Closed Stoke v Chelsea

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

I'll add a couple of more quick thoughts. As quickly as we have gone from Champions to looking like we have never been on a pitch before as a team, who is to say we cannot regain form just as mysteriously and quickly? No one would have thought we would be sitting on 11 points after 11 games on August 1st. You would have been laughed out of the forum, so why can we not turn it around as quickly?

The thought is that sometimes you have hit bottom and you do not realize until you are a few weeks on down the road. The turn may come without us realizing it.

Stay positive. It can turn quickly.

Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

[jmarlow 458]

Begovic

Azpilicueta - Zouma - Terry - Baba

Mikel - Fabregas

Pedro - Willian - Hazard

Costa

Hopefully we can start to feed Costa again so he doesnt have to drift out wide to get involved.

[ulvhedin 471]

If we will start with Iva, Cesc as DM and Costa then... oh my, that will be painful to watch.

Cesc can only start as 10 like today, with Ramires and Matic at the back.

[Parky 739]

This will be a tough game. We need a tactically positive approach to this game by trying comprehensively to outplay them using the ball to open up space with clever movement off the ball as I'm sure they will sit deep trying to hit us on the counter. Baba and Cesar should look for the overlaps and driss crosses from out wide. Ramires and Matic have the energy and dynamism to provide cover when they bomb forwards.

Costa

Willian -Hazard- Kennedy

Matic - Ramires

Baba -Terry -Cahill - Cesar

Begovic

[Rmpr 8,977]

We really need to start racking up the 3pts.

Looking at our Next 7 EPL matches, Stoke (A), Norwich (H), Spurs (A), Bouremouth (H), Leicester (A), Sunderland (H), Watford (H).

If we could just have 5W 1D and 1L over that stretch, I'll be ecstatic.

Just cannot go through every match expecting a loss, these players have to turn the corner at some freaking point, we're in Novermber!

Making Top 4 looks all but lost, but come one, at least give us some false sense of hope Chelsea!

Well, if I am playing Chelsea and you all those teams, CFC would have 7 wins.

[iceboy 992]

I would start with Pedro, he need more games.

[Special Juan 27,092]

Their home record is shite but that means fuck all as we know when we visit.

I also see it's Saturday night football on SKY, oh how I am not going to be listening to the build up once again.

[Laylabelle 9,293]

We won in August...won in September...won in October...start November with a win hopefully not the only league win that month

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

Begovic

Azpi Zouma Terry Baba

RLC Mikel

Willian Cesc Oscar

Costa

Same again really, except Mikel for Matic who really wasn't very good last night.

[Special Juan 27,092]

Begovic

Azpilicueta Zouma Terry Baba

Matic Ramires

Willian Cesc Hazard

Costa

That's the team I reckon Jose will go for.

[Changingman_2000 876]

Costa hasn't done anything like enough to justify his place in the team. I know that can be said for a few players but he has done nothing for the best part of a year now.

[Stats 6,980]

Begovic

Azpi Zouma Terry Baba

RLC Mikel

Willian Cesc Oscar

Costa

Same again really, except Mikel for Matic who really wasn't very good last night.

That will be ridiuclous to leave Hazard or even Pedro out at the expense of Oscar being LW. And RLC is not going to start The amount of times you have had him in your lineup. Do you really think he is going to start. Matic was very good tonight. How a few people think he was not that good baffles the hell out of me. I am sure Mourinho was impressed and he will start.

[Essien19 1,415]

Whoscored predicts a 2:1 win for the fuckin' basketballers...can't believe it.
Butland has been playing brilliantly thus far, we need good shots to get the better of him.

We must control Arnautovic, have seen him, and i think he's up for the task.
Bojan isn't as good as last season, still recovering.

It's difficult to predict the line up, but it's a must win, hope we can do that.

[mccg 1,528]

Hope we get some help from the ref ,that 1 last week was v.poor and with a bit of luck that we didnt get 1st half also we hopefully wrap up the points!

[Laylabelle 9,293]

A clean sheet and a win be a nice shock surprise :-D

[Reddish-Blue 2,210]

Begovic

Azpi Zouma Terry Baba

RLC Mikel

Willian Cesc Oscar

Costa

Same again really, except Mikel for Matic who really wasn't very good last night.

RLC - Mikel would be the worst midfield combination possible. Lack of experience + a passive defensive midfielder, Mark Hughes would love it

[Magic Lamps 11,434]

RLC - Mikel would be the worst midfield combination possible. Lack of experience + a passive defensive midfielder, Mark Hughes would love it

This.

I think this is one of the few matches were Ramires in the pivot is an absolute must. When facing techncially limited teams but we still have to defend esp physically, he is the perfect option.

----------Bego-------

Azpi--JT--Cahill-Baba

-------Rami--Matic-----

Pedro---Willian---Hazard

-----------Costa------------

should be the lineup IMO. Fabregas will be overrun so i would not even start him. Costa gets the benefit of the doubt. We need him on fire soon, he will get chances in this game if he gets in the right positions and he will relish the physical battle with their defenders. Baba should keep his place as he kept Yarmolenko in his pocket in midweek so I trust him against Bojan, Arnautovic, Shaqiri whatever 2009 whizkid will come his way.

[Viper22 2,418]

For me the only guaranteed starters atm are Begovic, Zouma, Azpi and Willian. Think Matic and Baba have shown enough over the last few weeks to start too (as well as being far better than the other options in their respective positions) and Pedro should start also due to good performances before the injury and it's just then fitting the rest in around them.

Terry is better than Cahill atm for me although they're both looking dodgy, Fabregas or Oscar at 10, RLC should be in the pivot but if Mou doesn't trust him then Ramires will have to do even though his passing is worse than mine and Costa is off form and drifting out wide far too often but Remy has his own problems with being permanently offside are even more damaging. So it's really a toss up between the two. I'd likely plump for Costa as we know what he can do.

Begovic, Azpi, Terry, Zouma, Baba, Matic, RLC or Ramires, Willian, Fabregas or Oscar, Pedro, Costa would likely be my choice, with the two not picked joining Amelia, Cahill, Kenedy, Hazard and Remy on the bench.