You can guarantee they will try to expose us in the air again, like Ali did with Cesar last season twice to win the game. Same against Burnley, twice caught out in the air with similar diagonal balls from right to left. I hope Conte has that covered this week in training. 

Might be worth putting Rudiger at RCB, since he has the height.

I find whenever I expect the Chels to get beat under a whole slew of adverse circumstances and a press pillorying in advance they usually don't lose, and quite often surprise the fark out of the whole footballing world.

Sub consciously I am already surmising that the 'orrible spuds will break their Wembley 'curse' next Sunday with our boys the cliched lambs led to the slaughter....................

1 hour ago, coco said:

You can guarantee they will try to expose us in the air again, like Ali did with Cesar last season twice to win the game. Same against Burnley, twice caught out in the air with similar diagonal balls from right to left. I hope Conte has that covered this week in training. 

A few teams tried to expose the area where Azpi and Moses challenge in the air, the 4-0 United game would've been different if Zlatan hit the target. 

Unfortunately due to Cahill's red card we are going to have to go back to that, and let's be honest Azpi isn't a great WB, you win a lot and lose a bit with him in the team as CB.

Out of our current fit team:
                  Morata
            Musonda Willian
            David Luiz Kante
Alonso Christensen Rudiger Azpi Moses
                 Courtois

Neither team has a great record at the ground and it's great that Spurs are hot favourites. I'll predict a draw. BTW, I think we have to leave Luiz at the back as he is our most experienced central defender.

19 minutes ago, EmeraldBlue said:

Neither team has a great record at the ground and it's great that Spurs are hot favourites. I'll predict a draw. BTW, I think we have to leave Luiz at the back as he is our most experienced central defender.

trouble for me is that Luiz seems useless at organising others around him and when he has to take that responsibility he often makes errors himself - I'd go with Christensen in the central position

on a tangent @EmeraldBluehow did the Tipp hurlers get on?

 Azpi is a better shout than Luiz at CM. (Christensen too for that matter.) Luiz at CB will give us much needed stability also. To continue with the back three that ended the positive second half against Burnley makes sense from a confidence perspective also. Azpi can sit deep and man mark Eriksen, who is their most important player imo. Would be a defensive tactic, but I think Azpi could be a very effective man-marker. Eriksen assisted three of the last four goals we conceded against Spurs, from just outside the box, so goes without saying that we need to stop him with other measures than before. 3-5-2 was used last season when we wanted to close games, and that is exactly what I expect here. Kanté and Willian on either side of Azpi would give us an advantage in the center of the pitch, and they also pose a huge counter-attacking threat that may restrict their CMs from contributing in attack. Batshuayi + Morata could be a decent duo up front too. If Pedro is fit, he takes Batshuayi's place and plays as the secondary striker off Morata.

For me, it's definitely

Courtois

Christensen
Luiz
Rudiger

Moses
Kante
Azpi
Willian
Alonso

Batshuayi/Pedro
Morata

Frankly, a draw is the target here. We need to sit deep, wait for opportunities to counter and hope for magic.

 

 Like this

Edited August 15, 20178 yr by The Don Antonio

2 hours ago, sonic90 said:

A few teams tried to expose the area where Azpi and Moses challenge in the air, the 4-0 United game would've been different if Zlatan hit the target. 

Unfortunately due to Cahill's red card we are going to have to go back to that, and let's be honest Azpi isn't a great WB, you win a lot and lose a bit with him in the team as CB.

Out of our current fit team:
                  Morata
            Boga Willian
            David Luiz Kante
Alonso Christensen Rudiger Azpi Moses
                 Courtois

FYP

4 hours ago, General said:

I find whenever I expect the Chels to get beat under a whole slew of adverse circumstances and a press pillorying in advance they usually don't lose, and quite often surprise the fark out of the whole footballing world.

Sub consciously I am already surmising that the 'orrible spuds will break their Wembley 'curse' next Sunday with our boys the cliched lambs led to the slaughter....................

Can't see us winning a game till October, Everton, arse and city home, y*ds, Leicester, stoke away, where's a win there? 

Let's get optimistic! Getting results with a depleted squad provides momentum for when everyone is fit! I look forward to a gritty performance from Luiz and Kante in midfield and possibly a moment of brilliance (or 3 [emoji16]) from Morata! Go Blues!

 

5 hours ago, sonic90 said:

A few teams tried to expose the area where Azpi and Moses challenge in the air, the 4-0 United game would've been different if Zlatan hit the target. 

Unfortunately due to Cahill's red card we are going to have to go back to that, and let's be honest Azpi isn't a great WB, you win a lot and lose a bit with him in the team as CB.

Out of our current fit team:
                  Morata
            Musonda Willian
            David Luiz Kante
Alonso Christensen Rudiger Azpi Moses
                 Courtois

That's 12 players..

 

I can't see us dominating this game. Only way I can see us winning if its a gritty victory where we withstand a lot of pressure, but then again if one team are going to have such a victory it is Chelsea.

If we keep Eriksen quiet, I don't think we lose the game...Easier said than done though.

The Pope is not impressed

 

 

For Me

BOGA         MORATA       WILLIAN

ALONSO     CHIRISTENSEN     KANTE     MOSSES

RUDIGER        LUIZ          AZPI

 

I think spuds will tear us up.... Everyone including me has mocked spuds for lack of buying.. They don't need anyone... Their team is as good as it gets... 3 2 spuds.... Will hate this Sunday.....

They need to improve as we do. We have actually tried to do so. They flopped in CL last term.

This game comes too soon for us and I can't really see us winning or even draw. I still like more what we have tried to do. I think we will buy 2-3 players and without major injuries we can compete with anyone in the league.

16 hours ago, Mike Carefree said:

I think spuds will tear us up.... Everyone including me has mocked spuds for lack of buying.. They don't need anyone... Their team is as good as it gets... 3 2 spuds.... Will hate this Sunday.....

Think it's an afternoon to take the dog for a long walk, glad I didn't bother getting a ticket, nearly did

8 hours ago, chi blue said:

Can't see us winning a game till October, Everton, arse and city home, y*ds, Leicester, stoke away, where's a win there? 

All of them bar City at home.

That's 12 players..
 

Not unless you count David and Luiz as separate players ;)

 

At least the big man and little man looks to be training! 

trouble for me is that Luiz seems useless at organising others around him and when he has to take that responsibility he often makes errors himself - I'd go with Christensen in the central position
on a tangent [mention=7234]EmeraldBlue[/mention]how did the Tipp hurlers get on?

Off topic: lost to Galway in the semi final. Waterford are the other finalists.

Crying out for a 3-5-2 for me .. I think we need 5 across the middle to counter the physicality of the Tottenham midfield, and to try and deny space for Eriksen, plus mark him out of the game.

 

We can definitely beat them ... even without Hazard, Fabregas, Bakayoko, Pedro, Costa and Cahill  :-)

 

Agree about 5 in midfield that would frustrate the Spuds.

Tibo 

Dave SSB Rudiger 

Moses Kante Christensen Tomori Alonso 

Willian Morata 

7 minutes ago, doctorblue said:

Tibo 

Dave SSB Rudiger 

Moses Kante Christensen Tomori Alonso 

Willian Morata 

Likely but very limited creatively. Playing for a draw then?