Matchday thread for the Premier League season opening match as the new World Champions host the FA Cup winners.

Sign Eze prior to this. Not to play him - just to ensure he can't do any damage against us.

4 hours ago, Nibs said:

Sign Eze prior to this. Not to play him - just to ensure he can't do any damage against us.

You know we will lose this 😆

Correction, it's the World Champions vs Crystal Palace.

We have to set a precedent!

Must win first game after all we are World Champions 🏆

Looking forward to meeting up with other old gits I go to the games with. Match day is usually the only time we meet up as a group as we live in different parts of London, Kent and Essex. We'll meet up in the pub before and after the match and have a few pints and discuss the game and life in general. The banter is great. With the new ticketing system we'll probably arrive at the Bridge early to make sure we can get in and not the usual five minutes before kick-off.

KTBFFH

My Grandson went on line to try and buy a ticket for the Palace Game .

As we know there have been changes to the portal and when people say there isn’t the appetite to justify a 60k stadium bear in mind that today he was 124000+ waiting in the Queue

Ok it’s the first game of the season but that queue size is mind boggling

23 hours ago, Boyne said:

Looking forward to meeting up with other old gits I go to the games with. Match day is usually the only time we meet up as a group as we live in different parts of London, Kent and Essex. We'll meet up in the pub before and after the match and have a few pints and discuss the game and life in general. The banter is great. With the new ticketing system we'll probably arrive at the Bridge early to make sure we can get in and not the usual five minutes before kick-off.

KTBFFH

We all still meet in the Goose , well we do at the moment and like your circle it’s about the only time we all see each other after the game we disperse to points east ,west etc but one thing that really struck a chord was your comment about banter.

Going back to the late 90s we were all so much younger so much more unguarded what we said and about who. I not talking about racial matters I am talking the club, the game, other clubs and so on . Now topics include pensions, prostates , funerals oh and occasionally the game.

Really looking forward to Aug 17

Sanchez

RJ Chalobah Colwill Cucurella

Caicedo A.Santos

Palmer Enzo Neto

J.Pedro

Assuming we sign Simons i'd like to see him get minutes for Enzo, Lavia to come on if he's fit, Gittens on for Neto and Delap to come on and wind them up for the last half hour with Estevao when we're 4-0 up.

UTC.

6 hours ago, terraloon said:

We all still meet in the Goose , well we do at the moment and like your circle it’s about the only time we all see each other after the game we disperse to points east ,west etc but one thing that really struck a chord was your comment about banter.

Going back to the late 90s we were all so much younger so much more unguarded what we said and about who. I not talking about racial matters I am talking the club, the game, other clubs and so on . Now topics include pensions, prostates , funerals oh and occasionally the game.

Really looking forward to Aug 17

Like you and your group we now talk about pensions, illnesses, funerals etc and occasionally the game and players. A sign of growing old! With one exception - one of the group is in his 30s and he is the son of one of the others - we are in the age range from 60 to 72.

We used to drink in the Goose but have recently started to drink in The Crown near the Royal Marsden Hospital.

9 hours ago, terraloon said:

We all still meet in the Goose , well we do at the moment and like your circle it’s about the only time we all see each other after the game we disperse to points east ,west etc but one thing that really struck a chord was your comment about banter.

Going back to the late 90s we were all so much younger so much more unguarded what we said and about who. I not talking about racial matters I am talking the club, the game, other clubs and so on . Now topics include pensions, prostates , funerals oh and occasionally the game.

Really looking forward to Aug 17

We meet in the Fox near the ground. Too fecking hot and crowded. . The bar in the Hilton near Imperial Wharf is ok, some of us are thinking about the Young's pub by the river nearby, but it's a slog up to the stadium. Be good to meet everyone though. 👍

It won't happen but we should be looking for 15 points from those 5 opening games.

Sanchez

James Tosin Colwill Cucurella

Caicedo Enzo

Neto Palmer Simons

Pedro

On 04/08/2025 at 12:29, Sconnie Blue said:

Sanchez

James Tosin Colwill Cucurella

Caicedo Enzo

Neto Palmer Simons

Pedro

Updated.

Sanchez

James Tosin Chalobah Cucurella

Caicedo Santos

Estevao Palmer Neto

Pedro

they’re going into this march as a Comunity shield winners over Liverpool

At last, football is back.

We’ve been fantastic since end of season and we need to keep this form going.

3 - 0 to Chels.

Pedro x2, Palmer

Looking forward to meeting up with the people I go to the games with. As I've mentioned before match day is usually the only time we get together as a group. Beers before and after the game and a natter about the game, Chelsea and life in general.

WATP

🙂

Slightly worried about the defence but we should be winning. Need the bridge to be rocking.

9 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Updated.

Sanchez

James Tosin Chalobah Cucurella

Caicedo Santos

Estevao Palmer Neto

Pedro

That's the line up I would like to see. Estevao is too good to not be getting significant game time.

When you are good enough you are old enough.

I think Guehi picked up an injury in the Liverpool match, if anyone can confirm.

I don't think any of the returning loan players or new signings start apart from Pedro. I think it will be the same team that beat PSG apart from Tosin in for Colwill in the enforced change. Palace are very dangerous on the counter so think Enzo does not start in the double pivot and will be pushed further upfield like we saw against PSG and we will see James in the pivot next to Caicedo. Gusto probably at RB.

Sanchez

Gusto Tosin Chalobah Cucurella

James Caicedo

Palmer Enzo Neto

Pedro

Edited August 11, 2025Aug 11 by STATS

17 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Updated.

Sanchez

James Tosin Chalobah Cucurella

Caicedo Santos

Estevao Palmer Neto

Pedro

I also think this is who should be playing - based on quality of performance in the last two games. Or possibly Gusto at RB and James in CM next to Caicedo.

Sanchez

James, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella

Caicedo, Santos

Estevao, Palmer, Joao Pedro

Delap

Edited August 11, 2025Aug 11 by Sexyfootball