7 at night on a Sunday? 

 

 

Putting this up ready for when the Conference league game is done.

Forget their poor away form so far this season. United are bloomin terrible and yet we still could not win at OT, and our record vs Brentford is appalling as well.

Why I said before this is going to be our toughest test to date. Our home form is not good, 12th best in the league, and they also score lots of goals. So a win here really would be huge imo.

 

No Neto for this, banned for his 5th yellow vs Spurs. 

Any idea why the game is at 19?

This is maybe the first time I am seiing a game played so late on a Sunday.

29 minutes ago, Ledgerson said:

Any idea why the game is at 19?

This is maybe the first time I am seiing a game played so late on a Sunday.

I think that it is because of our 11h trip to Almaty on Thursday.

1 hour ago, Ledgerson said:

Any idea why the game is at 19?

This is maybe the first time I am seiing a game played so late on a Sunday.

Give some of the lads and manager a break, we travel to Kazakhstan then back again. Barely enough time to work on in-game tactics 

10 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Forget their poor away form so far this season. United are bloomin terrible and yet we still could not win at OT, and our record vs Brentford is appalling as well.

Why I said before this is going to be our toughest test to date. Our home form is not good, 12th best in the league, and they also score lots of goals. So a win here really would be huge imo.

 

No Neto for this, banned for his 5th yellow vs Spurs. 

Yep, we've never beaten Brentford. 

53 minutes ago, Deino said:

Yep, we've never beaten Brentford. 

We've beaten them once at all in the league since they got promoted - the Mendy game in October 2021. 

Our home record in the league against them is three consecutive defeats without scoring in the last two. I knew they were something of a bogey team but didn't realise it had become this bad. 

Quite an unfortunate set of consecutive away fixtures for Brentford to be fair, I'd expect their record to improve once they get into the much easier games in 2025:

 

23 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

We've beaten them once at all in the league since they got promoted - the Mendy game in October 2021. 

Our home record in the league against them is three consecutive defeats without scoring in the last two. I knew they were something of a bogey team but didn't realise it had become this bad. 

Quite an unfortunate set of consecutive away fixtures for Brentford to be fair, I'd expect their record to improve once they get into the much easier games in 2025:

 

Was that in the league? I thought we beat them in the cup? Either way, we've performed awful against them. The worst of it that I can remember was an Mbeumo goal.

1 hour ago, Deino said:

Was that in the league? I thought we beat them in the cup? Either way, we've performed awful against them. The worst of it that I can remember was an Mbeumo goal.

Why I said this a huge game and test, regardless of their away form so far.

This would be a bigger statement win, imo, than Spurs. Every Chelsea manager beats Spurs, but they basically have all failed to bear Brentford.

Big feather in the cap of Maresca if he can pull it off. Brentford are a very good team.

1 hour ago, Deino said:

Was that in the league? I thought we beat them in the cup? Either way, we've performed awful against them. The worst of it that I can remember was an Mbeumo goal.

Both:

We beat them 1-0 in the league in October (the Mendy game):
https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1549611/Live/England-Premier-League-2021-2022-Brentford-Chelsea

Then a late 2-0 win in the League Cup in December (the game all the kids started):
https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1601419/Live/England-League-Cup-2021-2022-Brentford-Chelsea

We haven't beaten them in the three years since (two away draws, three home defeats - F1 A8). 

Regardless if the whole 11 picked for this game do not make that long trip for Thursday it does affect Maresca and the coaches.

 

Brentford are strong, physical and fast, and work their socks off.

With no Neto and Enzos up turn in form I would like to see us go with:

 

Jorgensen

 

Gusto

Disasi

Colwill

Cucurella

 

Caicedo

Lavia

 

Palmer

Enzo

Sancho

 

Nkunku

 

Realistically though Maresca wants Colwill as the CCB, which means with this line up Gusto inverts, which is a killer to us as he is useless in the final third, whereas Cucurella is very good there.

So more likely I expect something like this:

 

Sanchez

 

Gusto

Colwill

Badiashile 

 

Caicedo

Lavia

 

Palmer

Enzo

Sancho

Cucurella

 

Jackson

 

Unless Lavia is ruled out I just dont see how you drop any of the midfield 3, they are so good and we need both physical monsters to deal with Brentford, and we also need Enzos invention.

We also need Cucu and Gusto to deal with Mbemuo and Wissa. Don't want to see Caicedo at RB for this one.

Edited December 10, 20241 yr by axman2526

12 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Regardless if the whole 11 picked for this game do not make that long trip for Thursday it does affect Maresca and the coaches.

 

Brentford are strong, physical and fast, and work their socks off.

With no Neto and Enzos up turn in form I would like to see us go with:

 

Jorgensen

 

Gusto

Disasi

Colwill

Cucurella

 

Caicedo

Lavia

 

Palmer

Enzo

Sancho

 

Nkunku

 

Realistically though Maresca wants Colwill as the CCB, which means with this line up Gusto inverts, which is a killer to us as he is useless in the final third, whereas Cucurella is very good there.

So more likely I expect something like this:

 

Sanchez

 

Gusto

Colwill

Badiashile 

 

Caicedo

Lavia

 

Palmer

Enzo

Sancho

Cucurella

 

Jackson

 

Unless Lavia is ruled out I just dont see how you drop any of the midfield 3, they are so good and we need both physical monsters to deal with Brentford, and we also need Enzos invention.

We also need Cucu and Gusto to deal with Mbemuo and Wissa. Don't want to see Caicedo at RB for this one.

They are leaking goals for fun this season. They often have Lewis-Potter (who is a winger by trade) playing as LB/LWB and his main strengths is going forward. We have to play Madueke and have a direct winger on that side. Madueke for these games is perfect. He also performed really well on his last start too so he deserves a start here. Defo would have him on team sheet.

8 hours ago, STATS said:

They are leaking goals for fun this season. They often have Lewis-Potter (who is a winger by trade) playing as LB/LWB and his main strengths is going forward. We have to play Madueke and have a direct winger on that side. Madueke for these games is perfect. He also performed really well on his last start too so he deserves a start here. Defo would have him on team sheet.

Leaves the issue of dropping one of Enzo, Lavia and Caicedo then.

15 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Leaves the issue of dropping one of Enzo, Lavia and Caicedo then.

Not at all. Could utilize the same tactic that worked so well against Villa. 

 

I think I read even Felix is staying back so the only real senior player traveling to Astana is Nkunku. 

On 10/12/2024 at 10:59, Ledgerson said:

Any idea why the game is at 19?

This is maybe the first time I am seiing a game played so late on a Sunday.

Beeb:

 

The Premier League has allowed Chelsea to have a late kick-off time on Sunday because of the trip, which is why the Brentford game will kick off at 19:00 GMT.

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 20241 yr by Simplymo

On 10/12/2024 at 02:24, axman2526 said:

Forget their poor away form so far this season. United are bloomin terrible and yet we still could not win at OT, and our record vs Brentford is appalling as well.

Why I said before this is going to be our toughest test to date. Our home form is not good, 12th best in the league, and they also score lots of goals. So a win here really would be huge imo.

 

No Neto for this, banned for his 5th yellow vs Spurs. 

Brentford are a bit rubbish away from home, so hopefully it balances out.. 🙂 

Always feel this is the closest they have to a home match.

I do expect us to win though you can never rule out a nasty surprise.

1 hour ago, Simplymo said:

Beeb:

 

The Premier League has allowed Chelsea to have a late kick-off time on Sunday because of the trip, which is why the Brentford game will kick off at 19:00 GMT.

 

 

 

Uefa should have moved the Astana game to Wednesday given the long flight back and forth we go through.

Then this game could have been on a normal, 13:30 slot rather than late at night when people who go to the game have work the next day.

2 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Not at all. Could utilize the same tactic that worked so well against Villa. 

Yes we could, but that would mean Cucurella stays back as the 3rd defender, which, for me, limits us as he links up very well with Enzo and Sancho. Also limits Caicedos influence imo.

Would also mean Mbemuo and Wissa can attack our right side with the space Caicedo vacated. I don't like that prospect.

Even though we were away against Tottenham and went 2-0 down in 10 minutes, I still think this is a tougher game.

Not looking forward to this. They are our bogey team.

sanzhez

gusto badi colwill cucurella 

caicedo Enzo 

madueke palmer sancho 

jackson 

Going to need both Caicedo and Lavia here. Especially Lavia to help Cucurella with Mbeumo. 

Brentford are going to force us to go centrally which is why I can see Felix getting the nod here. 

 

Sanchez

 Colwill Badiashile Cucurella

Caicedo Lavia

Madueke    Palmer  Enzo   Felix

Jackson

49 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Even though we were away against Tottenham and went 2-0 down in 10 minutes, I still think this is a tougher game.

Agreed, said that even before we played Spurs.

44 minutes ago, Jezq8 said:

Not looking forward to this. They are our bogey team.

Yeah the nerves kicked in for me already on Tuesday. First time I have felt nervous about the team all year as we are actually doing well and Brentford just love to knock us off our stride.

26 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Going to need both Caicedo and Lavia here. Especially Lavia to help Cucurella with Mbeumo. 

Brentford are going to force us to go centrally which is why I can see Felix getting the nod here. 

 

Sanchez

 Colwill Badiashile Cucurella

Caicedo Lavia

Madueke    Palmer  Enzo   Felix

Jackson

Dropping Sancho and playing Badi as the CCB, now that's bold.

Not just Mbeumo, Wissa is a big threat as well.

 

Honestly Enzos up turn in form, and Netos suspension, while Noni has been poor for a while, I would still sooner move Palmer to the right, Enzo to the 10 and have Gusto at RB/RCB. Means Cucu plays his best role, pushed on to the attack, Colwill stays in the middle and Badi goes to the LCB role. 

 

And we still have the Lavia and Caicedo pivot.

10 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Dropping Sancho and playing Badi as the CCB, now that's bold.

Not just Mbeumo, Wissa is a big threat as well.

 

Honestly Enzos up turn in form, and Netos suspension, while Noni has been poor for a while, I would still sooner move Palmer to the right, Enzo to the 10 and have Gusto at RB/RCB. Means Cucu plays his best role, pushed on to the attack, Colwill stays in the middle and Badi goes to the LCB role. 

 

And we still have the Lavia and Caicedo pivot.

We only started to look comfortable at the back against Spurs the moment Colwill and Badiashile switched.

I don't anticipate Brentford to be as progressive as they have been at home. They only have 1 point away all season and we are the highest scoring team in the league, so Brentford need to be worried about us.

They are going to sit back, pinch the wingbacks wide and force us to go through the middle. Felix makes sense here. They are going to play like Forrest did. 

 

52 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

We only started to look comfortable at the back against Spurs the moment Colwill and Badiashile switched.

I don't anticipate Brentford to be as progressive as they have been at home. They only have 1 point away all season and we are the highest scoring team in the league, so Brentford need to be worried about us.

They are going to sit back, pinch the wingbacks wide and force us to go through the middle. Felix makes sense here. They are going to play like Forrest did. 

 

They have had a very hard run of away fixtures though.

Didn't Felix have an issue you said that had him miss today's match?