58 minutes ago, STATS said:

 

A lot of confusion around this. I am sure Moses is available to play this game as it is considered by the FA as a 'friendly'. So Moses will be able to play this Sunday, however will be suspended against Burnley as far as I understand.

According to this Moses is suspended...

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

1 hour ago, doctorblue said:

According to this Moses is suspended...

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

I think that is a mistake. Players in previous years have been available to play in CS but then played first game of season. Smalling and Ivanovic springs to mind.

9 hours ago, didierforever said:

Even If he had Maka to partner him, I would still not want Cesc in a 2 man mid against a good team. 

I think you must be a little confused we are playing Arsenal.

4 minutes ago, STATS said:

I think that is a mistake. Players in previous years have been available to play in CS but then played first game of season. Smalling and Ivanovic springs to mind.

I remember Ivanovic got sent off in CS 2012 but didn't serve a ban in league as CS was deemed a friendly? 

"It was thought Ivanovic would be banned for three matches, starting with Chelsea's opening Barclays Premier League fixture at Wigan next Sunday.

However, it now appears the FA changed their rules after an incident during an Amsterdam Tournament in 2006, when Manchester United pair Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were both sent off against Porto and ended up serving three-match bans.

As the rule change covered all non-competitive pre-season fixtures, including the Community Shield, it means Ivanovic will be free to play at the DW Stadium."

 

6 minutes ago, doctorblue said:

I remember Ivanovic got sent off in CS 2012 but didn't serve a ban in league as CS was deemed a friendly? 

"It was thought Ivanovic would be banned for three matches, starting with Chelsea's opening Barclays Premier League fixture at Wigan next Sunday.

However, it now appears the FA changed their rules after an incident during an Amsterdam Tournament in 2006, when Manchester United pair Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney were both sent off against Porto and ended up serving three-match bans.

As the rule change covered all non-competitive pre-season fixtures, including the Community Shield, it means Ivanovic will be free to play at the DW Stadium."

 

That is my point. Ivanovic played the league game as it is not considered a 'competitive' fixture so Moses therefore can play, this Sunday I assume.

5 hours ago, Zeta said:

It would make sense to go with a 3 man midfield, but the problem is that means not having any attacking players out wide, like we do with Hazard and Pedro at the moment, and relying solely on the wingbacks for width, which is quite a change we we've tended to have wide attackers for a long time, so it would take some getting used to. But I can see Conte trying a 5-3-1-1 sometimes, e.g.

Courtois

Alonso
Cahill
Luiz
Azpilicueta
Moses

Bakayoko
Fabregas
Kante

Hazard

Morata

Don't think Hazard is fit, mate 

Hazard due to miss the first month, I thought I read when injury first assessed.

Hopefully musonda or boga start on the wing. Morata should only play as a foward..

 

It is a friendly lets get it right. I do not take it seriously. But when we play in a game of course we want to win it. To add more spice to it, I want Morata to start. Whoever takes it the most serious will win. But no matter what i know we will finish above Arsenal next season. I am certain of that.

18 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Not sure how many other options we have. Bakayoko hasn't trained with the team yet so might struggle to be ready and the youth players aren't up to scratch. I'd like to think Willian would be able to drop deeper when needed to help cover for Cesc. Luckily Arsenal only play with 2 midfielders and Ramsey - Xhaka aren't a massive worry.

I would give Baka a try. This will be his match practise. I woul rather see Luiz in mid than having to watch cesc chase shadows for 90minutes.

This is a very important game for us. We have not had a good pre-season. 

Lots of negativity around the club (depth wise, selling players to rivals, costa-conte text gate, poor pre-season results, most of our rival gazumping us to our first targets). Add to that our fixture list in the PL:

Burnley (H)

Spurs (A)

Everton (H)

Leicester (A)

Arsenal (H)

Stoke (A)

Man City (H)

Palace (A)

This is a tough fixture list to begin any campaign. Now we are without Hazard, maybe without Pedro, have no depth for wingbacks, CM, have a new striker who will need time to adjust. All in all, the community shield can give us some momentum. 

Come on Chelsea!

Just beat this lot,please!!

Be interesting to see what teams he plays in the behind locked doors games we play this week at Cobham...

Edited August 1, 20178 yr by doctorblue

I really want a win. People will say "it's just a glorified friendly" which is true, but it's against Arsenal, and we haven't won the Community Shield for a few years now. We have lost our last 3 so it would be nice to actually win it again.

10 hours ago, didierforever said:

Add to that our fixture list in the PL:

Burnley (H)

Spurs (A)

Everton (H)

Leicester (A)

Arsenal (H)

Stoke (A)

Man City (H)

Palace (A)

 

I've been thinking about these starting fixtures for a while now and I know the league is a marathon not a sprint but if we get poor results in these opening games then I think it will be extremely difficult to correct over the remaining fixtures. I'm really concerned with how threadbare our squad is looking at the moment and that is without all the cup games thrown in during the early part of the season. God, I hope we figure this out sooner rather than later.

Moses is cleared to play in this game as FA have confirmed that the game is a friendly...which means Kosceilny is also free to play even though he was sent off in the last game of season...of course that does mean that Moses will be banned for our season opener against Burnley...

Edited August 1, 20178 yr by doctorblue

Is Baka fit now then? Heard nothing about him being back in training..

                Tibo

     Rudigar Luiz  Azpi

Dave  Kante  Fabregas Alonso

       Pedro        Willian

            Batshuyai 

Think we will see this if Pedro is ok.

Hi guys first time poster, I think it is important for us to win this game. Firstly to silence the media's negative comments on our transfer window even though in my opinion we haven't done too bad and secondly to get some revenge from may. I know it's a friendly but hey all the other teams count it as a major honour these days! My team would be Tibo, Alonso, Cahill, Luiz, Rudiger, Dave, cesc, kante, Willian, Pedro, michy. 

Looking forward to the game and 3rd trip to Wembley this year! 

It's the tragic Gooners.  No matter that it's a friendly, we need a win. A morale booster. Let's hope for the best

Last time we lost to this Lot in the charity shield, We had the worst title defence ever and lost Jose. Hope we win and build momentum. The season starts NOW

18 hours ago, dan_cfc said:

Is Baka fit now then? Heard nothing about him being back in training..

                Tibo

     Rudigar Luiz  Azpi

Dave  Kante  Fabregas Alonso

       Pedro        Willian

            Batshuyai 

Think we will see this if Pedro is ok.

Moses is cleared to play in the match...

5 minutes ago, doctorblue said:

Moses is cleared to play in the match...

Lets hope he performs a damn sight better than he did in the Cup Final.

no game against this lot is ever a friendly, lose this and the season starts as badly as it ended, plus them gooners will start getting ideas of grandeur

Tibo

Cahill Luiz Rudiger/Christensen

Moses Kante Cesc Alonso

Willian Morata/Bats Boga

We'll win 2-1 to get the ball rolling for the season ahead

My bad meant Cahill in there rather than Dave twice although that would be nice 2 daves lol. 

 

2 hours ago, doctorblue said:

Moses is cleared to play in the match...

Good so take it he is suspended for the Burnley game instead?