There's no team I want to beat more in the league than Liverpool. It's even sweeter when we win at Anfield.

Please, Antonio, work your magic here and smash them. 

Can see lots of goals. Liverpool have more of an attacking threat but a weaker defence. 

anyone know which ref is going to screw us over on Friday night?

27 minutes ago, carrickblue said:

anyone know which ref is going to screw us over on Friday night?

as long as it's anyone except Kevin Friend. He would allow l'pool to take bites out of CFC

3 hours ago, g3.7 said:

I think we should (and will) see the same front six. they deserve to be starting and I don't think this is the time to change a system that is a) working and b) still a work in progress.

JT is almost definitely out. ivanovic was lucky swansea didn't play wingers IMO and if he's put directly up against the pace of some of their attacking players, mane in particular, you'd expect him to suffer. he was good against swansea though so could perhaps count himself unlucky to lose his place.

alongside cahill it will surely be luiz so maybe bran will survive if conte thinks two changes to the defence is one too many.

 

they're vulnerable defensively, we may be too against their forward line.

Ivanovic would probably be ok against them I think, Mane does all his work on the right, and most of their attacks come through him. Ivanovic would have Firmino to worry about, but he does come in field a lot and infrequently goes to the touchline. Here's the heat map for their front 3 against Leicester. 

The dippers are convinced they'll have an easy night with Luiz looking likely to start in Terry's place. They do realise who they have in goals and at left back? 

Beating these c**ts would make my weekend

 

@coco

but there's the possibility they'll line up with firmino through the middle and sturridge on the right, or any number of other set ups. mane could play from the left.

I'm a bit worried that they're set up to play on the counter and under conte we set up to keep the ball. I think the styles suit them on paper. on the other hand if they play two midfielders in their back four you'd expect we'd score.

as much as we've started well in both results and performances I'm quite worried about this one...

Firmino has looked quality recently, as awful as Leicester were, he scored two and was a threat with his link up play all game, he's their real danger man imo, we need to stop him. 

2 hours ago, g3.7 said:

@coco

but there's the possibility they'll line up with firmino through the middle and sturridge on the right, or any number of other set ups. mane could play from the left.

I'm a bit worried that they're set up to play on the counter and under conte we set up to keep the ball. I think the styles suit them on paper. on the other hand if they play two midfielders in their back four you'd expect we'd score.

as much as we've started well in both results and performances I'm quite worried about this one...

 

@g3.7

i agree that they do have options up front, whereas we seem to be getting the most out of a regular starting line-up and then putting Batshuayi, Pedro, Moses,or Cesc in to change things up when things are being chased.

Firminio seems to be their main man, but Sturridge was getting a lot of praise for being back (despite in previous weeks the same pundits claiming that Klopp didn't rate him.)

I think Luiz certainly has the pace that would be needed, but there is always the case of discipline and positional awareness.  If he does start, it's a Friday night game, at the Bridge, against Liverpool...i expect his passionate levels to be like those in the World Cup national anthem vs. Croatia (sliiiight exaggeration on my part there, yes).

 

Anyway, I think Luiz in will be the only change that we see, unless Alonso is quicker than I remember and Conte wants to play him to combat the attacking speed that Liverpool have.  Mind you, not many slower than Ivan

I'd pick Cesc for this game ( been saying that since week 1). We need him to pick out the attackers when the game is in the balance, will be a lot harder when they are defending compact and we are chasing the game. We got Kante/Matic/Willian all capable of covering the defence, can't see why we aren't able to take a bit of gamble with Cesc

Nothing's going to change IMO.. probably just luiz for terry.

and sadly I won't be able to see the game at all as I'm flying to Amsterdam!

Hopefully we'll do right this time around and Hazard will show up (unlike last game)

Can't stand their fans, ex-players, manager and club as a whole. 

Honestly hope we'll smash these bar stewards this Friday.

I'd pick Cesc for this game ( been saying that since week 1). We need him to pick out the attackers when the game is in the balance, will be a lot harder when they are defending compact and we are chasing the game. We got Kante/Matic/Willian all capable of covering the defence, can't see why we aren't able to take a bit of gamble with Cesc

Matic and Oscar shouldn't have started against Swansea, because Swansea has been awful this season that's why they allowed us to attack them throughout the first half and we all know we would have won the game convincingly in the first half if Conte had started Batshuayi and Fabregas in place of Oscar and Matic. But after getting a disappointing draw against Swansea am sure Conte would like to make changes in the midfield but awkwardly this is the type of games I think Oscar and Matic needs to start!

1 hour ago, wallosh said:

Matic and Oscar shouldn't have started against Swansea, because Swansea has been awful this season that's why they allowed us to attack them throughout the first half and we all know we would have won the game convincingly in the first half if Conte had started Batshuayi and Fabregas in place of Oscar and Matic. But after getting a disappointing draw against Swansea am sure Conte would like to make changes in the midfield but awkwardly this is the type of games I think Oscar and Matic needs to start!

 

I'd say the performance of Oscar and Matic against Swansea more than justified their selection. They completely nullified their attacking play, and were quick to move possession on to our attacking trio while being pressed hard throughout. I think you're underestimating how much work Swansea made them put in.

Fabregas and Batshuayi have undeniably had a positive impact off the bench this season (usually when the games are stretched) but even on Sunday you saw how open we were to the counter when Matic came off (in fact, Fabregas was lucky not to concede a penalty).

We created a multitude of chances and on another day would've buried Swansea by half time - the midfield trio winning their battles in the middle of the park were a big reason for it. Off the back of that game I'd be very reluctant to change much, particularly against a physically and technically better side than Swansea. 

10 hours ago, adineen98 said:

The dippers are convinced they'll have an easy night with Luiz looking likely to start in Terry's place. They do realise who they have in goals and at left back? 

Beating these c**ts would make my weekend

 

Are they saying that on their forum? 

Tuesday morning and the nerves for this game have not gone away...

 

It's an amazing coincidence to me that Terry rolls his ankle just when Luiz has had enough time to get acclimatised to the new cfc regime.

5 hours ago, spadefx said:

 

I'd say the performance of Oscar and Matic against Swansea more than justified their selection. They completely nullified their attacking play, and were quick to move possession on to our attacking trio while being pressed hard throughout. I think you're underestimating how much work Swansea made them put in.

Fabregas and Batshuayi have undeniably had a positive impact off the bench this season (usually when the games are stretched) but even on Sunday you saw how open we were to the counter when Matic came off (in fact, Fabregas was lucky not to concede a penalty).

We created a multitude of chances and on another day would've buried Swansea by half time - the midfield trio winning their battles in the middle of the park were a big reason for it. Off the back of that game I'd be very reluctant to change much, particularly against a physically and technically better side than Swansea. 

That was never a penalty so don't say he was lucky. How come the majority of the top teams play one DM but Chelsea need 3 and a marathon runner on the right wing?

Why should Chelsea be more concerned about stopping Swanseas attacks than attacking themselves? Matic and Kante is more than enough in midfield. 

That was never a penalty so don't say he was lucky. How come the majority of the top teams play one DM but Chelsea need 3 and a marathon runner on the right wing?

Why should Chelsea be more concerned about stopping Swanseas attacks than attacking themselves? Matic and Kante is more than enough in midfield. 

And that's even one of the worst Swansea side I ever seen.

I think what is interesting is that we although we have faced 7 shots, we have conceded 5 goals. It shows that if you can get past our Kante/Matic then our defense is easy to score against. 

17 hours ago, carrickblue said:

anyone know which ref is going to screw us over on Friday night?

Atkinson

6 hours ago, DonAntonio said:

Are they saying that on their forum? 

No on the Sky Sports and MOTD Facebook pages. I'd lose my sanity going onto their forum

45 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

That was never a penalty so don't say he was lucky. How come the majority of the top teams play one DM but Chelsea need 3 and a marathon runner on the right wing?

Why should Chelsea be more concerned about stopping Swanseas attacks than attacking themselves? Matic and Kante is more than enough in midfield. 

You're kidding if you didn't at least have an intake of breath at Fabregas' challenge, it was clumsy & in the box. It would've been a soft penalty (hence 'lucky'), but it was a situation that shouldn't have developed.

And you've missed my point on the midfield trio. Last season we consistently lost the midfield battle, even against the so-called 'weaker' sides in the league. This season we've generally ran the show in the middle of the park. We've a good balance - we close teams down more effectively and the speed we retrieve and move possession has allowed us to create more chances for front three (you could argue it's making us a better attacking side). 

Call it 3 DMs, 1 DM and 2 box-to-box midfielders... whatever you like - it works a lot better than last season. I guess it's a matter of opinion, and we'll see different combinations in the middle, but it's looked pretty effective so far and I wouldn't be rushing to change it.

9 hours ago, wallosh said:

Matic and Oscar shouldn't have started against Swansea, because Swansea has been awful this season that's why they allowed us to attack them throughout the first half and we all know we would have won the game convincingly in the first half if Conte had started Batshuayi and Fabregas in place of Oscar and Matic. But after getting a disappointing draw against Swansea am sure Conte would like to make changes in the midfield but awkwardly this is the type of games I think Oscar and Matic needs to start!

That's being a TV manager. Oscar and Matic have been great since the start of the season, there's no reason why they shouldn't have started the match. We can't say that because Oscar & Matic started that's why Chelsea drew with Swansea and didn't win convincingly. Chelsea would have won convincingly if Courtois didn't cause the PK, and if Cahill wasn't fouled for the second goal and if Costa killed the game off in the first half with that missed sitter. Matic & Oscar caused that all? I don't think so.

1 hour ago, JM7 said:

I think what is interesting is that we although we have faced 7 shots, we have conceded 5 goals. It shows that if you can get past our Kante/Matic then our defense is easy to score against. 

Not really.

The WH goal should never have been a free kick to them and Carroll should of been sent off for simulation.

Capoues goal for Watford was a great strike.

We only had 4 of the first team start when we conceded two goals against Bristol Rovers in the league cup.

Swansea's goals were down to Mariner and Tibo mistakes.