quickpassnmove

Where does the threat come from then when you have one winger position not filled by a real threat (willian/pedro/musonda), wingbacks that are NOT a consistent threat going forward and at least one noob/slow CM in a MF that can't control matches and must compensate for Cahill and Alonso at the back? Given all of this, I expect us to fall further in the table unless Kante returns and once again keeps us a bit above the mid-table sides --which I doubt he can continue to do.

The squad needed a lot more from January through the summer: defenders, MF, and FWDs. Especially scoring players (plural) at the top of the formation, more than one top CM, wingbacks, one centre back (plus Andreas returning). Chelsea are simply far behind the curve right now among A. top European sides and B. playing good football (for me, "good football" meaning, we can play however the hell we want in any given situation but also being a side that threatens with good chances created by more than just 2 or 3 players and is dangerous from back-to-front with good combination play). Since downgrading the spending and doing the total dumbfuck move of selling Kevin de Bruyne, I'm personally not as emotionally invested in the entirety of CFC situation. Chelsea could dump Conte for Marco Silva (or name your manager), but the questions remain: what is Chelsea Football Club's vision? WHO at the club has any vision (beyond the new stadium)? Until these questions are answered, the club looks rudderless and has no clear identity. CFC will remain behind the curve, like an Arsenal (who BTW, clearly got a quality player for left back last summer). So, it looks like we're a transactional club with no clear vision and a board full of business people (as others have said in this forum). No clear identity, no clear footballing vision, no clear plan overall. Meanwhile, let's watch another manager get sacked and let's watch N'golo Kante's knees/legs go as he tries to keep this club treading water in mid-table.

Sooooooooo.... bye bye Hazard then? Don't think I'm going to watch this one.

You expressed some of the same thoughts I have precisely.

To me Drogba had something that opponents needed to worry about immediately. Bakayoko does not and although it's possible he can improved greatly, it's not likely; his ceiling is probably lower than what we expect for a Chelsea player (IF we're still a club that aspires to be competitive in Europe and win in England). Another summer has gone by and we have not improved in centre midfield again. N'golo Kante was an improvement over Mikel (who I never liked whatsoever), but aside from that acquisition, Fabregas is out of (legs) gas, we let a superstar leave (de Bruyne), sold Nemanja One-foot, loaned out RLC, sold Chalobah, Frank is gone, etc. N'golo, Danny, and Tiemoue. Aside from super N'golo (who is likely run-down, like Danny) and some nice passes from Fabregas, our midfield is looking like a marginally upgraded version of a Newcastle United budget experiment. Again, I don't see why Eden Hazard stays with Chelsea after this season.

Going to need a more effective attack in the next 5 matches to avoid smelling like an average side with a few stars. Left wing back is awful, centre mid is weak, forward line players not enough.

u like the Blackhawks games when they have 18 shots?

yep. Bakayoko looks like an overpriced average player for the moment. I doubt his ceiling is very much higher either.

This front 3 is not working.

Nothing.

Good to see Hazard and Zappa combining. That's something we need more of this season.

stupid that we didn't sign Hernandez despite trying for Llorente. With Hernandez and a better LWB signing, our season could have gone better. Hernandez, Hazard and Morata would have made a killer trio up top.

Didn't think Michail Antonio was this dumb... forget England with brains like that.

Chelsea have needed more in centre midfield for too long now. There's direct correlation between Kante's exhaustion and Chelsea's inept board.

I thought it was a good day for Ethan, but our squad and formation didn't give him much chance to do anything.

Aside from not winning balls, Ampadu had a very average match against another side that stacked the CM against us. Nothing special from Ethan at all, but this looks like the trend against Chelsea and I don't see us doing anything tactically to counter it --whether it's the fault of Antonio or our lack of quality players is up for debate. I can criticize Fabregas like anyone else this year, but I think that Cesc and our other players in centre mid are going keep on seeing this overloaded pressure in centre mid until our side changes tactics or gets additional players into the squad. We are too static on attacks, ineffective up top with combinations and outnumbered in centre mid because opponents can just focus pressure there to win the ball back. Having Kante there masks the problem because Kante can play like 1.5 players with great awareness, speed and balance.

Other than getting some better forwards, it would nice to see Zappa combine with Hazard more this season. I'm glad Ampadu got playtime today, but this match was a woeful exhibit of chelsea's attack. Not Batshuayi's fault.

should have just used 3 yeah, waste of time watching this match. zero on Chelsea attack.

except maybe Fabregas who looks completely done this season.

Willian is so awful.

Should get Bats playing with another striker up top. Musonda doesn't handle physical pressure well and Willian just has nothing.

Should be an interesting 2nd half if we actually start to produce some chances in their half. Willlian just looks like he has nothing at all in him; time to move him on. Musonda needs to start reacting to space and the 2nd pass more quickly.

I think he would have a better chance with Kenedy or Zappa to play off of (than Willian and Musonda).

Musonda just reacting to everything too slowly.

Well that's just typical right? Commentator says "he's not likely to score soon with shots like that" regarding Ruediger. 10 minutes later he scores.