Chelsea away - Pre match discussion

[cibaman]

Mind games.

I like it

No point playing mind games on something like this. Would be a dead give away when Vinny once got off the bus. Chelsea will have prepared assuming that he may or may not be fit so would not be at a disadvantage.

It might make a tiny bit of sense if it was the other way round, tell them that he is playing when he isn't. But not this way.

 

[MillionDollarDream]

Stop gap shouldn't be the answer for me though. I am taking about using some of the money we spent elsewhere or maybe selling Dzeko and spending £25m plus on a CB.

We always seem to go top heavy on spending up front and spend light at the back.

I said when we won the title we needed a top class CH and we still haven't done it, whenever Vinny is out we struggle, if we had another top class CH alongside him it wouldn't be as noticeable. Nastasic is a fine player but needs time, he should be back up for our two. Same old story for me, only Vinny would get in other top teams and none of our other CH options would.

I think it was fairly obvious that Demichellis was our second choice after Pepe. Perhaps we waited too long in the hope of signing Pepe and ran out of options? The question is whether there were any other realistic alternatives available if we had moved earlier. I don't think it would have made sense to have spent £30m+ of our transfer budget on another CH given that Nastasic is very likely to develop into a top class player. But were there any other centre halves available for £15-20m?

I can't think of any top center half who moved this summer in that price range and is doing well, haven't seen Marquinhos at all at PSG and he costed a lot more. In hindsight, we could have kept Rekik same way we plugged Nas in last season over starting Garcia at the back.

 

[Stoned Rose]

No Kompany away v Chelsea is a major major blow imo.

Chelsea will simply hit balls over the top and down the channels for Torres to battle Garcia for. Only be one winner there imo.

This makes it even more imperative we go 4-5-1 with a midfield of Fern, Yaya, Milner, Silva and Nasri.

This will give us enough midfield control and put us on the front foot rather than letting them swamp our 4-4-2 and pick balls out at their leisure.

I'd also put Clichy at left back before Kolarov for his pace and 'covering' abilities.

Hart will need to be ultra switched on for balls he needs to 'sweep up' on.

Big test for MP this.

 

[MillionDollarDream]

Also let's not rule out Demichelis, he's played at Munich he was a top player last season, he's very familiar with big games, loads of experience, have him in the team with Zabaleta and Aguero and we can breathe a little easier.

 

[kippaxblue76]

Also let's not rule out Demichelis, he's played at Munich he was a top player last season, he's very familiar with big games, loads of experience, have him in the team with Zabaleta and Aguero and we can breathe a little easier.

Cant see him being thrown straight into such a big game.<br /><br />-- Fri Oct 25, 2013 2:31 pm --<br /><br />

I said when we won the title we needed a top class CH and we still haven't done it, whenever Vinny is out we struggle, if we had another top class CH alongside him it wouldn't be as noticeable. Nastasic is a fine player but needs time, he should be back up for our two. Same old story for me, only Vinny would get in other top teams and none of our other CH options would.

I think it was fairly obvious that Demichellis was our second choice after Pepe. Perhaps we waited too long in the hope of signing Pepe and ran out of options? The question is whether there were any other realistic alternatives available if we had moved earlier. I don't think it would have made sense to have spent £30m+ of our transfer budget on another CH given that Nastasic is very likely to develop into a top class player. But were there any other centre halves available for £15-20m?

I can't think of any top center half who moved this summer in that price range and is doing well, haven't seen Marquinhos at all at PSG and he costed a lot more. In hindsight, we could have kept Rekik same way we plugged Nas in last season over starting Garcia at the back.

Put it this way if we had got a top class CH, e.g. Pepe, first choice would be VK and Pepe, Vinny injured, in comes Nasty or vice versa, we are weak at CH.

 

[cookster]

With Vinny injured (again) I'd take a point now. Gracia has been roasted by strikers alot worst that Torres, Etoo or Ba

We will need to score 3 to win

 

[MillionDollarDream]

With Vinny injured (again) I'd take a point now. Gracia has been roasted by strikers alot worst that Torres, Etoo or Ba

We will need to score 3 to win

With 1 goal between the 3 in the Prem, I'm not really worried about their strike force as much as I'm worried about the midfield, that's where the game will be won in my opinion. We have to have the right mix to neutralize any combination between Mata/Oscar/Willian/Hazard/Rameries/Lampard etc. I like Navas to shine in this game as well as us playing a 4-5-1. I think Milner needs to be alongside Ferna/Yaya with Navas/Silva on the wings.

 

[kippaxblue76]

With Vinny injured (again) I'd take a point now. Gracia has been roasted by strikers alot worst that Torres, Etoo or Ba

We will need to score 3 to win

With 1 goal between the 3 in the Prem, I'm not really worried about their strike force as much as I'm worried about the midfield, that's where the game will be won in my opinion. We have to have the right mix to neutralize any combination between Mata/Oscar/Willian/Hazard/Rameries/Lampard etc. I like Navas to shine in this game as well as us playing a 4-5-1. I think Milner needs to be alongside Ferna/Yaya with Navas/Silva on the wings.

Don't think Navas will start this game. Think Nasri will come back into the starting line up.

 

[Blue Coop]

He surely has to throw Lescott in ahead of Garcia, if you really want to play from the back then drop another midfielder in there like Milner and pull Negredo to the bench (shame as he's in top form but being tight at the back is key and Nasri/Silva/Aguero will still create chances.

 

[LoveCity]

Maybe they will make a gentleman's agreement to play out a draw. :)

Remember that 0-0 against United a few years ago where both teams hardly crossed the halfway line? It was almost an unspoken agreement to take the point.

We could put Rodwell, who was the best player on the pitch against Chelsea in February until he went off injured after 50-odd minutes, into a midfield 3 if we did this. But I suspect Pellegrini will go for all 3pts with our normal formation. Yaya and Fernandinho are going to have to work really hard in this game.