Nah, he's been rather mediocre and this is from someone that's a huge fan of his. Match time is also important to fitness, match fitness is unique and thus players get played into fitness. Yes they can play and maybe play well, but they don't look that sharp unless their fitness is close to optimum level. Take Sanchez for example, he did some great things on Thursday due to how talented he is but it was blatantly obvious that his body condition isn't on point.
Chelsea 2017/18 thread - FA Cup Champs, League chumps
- Thread starter duffer
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He does his job which is defending. He was your best one in back 3 IMO due to consistency and rarely make mistake.
Not Luiz!! Neither Cahill!! So I got no idea why both of them were in PFA Team of The Year.
However I won't call him world class. Sometime being the best in something don't mean world class. He remind me of Gary Neville as full back but Azpil is more versatile (both are top players). Or may be "close" to Zanetti, not on the same level though.
Ah ok, we're probably just not playing our best player because we don't want to be mean to other teams then.
Losing 2 points while trying to save Hazard from an injury is totally worth it even as a precaution.
Not to mention the fact that we did not drop points due to his absence alone. Could still easily have wrapped up the three points if Bakayoko and Rudiger were on the pitch from the beginning of the game.
I prefer Christensen to Rudiger
Hazard played for Belgium two weeks ago. How is he not ready to start is a bit baffling, tbh.
Conte didn't think he was ready to play for Belgium and Conte has his own thoughts on when a player is ready.
I'm sure I caught something today suggesting that he will start against Forest midweek in the EL.
Agreed that Christensen has been more impressive overall but Conte makes a distinction between the CB playing in the middle of the 3 and the two on the outside; Christensen is the heir apparent for the central role.I prefer Christensen to Rudiger
He played against Gibraltar for 65 minutes; it was more or less a glorified friendly. Martinez apparently cleared this explicitly with Conte. He didn't start the subsequent game against Greece as well, it was done partially on Chelsea's behalf to help him with his fitness.
Ultimately its rare I have a bad word to say about Conte.
It was obvious that a 3 man midfield was needed, it would have stifled Arsenal play allowed us to dictate and we all no they would've caved eventually. Even then on top of that if we were going to play 2 in midfield it had to be Baka & Kante. Arsenal found it too easy to keep the ball. First Major Error.
Baka was immense when he came on I think I saw he didn't misplace a single pass. He's also completed every take on he's attempted in the prem so far.
Secondly Cahill at the back, in terms of defending he didn't have a bad game. But in terms of ball playing it makes us completely one sided and forces us back down the right due to his ball playing ability. Rudiger & Christiansen are both very much superior options and one of them should've started.
The players had an off day and share some responsibility for the blame but really Tony got this one all wrong.
Lastly hindsight is good, Hazard looked sharp when he came on against arsenal but looked off the pace when he came on against Qarabag this week. Don't blame Antonio for keeping him as a sub really, gotta trust Pedro & Willian to perform. Willian was appaling I thought arguably our worst player. Pedro didn't have the greatest of games but he's at least a bit smarter.
It was obvious that a 3 man midfield was needed, it would have stifled Arsenal play allowed us to dictate and we all no they would've caved eventually. Even then on top of that if we were going to play 2 in midfield it had to be Baka & Kante. Arsenal found it too easy to keep the ball. First Major Error.
Baka was immense when he came on I think I saw he didn't misplace a single pass. He's also completed every take on he's attempted in the prem so far.
Secondly Cahill at the back, in terms of defending he didn't have a bad game. But in terms of ball playing it makes us completely one sided and forces us back down the right due to his ball playing ability. Rudiger & Christiansen are both very much superior options and one of them should've started.
The players had an off day and share some responsibility for the blame but really Tony got this one all wrong.
Lastly hindsight is good, Hazard looked sharp when he came on against arsenal but looked off the pace when he came on against Qarabag this week. Don't blame Antonio for keeping him as a sub really, gotta trust Pedro & Willian to perform. Willian was appaling I thought arguably our worst player. Pedro didn't have the greatest of games but he's at least a bit smarter.
I like how all this if 'X and y player started, Chelsea would have beaten us comfortably with their eyes closed', talk is being made out to seem like an obvious outcome.
As far as I see it, Contes chelsea struggles to play against us.
As far as I see it, Contes chelsea struggles to play against us.
Your team is weak and we didn't come close to putting out our best XI, and most Chelsea fans knew that once the lineup was announced.
More the fact we had a different option to the last few times we've played you (Bakayoko) and tactically would've been the best chance to change our recent results against you. Yet it was ignored.
Kind of like Wenger choosing Holding to start at the weekend instead of mustafi.. see Cahill/Rudiger
When bakayoko came on, all he did was stop us from creating chances and controlling midfield like first half.
Became a stalemate after that and was pretty boring so I don't get why he's been talked about like someone who would have made a difference to Chelsea attack.
Mustafi started at the weekend though or are you talking about v Liverpool coz that was an all round weird game with likes of wantaway ox, Sanchez etc all pushing for move and not rly bothering their arses.
But by that point in the second half A) Fabregas was worn out and no where near as effective b)Pedro our most creative attacker had gone off injured.
Just think if he played from the start it would've been different but that's only my opinion.
Shouldve explained myself better I meant if mustafi hadn't started this weekend and wenger had played holding. That's how the decision felt and that's the effect it can have on the team, in a big game the line-up can be so influential in terms of balance and making the minor differences.(E.g kolasanic in this game as oppose to without for liverpool)
Not saying it was a guaranteed win because nothing is, but conte quite simply just really chose the wrong lineup for that game.
Rudiger would have made a difference in out attack if he played in place of Cahill. Not sure Christensen if suited to an LCB role. He is more suited for the central slot.I prefer Christensen to Rudiger
Because its fecking knoberto. It was a great risk to play Hazard and thank feck it didn't blow up.
I still think chelsea is a good bet for the title along with us and city. Good bet to get far in the CL too. They've got bundles of experience, especially at the back, they're gonna miss Matic terribly since I don't think Bakayoko is ready to deliver as consistently as matic did but they should improve even more with hazard returning to full fitness and Morata settling in as well as he has
I think some of you guys are overreacting.
Arsenal are a very good side when they decide to turn up.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, they did on the day.
I don't really think the result would have been different if Conte started with Bakayoko or some other formation.
He had logical reasons for playing Fabregas. He was in good form prior to the game.
Arsenal are a very good side when they decide to turn up.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, they did on the day.
I don't really think the result would have been different if Conte started with Bakayoko or some other formation.
He had logical reasons for playing Fabregas. He was in good form prior to the game.
I find this "consider what he has done for us" argument non-sense particularly when it comes to the likes of Cahill, Mikel, Ivanovic etc.
There's a fine line between Hate & Frustration. Some people are way over the top in regards to Cahill and it comes across as purely hateful for a servant of our club. I think some people would do well to remember what he's given and achieved for this club.
In terms of tactics and moving forward though it is similar to the Ivanovic situation when Jose was here (though cahill's decline is not anywhere near as steep). Last season I felt the same would happen with Terry but in the end Conte handled it perfectly.
I'm hoping that he realises Cahill has a place in our squad and should be rotated in for games where we are expected to dominate and be on the front foot in the prem & also League Cup, FA cup etc. There is no scenario where in a big game barring injuries he should be in the starting XI however.
I don't find any sense in this as well. If we have games where we are expected to dominate and have some leeway in squad selection then why not play a Clarke-Salter instead of Cahill.
Cahill should have been disposed off in 2015 summer. Not one good thing he has done since then.
That Arsenal game was so frustrating. We couldn't string two passes together
It'd be one thing if he made up for it with defensive solidity but he just doesn't. Rudiger would have been far more useful on the cover, especially when Bellerin was getting in behind during the first half. The only thing Cahill offers at this point is danger on attacking set plays. He needs to be benched; hopefully Conte is ruthless enough.
Musonda and Kenedy probably our two best players last night, really impressed with both.
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I follow him on Instagram.
He posts videos of him recording himself on his story while drives. Knew this would happen
.Glad he's safe though
I do realize tons of people do this but still..
Musonda should be getting more chances.
I enjoyed how Rojo wound up Costa the last time we faced him in a Chelsea shirt.
Rojo really got into his head. That was great to see.
Rüdiger's passing was the sex last night.
Interesting position.
I despise people who do that.I follow him on Instagram.
He posts videos of him recording himself on his story while drives. Knew this would happen
Glad he's safe though
I do realize tons of people do this but still..
How the hell do Chelsea manage to get top dollar for players they don't want all the time?
I think Chelsea wanted him to stay but realized in January that wasn't going to happen. I can't understand how they get so much for someone who was clearly refusing to play for them ever again, surely AM had a good negotiating position to pay less than 50m
Such a shame really he was a great player. But he was never truly happy in England and expressed his dislike for the country multiple times. Any Chelsea fan not wishing him the best in the rest of his career has a short memory after how important he has been for us.
Got a lot of faith in Morata to replace him though.
Really like the look of our squad this year, if Conte can get his tactics and rotation right we will be competing on all fronts this year.
Next 3 games are an important test for us.
We had the great bargaining power of being rich and being able to say 'enjoy spending your World Cup year playing in the reserves/not getting paid or played.
Marina can sell players, but she can't buy them so it evens out.
If that's Arsenal turning up, then I feel even stronger about losing 2 points. There are never logical reasons to play Fabregas in a 2 man midfield against a big club. He's proven that since he's been at Chelsea.
What are you on about. He is the 4th best CF in the world and they just had to let go of him for £55m. How is that top dollar for a player worth £80m+?
They're away at Stoke tomorrow, and that's a tough test, as we found out.