Chelsea (Away) Monday 8 March

[markjazzbassist]

Big match here.  This could help us to push on for top 4 and Champions League, or push us down into the fight for Europa/best of the rest.  They've got their new manager still tinkering with lineups and players, and they will have 1 more day of rest as they play Wednesday and we play Thursday.  I really hope we can get up for this and get a win.  It's away and we have been playing well away so there's that.  I hope they continue to underwhelm and we can stay strong in defense and win.  I want 3 points, i want CL.

 

                                Pickford

            Coleman Keane Godfrey Digne

                                  Allan

                    Doucoure  Gomes

            James           DCL      Richarlison

[Zoo 2.0]

2 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

I hope they continue to underwhelm.

They've looked brilliant under Tuchel, they're rock solid at the back and are just lacking attacking efficiency, it's a really tough game make no mistake. 

Would snatch anyone's hand off for a 0-0.

[Bailey]

26 minutes ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

They've looked brilliant under Tuchel, they're rock solid at the back and are just lacking attacking efficiency, it's a really tough game make no mistake. 

Would snatch anyone's hand off for a 0-0.

I agree, they look very sharp in their defensive work and like you say, just lack that attacking fluency. I don't think it helps them that they play with wing backs instead of wingers because just like Lampard before him, they end up with lots of players all within the width of the 18 yard box.

[markjazzbassist]

they might look good but its a result business and he was brought in to win matches and the league.  they are well short of that.  defense is questionable, i don't rate any of them.  attack is limp.  the only ones i'm worried about are Mount and Giroud.  Hopefully he starts werner, giroud is a wily vet and he just knows how to score.  mount is class.  bar that, let's be defensively strong and have a go at rudiger and christensen with DCL. if we can get up a goal or 2 i don't know that they have the grit required to get back in it.  too many show ponies.

[Zoo 2.0]

40 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

they might look good but its a result business and he was brought in to win matches and the league.  they are well short of that. 

You do realise that Tuchel is unbeaten, playing nine and winning six? He has been brought in to win the league, but not this season. I don't think even the biggest optimist would expect Chelsea to suddenly make up 18 points?! 

Not sure the thinking behind the above if I'm being honest mate! Tuchel's time at Chelsea couldn't have gone any better to be honest and they're a great side.

[markjazzbassist]

12 minutes ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

You do realise that Tuchel is unbeaten, playing nine and winning six? He has been brought in to win the league, but not this season. I don't think even the biggest optimist would expect Chelsea to suddenly make up 18 points?! 

Not sure the thinking behind the above if I'm being honest mate! Tuchel's time at Chelsea couldn't have gone any better to be honest and they're a great side.

in the league, he has beaten burnley, sheffield, newcastle, and spurs (who were in a tailspin), hardly a who's who.  he has drawn with wolves (sans jimenez), soton, and man u.  lampard would have gotten those results or better as well, that's a cake walk of a schedule. i'm not sold on the guy.

[Zoo 2.0]

2 minutes ago, markjazzbassist said:

in the league, he has beaten burnley, sheffield, newcastle, and spurs (who were in a tailspin), hardly a who's who.  he has drawn with wolves (sans jimenez), soton, and man u.  lampard would have gotten those results or better as well, that's a cake walk of a schedule. i'm not sold on the guy.

Agree to disagree .

[Palfy]

4 hours ago, Zoo 2.0 said:

They've looked brilliant under Tuchel, they're rock solid at the back and are just lacking attacking efficiency, it's a really tough game make no mistake. 

Would snatch anyone's hand off for a 0-0.

A draw would be a great result a win would be off the scale, either would go along way to cement our quest for a European spot. 

[AlbanyNYToffee]

9 minutes ago, Palfy said:

A draw would be a great result a win would be off the scale, either would go along way to cement our quest for a European spot. 

Exactly this. While winning would be incredible we just can't lose and we keep our foothold on 5th, and possibly 4th if West Ham loses. 

[RuffRob]

Need to pick up 3 points at West Brom first and foremost, do that and then any points picked up at Chelsea should be considered a bonus. 

Chelsea are a good team, with some quality players. We will go in to this game as considerable underdogs. On paper I think this is the toughest fixture left in the Prem calander, based on the fact Man City will have won the league by the time we play them. 

[Bailey]

7 hours ago, markjazzbassist said:

in the league, he has beaten burnley, sheffield, newcastle, and spurs (who were in a tailspin), hardly a who's who.  he has drawn with wolves (sans jimenez), soton, and man u.  lampard would have gotten those results or better as well, that's a cake walk of a schedule. i'm not sold on the guy.

Have you watched them or are you just drawing conclusions from their results?

In the games I have seen of them, they have been very dominant and Utd aside, given away very few chances. They have conceded two goals in the league since he joined and both were hugely against the run if play. In the Soton game they (Soton) went 20 minutes or so before getting a touch in the Chelsea half. They didn't test the keeper enough at the other end, but that is what I mean about them lacking fluidity in the final third.

I agree with you in your earlier posts about Rudiger though. He has mistakes in him. Christensen seems more settled as the central man in a 3 but that may be Silva soon who will also relish that role. There is a good chance that we wont lay a glove on them for 2/3rds of the pitch and like the City and Liverpool games it will be a case of can we make the most of the odd chance we get near their box.

[London Blue]

20 minutes ago, Bailey said:

Have you watched them or are you just drawing conclusions from their results?

In the games I have seen of them, they have been very dominant and Utd aside, given away very few chances. They have conceded two goals in the league since he joined and both were hugely against the run if play. In the Soton game they (Soton) went 20 minutes or so before getting a touch in the Chelsea half. They didn't test the keeper enough at the other end, but that is what I mean about them lacking fluidity in the final third.

I agree with you in your earlier posts about Rudiger though. He has mistakes in him. Christensen seems more settled as the central man in a 3 but that may be Silva soon who will also relish that role. There is a good chance that we wont lay a glove on them for 2/3rds of the pitch and like the City and Liverpool games it will be a case of can we make the most of the odd chance we get near their box.

I have have watched quite a few of their games, and while there has been a marked improvement, they are not world beaters. 

Defensively they are ok, their midfield is amazing, but up front they have players out of form and confidence. 

I think a few of the players are in for a shock with Mr Tuchel and his rather "direct" methods and I think he has already had blowback from the squad going by his clarification (apology) for subbing Callum Hudson-Odoi.

He is a great manager, and Chelsea have a great squad, but its very early days and I will wait for the end of the season to see how he is doing. I think there is a new manager bounce especially as Frank had lost the respect / trust of the Chelsea players because he was so inexperienced as a manager.

 

 

[Palfy]

I think we are going to be to strong for Chelsea when it comes to playing the so called big teams, we have a desire and intensity that big teams seem to struggle with which I believe comes from Ferguson. Chelsea won’t be able to match us when it comes to will to win, can Tuchel get his players to die for him like I believe Ancelotti and Ferguson can I don’t think so, quite the reverse I strongly believe he’s lost his players respect before he even had it. We might not win but I can’t see us losing. 

[Bailey]

15 hours ago, London Blue said:

I have have watched quite a few of their games, and while there has been a marked improvement, they are not world beaters. 

Defensively they are ok, their midfield is amazing, but up front they have players out of form and confidence. 

I think a few of the players are in for a shock with Mr Tuchel and his rather "direct" methods and I think he has already had blowback from the squad going by his clarification (apology) for subbing Callum Hudson-Odoi.

He is a great manager, and Chelsea have a great squad, but its very early days and I will wait for the end of the season to see how he is doing. I think there is a new manager bounce especially as Frank had lost the respect / trust of the Chelsea players because he was so inexperienced as a manager.

I agree about his methods, I have seen what appears to be him berating players that have done something wrong. I think it was Alonso in one of the games that crossed it out of play and Tuchel was shouting at him across the pitch and the next thing was Chilwell started to warm up. He didn't take him off but it appeared to be a very direct warning!

I do not think they are world beaters either. As I mentioned before, whilst they are definitely better as a team defensively, Rudiger, Christiansen, Zouma and Silva have some question marks, and Hudson-Odoi is clearly no wing back. Mendy isn't all that either, the difference now is that those players aren't as exposed by the team shape as they were before. In fact, in the last couple of games I have seen they have largely kept all 3 centre backs in position during attacks, whereas normally you would expect one of them to move forward or into a full back position.

In the Utd game, I thought they (Utd) did a good job of pressing really high against them, especially in the first half. When Chelsea played the ball faster this became a lot more difficult, but Utd were definitely on the front foot and they too were passing quickly and getting the ball from flank to flank. It is nailed on that we are going to sit in and hope for the best on the counter, which would be a shame.

[barryj]

On 02/03/2021 at 13:21, markjazzbassist said:

They've got their new manager still tinkering with lineups and players, and they will have 1 more day of rest as they play Wednesday and we play Thursday.

They play after us tonight so get a couple of hours fewer rest. They also play Liverpool so I don’t think we can complain on that front. 

[markjazzbassist]

6 hours ago, barryj said:

They play after us tonight so get a couple of hours fewer rest. They also play Liverpool so I don’t think we can complain on that front. 

My bad, must have looked at the schedule wrong.  Yeah I don’t know what result to want, a draw I guess would be best?

[dunlopp9987]

10 minutes to go against them and another clean sheet. They've conceded 2 in the 10 games that Tuchel has been in charge. 

We've got our work cut out for ourselves.

[RuffRob]

they have not been scoring that may either.

Pressure is off a little bit in this game having taken 9 points in 9.  Don't get me wrong, they are a direct rival for a European place, so could be considered the proverbial 6 pointer - if do take points it will be massive bonus. However, if we get nothing in this game, it does not off kill our top 4 dream, like maybe it does if we had of lost points against Southampton or the Baggies. 

I would take 0-0 now, as Chelsea are an in form team, and I actually think they will finish second in the league. 

They are due a defeat now though!!! in this strange season  

[MikeO]

3 minutes ago, RuffRob said:

they have not been scoring that may either.

Probably because we're only in March

[Palfy]

Chelsea are very beatable, they lack goals in their team but have admittedly shored up their defence since Tuchel’s arrival. 
In last night’s game against Liverpool they looked very ordinary to me and won in main because Liverpool’s bad finishing, they scored a individual goal from mount against a team that have been conceding goals in recent matches, this has more chance of being a 0-0, but if any goals are scored I feel they are going to come from us. 

[milesey05]

This is going to be one tough game. 

I thought Chelsea were superb last night not ordinary @Palfy. Compare our performance at the baggies and then we can talk ordinary.

Hopefully Allan will start because we lose that midfield in his absence. I thought every players demeanour changed when Allan came on against West Brom.

Davies in for Gomas.

Coleman for Holgate

James for Iwobi

Siggy for Bernard. 

Tough game but looking forward to it as we seem to raise the bar against better opposition. 

 

** First time i have included TD in starting line up ***

[Btay]

1 hour ago, milesey05 said:

This is going to be one tough game. 

I thought Chelsea were superb last night not ordinary @Palfy. Compare our performance at the baggies and then we can talk ordinary.

Hopefully Allan will start because we lose that midfield in his absence. I thought every players demeanour changed when Allan came on against West Brom.

Davies in for Gomas.

Coleman for Holgate

James for Iwobi

Siggy for Bernard. 

Tough game but looking forward to it as we seem to raise the bar against better opposition. 

 

** First time i have included TD in starting line up ***

I don’t think we can play siggy and James in the same team.... it’s been done time and time again but it just doesn’t work.

[milesey05]

6 minutes ago, Btay said:

I don’t think we can play siggy and James in the same team.... it’s been done time and time again but it just doesn’t work.

Like the Wolves game

[Btay]

Just now, milesey05 said:

Like the Wolves game

Or the Fulham loss, Newcastle loss and i think Southhampton loss when we were absolutely shit

[milesey05]

15 minutes ago, Btay said:

Or the Fulham loss, Newcastle loss and i think Southhampton loss when we were absolutely shit

Another win against Brighton and a loss against Man Utd on your view. 

4 losses imo wasn't down to James & Gylfi being on the pitch together- the whole team were shocking in those defeats.

At this moment in time i would prefer James/Gylfi starting over James/Gomes. 

 

[barryj]

1 hour ago, milesey05 said:

Another win against Brighton and a loss against Man Utd on your view. 

4 losses imo wasn't down to James & Gylfi being on the pitch together- the whole team were shocking in those defeats.

At this moment in time i would prefer James/Gylfi starting over James/Gomes. 

 

With Allan Doucs and Davies fit there isn’t necessarily a need to make a decision on Gomes or Siggy. I’d have them behind James. Not a lot of width but lots of endeavour. 

[Palfy]

I would go with Pickford and a back 4 of Holgate Keane Godfrey Digne. 
Then Allan Doucoure Gylfi. 
With James DCL Richarlison. 
I think they will struggle to score against us there in poor form when it comes to getter goals, and we have a solid defence which is proving hard to breakdown in recent games. 0-0 or 1-0 to us

[Matt]

Are people not reading what’s being written?!

[Btay]

9 hours ago, milesey05 said:

Another win against Brighton and a loss against Man Utd on your view. 

4 losses imo wasn't down to James & Gylfi being on the pitch together- the whole team were shocking in those defeats.

At this moment in time i would prefer James/Gylfi starting over James/Gomes. 

 

I get what you saying mate, I just think Gylfi is more suited to the 30 minutes at the end right now. Gomes is a different player in the midfield 3 rather than a 2 man midfield however I would have Davies, Allan and Doucoure all day.

Agree with you on the back 4 and up top! A draw probably hurts chelsea more than us as well

[RuffRob]

I think Ancelotti's tone has changed this past week, I think Ancelotti has well and truly thrown the gauntlet down to the team. We are now bona fida playing for 'Top 4' place, and I think we will be going out on the pitch with this attitude - against any team now. 

I thought until we where all getting a little carried away talking about 'Top 4' a few months (its a long season)- but my view has changed after the Liverpool results and reinforced further beating Southampton and West Brom - We are well and truly in the mix come the last 12 games of the season - we have a manager that will not be phased or panic about being in this sort of position come the business end of the season. 

I think we can give Chelsea a good game - It might actually help that they are sitting just above us, rather than below us. 

Look forward to Ancelotti's line up - given up guessing who he will play and what formation will be used  - fortunately opposition manager are in the same boat!!