Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

GavRedKing

Media will focus on AVB vs JM but if we want to win the league beating the teams around us is a must.

bullpost

I think its too early for us to face Spurs. Can't see anything but a win for them.

GavRedKing wrote: »

Media will focus on AVB vs JM but if we want to win the league beating the teams around us is a must.

Pepe LeFrits

Seriously?

the_monkey

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Seriously?

Seriously what ?

That spurs will likely win ?

Going on current forms its looking likely - add Ramires and Van Ginkel out
doesn't look rosy at all, this season we will be lucky to finish top 4 ...

GavRedKing

bullpost wrote: »

I think its too early for us to face Spurs. Can't see anything but a win for them.

I've to disagree, if we can perform like we did against Bayern then we'll give them a great game and have every chance of winning, if we bring the Everton performance and some of the displays of late into that game it'll be a tough ask for us.

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Seriously?

I think we can win, Spurs are like us, mass of players still tying to gel but I'd take our best XI over theres everyday of the week, only 3 players from Spurs I could see playing a role with us.

Soldado, Paulihno and Vertonghen would definetly start for us but man for man we're equal or better then spurs across the other 8 players.

Pepe LeFrits

GavRedKing wrote: »

I think we can win, Spurs are like us, mass of players still tying to gel but I'd take our best XI over theres everyday of the week, only 3 players from Spurs I could see playing a role with us.

Soldado, Paulihno and Vertonghen would definetly start for us but man for man we're equal or better then spurs across the other 8 players.

Mostly agreed.

Reading this thread you'd think yiz were playing Bayern or Barca...

GavRedKing

Sandro would have a chance as well but it would be Ramires and Paulihno or Sandro for me if that was the case.

I think our last few performances havent inspired confidence but apart from yeresleves no team has played well in the leagu for a few games on the trot.

Fulham and Swindon results have papered over what were average performances in both games,we mightnt click properly just yet but this game is a chance to set out a bench mark for our season, we've to beat more of our rivals away this season and thats something we've to improve upon as we didnt do it enough over the last 2 seasons.

Although I think we beat Arsenal early last year away and Utd at teh end of the season, we can up our game but we've to do it more consistently if Jose wants to mount a challenge no matter how much we or him spout on about the young fellas coming good eventually.

bullpost

Yep - Mourinho not inspiring confidence in the team and some of our best players from last couple years out of favour. Plus we cant score for ****.

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Seriously?

GavRedKing

bullpost wrote: »

Yep - Mourinho not inspiring confidence in the team and some of our best players from last couple years out of favour. Plus we cant score for ****.

We looked toothless against Utd but they werent much better but we were improved against Bayern.

Our best players this season so far have been Ivan and Oscar.

If Ramires is out it will be a tough ask for our CM to stand up to Spurs so I'd be pairing Luiz and Mikel in there if Ramires is out so we can at least force Spurs onto the flanks and not to play through us centrally.

Schurrle will probably start with Oscar and Hazard and its a toss of coin between Eto'o and Torres, probably give it to Eto'o given he was rested agaisnt Swindon, Cahill/JT partnership flanked by Ivan and Cole and we'll be sorted.

Techless

GavRedKing wrote: »

We looked toothless against Utd but they werent much better but we were improved against Bayern.

Our best players this season so far have been Ivan and Oscar.

If Ramires is out it will be a tough ask for our CM to stand up to Spurs so I'd be pairing Luiz and Mikel in there if Ramires is out so we can at least force Spurs onto the flanks and not to play through us centrally.

Schurrle will probably start with Oscar and Hazard and its a toss of coin between Eto'o and Torres, probably give it to Eto'o given he was rested agaisnt Swindon, Cahill/JT partnership flanked by Ivan and Cole and we'll be sorted.

Would agree Gav on the team you named, but just can't see JM playing Luiz in midfield, hope he does but think he will opt for Frank and Mikel.

G.K.

MVG apparently out for season.

cson

G.K. wrote: »

MVG apparently out for season.

Confirmed by his agent.

Anyways, nice to have you lot at the Emirates in the Cup. Love a good derby game.

SlipperyPeople

****e! unlucky for him. at least hes got age on his side. was looking forward to seeing him play a few games this season

GavRedKing

Techless wrote: »

Would agree Gav on the team you named, but just can't see JM playing Luiz in midfield, hope he does but think he will opt for Frank and Mikel.

If Ramires is out he may opt for the quicker and better defensively Luiz in CM with Mikel, I think Mikel is nailed on anyway and if Ramires is fit he'll partner him.

cson wrote: »

Confirmed by his agent.

Anyways, nice to have you lot at the Emirates in the Cup. Love a good derby game.

G.K. is a Leeds fan :pac:

hungoverbunny wrote: »

****e! unlucky for him. at least hes got age on his side. was looking forward to seeing him play a few games this season

Ya MVG's injury is a kick in the teeth for the young lad, no WC either for him by the looks of it.

Luiz may get more chances in CM this year.

Which in turn will give Kalas more chances at CB I reckon.

Pepe LeFrits

My sympathies to Van Ginkel. I tore my ACL earlier this year and it's certainly no fun. He's a young'un though so I'm sure he'll back sooner than I will!

duploelabs

Acl is a horrible injury and is always going to be a permanent issue (have done it myself) but it does mean good news for Mata, and here's why... Oscar is not only a great number 10 but also a superb pivot, thus moving him back would free up the 10 role for Mata (clutching at straws here but it should work)

GavRedKing

Clutching at straws I reckon, Jose hasnt played Oscar in there so I doubt hes going to start anytime soon also given MVG was a regular feature in the side, I dont think it will effect positions or personel to much.

hots

As MVG was hardly a 1st choice starter the only impact it will have on the squad is Essien moved up the list a bit I'd have thought? Gutted for him though, he offered something different from back there...

D'Agger

Sorry to hear about Van G - looked promising and hopefully it'll be an injury he can bounce back from

GavRedKing

D'Agger wrote: »

Sorry to hear about Van G - looked promising and hopefully it'll be an injury he can bounce back from

Ya its looking like a problem area for us, we dont have enough quality in there, only Ramires is a stand out, Lamps is too old, Mikel is only ok and Essien was past it due to injuries 2 years ago.

Luiz and Ramires for the rest of the season IMO. :pac:

D'Agger

GavRedKing wrote: »

Ya its looking like a problem area for us, we dont have enough quality in there, only Ramires is a stand out, Lamps is too old, Mikel is only ok and Essien was past it due to injuries 2 years ago.

Luiz and Ramires for the rest of the season IMO. :pac:

Can you call back Romeu? - saw him starting against Real Betis for Valencia recently and he was solid, they lost badly but he seemed very cool on the ball, never panicked.

He's not at the standard required right now perhaps but would be able to replace MVG in the squad I'd have thought

GavRedKing

Not sure on Romeu without doing some digging, if we only held out on Josh McEachran for a few more days he could taken his place in the squad.

ronsgonawin

I haven't posted in a while but wanted to add my 2 cents on the mata situation.

I still can't believe he isint getting picked. In all teams you should build your team around your best players. If he doesn't want to pick mata because he does not track back then choose a different formation to suit everyone strengths.

I think 4-3-3 would suit chelsea best with the current group of players, with mata wide right, which he has done on plenty of occasions, and with ramires on the right side of the 3 can cover when mata wonders inside and also ramires is brilliant breaking from deep. On the left of the midfield 3 I would have Oscar. He would have the freedom to break forward and play a bit more advanced and use his first class long shots or also use his passing to set torres free (who I would have up top) also Oscar loves a tackle and would enjoy getting stuck. I would have mikel sitting deep for now he does seem to be passing and playing a bit better this year.

Also De bryne can swap for ramires or Oscar and lampard can also swap with Oscar.

Just for me with our 2 holding which let's face it ramires breaks forward a lot we always seem to get over run in midfield.

I'm probably alone in this also but hazzard has been muck all season think he just needs a couple of goals and good assists and he will be back to his best but I think he would also live the freedom the 4-3-3 would give him to cut in and play closer to torres.

Hope I haven't bored anyone too much :-)
As I said just my 2 cents

Duck Soup

ronsgonawin wrote: »

I haven't posted in a while but wanted to add my 2 cents on the mata situation.

I still can't believe he isint getting picked. In all teams you should build your team around your best players. If he doesn't want to pick mata because he does not track back then choose a different formation to suit everyone strengths.

I think 4-3-3 would suit chelsea best with the current group of players, with mata wide right, which he has done on plenty of occasions, and with ramires on the right side of the 3 can cover when mata wonders inside and also ramires is brilliant breaking from deep. On the left of the midfield 3 I would have Oscar. He would have the freedom to break forward and play a bit more advanced and use his first class long shots or also use his passing to set torres free (who I would have up top) also Oscar loves a tackle and would enjoy getting stuck. I would have mikel sitting deep for now he does seem to be passing and playing a bit better this year.

Also De bryne can swap for ramires or Oscar and lampard can also swap with Oscar.

Just for me with our 2 holding which let's face it ramires breaks forward a lot we always seem to get over run in midfield.

I'm probably alone in this also but hazzard has been muck all season think he just needs a couple of goals and good assists and he will be back to his best but I think he would also live the freedom the 4-3-3 would give him to cut in and play closer to torres.

Hope I haven't bored anyone too much :-)
As I said just my 2 cents

I don't think it's that Mata won't get picked, it's more a battle to enforce an ethos. From Jose's perspective, Mata may have spent the past two years thinking that his poop didn't smell and he was doing everything right. That's made him the number one candidate to be brought into line. After all, if Mata could be shown to be dispensable unless he knuckled down and got with the track-back-and-work-your-socks-off programme, then everyone else would know they were also in the firing line.

Mata seems to have gotten the message. Luiz sounds a little more bolshie - it wouldn't surprise me to see him depart sooner rather than later to the likes of Barca.

bullpost

I agree - depressing really.

Duck Soup wrote: »

I don't think it's that Mata won't get picked, it's more a battle to enforce an ethos. From Jose's perspective, Mata may have spent the past two years thinking that his poop didn't smell and he was doing everything right. That's made him the number one candidate to be brought into line. After all, if Mata could be shown to be dispensable unless he knuckled down and got with the track-back-and-work-your-socks-off programme, then everyone else would know they were also in the firing line.

Mata seems to have gotten the message. Luiz sounds a little more bolshie - it wouldn't surprise me to see him depart sooner rather than later to the likes of Barca.

GavRedKing

I just cant see 4-3-3 working as it negates Oscar and leaves us with only 1 dedicated CDM and at the moment thats either Essien, Mikel or Luiz.

Oscar hasnt played CM to show he can play in their and be reguarly good, Lamps influence from there can be questionnable given his age, Essien isnt good enough and Ramires will need a willing runner that can play ball, Oscar is probably the best bet but he'd have to adapt his game.

In the front three you need pace, plenty of it as you've no real number 10 to create so the wingers have to take on and beat guys and be comfortable carrying the ball. That nearly rules out Mata right away, its not his natural game he isnt quick enough. So it leaves us with Hazard on wing and probably Willian or Schurrle on the other behind Eto'o or Torres, probably Torres as hes better at holding up and bringing others into the game then what we've seen from Eto'o yet.

Teh defence is solid if not unspectacular at FB and our CB's are decent as Luiz is in and out and been fairly erratic where as JT has played every EPL game so far I'm sure.

For me 4-2-3-1 suits our balance better then Joses old 4-3-3 which was deployed a few times on tour but not so much in the league so far.

GavRedKing

Its going to be a long 6 months out for MVG.

Hope he comes back and can get back into the squad for the buisness end of the season.

GavRedKing

whats the feeling on tomorrow people?

Anyone very confident we can win?

I'd say I'm in the cautiously optimistic camp, as long as dont bring our Everton/Basle game we'll do ok I think.

greendom

Duck Soup wrote: »

I don't think it's that Mata won't get picked, it's more a battle to enforce an ethos. From Jose's perspective, Mata may have spent the past two years thinking that his poop didn't smell and he was doing everything right. That's made him the number one candidate to be brought into line. After all, if Mata could be shown to be dispensable unless he knuckled down and got with the track-back-and-work-your-socks-off programme, then everyone else would know they were also in the firing line.

Mata seems to have gotten the message. Luiz sounds a little more bolshie - it wouldn't surprise me to see him depart sooner rather than later to the likes of Barca.

Terrible man-management from Mourinho if that's the case imo

GavRedKing

I dont think its bad man-management, Mata isnt up to the job just yet.

Had he had a full pre-season he would have been fitter, more time with the squad and more time to work on what Jose wants him to do, I'd highly doubt he'll start tomorrow but Mata was our match winner last time, getting 2 goals and I think setting up 1 other although that liability Walker helped our cause by having a stinker, same goes for Gallas.

Jose will approach it like the Utd game but Schurrle will start on the win in place of Mata.

Cech
Ivan Luiz JT Cole
Ramires(if fit) Mikel
Schurrle Oscar Hazard
Eto'o

Panthro

I'd prefer Torres.

MaroonAndGreen

Torres is our only striker to score this season he has to start IMO

Killinator

Some more comforting words from Jose's latest presser saying he liked Matas effort against Swindon

MaroonAndGreen

Id like to see De Bruyne given more of a chance too, I liked what I seen of him early in the season..

He looks like a player who will work very hard on the wing and thats important in these kind of away games I guess.

I'd take a draw for sure

GavRedKing

Killinator wrote: »

Some more comforting words from Jose's latest presser saying he liked Matas effort against Swindon

The only problem is, Spurs >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Swindon. :eek:

Id love if Mata started with Oscar and Hazard, I'd do a little sex wee but I just dont think it will be away to Spurs in a very big game for us and one we won last year and one we should be aiming to win this year too.

MaroonAndGreen

If you look at the start of our season, its been grand as far as I can see. Il type out our results, and what our expected result would have been before each game.

League:

Hull (H) WON - Win expected
Villa (H) WON - Win expected
United (A) DREW - Draw/Loss expected
Everton (A) LOST - Win/Draw expected
Fulham (H) WON - Win expected

Thats 10 points from 15, and we didnt slip up in any of the 3 games that we fully expected to win. And the 2 games we didnt win were 2 of the toughest fixtures in the season. We are doing okay lads, it could be alot worse.

For the next 6 league games I'd expect the following:

Spurs (A) - Draw/Loss expected
Norwich (A) - Win expected
Cardiff (H) - Win expected
Man City (H) - Win/Draw expected
Newcastle (A) - Win expected
WBA (H) - Win expected

After the WBA game if we are on 23 - 25 points I'd be delighted TBH. If we win the games v Norwich, Cardiff, Newcastle and WBA we will be flying, and if we could take something from Spurs and City it would be some bonus.

The WBA game will take us as far as an international break AFAIK.

GavRedKing

Good list, although our record at Goodison is terrible, 4 wins in 10 years or something? I would have taken a draw but we really should have won with the chances we had.

Thats our biggest failing this year, not scoring enough goals when we create openings for players.

GavRedKing

Jose getting the dig sin early :

On Spurs and Bale

The squad (Spurs) is very, very good. Because you win titles with squads, not one good player, they are much more contenders than they were before.

On Villas-Boas

“I don't care about what he says,’’ “I'm not a ‘kid’ to discuss these kind of things with the media.

On Mata

“His attitude was very good. He made a big effort to come in my direction, so the only thing I can do is go in his direction too. He was not selected against Fulham and I can imagine that, from now, if he keeps working that way and adapting to my way of thinking about the football I want him to play, the natural tendency is for him to be in the team

On the Capital 1 Cup Arsenal game

Mourinho was clearly unimpressed with the decision to stage Chelsea’s Capital One Cup fourth-round tie with Arsenal on Tuesday Oct 29 for broadcasting and Met Police reasons - so soon after their Premier League game with Manchester City on Sunday Oct 27. “The under-21 team will have a very good experience in the Capital One Cup,’’ said Mourinho. “I have to prioritise. The league is more important.’’

Agueroooo

I think/sense that Mourinho's arrogance will eventually eat him.
He has always been admired upon by the british media but I feel he has lost his gloss somewhat.
I personally think that he has a lot to prove with this appointment, cause if it fails then its the first time in his career that I sense he is not in the driving seat, and all his ponce will have lost its creditability.

and this is coming from on of his biggest admirers.

Panthro

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a wee clear out between now and this time next year. (that sounds rather vague!)

GavRedKing

Agueroooo wrote: »

I think/sense that Mourinho's arrogance will eventually eat him.
He has always been admired upon by the british media but I feel he has lost his gloss somewhat.
I personally think that he has a lot to prove with this appointment, cause if it fails then its the first time in his career that I sense he is not in the driving seat, and all his ponce will have lost its creditability.

and this is coming from on of his biggest admirers.

Ive faith in him, the squad isnt entirely his and I dont think Willian was his signing either TBH but if he doesnt win something this year the players will have had a year to adapt to his system and style and should make a good fist of it next year.

Only problem is our squad shouldnt have to wait a year to win a league those excuses dont really wash with the talent at our disposal really.

Certainly an interesting one to watch over the coming 2 seasons and beyond.

McDave

Panthro wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a wee clear out between now and this time next year. (that sounds rather vague!)

I think there'll be a few out the door in the January window.

More specifically? [And sticking one's neck out!!]
- Luiz and Ba.

Mata can apply himself. If he leaves, I think it will be next summer after giving it a shot. But he's applying himself, and I think he can pull through.

I'm less sure about Luiz though, unless Jose can mould him into midfield,

McDave

GavRedKing wrote: »

whats the feeling on tomorrow people?

Anyone very confident we can win?

I'd say I'm in the cautiously optimistic camp, as long as dont bring our Everton/Basle game we'll do ok I think.

Jose knows his limits, mainly in not having a squad in his likeness to mould his way. Having said that, he's been at Cobham since July. Spurs has been in his diary a long time now. And I won't be judging the team on the basis of performances against lesser teams, which Jose has been using for drilling and selection purposes.

After getting his point at Old Trafford, no-one should underestimate his ability to deliver on another big occasion like Spurs/AVB. All things being equal, I think Chelsea can grind out a draw. All going well, there's no reason why we can't win.

Panthro

Genuinely think he needs to go with Torres up front tomorrow.

Panthro

Hon the Blues!

GavRedKing

Supposed team is

cech
ivan jt luiz cole
lamps mikel
ramires oscar hazard
torres

GavRedKing

GavRedKing wrote: »

Supposed team is

cech
ivan jt luiz cole
lamps mikel
ramires oscar hazard
torres

Confirmed team....

MaroonAndGreen

GavRedKing wrote: »

Confirmed team....

Pleased enough with that..

Obviously a defensive minded team when Ramires starts on the wing, and maybe its good to be cautious here initially.

ShoulderChip

GavRedKing wrote: »

Confirmed team....

This will be a nervery one, come on chelsea!

GavRedKing

With 3 CMs we could aslo go 4-3-3 if we want and contain the centre of the park.