem we can see what a player he is. He walks into any side in the world in my view. Yes, got caught a couple of times trying to dribble out from the back in the second-half, but we were chasing the game and he was the driving force, and it's a sign of the confidence he has in his own ability, though he has to learn not to over-elaborate at times. Lastly, his temperament, he was getting kicked a lot by a very energetic and physical side, and he just gets up and gets on with it, he's tough as old boots, hard as nails. There are one or two on these boards who still think it's a toss-up between him and Jorginho for a place in the side. Kovacic is completely untouchable. Jorginho is now fighting with Kante, not with this guy, if we play with a 2. There is an argument for playing with all three, but if it's two we're playing with, it's this guy and one other. His performance was amazing today. The best player in our squad, no question.

I don't think there's any pace on that cross. It's lobbed in pretty high, and it's very close to him. A lot of keepers are getting to that in my opinion, they're coming out and punching it clear.

We absolutely have to get shots on goal, which we've been reluctant to do. Pickford is sh*t, at least test him out. I don't think he's had to make a save yet.

Kepa completely at fault for their goal. The ball's hanging in the air, on the six yard line, and he remains rooted to the spot, as usual, and the ball goes in, as usual. It's beyond a joke. A cross virtually means a goal with him in goal, and I don't think he'll survive beyond this season. His distribution has been poor too, twice playing us into trouble. We've been the better side, we've played well, fluently, without creating a clear-cut chance, but Everton will tire hopefully, because they've put a lot of effort into chasing us around the pitch. Kovacic has been amazing, as usual. It's a pleasure to watch him play. The best player in Chelsea's squad, no question. Willian has been good too, as has Mount, and Pulisic has grown into the game. I think we're going to win this. Come on Chelsea.

Same team as Wednesday night. My main worry would be Christensen, but I think he'll keep his spot. We mustn't pick this side with Lille in mind. Pick your best team and worry about Lille when it comes.

Has anyone mentioned Ake? Do we have a buy-back? Very good player, but it depends on how highly Frank rates our other CBs. Edit: Just read page 1 and I can see lots of you have mentioned Ake!

Though I firmly believe the meat industry is unethical yorkley, both in its treatment of animals and its harm to the environment, I'm afraid I'm only a vegan half the time. That time being when I'm asleep and not eating. Why anyone would consider the words feminist or vegan to be an insult is beyond me. Maybe our friend should change his name to Caveman.

Thanks for your concern Val. Though I was deeply wounded by yesterday's events I'm pleased to say I've rested and recuperated and I'm on the mend. Remind me never to go toe-to-toe with those two intellectual titans ever again. I don't know what I was thinking.

I'm going to bale out now on the basis that if you're arguing with two idiots, that makes three of you. I'm out.

No, I'm focusing on the fact he's substituted him quite a lot recently, and didn't play him at all last night. Glad we got that straight. As it happens, I posted long and hard regularly in favour of Frank's appointment, so I'm not quite sure what you think my agenda is. I wouldn't swap Frank for any other manager in the world, but he has a lot to learn, as he himself would admit. I really don't think you're the full ticket. Perhaps you should seek help.

Jorginho came on with about 30 seconds to go, and he came on for 3 reasons. One, to waste a bit of time. Two, to bolster numbers in midfield (he came on for an attacker you see, while all our midfielders remained on the pitch). Three, just for the bantz. As for coming on here to spread lies, I'm not President Putin you know. I'm not trying to rig the election. I just happen to think we're better without Jorginho, and I suspect our manager is coming round to that idea too. It's called an opinion. I have no idea why you're getting in such a huff about it.

He does have a certain rugged charm.

Not only a Kovacic fanboy but a Jorginho hater!!!!!!!!

You're clearly upset, as I knew you would be. We've seen in the past how touchy you are about Jorginho. Your post is a nonsense, because I was replying to the assertion that we hadn't been open in games Jorginho had played in, and I merely gave a few examples. Whether they were at the start of the season or anything else is irrelevant, I was merely showing that we had been open in games he had played in, very open indeed. You can come up with all the excuses you want, about it being early in the season, or international breaks, or diminished roles, but really and truly you're just talking a load of balderdash in my opinion, and besides, what do we have to go on other than the games we've watched? You and your chum above needn't be so offended, we all support the same club, and we all want us to win, we just have different opinions about different players that's all. It really isn't the big deal you think it is. You think Jorginho is the reincarnation of Christ and I think he's a good footballer who isn't quite good enough to be in our best XI, and that's it, it really isn't any bigger than that, and you don't need to lose any sleep over it. Last night the Villa manager praised Kante after the game, saying he thought there were three of them on the pitch. This has a lot to do with Jorginho's absence if you ask me. Kante was really playing at his best and in the right spaces. Kova and Kante is my preferred midfield pair, and we were really good last night and should have won by more, and we were far less open than usual. These are the facts but you can come up with any baloney you like.

I'm aware of the results, I'm just questioning your assertion that we weren't open. We were very open. Many of those games resembled basketball games. Yes we were the better team in most of those games and may have won the midfield battle but we were open as hell. I'm not saying Jorginho didn't impress in those games, he has played well this season, of course he has, but it's noticeable that against Palace and Villa, the two games where we've paired Kante and Kova in a 2, we've looked far less open and far more secure. That's all I'm saying. Kante looked far more his old self last night, occupying the spaces he likes, and I just think we're better balanced that way. We're just a bit soft and too easy to score against and against the best sides that will cost us.

Utd away. Leicester at home. Norwich away. Sheffield Utd at home. Wolves away. Ajax at home. Valencia away. Did you see any of those matches?

There is no comparison between Courtois and Kepa on crosses. Courtois was the best we've ever had on crosses, he completely dominated his box and anything in the air. That was his massive strength and Kepa's massive weakness. Kepa is hopeless on crosses, as bad as they come. It's partly why we're so vulnerable at corners and anything that's delivered into our box. Partly, because our defence is also culpable. The fact that Kepa is short and Courtois so tall obviously plays a part but for my money it's Kepa's achilles heel and we're paying big time this season.