Admittedly our recent record at the Hawthorns isn't amazing... we have taken one point from our last four games there and our last victory was in 2011 under Carlo. I suppose there's an argument to be made that we're due one?

 

If we're looking for any other equally pointless precedents... we have won our last four games against West Brom in August (dating back to 1985) by an aggregate scoreline of 15-1.

PloK you are some kind of stat nerd !!

I have memorised every Chelsea result ever and definitely didn't use 11vs11.com

I fully expect Pedro to go straight in on the right hand side, with Oscar in the centre and Haz on the left.

I fully expect Pedro to go straight in on the right hand side, with Oscar in the centre and Haz on the left.

Might be a game too soon

Might be a game too soon

 

Hopefully just a game too late.

Does anyone know how busy the metro is at the hawthorns after a game? How long roughly do you have to wait to catch one? It's my first visit and trying to plan train times. Cheers.

Edited August 20, 201510 yr by Carefree92

Might be a game too soon

 

He's already out and training, so why not?

 

I'm pretty sure he'll play.

He's already out and training, so why not?

I'm pretty sure he'll play.

Not just about fitness though, it's about been able to play with the team in the way Jose wants.

Not just about fitness though, it's about been able to play with the team in the way Jose wants.

Tactics, assigned roles, familiarity with other players (barring Cesc, possibly Costa) etc.

Not just about fitness though, it's about been able to play with the team in the way Jose wants.

He's got 3 days, already knows some of the team and he just looks 'right' in the Chelsea kit. 

Never that simple though Kev, as MB pointed out

Begovic

Azpi Kurt Gary Baba

Oscar Matic

Pedro Fab Hazard

Costa

hopefully we can avoid bottom three and move up the table with a victory, 

 

CHANGES are required though, lets see if TSO has got the bottle to make them, even though he's not from the bottle

 

dunno what would happen on here with zero points again, and the possibility of any of the 4 teams below in the league putting some points on the board

With our new options I would be inclined to now go with: 

 

Tibo

 

Azpi

Zouma

JT

Baba

 

Mikel

Matic

 

Pedro

Cesc

Hazard

 

Falcao

Never that simple though Kev, as MB pointed out

You're spot on but wouldn't it be great if he came on and had a belter? Maybe score one and lay on another? I think we could all do with a pick me up right now.

You're spot on but wouldn't it be great if he came on and had a belter? Maybe score one and lay on another? I think we could all do with a pick me up right now.

Yeah and I don't doubt he will probably get on as a sub but as a starter I'm not sure. Would love to be completely wrong mind and he gets a hat trick lol

For me, there's no way Ivanovic should be dropped for this game, despite his shocking form. This is a massive high pressure match; lose and we will be flirting very closely with crisis territory, certainly not the time to be throwing the likes of Rahman and RLC in. I'd start Courtois, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Dave, Mikel, Matic, Fabregas, Willian, Hazard, Costa. Though I am concerned about Costa's fitness, he was totally off the pace at City. I'd have Pedro as an option from the bench, an excellent one at that, as I'd say Sunday is a little bit too soon to throw him straight in.

Interested to see how Jose adjusts to deal with our right side being so exploited in the last two games.

I don't feel as though drastic changes are needed, however I hope Oscar is back. This wonky formation we play seems to work best with him and Cesc alternating through the middle. I doubt we'll sit back either, which plays to our strengths.

I also think if we need to sacrifice a centre back to inject some pace in Zouma then it needs to be JT. There's every chance that Cahill will become our leader at the back in the coming years, and he wont do that being dropped to accommodate JT. Theres little between our current centre half pairing, take away JT's leadership on the pitch and I think Cahill's actually the better option - I think he's earnt the opportunity to assert his own leadership.

Fingers crossed we can really kick start the season here.

For me, there's no way Ivanovic should be dropped for this game, despite his shocking form. This is a massive high pressure match; lose and we will be flirting very closely with crisis territory, certainly not the time to be throwing the likes of Rahman and RLC in. I'd start Courtois, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Dave, Mikel, Matic, Fabregas, Willian, Hazard, Costa. Though I am concerned about Costa's fitness, he was totally off the pace at City. I'd have Pedro as an option from the bench, an excellent one at that, as I'd say Sunday is a little bit too soon to throw him straight in.

No, just no   but yes you're probably right.. I really think he should drop Ivan, but unfortunately don't think so, Zouma must play and again Pedro may come on from the bench but I doubt he will start unfortunately, this is a must win and WBA shouldn't give our defence that much trouble if we set up right...I'm dreading Ivan sorting himself out a bit and us sticking with him through the season, it ruins what pedro can do on that side, with that in mind I think that's less likely now hopefully, we need a change of guard, Ivan was a problem all last season, makes far more sense to have Dave there so I just hope baba comes good.

Interested to see how Jose adjusts to deal with our right side being so exploited in the last two games.

I don't feel as though drastic changes are needed, however I hope Oscar is back. This wonky formation we play seems to work best with him and Cesc alternating through the middle. I doubt we'll sit back either, which plays to our strengths.

I also think if we need to sacrifice a centre back to inject some pace in Zouma then it needs to be JT. There's every chance that Cahill will become our leader at the back in the coming years, and he wont do that being dropped to accommodate JT. Theres little between our current centre half pairing, take away JT's leadership on the pitch and I think Cahill's actually the better option - I think he's earnt the opportunity to assert his own leadership.

Fingers crossed we can really kick start the season here.

Have you been watching any Cheslea games this  and last season? 

Tactics, assigned roles, familiarity with other players (barring Cesc, possibly Costa) etc.

Whats nice is with Dave at RB our whole right side all the way up to Costa is Spanish, good for them with the Euros coming up. 

I think Pedro will be straight into the starting 11. He will add the unpredictablity to our team, don't think it will take long for him to adapt with the number of Spanish players we already have in the stating 11. Not sure why some want Falcao to start, if we want to drop Costa, it should be Remy go in. It's been a quite week for us apart from the signing, I hope Jose doesn't stir the pot in the pre-match press, we just need to get on our business quietly. I expect a much improved performance.

I think Pedro will be straight into the starting 11. He will add the unpredictablity to our team, don't think it will take long for him to adapt with the number of Spanish players we already have in the stating 11. Not sure why some want Falcao to start, if we want to drop Costa, it should be Remy go in. It's been a quite week for us apart from the signing, I hope Jose doesn't stir the pot in the pre-match press, we just need to get on our business quietly. I expect a much improved performance.

I really hope he does, but I doubt it, I think he will come on this game as a sub then be a regular fixture after, as for Falcao, 3 reasons:  We are paying him double what we are paying Remi, Jose see's it as a personal project and lastly if we get him firing on full power just think of the forward line in a 4 4 2 Hazard, Costa, Falcao, Pedro...that is not that far behind what Barca has going forward

Edited August 20, 201510 yr by Oneclubinlondon

Messi, Suarez, Neymar... yea not far behind.

Id be happy if just one of those four starts scoring. Hazard already has two bad misses and I dont remember Costa even having a shot on goal