Chelsea (A) - Sat 25 Sep 12:30 | Pre-Match Thread

[blueparrot]

You play Sterling you then play with ten men.

Thats daft, even when not at his best Sterling contributes plenty and is much much better than playing with 10.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

I maintain we will win the game if southgate managed us against you guys. all it takes is putting all our best players in the right position they play against chelsea and we win the game. but no pep sometimes lets his ego get in front of him and tries to show he is too clever against his opposite manager and ends up looking stupid with no defensive mid and no forward.

Nothing to do with his ego, much more to do with needing to score the first goal and also seeing both Rodri and Fernandinho really struggle against Chelsea's press in previous games. It didn't work, but let's not pretend it was an insane gambit. There was a logic to it

 

[domalino]

What makes Pep do those things, do you think?


I think we're both capable of beating each other, as I think these are roughly two teams on equal footing, which is a pleasing thing to be able to say for first time in about half a decade.

Pep has always happily explained his tactical decisions.

He picked Gundogan because we'd lost to Chelsea with both Rodri and Fernandinho playing 6. In the FA Cup especially we'd not managed to break the back 5 down, and he thought the only way to do so was to sacrifice the DM for another creative player and hope the back 4 could cover Havertz, Werner and Mount between them.

Gundogan has played dozens of games at 6 for us, including for a 14 match winning run to win the 2019 title so he'd played the position.

He said all of this in his pre match interview before the Champions League final.

 

[mccity]

Ake is playing
We are fucked

If I had a penny for every time I read a post saying 'Player X is playing, we're going to lose' in a match that we didn't go on to lose, I'd have enough money to buy Harry Kane with change left over.

 

[kaz7]

You play Sterling you then play with ten men.

Dont be ridiculous

 

[domalino]

I dont think this is going to happen., but Wilson-Esbrand is the exact kind of player we need to beat the back 3/5. We really need that high, wide, pacey fullback to pull their wingbacks out to the touchline and let Foden, KDB, Sterling, Grealish etc get at the back 3 with less protection.

As much as I'm a fan of Zinchenko, the tucked in fullback has killed us against these systems, and Cancelo just isn't good enough on the left to do that role.

Like I said, it's not going to happen. Maybe in 6 months when we play in a cup or the return fixture he might get the chance if he's picked up a few more games.

 

[mosssideblue]

You play Sterling you then play with ten men.

I know that is an exaggeration, but I get the gist of your post

 

[FantasyIreland]

I'd play Sterling because a few months ago he scored and won a penalty in the closest game we had to beating Tuchel's Chelsea. In fact, if Aguero scores, we win that game, I think even Tuchel admitted that. This was also when everyone was complaining about his form.

Also his runs in behind James were our only big chances against Chelsea in the CL final.

I'm not sure it's a fight between the two of them though.

Far more negatives to Sterlings game than positives,the amount of times he will surrender possession being the main concern.

As for a straight fight,i wouldnt like to lose any of the other 10 from that line up and Jesus adds much more in terms of cohesion and industry IMO.

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

I dont think this is going to happen., but Wilson-Esbrand is the exact kind of player we need to beat the back 3/5. We really need that high, wide, pacey fullback to pull their wingbacks out to the touchline and let Foden, KDB, Sterling, Grealish etc get at the back 3 with less protection.

As much as I'm a fan of Zinchenko, the tucked in fullback has killed us against these systems, and Cancelo just isn't good enough on the left to do that role.

Like I said, it's not going to happen. Maybe in 6 months when we play in a cup or the return fixture he might get the chance if he's picked up a few more games.

Having Jesus play wide right and naturally look to go outside to the byline instead of coming inside into traffic might help keep Alonso both wide and pinned back

Would be nice to have that on the left too, but it'll probably be Grealish and Cancelo coming inside and clogging the middle up. Hopefully Bernardo and/or Foden can go on the outside to open up some space

 

[Gundog’s Gundog]

Full strength against Chelsea and Lpool, rest as many as we can against PSG - we can afford to lose that one.