Good call Frank. Dropping Kepa is a bold decision but fully justified. 

Oh for f**k sakeeeeee... That midfield AGAIN??? This is getting ridiculous 

Not impressed with that line up......maybe a disgruntled message to the Board

Curious team selection. Happy to see Kepa gone. Happy also to see Pedro picked in the team. Big game and we need his experience and eye for goal.

Disappointed to see Jorginho over Kovacic. Never a dull day following Chelsea. Cmon Blues big game day.

2 minutes ago, doctorblue said:

Christensen against Vardy...there's a pace battle right there...another weird team selection from Frank...

Christensen isn't slow though.

Thats an interesting lineup.

5 minutes ago, Slojo said:

Oh for f**k sakeeeeee... That midfield AGAIN??? This is getting ridiculous 

My face falls every time I see a team sheet that has both Jorginho and Kante on it ... we have a terrible record of results when they both start ... Kovacic and Barkley would both be in my midfield !

Interesting that Willian has been droppd today as well ... Frank probably wanting more actual threat of goals and assists from the wingers ? 

Edited February 1, 20206 yr by Sexyfootball

That's a strange lineup. Bold call to drop Kepa. Puzzled at Pedro inclusion, he looked horrible at Hull. Mount continues to start because clearly he is Frank's favourite and will play no matter what. I'd pick Tomori ahead of either Rudiger or Christensen and I think Kovacic should be there.

Overall, not confident at all, but will be happy to be proved wrong.

COME ON CHELSEA!!!!

Beginning of the end for Kepa. Goalkeepers who are dropped on form basis find it hard to return. So unless Willie has a total sh*tshow, the jersey is his now.

14 minutes ago, cRyptic said:

Positive: Reece James is back, Tammy is available.

??: Why is Kova not starting, I hope Pedro will do a lot better than in the last game.

 

Good call on Kepa I think, would've been a good time to bring Tomori back into the starting lineup next to Rudiger, Pedro is a gamble. That midfield though, I can't even be bothered, I can't even pretend to be confident here, I'll be very surprised if we manage to get a win. 

1 minute ago, charierre said:

Beginning of the end for Kepa. Goalkeepers who are dropped on form basis find it hard to return. So unless Willie has a total sh*tshow, the jersey is his now.

The worst part is, that's entirely possible. 

Just now, Slojo said:

Good call on Kepa I think, would've been a good time to bring Tomori back into the starting lineup next to Rudiger, Pedro is a gamble. That midfield though, I can't even be bothered, I can't even pretend to be confident here, I'll be very surprised if we manage to get a win. 

I think he's got five on the bench that would be in my idea of the best starting XI !

Six if you include Kepa ... probably still better than Willy C even though off form ...

9 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

Curious team selection. Happy to see Kepa gone. Happy also to see Pedro picked in the team. Big game and we need his experience and eye for goal.

Disappointed to see Jorginho over Kovacic. Never a dull day following Chelsea. Cmon Blues big game day.

I don't understand the Pedro selection. He has barely played in the league this season and he was completely below-par against Hull last week.

Just now, STATS said:

I don't understand the Pedro selection. He has barely played in the league this season and he was completely below-par against Hull last week.

Probably Frank proving a point to the board ... probably wanted a striker AND a winger ...

2 minutes ago, STATS said:

I don't understand the Pedro selection. He has barely played in the league this season and he was completely below-par against Hull last week.

I don't think I've seen one good performance from Pedro all season. 

17 minutes ago, ozboy said:

Why keep picking Mount? He’s done nothing to justify it. 

Would rather have started Barkley in the hole.

Well Frank's got some balls I'll give him that.

Leicester are a tough side to set up against, given that they have no obvious weakness or player that can be targeted - they are largely very strong across the XI.

All eyes will point to Caballero retaining his place, but I think the most interesting call is keeping Willian on the bench. We're gonna give the ball away a lot in the final third, but in theory our entire forward line is capable of getting goals.

What doesn't make sense is picking a front five (i.e. including Mount and Kanté) which isn't particularly good at retaining possession, then putting Jorginho at the base of midfield. You set up like this and it probably means that we're going to be susceptible to counter attacks. Why on earth would you set up with a strategy which involves a lot of possession turnovers then put someone at the base of midfield whose main positive attribute is distributing the ball, but has zero defensive presence? It makes no sense at all.

2 minutes ago, STATS said:

I don't understand the Pedro selection. He has barely played in the league this season and he was completely below-par against Hull last week.

I thought he was a threat for a guy who had played barely at all. For me I think it is probably about bringing him into the tent given no signings were made. We need his goal threat and experience. 

2 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

I thought he was a threat for a guy who had played barely at all. For me I think it is probably about bringing him into the tent given no signings were made. We need his goal threat and experience. 

He didn't look up to scratch to me. Lost possession and was out of sync. That is why I am wondering if there is more than meets the eye for the selection.

2 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

Well Frank's got some balls I'll give him that.

Leicester are a tough side to set up against, given that they have no obvious weakness or player that can be targeted - they are largely very strong across the XI.

All eyes will point to Caballero retaining his place, but I think the most interesting call is keeping Willian on the bench. We're gonna give the ball away a lot in the final third, but in theory our entire forward line is capable of getting goals.

What doesn't make sense is picking a front five (i.e. including Mount and Kanté) which isn't particularly good at retaining possession, then putting Jorginho at the base of midfield. You set up like this and it probably means that we're going to be susceptible to counter attacks. Why on earth would you set up with a strategy which involves a lot of possession turnovers then put someone at the base of midfield whose main positive attribute is distributing the ball, but has zero defensive presence? It makes no sense at all.

Spot on. It's the key weakness in our approach. Seems bizarre that we'd pick Jorginho when this is exactly the type of game where he doesn't do well.

18 minutes ago, Malcolm9 said:

Christensen isn't slow though.

I remember him being pissed off about his pace stat on fifa either last year or the year before. 

Kept doesn't look happy

 

6 minutes ago, coco said:

Kept doesn't look happy

 

And so he should be.... time for some self reflection and a wake up call.