28 minutes ago, erskblue said:

Match Day !

Come On Chelsea !!

The match is tomorrow, @erskblue  All @coco's work is like casting pearls before swine 

Just now, Valerie said:

The match is tomorrow, @erskblue  All @coco's work is like casting pearls before swine 

Oh so it is...

This coffee is strong this morning!!?

He says quickly for an excuse...?

10 hours ago, chi blue said:

At least us fans haven’t got to travel all the way up on a Thursday night, remember being up there when they knocked us out in 2008! Bloody long trip home

That was a horrible game, made worse that I had a massive hang over and the journey was horrendous. We absolutely battered them for ages but couldnt score then they break, one good cross and a goal. I still have no idea how we didnt score in the last 10/15 minutes as we the ball was basically in their box the entire time. 

7 minutes ago, dkw said:

That was a horrible game, made worse that I had a massive hang over and the journey was horrendous. We absolutely battered them for ages but couldnt score then they break, one good cross and a goal. I still have no idea how we didnt score in the last 10/15 minutes as we the ball was basically in their box the entire time. 

remember getting back on the coaches and being told children to sit away from the windows, and driving back out of Barnsley in a convoy, and the whole bloody town was out on the doorsteps of their  horrible little pokey Northern terrace houses, waving flags and giving abuse, it was  a coach journey to Doncaster to pick up the Chelsea train back to Kings Cross, I got home back to Chichester about 3am, then up at 8am for my lads Sunday morning football and a load of piss taking from the young lads and their  parents, my two boys fired back with at least we were there and not watching in our armchairs, at that moment though the armchair seemed a better bet!

52 minutes ago, chi blue said:

remember getting back on the coaches and being told children to sit away from the windows, and driving back out of Barnsley in a convoy, and the whole bloody town was out on the doorsteps of their  horrible little pokey Northern terrace houses, waving flags and giving abuse, it was  a coach journey to Doncaster to pick up the Chelsea train back to Kings Cross, I got home back to Chichester about 3am, then up at 8am for my lads Sunday morning football and a load of piss taking from the young lads and their  parents, my two boys fired back with at least we were there and not watching in our armchairs, at that moment though the armchair seemed a better bet!

Great story mate. Children being told to sit away from windows - disgusting! I remember the area being a dump when I went there all those years ago. I remember a night game away at Wigan when I was a young teenager (cup game, can't remember what exactly) and I got home about 5am. Had some cereal and toast, a cup of tea, did my paper round and then went to school. No armchair options on the agenda. By lunch time I wanted to go home and sleep for England. I was a football zombie!

I was at Barnsley for the 1989 FA Cup game when we got a 4 nil hiding. My strongest memory of that day was on the way home, in slow moving traffic out of the town, some young lads were giving the Chelsea fans in their cars some light hearted grief and suddenly, the gold Ford Cortina in front of us stopped and all four door swung open. The young lads on the pavement sh*t themselves and I remember them getting jammed in the doorway as they all tried to get into a newsagents to escape. I remember the guys getting back into their car laughing and waving at me and my dad.

So Barnsley have had us over a couple of times in the FA cup at Oakwell and on both occasions, we were very much the favourites. The lack of fans tomorrow won't help them pull off another upset though.

This is the game I'm hoping we see that tactical flexibility of Thomas we've heard so much about.

4231 stick Billy in the pivot with Kante. Have Kai, Hakim and Christian play in front. Full backs give Chilly B and James a run. Cb Toni and Andreas and have Tammy lead up top.

Keep the squad nice and fresh although tbf Emerson is probably due some minutes too. Gk this is the one I dread its going to have to be Kepa he's in the shop window so he has to play.

Kepa

James Zouma Christensen Alonso

Kante Gilmour

CHO Havertz Ziyech

Abraham 

Edited February 10, 20215 yr by doctorblue

Whoever is picked is all about attitude. We had the right attitude when we hosted them in the league cup, we need it again. 

This is our best chance for a trophy. Yes to win it we likely have to beat city but in a one off game it can happen.

1 hour ago, doctorblue said:

Kepa

James Zouma Christensen Alonso

Kante Gilmour

CHO Havertz Ziyech

Abraham 

I would agree with all those except giving CHO a rest and Pulisic in. It is impossible to guess the formation with Tuchel, that's not a bad thing.

19 hours ago, chi blue said:

At least us fans haven’t got to travel all the way up on a Thursday night, remember being up there when they knocked us out in 2008! Bloody long trip home

We had a pretty decent line up that day as well ... Cudicini, Belletti, Terry, Carvalho, Bridge, Essien, Ballack, Malouda, Wright-Phillips, Anelka, Joe Cole !!!

2 hours ago, doctorblue said:

Kepa

James Zouma Christensen Alonso

Kante Gilmour

CHO Havertz Ziyech

Abraham 

I wouldn’t play Alonso at left back even if we were playing the Barnsley Senior Blind Team. I don’t think he even cope with the pace of walking football!

Tommy T has confirmed a fair bit of rotation but only stated starts for Ziyech and Kante for sure.

I would guess that means regular starters under him will get a break as he talked about others deserving the chance to play.

 

Maybe it will be something like

 

Kepa

 

James

Christensen

Zouma

Emerson

 

Gilmour 

Kante

 

Ziyech

Havertz

Pulisic

 

Abraham

Edited February 10, 20215 yr by axman2526

Dunno if we should persist with the 3-4-2-1 for this game. But we should definitely look to rest a few players. Anyway 

i would go with 

Kepa 

zouma christensen rudiger 

CHO kante kova Emerson 

ziyech Abraham pulisic 

Match Day ??

Come on Chelsea!?

41 minutes ago, erskblue said:

Match Day ??

Come on Chelsea!?

LOL I just thought to nudge you, but you beat me to it.

Prediction time...oh dear 

I predict: It is matchday. ?

Barnsley 1 - Chelsea 4 (own goal by Kepa, Havertz, Zouma, Ziyech x2)

4-2-3-1

Kepando Torres, Reece, ZoomZoom, Christensen, Emerson, BillyG, Kante, Pulisic, Havertz, Ziyech, TammyA

Werner is definitely out with his dead leg but should be back for the next league match

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

1-0 to Barnsley, will be to cold up there for our lot

I completely forgot we played them in the Carabao Cup I just can't get enthused by football in an empty stadium Oakwell would have been rocking tonight.

Yeah it would have been great to go to Barnsley today, pub, grub, banter. Damn I miss it all so much.

Doubt it will be as easy as last time, I reckon 3 - 1 or 2 - 1 to us.

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

Yeah it would have been great to go to Barnsley today, pub, grub, banter. Damn I miss it all so much.

Doubt it will be as easy as last time, I reckon 3 - 1 or 2 - 1 to us.

Who said the magic of the FA cup is finished a weakened Burnley vs Bournemouth in an empty stadium they'll write books about that game ?

On 10/02/2021 at 10:42, Snedger said:

I was at Barnsley for the 1989 FA Cup game when we got a 4 nil hiding. My strongest memory of that day was on the way home, in slow moving traffic out of the town, some young lads were giving the Chelsea fans in their cars some light hearted grief and suddenly, the gold Ford Cortina in front of us stopped and all four door swung open. The young lads on the pavement sh*t themselves and I remember them getting jammed in the doorway as they all tried to get into a newsagents to escape. I remember the guys getting back into their car laughing and waving at me and my dad.

So Barnsley have had us over a couple of times in the FA cup at Oakwell and on both occasions, we were very much the favourites. The lack of fans tomorrow won't help them pull off another upset though.

I was there. Definitely a day to forget.

Have to work late this evening so I'll probably watch this thread in all its gloomy glory if we're not at least 2 up at halftime. If I can take all the negativity that is.