On ?12?/?08?/?2017 at 22:39, TomCFC85 said:

Does make you wonder though, last season we had the best disciplinary record of any club and now we've had 4 red cards in 3 games. 

Totally agree. It seems more than a coincidence...

On ?13?/?08?/?2017 at 02:53, Cam said:

If we win with the squad we will have available, it will be a big, big result.

I don't want to be on zero points from two games though....

Agreed, I will be avoiding most of the footballing press this week. It'll be a Man Utd, Arsenal and Spurs 'Love fest' !

 

              Courtois

     Azpi  Christensen  Rudiger

Moses     Luiz      Kante      Alonso

              Willian/Boga

         Morata     Batshuayi

 

When we play Spurs we seem to get killed by their 2 CM's. I hope we stick someone like Willian in the middle that has an engine and can help out with the leg work. Batshuayi looks better when he has someone up with him in attack so may as well see if he can play alongside Morata.

We pretty much have no choice who plays given the depth we have. Question is who sits with Kante in midfield and it will be sitting as no one has the ability to be creative or box to box in that role. Luiz can hit a pass but he's a defender first and foremost so it's not realistic to expect a masterclass in that role.

trouble is if we do that then it's a back 3 that have had very little if any game time together coming up against last seasons most lethal finishers. 

Personally I'd do a Jose here because two losses on the bounce in our first 2 games would be brutal and it's not last season against an under strength United and City....they are better sides now so any gap could be significant especially a 6 point one already.

I'm finding it difficult to get pumped up for this match....

It will be a miracle and we should count our blessings if we keep this to a 2 goal deficit

I can't believe some of the negativity here. It's correct that our squad is ridiculously thin at the moment, but i'm excited about the 1st 11 that we're likely to put out - and definitely think that we can win. A back 3 of Azpi, Christensen and Rudiger sounds very strong to me, everyone has been screaming out for Chistensen to get a chance - he's going to be brilliant. Then we have Alonso/Moses wing-backs - perfect. The rest of my line-up would be Luiz, Kante, Willian, Morata and Bats. Luiz has played very well in midfield before and will provide a very solid base next to Kante. I'd have Willian behind Morata and Bats, sacrificing the wingers so that Willian can support our Central Midfield.

That is a very solid team with some excellent defenders. We may lack a little going forward, but there's no reason we can't defend very well and make life difficult Spurs with Azpi, Rudi, Kante, Christ, Luiz in the team.

6 hours ago, wallosh said:

Lol, I don't think we actually have a choice.

True, unless we play Kyle Scott, which won't happen.

For 5 hours talk sport have been saying we are doomed.. manager getting sacked etc..  they are going to be gutted if we win this game. :@)  

2 minutes ago, guddy69 said:

For 5 hours talk sport have been saying we are doomed.. manager getting sacked etc..  they are going to be gutted if we win this game. :@)  

How the hell can you listen to that station ? It's like admitting you watch Loose women. 

Cant see us getting anything from this game. 

We shouldn't get anything from this game. Conte is brilliant but we are facing a mountain. Not saying we can't win but odds are massively against us. Even with Hazard and our best lineup in use we struggled there last term.

                   Courtois

         Azpi         Luiz       Rudiger

Moses    Musonda    Kante      Alonso

      Willian                    Boga

                     Morata    

I feel Luiz needs to be in that backline....let's be brave....Charly has played this position before!

23 minutes ago, Carefree_OBrien said:

                   Courtois

         Azpi         Luiz       Rudiger

Moses    Musonda    Kante      Alonso

      Willian                    Boga

                     Morata    

I feel Luiz needs to be in that backline....let's be brave....Charly has played this position before!

Agree that Luiz needs to stay in the back three but Charly would be bullied off the pitch with Spurs's midfield...better to bring Rudiger or Tomori in to partner Kante...

We can't have Musonda, a 5ft 5 winger, in central midfield. Especially against Spurs. Luiz is much more of a presence, and will be able to physically match the Spurs midfield. Plus I don't think we'll be losing too much at the back with Christensen in there.

18 minutes ago, DannyVblue said:

We can't have Musonda, a 5ft 5 winger, in central midfield. Especially against Spurs. Luiz is much more of a presence, and will be able to physically match the Spurs midfield. Plus I don't think we'll be losing too much at the back with Christensen in there.

This is not the game to lose Luiz from the back...using 2 newbies in a back 3 system is a recipe for disaster against Kane, Ali etc. Better to put one of the new CBs in midfield and leave Luiz to muster the defence...

Edited August 14, 20178 yr by doctorblue

6 hours ago, Chelsbear said:

We pretty much have no choice who plays given the depth we have. Question is who sits with Kante in midfield and it will be sitting as no one has the ability to be creative or box to box in that role. Luiz can hit a pass but he's a defender first and foremost so it's not realistic to expect a masterclass in that role.

trouble is if we do that then it's a back 3 that have had very little if any game time together coming up against last seasons most lethal finishers. 

Personally I'd do a Jose here because two losses on the bounce in our first 2 games would be brutal and it's not last season against an under strength United and City....they are better sides now so any gap could be significant especially a 6 point one already.

There's 37 games to play mate !

55 minutes ago, Carefree_OBrien said:

                   Courtois

         Azpi         Luiz       Rudiger

Moses    Musonda    Kante      Alonso

      Willian                    Boga

                     Morata    

I feel Luiz needs to be in that backline....let's be brave....Charly has played this position before!

Charly shouldn't be in that midfield. He'll have to defend against the likes of Eriksen, Dembele, Wanyama or Dier all 6ft and is considerably stronger than him. Kante is the exception to the rule but we should avoid playing short people in that CM especially in a 2 midfield system

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a Spurs fan and along with most Spurs fans I hope that your owner pulls out all his money, you get relegated and have to sell your ground and groundshare with Wycombe. 

As for Sunday, on paper we should win but we won't. Last year, we played you off the park at Wembley and at your place and still lost. 

The reason? We still think we are your bitches. 

Maybe it will change this year. Maybe we are stronger. Maybe this year we really believe that we can win. But probably not. 

Luiz and Willian are critical. Only they (of those that will play) know you beat us in our heads not on the pitch. 

So I predict Alli will be sent off in the first half and we will gallantly lose 2-1. 

And my hatred of your club will continue to fester...

6 minutes ago, JPBB said:

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a Spurs fan and along with most Spurs fans I hope that your owner pulls out all his money, you get relegated and have to sell your ground and groundshare with Wycombe. 

As for Sunday, on paper we should win but we won't. Last year, we played you off the park at Wembley and at your place and still lost. 

The reason? We still think we are your bitches. 

Maybe it will change this year. Maybe we are stronger. Maybe this year we really believe that we can win. But probably not. 

Luiz and Willian are critical. Only they (of those that will play) know you beat us in our heads not on the pitch. 

So I predict Alli will be sent off in the first half and we will gallantly lose 2-1. 

And my hatred of your club will continue to fester...

You are right in that this match could go either way, we are not in a good place and will look to strike back and you have your first at Wembley less Kyle Walker and a number of disgruntled players and add to the mix a fiercely contested London derby.

Ah the English tradition of you must be Tall and built......yet we have Kante who is neither...interesting.

anthony taylor will be reffing the game apparently. 

22 minutes ago, enigma said:

anthony taylor will be reffing the game apparently. 

At least he's never given us a red card in the league...

http://www.worldfootball.net/referee_summary/anthony-taylor_2/chelsea-fc/4/

3 hours ago, coco said:

How the hell can you listen to that station ? It's like admitting you watch Loose women. 

It's fun on weekdays listening to Cundy winding people up though. 

I'd take a draw if you offered it to me now. Even if by some miracle we sign someone before the weekend, it's not exactly much time to get to grips with how the team plays.

this will probably be our next temporary home while the bridge is being redeveloped. we may as well get used to winning there, starting with sunday