31 minutes ago, wallosh said:

Trust me, they were much worse under Jokanovic because they were over ambitious by playing an attacking game right from the beginning of the season. It was exactly like what we have been experiencing with Sarri. They never focus on being defensive in any of there games, not even when they were playing away to the big teams. The funniest thing was that, just like Sarri trust Jorginho who is bad defensively to initiate our attacking game from deep. Jean Michel Seri who has a similar playing style with Jorginho but more adventurous was also Jokanovic's main man who initiates there attacking game from deep, it doesn't help that Seri is also sh*t defensively. I have never seen a team come from the championship and survive simply by playing attacking game with flair. So right from the start, they were a relegation candidate to me. Am not surprised Jokanovic eventually got the sack. I think they were a little bit more solid defensively under Ranieri but it's always going to be difficult for the team to hit form while adapting and playing a different system when you find yourself at the other end of the table. Jokanovic should take blame if that team gets relegated.

Considering that Jokanovic had almost no say during the transfer window the person that was getting all those players should be the one to take most of the blame, their team has a weak defense and Jokanovic was sacked in November so Ranieri had 1 transfer window to get a defensive player but again they didn't focus on their weak defense, point is Ranieri couldn't do anything better than Jokanovic.

1 hour ago, wallosh said:

17 hours ago, Zeta said:

Kepa
Emerson
Rudiger
Christensen
Azpilicueta
Kovacic
Loftus-Cheek
Kante
Willian
Higuain
Hudson-Odoi

Do you want Kepa to just walk back into the team after the clean sheet against Tottenham? I think Willy should continue for as long as the team keep on winning games consecutively. I really love Kepa but he hasn't really been amazing, I know he can do much better, so I will like him to know he won't easily just walk back into the team, he needs to work harder, I think thats how to get the best out of any player rather than just assuring them they will play regardless of whatever happens.

Same can be said about Willy.

A change of keeper can really change the mentality for a team. Just look at Burnley when they brought in Heaton this season. Heaton is probably the better keeper but you see my point. I bet United have done it with De Gea at points as well. And then when the number one comes back in he is refreshed and probably more determined.

Same can be said about Willy.

Thats true, We know Willy can't improve at his age, but I think Kepa has been feeling too comfortable, I think making him to see Willy as his rival can help to get the best out of Kepa.

Gaffer's Pre-match Press Conference

 

2 minutes ago, wallosh said:

3 hours ago, Valerie said:

Same can be said about Willy.

Thats true, We know Willy can't improve at his age, but I think Kepa has been feeling too comfortable, I think making him to see Willy as his rival can help to get the best out of Kepa.

Sarri has already said that Kepa is still his number 1, I expect things to go back as they were.

5 minutes ago, wallosh said:

3 hours ago, Valerie said:

Same can be said about Willy.

Thats true, We know Willy can't improve at his age, but I think Kepa has been feeling too comfortable, I think making him to see Willy as his rival can help to get the best out of Kepa.

agreed - Let's see if Wily C gets the start this weekend - I could see it & also a start vs Dynamo Kyiv. If Wily C can pull 3 straight shutouts, then Kepa will have some competition & this will only make Chelsea stronger

Sounds like we will see a bit of rotation after 2 big games in a week. Hoping RLC gets a start, and CHO too. Give Hazard a reset and maybe bring him on for last 30 if needed. Higuain could do with a goal and hoping he can add to his tally on Sunday.

Kepa

Dave Christensen Rudiger Emerson 

Kante Jorginho Barkley 

CHO RLC 

Higuain 

18 hours ago, wallosh said:

21 hours ago, Valerie said:

Same can be said about Willy.

Thats true, We know Willy can't improve at his age, but I think Kepa has been feeling too comfortable, I think making him to see Willy as his rival can help to get the best out of Kepa.

Spot on mate.Kepa needs a kick up the arse.He can improve but work to do imo.Same concentration as our last two games please.Hope Pedro can maintain that level of performance.Its a derby so no complacency.UTC !

This has become a very vital game now.

If we beat these then beat wolves we are 4th.

Well today’s results nearly perfect  London derby draw unfortunate man u late winner. Must win our 2 games in hand. 

25 minutes ago, Kev56 said:

Well today’s results nearly perfect  London derby draw unfortunate man u late winner. Must win our 2 games in hand. 

Agreed hoped that the Spuds game would be a draw and it looked like Man Utd could drop points.

12 minutes ago, erskblue said:

Agreed hoped that the Spuds game would be a draw and it looked like Man Utd could drop points.

I think if we win both games in hand we go to the dizzying heights of third. 

2 wins in games we should win and we are top 4 only 2 behind Tottenham and if anything we are in better turn than the other teams round us right now, need to keep our nuts and get it done 

With 20mins to go and needing a goal I would like Giroud on with Higuaín and bombard their box. Hopefully that won't be needed but I don't want us to take any chances.

Vital game now

must win,do wolves and we go top 4 !!

They may be decent in attack (Mitrovi? certainly knows where the goal is while Ryan Sessegnon continues to be a highly promising young winger) but they have conceded more goals than any other team in any of the top two divisions — only Rochdale (League One) and Notts County (League Two) have conceded more, and they’ve played seven more games, too! Fulham are the proud owners of the worst goal difference in all of professional football in England at (-37).

I'll be surprised if they don't score. 

Probably the best team we could hope to play this weekend. Team usually lifts after the sacking of a manager, but I doubt Parker could fix that defence in 3 days. Considering we only had couple of shots on goal in the last 3 games, let's hope we take our chances, and take them early. We need to add up our goal differences, hope for a 5:0 but likely to be a 2:0, not going to complain it that's the end result.

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

Match Day.

Come on Chelsea ! Come on Chelsea !

They may be decent in attack (Mitrovi? certainly knows where the goal is while Ryan Sessegnon continues to be a highly promising young winger) but they have conceded more goals than any other team in any of the top two divisions — only Rochdale (League One) and Notts County (League Two) have conceded more, and they’ve played seven more games, too! Fulham are the proud owners of the worst goal difference in all of professional football in England at (-37).
I'll be surprised if they don't score. 

Thats the problem with playing Sarriball. It leaves the defence expose and vulnerable. Fulham have learned it the hard way. Fortunately for us, Sarri is adapting and our players won't have problem adapting to a more defensive system as we have seen against City.

With 20mins to go and needing a goal I would like Giroud on with Higuaín and bombard their box. Hopefully that won't be needed but I don't want us to take any chances.

That was the sub I was expecting from Sarri toward the end of the game against United but he went with Zapacosta for Azpilicueta instead!

No one concerned about new manager bounce?

46 minutes ago, JM7 said:

No one concerned about new manager bounce?

Especially with it being a derby and Scott Parker being an English man. I expect a lot of AGGRESSION and FIGHT from fulham. I just hope we kill the game in the first half and not allow fulham fans the chance to influence the game