Finally thought we had seen the back of the 3atb system, with poch in charge and barely using it in preseason, but oh no it's out in full force again. Really puts a dampener on the excitement for the game. 

Surely the 2 midfielders signed will see this be the last use of it for a while. Mudryk must be scratching his head. 

Anyways, let's hope we get a long over due 3 points here. 

 

bit surprised 

but i also feel that Gallagher deserves another start after last week 

One thing is clear, Poch does not trust that midfield to cover a 4 man defence.

Looks like a set up to ensure we don’t get beat, would rather we were a bit more adventurous, it’s West Ham we are playing after all. 

Just now, rtwelch said:

One thing is clear, Poch does not trust that midfield to cover a 4 man defence.

It was fine in preseason against 3 teams that finished above west ham, who also lost by far there best midfielder.🤷‍♂️

i don't care about the system if the football is good to watch

As others have alluded to, its disappointing. 

Let's see how it plays out. 

8 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

they've not even been here a week. Need to learn what the rest of the players have spent all summer getting accustomed too. I imagine they both feature off the bench.

Possibly. If we are losing though not really the players to come on and turn  a loss in to a win imo. More likely Mudryk, Madueke and co.

Caicedo makes the bench, Lavia and Broja do not.

12 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Pretty uninspiring team, would've liked a back 4 against West Ham. Should be enough to get past these though.

I think that says it. The bench, other than 2/3 players, is also pretty flat. 

Trust Poch is still picking on fitness, form and integration.  Hard to see where the goals are coming from though 

Broja not even fit enough to make the bench again.

Wonder who gets injured today. 

Just now, Sconnie Blue said:

Wonder who gets injured today. 

Really? With Chilwell in the side you have to wonder lmao

Have you noticed we never start new signings under any coach. We always take weeks to integrate and use a slow start. Other teams bounce off new signing excitement 

3 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

I think that says it. The bench, other than 2/3 players, is also pretty flat. 

Trust Poch is still picking on fitness, form and integration.  Hard to see where the goals are coming from though 

Yeah a Madueke with no pre season,  a Mudryk with no goals for Chelsea so far and young Mason  Burstow lol.

 

Disasi is all on you again mate!

 

West hams midfield are going to give ours a rough afternoon,  unless that is Conor Kantegher out there 

2 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Have you noticed we never start new signings under any coach. We always take weeks to integrate and use a slow start. Other teams bounce off new signing excitement 

Not true, 99 times out of 100 players in the same situation as Caicedo and Lavia this week don't start.

Gvardiol didn't start for City against Burnley just after he signed, likewise Kane for Bayern, to name two.

2 matches and the same old back 3 formation... I could understand Poch not wanting to lose the first match at home vs Liverpool so he played it safe but this thing now I just can't understand at all.

The  bench:

 

Bergstrom, Humphreys, Cucurella, Maatsen, Caicedo, Ugochukwu, Mudryk, Madueke, Burstow

 

The positives : 4 Cobham kids and Madueke back. 

Negatives : 2 Dms, 2 left backs and no Lavia or Broja.

a bit negative some responses here

let's just see what happens 

4 minutes ago, Argo said:

Not true, 99 times out of 100 players in the same situation as Caicedo and Lavia this week don't start.

Gvardiol didn't start for City against Burnley just after he signed, likewise Kane for Bayern, to name two.

Don’t cloud my bias with facts 

Uninspiring line up.  Sterling must show in training he's world class, because they isn't anything during the matches he's played so far that would warrant him starting over Madueke or Mudryk.  Let's hope Potch has got some balls and yanks Sterling before half-time if he is stinking the place out and not beating any full backs down the line.

4 minutes ago, azpi28 said:

a bit negative some responses here

let's just see what happens 

This. 

First half is about the players. Second half is about the manager. 

4 minutes ago, azpi28 said:

a bit negative some responses here

let's just see what happens 

Negative response to a negative selection against a side we should not fear.

3 minutes ago, CFCCAN said:

Uninspiring line up.  Sterling must show in training he's world class, because they isn't anything during the matches he's played so far that would warrant him starting over Madueke or Mudryk.  Let's hope Potch has got some balls and yanks Sterling before half-time if he is stinking the place out and not beating any full backs down the line.

You don't sit a player on 350K a week.

1 minute ago, axman2526 said:

Negative response to a negative selection against a side we should not fear.

But they are champions of Europe