I'm confident of a win, but if we play as we have been before the City match, then the City match will be all for nothing. 

The City match must be a stepping stone, one loss and we're out of the top 4 in a very competitive top 4 race. I'm hoping we see Hazard-Giroud-Pedro in the attack. 

3 points minimum requirement really!!

Brighton have a fairly decent home record, with four wins (including one over Man Utd), two draws, and only a single defeat (to Tottenham). They have also only conceded twice in their last four home games.  We have lost our last two league away games. 

I'd stick with the same team that beat City except RLC for Kovacic. Apparently Kovacic has a knock.

-----------------------------Kepa

Azpilicueta--------Rudiger-------Luiz-------Alonso

----------------------------Jorginho

--------------------Kante----------Loftus-Cheek

------------Pedro------------------------------Willian

----------------------------Hazard

52 minutes ago, DannyVblue said:

I'd stick with the same team that beat City except RLC for Kovacic. Apparently Kovacic has a knock.

-----------------------------Kepa

Azpilicueta--------Rudiger-------Luiz-------Alonso

----------------------------Jorginho

--------------------Kante----------Loftus-Cheek

------------Pedro------------------------------Willian

----------------------------Hazard

I like it, Willian is a danger cutting back on his right foot, and then we can switch him for CHO later on, about time the kid got more minutes, Brighton away is ideal for him, could of give him a chance at Wolves, given them something to think about instead of opportunities to score two goals. We have to push home these wins instead of allowing teams back into it, something man city will be also saying after last week.

Come on Chelsea !

We need to build on the city win. Again another tough game and they are decent with set pieces so we have to be careful with giving away free kicks and corners.

i think depending on injuries we should go with the same team we played against city. And then possibly bring on giroud if we need to change and go with more direct football.

kepa 

azbi rudiger luiz alonso 

kante jorginho kovacic 

pedro hazard willian 

subs caballero, christensen, rlc, giroud, Fabregas, zappacosta, CHO 

Kepa

Azpi  Rudiger  Luiz  Alonso

Jorginho

Kante      RLC

Pedro     Giroud     Hazard

With Willian going off early last night i expect it to be the same front 3 as against City (false 9). I'd rather start Giroud though as i think Hazard is wasted in the middle with no one in front of him. Keep RLC in the team as a creative force in the middle, seems to offer much more than Kovacic and Ross going forward. Hopefully Alonso can use this game to get his mojo back, if not we should start to worry.

I am betting Giroud will start with one of Pedro or Willian to miss out, probably Pedro. Kovacic will play for sure.

The obvious issue we have is to convert possession into goals. I'd consider playing Ross Barkley for that reason over Kovacic even though Kovacic is obviously superior at playing Sarri ball.

As Plokoon points out Brighton are decent at home and we are struggling away.

Obvious to all is that the points against ManC are fairly useless if we can't do a job on Brighton. Brighton have a great goalie, an aussie, so we'll really have to have our shooting boots on.

Hazard playing as a forward don't usually work in this type of game.

I'd stick with the same team that beat City except RLC for Kovacic. Apparently Kovacic has a knock.

-----------------------------Kepa

Azpilicueta--------Rudiger-------Luiz-------Alonso

----------------------------Jorginho

--------------------Kante----------Loftus-Cheek

------------Pedro------------------------------Willian

----------------------------Hazard

Kepa

 

Azpi

Rudiger 

luiz 

alonso 

 

Jorginho 

Kante

 

RLC 

 

Pedro

Giroud

hazard 

It's the Wolves kind of game, either we score 2 goals and put them away early, or they will be a real nuisance towards the end. I reckon Sarri may go with the false 9 again, Giroud as the usual option off the bench. Barkley or RLC must play to inject the extra goal threat. The next 4-5 games, anything other than a win will see us in the 5th spot.

Well the spotlight will certainly be on us fans going tomorrow after recent events, I think seige mentality needs to kick in with us lot and give the team the mother of all backings!!!! Boys in blue division 2. UTC

On separate note, does anyone know what pub tomorrow?

We should be winning this game, but then again we should have been beating Wolves as well.

I rate Ryan, Duffy and Dunk quite highly. Ryan is a very good sweeper-keeper and a pretty good shot-stopper, though I expect Brighton to sit deep and so I don't expect his distribution skills to be a massive factor. Duffy and Dunk are stereotypically strong, aerially-dominant British/Irish centre-backs. 

Against such a side, I would start Giroud to keep the CB's occupied and play Hazard/Pedro in to try and suck them out of shape. I would also focus more of our attacks down the right because Gaetan Bong is their defensive weak-link.

RLC has played quite well lately and has provided a goal threat, so I would start him over Barkley/Kovacic.

Sarri may still persist with the false 9 though. 

Edited December 15, 20187 yr by DaRick

Like Icecoolguy I think we need to put out a full strength side including Hazard at CF.

If we get a good cushion then bring on Barkley, RLC, CHO etc.

Our best front 3 is Pedro - Giroud - Hazard. I am intrigued to see the false 9 under Sarri against a weaker team than City though but I would go with the former.

Edited December 15, 20187 yr by rtwelch

5 hours ago, rtwelch said:

Our best front 3 is Pedro - Giroud - Hazard. I am intrigued to see the false 9 under Sarri against a weaker team than City though but I would go with the former.

Hazard has made it pretty clear he doesn't like that position.

Match day,a nice day at the seaside,hopefully.....COME ON YOU BLUES !

Game Day.

Come on Chelsea !

 

Edited December 16, 20187 yr by erskblue

I was thinking earlier maybe Emerson should start ahead of Alonso but to be fair Emerson was pretty bad against Vidi. Alonso will probably still do a better job although opponents clearly have started targeting Alonso. 

It will depend which team turns up today. We need to take matches like this seriously. Spurs won so we need all three points. Brighton are capable of beating us, so we need to play well. Here's hoping for a good performance. COME ON YOU BLUES !!!

This is exactly the sort of game we need to start making lighter work of. 

Big test today to see if we’re ready to keep pace with the top 4. 

Hoping for a line up of

Kepa

Dave, Rudi, Luiz, Alonso

Kante, Jorginho, RLC

Pedro, Giroud, Hazard 

I think RLCs recent goals and performances means he deserves another start, we need that sort of threat and creativity from the midfield. 

This is exactly the sort of game we need to start making lighter work of. 
Big test today to see if we’re ready to keep pace with the top 4. 
Hoping for a line up of
Kepa
Dave, Rudi, Luiz, Alonso
Kante, Jorginho, RLC
Pedro, Giroud, Hazard 
I think RLCs recent goals and performances means he deserves another start, we need that sort of threat and creativity from the midfield. 

Nice line up, only requires swapping Alonso for Emerson and it will be perfect.