I'm sure Conte has learnt from his and players mistakes. The mid week cup game will be a good chance for the squad players to push for a staring spot. I reckon if Cesc and Moses have a good game, they are likely to be picked on the weekend.

Regarding the midfield 3, im amazed to see so many people happy for Matic to still be in there. Personally i'd like to se a midfield of Kante, fabregas and RLC. Drop Oscar and Matic and see if we can't start causing the opposition a few more problems. In that trio, you could have RLC pushing to support costa like a 2nd striker, as Conte seems to view him, as well as fabregas dictating the tempo of our play and forging chances. I don't see what Matic or oscar have done so far this season to warrant their starting places.

In truth, i'd probably change 4 of our starting line up (ivanovic, cahill, oscar, matic). Far too many issues across the pitch. Praying Zouma is back soon to give our back line a much needed boost

5 games in and 5 points behind. This is the maximum we can give to City. 

Early in the season but signs are we are fighting for 3. or 4. spot. 

We have a lot of options actually instead of trying the same thing over and over again and hope for the best..

Option 1

----- DA -- JT -- DL -----

- Willian - Kante - Alonso

---- Cesc --- Hazard ----

------- Costa -- Bats ------

 

Option 2

------------ Zouma -- Cahill --------------

Azpi ------------- Kante ------------Alonso

------------ Cesc ------ Hazard------------

- Willian --------------------------- Pedro -

 --------------- Batshuayi -----------------

 

Could put costa in for batshuayi, depending on the situation..

Option 2 is similar to what pep is using at city and comparing player for player, I really don't think there is a big gap between the 2 teams.. 

We definitely still have a pretty exciting team, the issue is with the manager..

 

37 minutes ago, bola said:

We have a lot of options actually instead of trying the same thing over and over again and hope for the best.. 

We definitely still have a pretty exciting team, the issue is with the manager..

 

We're five games in to a new campaign.

We have a new manager tasked with getting a side that finished tenth to perform well enough to challenge for title/compete for the top four with a smaller level of investment in the squad than our rivals.

He had a relatively short pre season working with the players due to the Euro Finals and is trying to not only implement a new formation and playing style but also trying to overcome whatever mentality issues that plagued the squad last year.

Personally I'm glad to see him sticking to his vision for the team rather than ringing the changes because we've made an okay start to season especially when remembering how bad we were last year.

I'm happy to give Conte, who has the biggest, hardest job of a Chelsea manager in over twenty years time to make a difference. 

1 hour ago, evissy said:

5 games in and 5 points behind. This is the maximum we can give to City. 

Early in the season but signs are we are fighting for 3. or 4. spot. 

It's about where I expected us to be this season after a turbulent period last season. It was unrealistic to think we would spring up to the levels of 2014/2015 straight away.

I've been happy with Conte's progress to date, but there's definitely room for improvement and it's evident that he knows this more than anyone else so we're in safe hands. I'm happy to support him and see where he takes us in the next few months.

THink people are over thinking. All we have to do is replace Oscar with Cesc, and we will be a different team. The sooner Conte realises it the better, otherwise this will be a lonnnnngggg season. 

Top 4 will be tough. Spurs look like the real deal, Everton have been quite good, Liverpool. Both manchesters. Arsenal. Thats 7 teams vying for 4 spots.

 

6 hours ago, didierforever said:

THink people are over thinking. All we have to do is replace Oscar with Cesc, and we will be a different team. The sooner Conte realises it the better, otherwise this will be a lonnnnngggg season. 

Top 4 will be tough. Spurs look like the real deal, Everton have been quite good, Liverpool. Both manchesters. Arsenal. Thats 7 teams vying for 4 spots.

 

If it only was that simple. Oscar's been pretty okay. He defends well but we need more from him in the attack. 

12 minutes ago, evissy said:

If it only was that simple. Oscar's been pretty okay. He defends well but we need more from him in the attack. 

Surely, can't be serious. He's been extremely poor. Even against Burnley, our easiest game of the season and our best performance by far so far, Oscar barely stood out.  Oscar is a ghost on a normal day and mediocre on his best. He was already tweeting about his Brazil call-up after we got humiliated. Can't wait to see the back of this selfish, small time fraud. Not CFC material. 

13 hours ago, Coxy15 said:

Regarding the midfield 3, im amazed to see so many people happy for Matic to still be in there. Personally i'd like to se a midfield of Kante, fabregas and RLC. Drop Oscar and Matic and see if we can't start causing the opposition a few more problems. In that trio, you could have RLC pushing to support costa like a 2nd striker, as Conte seems to view him, as well as fabregas dictating the tempo of our play and forging chances. I don't see what Matic or oscar have done so far this season to warrant their starting places.

In truth, i'd probably change 4 of our starting line up (ivanovic, cahill, oscar, matic). Far too many issues across the pitch. Praying Zouma is back soon to give our back line a much needed boost

Would love to see that happen. Come on Conte be brave..

10 hours ago, evissy said:

5 games in and 5 points behind. This is the maximum we can give to City. 

Early in the season but signs are we are fighting for 3. or 4. spot. 

Wait you thought we would be challenging for the title this season?

1 hour ago, jack_super_class said:

Wait you thought we would be challenging for the title this season?

 

we could be

Not for me, we have a real fight on to get top 4. I would snatch your hands off to get top 4 this season thats our aim.

43 minutes ago, jack_super_class said:

I would snatch your hands off to get top 4 this season thats our aim.

Same for me, I think we're at a juncture whereby the likes of Liverpool, Spurs, and Everton have finally caught up with us. The longer we go without CL the more we risk falling behind so while it would be great to win the league top 4 for me would be a more significant achievement.

Edited September 19, 20169 yr by the special one

12 hours ago, didierforever said:

THink people are over thinking. All we have to do is replace Oscar with Cesc, and we will be a different team.

Yes we will be a different team, probably worse. The only position I would consider Csec for is the one Matic is playing at the moment. 

3 hours ago, jack_super_class said:

Not for me, we have a real fight on to get top 4. I would snatch your hands off to get top 4 this season thats our aim.

I agree with this. Even this early it is clear that there are 7 clubs chasing 4 slots. Man City will definitely take 1 so it's a competition for 3 places being fought by 6 teams.

anyone on this forum saying that top 4 is our aim this season is plain and simple a stupid idiot,  we have the best squad in the league now, and peps city will derail soon with their over attacking football and I dont rate there chances at all in the long term, they will crash and burn against more solid defensive organised teams like stoke. Man U are terrible now, liverpool are always bottlers, arseLOL are never going to win it, and spurs dont even deserve a mention. as uve all said get oscar out the team, don't bring in cesc thogh I want to see someone with passion that will fight for this shirt, loftus cheek needs game time and would provide a really strong and pacey midfield with kante. costa is the best striker in the league and we have the best defence (except azpliqueta) with conte's tactical set up so there is no reason we cant win the league

20 minutes ago, marouane chamakh said:

anyone on this forum saying that top 4 is our aim this season is plain and simple a stupid idiot,  we have the best squad in the league now, and peps city will derail soon with their over attacking football and I dont rate there chances at all in the long term, they will crash and burn against more solid defensive organised teams like stoke. Man U are terrible now, liverpool are always bottlers, arseLOL are never going to win it, and spurs dont even deserve a mention. as uve all said get oscar out the team, don't bring in cesc thogh I want to see someone with passion that will fight for this shirt, loftus cheek needs game time and would provide a really strong and pacey midfield with kante. costa is the best striker in the league and we have the best defence (except azpliqueta) with conte's tactical set up so there is no reason we cant win the league

And so says Marouane Chamakh...

Noticed it as well. This team is generally poor on the ccounter imo. Not enough incisiveness. Too much dawdling on the ball. Hazard and Willian are often just not direct enough. They both can be and Hazard is when he's up for it, but too often they're not. 

 

1 hour ago, marouane chamakh said:

anyone on this forum saying that top 4 is our aim this season is plain and simple a stupid idiot,  we have the best squad in the league now, and peps city will derail soon with their over attacking football and I dont rate there chances at all in the long term, they will crash and burn against more solid defensive organised teams like stoke. Man U are terrible now, liverpool are always bottlers, arseLOL are never going to win it, and spurs dont even deserve a mention. as uve all said get oscar out the team, don't bring in cesc thogh I want to see someone with passion that will fight for this shirt, loftus cheek needs game time and would provide a really strong and pacey midfield with kante. costa is the best striker in the league and we have the best defence (except azpliqueta) with conte's tactical set up so there is no reason we cant win the league

well....quite a puffed up post.

I would've thought it axiomatic that the board's aim this season is for us to make the top 4 given last season: seems reasonable enough to me - it follows that the board members and myself must, in your view, be stupid idiots. Righto.....

The best squad in the league?!? I disagree, but as I'm a stupid idiot in your view I doubt you care.

City to go kaput?!? Well...I think you'll find that most on here believe that City has by far and away the best squad.....obviously idiots the lot of us.

How is that solid defense at Stoke going? whoops a daisy.

We have the best defence?!? that gave me a laugh.

All in all a very entertaining post from you.

We have slightly good forward line, mediocre middle and over the hill defensive line. Best squad in the league LOL

9 hours ago, coco said:

Yes we will be a different team, probably worse. The only position I would consider Csec for is the one Matic is playing at the moment. 

This is based on what?

5 hours ago, marouane chamakh said:

anyone on this forum saying that top 4 is our aim this season is plain and simple a stupid idiot,  we have the best squad in the league now, and peps city will derail soon with their over attacking football and I dont rate there chances at all in the long term, they will crash and burn against more solid defensive organised teams like stoke. Man U are terrible now, liverpool are always bottlers, arseLOL are never going to win it, and spurs dont even deserve a mention. as uve all said get oscar out the team, don't bring in cesc thogh I want to see someone with passion that will fight for this shirt, loftus cheek needs game time and would provide a really strong and pacey midfield with kante. costa is the best striker in the league and we have the best defence (except azpliqueta) with conte's tactical set up so there is no reason we cant win the league

Best squad in the league?

Can I have what you're smoking?

Rumours that Roman called a board meeting after the Liverpool game to discuss the performance as he was angry about it. Talked about giving Conte funds for January. 

All this was in the Daily Star mind you...

It's what the Chelsea Headline Generator popped out this week