EARLY KO

Creating a diversion from the West Ham match, clever 

Need to top the group so play a strong side, we will suffer in the league regardless as it is what festive Chelsea do.

                             Kepa

            Azpi       Christensen    Sarr

James           Jorginho     RLC           Saul

         Pulisic     Lukaku          CHO

Kepa

 

Dave

AC

Sarr

 

Pulisic

James

RLC

CHO

 

Ziyech 

Lukaku

Werner

 

Need a midfield enforcer, time to release beast James.

While we need to win this game to be sure of winning out group, we have to balance that with the risk of losing further players to injury. As a result I would rest any players who are still coming back from injury or struggling with knocks (e.g. Reece, Jorginho). If Rom is fit enough he should get the start for sure. While it would be great to win this one, the Leeds game on Saturday is far more important.

Thinking over this one again I think we should play the front 3 we want to start against Leeds, give them time together for this, Leeds and Everton. See how they do rather than chop and change.

So whoever the boss wants to use please stick with them. I assume it will be Mount, Lukaku and one other, arguably CHO or Ziyech is the best of bunch.

Need to pick up form again.

kepa 

azbi Christensen rudi 

james jorginho loftus cheek alonso 

mount lukaku werner 

1 minute ago, Jezq8 said:

Need to pick up form again.

kepa 

azbi Christensen rudi 

james jorginho loftus cheek CHO

mount lukaku werner 

 

Why is everyone pushing for Kepa? Just a reminder, this is a 90 minute game, not a penalty shootout.

On 04/12/2021 at 14:15, coco said:

EARLY KO

14 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

1 hour ago, wizardous said:

Why is everyone pushing for Kepa? Just a reminder, this is a 90 minute game, not a penalty shootout.

Kepa has done OK when called upon recently in the league cup. I wouldn't drop Mendy but I would consider giving him a rest in this game.

43 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

25 minutes ago, forbzy said:

Kepa has done OK when called upon recently in the league cup. I wouldn't drop Mendy but I would consider giving him a rest in this game.

I’d give Kepa a game to help keep him happy and to give Mendy a day off (leave him at home - take the third choice and a youth GK). It’s not the end of the world really if we don’t win.

Zenit were dirty little f**kers in the other leg so letting a few key players sit out as protection right now isn’t a bad thing either. 

No point taking any risks, I'd go with something like

Kepa

Azpi Christensen  Sarr

CHO Barkley Saul  Groundsman1 ( or lucnstaff1)

Ziyech Lukaku Werner

If we drop the game, so be it, but can't afford another injury

Rotate with the Leeds game in mind, if this lot can’t be beat then maybe don’t deserve top place, CL KO never easy top seeded opposition or not. 
Rom needs game time, Silva, Jorginho, Alonso & Mendy could do with a rest. 

1 hour ago, forbzy said:

Kepa has done OK when called upon recently in the league cup. I wouldn't drop Mendy but I would consider giving him a rest in this game.

Maybe I'm being harsh but I really don't want to see him in a Chelsea shirt ever again. Would prefer Bettinelli if Mendy gets a day off, although that's unlikely to say the least.

I wonder if TT would consider using Werner at wingback given he has already used CHO and Pulisic there this season?

4 hours ago, axman2526 said:

I wonder if TT would consider using Werner at wingback given he has already used CHO and Pulisic there this season?

I think it will be Saul at LWB. TT has already hinted at that. Probably last chance saloon for Saul as he failed to impress in midfield.

34 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I think it will be Saul at LWB. TT has already hinted at that. Probably last chance saloon for Saul as he failed to impress in midfield.

WOuldnt be a bad idea, wasn't him playing on the left MF for Atletico? Although LWB is a bit different, at this stage we'd try anything for a game like this.

8 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

No point taking any risks, I'd go with something like

Kepa

Azpi Christensen  Sarr

CHO Barkley Saul  Groundsman1 ( or lucnstaff1)

Ziyech Lukaku Werner

If we drop the game, so be it, but can't afford another injury

That would be our staff, right, not borrowing a Russian one? Just checking...

The weekend result has complicated this a little. Previously the priority in terms of picking a starting XI would have been rotation and playing squad members into match fitness. Now, a bad result (even if its actual impact is relatively minor) starts to look and feel like a slump, and we know from our own experience that these things create their own momentum.

At the same time, we don't want to put any further stress on an already creaking squad which, lest we forget, is missing its two first-choice left-backs and four of its five competent centre mids (plus the only fit one has played 270 minutes in 7 days). Our current options are terrifyingly limited.

On that note, there are a few players who have recently looked rusty that I think it is important to play back into fitness/form. The primary is Lukaku, however I think we are going to start needing Azpilicueta and (to a lesser extent) Werner to start contributing again. All of these should start. Conversely, Silva and Loftus-Cheek should be rested if at all possible after having started multiple successive games. Tuchel will know best whether to give Mendy a breather or to show faith in response to his wobble versus West Ham (although the reaction here has been ludicrously overblown).

The decision at left wing-back is relatively simple. Chilwell and Alonso are not available, and frankly I think our sheer lack of numbers in midfield means that we are going to need Saúl in the centre. Therefore, whichever of Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic is preferred by Tuchel starts there (in my opinion the former).

I would probably repeat what we did in the second half against Watford in order to mitigate against the weakness/unsuitability of the personnel. A midfield three (including Mount) means we are automatically pushed to a front two, which should suit both Lukaku and Werner as an added benefit.

And yes, I did have to check that Ross Barkley was actually in the Champions' League squad.

 

------------------------------------Mendy

--------------Azpilicueta-----Christensen----Rüdiger

James-----------------------------Saúl -------------------Hudson-Odoi

------------------------Barkley-------------Mount

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------Lukaku-----------Werner

 

18 hours ago, wizardous said:

Maybe I'm being harsh but I really don't want to see him in a Chelsea shirt ever again. Would prefer Bettinelli if Mendy gets a day off, although that's unlikely to say the least.

He's turned into a decent enough cup keeper I'll give him that but the fact there's people that still think he deserves another chance at number 1 is mindblowing.

We should win the group and avoid facing Bayern, Man City, Liverpool and Man United. Bigger chances to get Villareal, Barcelona, Sporting or Porto and not PSG.

Still not sure if Real Madrid or Inter will top their group but either one if fine with me, same with the group that has Lille, Red Bull and Sevilla.