1 minute ago, Sindre said:

Getting a bit much with the Lukaku hate isn't it Argo.

He's not excactly our worst player. There hasn't been any other forwards better than him lately either so perhaps tune it down a bit? 

He's got two goals in our last three Premier League matches. And won us the points in those two games that he scored.

The other forwards a) get held to account when they play sh*t b) put a shift in and c) don't run their mouth about not wanting to be here while we were in our best form of the season. We're talking about a guy who leaked his United teammates confidential fitness records.

Also 2 in 3 isn't enough. Given the way he butchers the style of play, his price tag, gets 90 minutes unconditionally every week and thinks he's as good as Lewa, Benzema, Kane and Suarez 1 a game is minimum requirement. Time he gets held to the standards he sets for himself.

10 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

Hopefully he’s reading my motivational speech 😄

That is actually what Tuchel said to himself, verbatum. 🤣

Come on Chelsea!!

28 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

Please clarify - Lukaku or Ziyech?

Both

Edited January 18, 20224 yr by The Rising Sun

That is honestly as good a lineup as we could realistically have expected, even not knowing what formation we're playing.

Some impossible decisions for Tuchel to have to make. There are a lot of very conflicting considerations:

- Kanté shouldn't start considering he played 90 minutes against Man City and we have Tottenham at the weekend. Ditto Thiago Silva;
- Alonso as a direct opponent for Lamptey is problematic; he and Azpilicueta ideally shouldn't play three times in eight days as wing-backs;
- We have no fit natural alternatives at wing-back;
- We have no natural left-backs for a back four;
- You can't play a midfield two of Jorginho/Saúl and Kovačić/Loftus-Cheek in front of a back four;
- Lukaku needs playing into form. Ideally this would be alongside someone to allow him to drift to the right, but that mitigates against any wide threat.

(etc...)

There is no starting XI that Tuchel could choose with the players at his disposal which would completely satisfy.

I dare say it is some sort of 4-4-1-1, which should be interesting to watch. Hudson-Odoi and Ziyech both naturally stay high and wide when on the flanks, which off the ball will protect against Cucurella and Lamptey. This also opens up the pitch for Mount and Kanté, our two best players at exploiting and understanding space. I would expect Alonso and Azpilicueta to drift centrally when we are in possession.

I'm still not sure what to expect, but after seeing the lineup I am less pessimistic than I have been throughout the day.

12 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

I’d definitely play Lukaku, he’s obviously a top player proven by history, he hasn’t overnight become terrible, we’re half way through the season I can’t justify dropping our only striker, a supposed top striker at that, after such a short period of time where he’s been injured for a solid chunk of it 

Your hate for Lukaku won’t help the club nor the team. Sometime I think you would like to see the team lose so that you can say: It’s because of Lukaku. 

 

We need another transfer embargo.

Our lunatic spending when it was lifted has been a disaster really

1 minute ago, Hall said:

Your hate for Lukaku won’t help the club nor the team.

Nor will you blaming everyone else for his inability to control a football.

He's set the standard himself, those lot don't need world class service to score and perform so if he belongs with that group (his words) then neither should he.

 

It better be an entertaining game, I’m already struggling to keep my eyes open!

Do we have any decent youth players? Rather give own or two of them a go. I don't like Tamptey vs Alonslow. Errgghh!!! Another ex Chelsea player who will look amazing against us. 

Edited January 18, 20224 yr by enigma

For every fart Lukaku do, even if it was old news he always bad for you because you don’t like him from the start. @ Argo

 we getting no were here. You need to support your team.

4 minutes ago, Argo said:

Nor will you blaming everyone else for his inability to control a football.

He's set the standard himself, those lot don't need world class service to score and perform so if he belongs with that group (his words) then neither should he.

 

His PL record in sh*te teams is pretty damn good, he scored 25 goals in his last season at Everton. Overall he's been a great scorer, except at Utd where he was more average.

Just now, Munkworth said:

It better be an entertaining game, I’m already struggling to keep my eyes open!

Same here, plus I've been shivering all day, can't wait to get myself to bed 

4 minutes ago, enigma said:

Do we have any decent youth players? Rather give own or two of them a go. I don't like Tamptey vs Alonslow. Errgghh!!! 

Most of our decent youth options are on loan to other clubs. I am surprised that the club hasn't brought back either Colwill or Maatsen.

No Bissouma for them is a huge loss. Their best player by a country mile as he showed 3 weeks ago.

Quote

Timo Werner can’t understand why Chelsea fans support him

https://metro.co.uk/2022/01/18/timo-werner-cant-understand-why-chelsea-fans-support-him-despite-lack-of-goals-15941777/?fbclid=IwAR1mke-EfhT95IPpB8zWeoJ0QkAwgpIl4wwLc-sJN5BGVUzEEdGxrXEKkQc

4 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Same here, plus I've been shivering all day, can't wait to get myself to bed 

Let’s hope ice cream isn’t required then! If it wasn’t on BT Sport I could watch it in bed! f**king BT!

14 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

We need another transfer embargo.

Our lunatic spending when it was lifted has been a disaster really

Ultimately I think that is a big part of the reason why we have so much turnover of managers. We have no Director of Football to ensure we develop a strategy for the team and style of play, using that to determine who to sign. 

3 minutes ago, sonic90 said:

His PL record in sh*te teams is pretty damn good, he scored 25 goals in his last season at Everton. Overall he's been a great scorer, except at Utd where he was more average.

He has the ego of CR7 and ranks himself with the worlds best forwards.

Stat padding against fodder isn't even minimum requirement. The strikers he thinks he's on par with would tear this fixture a new one 9 times out of 10, time to put his money where his mouth is.

2 minutes ago, coco said:

https://metro.co.uk/2022/01/18/timo-werner-cant-understand-why-chelsea-fans-support-him-despite-lack-of-goals-15941777/?fbclid=IwAR1mke-EfhT95IPpB8zWeoJ0QkAwgpIl4wwLc-sJN5BGVUzEEdGxrXEKkQc

He answered his own question…

Quote

‘But when I miss chances or have hard times I try to give my best every game, and 100 per cent to make sure the team are happy.’

 

4 minutes ago, just said:

No Bissouma for them is a huge loss. Their best player by a country mile as he showed 3 weeks ago.

But that is balanced out by us starting Ziyech.

 

Edited January 18, 20224 yr by Nibs

Just now, Nibs said:

But that is balanced out by us starting Ziyech.

 

Hopefully we’re back to the full seven Kante brothers though. 

Well Lamptey is going to roast Alonso, and Ziyech keeps his place over Kova, wt actually f**k

Oh for f**k's sake not Martin Keown

8 minutes ago, Hall said:

we getting no were here. You need to support your team.

Like you support Ziyech, CHO, Silva and every other player you've (either directly or indirectly) blamed for Lukaku's ineptitude.

Hypocrite.