Tonight's result means nothing if we don't beat Boro....

Edited May 5, 20179 yr by the special one

no kante or luiz vs boro i am hearing. who comes in for luiz? terry? ake? fabregas is the obvious choice to replace kante. missing those two players shouldn't matter; we should beat boro at home, we have plenty enough quality. 

48 minutes ago, the special one said:

Tonight's result means nothing if we don't beat Boro....

Course it does, we would still be better off than before the Westham game, same point gap one less to play. 

21 minutes ago, enigma said:

no kante or luiz vs boro i am hearing. who comes in for luiz? terry? ake? fabregas is the obvious choice to replace kante. missing those two players shouldn't matter; we should beat boro at home, we have plenty enough quality. 

Luiz will play on one leg, but suppose we don't have both we go:

--------------------------Tibo---------------------------

--------Dave-------JT/Zouma----------GC-----------

VM----------Nathan/Fab--------Matic--------Alonso

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

----------------------------DC---------------------------

 

Plenty of cover to cope with Boro, personally I go Zouma because JT and Garry too slow together, and I go Fab because should be able to cope defensively, more likely they sit in for the point. 

 

As I mentioned in the Everton match thread, we just really need to focus on Chelsea and forget Spurs. But since they lost, I am glad to see them bottle it vs West Ham. I went back and watched the final 15 minutes of the May 2, 2016 2-2 draw vs Spurs at the Bridge, which gave Leicester the title. I had forgotten the dirty tackles from Tottenham after Hazard's masterclass game tying goal. How there was not two or three straight reds on Spurs for tackles on Hazard (twice), Willian and Fabregas. Surprised no broken legs. Bottom line is I dislike their team and fan base. What a bunch of whiners and losers. If you want to have some fun, find the handful of fan cams of Spurs fans at the FA Cup semi at Wembley. Priceless.

Their loss gives us the opportunity to wrap up the title before they even see the pitch again. How great is that?

Even with some of the injuries, I think we will be fine vs 'Boro. Might be a good chance to get Terry some quality minutes. Ake as well.

Come on you Chelsea!!

Bottlers beware after today there can be no doubt Chelsea will prevail, before the collective on here start to fretfully await the mighty Boro stating every potential hiccup that on Monday will lead Not to a home win - STOP!

It won't happen based on both clubs current seasons and the last 6 when they were in the same division. Last 7 encounters saw CFC win every match and keep a clean sheet. 

So I'm going out on a limb and predicting 3-0 to Antonio's mighty Blues  

Come on Chelsea !!!!!!

 

http://www.11v11.com/teams/chelsea/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Middlesbrough/

56 minutes ago, enigma said:

no kante or luiz vs boro i am hearing. who comes in for luiz? terry? ake? fabregas is the obvious choice to replace kante. missing those two players shouldn't matter; we should beat boro at home, we have plenty enough quality. 

What's up with Kante?? That's a pretty big miss. I think he's been carrying Matic in some games this season. Still Fabregas will still do a job for us and we should still beat Boro without too many issues. Can't switch off now with the finishing line in sight.

 

COME ON CHELSEA!!!!

11 minutes ago, dynamite said:

What's up with Kante?? That's a pretty big miss. I think he's been carrying Matic in some games this season. Still Fabregas will still do a job for us and we should still beat Boro without too many issues. Can't switch off now with the finishing line in sight.

 

COME ON CHELSEA!!!!

Kante is banned for 10 yellow cards this season and assume Luiz isn't over the knock he took last game...

--------------------------Tibo---------------------------

--------Dave-------GC----------Ake----------

VM----------Chabolah--------Matic--------Alonso

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

----------------------------DC---------------------------

 

Little bit out there in terms of selection but being at home and versus a weak Boro side id like to think Ake and Chab can slot in as feel with Pedro/Hazard/Costa... Fabs isn't needed to create... have a feeling Ake will start as not sure Conte fully trusts Zouma is over injury and that JT is capable of 90mins in the prem. 

Bench: Begovic, Zouma, terry, RLC, Fab, Willian, Bats

7 minutes ago, Fruity66 said:

Kante is banned for 10 yellow cards this season and assume Luiz isn't over the knock he took last game...

--------------------------Tibo---------------------------

--------Dave-------GC----------Ake----------

VM----------Chabolah--------Matic--------Alonso

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

----------------------------DC---------------------------

 

Little bit out there in terms of selection but being at home and versus a weak Boro side id like to think Ake and Chab can slot in as feel with Pedro/Hazard/Costa... Fabs isn't needed to create... have a feeling Ake will start as not sure Conte fully trusts Zouma is over injury and that JT is capable of 90mins in the prem. 

Bench: Begovic, Zouma, terry, RLC, Fab, Willian, Bats

I would play Fab over Chalobah just for his experience, same goes for Terry over Ake. Give them the Watford and Sunderland games when the title is won. Now's not the time to experiment.

 

This is what I would go in this game.

                     Tibo

      Dave        JT        GC

VM         Fab        NM         Alonso

         Pedro           Hazard

                  Costa

 

 

Ake can comfortably replace Luis. If kante doesn't play then I guess it's matic and fab. At a push either Willian or more likely chalobah could also play instead of matic. If we play fab or matic it's speed we need across the middle of the park

Sucks that Kante and maybe Luiz are out.

Still the Cesc/Matic combination was enough to see us past Bournemouth. It should account for Middlesbrough at home, even if they fighting for survival.

Hope we don't become complacent.

No reason to risk player now we have 2 life lines rather than one 

 

Begovic

 

Azpi

Ake

Cahill

 

Moses

Cesc

Matic

Alonso

 

Willian

Costa

Hazard

I hope we can do the job well enough that chalobah, rlc and batman could get a run out. 

Edited May 6, 20179 yr by axman2526

6 hours ago, the special one said:

Tonight's result means nothing if we don't beat Boro....

It does. Spurs were probably going to need to win all their last 4 games, at the very best drop just 2 points point. They just dropped 3. 

Wouldn't surprise me it if was a smokescreen from the Don, and Kante and Luiz both started.

7 hours ago, coco said:

Mate calm yourself down, we could lose the next two games, and the bookies would still have us hot favs.

Completely calm mate, I am sure the PL have contact the engravers already. Just dont want us to do anything stupid against Boro, go out and do a professional job on them and stamp our superiority all over the Spuds 

This is surely the best weekend.  Spurs cocked up already! Let's go Chelsea, a 4-0 on Monday to send a statement that we are champs and the kings of London

Maybe you can look at it two ways. THIS is the game we could afford Matic being a passenger but I'd prefer to go with 11 useful players and Chalo start over Matic. He offers more going forward, he's better in the air almost by default and I think he compliments Cesc better, like Kante does. Someone is going to have to do some work for Cesc for him to be effective. We'll need some to break up counters in the air and not be a parking cone in transition and I think we'll need the speed of play he brings in attacking

I thought Kante was OK with the current suspension rules ? You only get banned for 10 yellows if they are before the second Sunday in April, which was the 10th this year, and Kante only had 8 yellows at that point.

http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/discipline/suspensions

 

Maybe he is injured if Conte said he was doubtful ? (I haven't seen the interview). Either way Fabregas will come in and do fine.

If Luiz is out I think Conte will prefer Ake over JT or Zouma.

 

3-0 Chelsea whatever lineup we put out ... :-)

 

<EDIT> Yes - Kante is an injury ... Chelsea Twitter feed had this during the Conte interview yesterday:  Conte says Kante has a 'little muscular problem, not a great problem'

 

Edited May 6, 20179 yr by Sexyfootball

Kante has a minor thigh strain and SSB has a minor groin strain...there is no more yellow card sanctions for the rest of the season...wouldn't be surprised if both play...if not bring Ake in on the left  and move Cahill into the middle and bring Cesc in for Kante...Tibo's ankle injury has improved so he's good to go...

Edited May 6, 20179 yr by doctorblue

courtois

azpi jt/zouma cahill

vm chalobah fab alonso

willian hazard pedro

Luiz, Tibo and Kante could all feature or they could all be sidelined. No one is having anything serious. Tibo most probably plays, Luiz is 70-30, Kante is 50-50. Just watched Conte's presser.

I never look forward to a Monday this, already started to count down. I don't think we could have hand picked a better scenario than now even if we tried. With all due respect to the opponent, if we play like we did against Everton, we will we toasting for the tittle next weekend. I bet Conte and players couldn't wait for the game either, it's all about stay calm and be focus heading into the game.

15 hours ago, Jezq8 said:

So Kante and luiz could miss this game.

if so I would then go with this team

courtois 

azbi ake Cahill 

moses matic fabregas alonso

Pedro costa hazard 

 

Second this, wouldn'e mind seeing Chalobah start either, and have that cesc magic from the bench in the second half

Boro should be up for this given the Hull defeat today but football doesn't always work like that. They could be more nervous given they have a chance (even if it is still slim) to stay up. However, if they come looking to score that could really play into our hands.

16 hours ago, dynamite said:

What's up with Kante?? That's a pretty big miss. I think he's been carrying Matic in some games this season.

He's probably just knackered...