Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

Duck Soup

Chalobah's turning out to be a player and a half. Not just the assist but the passing since he's been on. Sublime.

Lukker-

3 Cobham graduates off the bench. Love to see it.

HalloweenJack

Perfect today.

kev1.3s

Good win to boost morale before the Utd game.

GavRedKing

Chalobahs assist was a thing of beauty.

Bringing him on too when the game was still in the balance and Leicester were starting to play well shows Conte has faith in him.

RLC had so much promise the last 2 years but Chalobah is ahead of him in terms of his progression IMO.

He was very solid on the ball and played the right passes and of course that assist.

Johner

Very happy to finally see Moses get a fair crack of the whip. He has deserved this chance for two seasons running and I'm glad he's proving a lot of people wrong.

HalloweenJack

Missed the third goal yesterday but just saw it now.

What. A. Pass.

duploelabs

Johner wrote: »

Very happy to finally see Moses get a fair crack of the whip. He has deserved this chance for two seasons running and I'm glad he's proving a lot of people wrong.

And the fact that he's effectively replaced Ivan is like a breath of fresh air, he's got some workrate

duploelabs

This could be huge
http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2016/10/16/13298860/walter-sabatini-michael-emenalo-chelsea-director-football-rumors

peteeeed

duploelabs wrote: »

This could be huge
http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2016/10/16/13298860/walter-sabatini-michael-emenalo-chelsea-director-football-rumors

yeah bring that on

GavRedKing

It depends on where it pushes Emenalo.

Nearly every report pubished on him paints him as a pivotal and respected aid to Roman, a middle man between the board and 1st team.

bullpost

Good result at the weekend. Clean sheet is important also. We need a confident defence to underpin any decent run .

Conte seems to be learning quickly and great to see him extend the players who can play a part in big games. Hazard getting back to his best and Costa keeps banging them in.

It will still be big ask to finish top four but looks like we are entering period of stability and progress which is great after last season.

GavRedKing

bullpost wrote: »

Good result at the weekend. Clean sheet is important also. We need a confident defence to underpin any decent run .

Conte seems to be learning quickly and great to see him extend the players who can play a part in big games. Hazard getting back to his best and Costa keeps banging them in.

It will still be big ask to finish top four but looks like we are entering period of stability and progress which is great after last season.

With Zouma and JT also to coem back into the fold it provides us with even more cover.

Azp has done well as the right CB in the three and Cahill has done better on the left.

JT for me would be an automatic when fit so th eUtd game next weekend is huge for us. A win there would set down a marker and hopefully kick us off on a run. I cant see Utd being as poor as Leciester, the first half on Saturday was as comfortable as you could hope for but we played well for nearly 70 mins, there was a 20min period at the start of the 2nd half when Leicester went for it but didnt create too much other thna Luiz hitting our post but if he didnt stop the ball in, Vardy was behind him for a tap in.

Utd have Pool tonight and a Europa League game on Thursday, we'll be fresher and if Utd have a poor result in those games, it would only help us.

duploelabs

GavRedKing wrote: »

It depends on where it pushes Emenalo.

Nearly every report pubished on him paints him as a pivotal and respected aid to Roman, a middle man between the board and 1st team.

How I imagine Emenalo

GavRedKing

Johner wrote: »

Very happy to finally see Moses get a fair crack of the whip. He has deserved this chance for two seasons running and I'm glad he's proving a lot of people wrong.

Well he was our best player last pre-season and this pre-season he was very good too.

Hes had to wait an awful long time to get a go again after winning the Europa League with us but if he continues playing as well as he has, with the JT and Zouma coming back, even Azp wont dislodge him at RWB and I'm ok with that as hes a much better offensive threat from RWB.

Alonso has slotted into the LWB role too pretty much like hes playe din this side for 2 or 3 years, hes got no real competition on his side but its a breath of fresh air having two natural FBs bombing on.

GavRedKing

We've also got Todd Kane hoping to be involved and the RWB role looks tailored made for his game.

One thing is for sure, Ivanovic, whos got a great history with the club, only has a few months left on his deal and he could easily be out on his ear this summer given our options at RB and RWB and also at CB.

Aina, Kane, Azp, Moses are all more capable of attacking bursts down the right flank and Azp is a better defender on the ground, the Serb is still a powerhouse in either box but the lack of mobility, especaily in a FB role, is very worrying and has been for some 2 years now.

With Christensen looking like to be kept alos next summer, with Luiz, Chrsitensen, Zouma, potentially Cahill and JT, we're well stocked for CBs and Christensen and Luiz, with their ball playing ability, either side of JT or Zouma in a 3, is a brilliant prospect.

Rahman, whos still our player, could thrive as LWB, he'd have less defensive repsonsibilty but enough attacking freedom to be a threat from there too so theres that option.

The future isnt that bad, I think we still need a starting CM as Matic is a bit of a mystery and Cesc and OScar probably wont be played in there, thats where the big question mark remains over this squad IMO, CM.

Lukker-

Good weekend of results with only Arsenal winning.

United have 3 games in 9 days when they play us. It's not the worst fixture congestion but I think we should be going all out to beat them at home. They really packed midfield tonight, looked fairly solid but at the same time didn't really create anything. Typical Mourinho performance I guess.

GavRedKing

Lukker- wrote: »

Good weekend of results with only Arsenal winning.

United have 3 games in 9 days when they play us. It's not the worst fixture congestion but I think we should be going all out to beat them at home. They really packed midfield tonight, looked fairly solid but at the same time didn't really create anything. Typical Mourinho performance I guess.

They were very good for about 60mins in their build up play without creating too much but Ibras miss cost them a win.

At the other end, De Gea pulled off 2 fantastic saves as Liverpool struggled to get at Utd.

Impossible to tell what to expect from Utd next Sunday but I'm hoping for another 3 points.

kev1.3s

I don't know how many players surrounded the ref last night without a single yellow card handed out, seems the fa have relaxed the rules that saw Costa get 3 cards in 3 games.

peteeeed

kev1.3s wrote: »

I don't know how many players surrounded the ref last night without a single yellow card handed out, seems the fa have relaxed the rules that saw Costa get 3 cards in 3 games.

ashley young got a card for dissent but he might have a worse name than costa

GavRedKing

kev1.3s wrote: »

I don't know how many players surrounded the ref last night without a single yellow card handed out, seems the fa have relaxed the rules that saw Costa get 3 cards in 3 games.

The only player that got booked for approaching the ref was Young, who was pointing out a clear inconsistency, I think it was Can who came through the back of Herrera and a free was given, but only a few moments before that Baily done the same and was booked.

If Young was aggressive in his tone then a booking is deserved, clearly but youre right, players from both sides surronded Taylor and got off with it.

GavRedKing

The perfect time for Costa to get a booking is against Utd anyway, he'll only miss the trip to West Ham in the cup and be ready for a few tricky League fixtures.

So Costa gets the winner, gets booked and gets taken off, 3pts, job done.

GavRedKing

I'll be in Madrid for the game at the weekend, well feck it anyway.

WE've a better record anyway when I dont watch us so I'm expecting us to this easily by that fact.

2-0 Chelsea.

Well then, fancy opening the match thread early :P

This supports a possible bet being won at the end of the season....

hullaballoo

Utd have a tough week or so. Played Liverpool on Monday and must be drained, Europa league on Thursday night, Chelsea on Sunday and City on Wednesday.

IIRC, Fenerbache have been a bit of a bogey for united in the past but I'd still expect José to rest a good few players on Thursday ahead of two matches in quick succession against big rivals. I also get the impression he doesn't give a fook about the EL.

Lukker-

hullaballoo wrote: »

Utd have a tough week or so. Played Liverpool on Monday and must be drained, Europa league on Thursday night, Chelsea on Sunday and City on Wednesday.

IIRC, Fenerbache have been a bit of a bogey for united in the past but I'd still expect José to rest a good few players on Thursday ahead of two matches in quick succession against big rivals. I also get the impression he doesn't give a fook about the EL.

He'll want to rotate for the EL for sure, but he'll 100% want to win it IMO. He denigrated it after he came back for the 2nd stint saying it was below a club of Chelsea's level but I truly believe that was more a dig at Benitez.

The fact that they are in it is no fault of his own, but he always goes to win competitions, especially ones they have a realistic chance of winning. He'll see it as springboard into a more successful second season.

United have the squad to rotate and be competitive and still be fresh for Sunday.

GavRedKing

Dont forget too that winning the EL is a passage to the UCL.

I'm not saying Utd wont make top 4 but with the 38 league games and the EL thrown in also, it starts to look a little congested but if Utd wanted, theyed make a good go at the EL, even with a rotated squad.

Jose will be looking to rest some players Thursday but as been said, theyve a another game where Jose will want to get a point at a minimum on Sunday against us and then they've City in the cup, hoping for some revenge.

With us only playing ever 6 or 7 days, we should be going all out to beat Utd, it'll be interesting to see if Jose goes to the Bridge with a similar tactic that he had against Pool, its alot like the time Spurs beat Chelsea in Janaury, we were playing attacking football but got opened up, Jose decided to bring the shutters down, a bit like how he tried to play against City and City ran riot in the first half at old trafford, I think Jose has learned from that and decided, away at least to a big rival, hes going to go back to what he knows.

Time will tell, although if we end up winning and having 19pts after 9 games I'll be happy and thats with the robbery we had against Swansea.

GavRedKing

GavRedKing wrote: »

Dont forget too that winning the EL is a passage to the UCL.

I'm not saying Utd wont make top 4 but with the 38 league games and the EL thrown in also, it starts to look a little congested but if Utd wanted, theyed make a good go at the EL, even with a rotated squad.

Jose will be looking to rest some players Thursday but as been said, theyve a another game where Jose will want to get a point at a minimum on Sunday against us and then they've City in the cup, hoping for some revenge.

With us only playing ever 6 or 7 days, we should be going all out to beat Utd, it'll be interesting to see if Jose goes to the Bridge with a similar tactic that he had against Pool, its alot like the time Spurs beat Chelsea in Janaury, we were playing attacking football but got opened up, Jose decided to bring the shutters down, a bit like how he tried to play against City and City ran riot in the first half at old trafford, I think Jose has learned from that and decided, away at least to a big rival, hes going to go back to what he knows.

Time will tell, although if we end up winning and having 19pts after 9 games I'll be happy and thats with the robbery we had against Swansea.

Quite the opposite tbh, United were very attacking in the first 45 and we got caught out.
He tightened up midfield second half and we almost got back in it

I do expect a similar cautious approach on Sunday though.

GavRedKing

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Quite the opposite tbh, United were very attacking in the first 45 and we got caught out.
He tightened up midfield second half and we almost got back in it

I do expect a similar cautious approach on Sunday though.

What I meant was, he played atatcking against City, like he done with Chelsea in the first few months of the title win and once it got overrun, they played a more solid game and it was a lot more effective.

It got lost in translation with my ****e paragragh :pac:

I do agree, I think Utd will be cautios but maybe not as much as they were against Pool, we dont aggressively press like Pool, we're trying to move towards that with the 3-4-3 formation but its still not as aggressive.

It'll be interesting though from a Chelsea POV to see if Conte sticks with the 3-4-3 which has seen us keep a clean sheet against Hull and Leicester and the 2nd half of the Arsenal game or will he revert back to type and go 4-2-3-1 now that a better side will be in town.

TimRiggins

The Man City/Liverpool games for United are classic examples of how Jose approaches big games home and away. It'll be the same on Sunday. They'll be set up not to lose. The onus is on us to take the game to them.

Herrera had as fine of a display i've seen from a midfielder in years on Monday night. Bailley looks a good centre back too, looking forward to seeing his battle against Costa.

I think we'll probably draw. I can see Ibra scoring early for United and us getting a lateish equalizer after alot of pressure.

GavRedKing

We have to start beating our rivals if we want to put a dent in the top 4 this year.

We've already lost to one of them at home, another loss would be a terrible return from our 3 toughest games so far.

Johner

Jose will come for a point and probably get it. Hopefully we can nick it though, confidence should be high after last week's win and performance.

GavRedKing

Johner wrote: »

Jose will come for a point and probably get it. Hopefully we can nick it though, confidence should be high after last week's win and performance.

Jose knows the squad like no other, however, he wont be used to the team playing in a 3-4-3 system.

Hes had about 230 mins of football to study it and learn from it, where as Conte has ahd the best part of 3 weeks to work on and perfect it.

If we go 3-4-3 it maybe a big risk but keeping Utd guessing with the formation and how we'll play, coupled with being at home, should be a slight advantage to us.

A win also keeps Utd behind us and theyre a rival for top 4.

Johner

Johner wrote: »

Jose will come for a point and probably get it. Hopefully we can nick it though, confidence should be high after last week's win and performance.

I'd like to think we might be a little bit more adventurous.
I'm not sure Conte has settled on a particular style for Chelsea.
I'd put more of a question mark on this game than the Utd / Liverpool Match

MaroonAndGreen

M!Ck^ wrote:

I'd like to think we might be a little bit more adventurous. I'm not sure Conte has settled on a particular style for Chelsea. I'd put more of a question mark on this game than the Utd / Liverpool Match

Not gonna happen, spare yourself the hope. This is what your team is now. Jose will go for 0-0

hullaballoo

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I'd like to think we might be a little bit more adventurous.
I'm not sure Conte has settled on a particular style for Chelsea.
I'd put more of a question mark on this game than the Utd / Liverpool Match

You'd like to think that but it ain't happening with Mourinho at the helm. His football philosophy isn't going to change.

It will go something like this:

He will batten down the hatches and play deep to stifle any chance of an opening goal for the first 15-20 mins, followed by a 15 minute period of high pressing and look to catch us out by switching suddenly to more open play, which will probably work because our defence is ****e atm.

If you score, it's back to batten down the hatches for the rest of the game. Fail to score, it's back to batten down the hatches anyway but rinse and repeat for the second half.

That's the way he's always been and it's been a winning formula for him so far in his career. Unless he has totally lost his mind (possible), he won't fix what isn't broken.

I agree that Conte is still working on our team and tactics all right and we'd be crazy to have anything approaching confidence coming into this game. I am afraid that we will probably be quite guarded as well until we concede, which means it will be a very boring game for neutrals unless/until Utd score.

You are looking at a very small chance of one of these teams winning on Sunday imo, but I'd think Chelsea have to be ever so slight favourites as the home team.

Hope I'm wrong but that's how I'd call it.

GavRedKing

Thats the problem Hulla, we really need to get the first goal, the defence has looked more solid in the 3-4-3 but I wouldnt fancy us coming from behind to win, not to a Jose side anyway.

If Utd get the first goal its probably going to be game, set and match.

Had Utd lost the other night to Pool, theyed be on pressure to get a result here but if he gets 2 draws against two strong rivals, away from home and back to back, I'll reckon he'll be happy enough with that.

Johner

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I'd like to think we might be a little bit more adventurous.
I'm not sure Conte has settled on a particular style for Chelsea.
I'd put more of a question mark on this game than the Utd / Liverpool Match

Jose will always try to keep the big away games tight. It's only for 4 or 5 away games in the season he does it for and I can't see him changing this weekend. I don't see this as a bad thing at all though, I predict a low scoring affair, 0-0 or 1-0 either way.

GavRedKing

Johner wrote: »

Jose will always try to keep the big away games tight. It's only for 4 or 5 away games in the season he does it for and I can't see him changing this weekend. I don't see this as a bad thing at all though, I predict a low scoring affair, 0-0 or 1-0 either way.

No problem with it either, although, in here, we're all prodcuts of what Jose practiced in terms of going away from home against a rival and the very least taking a point and if that meant giving up 65%-70% of the ball for a clean sheet, then so be it.

I'd take a horrible win now at the weekend if it was given to me but our last 2 performances have made me optimistic for Chelsea that we'll approach the game like a home team and try go at Utd.

Theres 2 question marks in the starting XI this week.

Will JT return and who drops out, I think it will be Cahill
Will Willian return and who drops out, I think it will be Pedro

Tbo
Azp JT Luiz
Moses Kante Matic Alonso
Willian Costa Hazard

Panthro

We score first and Jose is forced to play ball. He does that and we could end up getting a second.
2-1 Chelsea

duploelabs

The express reporting that JT is out for the game

TimRiggins

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11726/10625245/tammy-abraham-hopeful-of-chelsea-future-after-starring-for-bristol-city

Interview with Tabby, great to see JT checking up on him and congratulating him. Its refreshing to finally have a manager where you can see him getting a fair crack at the whip too.

GavRedKing

duploelabs wrote: »

The express reporting that JT is out for the game

Azp and Luiz have done very well in the 3, Cahill still looks ropey but thats nothing new. JT coming in for him would have been ideal but I suppose its better than having Ivan.

TimRiggins

GavRedKing wrote: »

Azp and Luiz have done very well in the 3, Cahill still looks ropey but thats nothing new. JT coming in for him would have been ideal but I suppose its better than having Ivan.

How far is Zouma away from returning? Can't wait to have him back.

GavRedKing

TimRiggins wrote: »

How far is Zouma away from returning? Can't wait to have him back.

Conte said he was back in full training after the last international break and that was two weeks ago.

I dont think he'll be rushed back either, we cant afford for him to have a relapse and pick up an injury.

Zouma and Luiz either side of JT could be brilliant.

TimRiggins

GavRedKing wrote: »

Conte said he was back in full training after the last international break and that was two weeks ago.

I dont think he'll be rushed back either, we cant afford for him to have a relapse and pick up an injury.

Zouma and Luiz either side of JT could be brilliant.

Yeah he'll probably play a u21 game beforehand anyway.

Yeah that has the makings of a great back 3. Zouma and Luiz will compensate JT's lack of pace and I love Luiz's range of passing since he returned. Seems to be able to play that long ball over the top to Costa that Fabregas did so well.

GavRedKing

I still want Cesc in CM over Matic, or even Chalobah but thats unlikely.

Whats really annoying is Luiz was always a better player and defender than Cahill, so Cahill most have thanked his lucky stars when Jose sold Luiz but now with Zouma and JT coming back, Cahill, like Ivan will have to be sat on the bench for some time I think.

peteeeed

mathew harding 20 years gone

http://www.espnfc.com/chelsea/story/2977619/chelsea-to-pay-tribute-to-matthew-harding-on-20th-anniversary-of-death

GavRedKing

Being 11 at the time I had no real idea who he was just that he died in a Helicopter incident, the father explained who he was too but 20 years, christ.

TimRiggins

So it looks like Fabregas is going to leave in January? Will be gutted tbh. Still think he has alot to offer but doesn't look like he fits Conte's system. A shame.