Not sure where we will finish, there is a bigger range of possibilities than usual. To state the obvious its a brand new team. Preseason means less than nothing in terms of results but it does show something about morale (good), system (good for our squad) and the raw talent level (very high). This could all easily come crashing down to earth when the real thing starts. 

Sport belongs to the young, maybe not quite as young as this team, but still.

We haven't yet put our best 11 or the likely Liverpool 11 on the field yet, but maybe Dortmund in H1 is the time to do that.

I don't agree its the worst team in 25 years. As  it turned out the worst team in the last 20 years was last season's team and there are good reasons to think we will do better than that.

Overall my optimism  has gone up over pre season.

My guess is we can finish above United this season, for me always the first ambition. 

43 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

For me, his best position is Lamps esque. CM, arriving late in the box. Not a winger. Not a striker. Not a standard ATM.

You are right - he played deeper for us a handful of times. But not often. Those occasions were also in a team that either was imploding and unbalanced (end of Lamps first period) - or under an ultra conservative, slow sideways backwards game we played under Tuchel.

We never saw him playing the deeper role, in a settled, stable or progressive team that moved the ball forward quickly.

 

He has gone. And we have moved on. But if I could choose between him or Sterling, I know my pick.

I'd honestly choose Sterling any day, Havertz was one of the most indecisive footballers i've seen. Never known a player to sh*t themselves so much once one on one with a keeper or having the inability to make a progressive pass to runners.

Havertz at CM in the Premier League is something I am very much looking forward to see. 

1 hour ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Never known a player to sh*t themselves so much once one on one with a keeper or having the inability to make a progressive pass to runners.

Morata?

1 hour ago, RIP Mourinho said:

I'd honestly choose Sterling any day, Havertz was one of the most indecisive footballers i've seen. Never known a player to sh*t themselves so much once one on one with a keeper or having the inability to make a progressive pass to runners.

I dont disagree that he was frustrating - particularly for 1 on 1s. But I would argue that he should not be the player in that position to get 1 on 1s, and due to where he played for us (i.e mostly up top), he rarely had the chance to make progressive passes to runners.

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Havertz at CM in the Premier League is something I am very much looking forward to see. 

Yep - me to. Time will tell if he will continue being a premier league failure - or prove that it was us that was a failure in using him poorly.

I hope the former - but have a feeling he will do much better and inch towards the latter.

Just now, nonotnowjim said:

Yep - me to. Time will tell if he will continue being a premier league failure - or prove that it was us that was a failure in using him poorly.

I hope the former - but have a feeling he will do much better and inch towards the latter.

Considering Havertz' lethargic pace, inconsistencies and poor ball progression, I just can't see it. I see it as a disaster in both the defensive and attacking transition. 

Screams of Arteta trying to be clever and it'll only be a matter of time until he sharpens up and plays Rice + Partey. 

Quick word of appreciation for the early impact of Pochettino.  Interviews, preparation and preseason have gone well.  Tougher tests ahead, but I am enjoying the structure, discipline, fitness and overall positivity around the team.  Hope he starts 7-8 players on Wed that we can expect to start against Liverpool as we need to start locking that down, but overall a nice first month. 

39 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Quick word of appreciation for the early impact of Pochettino.  Interviews, preparation and preseason have gone well.  Tougher tests ahead, but I am enjoying the structure, discipline, fitness and overall positivity around the team.  Hope he starts 7-8 players on Wed that we can expect to start against Liverpool as we need to start locking that down, but overall a nice first month. 

For all the talk of the uncertainty regarding getting Caicedo done I feel 10 of the lineup vs Liverpool is already pencilled down.

4 hours ago, ozboy said:

Not sure where we will finish, there is a bigger range of possibilities than usual. To state the obvious its a brand new team. Preseason means less than nothing in terms of results but it does show something about morale (good), system (good for our squad) and the raw talent level (very high). This could all easily come crashing down to earth when the real thing starts. 

Sport belongs to the young, maybe not quite as young as this team, but still.

We haven't yet put our best 11 or the likely Liverpool 11 on the field yet, but maybe Dortmund in H1 is the time to do that.

I don't agree its the worst team in 25 years. As  it turned out the worst team in the last 20 years was last season's team and there are good reasons to think we will do better than that.

Overall my optimism  has gone up over pre season.

My guess is we can finish above United this season, for me always the first ambition. 

Agree with this. Just our fitness levels, regardless of anything relating to technique is far and away better than we have been for the last couple of seasons. I am expecting more from the fitness levels as well. Conte (Yr1) for me was the last time the group as a whole was really fit. If we can maintain this level of fitness in Pochettino's system with direct fast attacking football, what's not to like.

Get the remaining players we want, have a good opening half to the season, then wade if for Toney at the turn of the year and kick on.

Interesting video of how Pochettino is shaping the squad up 

 

 

3 hours ago, nonotnowjim said:

Yep - me to. Time will tell if he will continue being a premier league failure - or prove that it was us that was a failure in using him poorly.

I hope the former - but have a feeling he will do much better and inch towards the latter.

Hmm, Kai was horrible playing deeper. 

But he is replacing granit who last seaaon played very high with Zinchenko behind him. 

 

47 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

Hmm, Kai was horrible playing deeper. 

But he is replacing granit who last seaaon played very high with Zinchenko behind him. 

 

Kai playing false 9 for us was a game-changer, it made the opponent's central defenders pretty much obsolete. Mind you his biggest selling point was to play with a lot of space around him, at Leverkusen he was young but able to read the game perfectly and scoring as some kind of a secondary option while constantly running into space. If he can do that in Arsenal he will score goals and if they play a more counter-attacking style it's very much possible for Odegaard and Havertz to be a threat centrally while the main point is to always involve the wingers, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard...

I believe that Arteta is trying to act as if he's Pep, switch some players and play them higher or deeper and make the lineup look unbalanced on paper but still end up winning... But I don't believe he'll manage to do it though, Lampard at some point tried to play 2 number 8's in Havertz and Mount and it didn't work out in that short term. Arsenal would have Rice to cover for everyone else and while it looks like they can score lots of goals it's pretty much an experiment that is bound to fail.

Assuming we don't get Sanchez from Brighton (hope we don't), who plays second fiddle to Kepa this season? Bergstrom? Cumming?

On 28/07/2023 at 16:12, nonotnowjim said:

Not sure what he can achieve....for me, this is the weakest Chelsea squad we have had for 25 years.

Lack of leaders, No world class keeper. Best CB is almost 40. 2 best players (reece and Chilly) are injury prone. Lack of proven spine. 2 senior CMs. 1 Striker  (jackson) who has had half a decent season in his career and another striker (broja) who is just coming back from an ACL. The list goes on....

I said it under Potter, but we have to be realistic. This is a long term project and I cant see us delivering anything much in the short term. Fans need to be patient, and not jump on the team and managers back at the first signs of struggle like we did last year.

The progress has been in who we have got rid of - so small positive steps.

 

I agree we have to be realistic, but "weakest Chelsea squad we have had in 25 years" is very harsh! I think Pochettino will sort alot out this season, including getting the players to gel. The first match will be interesting. Whilst he likes to play attacking, eye-catching football, he will be more concerned at not losing to Liverpool. However, I have no idea how the team will line-up! If I guessed, I think I might get up to 7 places wrong! Anyone dare to say what their current starting XI would be?

7 minutes ago, Mel37 said:

I agree we have to be realistic, but "weakest Chelsea squad we have had in 25 years" is very harsh! I think Pochettino will sort alot out this season, including getting the players to gel. The first match will be interesting. Whilst he likes to play attacking, eye-catching football, he will be more concerned at not losing to Liverpool. However, I have no idea how the team will line-up! If I guessed, I think I might get up to 7 places wrong! Anyone dare to say what their current starting XI would be?

In terms of experience and Premier League experience it is a fair statement. Our average age is 20.8 years.

On 31/07/2023 at 18:14, Argo said:

For all the talk of the uncertainty regarding getting Caicedo done I feel 10 of the lineup vs Liverpool is already pencilled down.

Which 10?

47 minutes ago, Mel37 said:

Which 10?

Kepa, James, Silva, Colwill, Chilwell, Enzo, Sterling, Jackson, Nkunku, Maatsen.

Injury permitting I'd be amazed if it's those ten plus Santos or Caicedo are starting vs Liverpool, at a push maybe Gallagher over Maatsen.

Edited August 2, 20232 yr by Argo

1 hour ago, Mel37 said:

Anyone dare to say what their current starting XI would be?

Opening weekend i'd go for the following assuming no one else is signed

Kepa

James  Silva  Colwill  Chilwell

Enzo  Santos

Nkunku  Chuk  Maatsen

Jackson

Could see Pochettino putting Nkunku as the 9 and haveing Sterling out wide in place of Jackson though. Think that defence/Keeper/pivot would be pretty nailed on though. 

Apparently Liverpool have struggled defensively this preseason and one through ball seems to unlock their midfield/backline. Them converting TAA as an inverted full back now creates an massive opening to exploit. 

8 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Apparently Liverpool have struggled defensively this preseason and one through ball seems to unlock their midfield/backline. Them converting TAA as an inverted full back now creates an massive opening to exploit. 

Mudryk hat trick in the last 30 minutes first game of the season, i'll be there no matter what

3 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Mudryk hat trick in the last 30 minutes first game of the season, i'll be there no matter what

I think an opening day win against Liverpool to end the drought will bring so many spirits high. 

25 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Opening weekend i'd go for the following assuming no one else is signed

Kepa

James  Silva  Colwill  Chilwell

Enzo  Santos

Nkunku  Chuk  Maatsen

Jackson

Could see Pochettino putting Nkunku as the 9 and haveing Sterling out wide in place of Jackson though. Think that defence/Keeper/pivot would be pretty nailed on though. 

Sterling is not the player he was 2 or 3 years ago, far too inconsistent. I think he's more likely gonna be used as an impact sub

1 hour ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Opening weekend i'd go for the following assuming no one else is signed

Kepa

James  Silva  Colwill  Chilwell

Enzo  Santos

Nkunku  Chuk  Maatsen

Jackson

 

Based on what we have seen in pre-season, that is very much the starting XI that deserves to start. 

Can definitely seeing Maatsen starting against Liverpool, and like the look of this team. I also thought Nkunku looked very useful starting in a wider position, with Chukuemeka offering more presence in midfield as the number 10. It would be good if we could squeeze Mudryk into the 11, too (in place of Maatsen). Maybe with Nkunku playing from the right? Although perhaps then we could be a little weak defensively. Still, Mudryk exploiting the gaps left by Trent could be exciting. 

1 hour ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Opening weekend i'd go for the following assuming no one else is signed

Kepa

James  Silva  Colwill  Chilwell

Enzo  Santos

Nkunku  Chuk  Maatsen

Jackson

Could see Pochettino putting Nkunku as the 9 and haveing Sterling out wide in place of Jackson though. Think that defence/Keeper/pivot would be pretty nailed on though.