Chelsea pre-match thread

[paulchapo]

What is going on with Kompany?? He has supposed to have been fit for weeks now so why is our best defender and more importantly leader not being played??

 

[MarsLlama]

What is going on with Kompany?? He has supposed to have been fit for weeks now so why is our best defender and more importantly leader not being played??

Because if he gets injured in the first 60 minutes, which his record suggests is likely, then we're up shit creek without a paddle.

 

[SWP's back]

But aren't we generally the better team against anyone in the league? The problems are basic but costly, missing chances, switching off for periods of the game and defending erratically (particularly against set-pieces). Unless you're going to have 100% possession, the opposition will always have chances and we're just incapable of being strong at the back and defending for our lives.

Afraid to say I can't see it changing tomorrow. 3-2, or 3-1 to them unfortunately. Hope I'm wrong

To answer your question. We are yeah. That's why I'm pleased with the progress overall this season and already excited for next year.

New CB, goalie and a couple of younger full backs and I can only see good things.

 

[paulchapo]

Because if he gets injured in the first 60 minutes, which his record suggests is likely, then we're up shit creek without a paddle.

Why? We don't play him and we are all over the place anyway. We play him and he gets injured after however many minutes we just fetch a sub on. He is no use on the bench if he is fit.

 

[MarsLlama]

If we win this the title race is back on. For Spurs, that is. If both we and Spurs win tomorrow then Spurs will be just four points behind Chelsea. We'll be 8 behind with 8 games to play, which... sounds familiar...

It's possible. It's just about possible. Chelsea after this game have:

Bournemouth away
United away
Southampton at home
Everton away
Boro at home
West Brom away
Sunderland at home
Watford at home

Barring any collapse I'd expect them to get 18 points from these 24. If we won all of our last 8 we still wouldn't overtake them. So realistically we can only beat Chelsea now if they slip up. However, Tottenham could plausibly win the league still. If not, we can plausibly overtake Tottenham.
I'd take 3rd right now if offered.

 

[MarsLlama]

Why? We don't play him and we are all over the place anyway. We play him and he gets injured after however many minutes we just fetch a sub on. He is no use on the bench if he is fit.

Because changing the CB means changing the way we're playing mid-game. It's not a mental distraction we need.

 

[jaiguruKun]

If we lose tomorrow it will be the first time any manager has done the double over Pep.

I think it's a certain loss. Chelsea will be right at it from the off after they lost to Palace and we are very fragile mentally.

As much as I don't like betting on a City defeat I'm very tempted by the 7-5 on offer.

 

[paulchapo]

Because changing the CB means changing the way we're playing mid-game. It's not a mental distraction we need.

Sorry mate but that is a rubbish reason. We have a defender sitting twiddling his thumbs who would improve our defense massively, yet we don't play him because he might break down at some point? What are we saving him for then I wonder? He gets injured we just use one of three subs to replace him. It is one defender for another it doesn't change our system or change the way we are playing.

 

[Danny_Johnson4]

Because changing the CB means changing the way we're playing mid-game. It's not a mental distraction we need.

How do you work that one out?
Take a CB off and replacing him with another who has trained in this style for the past 8 months shouldn't change anything
Does it mean we go long ball if hes on? Don't get your argument at all

The mental side, meh, maybe. But then again thats a massive and fatal weakness in the side if so. We should be at the top level not only in terms of ability but also capability to handle transition, isnt that why Pep is here? To be able to play different systems and styles throughout a single game? Tactical sophistication was the phrase Khaldoon used.

I for one, and have said it earlier, could not care less if he comes off after 70 mins, cause I bet we are more solid for those 70 mins with him than without
If he is injured and we have to let him go because of his pathetic inability to handle a football match despite it being his trained profession, then thats the ball game we are in. But right now we are simply saving his fitness for his next club, where is the sense in that? Get him on the pitch, we need a leader.

 

[Danny_Johnson4]

Sorry mate but that is a rubbish reason. We have a defender sitting twiddling his thumbs who would improve our defense massively, yet we don't play him because he might break down at some point? What are we saving him for then I wonder? He gets injured we just use one of three subs to replace him. It is one defender for another it doesn't change our system or change the way we are playing.

Nail on head. Ridiculous and what I was getting at with my post just after this. Just what the heck are we saving him for?