8 hours ago, TomCFC85 said:

Can't help but feel these injuries are occurring more often than they used to. Don't know whether it's the medical team or Frank's training but it seems we get an injury every two or three matches.

I was about to say the same, I can't remember having such an injury prone team under any other manager than we do now. It's injuries galore lately. 

I can see us playing a back 5, ruben and Kante in the middle, mount Werner and Havertz top 3. 

And losing 4-1. 

Looking forward to it. 

I hope to be pleasantly shocked on Sunday. As we have the same goalkeeper and defence that let in 5 last time out against them and are missing the key attacker that helped us score 3 against them.

That all adds up to us being thrashed. I hope I am indeed pleasantly surprised.

Ziyech out is really frustrating, thought it was just a cautionary thing in the pre-season game 3-4 weeks ago, turned out to be a lengthy injury. It could be just dumb luck, but we haven't been handling injury well for the past 12 months, when was the last time we had the best 11 on the field?

Disappointed about Pulisic (not surprised the other 3 are unavailable).  Like many have voiced, the injuries are frustrating.  Would love a win Sunday but think this game comes too soon for Chelsea.  Fortunately I do not think it defines our season either.  A draw would be a fantastic result.

I think the team picks itself, but also feel we'll bee too defensive.

If 4-3-3
Kepa
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante Jorginho Kova
Kai Timo Mount

If 3-4-3
Kepa
Azpi Christensen Zounma
James Kante Kova Alonso
Kai Timo Mount

What I'd like to see 4-2-3-1
Kepa
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante Kova
Cho Kai Mount
Timo

 

 

Edited September 18, 20205 yr by PhilH930

10 hours ago, big blue said:

Ziyech got injured during a match, chilwell arrived injured, and Thiago Silva isnt injured. 

Only one that has picked up a knock in training is Pulisic, but he had a poor record at Dortmund aswell, so i dont think it is necessarily a reflection on our training methods.

Id go further and say that Pulisic pulled up really badly in the cup final and was expected to miss the early season games. So I don't think any of the injuries are really down to training. However some training injuries are going to be inevitable.

43 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Disappointed about Pulisic (not surprised the other 3 are unavailable).  Like many have voiced, the injuries are frustrating.  Would love a win Sunday but think this game comes too soon for Chelsea.  Fortunately I do not think it defines our season either.  A draw would be a fantastic result.

I think the team picks itself, but also feel we'll bee too defensive.

If 4-3-3
Kepa
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante Jorginho Kova
Kai Timo Mount

If 3-4-3
Kepa
Azpi Christensen Zounma
James Kante Kova Alonso
Kai Timo Mount

What I'd like to see 4-2-3-1
Kepa
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante Kova
Cho Kai Mount
Timo

 

 

I like that  4 2 3 1, maybe even with Alonso.

2-nill to the famous CFC 

Hoping for a win. Would be a big boost to the boys to grab a win with so many new faces. It will be a good learning experience either way. Can’t wait to have Ziyech back he’s a big piece. Ecstatic to see all these signing continue to mesh together.

6 hours ago, Scott said:

2-nill to the famous CFC 

Take that scoreline?

8 hours ago, PhilH930 said:

Disappointed about Pulisic (not surprised the other 3 are unavailable).  Like many have voiced, the injuries are frustrating.  Would love a win Sunday but think this game comes too soon for Chelsea.  Fortunately I do not think it defines our season either.  A draw would be a fantastic result.

I think the team picks itself, but also feel we'll bee too defensive.

If 4-3-3
Kepa
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante Jorginho Kova
Kai Timo Mount

If 3-4-3
Kepa
Azpi Christensen Zounma
James Kante Kova Alonso
Kai Timo Mount

What I'd like to see 4-2-3-1
Kepa
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante Kova
Cho Kai Mount
Timo

 

 

The 4231 is similar to what Bayern use. 
 

Out whole squad seems to have the perfect fit to use that formation. Actually, it doesn’t even seem a difficult decision and it would provide good defensive support for the backline with 4 attacking options when going forward. 
 

CHO is an important piece of the jigsaw as we need pace and he needs to become brave and direct and run at players. I’d rather he was on the left running at Trent who seems to fold when facing direct wingers. 

16 hours ago, Dean said:

Me

James Christensen Zouma Azpi

Barkley Kante Kovacic

Werner Giroud Mount

I like the sound of your choice of goalkeeper, presumably you have some physical disability like a missing limb, are blind in one eye, need beer bottomed glasses to see shadows with the other one, have diabetes, severe irritable Bowel syndrome, are no taller than wee jimmy cranky and an inability to jump - otherwise you’d have an unfair advantage over ‘mike yarwood’ (A terrible impersonator of a goalkeeper) - any ideas as to why we didn’t go after the recent villa signing of Martinez @ 16-20 million he’s “cheap” and proven in the PL ??

BTW  - you might have something in picking Barkley, he’s a blue and presumably hates them more than the rest of us - the game might mean more to him and his family etc etc, could give him an extra % ??

One of the best Chelsea Liverpool matches I can remember

Kepa

James - Christensen - Zouma - Alonso

Kante - Jorginho - Kovacic 

Havertz - Giroud - Werner 

Van Dijk has struggled against Giroud the last couple of times he's played against him and I think Giroud is going to be a good outlet for when we're inevitably put under some pressure by Liverpool. 

Werner with his pace out on the left cutting in onto his favoured foot could cause Liverpool some problems, especially if Giroud is there to win the first ball. 

16 hours ago, bisright1 said:

I can see us playing a back 5, ruben and Kante in the middle, mount Werner and Havertz top 3. 

And losing 4-1. 

Looking forward to it. 

Ruben in the middle is practically handing them the win

Something like this maybe plenty of pace out wide  feeding of Giroud

 

                 Kepa
James     Christensen   Zouma   Azp

            Kante        Kova
Cho                Kai            Werner
                   Giroud

16 hours ago, Malta Blue said:

One of the best Chelsea Liverpool matches I can remember

Great comeback and result.?

Match Day.

Come on Chelsea.

MATCH DAY!

For some reason I woke up feeling optimistic about this one, Come on you BLUES!

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

Good to see one optimism about this morning?

15 hours ago, Cone said:

Something like this maybe plenty of pace out wide  feeding of Giroud

 

                 Kepa
James     Christensen   Zouma   Azp

            Kante        Kova
Cho                Kai            Werner
                   Giroud

I like this lineup. Great speed on the wings. 

Would probably go for something like this (with the personnel available). Havertz in for Barkley when we're inevitably losing early in the second half:

 

--------------------------Caballero

James----------Rüdiger---------Zouma-------Azpilicueta

----------------------------Kanté

-----------------Kovacic------------Barkley

-------CHO-------------------------------------Werner

--------------------------Giroud

 

GAMEDAY!!! COME ON CHELS!!!

16 hours ago, Cone said:

Something like this maybe plenty of pace out wide  feeding of Giroud

 

                 Kepa
James     Christensen   Zouma   Azp

            Kante        Kova
Cho                Kai            Werner
                   Giroud

This was exactly what I was thinking. I was disappointed hearing that Pulisic and Chilwell couldn't feature but I think the most important player to return is Kovacic. He'll be key today I believe.