I think Zouma will do well but always hard to say when a player comes back from an ACL injury. I am more interested to see if there is a place for Fabregas.
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I think Zouma will do well but always hard to say when a player comes back from an ACL injury. I am more interested to see if there is a place for Fabregas.
Scouseinthehouse
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Don't be greedy! You'd dropped lucky 6 days earlier at Anfield off the back of the International break and L'pool down two key midfielders.
Can't have all the luck SO early!
There's a lot of words to describe United's start to the season, and a lot of them shouldn't be said in front of kids, but 'luck' definitely isn't one of them
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Kudos. Mightily impressive performance. (Or at least the second half I caught.).
VERY rarely if ever I'll say this about Chelsea but thank you greatly for doing that going into the break. This now gives two weeks of untold mirth at Evertonian's expense. (H).
See yers all at the 1st place pass around 4 PM tomorrow avvi! We'll be coming down the road!
VERY rarely if ever I'll say this about Chelsea but thank you greatly for doing that going into the break. This now gives two weeks of untold mirth at Evertonian's expense. (H).
See yers all at the 1st place pass around 4 PM tomorrow avvi! We'll be coming down the road!
I am actually happy that we have an international break. Let the dust settle and ensures no one gets carried away. Come back focused and ready to tackle a tough run of games.
I really am struggling here because i'm running out positives and words to describe our performances. Every game just seems to get better and better, Utd at home massive test passed, Southampton away unbeaten at home since February passed and now today the 2nd best defensive side in the league passed with ease!
I cannot remember the last time a Chelsea managers decision has had this big of positive impact. Ronald Koeman really did set himself up for a fall lining up with a 3 at the back formation against the master of this system and the early sub and change of formation whilst 3-0 down showed just how wrong he got it.
No opitimizes the positive change in this formation more than the current form of my personal MOTM today Pedro. He's performances ever since we switched formation have been exceptional but today he took it to another level. By far his best performance in a Chelsea shirt and arguably ever in his career (i'm sure someone who watched him week in week out at Barca could prove me wrong) everything he did today he pulled off. I feel i'd be wrong if i didn't say anything about Eden Hazard although what can i say what hasn't already been said??? In my lifetime i'd say the best players and by best i mean ability wise not longevity or contribution i always believed Zola and Robben were the best. But Hazard is in that conversation if not on top especially when he plays like he has done this season.
I still don't believe we will win the title but for sure we are contenders, there will be downs still this season however as far as moving forward goes we have already done more this season than any season i can remember. By far the best succession of matches i can ever remember in my Chelsea supporting days (1996 not 2003 like any new person i meet likes to believe). Performance wise up there with 2010 so far, lets not get too ahead of ourselves but enjoy what we are seeing fellow blues because its something genuinely world class!
UTC!!!
I cannot remember the last time a Chelsea managers decision has had this big of positive impact. Ronald Koeman really did set himself up for a fall lining up with a 3 at the back formation against the master of this system and the early sub and change of formation whilst 3-0 down showed just how wrong he got it.
No opitimizes the positive change in this formation more than the current form of my personal MOTM today Pedro. He's performances ever since we switched formation have been exceptional but today he took it to another level. By far his best performance in a Chelsea shirt and arguably ever in his career (i'm sure someone who watched him week in week out at Barca could prove me wrong) everything he did today he pulled off. I feel i'd be wrong if i didn't say anything about Eden Hazard although what can i say what hasn't already been said??? In my lifetime i'd say the best players and by best i mean ability wise not longevity or contribution i always believed Zola and Robben were the best. But Hazard is in that conversation if not on top especially when he plays like he has done this season.
I still don't believe we will win the title but for sure we are contenders, there will be downs still this season however as far as moving forward goes we have already done more this season than any season i can remember. By far the best succession of matches i can ever remember in my Chelsea supporting days (1996 not 2003 like any new person i meet likes to believe). Performance wise up there with 2010 so far, lets not get too ahead of ourselves but enjoy what we are seeing fellow blues because its something genuinely world class!
UTC!!!
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There's a lot of words to describe United's start to the season, and a lot of them shouldn't be said in front of kids, but 'luck' definitely isn't one of them
One of them rhymes with 'luck'
And on topic, Chelsea are playing incredibly atm. Very glad we played at the Bridge before this formation switch!
Fair play to you for saying that, you're spot on - wish we got them there before it too.
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Scouseinthehouse
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We'll know the end of January but I sincerely doubt Conte will play 3 at the back against this rampant L'pool side. Outside of Luiz there's not the athleticism or pace to counter the interchange of movement.
He'd be very ill advised to.
I can't see why they'd change it tbh? Extremely effective and getting better game by game. If he uses it against Spurs & City, which I have no idea why he wouldn't, then he'll use it against 'Pool.
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You can't? He'd get ripped to shreds in behind. He doesn't have the personnel to play that way against this attack.
Man, I sincerely hope you're right and he does. That will be quite the night all things being equal.
I really hope Watford set up that way tomorrow. (Although Mazzarri is far more flexible to change than Conte right now through a match.). I can't see them doing that and anticipate he'll revert to the 4 he's played at times with a low block. But facing a 3-5-2 at Anfield with these Reds ..... Yes please Walter!
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The change in system has really got the best out of Pedro. Previously he was forced to keep wide and constantly found himself facing opposition players whom he was not very good at beating plus saddled with defensive duties. In this new system, he is playing a lot similar to how he was used at Barcelona, narrower and closer to the striker with the remit being to get on the end of lay-offs by seeking out space and dragging around defenders with his intelligent running to create space for Haz and Costa.
Mightly pleased for him. The key to this system really has been Alonso and Moses. They almost always provide a ready outlet for the ball out wide when things go to **** in the middle.
Mightly pleased for him. The key to this system really has been Alonso and Moses. They almost always provide a ready outlet for the ball out wide when things go to **** in the middle.
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And equally the worst thing Leicester did was letting him go.
I do feel that even if he had stayed, Leicester would not be much better off than they are now. Fact is that every team underestimated them last season and took the games lightly which they are not doing this season. Ditto that every team is now paying special attention to Vardy which is why he has been kept so quiet this season.
Scouseinthehouse
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Oh, don't get me wrong, I aren't in the least surprised Leicester have reverted back to being mediocre. I had the discussion countless times on these here boards last season about every single Leicester player playing way above themselves last year and just having career seasons almost to a man. Couple that with the perfect storm scenario they had with most every other club under achieving (I still have NO comprehension how Tottenham didn't win the league shy of 'Spurs being 'Spurs. By far and away the best side over the whole season without wishing to take away from the Champions IMHO.). Now those average players have reverted back to what they are.
But Kante has been a massive loss to them regardless. They'd of been better letter Vardy or Mahrez go. He was integral to how they played and they've just not replaced him at all. There's just no protection for the back line (and the again weak centre of Morgan and Huth without that), and the gaps between midfield and defence is chasmic.
I haven't seen them of late so I don't know if Claudio has finally altered his style of play from last year to compensate, but early doors the way they got ripped to pieces at Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Utd when they got in front highlighted his loss in glowing technicolor.
Looking among rivals, I personally thought he and Mkhtiaryian were the best signings the summer. Although what's appears to be going on between he and José right now is a whole other subject for a whole other thread.
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Watford have gone back to a 4 and a deep block today FWIW.
Seriously foolish to try match up with a 3 against this L'pool side.
With all due respect, Chelsea and Watford are two different sides. Watford go their seeing themselves as massive underdogs, Chelsea with a full team would go to Anfield as equal challengers.
The work rate Moses & Alonso possess effectively makes it a back 5 when defending, it's not as risky as "back 3" makes it sound.
If Conte has no standout absentees come January, I would be extremely surprised to see him change a winning formula. Their trip to the Etihad would give us better idea on your theory, but I'd be surprised.