On 29/11/2016 at 11:38, Gokul JK said:

Cahill has captained Chelsea in Terry's absence . I feel there's too much love for Mikel here , isn't it . ha ha

I wouldn't start mikel in this game . He hasn't played any PL game so far & with Kante doing a very good job at pressing the opposition , i wouldn't drop him now , Certainly not for this ManCity game .

Matic will be the only CDM and that would mean a complete change of formation to what were playing now ....

With Willian , Hazard , Pedro and Oscar up forward , were you suggesting a False 9 ? If thats what you meant , then Fabregas should play in the staring XI mate . He'd provide a good lot of through balls for these lads to score . 

With Ivano as wingback , we're losing out on trickery and pace . He's capable of good deliveries from the right side into the D , but i would happily see him play as one of the 3 CBs . 

 

Very ambitious indeed ! I'd fancy your playing XI to go up against a mid-table side , not a top opposition at this stage :)

Yeah, not the team I want to see play at all. I'm loving how our 11 is going lately. It's just my crystal ball predictions, which I initially planned to do as a lighthearted thing in case we had another below-par season...but seeing as we are playing so well, its absurdity is not needed to cheer anyone up. Anyway, I enjoy doing it and a couple of users seem to like looking at the predictions. Cheers, wallosh and Huttsey :)

Pep has been changing his starting XI so momentum is more on our side.. The key is always not to let pep's team play which means we need to adopt some intense pressing games.. Their defenders and GK are yet to be that comfortable playing from the back so maybe we can force some errors out of them.. 

 

A draw is maybe not a bad result at this stage but it's enough to knock us off the top spot if liverpool win and I'm being pretty stingy over that so we have to win..

 

Willian looked sharp last time he came on so I'm thinking about slotting him in for alonso but we have been winning the last 7 so well you see, a dilemma on my part.. maybe on the 2nd half..

 

Oh btw, we have better XI than them overall, that's for sure..

the fact they've got the best coach/manager in europe (who also happens to be a great tactician to figure us out) and one of the best first teams (especially their personnel in offense) in europe also, gives them a big advantage. i don't feel too confident going into this, especially away from home. i think if city turn up and we play poorly in the first half like we did vs spurs, it could be all over in the first half because they will be an even bigger threat than spurs were in and around the box. 

against our defence they'll have plenty speed with sterling and navas, then the creativity to pick us apart in silva and kdb, with toure a danger outside the box, and aguero to pick up the chances those guys don't put away. our defence and wing backs are going to have to work harder than they have done this season as city will bring the heat, for that is certain. 

I'm not one for hyperbole but if we win this they might as well give us the title there and then at the Etihad. 

34 minutes ago, Ivanov87 said:

I'm not one for hyperbole but and if we win this they might as well give us the title there and then at the Etihad. 

fixed it for you

2 hours ago, enigma said:

the fact they've got the best coach/manager in europe (who also happens to be a great tactician to figure us out) 

So have we...

In this game...it's all about who's who.

They've struggled in the league recently....Europe is taking its toll.

They'll be up for this though.  They have a De Bruyne....but we have a Hazard.    They've got an Aguerro...but we have a Costa.   They have Silva... but again we have Hazard.  

They won their first 7 matches....we've won the last 7.

Losing this doesn't actually mean that much in the overall view of the top 6 but winning it means a lot more in the overall view of who can win the league.   A draw doesn't help either team in that sense.  Both teams will try to win...we've got a bloody good chance because our team has naturally gifted counter-attackers (so do they but they're at home).

Basically...our team...the team we have just now...they're not going to lie down against anyone.  They'll walk out there and give their best knowing that it's good enough to win.   And that's why we'll probably win.   I genuinely think we have the better team.

Edited November 30, 20169 yr by DexterTCN

I quite enjoy reading the same threads from our opposition supporters, this is quite interesting if you have an hour to kill...

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/city-vs-chelsea-pre-match-thread.325476/

I don't know if it's delusion, arrogance or extreme confidence but some of you need to wind your neck in. 

After the Arsenal loss and before the season started, apparently we had a broken squad as we didn't get Contes targets etc etc etc. 7 wins in a row and now we have the best manager in Europe and a better 11 than City (facepalm). There's one team in this league who are a slight notch above us and that is City. No shame in admitting that. 

A draw would be great as we don't have a great record against them.

We are too predictable with our current line up,,,, just pray Don Conte switch things up a notch,,, Man city wingers would love to exploit Alonzo's lack of speed,,,, 

It's going to be a tough test away to city as it always is, Chelsea will have an unchanged team and will utilise terry and Mikel in the later stages but I predict a 1-0 Chelsea win with a late goal coming 

2 hours ago, 1905 said:

I quite enjoy reading the same threads from our opposition supporters, this is quite interesting if you have an hour to kill...

http://forums.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/threads/city-vs-chelsea-pre-match-thread.325476/

Personally I found this to be quite funny:

"No doubt they'll avoid any bookings until late in the game, while Otamendi and a Fernandinho will go in the book for their first mistimed tackle"

 

Goes to show what Ive been saying on here every time the "refs are always against Chelsea" brigade comes out to complain. Every set of fans think they get most of the refs decisions against them while other teams get away with murder.

 

I am happy we played Spurs last weekend!  The team and coach definitely learnt a lot from that game.  I love the way Chelsea are adapting to situations this season though!  The anchors of Spurs, i.e. Dembele and Wanyama were the only reason we struggled in the first half.  Chelsea kind of sat back deep a bit and this gave Spurs the upper hand.  The second half Chelsea played better and i hope we have learnt not to give too much respect to the opposition. We should start confidently always and attack 100%.    Having said this,  i don't think city will play all of Yaya KDB Gundogan Sterling and Aguero.  They know they are facing the most lethal team this season and so they will want to be more solid on CDM.  I see them playing both Fernas.  

I am excited about this game and I see Chelsea winning 3-1.  I think the City defence is weak and will get lots of trouble from our attack!  

Bring IT!!!!!

Interesting article from Jonathan Wilson about how City might adapt to face our new style:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/dec/01/pep-guardiola-antonio-conte-manchester-city-chelsea-tactics

Pep has been changing his starting XI so momentum is more on our side.. The key is always not to let pep's team play which means we need to adopt some intense pressing games.. Their defenders and GK are yet to be that comfortable playing from the back so maybe we can force some errors out of them.. 
 
A draw is maybe not a bad result at this stage but it's enough to knock us off the top spot if liverpool win and I'm being pretty stingy over that so we have to win..
 
Willian looked sharp last time he came on so I'm thinking about slotting him in for alonso but we have been winning the last 7 so well you see, a dilemma on my part.. maybe on the 2nd half..
 
Oh btw, we have better XI than them overall, that's for sure..

I once thought about it, Willian playing on the left wing.

I'm not one for hyperbole but if we win this they might as well give us the title there and then at the Etihad. 

[emoji3] my thoughts exactly. Away to City is the most difficult match we will play this season. If we pass the test on Saturday, the EPL is ours.
Unfortunately I can see it ending in draw.

So have we...

Ours still needs to prove himself in the Champions league though.

I don't know if it's delusion, arrogance or extreme confidence but some of you need to wind your neck in. 
After the Arsenal loss and before the season started, apparently we had a broken squad as we didn't get Contes targets etc etc etc. 7 wins in a row and now we have the best manager in Europe and a better 11 than City (facepalm). There's one team in this league who are a slight notch above us and that is City. No shame in admitting that. 
A draw would be great as we don't have a great record against them.

It's just the fact but many won't agree because we are currently a serious title contender.

I am happy we played Spurs last weekend!  The team and coach definitely learnt a lot from that game.  I love the way Chelsea are adapting to situations this season though!  The anchors of Spurs, i.e. Dembele and Wanyama were the only reason we struggled in the first half.  Chelsea kind of sat back deep a bit and this gave Spurs the upper hand.  The second half Chelsea played better and i hope we have learnt not to give too much respect to the opposition. We should start confidently always and attack 100%.    Having said this,  i don't think city will play all of Yaya KDB Gundogan Sterling and Aguero.  They know they are facing the most lethal team this season and so they will want to be more solid on CDM.  I see them playing both Fernas.  
I am excited about this game and I see Chelsea winning 3-1.  I think the City defence is weak and will get lots of trouble from our attack!  
Bring IT!!!!!

The two Fernas played the last game simply to cover up for Toure's inability to defend. And that was the first time ever i think Pep played with two defensive midfielders. It won't happen against us. Debruyne, Silva and Gundogan will start this time which means one Ferna!

Wouldn't complain with a draw, but would love a win! The reaction would resemble something we saw in 2014 when we beat them away from home in early February of that year.

Ideally, I'd prefer the same starting-11 as the last few weeks. Nothing beats having continuity and stability in the squad.

2 hours ago, wallosh said:

Ours still needs to prove himself in the Champions league though.

Good job we're not in the Champions League then. 

Looking at there back line I don't see any reason why we can't win this comfortably, Itll be interesting to see if Pep decides to play Fernandinho and Fernando to provide cover to the defense 

5 hours ago, wallosh said:

Ours still needs to prove himself in the Champions league though.

If that's true then pep needs to prove himself in the euros against the best team in the world with Southampton rejects....give conte Barca and Bayern Munich I think he would do rather well in the CL, in fact I think even I could get them at least to the quarter finals by playing a Benny hill video in the dressing room pre match then saying go out and win lads...

One of the most difficult away trips of the season. 

Have to wonder if any affect will be felt from the emerging story around the club, if it will pay on the minds of the players. 

Heavy penalties have been mentioned from the fa, that could mean any number of things out of the control of the players. 

12 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

One of the most difficult away trips of the season. 

Have to wonder if any affect will be felt from the emerging story around the club, if it will pay on the minds of the players. 

Heavy penalties have been mentioned from the fa, that could mean any number of things out of the control of the players. 

Here's my issue sex abuse in the 70's, not a single person exists here that did in the 70's the club is under new ownership it should be an issue involving individuals that did that horrid sh*t not a club problem, surrounding us with this at a key time when there is no relation in Chelsea today to that of the 70's and no one at the club accountable for involvement, looking the other way or what have you, nothing today ties Chelsea to the club of the 70's other than the name and location...we don't need this right now, obviously I sympathise with the victims and I hope the perpetrators get inialated for doing that filth to a kid but again it should name individuals not create a media circus around Chelsea football club.