22 hours ago, old git said:

It's interesting that you've pencilled in Rudiger at right wing back as I was thinking, when Conte kept going for a midfield duo of Fabregas and Bakayoko, that Rudiger would do a good defensive midfield job alongside Bakayoko. He's athletic, has pace, power and can tackle. Alright he can't ping the ball around like Cesc but, at this time, we need to shore things up and protect the back three.

Remember Rudiger has often played Full back for Roma, I think more than half of his 25 starts were at FB, on either side, he has a lot of pace for a big man, if I was going to put a CB as DM I'd put Luiz with Andreas replacing him 

3 hours ago, Maidstone Blue said:

Yeh it wouldn't surprise me .....Gary Cahill header from a corner ! 

Now that would be ironic

i hope pogba is playing for utd. 

4 hours ago, Maidstone Blue said:

Yeh it wouldn't surprise me .....Gary Cahill header from a corner ! 

...................................or Drinkwater

1 hour ago, Donny Blue said:

Remember Rudiger has often played Full back for Roma, I think more than half of his 25 starts were at FB, on either side, he has a lot of pace for a big man, if I was going to put a CB as DM I'd put Luiz with Andreas replacing him 

Playing in a back four at full back is slightly different from playing in a back three at right wing back, where you're expected to get forward more. I'm not saying you're wrong because I reckon Rudiger would be far more effective in that position than Azpilicueta. Bit of a knee jerk reaction by me in suggesting Rudiger in preference to Luiz in midfield, because Luiz was superb against Spurs. It's just that Luiz as been showing signs of indiscipline and lack of concentration lately, which could get him in trouble in centre field if he wants to get his own back.

17 hours ago, maddoo said:

Fancy a 1-0 home win with the goal from an unlikely source....................

an own goal from Matic - dude will have major flashbacks & aim for the wrong goal

2 hours ago, Ahmed_bluehearted said:

I fear for conte...these players are not playing for him...i really want to be positive but .. I can't see us winning while we concede goals and struggle to score ... god help us

I don't get the feeling that the players have stopped playing for Conte at all. The players are clearly trying, it's just that things aren't falling into place right now. 

So here we are folks, our most important home league game of the season, whatever happens between now and May.

 

Lose and we're in trouble, our title hopes (if we have any left) are well and truly in tatters and suddenly we're looking like an outside bet for top 4, there'll be all kinds of stories in the press, our confidence will take another knock, the manager will be under increasing pressure and of course our owner will start to get twitchy. There's nothing Mourinho would like more tomorrow than to plunge our club and our manager into crisis.

 

Win, and it will be massive, it will get the club back on track, it will be a massive slap in the face for Mourinho and it will harm Utd's title hopes, which will make us all delighted. It will just be so good if we win. Come on Chelsea. You can do it.

 

We need Kante back, that goes without saying, but if he's not ready we mustn't risk him, we should play Drinkwater instead. Hopefully Morata outshines Lukaku, hopefully Bakayoko outshines Matic, and hopefully the crowd let both our owner and the opposing manager know that we only have eyes for Conte.

 

It's a big, big game, we need to show our mettle, we need to show our spirit, we need to show our quality. We have to show them what Chelsea's all about. 

 

Come on Chelsea. You can do it.

a win would certainly shut up some people. jose talks about the critics and shutting people up, but he really has little to complain about compared to conte and the constant negativity surrounding him and his future at the club. conte is the one who can shush the critics this weekend.

Mortara needs to have a big game. He’s been poor the last 5 games. 

I CAN'T WAIT!
I'M SO NERVOUS
 

8 hours ago, old git said:

Playing in a back four at full back is slightly different from playing in a back three at right wing back, where you're expected to get forward more. I'm not saying you're wrong because I reckon Rudiger would be far more effective in that position than Azpilicueta. Bit of a knee jerk reaction by me in suggesting Rudiger in preference to Luiz in midfield, because Luiz was superb against Spurs. It's just that Luiz as been showing signs of indiscipline and lack of concentration lately, which could get him in trouble in centre field if he wants to get his own back.

I agree it is different totally, Dave has shown Wb isn't for him but is great at fullback, however I think that we won't be driving forward as much it will be a back 5, and we have tried everyone else might be good to give him a shot. 

Given the recent criticism Jose received following the Liverpool game I wonder if he will fool everyone and go out and attack our weakened midfield and defence..........................there again it's Jose and he knows a point is good enough for him and a step towards the title.

1 hour ago, CFCCAN said:

Given the recent criticism Jose received following the Liverpool game I wonder if he will fool everyone and go out and attack our weakened midfield and defence..........................there again it's Jose and he knows a point is good enough for him and a step towards the title.

Two words seldom seen in the same sentence.

i agree with the second part, Park the bus and hope to catch us on the counter.

I feel a sense of inevitability that we will lose this one, I felt the exact same before Roma away.

It will make the international break absolutely grim and then the next two league games are West Brom and Liverpool both away.

We know the Hawthornes has seen off a few Chelsea managers..........

On 30/10/2017 at 13:57, Nibs said:

Due to "The Mourinho Factor" and how much I dislike the bloke now, this has become the game of the season that I want us to win above all others. It has always been a big game but in the past I got more pleasure out of us beating Sp*rs, Arsenal and Liverpool, but not any more. Last season, far & away the biggest highlight for me was the 4-0 drubbing we gave them and to see Mourinho absolutely broken on the touchline. Trouble is, he will want revenge or at the very least to not lose and a game against Conte's Chelsea has probably become more of a must not lose game than any other for him, even more so than Pep's City and Wenger's Arsenal.

I can see him setting up, happy for the 0-0 but hoping they will snatch a goal and go away with all 3 points and a clean sheet. Got a feeling they might well target Alonso, who struggles against Pace so I hope we have them on the back foot like last season and we don't sit too deep. We need Kante back for this one and the likes of Hazard, Pedro and Morata to be on fire. 

I'll take any win but if we could repeat last season's performance, I'll be letting fireworks off in celebration!

 

If Citeh Implode Tottenham could win the league. I would be praying for Jose and United to win it before them.

Nibs, you need to gain some perspective.

Just I can see where you’re coming and I appreciate you’re local and more in tune with the tribal rivalries with dirty spuds. However Jose + mancs are no1 enemy for me. Let’s hope if we don’t, city win the league.

I have to think we see some new wrinkles in the XI and tactics tomorrow from Conte. Reminds me following the loss at Emirates early last year, oddly also 3-0 just like to Roma.

I will be beyond shocked if we see Cesc and Bakayoko in midfield and Morata & Hazard up top. We have to get creative, if it means going back to a 4-2-3-1, which could look like this:

- - - - - - Courtois - - - - - -

Azpi - Christensen - Cahill - Rudiger

- - - - Kante - Luiz - - - - -

Pedro - - Cesc - - Hazard

- - - - - - Morata - - - - - -

Just an idea for mixing it up. We need some fresh ideas and later today would be a great time to see them!!

Come on you Chelsea!!

 

 

If Kante plays, we are in for a big chance. We never fond the right balance since he got njured. We all know how Jose will play this, it's up to us to take the game to them. We need a big of luck too, didn't get any breaks from the referees this season so far, likely to continue unfortunately.

Match day.....COME ON YOU BLUES !

7 hours ago, goose said:

Two words seldom seen in the same sentence.

i agree with the second part, Park the bus and hope to catch us on the counter.

I can actually see him having a go at us. The incident with Antonio and the crowd 12 months ago will mean he'll want to return serve. 

GAMEDAY!!!! COME ON CHELS!!!!!

BIG BIG BIG GAME TODAY !!! COME ONNN BLUES !!!!

 

I asked my 9yo Grandson yesterday if he was looking forward to the weekend with all the fireworks. He said he was looking forward to Saturday (fireworks) but not Sunday, when i asked why he said because Man Utd playing Chelsea. 

Its because hardly anyone supports Chelsea in his school, its all man utd.

So if we beat them today, think of my grandson monday morning strutting his walk into school.

e2a: he literally lives in his Chelsea shirt with Lampard on the back.....ever since i told him all about Frank and his record breaking career.

Tough Game!!! Hopefully we get the win!!! Come on Chelsea!!