I think Costa will be fine. I am hoping that Spain and us came to agreement that unless they really need Costa no point forcing him to play him in matches they don't need him and as he has had problems with injuries in the past, give him a rest. Macedonia who they battered yesterday and England, a friendly fixture so I am hoping it is that typical 'he has got a injury' cover up and he is back fit for the weekend. He has been fit all season and to get a injury of all times now...

I am hopeful he is back for Sunday.

Edited November 13, 20169 yr by STATS

The International break couldn't have come at a worse time for us ( unlike the last one). Although I'm still confident we will continue our good form, the fatigue will come into play for majority of the team. Boro has been good this season, a number of title contenders couldn't put them away. I reckon it will be huge if we could win there. Same 11 if possible, who change if there's no injury?

On 11/12/2016 at 14:12, DaRick said:

A potential banana peel, though less obviously so than say Southampton.

Karanka will have all the incentive in the world to try and park the bus so an early goal would be good. At home, he may be a bit more likely to try and attack than he would be playing away. Once that happens...

Do we have to use the phrase "park the bus" ? So lazy. "Defend well" might be a more apt one.

Back to 'real football ' after the International break.

Again, another tough one. Hope our attitude is the same as in the Everton game.

2-0 us.

5 days more to wait, I hope Conte will get us ready for the game.

Rumours that Hazard and Costa are injured, a big loss to us, but hopefully they will be available to play at their best.

Another tough opponent, their draw against City showed some positive things about them against big teams, we have to do homework and beat them + continue our amazing form.

I'd like to see this starting line:

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

---- Azpilicueta -------- David Luiz ------------- Cahill -----------

Moses ------- Kante -------------- Matic ----------- Marcos Alonso

---------------- Pedro ----------------------- Hazard ----------------------

------------------------- Diego Costa --------------------------------

 

If Hazard and Costa won't be available, then we have Willian and Batshuayi who can do the job as well. 

COME ON CHELS!!!!!!!!!!

If Hazard really isn't available, I would probably prefer Pedro to start in his position, and Willian to play the more restricted role on the right. Pedro has been by far the more dangerous of the two this season, and is certainly the more natural forward and the more likely of the two to get goals. In addition Willian can obviously be trusted to play a disciplined game (assuming we stick to largely the same gameplan), allowing Pedro the freedom to remain higher up the pitch.

Edited November 15, 20169 yr by PloKoon13

Hazard will be fine I think - according to Martinez it was 'just a knock on the calf'.

Man City should have beaten 'Boro by a cricket score 2 weeks back, while I've some concerns about this game, we really should be turning over 'Boro with relative ease.

If we approach this game with 75% of the intensity of the Everton game we'll be out of sight by half time.

Costa and Hazard are the main worries, not for this game but the Spurs/City double header thats just around the corner, we need both fit and available but they're imperative to the system and our only real goal scorers.

Same team will start thats played the last few games unless there is some last minute injuries and I think we'll win 3-1.

5 hours ago, Delnino said:

Man City should have beaten 'Boro by a cricket score 2 weeks back, while I've some concerns about this game, we really should be turning over 'Boro with relative ease.

If we approach this game with 75% of the intensity of the Everton game we'll be out of sight by half time.

Costa and Hazard are the main worries, not for this game but the Spurs/City double header thats just around the corner, we need both fit and available but they're imperative to the system and our only real goal scorers.

Same team will start thats played the last few games unless there is some last minute injuries and I think we'll win 3-1.

I think Hazard is okay - the major worry is Diego!  If he's not fit, I'd rather he gets some rest and we do Boro with Basthuayi instead.  We have the Spuds and City next and need the guv'nor 100% for these games.  That said, I always take each game like a final!  So Boro need to be taken seriously and we need to attack them relentlessly to get early goals and kill the game!   So if Diego can play let him!! Get the early goals then rest him after that!  All we need is the 3 points and move on!  

              Courtois 

        Azpi    LUIZ    Cahill

MOSES    N'GOLO    Matic    Alonso

     PEDRO   GUV'NOR  HAZARD

I must mention Alonso.  He started the season a bit shakey but has shown great improvement.  He is not yet the finished article but has has really improved in last few games and he is beginning to look settled on that left hand side!  He is doing a great job considering Cahill is not as strong as Azpil and HAZARD is just perfect offensively and will not provide the cover that Moses has through Pedro and Azpi.  I was woried by this side but we are really looking strong so all praise to Alonso and Conte for the hard work!   I Just cant wait for the weekend!!

The international break is over!! finally.  I WISH I could put 11 CHELSEA players on my fantasy football team!

 

Don't want to jinx this but I can't see us struggling here. They're close to the relegation areas and with our quality we should win this comfortably. We've got spurs and city coming up so need the three points here.

Seems like 6 months ago we beat Everton,  Interational break is a mini travesty for football supporters 

14 hours ago, SW6 Chelsea said:

Hazard will be fine I think - according to Martinez it was 'just a knock on the calf'.

Don't trust that ex-scouse squeaky scum with our star man 

We are making the same mistake we made last season with Diego. I dont care if he is fit. we shd play batshuayi just so he gets a feel for the team. The lad is going to go ice cold benching for us and for belgium, He more than anyone needs games and minutes. it wont suprise me if conte is stubborn and plays diego just so he misses spurs and city. We have to understand that diego can only operate in one gear and that is full throttle. 

No more internationals until march now which is good so full steam ahead :)

7 hours ago, DonAntonio said:

Seems like 6 months ago we beat Everton,  Interational break is a mini travesty for football supporters 

Yeah, should be done off season this international sh*t!  

5 hours ago, Don Conte said:

We are making the same mistake we made last season with Diego. I dont care if he is fit. we shd play batshuayi just so he gets a feel for the team. The lad is going to go ice cold benching for us and for belgium, He more than anyone needs games and minutes. it wont suprise me if conte is stubborn and plays diego just so he misses spurs and city. We have to understand that diego can only operate in one gear and that is full throttle. 

No - if Diego is fit, he plays.   Bayshuayi has to be patient.   And why do you assume Diego will miss Spurs and City if he plays?  We can't just keep not playing him in case he gets another yellow.  And in fact the last few games he has been much calmer - which belies your last statement too.

Not long till the real football is back.

I miss being excited for England games haha. Just can't wait for the break to be over, feels weird not watching games or checking scores on the weekend.

I would give Costa a break for this one. 

2-0 Chelsea is my prediction.

Physio Room has Diego out with groin injury and no return date

Hazard has a Sunday return date, along w Fab & Zouma

 

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

 

Lets hope he's on the mend and ready for Spuds & City

 

3-0 COSTA 2, HAZARD 1

15 hours ago, Zeta Orionis said:

Not long till the real football is back.

Since no one likes international break here is an idea that may or may not work: do Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, England etc. really need to qualify? Why not take the 10 worst performing teams at each competition and kick them out, put them back in the pool of crap teams and let them all compete fot those 10 places, top flight would be virtually unaffected and it's not favouritism, start from this WC on its like you have your place in tournament football unless you get religated. Would save so much bullsh*t cutting like halting our league so Belgium can put 8 past Estonia, is that really necessary? 

Edited November 17, 20169 yr by DonAntonio

21 hours ago, sean1990 said:

No more internationals until march now which is good so full steam ahead :)

Halle-fooking-luja.....

I wonder if the players will be as fit aftrr International break considering how hard conte works them, that's my issue. training is training I guess, but there's a difference to the intensity of training. 

6 hours ago, DonAntonio said:

Since no one likes international break here is an idea that may or may not work: do Spain, France, Italy, Belgium, England etc. really need to qualify? Why not take the 10 worst performing teams at each competition and kick them out, put them back in the pool of crap teams and let them all compete fot those 10 places, top flight would be virtually unaffected and it's not favouritism, start from this WC on its like you have your place in tournament football unless you get religated. Would save so much bullsh*t cutting like halting our league so Belgium can put 8 past Estonia, is that really necessary? 

The only one there that should need to qualify is England tbh, since they've done nothing in the last number of years to warrant automatic qualification. I do agree that it would be a good idea to have the top 10 teams auto qualify though, might shake up the tournament a bit

16 hours ago, General said:

Physio Room has Diego out with groin injury and no return date

Hazard has a Sunday return date, along w Fab & Zouma

 

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php

 

Lets hope he's on the mend and ready for Spuds & City

 

I was just about to post this i visit this site too, all return on the 20th of November but Costa has a no return date but it doesn't need to be 100% sure as this site also had wrong information in the past.

If the team from the Everton game is fit i don't see the need to change a winning combination. Important fixture as we have Spurs and City the next two. After that some "easier" fixtures in West Brom, Sunderland, Palace, Bournemouth and Stoke.

 

COYB