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

On 21/11/2020 at 19:02, Valerie said:

I would haveh preferred kick off at 17:53, but there you go, the powers that be have spoken.

17:55 does seem quite an arbitrarily specific kick off time as opposed to just making it 6pm. I'm guessing the person who made the decision is German.

23 hours ago, Valerie said:

And don't forget that for some who shall remain nameless (in short: me, me, me ) it's even an hour later compared to the UK! I start yawning by 9 pm 

Glad I'm not the only one on here who's got to stay up that extra hour

Epic win and we are n.1 in the group.

I know this season is almost like a one off, but I really am liking the weekly champions league fixtures. Really speeds up the process and dont have to wait for weeks/months for every fixture

21 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Lampard has confirm Havertz is available for selection but unsure how fit he is after missing two weeks of group training. 

Silva can travel after missing the Newcastle game. Pulisic won't travel as he works to regain match fitness. 

 

                    Mendy

James - Zouma - Rudiger - Chilwell 

                      Kante

               Kovacic - Mount

        Ziyech - Abraham - Werner

 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Give Silva another game to rest to ensure he's fully rested for the Spurs game. Aim to bring Havertz on at around the hour mark, again to make sure he's ready for the Spurs game. The team played well enough at the weekend to not need to chop and change... Try to secure qualification as soon as possible a win against Rennes and a draw against Seville and we're through and we could rest players for the Krasnodar game. 

It’s difficult to disagree with anything you've written  - I think that familiarisation, anticipation and understanding becomes second nature when a set eleven plays together regularly is the key to a team winning championships, so I wouldn't necessarily make many, if any, changes either.

I’d give consideration to playing Dave at left and then right back over the 2 halves, alternating with chilli and James just to give them a bit of a rest and Dave a run out ?

Don’t think it would do any harm to play Silva from the start, but I think that using the 90 minutes to play combinations of Silva/Rudiger & Rudiger/Zouma would be beneficial for confidence, understanding and rest.

Definitely take advantage of the 5 sub rules and use them all and use them early-ish - 60 mins onwards.

Taking nothing for granted but the above assumes that with any combination of the squad we are beating Rennes, as we should if we fancy our chances of progression through the group stages and as winners of the group.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s game the difficulty for me is Havertz ? Admittedly the international breaks and the COVID isolation have broken up his run of games and haven’t helped his assimilation into the team, but of all the new signings, I’m not sure I’ve seen enough from him so far, to warrant automatic selection - I feel he needs more time to grow into the EPL ?

At times he seems in awe of the Premier league, a bit of a rabbit in the head lights ? I think I would start him in this game instead of Kova, with them being swapped at 70 mins, but against them north London c**ts , Kovacic has to start - think that game maybe too fast and furious for Kai at this point in his premiership life and I could see Mourinho targeting him ?

However, I have great hope and expectation for this fella - I think, in time, he will become a star.

 

Edited November 24, 20205 yr by Paddy

5 hours ago, Valerie said:

Did it take longer than usual or were there just more pointless matches than ever? There is just no point to football when it's not Chelsea playing, is there. 

Come on Chelsea, onwards and upwards!

Spot on Valerie ?,bring it on Chels.

3 hours ago, Gol15 said:

Epic win and we are n.1 in the group.

cant you just write 1st ?

It's great that we are n.3 in the PL. Hopefully we will finish top n.4 this season.

6 hours ago, Valerie said:

...................................................... There is just no point to football when it's not Chelsea playing, is there. .........................................................................

Have you not seen the pages and pages of stuff about all the other matches that get televised, soft buggers going on about how great the dippers are and how they are bound to stroll the league again because the only lost 7-2 to Villa, or how Sheffield United deserved Europa League football purely because they were brave and plucky underdogs who ran about a lot and did their very best in circumstances they found extremely challenging.

I honestly believe that a large number of the posters in here are football fans who have an affinity towards Chelsea, with a minority being Chelsea fans and Chelsea only. 

I never watch (or want to watch) any other teams, and I don't have a grudging respect for, of admiration of, any other team whatsoever. (Oh, except I keep an eye out for Bristol Rovers' scores each week for nostalgic reasons).

I am an equal opportunities hater, they are all rubbish, with the exception of a few clubs, who rise to the level of scum.

43 minutes ago, coco said:

cant you just write 1st ?

Sounded more epic in my head at the time lol

Excited to have Kai back in the squad. Would like to see Azpi get some match time and hopefully see Callum from kickoff.

Out of interest, who would you have in your first team, Kovacic or Havertz? With Kai being out, Kovacic has done well and I'd say based on his performances merits a starting place. Personally I would keep Kovacic in the starting line up for a couple of weeks at least, while Kai gets back up to speed. I think we have been pressing better as a team without Havertz and I'm slightly worried he may disrupt the rhythm, despite being one of our best players.

13 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

Out of interest, who would you have in your first team, Kovacic or Havertz? With Kai being out, Kovacic has done well and I'd say based on his performances merits a starting place. Personally I would keep Kovacic in the starting line up for a couple of weeks at least, while Kai gets back up to speed. I think we have been pressing better as a team without Havertz and I'm slightly worried he may disrupt the rhythm, despite being one of our best players.

I'd put Kova on merit. Our schedule is so packed this season that I doubt anyone would have issues about playing time. 

54 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

Out of interest, who would you have in your first team, Kovacic or Havertz?.................................... Havertz and I'm slightly worried he may disrupt the rhythm, despite being one of our best players.

I don't mean to be picky, but either I’ve missed some matches or your over egging the pudding in Kai’s rating department cause whilst there is masses of potential and expectation, some promising early signs, I don’t believe he has done enough to warrant being rated as one of our best players - yet.

I would play him tonight, but not on Sunday.

Good rotation between few players, nice to see Hudson Odoi in the starting lineup.

Let's hope the boys will do the job, COME ON CHELS!!!!

7 hours ago, bluedave said:

17:55 does seem quite an arbitrarily specific kick off time as opposed to just making it 6pm. I'm guessing the person who made the decision is German.

It for TV purposes so they don’t have to move the kick-offs for later games or some sh*te. 
 

8 minutes ago, IliyaKrostin said:

Like it, good to see CHO get a chance with Kante rested. Hopefully we get a good early lead and Lampard realises he’s allowed to make a substitution before the 80th minute and has five of the f**kers to use. He’s very Conte like with his subs. 

CHO has got a big opportunity to show he deserves a spot in the side. He'll really have to be on it tonight. 

CHO getting the start his hard work has earned. He has been playing better and better each time out so I'll be looking forward to seeing him in the squad. Kova and Jorginho in middle so I'd expect Havertz to come on around 60-65' minute for Mount to give him a bit of a break and not have to play a full 90 again. Kante as a emergency sub if Kova or Jorginho have a shocker. Would also like to see Giroud get some quality minutes as well.

We are allowed 5 subs in CL, correct? Feel like that was approved for this season but I'm doubting myself as I think about it further. 

COME ON CHELSEA!!! 

No rest for the wicked, Mount and Werner must be the most wicked of them all lol.

Finally CHO in the starting lineup!

Dont expect anything other than a win, we should be dominating games like this. Excited to see CHO play, and also a massive surprise in MF with Jovacic + Mount. Have those 3 ever played together before in midfield?

Havertz on the bench is good to see, and why is Werner being played on the left? Hope this is just temporary and he goes back down the middle once Pulisic is back

Good thing I just checked here, had no idea the game was an early kick off.

Why is this game being played so early? I thought only the games in eastern europe are played at this time?