Thanks.
2019/20 Rivals - Chelsea
- Thread starter AkaAkuma
- Start date
I'm replying to this just so you don't have the most posts in the thread.
A Spurs fan is the most active in the Rivals - Chelsea page on a United forum?
I find it a bit weird, but the season hasn't started yet.
If preseason is anything to go by, goals won't be an issue. There will be games we miss Hazards genius but we seem to be creating a lot of chances (even today away to a tough CL regular we have carved them open at will but Sommer has been on fire).
It's defending that's a problem, something seems structurally wrong which isn't promising, hopefully Kante returning somewhat sorts that out.
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Totally agree with that, we look very good going forward but far to open at the back. Team looks unbalanced, not enough bite in midfield to cover the defence. Also Alonso still looking a liability at times.
Kante will help, mainly it's tactical I think and Lampard got some work to do before the Utd game.
Rudiger is a big miss for you guys, very underrated defender.
Tough to predict next week's match. Looking at Chelsea's pre-season form they're scoring a lot and conceding a lot. Don't know what the hell to predict from United.
What's Chelsea's best 11 on paper?
What's Chelsea's best 11 on paper?
On paper our best XI is Kepa, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Emerson, Jorginho, Kante, RLC, Pulisic, CHO and Abraham. You can make cases for Mount/Barkley/Kovacic in midfield, Zouma/Christensen instead of Luiz and Giroud over Abraham.
I think he's overrated by Chelsea fans.
He's quick & strong and I love his passion & commitnent, but overall he's pretty average.
Central defence is one area we badly need to upgrade on next summer!
I'd have Christensen over Rudi or Luiz, but agree with the rest.
Zouma / Christensen seems like a good combo to me, both at good ages too. Rudiger also someone I rate from what I've seen of him.
You don't think there's a solid starting pair there between the three?
Rudiger is easily our best central defender and its just a case of who is going to partner him. Whilst Rudiger is very good at getting the ball under control and finding passes to the midfield or full backs, we need the other defender to offer something different and be a playmaker from the back which is why Luiz is our default option. Christensen had a bad start to the season but he did well at the end when we needed him most to cover for Rudiger when he got injured. I'm still not convinced about Christensen and think he still needs to bulk up a bit if he's going to be a starter.
Watched the game from about 30 mins onward - I thought Abraham and Mount were very impressive.
Will surely cash in on Zouma (Everton still want him) and have Tomori as 4th choice given Lampard worked with him week in week out last season.
There's not much to choose between the three, but i prefer Christensen to Rudi. There's questioon marks against the entire back four, but we obviously can't do much about that until next summer. If we're going to get back to being serious title and CL contenders again, then we're going to need a new back four, with maybe Christensen being good enough, if he kicks on this season.
Fair enough. Was a shame about his injury really, I think without it he'd be a level above where he's at currently, similar to Jones' stunted development. Maybe he can kick on.
Lots of work to be done then ey! I've always thought Christiensen looked a quality modern CB, I think he should (and will, judging by Lampards style) be given time to develop.
You've got an odd defence really, as on paper the options you've got look pretty strong to me. But then as you say they've all got question marks over them. Azpi's decline, who leads from the centre etc. I get the feeling Lampard will get more from them than Sarri did mind you.
26 points off City, so that shows how much needs to be done. Christensen was coming along very nicely but then 2 years ago came a costly unforced clanger in a CL game followed by another one a game or so later. His confidence literlly flooded away to the point where he was close to looking finished as a Chelsea player. Then last season he got his chance for a good run in the team when Rudi got injured and after looking a bit nervy he grew in confidence as the games went by. He still has more improving to do, but there's no doubt he's got real talent.
Christensen needs to bulk up. If he gets his confidence back and fills out he could be one of the best.
This season is a free hit for us. I'm predicting a 6th place finish and heavy focus on CL/FA Cup.
I'm excited for it, though, knowing that it's a transition season. Most excited to see how Mount and Pulisic progress with regular PL football.
I'm excited for it, though, knowing that it's a transition season. Most excited to see how Mount and Pulisic progress with regular PL football.
This season we will change formation between the 4231 and 442 diamond, I'm curious what we will play against United.
My prediction is that Kante will skip this game as he is not quite fit yet, but might make the bench.
I would like to see us play the diamond against United as it will allow to play both our in form players in Barkley and Mount.
-------------------Kepa---------------------
Azpi-------Zouma------Luiz------Emerson
-----------------Jorginho-------------------
-----Mount--------------------Kovacic-----
------------------Barkley-------------------
-------Abraham-----------Pulisic----------
This team would be the best we have in terms of fitness and pressing style. Kante coming for either Jorgi or Kova in the 2nd half depending on who is more tired and switching to a 4-2-3-1 with Giroud and Pedro the other 2 subs coming for Abraham and Mount/Barkley depending on who is more tired.
My prediction is that Kante will skip this game as he is not quite fit yet, but might make the bench.
I would like to see us play the diamond against United as it will allow to play both our in form players in Barkley and Mount.
-------------------Kepa---------------------
Azpi-------Zouma------Luiz------Emerson
-----------------Jorginho-------------------
-----Mount--------------------Kovacic-----
------------------Barkley-------------------
-------Abraham-----------Pulisic----------
This team would be the best we have in terms of fitness and pressing style. Kante coming for either Jorgi or Kova in the 2nd half depending on who is more tired and switching to a 4-2-3-1 with Giroud and Pedro the other 2 subs coming for Abraham and Mount/Barkley depending on who is more tired.
Yes, but sportsmen have to be very careful not to over do the bulking up. Too much muscle to quickly can lead to numerous negative effects on the body and performances. Overall higher level of fitness and extra half a yard of pace would do more for him. It's not like he's up against old school battering ram forwards these days, so being big and strong isn't as important as it once was.
Free hit is a bit of a cop put in my opinion. Ignore the fact there's a transfer ban and simply look at the squads once the window closes on Thursday and there will be no reason it shouldn't be competitive with United and Arsenal for 4th.
Kante not starting?
We're unique amongst the "big 6" in that we don't have a single reliable goal scorer. I think our squad overall is pretty damned good, but we don't have one or more 15+ goal scorers like City/Liverpool/Arsenal/Spurs do.
That, I think, will be what prevents us from finishing in the top 4.
If I had to put £1,000 on whether we will or won't finish top 4 I would choose NO but that doesn't make it a free hit of a season. Fighting for 4th is a realistic target. I think a lot of Chelsea fans are purposely trying to convince themselves that expectations are so low because of a fear of Lampard not being up to the job. We finished 3rd last season and our top scorer in the league had 12 non penalty goals.
Barkley, Mount, RLC, Odoi, Pulisic, Willian, Pedro, Tammy, Michy, Giroud. We need 7 of those to hit 10 in all comps, tough but doable and it would go a long way to make up for no 20 goal player.
By free hit I just mean that Chelsea supporter shouldn't be devastated if we have a tough season and there won't be "Lampard out" chants or fan mutiny.
All of us know this won't be a season where we are title challengers and as such our expectations are in check.
It's easy to say now that the average Chelsea fan will stay patient but will they practice what they preach if it's mid February we're 6th and on a run of 2 wins in 8? I'm not so sure.
The crowd won't turn on Lampard like they did with Sarri, but I could imagine a few groans at a player like Pulisic alongside a "with a heavy heart we need to replace Lamps, he isn't ready for such a big job" narrative ringing around the forums if/when we hit a rocky road.
I'm predicting we'll finish 6th so I don't think the fans' mood will turn at that point. Only way I can see the mood turning sour is if we pull a Mourinho towards the end of his second spell and are hovering around the relegation zone.
I'll just leave this here and let Redcafe decide, naff or not?
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The sad thing is that should be stating the obvious, not educating the masses.
Sarri played him so forward that when we lost the ball in the final third it took just one pass forward from them to take Kante out of the game completely. What is the point of playing him there if he's not able to get near the ball when we don't have it?
Old news now. This is like resurrecting a mosquito.
That's a fair point but ultimately a different aspect of the debate and i do agree at times he should have been slightly withdrawn at times, pundits spent all season using Kante not playing as the CDM as a stick to beat Sarri with so in that sense im glad Franco has set them straight.
Wow, I nailed the starting 11 apart from Pedro for Pulisic.
Please, could the title of the thread be changed to "Chelsea 19/20 needs to get ready for a terrible season"
Defensively they were absymal. Kante should help with that but that CB partnership was not good.
Good going forward. They created a fair bit.
Defensively a mess.
Defensively a mess.
So, where do you all think we'll finish in the league?
Probably apt really, just Liverpool in the super cup next... If we defend like that 
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Don't think you can go to OT with a young team and play as open as that. Game was begging for an experienced team and sitting deep playing on the counter. Zouma also made a lot of mistakes in first half.
.Don't think you can go to OT with a young team and play as open as that. Game was begging for an experienced team and sitting deep playing on the counter. Zouma also made a lot of mistakes in first half.