Chelsea (H) - Sat 15th Jan, 12:30 | Pre-Match Thread

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Meh, Laporte has a tendency to get bullied by a strong centre forward who puts themselves about. Ake might not be as bad as you expect. That said, if Stones is back he’d be my choice.

Think whoever plays, Pep should tell them not to get too tight to Lukaku. Give him time and he'll be sure to fall over the ball.

 

[Kippax77]

Chelsea just kept the ball off Spurs.
I've not seen 1 team in the Prem that can do that to US.
We are the possession merchants, and like Pep's philosophy states, no one can hurt you if you've got the ball.

They'll try being physical but we will pass them silly, we just need to convert our chances for a comfy win

 

[Dzeko9]

 

[Shaffer92]

sounds like he's just speaking more generally, relax.

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

11/12 , couldnt remember the easily forgotten Scott Sinclair

Exactly the same as that. Wonder if he got as many minutes as Glauber Berti....on the bench.

 

[Bay Area Blue 93]

Chelsea just kept the ball off Spurs.
I've not seen 1 team in the Prem that can do that to US.
We are the possession merchants, and like Pep's philosophy states, no one can hurt you if you've got the ball.

They'll try being physical but we will pass them silly, we just need to convert our chances for a comfy win

I mostly agree with you, but as a reminder, here were the stats in the CL final:

 

[LucahArchie10]

He is relaxed & sending out mixed messages, training has been behind the cameras giving fuckall away & why not
Just like the Swindon game we will be just fine & get on with it

Break them early & take our chances the rest will fall into place

 

[5 Hit Gibbon]

10 years from now we will still have the same handful of posters making the exact same points about Peps supposedly overthinking of the CL whenever we’re about to face Chelsea.
Surely you must be bored to tears repeating yourselves so often?

I think that you are just overthinking things!

 

[Keepingthefaithsince1976]

I never knew that Phelan played for Chelsea.

I guessed at Phelan expecting to be wrong though as he came from Wimbledon. It was the irish connection that got me through. 5million for him and Curle. I bet City kept the overdraft down for a while at Plough lane.

 

[dickie davies]

Chelsea just kept the ball off Spurs.
I've not seen 1 team in the Prem that can do that to US.
We are the possession merchants, and like Pep's philosophy states, no one can hurt you if you've got the ball.

They'll try being physical but we will pass them silly, we just need to convert our chances for a comfy win

Arsenal gave it a very good go for an hour

 

[Dave S]

De Bruyne needs to keep well clear of Rudiger in this game. Rudiger was under orders to get De Bruyne out of the match in the Champions League final, no question about it in my view.

 

[borassic]

I mostly agree with you, but as a reminder, here were the stats in the CL final:
View attachment 34506

Can you not post that in here? I’ve only just about erased all memory of that night

 

[Bay Area Blue 93]

Can you not post that in here? I’ve only just about erased all memory of that night

Sorry about that. As Fawlty Towers said, "Don't mention the war!"

 

[Tangled up in blue.]

I like the way Pep is saying fuck all, keeping them guessing Pep, they wont have a clue who's playing or not until an hour before the kick off.
They wont know who's fit and who isn't so not much time to change tactic.
Say fuck all Pep

 

[Kippax77]

I mostly agree with you, but as a reminder, here were the stats in the CL final:
View attachment 34506

OMG.
What is your prediction for the team you follow tomorrow then?
You know that team who are 10 points clear at the half way stage, and the same team who played "the European Champions" off the park at their own gaff when they were top of the league?

Come on enlighten me

 

[Kippax77]

Arsenal gave it a very good go for an hour

Fuck me is this suicide friday or something????

 

[Champions Again Ole Ole]

Only about 50 seats left for tomorrow. Probably be our best attendance of the season so far in the league. Hopefully a decent atmosphere and not dulled by the fact Chelsea play 8 defenders

 

[Bay Area Blue 93]

OMG.
What is your prediction for the team you follow tomorrow then?
You know that team who are 10 points clear at the half way stage, and the same team who played "the European Champions" off the park at their own gaff when they were top of the league?

Come on enlighten me

I think we'll win. Just saying that possession isn't always everything. Rodri (and/or Fernandinho) is the difference as he can snuff out the counterattacks and we didn't have that in the CL final, as has been painfully pointed out by many a commenter on this forum. Full credit to Pep for his tactical adjustments that have mostly stopped the fast, counterattacking teams like Leicester, Liverpool, Spurs, and now Chelsea who previously beat us when our set-up was more naive.

 

[applejuice]

If everyone fit - I will play the exactly same squad as last time in September facing them.

 

[BertTrautmann'sParachute]

3-0