Other (less likely) possible midfield combos?

- Kante, Fabregas, Willian?

(Small upgrade on the Oscar option, maybe? Could have Pedro or Moses then take up that right wing position and you have a more attacking side overall.)

- Kante, Loftus Cheek, Fabregas?

(A bit more going forward than with Matic?)

- Kante, Chalobah Fabregas?

(Again, maybe a little more dynamism than with Matic, but still on defensive side.)

Mikel to come back yet.......!!

 

Where does he fit in?

I don't want to be dismissive over a player who has been very loyal and professional (and successful) over many years now, but I think it's time Mikel gives way to the next generation. Chalobah, Loftus Cheek need to get some game time unless we want to see them go to waste.

I don't want to be dismissive over a player who has been very loyal and professional (and successful) over many years now, but I think it's time Mikel gives way to the next generation. Chalobah, Loftus Cheek need to get some game time unless we want to see them go to waste.

 

Hey what happened to your avatar?

Hey what happened to your avatar?

?

You mean the last one? It was starting to look a little freakish, even to me. I mean you can't take my highly informed and insightful opinions seriously with the other one. :]

Came down a toss up between the current one and...

Edited August 22, 20169 yr by Kante Conte

For the fickleness of fans, read the first 20 odds posts at the start of this thread, just thought i would..

He's a fantastic player but we are not set up for his style. So no

What did I know!!

What did I know!!

 

Meh, we are all the same, we all change our opinions.

 

I remember when we were first interested in Costa, i hated the thought of even signing him. I thought we needed a striker that could do more than just score goals inside the box and i also hated him at Atletico Madrid. A few games into his Chelsea career changed my mind though 

I really do rate Cesc, but don't let 1 outstanding pass ( and it was outstanding!) make you forget that he's slow, can't defend, and won't track back to mark his man. I'd also like to fit in Batters somehow.

 

 

                                Tibo

                       Back         four

 

 

                                Kante

 

Willian                 Fabregas              Hazard

 

                            Michi

 

                                      Costa     

Don't care how slow Cesc is he should be an automatic in the team if Matic & Oscar are the alternatives. I'm all for dropping Cesc from the team but only if better players are available.

 

His lack of pace & defensive fragility wouldn't be that big of a problem if we didn't have Terry, Cahill & Ivanovic at the back who need all the protection they can get.

Don't care how slow Cesc is he should be an automatic in the team if Matic & Oscar are the alternatives. I'm all for dropping Cesc from the team but only if better players are available.

His lack of pace & defensive fragility wouldn't be that big of a problem if we didn't have Terry, Cahill & Ivanovic at the back who need all the protection they can get.

But the problem is we do right now, and its easier to grind 1-0/2-1s than it is 3-2/4-3s.

Unless it's a match like away to City or United, I think Cesc must start. If we have a fully fit team, the likes of Kante/Oscar/Willian will do plenty of tracking back and defending, even Hazard isn't bad doing that these days. We could definitely afford to have a creative player like Cesc. That pass he put through for Costa's goal, we will wait a whole season to have something like that from Matic or Oscar ( ok, let's say half a season). I don't see us keeping a clean sheet until we get a good fullback in, or the opposition has an awful day in front of the goal.

                                Kante

 

Willian                 Fabregas              Hazard

 

That is an awfully small midfield unit .... Kante 169cm, Willian 175cm, Fabregas 175cm, Hazard 173cm ... a bit lightweight for me :)

 

 

Pedro is a midget as well ... I'd like to see us sign a few physically imposing powerful players like we used to have .... the Ballack, Essien types ...

Edited August 23, 20169 yr by Sexyfootball

I really do rate Cesc, but don't let 1 outstanding pass ( and it was outstanding!) make you forget that he's slow, can't defend, and won't track back to mark his man. I'd also like to fit in Batters somehow.

 

 

                                Tibo

                       Back         four

 

 

                                Kante

 

Willian                 Fabregas              Hazard

 

                            Michi

 

                                      Costa     

That midfield and team will be over run by most of the PL teams week in and week out. Also physically bullied.

Looking ominous for Cesc

?

You mean the last one? It was starting to look a little freakish, even to me. I mean you can't take my highly informed and insightful opinions seriously with the other one. :]

Came down a toss up between the current one and...Custom Image.jpg

 

I mean the one where you do some sort of fusion among players.. the kante-conte turned out wrong..

 

btw, can you do cesc and mourinho? who knows mark ruffalo look alike would pop out..

I think as long as Cesc is willing to stay and fight for a place he will be going nowhere. Worth reminding ourselves that he counts as homegrown and we can only add one more non-homegrown player to the current squad.

Don't see him leaving, and it'd leave us very light in central midfield if he does. Kante and Oscar seem to fit Conte's system well, and while I agree that it's frustrating to see Matic in the lineup ahead of him, but we'd lose all physical/aerial presence (however minimal Matic's may be) playing Cesc-Kante-Oscar.

I think the only way he fits is with Oscar out, and it looks like Conte reckons we'd suffer defensively more than we'd gain offensively making that switch right now. Mind you, we're only four competitive matches into his regime, there's every chance the regular XI will look much different by May, and I wouldn't put it past a player of Cesc's quality being a part.

If you can't get on the pitch at home against Burnley i would be worried.

Meh I'm not sure. The game wasn't calling for a player like Cesc. I'm sure Conte will find use for him, depending on the opposition.

Don't see him leaving, and it'd leave us very light in central midfield if he does. Kante and Oscar seem to fit Conte's system well, and while I agree that it's frustrating to see Matic in the lineup ahead of him, but we'd lose all physical/aerial presence (however minimal Matic's may be) playing Cesc-Kante-Oscar.

I think the only way he fits is with Oscar out, and it looks like Conte reckons we'd suffer defensively more than we'd gain offensively making that switch right now. Mind you, we're only four competitive matches into his regime, there's every chance the regular XI will look much different by May, and I wouldn't put it past a player of Cesc's quality being a part.

I know you said it, but I just want to reiterate...

Matic is terrible in the air!! For someone who is 6'4 how is that even possible!

I'm hoping that Conte is just waiting for the new CB to come in so he can play Cesc with Kante or Matic without having to hide behind the sofa every time the opposition counter. If he just doesn't see him in his plans at all I'll be gutted.

He's just posted on Facebook that the talk of Conte saying he can leave is rubbish and he's not going anywhere.

Good for him, we like fighters.

Although we won 3:0 without him on Saturday, I still believe we would be a better team with Cesc in there instead of Oscar or Matic ( depends on the game situation). We are playing more direct now with lots of cross field ball and long pass into space, and there's no better player out there than Cesc doing that. It's incredibly frustrating to watch us missing the pass with little pressure. Maybe if he played on Saturday we would not have got the clean sheet, but we'd put 5-6 pass them.