Fairly confident that we'll get a good result against a poor Hull side.

Perform to the levels we did in the 2nd half against Southampton and we'll be fine.

Come on Chelsea!

But it's the poor sides that we struggle against most it seems

Time to win, nothing more.

 

I'd like to see this XI:

 

Courtois

 

Ivanovic

Zouma

Terry

Luis

 

Matic

Fabregas

 

Cuadrado

Willian

Hazard

 

Costa/Remy = Hard to choose, because Remy need games and Costa just returned to score and he might continue this.

Ivanovic is suspended for 2 matches, right? 

Same 11 as usual. Same tactics as usual. Same performance as usual.

Pray city and arsenal drop points.

Yip.

Don't see the point in predicting the teams as we know what it will be from here on in.

Same everything.

But it's the poor sides that we struggle against most it seems

 

Who have we struggled/dropped points against? 

 

We've drawn twice against a solid Southampton side, twice against 2nd placed City, once against Manchester United.

 

"Lesser" teams we've dropped points against were Burnley and Sunderland away. That accounts for all of our draws this season, of those I would say Sunderland is the only one where it was a bad result against a lesser team as the Burnley game obviously had the penalties not given. 

 

The losses were against an inform Spurs who could still make the top 4 and away to Newcastle which was a bad performance. 

 

So of the 9 games we've dropped points in this season I would say only 2 of those were bad results against "lesser" teams. 

 

Based on that I think our record has been quite good against the likes of Hull and we should feel confident of a victory. 

Who have we struggled/dropped points against? 

 

 

In the last couple of months?

 

Liverpool away in the COC, Bradford at home in the FA Cup, Man City at home, Villa away, Everton at home, PSG away, Burnley at home, West Ham away, PSG at home and yesterday against Southampton.

 

Some big teams, some smaller teams but we've struggled or dropped points in every single game since the Swansea game except for Liverpool at home in the League Cup (although we had to go to extra time) and Spurs at Wembley. Hull away will be a tough game just like it was last season and I suspect we will need a bit of magic from Hazard again.

 

But confident approaching this game? I said I trusted Jose before the PSG game to get it right and he didn't and I thought we'd rebound positively yesterday and we really didn't. I'd be beyond delighted if we got 3 points out of this game.

*shrugs*

 

What can I say, I still have huge confidence and faith in Chelsea, the players and the managers. 

 

We've been by far and away the best and most consistent team in the league this season and I just think we're going to win the Premier League fairly comfortably in the end. 

 

Our forms been bumpy in the league no question but we've 1 defeat in our last 10 games and since the loss against Spurs we've drawn against a very good Southampton side with the best defense in the league. Drawn against our main title rivals and drawn against Burnley in a match where we were denied two clear penalties and one of their players was allowed to commit GBH against 3 of our lads unpunished. 

 

I'm very feeling very much glass half full with regards to our title challenge right now, especially after City's loss to Burnley. 

Who have we struggled/dropped points against?

We've drawn twice against a solid Southampton side, twice against 2nd placed City, once against Manchester United.

"Lesser" teams we've dropped points against were Burnley and Sunderland away. That accounts for all of our draws this season, of those I would say Sunderland is the only one where it was a bad result against a lesser team as the Burnley game obviously had the penalties not given.

The losses were against an inform Spurs who could still make the top 4 and away to Newcastle which was a bad performance.

So of the 9 games we've dropped points in this season I would say only 2 of those were bad results against "lesser" teams.

Based on that I think our record has been quite good against the likes of Hull and we should feel confident of a victory.

What I mean is we don't kill these sides like other teams do and the way we're playing right now I don't have confidence in us scoring more than one and I don't have confidence that we will keep them out. Plus it's Chelsea so they'll automatically play 100 times better than normal.

What I mean is we don't kill these sides like other teams do

 

But by virtue of being top of the league by 6 points with a game in hand, surely we kill games better than anyone else in the league? 

But by virtue of being top of the league by 6 points with a game in hand, surely we kill games better than anyone else in the league?

I said these sorts of sides not games as a whole

Edited March 16, 201511 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

This is actually the sort of game that makes me nervous, an away game against supposedly inferior opposition...banana skin written all over it...I think in both the PSG game and the first half of yesterdays game the players attitude seemed to be wrong. I was pleased with how they stepped it up in the second half though.

 

Southampton are a good side, Hull are not, but I hope the team don't think they only have to turn up to get a result.

 

In other news, Steve Bruce's nose still looks like a shredded wheat !

*shrugs*

 

What can I say, I still have huge confidence and faith in Chelsea, the players and the managers. 

 

We've been by far and away the best and most consistent team in the league this season and I just think we're going to win the Premier League fairly comfortably in the end. 

 

Our forms been bumpy in the league no question but we've 1 defeat in our last 10 games and since the loss against Spurs we've drawn against a very good Southampton side with the best defense in the league. Drawn against our main title rivals and drawn against Burnley in a match where we were denied two clear penalties and one of their players was allowed to commit GBH against 3 of our lads unpunished. 

 

I'm very feeling very much glass half full with regards to our title challenge right now, especially after City's loss to Burnley. 

 

That's fair enough. We're top of the league and over the last 28 games we've been better than every other team in the league.

 

Unfortunately I'm a little more worried than you appear to be based on how we've actually performed in those matches. Scorelines don't tell the entire story.

 

It's similar to how you talk about Southampton. Yes they're 6th in the league and have a good defensive record, but in terms of form they came into yesterday having won two, drawn one and lost three.

That's fair enough. We're top of the league and over the last 28 games we've been better than every other team in the league.

 

Unfortunately I'm a little more worried than you appear to be based on how we've actually performed in those matches. Scorelines don't tell the entire story.

 

It's similar to how you talk about Southampton. Yes they're 6th in the league and have a good defensive record, but in terms of form they came into yesterday having won two, drawn one and lost three.

 

Which just goes to show, most teams will suffer a dip in form. 

 

We're in our dip but have still managed to extend our lead at the top of the league. 

 

I think the results have been sufficient if not great in the league recently but the 2nd half against Southampton was the best we've played for awhile and I think we'll see a turn around in performances and results starting with this game. 

Which just goes to show, most teams will suffer a dip in form. 

 

We're in our dip but have still managed to extend our lead at the top of the league. 

 

I think the results have been sufficient if not great in the league recently but the 2nd half against Southampton was the best we've played for awhile and I think we'll see a turn around in performances and results starting with this game. 

 

Because Man City are 8 points worse off than they were last season. If they were the force they were last season then we'd be in trouble.

 

Like I said, I disagree with yesterday being a turning point. We've been poor for almost 3 months and we've been lucky in games against Everton and West Ham. We've run players into the ground and now we're going to turn it around? I hope you're right.

Because Man City are 8 points worse off than they were last season. If they were the force they were last season then we'd be in trouble.

 

Like I said, I disagree with yesterday being a turning point. We've been poor for almost 3 months and we've been lucky in games against Everton and West Ham. We've run players into the ground and now we're going to turn it around? I hope you're right.

 

We could, in theory, still end the season with 90+ points. 

 

Last 5 seasons the league winners have finished the season with 86, 89, 89, 80, 86 points. 

 

Personally I think we've had a good season in the league. Okay it could have been better in recent weeks but it's far from shambolic. 

 

Yeah we had a bit of luck against Everton with the late winner but then we've had our share of bad luck with being denied more points by not having penalties correctly award against Southampton (twice) and Burnley. 

 

I'm not sure we've run the players into the ground myself, Lampard used to be able to comfortably play 60 games in a season and maintain his level of performance. 

 

I think it's just form, not fitness issue with the lack of title winning experience showing for a lot of the squad... I think there's a bit of a mental weakness in the squad that I think needs addressing but being so close to the finishing line now I think the confidence will kick in and we'll see an upturn. 

We could, in theory, still end the season with 90+ points. 

 

Last 5 seasons the league winners have finished the season with 86, 89, 89, 80, 86 points. 

 

Personally I think we've had a good season in the league. Okay it could have been better in recent weeks but it's far from shambolic. 

 

Yeah we had a bit of luck against Everton with the late winner but then we've had our share of bad luck with being denied more points by not having penalties correctly award against Southampton (twice) and Burnley. 

 

I'm not sure we've run the players into the ground myself, Lampard used to be able to comfortably play 60 games in a season and maintain his level of performance. 

 

I think it's just form, not fitness issue with the lack of title winning experience showing for a lot of the squad... I think there's a bit of a mental weakness in the squad that I think needs addressing but being so close to the finishing line now I think the confidence will kick in and we'll see an upturn.

Good points you are both making, though I would not call appalling, bordering on near biased, officiating "bad luck"

Good points you are both making, though I would not call appalling, bordering on near biased, officiating "bad luck"

 

I was trying to be diplomatic. 

We could, in theory, still end the season with 90+ points. 

 

Last 5 seasons the league winners have finished the season with 86, 89, 89, 80, 86 points. 

 

Personally I think we've had a good season in the league. Okay it could have been better in recent weeks but it's far from shambolic. 

 

Yeah we had a bit of luck against Everton with the late winner but then we've had our share of bad luck with being denied more points by not having penalties correctly award against Southampton (twice) and Burnley. 

 

I'm not sure we've run the players into the ground myself, Lampard used to be able to comfortably play 60 games in a season and maintain his level of performance. 

 

I think it's just form, not fitness issue with the lack of title winning experience showing for a lot of the squad... I think there's a bit of a mental weakness in the squad that I think needs addressing but being so close to the finishing line now I think the confidence will kick in and we'll see an upturn. 

 

I'm still baffled that the team is having to be defended to such a great extent this season. We're top of the league by 6 points with a game in hand and we've only scored one less goal than City (which we'll probably overtake with that game). No side can go the whole season without dips in form.

 

I think we'll see (of course).

 

Courtois

Ivan Cahill Terry Azpi

Matic Fabregas

Willian Oscar Hazard

Costa.

 

Wouldn't mind Luis for Azpi though. 

Would love Jose to go with youth, they will play without fear, for once in your life go with it, they could help make the difference.

Team I would like to see.

 

            Courtois

Dave Zouma Terry Luis

          Matic Ake

Remy Fabregas Hazard.

 

            Costa

 

Team that will probally Play

 

         Courtois

Ivan Cahill Terry Dave

    Matic Fabregas

Willian Oscar Hazard

          Costa.

           Courtois

Azpi   Zouma   Terry Luis

       Matic    Ramires

 

Remy   Fabregas    Hazard.

 

            Costa

 

Willian and Oscar have been poor recently, Cuadrado also needs to improve (Might need a good pre season). Anyway this is a game we can send out a statement and gain a huge amount of confidence for the remaining games if we get a good win and performance Come on Chelsea!

We need to play Cuadrado for a FULL game, after this we can decide whether or not he's worth starting.

Pivotal. Lose this and we are in big trouble.

Cuadrado needs to start.

I don't get this Cuadadro needs to start, what you mean is you want him to start.

Personally only changes I'd make is to bring Zouma in for Cahill and Luis in for Ivanovic

Team I reckon should, and will start this game:

 

Courtois

Ivan Zouma Terry Azpi

Ramires Matic

Willian Fabregas Hazard

Costa

 

Remy and Oscar to be used from the bench. Drogba or Cahill to come in to see the game out.

 

Confident. There's a lot of pressure on this side, but if we play like we did in the second half on Sunday we'll win.

well hopefully eden will have had a nice rest back home, for a couple days, walking the dogs. A mate of mine just met him at gatwick going home for a break with mum and dad! ahhh bless.