Chelsea Vs Southampton (PL) Tue 25/04 2017 KO 19:45 GMT

Crucial. Can't let Spurs have any more chances to close the gap. 

So important. Would hate having to go to Goodison having to get a win.

Good thing we play before Spurs this time who themselves have a difficult London derby against Palace on Wednesday. 

Come on guys - take the momentum from today and turn it into a fabulous run-in

Referee: Lee Mason
 

1 hour ago, Zero said:

So important. Would hate having to go to Goodison having to get a win.

Good thing we play before Spurs this time who themselves have a difficult London derby against Palace on Wednesday. 

From the sounds of it conte is pretty mad we play before Spurs. Pointing out Spurs get an extra day of rest against a palace side that will have no gas left in the tank after Liverpool have run them ragged tomorrow, while we barely get 2 days to recover against a strong and tough saints side who have had 10 days to recover. 

So what does that mean for the team? A challenge laid down by the boss I feel but what would give us a better chance of winning this game? Failure to win is not an option if we are going to win the title imo as we need to build on this cup win. 

Would we have more joy getting at saints with an extra man in midfield using a 3-5-2 or do we need our width and usual 3-4-3? Will the boss rest players ahead of everton? Could be Pedro starts this one with hazard and willian gets everton. Maybe cesc replaces matic. Many questions, I just hope the players firmly know how important this game is. 

I know we have said this about many games, but it simply is a case of all our home games are must win now. Simple. 

Crystal ball predictions are here. After the great victory at Wembley, the ball says we will get back to winning ways in the Premier League as well:

 

Chelsea (4-2-4): Eduardo; Moses, Azpilicueta, Aké, Alonso; Kanté, N. Chalobah (c); Willian, Batshuayi, Costa, Pedro

Subs: Begovi?, Kane, Davey, Loftus-Cheek, Hazard, Kenedy, Solanke

 

Prediction: Chelsea 1-0 Southampton (Solanke)

 

So, Dom Solanke comes off the bench to register his second goal in crystal ball land this season, with Eduardo starting between the sticks. Conte goes for a 4-2-4 formation, while also opting for a youthful bench, with Begovi? and Hazard.

 

COYB!

Conte wants the fans to turn out big time on Tuesday (FA semi final match thread video), so for you lucky people who are going - give it welly! COTB

Our last 2 losses have shown who our most important/irreplaceable players. They are moses and alonso.  First deal of business in the transfer window shd be 2 high quality wingbacks.

I personally want Ake to start but i think Cahill will get the call due to experience

 

             Courtois

     Dave    Luiz   Cahill

Moses  cesc   kante  Alonso

       Pedro      Hazard

             Costa

 

Any of us hoping we can take a 7 or 6 point lead in to the everton game by winning this match against the saints can stop now. After palace won today sam has said playing Spurs so soon after is too much for his side so he will be resting his key players to keep them fresh for Burnley on the weekend. 

So do not expect anything other than a comfortable 3 or 4 goal win for spurs. Funny really cause I remember years ago a side, a think it was everton, threating to sue us if we played a weakend side and tossed the final game against Bolton that would see them or everton relegated. No action against sam for chucking this game though? 

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

Any of us hoping we can take a 7 or 6 point lead in to the everton game by winning this match against the saints can stop now. After palace won today sam has said playing Spurs so soon after is too much for his side so he will be resting his key players to keep them fresh for Burnley on the weekend. 

So do not expect anything other than a comfortable 3 or 4 goal win for spurs. Funny really cause I remember years ago a side, a think it was everton, threating to sue us if we played a weakend side and tossed the final game against Bolton that would see them or everton relegated. No action against sam for chucking this game though? 

I am so gutted that palace won.  Sam is def gonna rest players for spurs. We have to beat southampton 

I can't see Palace doing that, they need to get points to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight.

kante just won player of the year

Courtois, Azpi, Luiz, Cahill, Moses, Kante, Cesc, Kante, Alonso, Willian, Costa, Hazard.

Subs: Begovic, Ake, Terry, Matic, Ruben, Pedro, Batshauyi. 

Cesc, Eden and Costa will be fresh for this and that hopefully will be the difference. 

Yes, hopefully our rested players will be out in full force.

We cannot slip up now. Spuds and their moron fans would like nothing more than this.

Id be inclined to give ake another game but it would be harsh on Cahill if he's fit. Not much to choose between fab and matic.

Both Moses and alonso starting to show impact of starting every game.

It comes down to costa getting back to goal scoring. We need some output from him.


I'd probably prefer Willian to Pedro if costa was in form and if so then fab over matic.

Any win will be key in this game. After that we have some rest but Spurs next 2 games are in London while we have to travel to Merseyside, throw in Palace having all but coinfirmed theyre safe and nothing to play for against Spurs, its 100% vital to beat Saints and worry about Everton afterwards.

3-1 Chelsea is my guess, I think the bounce we'll get from beating Wembley at Spurs will oush these players towards a double and become the last team to do it since the Chelsea side in 2010.

Win, and we'll see Spurs have some pressure on them for the first time since they started chasing us down.

Get it done boys.

Southampton have had a nice rest for this game, VVD still being out is good news. I think Fabregas has got to play.

Back to basics for me. Play the side that put us on the 13 game streak. Costa hopefully is somewhat rejuvenated and a goal here would do wonders for the confidence as we need him back on form to at least see the season out. Come on you Blues!

Conte will be under pressure to keep Ake on the left, after his performance against Spurs. Interesting that Conte blamed himself for the loss against United in the post match interviews, at no time referring to the stomach bug that swept through the team. This came out in the press the following day. Possibly he was thinking that he should never have played Cahill (Ake the obvious alternative) and Moses, who were clearly under the weather as well as a few others who were unusually quiet.

The team should be banished if they don't get three points against the Saints. They are on 40 points which means they can't get relegated and Europe is out of the question. They were p***ed upon by City at home with Shane Long having a row on the line, after being brought on as substitute, being substituted himself! 

apparently thibo played through pain yesterday, his ankle is still injured

i would be tempted to rest him for this one, big game at goodison this weekend

Tibo

Azpi DL Ake

Moses Kante Matic Alonso

Wiilian Bats Hazard

 

Please no costa!!!

Vital we get the 3 points can't slip up at all here.

Southampton are no mugs, and we need to be careful of bertrand and ward prowse on the left side.

 

If cahill is still not fit i would go with Ake again.

 

my team would be 

 

courtois

 

azbi luiz Cahill 

 

moses kante Fabregas Alonso 

 

Willian Costa Hazard