Chelsea Thread 2014/15

[supercrystal7]

Do you actually think he is that good mate?
I'd swap him for Nasri possibly but nobody else

You really would not take Felipe Luiz or Courtois/Cech? I make Chelsea favourites, because all of their players will be playing in their best position. In an ideal world Silva would be 10, Nasri would be playing in a 3 man midfield etc.

I am guessing Hazard will be Chelsea's penalty taker.

You were unlucky yesterday.

Regarding formations, City just get Silva on the ball. He's not restricted at all by the way City play. Formations matter more when you don't have the ball.

Chelsea and City seem to be most peoples favourites. I've seen quite a few say that Chelsea have the best 11 and City the best squad. I think City have the best of both, but I'm biased. I think it might take a couple of weeks at least before the League settles down and teams start playing near their best. Utd and Arsenal were very poor yesterday.

Thanks I think we were unlucky too, but I am disappointed with the goals we conceded very preventable.

I actually agree that City have the best squad and even first 11, but like I said I think Chelsea have the better balance. It will be close and once again I think the CL could decide it. Unless Madrid play 4-3-3 (which they might) then the CL is very open. No reason Chelsea or City cannot win it, but if one goes much deeper than the other could cost them the league.

I also agree that the Premiership has started too early. I think Wenger made that point. Teams had a shorter preaseason and I agree it will take some time before they really gel. It's the perfect time for the smaller teams to play the big teams.

 

[Matty]

You really would not take Felipe Luiz or Courtois/Cech? I make Chelsea favourites, because all of their players will be playing in their best position. In an ideal world Silva would be 10, Nasri would be playing in a 3 man midfield etc.

I am guessing Hazard will be Chelsea's penalty taker.

You were unlucky yesterday.

Regarding formations, City just get Silva on the ball. He's not restricted at all by the way City play. Formations matter more when you don't have the ball.

Chelsea and City seem to be most peoples favourites. I've seen quite a few say that Chelsea have the best 11 and City the best squad. I think City have the best of both, but I'm biased. I think it might take a couple of weeks at least before the League settles down and teams start playing near their best. Utd and Arsenal were very poor yesterday.

Thanks I think we were unlucky too, but I am disappointed with the goals we conceded very preventable.

I actually agree that City have the best squad and even first 11, but like I said I think Chelsea have the better balance. It will be close and once again I think the CL could decide it. Unless Madrid play 4-3-3 (which they might) then the CL is very open. No reason Chelsea or City cannot win it, but if one goes much deeper than the other could cost them the league.

I also agree that the Premiership has started too early. I think Wenger made that point. Teams had a shorter preaseason and I agree it will take some time before they really gel. It's the perfect time for the smaller teams to play the big teams.

Good job we've got Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in 3 of our next 4 games then!

 

[tonea2003]

i know it was only burnley etc, but it looks like our david silva has a rival for playmaker of the year

fabregas was excellent, and that touch of a pass for the second goal was sublime

 

[GHoddle]

Thanks I think we were unlucky too, but I am disappointed with the goals we conceded very preventable.

I actually agree that City have the best squad and even first 11, but like I said I think Chelsea have the better balance. It will be close and once again I think the CL could decide it. Unless Madrid play 4-3-3 (which they might) then the CL is very open. No reason Chelsea or City cannot win it, but if one goes much deeper than the other could cost them the league.

I also agree that the Premiership has started too early. I think Wenger made that point. Teams had a shorter preaseason and I agree it will take some time before they really gel. It's the perfect time for the smaller teams to play the big teams.

Between Chelsea and Man City, who would you back to knock Barca or Bayern out in a CL semi final? I would say Chelsea, which is why I think they will win the league this season. They now have the players to beat the parking the bus teams, but they are also the best in big games. Part of that probably comes from the experience and confidence of continually going far in or winning European competitions. If they do close to as well as they did against the top teams last season, they'll win the league easily as they could have added another 15 points or so from doing better against the bottom teams.

 

[supercity88]

i know it was only burnley etc, but it looks like our david silva has a rival for playmaker of the year

fabregas was excellent, and that touch of a pass for the second goal was sublime

I think he was Chelsea's best signing. For all the talk of needing goals etc, the service wasn't there at times either. Traditionally Lampard has either banged in goals or got assists but last season there was not only a lack of goals but a lack of decent service. They have a lot of creative players but Fabregas can run the game and bring the best out of them. When you look at the two first 11's a lot depends on how Mangala adapts to things as to who is better. I think we have the better defence otherwise, Fernando looks better than Matic in terms of holding the midfield, though early days. Don't remember many players making such a big impact in that role before, he was exceptional and kept us in the game - the reason we got the 3pts was thanks to his energy in covering defensively. If you were to ask people to choose Matic, Oscar and Fabregas or Fernando, Yaya and Fernandinho I think you would take our three. Costa, Hazard and Schurrle or Aguero, Silva and Nasri? Close... Similarly matched but the fact we have Dzeko, Jovetic, Negredo etc able to come on and score goals makes us a better side than Chelsea in my opinion.

 

[tonea2003]

Thanks I think we were unlucky too, but I am disappointed with the goals we conceded very preventable.

I actually agree that City have the best squad and even first 11, but like I said I think Chelsea have the better balance. It will be close and once again I think the CL could decide it. Unless Madrid play 4-3-3 (which they might) then the CL is very open. No reason Chelsea or City cannot win it, but if one goes much deeper than the other could cost them the league.

I also agree that the Premiership has started too early. I think Wenger made that point. Teams had a shorter preaseason and I agree it will take some time before they really gel. It's the perfect time for the smaller teams to play the big teams.

Between Chelsea and Man City, who would you back to knock Barca or Bayern out in a CL semi final? I would say Chelsea, which is why I think they will win the league this season. They now have the players to beat the parking the bus teams, but they are also the best in big games. Part of that probably comes from the experience and confidence of continually going far in or winning European competitions. If they do close to as well as they did against the top teams last season, they'll win the league easily as they could have added another 15 points or so from doing better against the bottom teams.

so could of we
cardiff, villa, sunderland home and away, stoke away

it will be tight ,right to the end, underestimate us at your peril

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

i know it was only burnley etc, but it looks like our david silva has a rival for playmaker of the year

fabregas was excellent, and that touch of a pass for the second goal was sublime

I think he was Chelsea's best signing. For all the talk of needing goals etc, the service wasn't there at times either. Traditionally Lampard has either banged in goals or got assists but last season there was not only a lack of goals but a lack of decent service. They have a lot of creative players but Fabregas can run the game and bring the best out of them. When you look at the two first 11's a lot depends on how Mangala adapts to things as to who is better. I think we have the better defence otherwise, Fernando looks better than Matic in terms of holding the midfield, though early days. Don't remember many players making such a big impact in that role before, he was exceptional and kept us in the game - the reason we got the 3pts was thanks to his energy in covering defensively. If you were to ask people to choose Matic, Oscar and Fabregas or Fernando, Yaya and Fernandinho I think you would take our three. Costa, Hazard and Schurrle or Aguero, Silva and Nasri? Close... Similarly matched but the fact we have Dzeko, Jovetic, Negredo etc able to come on and score goals makes us a better side than Chelsea in my opinion.

El Gobshite is one of those players who can take a game by the scruff and orchestrate things from start to finish. Cracking signing and one that will make the difference for CFC over last season.

 

[Matty]

Thanks I think we were unlucky too, but I am disappointed with the goals we conceded very preventable.

I actually agree that City have the best squad and even first 11, but like I said I think Chelsea have the better balance. It will be close and once again I think the CL could decide it. Unless Madrid play 4-3-3 (which they might) then the CL is very open. No reason Chelsea or City cannot win it, but if one goes much deeper than the other could cost them the league.

I also agree that the Premiership has started too early. I think Wenger made that point. Teams had a shorter preaseason and I agree it will take some time before they really gel. It's the perfect time for the smaller teams to play the big teams.

Between Chelsea and Man City, who would you back to knock Barca or Bayern out in a CL semi final? I would say Chelsea, which is why I think they will win the league this season. They now have the players to beat the parking the bus teams, but they are also the best in big games. Part of that probably comes from the experience and confidence of continually going far in or winning European competitions. If they do close to as well as they did against the top teams last season, they'll win the league easily as they could have added another 15 points or so from doing better against the bottom teams.

so could of we
cardiff, villa, sunderland home and away, stoke away

it will be tight ,right to the end, underestimate us at your peril

Only drew 0-0 away to Norwich too!

 

[Matty]

Chelsea looked really good last night, certainly in the first half, and with Costa upfront, Schurrle getting more gametime out wide, and Fabregas pulling the strings from the midfield, they'll be a far more potent attacking force than last season. Obviously, it was only Burnley, so the hyperbole SKY were guilty of last night needs to be tempered to a fair degree, but it was still a pretty good performance.

What it did, however, demonstrate, was one of the key differences between Pellegrini's approach to football and Mourinho's. Chelsea were cruising and 3-1 up at half time, against a limited side who couldn't really cause them too may issues. If that had been City then Pellegrini would have sent us out to go for the jugular, he'd have been looking to give Burnley a proper twatting, score another 2 or 3 goals, make a statement and, ultimately, improve the goal difference (which, as we all know, can be the deciding factor at the end of the season). Mourinho was happy to just get the 3 points, he'd take another goal or 2 if they came along, but he wasn't going to push for them. Ultimately a win is a win, but from an entertainment perspective and, as I said above, from a goal difference perspective, Pellegrini's approach is the one I much prefer. Winning but doing so in the right way I think is how we've described it. Yes, we want league titles, but we don't want to do that whilst playing for 1-0 wins, akin to the classic Arsenal side of old.

 

[jollylescott]

i know it was only burnley etc, but it looks like our david silva has a rival for playmaker of the year

fabregas was excellent, and that touch of a pass for the second goal was sublime

I think he was Chelsea's best signing. For all the talk of needing goals etc, the service wasn't there at times either. Traditionally Lampard has either banged in goals or got assists but last season there was not only a lack of goals but a lack of decent service. They have a lot of creative players but Fabregas can run the game and bring the best out of them. When you look at the two first 11's a lot depends on how Mangala adapts to things as to who is better. I think we have the better defence otherwise, Fernando looks better than Matic in terms of holding the midfield, though early days. Don't remember many players making such a big impact in that role before, he was exceptional and kept us in the game - the reason we got the 3pts was thanks to his energy in covering defensively. If you were to ask people to choose Matic, Oscar and Fabregas or Fernando, Yaya and Fernandinho I think you would take our three. Costa, Hazard and Schurrle or Aguero, Silva and Nasri? Close... Similarly matched but the fact we have Dzeko, Jovetic, Negredo etc able to come on and score goals makes us a better side than Chelsea in my opinion.

It's very difficult to compare the two teams at this stage. Chelsea knocked us off in both games last year and we still won the league, so any improvement on that this season goes into the plus side of the ledger.

I have always been a fan of Cesc, but let's see if he can sustain his performance over the unrelenting English season. He has been away enjoying the Spanish sunshine for a few years and Negredo is a good example of a player coming from Spain who found it difficult to maintain a high level all season. One of the reasons that Barca let him go is that Cesc was inconsistent, so for me it's a wait and see over the long haul. Same with Costa. Let's see how he goes as we get into the depths of winter.

Historically the team that has the best goal difference generally wins the league. This has happened the last few seasons. So I think that is worth watching as the season progresses. In my opinion City is the stronger of the two teams. Although we have not bought stellar names in the off season, we have plugged gaps and this I believe will make a big difference this season. I fully expect our points tally to be higher than last season, and if Chelsea can top that then they will deserve to win the league.