2 minutes ago, coco said:

Kante-Matic was the main reason we got all those clean sheets in that long run. I like clean sheets, they win titles. 

Maybe it was the ever present defence, goalkeeper and wingbacks and Kante who played 12 out of the 13 games 

12 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

Maybe it was the ever present defence, goalkeeper and wingbacks and Kante who played 12 out of the 13 games 

Yeah you are right, Matic was just park furniture the whole time.

Kante is a spider who sprints out to catch his prey, Matic is more a cobweb, you can't go near him or he'll tangle you up, they compliment each other easily. And just because no other teams in Europe have 2 defensive CM's, does'nt mean it can't work. Who else in Europe has such a commanding lead in such a difficult and competitive league ?

6 minutes ago, coco said:

Yeah you are right, Matic was just park furniture the whole time.

Kante is a spider who sprints out to catch his prey, Matic is more a cobweb, you can't go near him or he'll tangle you up, they compliment each other easily. And just because no other teams in Europe have 2 defensive CM's, does'nt mean it can't work. Who else in Europe has such a commanding lead in such a difficult and competitive league ?

I could easily just say which big league in europe had relegation fooder win the league last season?

Regarding the quality of the big teams in this league I think they seriously lack against Europe's best but thats something else.

4 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

I could easily just say which big league in europe had relegation fooder win the league last season?

Regarding the quality of the big teams in this league I think they seriously lack against Europe's best but thats something else.

Premier league teams cant be that bad. we have a club in our relegation zone on the cusp of the last 8. Remind which leagues do that ?

5 minutes ago, coco said:

Premier league teams cant be that bad. we have a club in our relegation zone on the cusp of the last 8. Remind which leagues do that ?

Because there teams on the cusp of relegation don't win the league the season before. 

I'm at the end of going backwards and forwards now, it's pointless.

I don't think Matic is rubbish and never said it. Would just prefer Fabregas that's all. You prefer Matic and thats it.

22 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

I'm at the end of going backwards and forwards now, it's pointless.

 

Seeing as you have lost Tweedledee for the week i thought i would keep you busy.

One last point on the Matic v Fabregas topic, we are going to need both of them for the remaining 12 games, and i trust Conte to decide when he uses them, but some of our fans don't value Matic at all and would like nothing more than to see him benched for the remainder in preference of Cesc. I just don't understand how they can forget what he has helped us achieve so far. That's it.

22 minutes ago, coco said:

Seeing as you have lost Tweedledee for the week i thought i would keep you busy.

One last point on the Matic v Fabregas topic, we are going to need both of them for the remaining 12 games, and i trust Conte to decide when he uses them, but some of our fans don't value Matic at all and would like nothing more than to see him benched for the remainder in preference of Cesc. I just don't understand how they can forget what he has helped us achieve so far. That's it.

I understand what you're saying and i deffiantly dont forget the player he was and currently is. He was the best DM around two years ago. Me personally i have said from the start of the season I wanted Fabregas in the team and I still stand by that. It's not because I think Matic is rubbish but it's only because Kante is better of the two I would drop Matic. 

I wasn't being disrepectful earlier but I meant it's pointless both of us going backwards and forwards regarding the quality of European leagues.

Matt Law reporting AC Milan will bid for him this summer. 27£ million he says they will bid and that Mourinho is keeping an eye on him as well.

 

Be idiotic to sell to United. He's our most creative midfielder so really we shouldn't be selling him at all, depends who we bring in though 

11 hours ago, Ernie_blue said:

Your taking it too literally. For me Kante is a DM, his not a particularly good passer or creater of chances. I don't mean sit there in front of the front 3 and don't move. You don't need two defensive midfielders in a team. One sits more and protects and the other is more creative. 

Kante and Matic as a pair are not two defensive midfielders. They take it in turns to press high which results in them being able to do it for a whole match as they are sharing the load.

Fabregas can't do the defensive side of this let's call it jobshare so when he plays the one he's paired with is forced to be more of a pure defensive midfielder. But Fabregas can't do the press for much more than 60 minutes.

This is why Fabregas tends to most of the time only start games where we expect to be more dominant.

Our midfield can be improved but Fabregas is not the answer, the answer is a more polished partner for Kante than Matic, a Bakayoko, Verratti, Rakitic.

1 hour ago, startedwithglenn said:

Kante and Matic as a pair are not two defensive midfielders. They take it in turns to press high which results in them being able to do it for a whole match as they are sharing the load.

Fabregas can't do the defensive side of this let's call it jobshare so when he plays the one he's paired with is forced to be more of a pure defensive midfielder. But Fabregas can't do the press for much more than 60 minutes.

This is why Fabregas tends to most of the time only start games where we expect to be more dominant.

Our midfield can be improved but Fabregas is not the answer, the answer is a more polished partner for Kante than Matic, a Bakayoko, Verratti, Rakitic.

Hardly any other team play with two defensive midfielders. In my eyes they are both defensive midfielders who don't offer much in attack. Both don't need to play.

Its funny really, Chelsea won the league by 8 points 2 years ago with Fabregas in the team losing just 3 games. Everyone else gets a free pass after last year including Hazard and Costa but it seems Fabregas is a weak link now. It will be hard to find someone with the creativity of Fabregas.

Edited February 28, 20179 yr by Ernie_blue

1 hour ago, Ivanov87 said:

Matic has a few bad games so some fans prefer Fabregas to start. According to some brain dead morons on this site, it means the fans hate Matic and want him dead. Apparently since Conte agrees with us and decides to start Fabregas that must mean he also despises Matic too. 

Logic. 

Just about hanging on in here, I reckon.  Joined in November, nearly 600 posts, the majority of which are attacking someone or other, with very little insight or sense.  You must be great fun in the playground at break time.

17 hours ago, coco said:

Kante is a spider who sprints out to catch his prey, Matic is more a cobweb, you can't go near him or he'll tangle you up, they compliment each other easily.

Haha that's a great analogy.

Although Matic has his flaws and blips (like any other player to be fair), he was immense for us in our title winning campaign and has been the same this season. I feel people criticise Conte's continuous selection of Matic because they don't see enough diversity in the team. I understand that completely, but those who are saying he needs to be sold/replaced need to get a grip and come to terms that he is a fundamental part of our team.

Edited February 28, 20179 yr by dR3

18 hours ago, Sindre said:

Matt Law reporting AC Milan will bid for him this summer. 27£ million he says they will bid and that Mourinho is keeping an eye on him as well.

 

Can't see Cesc going to AC. Elite players like him need Champions League football, which we can offer him next season. If he went to Italy it'd be Juve only, maybe Roma if they sold Radja (hopefully to us). 

United won't happen as he said it himself he loves London and as long as he's in England I can only see him living and playing in London.

Edited February 28, 20179 yr by Batshuayi

12 hours ago, Ernie_blue said:

Hardly any other team play with two defensive midfielders. In my eyes they are both defensive midfielders who don't offer much in attack. Both don't need to play.

Its funny really, Chelsea won the league by 8 points 2 years ago with Fabregas in the team losing just 3 games. Everyone else gets a free pass after last year including Hazard and Costa but it seems Fabregas is a weak link now. It will be hard to find someone with the creativity of Fabregas.

I also have no idea how the hell he becomes our weak link.. bide your time, conte seems to have finally seen the light and putting his faith on cesc now..  They need proof so if cesc didn't play then nothing you say would make sense to them so wait, you'll have your chance..

I personally think he will stay, but if he does go in search of a guaranteed starting spot (which he deserves) I couldn't blame him. As long as he doesn't join Spurs... *shudders*

 

23 minutes ago, bola said:

I also have no idea how the hell he becomes our weak link.. bide your time, conte seems to have finally seen the light and putting his faith on cesc now.. 

Cesc was dropped after 55 mins when were drubbed 3-0 at the Emirates and were 8th in the table, four points behind Spuds.

For the next 9 games Cesc never got a look in, we won every game, went from 8th to top, 7 points ahead of Spuds.

In what way has Conte "Finally seen the light" ??

9 minutes ago, coco said:

Cesc was dropped after 55 mins when were drubbed 3-0 at the Emirates and were 8th in the table, four points behind Spuds.

For the next 9 games Cesc never got a look in, we won every game, went from 8th to top, 7 points ahead of Spuds.

In what way has Conte "Finally seen the light" ??

when the winning streak ended and we were unable to kick start another long winning run...

18 minutes ago, coco said:

Cesc was dropped after 55 mins when were drubbed 3-0 at the Emirates and were 8th in the table, four points behind Spuds.

For the next 9 games Cesc never got a look in, we won every game, went from 8th to top, 7 points ahead of Spuds.

In what way has Conte "Finally seen the light" ??

Tbf regarding the Arsenal game no one had a good game. Kante possibly had his worst game in a Chelsea shirt and Ozil run away from him with the ball. That was just a bad day at the office.

1 minute ago, bola said:

when the winning streak ended and we were unable to kick start another long winning run...

We broke our win streak record, were not going on a run like that again for a while, get used to it. 

4 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

Tbf regarding the Arsenal game no one had a good game. Kante possibly had his worst game in a Chelsea shirt and Ozil run away from him with the ball. That was just a bad day at the office.

I didn't blame anyone for the defeat,  all i did was give bola the facts.

Cesc was dropped (nobody else was dropped),  the next 10 games we went from 8th to 1st, an 11 point swing with spuds, a record 14 straight league wins.

7 minutes ago, coco said:

(nobody else was dropped)

Ivanovic was. 

2 minutes ago, coco said:

I didn't blame anyone for the defeat,  all i did was give bola the facts.

Cesc was dropped (nobody else was dropped),  the next 10 games we went from 8th to 1st, an 11 point swing with spuds, a record 14 straight league wins.

From the 8th to 13th games Fabregas started 4 of those 6 games and come on against West Brom and was involved in the winner. So he at least played some part towards the end of the run.

Fabregas was dropped for the Hull game then missed a few games due to injury so he would of most likely been involved more. That doesn't take anything away from Matic though.

2 minutes ago, coco said:

We broke our win streak record, were not going on a run like that again for a while, get used to it. 

no, you asked the question..  ever since the spurs defeat conte has used cesc more than matic, the turnover was the burnley game, cesc came on the 2nd half but not enough to win so probably conte realized he couldn't keep leaving it too late and get sucked in a draw game... He decided to change hence cesc started in the next games after that...

 

If cesc starts again against west ham, do you then admit he has seen the light? if not, how many more starts do you need to be convinced?

14 minutes ago, coco said:

I didn't blame anyone for the defeat,  all i did was give bola the facts.

Cesc was dropped (nobody else was dropped),  the next 10 games we went from 8th to 1st, an 11 point swing with spuds, a record 14 straight league wins.

and I was giving you facts about cesc having more minutes than matic since the spurs defeat.. Conte would have used matic against swansea after 'resting' him against wolves but the fact he didnt suggests what i suggested...