1 hour ago, bisright1 said:

For balance. What are the odds he changes the first XI for arsenal for no f**king reason

Will Arsenal play with a high line? Do we want false 9 neto?

Just now, axman2526 said:

Will Arsenal play with a high line? Do we want false 9 neto?

No. Delap+Pedro. Need to match their physicality.

Arsenal have one game plan:

3 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

No. Delap+Pedro. Need to match their physicality.

Arsenal have one game plan:

That would likely mean Garnacho and neto wide, and no Estevao, knowing Marescas ways.

Only Estevao, and Cole Palmer, from us, have what it takes to pry open their defence.

Unless Moises feels like doing another special...

Cant play Fernandez in the middle against Arsenal, he will get dominated, needs to be Caicedo/Santos. We need size to defend their one tactic of lumping it in at set pieces, being physical in the area etc. Delap needs to start, as much to defend set pieces as attack, its something Drogba was outstanding at for us, he used to win so many defensive headers.

As much as I dont usually rate him Neto has to start to rag their defence when they have the ball, Delap can rip in too, but needs to temper it a bit. We need to fight fire with fire in this one, they sit deep without the ball so pace in behind would be wasted. Its going to be attritional, wont be a pretty game at all and any result will be down to mistakes.

I think we may be brought back down to earth on the weekend.

It was a great result, but Barcalona were terrible, easily the worst Barca side ive seen visiting the bridge. they made a side that struggles to create chances look like Prime United under Ferguson. Barca were gash, Arsenal will turn up and probably wont play with 10 men for 60 mins.

Interesting to see whether he goes with an aggressive press against Arsenal. Our best results and performances have come when he has done so.

Arsenal don’t have an array of players with blistering pace so there may be an opportunity to press them hard. Alternatively, with Gabriel out, he may feel keeping it tight and boring may suit us with their biggest set piece threat asset gone.

6 hours ago, dkw said:

Cant play Fernandez in the middle against Arsenal, he will get dominated, needs to be Caicedo/Santos. We need size to defend their one tactic of lumping it in at set pieces, being physical in the area etc. Delap needs to start, as much to defend set pieces as attack, its something Drogba was outstanding at for us, he used to win so many defensive headers.

As much as I dont usually rate him Neto has to start to rag their defence when they have the ball, Delap can rip in too, but needs to temper it a bit. We need to fight fire with fire in this one, they sit deep without the ball so pace in behind would be wasted. Its going to be attritional, wont be a pretty game at all and any result will be down to mistakes.

That is a point but I really hope that doesn't mean Maresca opts to play Badiashille and Tosin. It would be the stuff of nightmares!

19 minutes ago, Nibs said:

That is a point but I really hope that doesn't mean Maresca opts to play Badiashille and Tosin. It would be the stuff of nightmares!

Having played Fofana and Chalobah yesterday and knowing that Maresca has a strong allergy to play defenders in consecutive games, the odds are very high to see those two on Sunday.

It's weird how quiet this forum has been after last night. That was the best game I have been to in a long time, better than the Liverpool win earlier this season. Sure, the red card helped, but we were on top before that moment anyway.

These nights don't come around often and I thought more would be revelling in this great win. This is a good Barca side, they have very good players and we made them look average.

Also I don't get this talk of our team "struggles to create chances". We're one goal away from having scored the most in the league this season (23 scored, City and Arsenal 24). I mean come on, clearly we're creating a decent amount, or we're just really good at finishing off opportunities which I totally don't buy.

We've won 8 out of the last 10 games, including Barcelona, Liverpool and Spurs, scoring 26 goals at 2.6 per game (quick maths). Arsenal have won 9 out of the last ten, with the only "good" side being Spurs at home.

I get the feeling that unless we're winning 5-0 with the most scintillating and intricate football imagineable, nothing will be good enough.

31 minutes ago, Shweaves said:

It's weird how quiet this forum has been after last night. That was the best game I have been to in a long time, better than the Liverpool win earlier this season. Sure, the red card helped, but we were on top before that moment anyway.

These nights don't come around often and I thought more would be revelling in this great win. This is a good Barca side, they have very good players and we made them look average.

Also I don't get this talk of our team "struggles to create chances". We're one goal away from having scored the most in the league this season (23 scored, City and Arsenal 24). I mean come on, clearly we're creating a decent amount, or we're just really good at finishing off opportunities which I totally don't buy.

We've won 8 out of the last 10 games, including Barcelona, Liverpool and Spurs, scoring 26 goals at 2.6 per game (quick maths). Arsenal have won 9 out of the last ten, with the only "good" side being Spurs at home.

I get the feeling that unless we're winning 5-0 with the most scintillating and intricate football imagineable, nothing will be good enough.

Aren't we all just very hungover today?

32 minutes ago, Shweaves said:

It's weird how quiet this forum has been after last night. That was the best game I have been to in a long time, better than the Liverpool win earlier this season. Sure, the red card helped, but we were on top before that moment anyway.

These nights don't come around often and I thought more would be revelling in this great win. This is a good Barca side, they have very good players and we made them look average.

Also I don't get this talk of our team "struggles to create chances". We're one goal away from having scored the most in the league this season (23 scored, City and Arsenal 24). I mean come on, clearly we're creating a decent amount, or we're just really good at finishing off opportunities which I totally don't buy.

We've won 8 out of the last 10 games, including Barcelona, Liverpool and Spurs, scoring 26 goals at 2.6 per game (quick maths). Arsenal have won 9 out of the last ten, with the only "good" side being Spurs at home.

I get the feeling that unless we're winning 5-0 with the most scintillating and intricate football imagineable, nothing will be good enough.

We can praise the good things and be critical of the bad decisions at the same time.

32 minutes ago, Deino said:

We can praise the good things and be critical of the bad decisions at the same time.

Apparently not, we can only to praise Maresca, independently of how sh*t and boring the season ha been except for a couple of games.

10 minutes ago, RMH said:

Apparently not, we can only to praise Maresca, independently of how sh*t and boring the season ha been except for a couple of games.

This is what I don't get. It's not been sh*t, we're 8 wins out of the last 10, with 26 goals scored in those games. That isn't sh*t. Your expectations are too high...

If this was Chelsea from 2021, 2017, 2015 or before then I understand. If you judge it on the last 4 years, then we're playing pretty well. Still lots of room to improve but the curve is heading upwards. I just find it weird that there is little optimism.

I am optimistic we can beat Arsenal yet we cannot be complacent.

The Gusto inclusion is interesting and I can't quite work out yet we are winning so I don't criticise.

I also wonder if we still had Gallagher whether he would he play this role.

It seems to me he is being played to hold back one of their players possibly to give Reece James more time to make those passes and also for Gusto to win the ball high up the pitch.

What do others think?

16 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Will Arsenal play with a high line? Do we want false 9 neto?

They play the highest defensive line in the league.

2 hours ago, Shweaves said:

It's weird how quiet this forum has been after last night. That was the best game I have been to in a long time, better than the Liverpool win earlier this season. Sure, the red card helped, but we were on top before that moment anyway.

These nights don't come around often and I thought more would be revelling in this great win. This is a good Barca side, they have very good players and we made them look average.

Also I don't get this talk of our team "struggles to create chances". We're one goal away from having scored the most in the league this season (23 scored, City and Arsenal 24). I mean come on, clearly we're creating a decent amount, or we're just really good at finishing off opportunities which I totally don't buy.

We've won 8 out of the last 10 games, including Barcelona, Liverpool and Spurs, scoring 26 goals at 2.6 per game (quick maths). Arsenal have won 9 out of the last ten, with the only "good" side being Spurs at home.

I get the feeling that unless we're winning 5-0 with the most scintillating and intricate football imagineable, nothing will be good enough.

I don't want to say anything rash until after the Arsenal game ! 😂

Maresca got it right yesterday. As one of his former strong supporters, I'd even go as far as to say he gets right more often than not, hence our good league position.

But, he doesn't get it right enough to manage a top team, a team aspiring to actually compete for a league title. Unfortunately he does not look like he sees a need to change or improve, and continues headstrong while relying on the odd fantastic result. We know this because he has repeatedly, openly stated that he wants the team to play slow football because he believes it to be the best way of controlling matches.

11 hours ago, dkw said:

Cant play Fernandez in the middle against Arsenal, he will get dominated, needs to be Caicedo/Santos. We need size to defend their one tactic of lumping it in at set pieces, being physical in the area etc. Delap needs to start, as much to defend set pieces as attack, its something Drogba was outstanding at for us, he used to win so many defensive headers.

As much as I dont usually rate him Neto has to start to rag their defence when they have the ball, Delap can rip in too, but needs to temper it a bit. We need to fight fire with fire in this one, they sit deep without the ball so pace in behind would be wasted. Its going to be attritional, wont be a pretty game at all and any result will be down to mistakes.

So Santos and Caicedo behind Estevao, Neto, delap and who for you dkw?

2 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

They play the highest defensive line in the league.

Fair enough, don't watch them so don't know. You want Maresca to go with the same 11 as yesterday then?

Arne Slot has now lost more games in all competitions than Maresca over their entire stints despite coaching 7 games less.

Edited November 26, 2025Nov 26 by Jezz

7 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Fair enough, don't watch them so don't know. You want Maresca to go with the same 11 as yesterday then?

RJ at RB and Santos in the middle

On 25/11/2025 at 23:16, bisright1 said:

For balance. What are the odds he changes the first XI for arsenal for no f**king reason

His substitutions when the game was wrapped up is a clue to his thinking. Have a sneaky feeling he will go with James & Caicedo in the middle, but needs to be Santos & Caicedo with James at RB. Estevao unfortunately drops to the bench, with Neto at RW & Enzo in the “10”.

Having Santos on the bench, I'm not entirely sure why Maresca plays James in midfield and Gusto at RB when it could easily be Santos in midfield alongside Caicedo and James at RB, which is his best position. Wouldn't that be a stronger option than what Maresca does? Even though it worked well against Barca, wouldn't have worked better with Santos as MF and James at RB?

I’m actually more confident in Maresca getting us a result against Arsenal than I am against Leeds/Bournemouth.

2 hours ago, RMH said:

Having Santos on the bench, I'm not entirely sure why Maresca plays James in midfield and Gusto at RB when it could easily be Santos in midfield alongside Caicedo and James at RB, which is his best position. Wouldn't that be a stronger option than what Maresca does? Even though it worked well against Barca, wouldn't have worked better with Santos as MF and James at RB?

Think 99% of CFC supporters would play James at RB and have Santos in midfield alongside Caicedo.

Now and again you get why Maresca plays Gusto. Obviously giving James a rest helps and then the final v PSG where it worked well and he does have plenty of energy to get up and down the pitch but for me, Gusto would not start in any "big" game unless it was at RB and James was injured / suspended.

Edited November 27, 2025Nov 27 by Nibs