Chelsea will assess defender Andreas Christensen, who limped off during the midweek Super Cup match. Antonio Rudiger and Willian could both return after knee injuries but Callum Hudson-Odoi is still out with an Achilles problem - maybe a month away from CHO coming back. Chelsea have not scored in there last three games against Leicester. I hope we get a goal fest and I hope Tammy gets some goals. Mr.Abraham deserves some goals. Chelsea deserve some goals. Leicester won the corresponding fixture last season, with Jamie Vardy scoring the only goal
Really up for this one and a win that Chelsea badly need. Kante looking like he has back to monster status can only make our back four much better (though still have to be wary about the balls over the top that bypass him and pressure the line). We have to continue putting Tammy in a position to succeed because it's too important not to. Giroud is getting older but still serviceable and Bats has yet to take his chances (though the fact he is still here suggests we see something still or just need a 3rd body). Tammy basically has to be the future or we will be shopping expensive options next summer (and if he isn't it has to be due to talent and not lack of opportunity). Best case scenario is he develops into a 20 goal a season striker and he will get chances in this management model we have, it's all on the lad now. Will be judged ultimately on goals and nothing else. Excited to see Pulisic grow into his role and build partnerships that will enable him to be more effective. The interplay that seems evident in what Lampard wants to build relies on understanding and think most of us expect this to continue to improve with playing time of the key players. Two tough fixtures to start but this is a good test for what we can realistically expect to be our season ahead.
Even if Tammy gets his 20 goals this season and I feel that he might just do that, we shall still be looking at buying someone expensive in the summer with Giroud and Batsman most likely moving on at the end of this season.
A comprehensive win will set the tone for us. It's ********ing obvious to say but a less would really hurt. This team has got to start building some momentum. Must must must follow up with the same drive and determination we showed against Liverpool. Would love to see Pulisic start here along with Tammy and hopefully a cameo from Willian.
You're almost certainly correct but at least with tammy established it takes the pressure off a bit. Either way we will need goals before that time and it's still a question mark over who though with the system as set out it seems the goals should come.
I suspect with everything that’s happened Tammy will start but I think we’d be better served to have Giroud start and Tammy sub in off the bench on Sunday. Pulisic is a must have. Hopefully Kante responded well after 120 minutes and is ready to go. I think we should stick with the 4-3-3 for the time being. I suspect Willian starts otherwise we may see Pedro go for 3 games in 7 days or maybe we see Mount on the wing. Hopefully AC is good to go. Wonder if Emerson and Dave will start or if we see some rotation and Alsono and Zappa take the field. My guess is 1 or the other but not both.
Wow...this place is still here.Thought the bricks fell down years ago...oh, wait, was it remade for that yank kid thats the next pele?
Let’s hope there won’t be any of this 4-2-3-1 nonsense. Leicester are playing fairly conservatively under Rodgers, so being that open against them and having Barkley constantly gift them the ball while pretending to play as a #10 will lead to a long afternoon.
Welcome back, yet another sign that the old Chelsea may be returning? Football is getting exciting again.
Do you seriously think that he will be better than Freddy Adu? How are the boys and the fam? btw - I am still hated around here
Sooner, rather than later, I would have to think that he'll have to get a rather rigid 4-1-4-1 down pat. That is if he's to accommodate both CHO and Pulisic on the pitch at the same time, which I would also have to think is near mandated by the price tag of one and a condition of signing a new contract by the other. Pedro/Willian could play the opposite wing of Pulisic for this game. I do hope both of those players are helpful to the young yank in training and coach him a little bit in the guile he'll need as an attacking winger in elite football.Seeing him smacked to the ground with the ease Pogba did last Sunday needs to be the exception rather than the norm. He needs guile ala Pedro, not hours on end in the weight room in an effort to look like RLC. I oft think Pedro is so overlooked for the sublime skill and positioning he is blessed with. Now, as to the two "central" midfielders...well, thats a rather complicated issue, dictated to mainly by injury availability and opponent strength, still experimental and fluid changing weekly I would imagine. Anyway, back on point..4-1-4-1 please.
Would far prefer this with, as you say, some fluidity in who sits in each slot depending on the opposition and their weaknesses. Being able to switch formations is useful for the same reason too but think the 4141 makes best use of the squad we have available. The mentality has to be right too and on that front what we've seen so far has been encouraging. Effort, quickness, making the ball do work are all positive attributes of what the manager wants to instill.
Who would you have at the base of midfield though? Kante does more roving these days than sitting. Otherwise I think we end up with something mostly similar: ---------------------------------------Jorginho Pedro/Willian -----Kovacic-------------------Kante----------------Pulisic/CHO That's basically how I think of the 4-3-3 anyway. I think the problem with the 4-2-3-1 is that it requires an attacking playmaker up the pitch, and we simply don't have one. This system will also be better for RLC when he comes back, because RLC is better at playing from deeper positions since he's very good at bringing the ball forward. He's not a player who wants to spend time on the ball to pick a defense apart. EDIT: I will also say, CHO is simply not a guaranteed starter yet in any way shape or form. His cameos in the EPL last season, while admittedly brief, showed an extremely raw but promising player. I completely agree he should be integrated into the first team even more than last season, but there's no way he's ready to start big matches right now. He showed that pretty clearly against Liverpool last season when he was mostly lost and didn't really understand how to make the right runs.
My 11 for this... Willian———Giroud———Pulisic ———Kova————Mount——— ——————Kante—————— Emerson—AC—-Zouma—-Azpi ——————-Kepa—————— Assuming Willian is good to go our Pedro would have been pulled against Pool.
We all follow the Chelsea Over land and sea - And Leicester! We all follow the Chelsea onnnntooo vi-ic-toreee (altogether now) We all follow the Chelsea Over land and sea - And Leicester! We all follow the Chelsea onnnntooo vi-ic-toreee [a message for the baby squad]
1Arrizabalaga 28Azpilicueta 4Christensen 15Zouma 33Emerson 7Kanté 5Jorginho 11Pedro 19Mount 22Pulisic 18Giroud
Pulisic with the start. There’s gonna be a lot of eyes on him. Expectations are sky high. Hope he has a good showing.