2 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

Don't agree with this....Pre season means very little, aside from getting the players back to fitness and comfortable with tactics.

a look at some of our recent pre seasons tells all....

2011/12 - We won all pre season games, looked amazing, yet finished just 6th in the EPL

2012/13 - chelsea were poor pre season and lost to MLS all stars, Milan & Brighton, drew with PSG and  only won 1 game against seatle. Went on to finish a strong 3rd

2013/14 - Had a cracking pre season, Only losing to Real madrid. yet, still finished third

2014/15 pre season - sh*ty pre season, looking toothless in losing to wolfsburg, bremen and besiktas - we went on to win the league. 

2016/17 lost to rapid vienna and madrid - won the league.

For me, there is very little correlation between pre season games and competitive action.

That's true if you take complete seasons into account.  I was referring to how we start a season.  Of course things will (hopefully) be very different by May.  Pre-seaosn is an indication of how we'll perform in the first 5-6 games, bot necessarily over 38.

Let's see who we bring in, too.

6 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

Don't agree with this....Pre season means very little, aside from getting the players back to fitness and comfortable with tactics.

a look at some of our recent pre seasons tells all....

2011/12 - We won all pre season games, looked amazing, yet finished just 6th in the EPL

2012/13 - chelsea were poor pre season and lost to MLS all stars, Milan & Brighton, drew with PSG and  only won 1 game against seatle. Went on to finish a strong 3rd

2013/14 - Had a cracking pre season, Only losing to Real madrid. yet, still finished third

2014/15 pre season - sh*ty pre season, looking toothless in losing to wolfsburg, bremen and besiktas - we went on to win the league. 

2016/17 lost to rapid vienna and madrid - won the league.

For me, there is very little correlation between pre season games and competitive action.

Fully agree, the main work in pre season with regards to tactics, interplay and position is done in training, matches are mainly for fitness and sharpness. 

Just now, dkw said:

Fully agree, the main work in pre season with regards to tactics, interplay and position is done in training, matches are mainly for fitness and sharpness. 

Of course.  But when you have a new manager, it's also to begin the transformation.  I guess we'll know all over the next three to four weeks.

would like to score a few goals in the games tho

1 minute ago, EdgarAllanPoe said:

Of course.  But when you have a new manager, it's also to begin the transformation.  I guess we'll know all over the next three to four weeks.

It will take a lot longer than 3 or 4 weeks, especially with so many players missing pre season. Fans need to be patient, but they won't be, I expect more whining and moaning during the first few weeks if we aren't winning comfortably. 

7 minutes ago, EdgarAllanPoe said:

Of course.  But when you have a new manager, it's also to begin the transformation.  I guess we'll know all over the next three to four weeks.

I think it was pretty evident from the Inter Milan and Arsenal games just how much impact Sarri has had in the little time he's been here. Against City we played past a lot of their pressing which would have not been possible last season because when the players were pressed they sh*t themselves and hoofed it up the field. 

Edited August 7, 20187 yr by enigma

- Loved Barkleys penalty. Proper good. Hopefully more to come from him  

- We lack goals and not creating many clear cut chances

- Kanye looked abit uncomfortable playing further up the pitch  

- It’s only pre season but it may be a slow start to the season

 

20 minutes ago, dkw said:

It will take a lot longer than 3 or 4 weeks, especially with so many players missing pre season. Fans need to be patient, but they won't be, I expect more whining and moaning during the first few weeks if we aren't winning comfortably. 

With respect, someone voicing a different opinion isn't "whining" or "Moaning" - they'll likely comment on what they see.  Tbh, you're the only one moaning as far as I can see. 

If you don't think we need points out of the first three weeks, I don't know what to say.  Chelsea won't be happy if they don't see progress.  No-one is saying that the finished product must be there in 3-4 weeks, I don't know why you keep talking absolutes, there are gradations of progress.  However, we must show progress - something we're not seeing yet.

Edited August 7, 20187 yr by EdgarAllanPoe

I didnt say we don't need points, not sure where you got that from. 

4 minutes ago, JM7 said:

- Kanye looked abit uncomfortable playing further up the pitch

To be fair to Kanye I don't think he expected to get a game let alone be played in the final third.

18 minutes ago, dkw said:

I didnt say we don't need points, not sure where you got that from. 

It's certainly the bigger problem.  It was with us last season too.  Even with a greater setr of attacking players, a team like ourselves ought to have a great front man.  We don't.  Giroud came on tonight, but he wasn't any good at the WC - but lucked out at being in the winning side.  His stats were poor.  I don't understand why we're not in the market for a top striker.  I honestly don't think Giroud of Morata are going to cut it. 

Just the three goals in five pre-season matches then.

Goals clearly an issue right now and a lack of an obvious first choice, quality striker an issue.

The new formation and system very much a work in progress and finishing the transfer window with a couple of quality signings could be key to our season. 

Bring on Saturday 3pm. Up norf with an astute oppo manager and a hard working team out for 3 home points - none of this friendly bollox. A new CFC manager with a fractured pre season his only experience at the helm.  Gonna be up to the big players if they can get fit quick enough to carry Sarri through the first few games. I’m realistic enough to appreciate Sarri needs a few weeks and the players need time to adapt , but this is a cut throat club in a merciless league.

Today and prior friendlies 2-3 players look like they won’t get the new system think we all know who.  game was good at the end with the 1st team out. Tammy  is one for the future so hope he goes to Brighton. 

Enjoyed the game last night despite the lack of goals.

Ball retention was good and we played very well defensively with a high line, however, you can see that the players (whilst second string) haven't quite to grips with the speed and tempo in which they need to play with the ball at and aren't providing enough movement off the ball to create space. Once that comes we will be a much better side.

From the starters yesterday, a lot of the second string boys looked comfortable with the way we were playing and from where I was sat Bulka, Zappacosta, Christensen, Ampadu, Emerson and RLC look ready to slot in whenever they are needed and all played very well. 

Bakayoko and Drinkwater despite being here since the start of preseason seem to really be struggling with the concept of pass and move high tempo football and Bakayoko for one needs too much time on the ball before releasing it and I imagine both will be off in the window.

Tammy occupied some good positions in the box and should have done a little better with the few headers that came his way and linked quite well, his movement however was no where near whats required in this style of play, with the same issue being applied to Moses and Willian. The front three need to be pulling the defenders out of position, to create space and overloads and they didn't manage to do that at all today which brought to the lack of chances. Luckily this won't be our starting front three come the start of the season. Side note CHO and Pedro have shown decent movement so this should be less of a problem this coming Saturday.

From the subs the introduction of Kante, Barkley and Jorginho really quickened up the pace of the build up and off the ball movement and looked a lot slicker. It wouldn't surprise me if Kante starts against Huddersfield.

Hazard looked rusty, upset with the rain and a little lazy, but he has always enjoyed his holidays and I'm sure we will see him fit and ready come the Arsenal game.

Piazon impressed me, he was constantly working, moving and linking with players. The fact that he is still being used so late in preseason really makes me wonder if Sarri is considering to keep him as a squad player.

Giroud looked a bit lost and lacking in sharpness but he put in a lot of work which is a plus, I'm not convinced he will suit Sarri though.

Overall we lacked tempo, thrust and penetration but defensively we looked more solid than previous games, you can see that the style has progressed from last season but they still aren't quite to grips with it yet. If it does start to settle we are in for a much more entertaining season. Onwards and upwards

Edited August 8, 20187 yr by PedroMendez

I think it was pretty evident from the Inter Milan and Arsenal games just how much impact Sarri has had in the little time he's been here. Against City we played past a lot of their pressing which would have not been possible last season because when the players were pressed they sh*t themselves and hoofed it up the field. 

I know we lost the Charity Sheild and were never really in the game (one or two moments aside) but I was still happier with the way tried to play that game than the way we didn't play against City last year.

I feel that once the players get the ideas the goals will come.

8 hours ago, EdgarAllanPoe said:

It's certainly the bigger problem.  It was with us last season too.  Even with a greater setr of attacking players, a team like ourselves ought to have a great front man.  We don't.  Giroud came on tonight, but he wasn't any good at the WC - but lucked out at being in the winning side.  His stats were poor.  I don't understand why we're not in the market for a top striker.  I honestly don't think Giroud of Morata are going to cut it. 

Giroud was not very good at the world cup? Nonsense.

Giroud was fundimental to the way the French team played. Without him doing a lot of selfless donkey work, the team could not have functioned in the manner they did. He played for the greater good, and saw the bigger picture, which is team before personal glory or plaudits 

Stats, as is often the case, are misleading. 

Giroud played very well....and was a big factor in his team winning the competition.

 

Edited August 8, 20187 yr by nonotnowjim

12 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

Giroud was not very good at the world cup? Nonsense.

Giroud was fundimental to the way the French team played. Without him doing a lot of selfless donkey work, the team could not have functioned in the manner they did. He played for the greater good, and saw the bigger picture, which is team before personal glory or plaudits 

Stats, as is often the case, are misleading. 

Giroud played very well....and was a big factor in his team winning the competition.

 

Stats are misleading for a frontman? You wouldn’t pay premium for a frontman that only holds up the ball but can’t score.

The only other option France had was Thauvin who is average or play Griezmann up top with an out of sorts Dembele on the flanks.

 

14 minutes ago, ducavis said:

Stats are misleading for a frontman? You wouldn’t pay premium for a frontman that only holds up the ball but can’t score.

The only other option France had was Thauvin who is average or play Griezmann up top with an out of sorts Dembele on the flanks.

 

They had plenty of options that they didn't take, simply because Giroud played and performed the way the manager wanted, it is like when Heskey used to play for England he was there to perform a specific role and he did it well, his job wasn't to score but to pull the defenders in creating space for mbappe and greizman to run into and it worked perfectly

Uh... can someone who was at the game last night please confirm this is fake? 

Yes it's fake, they aren't real Lions...

1 hour ago, guddy69 said:

Yes it's fake, they aren't real Lions...

 

1 hour ago, boomerdog said:

Uh... can someone who was at the game last night please confirm this is fake? 

 

1 hour ago, guddy69 said:

Yes it's fake, they aren't real Lions...

I didn't see them, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had been there. They're were a lot of kids at the match, who did us proud with their vocal support btw. The Shed Upper certainly gave them a round of applause as a reward.

I mean I can't say I'm a fan of the new look, don't know if that's because they've dyed his mane or the freakish stare that would look more in place in a sh*tty horror film...

A disappointing preseason for sure but there were glimpses of what might come last night - fast attacking football and a bit of champagne skill thrown in for good measure.

Drinkwater doesnt look interested and Bakayoko wanders around the pitch although he did shoot off one great pass, to Moses I think, which led to a chance.

Greatest worry is the lack of goals.

On 07/08/2018 at 23:03, EdgarAllanPoe said:

With respect,

On 07/08/2018 at 22:28, EdgarAllanPoe said:

at the same time, I have to tell it like it is.  

What is it about people who say "with respect" and  "I have to tell it like it is"?  nearly always, the "with respect is followed by a snide, disrespectful dig, and they are usually confrontational, antagonistic and argumentative.