Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

Johner

We look good going forward but are a bit too open at the back.

GavRedKing

Kenedy is also ambitious enough to take that shot on.

Cant imagine Cole, Azp or Rahman doing that

GavRedKing

we're 8th in the league, blow up the season.

GavRedKing

39 secs official time of the goal, fast in the league this year.

GavRedKing

WBA's goal tonight against Leicester was the first they left in since our game when we lost 2-1 on December 14th

cowboyBuilder

Ruddy good save that ....

Duck Soup

Costaaaaaaaaaa.

Johner

Offside but we'll take it.

Johner

GavRedKing wrote: »

we're 8th in the league, blow up the season.

We should be aiming for 5th. The top 4 looks sewn up.

cowboyBuilder

Top half of the table !!!!!


YEAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Killinator

Commentators still saying Courtois was lucky with that 'back pass'. Even after acknowledging that Jerome touched it last before he picked it up.
Also saying Costa's goal had a 'hint' of offside despite him being clearly offside and criticising Norwich's defence despite the fact they had actually operated a perfect offside trap, only the linesman got it wrong.

They just can't admit they were wrong.

Killinator

Chelsea fans singing 'super Frank'

kev1.3s

The commentators are pretty poor alright but so were the substitutions. Really Disapoonted not to see Pato and RLC in this game.

hots

Seriously need to wake up here. Good first half but terrible since the subs.

cowboyBuilder

ouch !!!

kev1.3s

That's a horrendous looking injury on O'Neill.

Lukker-

kev1.3s wrote: »

The commentators are pretty poor alright but so were the substitutions. Really Disapoonted not to see Pato and RLC in this game.

Not a game for either tbh

kev1.3s

Lukker- wrote: »

Not a game for either tbh

I disagree, it was the perfect game before the first two changes, it's not as if we're chasing the premier league.

Killinator

Got away with that, seriously took the foot off the gas and didn't seem capable of putting it back on.
Still, 1st half was good, the new guys look really promising and its 3 on the bounce.

GavRedKing

Norwich didnt deserve anything so a point would have flattered them.

The 2nd half was poor, very poor but we got the job done, thats all you can ask.

Weve no injuries and 3 pts so im happy enough.

RLC and pato to be involved against stoke would be good too.

grumpymunster

Indeed we were really poor second half thought there was a case for taking off Costa popping Traore up front and bring on Pato, instead on comes Willian and Obi

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

Indeed we were really poor second half thought there was a case for taking off Costa popping Traore up front and bring on Pato, instead on comes Willian and Obi

Willian didnt get into it either.

Mikel done his job.

Garzorico

We're in dreamland - 8th! 8th!!! A few more wins and it'll be CL football for us next season!

Disappointed to see Rahman dropped tonight and even more so to see Kenedy subbed. Good player going forward but not a good defender positioning or otherwise by the looks of him tonight but these guys need a bit of consistency - can't be hauling them off after one mistake. The whole team is guilty of making mistakes and there is always someone at fault for a conceded goal.
Anyone else find it odd that the players seemingly weren't trying in the second half? Particularly thier tackling was non existent.

We only play 4 teams above us (at present) between now and the end of the season - no reason we cannot win all those games. Considering 3 of the 4 are having fluke seasons and should be nice and nervous come game day (Spuds, Hammers, Leicester).

GavRedKing

Someone on twitter said Guus got his subs wrong and id agree.

Mikel was the right call but rahman and willian were wasted subs.

Rahman still got exposed as much as kenedy and willian never got into the game.

Still, happy with the 3pts and to be top half for 24hrs at least.

grumpymunster

Not even sure about Obi, Baba yea left was very exposed with two very young and inexperienced players. Baba also young but slightly more experienced and a specialist defender.

Willian looking tired and Obi is his love child I believe, still would have hauled Costa ashore did little in the second half possibly needs a rest, still as you say no injuries and 3 points and hopefully JT back soon.

GavRedKing

Costa has 10 goals in his last 14 games.

Lukker-

I thought Rahman was excellent when he came on. I've been critical of him in the past but he was way better defensively then Kenedy who got exposed the entire second half. He had a good few interceptions and just had his head screwed on much better, all Norwich's good play came down the right against Kenedy.

Willian was poor though.

GavRedKing

I reckon Courtois should have done better for the goal too.

Nit picking but era, its done, 3pts and we're done. Do we dream of 4 in a row.

Sheepy99

Good evening (or night) men.
The recent turnaround has been great, hopefully the improvements we've seen will continue. A bit more Loftus-cheek / Traore would be great though.
Shocked at how much Fabregas has turned it around. Although he hasn't gone nuts altogether with the goals and assists, his general play has gotten back to the levels people were used to last season.
Not sure what to make of Conte, not excited but not disappointed either. He's probably the best of what's available. His record should be a cause of optimism, but then again Chelsea have a habit of hiring reputable managers, for it to then go all haywire.

Better not come back reading here again for a while, otherwise i'll jinx it.
Also Gav, the term is to "let in" a goal, not "left in"

GavRedKing

Stokealona are the next side up to face a somewhat resurgent Chelsea.

We'll be knocked back tonight but its encourgaing that we're going in the right direction but one can only imagine what 3 wins against Everton, WBa and Watford, all games we drew at home, could have done, we'd have 6 more points and currently occupy 5th if that was the case.

Lukker-

If we didn't lose 9 games we'd be top

GavRedKing

Lukker- wrote: »

If we didn't lose 9 games we'd be top

If we drew those 9 we'd be 4th :P

Johner

Really poor second half last night, coasting through it nearly cost us.

GavRedKing

Johner wrote: »

Really poor second half night, coasting through it nearly cost us.

I only pointed out the 3 home games as winnable games but taking the Watford game, missed penalty cost us 3 points and West Brom, last minute equaliser, there 2 games we should have won.

Last night was very nearly the same, we invited Norwich onto us too much, we dont have the players to hold onto leads like we used to, I reckon JT would have done better on the goal last night than Ivan as hes more familiar with the role and his positioning would have been slightly better.

Would it stop a goal, who knows but he would have seen the danger much earlier.

Norwich had chances, good chances, Jerome himself had at least 3 very good chances and should have taken one of them.

It does look like the players are playing with an eye on the PSG/Everton games.

I hope w do change it up a little versus Stoke, which will be another tough game, we beat them last year at the Bridge after Adam scored from about 60 yards, although he should have been sent off earlier for breaking Cesc nose with a forearm smash, I'd take another 2-1 now as long as we change up the XI a bit and rest people for PSG.

Lukker-

If Jerome wasn't the most out of form striker in the league we could've lost that game tbh.

I'd go with a second string against Stoke:

---

Begovic

---

Azpilicueta-Cahill-Ivan-Rahman

---

Matic-RLC

---

Traore---Oscar--Kenedy

---

Remy

---

GavRedKing

Lukker- wrote: »

If Jerome wasn't the most out of form striker in the league we could've lost that game tbh.

I'd go with a second string against Stoke:

---

Begovic

---

Azpilicueta-Cahill-Ivan-Rahman

---

Matic-RLC

---

Traore---Oscar--Kenedy

---

Remy

---

I'd make 1 change.

Pato on the LW and move Kenedy to RW, throw Traore upfront.

Remy benched but to come on for Pato and re-shuffle Kenedy, Traore, Remy accordingly.

grumpymunster

With the possible exception of the barcodes game we have not had a decent 90 minute performance since Arsenal at home. We are getting better results but the performance is nowhere near where it should be - a performance like the first 70 mins against Saints and pretty much all of last night and we will get beaten out the door V PSG.

After going a goal up to Norwich in less than a minute we should have had an easy night and been able to give Pato 20 minutes at the end, instead a lack of intensity and 2 really stupid substitutions and we were backs to the wall again chaps. Uncle Guus has now said priorities have changed and the goal is now European qualification in the league - well forget wholesale changes these are mutually exclusive events.

I would give Costa a rest on Saturday he looks like he needs it, the back 5 has to be TBo, Dave, Cahill, Ivan, Baba. JT cannot be risked even if fit and Stoke are not too shabby going forward. I am assuming it will be Obi and Cesc in midfield though I would go Obi RLC (I dont think we should risk Cesc). Up front then Pato, Hazard, Oscar and Traore. Hazard is slowly starting to improve so more game time for him, Oscar is basically expendable for the PSG game and well Pato needs to play at some stage so an hour would be good for him.

So I would go

TBo, Dave, Cahill, Ivan, Baba, Obi, RLC, Hazard, Oscar, Pato and Traore for me zero chance of seeing it.

Most likely

TBo, Dave, Cahill, Ivan, Baba, Obi, Cesc, Hazard, Oscar, Willian and Costa

Lukker-

I can't see Fabregas playing, he hasn't had any rest since Guus came back and he'll want him fresh.

RLC might start at #10 with the pivot of death behind him Matic and Mikel.

Can't see Pato starting, prob still not match fit.

Lukker-

The Times are saying Marina is in talks with Roma to sign Pjanic.

£31m release clause. He is quite similar to Fabregas, maybe a little more comfortable going forward.

Midfield 3 of Matic, Pjanic and Fabregas?

grumpymunster

Lukker- wrote: »

The Times are saying Marina is in talks with Roma to sign Pjanic.

£31m release clause. He is quite similar to Fabregas, maybe a little more comfortable going forward.

Midfield 3 of Matic, Pjanic and Fabregas?

Will Matic still be here next season? Needs to up his game really.

Lukker-

grumpymunster wrote: »

Will Matic still be here next season? Needs to up his game really.

Yup, Conte also wants NNaingolan so he's gonna have competition next season for sure.

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

Will Matic still be here next season? Needs to up his game really.

Not enough water carriers in the side, Matic must have been on drugs last year because hes not even a shadow of his former self, it looks like an imposter.

If you were high in the stands for our games this year and seen Matic perform last year and this year you'd swear Chelsea had brought in a guy off the street and gave him Matics jersey.

I think everyone will be given a clean slate by the new manager but he'll have an idea who he wants in and out, if the players dont prove themselves early in pre season, theyre done for and that could be any one of the current 1st team squad.

GavRedKing

Best rumour I heard was Matic and cash for Pogba.

GavRedKing

Everton away in the cup is only £25 and earns 5 loyalty points.

Bargain.

duploelabs

GavRedKing wrote: »

Best rumour I heard was Matic and cash for Pogba.

Ah shtap

GavRedKing

duploelabs wrote: »

Ah shtap

Would never happen.

As much as Conte had a big say in Pogbas development, it takes more than that to sign a player of his ability.

GavRedKing

A worry is if Guus actually thinks a European place, top 6, is obtainable, he might start playing less youths in the league, looking at our fixtures top isnt not going to happen at all.

West ham, Pool, Leciester, City, Spurs, Stoke and thats just the teams I can remember.

Johner

Still a slim chance of 4th?

Johner

Ah didn't realise City still have another game in hand.

tombliboo83

Johner wrote: »

Ah didn't realise City still have another game in hand.

Doesn't matter, we'll take 4th on the last day against Leicester