I think the starting 11 will be the same as the team that started the second half against bremen today.

Im a little pessimistic tbh, hopefully we can cause them problems, as i think it is looking like the best form defence will be attack.

I would start

 

Courtois

Ivanovic - Cahill - Terry - Azpilicueta

Kante

Oscar - Fabregas

Willian - Costa - Hazard

 

Chelsea 2 West Ham 0

Costa

Hazard

Courtois

Aina- Cahill - Terry - Azpilicueta

Kante - chalobah

Fabregas

Willian(cuadrado sub) - Costa(michy sub) - Hazard

 

chelsea 3 west ham 1

hazard costa bats

caroll

Oscar - Cesc - Kante midfield might be a bit light against strong WHU side. On the other hand I don't want to see Matic start. Haz-Costa-Willian will start for sure. D-line is Bran, Gary, JT, Azpi. Tibo in goal.

thibo

aina ivan terry azpi

kante

willan cesc oscar

hazard

costa

 

as usual caroll will score againts us so 2-1 chels 

Cuadrado will mark him out of the game. Gobby Rubber Chomsky said so.

I know the chosen Juan is versatile and all, but you're expecting too much of him.

---------------Courtois

 

----Aina----Terry----Cahill----Azpi

 

--------Kante--------Chalobah

 

---------------Fabregas

 

---Cuadrado---------Hazard

 

----------------Costa

 

 

A few points:

- Batshuayi won't start so I think we'll play one striker up top

- Two world class wingers in Cuadrado and Hazard will be too much for West Ham's defence to handle

- Matic to be replaced with Chalobah who has looked excellent in the pre-season

 

Scoreline:

Chelsea 3 (Cuadrado 9, 10, Hazard 77)

West Ham 1 (Carroll 44)

 

MOTM:

Juan Cuadrado

 

COYB

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by GoshaRubchinskiy

Pre-season seems to have been and gone in an instant and it almost feels like Conte can't possibly have had as much time with the team as he would have liked before the season starts. 

 

Never the less, it is the same for everyone and we kick off with a home, London derby against a West Ham side who have started their season already due to Europe league commitments, took 5 points off us last season, and have plenty to be optimistic about at present. I think this will be a stern test.  

 

It's hard to really know exactly where Conte is going with his preferred formation and selection, but I would imagine it will look something like this:

 

Courtois

 

Dave

JT

Cahill

Ivan

 

Cesc

Kante

Oscar

 

Willain

Costa

Hazard

 

I think most of that team picks itself at the moment. Aina for Ivan would be a bold and optimistic selection choice but I feel he will go with the experience and physical presence in favour of youth for this game, as seen against Werder yesterday. 

 

The midfield is the only other area in any doubt for me, and it will be very interesting to see who makes the cut. There could be a case for playing Matic & Kante, but it does of course all depend on the formation which is still a bit of a question mark in my eyes.

 

I am far from Oscars biggest fan, but the above formation does have a fairly balanced feel to it with energy, defensive quality as well as plenty of creativity. 

 

Up front, for me Willain & Hazard are a dead cert, and given I don't believe Michy will be ready for a starting role, I think Costa will slide right into the starting 11; I really hope he is on his game and focused this season with a point to prove. 

 

I think this will be a hard fought and close game with no more than one goal between the sides, I just really hope we get off to a good start, cheered on by a partisan crowd for Conte's season opener in a London derby under the lights at Stamford Bridge. The same atmosphere as against Tottenham in the 2-2 last season will do nicely! 

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by mclovin83

How i want us to line up:

 

                         Tbo

 

Aina      Ivanovic       Terry     Azpi

 

                       Kante

 

         Chalobah      Fabregas

 

Willian                               Hazard

 

                      Costa

 

 

How i think we'll actually line up:

 

                         Tbo

 

Ivanovic    Cahill       Terry         Azpi

 

             Kante           Matic

 

Willian          Fabregas           Hazard

 

                       Costa

 

 

If Matic is anywhere near the starting 11 then we've lost.

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by RIP Mourinho

thanks our board! we are so lucky to watch the same backline from 2years ago! Dave, Terry, Cahill, Ivan

 

thanks so much!

thanks our board! we are so lucky to watch the same backline from 2years ago! Dave, Terry, Cahill, Ivan

 

thanks so much!

 

2 years ago, the season when we won the title? 

 

 

 

 

If Matic is anywhere near the starting 11 then we've lost.

 

No. 

2 years ago, the season when we won the title? 

 

our board just going full retard mode after we won the title, buying useless players like djsafklasflja, hector baba...etc money is wasted but 2 years later no one could even stay in the squad!

 

thanks Maria! thanks Emenalo!  you guys still here to destroy our team and Jose is on the road of winning numerous titles in Manchester United

 

give these 2 legends a statue outside the bridge please

our board just going full retard mode after we won the title, buying useless players like djsafklasflja, hector baba...etc money is wasted but 2 years later no one could even stay in the squad!

 

thanks Maria! thanks Emenalo!  you guys still here to destroy our team and Jose is on the road of winning numerous titles in Manchester United

 

give these 2 legends a statue outside the bridge please

 

Wow, I seem to have caught a whopper here... I will let you flap around for a bit before chucking you back in the water ;-)

No.

Have you watched him play in the past 18 months?

our board just going full retard mode after we won the title, buying useless players like djsafklasflja, hector baba...etc money is wasted but 2 years later no one could even stay in the squad!

thanks Maria! thanks Emenalo! you guys still here to destroy our team and Jose is on the road of winning numerous titles in Manchester United

give these 2 legends a statue outside the bridge please

Still puzzled how one can support Utd, Jose and CFC at the same time...

Still puzzled how one can support Utd, Jose and CFC at the same time...

when Chelsea are out of title chasing i would support Jose to win it and slap in the face to our board

 

i also still puzzled how can people still dont call the head of Maria and Emenlao after last year's transfer failure....

Have you watched him play in the past 18 months?

 

Yes. 

when Chelsea are out of title chasing i would support Jose to win it and slap in the face to our board

 

i also still puzzled how can people still dont call the head of Maria and Emenlao after last year's transfer failure....

 

 

Oh yes, me too,  as a Chelsea fan my second team is anyone Jose manages, with the main goal being to "slap it in the face" of the board of my first team, Chelsea FC. 

Oh yes, me too,  as a Chelsea fan my second team is anyone Jose manages, with the main goal being to "slap it in the face" of the board of my first team, Chelsea FC. 

supporting Chelsea FC doesnt mean supporting the board members too i think 

 

if Chelsea is no longer in the title chasing group, just like when Chelsea is not playing CL i could support any other team to win CL right?

 

if the board members could learn from this mistake is also good for Chelsea FC in the long run, if they just get over it easily they will repeat the same mistake again just like 2007 and 2011

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by cfcforeverfan

supporting Chelsea FC doesnt mean supporting the board members too i think 

 

if Chelsea is no longer in the title chasing group, just like when Chelsea is not playing CL i could support any other team to win CL right?

 

You can do whatever you want pal..... but supporting Manchester United in the hope they win just to get one over on our board is a bit weird. You might as well just go the whole hog and support them to be honest, might make you happier. 

 

You do realise that Emanalo is just a 'yes man' for Abramovich don't you?? By all means hate our transfer dealings, but you are incredibly naive if you think the likes of Emanalo etc are just given a blank cheque book and told to go and do their thing...

No. 

 

A little more input than just a simple yes or no makes for a much more interesting discussion, buddy. Just a little advice on how forums work. xx

You can do whatever you want pal..... but supporting Manchester United in the hope they win just to get one over on our board is a bit weird. You might as well just go the whole hog and support them to be honest, might make you happier. 

 

You do realise that Emanalo is just a 'yes man' for Abramovich don't you?? By all means hate our transfer dealings, but you are incredibly naive if you think the likes of Emanalo etc are just given a blank cheque book and told to go and do their thing...

then he didnt do his job properly, if he is a yes man he deserves the fire because he is useless in the club, by doing nothing is also a reason to dislike him already

However emenalo did manage to sell papy for 8 million. He should be applauded for that alone lol

A little more input than just a simple yes or no makes for a much more interesting discussion, buddy. Just a little advice on how forums work. xx

 

Well thank goodness you are here to provide me with such pearls of wisdom, if only I knew this 5 years ago....