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?

 

[MarsLlama]

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.

Kompany is nowhere near as good as Kolarov or Stones at playing out from the back and I doubt he's as good as Otamendi. We also have to consider that he's a right-sided player so might not complement Otamendi. We need a leader but the psychological impact of losing that leader eight minutes in can't be underestimated.

 

[Benarbia]

Hazard against Navas. Think I'll go for a run when the game is on. Expecting a defeat here

 

[i8rags]

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.

Agree, surely it's more a danger playing stones for eg, who may get injured and having to bring vinny on who may not last.

 

[Father Paul]

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.

Not really. If he does break down (your correct in saying it might happen) we bring on Otto simple. As you are probably aware
Pep can be slow to bring on subs sometimes so it's no big deal really. Vinny on crutches would do better than some of the pathetic defending we have witnessed this season.

 

[Benarbia]

In genuinely think we are the better team and will show it again today like we did at home.

No mate the better team are top. We are good going forward but we lack presence in midfield and defence. They are a more complete team

 

[Father Paul]

Hazard against Navas. Think I'll go for a run when the game is on. Expecting a defeat here

Only marginally more scary than Zabba against Hazard. One will be out of position all the time the other will be murdered for pace.

 

[paulchapo]

Kompany is nowhere near as good as Kolarov or Stones at playing out from the back and I doubt he's as good as Otamendi. We also have to consider that he's a right-sided player so might not complement Otamendi. We need a leader but the psychological impact of losing that leader eight minutes in can't be underestimated.

Again we will have to agree to disagree here. Wasn't Kompany always held up as a perfect example of a defender who could play out from the back? Indeed he used to be a midfield player who could play a bit. A fit Kompany is better than every centre half we have at the club. We have nothing to gain not playing him but everything to gain by playing him.

 

[Wrighty Wrexham]

Does anyone think this season is a rerun of last season? Started of well winning 5 out of 5 then drift away in the league and struggling to make top four plus bomb out of most of the cups but then make the semi final in one cup only to go out with a whimper. Last seasons demise was but down to manager leaving and just treading water till Pep arrived. This seasons excuse players treading water until they are out of contract this summer!! Mind you we actually won the league cup last year could we fluke the FA Cup?

 

[kaz7]

Does anyone think this season is a rerun of last season? Started of well winning 5 out of 5 then drift away in the league and struggling to make top four plus bomb out of most of the cups but then make the semi final in one cup only to go out with a whimper. Last seasons demise was but down to manager leaving and just treading water till Pep arrived. This seasons excuse players treading water until they are out of contract this summer!! Mind you we actually won the league cup last year could we fluke the FA Cup?

I'm feeling the same as last season in that i want it over and sort everything out in the summer and get back to next season,i have high hopes for next season

 

[blue ranger]

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.

Pep didn't use all of his subs on Sunday anyway. He is our best centre half, if he is fit (and it's a big IF) we have to start him. If he breaks down again think it's end of story.