Chelsea (h) pre-match thread

[55yr old teenager]

He likes to play well against us

Yep he has deffo got a worldy goal in him, remember one he scored against us when he played for Everton

 

[ninjamonkey]

Bizarre how the last choice at left back after mendy Delph danilo and laporte gets the nod in one of the toughest and biggest game of the season, I'm sure Pep has a plan behind the choice but fuck knows what it is because all i see is a torrid time for him and a very busy 90 minutes for Laporte covering but that's why I'm not a manager. Dont like sterling and Bernardo on the flanks either, we lack wide and penetration when we play like this, nobody is willing to go down the outside with both of them cutting inside onto their preferred foot. Bernardo needs to be in the middle, best player this season and needs to be played in his best position which is in the centre, Gundogan has been in very good form lately, but it always seems like we're pushing others out of position to accommodate him.

Their side is what we would expect, this game is going to be all about how much tempo we have in our play.

 

[SWP's back]

Why can't we just go with our best 11,it's a crucial game

Which is?

 

[simon23]

glad to see Willian isn't playing for them as he would just constantly run over Gundogan time and time again with limited effort.

Not sure why he would play Zinchenko but it has to be tactical

Every time he plays Gundogan our performance suffers...He has played ok recently and the chipped pass to set up the sterling volleyed pass to Run for his second goal the other week was a thing of beauty but he doesn't do it enough or consistently. He is so slow.

Glad to see sterling on and I dont think Sane deserves to be starting at present...again far too inconsistent and against Everton he was poor....plus you have to have Bernardo and Kev on for this.

 

[ojeme]

Assume it will be Bernardo on the right and Sterling on the left with Fernandinho, Gundogan and KDB central. Personally would have preferred Sane and David Silva playing.

To be fair they have not been playing close to their abilities in the last few games. Hope Gundo does his consistency rating some good, hope there is a plan to ensure Zinchy doesn't get caught out again and hope everyone is up for this one.

 

[razman]

Well on form , didn't expect mahrez - 0 starts this year...he may again put in a transfer request soon lol

 

[deano ou812]

No, we've got the midweek off and the cup next week.

Well hopefully we are just overreacting a bit,but I’m not feeling confident at all..

 

[Irishblue93]

Laporte on it ? When hasnt he been this season FFS ?

If he some how manages to have a off day then we are fairly chinned

 

[Deleted member 81382]

Delph not even on the bench, I reckon he's gone in the summer.

 

[kaz7]

I have no information but I get the feeling Pep doesnt trust Mahrez. He is getting very little game time recently. I think the problem is that when he has the chance to step up and make a claim a for a starting spot he’s blown it.

Someone put up the list of games mahrez has started and it's pretty much all the big games