After 2 cup exits it will be hard for whatever team is selected to lift itself.Will be hoping we can bounce back.Tough season and an unexpected one.....UP THE CHELS!

9 games to go means there are still 27 points to play for and the gap between 3rd place and us is 12 points.. Sure, based on our performance of late, it doesn't inspire confidence but recent results of our oppositions are hardly convincing either so throwing the towel now is not what we fans are supposed to do..

 

The plus side if we lose this game is that west ham would overtake city in the 4th placed and who knows they would stay out of it till the end season and imagine pep competing with jose in europa league lol.. What's the odd of the original big 4 + city all playing in europa league next season??

 

Anyway, I'd still focus on chelsea, there is still something to play for..  

especially against this lot, they are playing really well under bilic and are going to be well up for giving us a spanking, and i fear we do not have the character at the moment to prevent it

Have faith it's a London derby FFS!. What better incentive to be motivated?. I recall back in 2010 coming out of Wembley after the FA Semi v Villa, and their fans were saying 'hope you beat Spurs in the final'. 24 hrs later they lost to Pompey in their semi!.
Within the next 7 days, they bounced back to beat both us & Le Arse at their place. At the time I thought it was the best time to play them, as they would be 'down' after losing at Wembley.
How wrong was I!.

Let RLC play every game until the end of the season.

We've given him a five year deal, we're clearly looking at him to be the future of the team so let's see what he can do.

Let him play every game for the remainder of the season, tell him to go out there and show the incoming manager what he can do.

What's the worst that can happen?

I only ask for pato

By the sound of things he'll be on a flight back to Brazil. What a waste of time and money that loan has been.

Let RLC play every game until the end of the season.

We've given him a five year deal, we're clearly looking at him to be the future of the team so let's see what he can do.

Let him play every game for the remainder of the season, tell him to go out there and show the incoming manager what he can do.

What's the worst that can happen?

 

 

We lose to the pikies!

We lose to the pikies!

I'd rather that happened when we were trying to develop youth than playing Matic and Mikel in the middle and securing another score draw result whilst we plod aimlessly towards the end of the season.

It's a unique situation for Chelsea to have nothing left to play for with so much football left to play.

Let's try to turn it into something positive and give us fans something to cheer and maybe offer a glimmer of hope for next season.

Don't buy the nothing to play for argument, however unlikely can still mathematically qualify for top 4 and have what are effectively 'six pointers' against opposition above us (West Ham, Liverpool, Man City, Spurs, and Leicester) as well as winnable games against the rest. If the players have accepted the season is over they can all f**k off in the summer personally. Still everything to play for.

 

Courtois

Ivan -- Cahill -- JT -- Azpi

Fabregas -- Matic

Willian -- Oscar -- Hazard

Remy

Don't buy the nothing to play for argument, however unlikely can still mathematically qualify for top 4 and have what are effectively 'six pointers' against opposition above us (West Ham, Liverpool, Man City, Spurs, and Leicester) as well as winnable games against the rest. If the players have accepted the season is over they can all f**k off in the summer personally. Still everything to play for.

 

Courtois

Ivan -- Cahill -- JT -- Azpi

Fabregas -- Matic

Willian -- Oscar -- Hazard

Remy

 

11 points in 9 games isn't impossible to make up, but it is unlikely. Taking that into account, isn't it worth using some players like Traore, Loftus-Cheek and Rahman so we have a better idea of what the next coach has at his disposal?

 

Having said that, you're probably the closest with your pick. Could throw in Mikel too instead of Hazard though.

I would like to see:

 

.............Courtois

Azpi......Cahill.........JT........Rahman

..............RLC.............Mikel.........

 

Willian........Fabregas.................Kenedy

 

 

..................Traore

 

 

Subs: Begovic, and few youngsters (but as we have FA Youth cup game Friday that is doubtful so the deadwood of Oscar, Remy, Pedro, Matic etc.....)

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by Nibs

11 points in 9 games isn't impossible to make up, but it is unlikely. Taking that into account, isn't it worth using some players like Traore, Loftus-Cheek and Rahman so we have a better idea of what the next coach has at his disposal?

 

Having said that, you're probably the closest with your pick. Could throw in Mikel too instead of Hazard though.

 

For me Traore certainly deserves to start v West Ham on merit, but given Benzema's ban from the France Euro squad Remy may feel he still has something to prove. Same with Pedro and to a lesser extent Cahill/Fabregas/Hazard. Don't get me wrong I'm all for giving the youth a chance, just not until mathematically impossible (and not just limited to Traore, Kenedy, RLC, and Baba - personally i'd like to see Aina, Miazga, Clarke-Salter, Colkett, Abraham, and Kasey Palmer all given minutes at some point).

Edited March 17, 201610 yr by the special one

What have we got to lose.

Honestly we wont finish much higher then 8th.

Mix at least three youngsters from the start (traore,kennedy,RLC) with the regulars.

Play them till the end of season.

Plus load the bench with the best of the rest and give them game time.

How are you ever going to know how good they are.

Put it this way, a new manager next season isnt going to give them a start unless they shine now.

Lets be honest RLC,traore,wont be starting the first game in August.

I just cant see it, i would like to see it but cant see it.

...grandad guus will start with the same old..if were lucky he might give bertie a start...remember grandad wants to keep his unbeaten record in the league would be a shame to lose it by giving the talented youth players we have a chance to show what they can do...KTBFFH!

I'd rather that happened when we were trying to develop youth than playing Matic and Mikel in the middle and securing another score draw result whilst we plod aimlessly towards the end of the season.

It's a unique situation for Chelsea to have nothing left to play for with so much football left to play.

Let's try to turn it into something positive and give us fans something to cheer and maybe offer a glimmer of hope for next season.

 

I'm all for being positive, and for the fans to cheer and be cheered, but you asked what was the worst that could happen.  Losing to the pikies is the worst that could happen.  

 

I'm still not sure how many people are truly at ease with the "play the young 'uns, couldn't be worse", given the moans on matchday if we aren't 5-0 up inside 20 minutes and the groans at any misplaced pass or missed tackle at the game itself.

 

I think a lot of people (Nibs most definitely excluded) like to present a posture of accepting the bad results as long as the youth are playing, but don't really mean it.  I think they would be gutted if we had done so and still had such a season.  Just read any one of hundreds of posts about how we as fans are "entitled" to a better season than we have had this year.

 

Still, someone said in another thread, that maybe this season and a season or two without Champions League football could winnow out the less patient sort of fan.  We'll see.

I'm all for being positive, and for the fans to cheer and be cheered, but you asked what was the worst that could happen.  Losing to the pikies is the worst that could happen.  

 

 

Horrible bunch to lose to, but it's just one more short-term thing to ignore whilst focussing on the long-term. That table isn't lying, they've been better than us this season and they could be a massive threat in the future. That stadium, the overheads (or lack thereof), the manager who fits them like a glove and the squad....it's a bit worrying.

 

It's why I (and maybe others) want us to start preparing for next season. Every minute of first-team football for these young guys counts so lets give Conte the best prepared squad possible, although I am talking as someone who will miss tomorrow's match. 

I do hope so.  I'm going to this one and am not at all optimistic.  Even worse, we're probably next to the Spammers fans.

 

are you going to the match w/ your old man? I am sure that will be a test for your love ;)

Will be going up early for a few beers with my grandson and i cant wait.Its a London derby against the pikeys and the first time they might finish above us for years.Let them have their bit of glory for a change,but not tomorrow.Its been a tough old season but we will be back.....UP THE CHELS !

are you going to the match w/ your old man? I am sure that will be a test for your love ;)

 

No!  With my Chelsea supporting son.  My old man thinks I watch with blue-tinted specs and am too biased.  I don't know what he means..........

Looking forward to this one. In Nairobi this week on business, and live on TV here. Just trying to get the chaps in the office to find me a bar to watch it in. Loads of Chelsea shirts worn here, not see one pikey shirt yet.

Chim chiminey chim chiminey, and all that

Edited March 18, 201610 yr by Shug

are you going to the match w/ your old man? I am sure that will be a test for your love ;)

 

No!  With my Chelsea supporting son.  My old man thinks I watch with blue-tinted specs and am too biased.  I don't know what he means..........

 

 

You are not going to believe this.  My son forgot we were due to go to this game.  So my husband has suggested coming instead.  YOU SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME ROB - YOU DID THIS.

 

I am due to go away with him for a short break from Sunday.  If we are still married!

Game day, so come on Chelsea.

 

1-0 us.

 

Or any win will do. 5-0 would be nice though

Hopefully we will play more youngsters, COME ON CHELS!!

You are not going to believe this. My son forgot we were due to go to this game. So my husband has suggested coming instead. YOU SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME ROB - YOU DID THIS.

I am due to go away with him for a short break from Sunday. If we are still married!

What kind of son did you raise?!

Gameday!!!!

The whole match is going to be decided on how we deal with Payet.

Switch off and he'll take the chance to punish us.

No idea where our goals will come from today. If JT is back in the starting lineup then I'd say a late JT or Ivan header to seal the win for us in the dying minutes