I'm stupidly optomistic about tomorrow.

James at right back to destroy Saka's career please.

Caicedo with Santos in Midfield to destroy Rice's career.

Delap up top channeling Drogba...

After Barcelona, this lot have to be up for it, got to keep the run going.

3-1 Chelsea

24 minutes ago, bluelightening said:

I'm stupidly optomistic about tomorrow.

James at right back to destroy Saka's career please.

Caicedo with Santos in Midfield to destroy Rice's career.

Delap up top channeling Drogba...

After Barcelona, this lot have to be up for it, got to keep the run going.

3-1 Chelsea

I mean is good to read the optimism to balance out my own feelings of dread over thiad but... why would Reece, on our right side, have any major impact on saka, who plays on their right side?

Worked nice & hard today so I could get everything done, get the shopping & get home for a shower before kick-off only to wonder why it’s not on tv!

I’ll be back in 24 hours to moan about how boring we are then!

It will be a 3 man midfield 100%. Either with Santos or one of James/Gusto.

Lot of teams, for what ever reason, love leaving gaps in midfield for Arsenal to exploit with Eze, Merino or Saka. That is where they will really hurt you if it’s not a set piece.

Fodens late winner now makes this a 3rd vs 1st battle

I don't think we can go false nine Neto/Pedro against their CBs, we'll never touch the ball. Delap probably needed to put himself about.

16 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Fodens late winner now makes this a 3rd vs 1st battle

It’ll almost certainly be 4th v 1st by kick off, as you’d expect Villa to beat Wolves in their 14:05 kick off.

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

I mean is good to read the optimism to balance out my own feelings of dread over thiad but... why would Reece, on our right side, have any major impact on saka, who plays on their right side?

He probably found Maresca's game plan for tomorrow

39 minutes ago, Snedger said:

It’ll almost certainly be 4th v 1st by kick off, as you’d expect Villa to beat Wolves in their 14:05 kick off.

So we probably end the weekend in 4th before our trip to leeds then.

24 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

So we probably end the weekend in 4th before our trip to leeds then.

That would be my prediction. I felt reasonably optimistic until today. I’m now back to normal and expect a home defeat. Maybe 1-3.

I’ve kind of become used to us getting a good result and then getting carried away with how good we are to very quickly get brought back down to earth within days in the last few seasons.

Edited November 29, 2025Nov 29 by Snedger

Hopefully the club have already had words and banned Pepilini from making any pre-match comments. They should threaten him with withdrawing free access to the club White puffa jackets for him and his team if he opens his mouth before kick off.

For sure.

https://metro.co.uk/2024/12/08/enzo-maresca-highlights-chelsea-arent-premier-league-title-race-22147155/

One thing we all know about Maresca is he is going to make one decision that annoys most and I reckon it will be starting with Gusto.

If we win could not care a less.

I would not start with Palmer as this match will be so competitive and if he is not match fit it will show.

I reckon 2-1 Chelsea!! I'm feeling positive about this game! 😁😁

I'm absolutely staggered that two people on here have said Calafiori is better than Cucurella.

On 27/11/2025 at 11:13, PloKoon13 said:

With my blue-tinted specs off, it's pretty clear that this is the best combined XI:

Raya

James
Saliba
Gabriel
Calafiori

Caicedo
Rice
Ødegaard

Saka
Palmer

Jackson

On 28/11/2025 at 00:27, axman2526 said:

If we are talking the players as they are right now, not on potential, I'd say this is fair:

Raya

Timber

Gabriel

Saliba

Calafiori

Caicedo

Rice

Saka

Palmer

Eze

Gyokeres

Only ones I debated were:

Raya or sanchez: Am not there yet with Bob, still expecting the other shoe to drop. This season though they are very close in levels .

James or Timber: very close but, as of right now, Timber gas been in top form. These certainly a case to be made for Reece.

Cucurella or calafiori: tosS of a coin on this, would go with the Italian purely for his height.

That's it as the rest seem obvious picks.

21 minutes ago, bisright1 said:

I'm absolutely staggered that two people on here have said Calafiori is better than Cucurella.

Personally I am staggered that this is the issue people have with my lineup

9 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

Personally I am staggered that this is the issue people have with my lineup

I thought I would get more feedback for leaving James out for Timber.

Be interesting to see if this team will be bullied vs Arsenal as they can be soft at times.

If Maresca plans this game out like he plans games against Barca/PSG then we have hope.

If he panics like against Utd or be experimental again, we are cooked

All or nothing, let's smash them!

We can do it, we must believe that we can do it!

COME ON CHELS!!!

Match Day!

Come On Chelsea!!

Time for ENZO to take the title away from the fake pretender Rice, what a magical moment of truth awaits us!

pick this team

sanchez

james forfana chalobah cucurella

enzo santos caicedo

Estevao Neto

Delap

BUT HE WILL BOTTLE IT AND GO WITH

Sanchez

Gusto Forfana Chalobah Cucurella

James Caicedo

Neto Enzo Garnacho

Pedro

Ambrosio

Melchiot Gallas JT Bridge

Makelele

Parker Lampard Duff

Hasselbaink Gudjohnsen

Sneak a cheeky 2-1 with that lineup x

Given a couple of long distance goals yesterday where the keepers are way out, I can see a couple of efforts from Arsenal when Sanchez is miles of his line. Our defensive unit turns to a circus act under pressure and sure as eggs are eggs we are going to see stupid challenges in the box being taken full advantage by the likes of Saka and Trossard who will go down with an Oscar winning performances; our wingers and technically gifted players need to do the same and play Arsenal at their own game.

I hope we perform well and give a good account of ourselves and at least give Arsenal something to think about. Many pundits are saying that man for man Arsenal are better than us; while that may be the case defensively, the rest is debatable and I would argue we have the better players overall, it’s just that Arsenal ATM are the more cohesive as a unit.

I think we can cause Arsenal problems and beat them if we can stay away from brain farts that we are prone to far to often and end up beating ourselves rather the opposition having to work for the points.

Please don't mention Sanch*z he is due a howler.