Chelsea Buzz

Great result! Game lacked in intensity, but we took care of business and could have won 6-0 or 7-0 if we were on top of it in the box. Nonetheless, great to win and control the game. Willian is King of the set pieces! I saw most of the game but I missed the Terry injury. What and how bad was it? Dynamo's win changes things a bit. If they would have drawn or lost, we would be through to the Knockout Stage. Instead, we must draw vs Porto to get through the group (as second place of the group) OR we must win vs Porto to win the group. A loss and it is off to the Europa League (oh, the joy). This assumes a victory by Dynamo over Maccabi Tel Aviv, which I think we all would agree here is a lock. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Let's take care of business here. Rest a few guys but get the win. Let's get some momentum heading into the Spurs match Sunday. I am excited about the week ahead. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Sorry I am late to the post match party Watched it all today. I thought we dominated today. Should have won 3-0 or 4-0 really, but will take 1-0. Hazard played like the Eden we are used to seeing. As others have commented, Fabregas and Willian looked good. Even Costa looked better than with his usual 4 or 5 flops inside the box and then slamming his hands on the pitch because no call. If he would mature and just focus on scoring, dribbling, passing and defending and forget the drama, he might just be alright I felt Pedro played well too and fit into the offensive chemistry. I realize it is Norwich FFS, but we looked like we had played together before, had pace throughout, defended all while controlling possession. Surprised not a lot of comments on Kenedy. Thought he held his own. He brought pace down the side while attacking. I would not mind him in the rotation back there to give guys rest. I also think getting Courtois back will give the back line a boost of confidence. Not that Begovic has played poorly, he just isn't Courtois. We have only allowed 8 goals in our last matches in all competitions, so thing are turning a bit. I like what I am seeing and, even in the defeat at Stoke, we played much better. Some definite strides. Can we take care of Maccabi Tel Aviv on Tuesday and then head to White Hart Lane and get a result? Either 3 or 1 will do. Need to start climbing the ladder. First, let's get in the top half of the table and then go from there. I am encouraged tonight. Jose, don't allow it to be given back the rest of the week. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Well, mates, I suppose constant optimism is slowly running out for all of us. The hope has been we could return to a quality form in October or early November at the latest and get into a race for the final CL qualifying spot. Even that is slipping away to point now where it seems highly improbable. It's a real head scratcher how this club has just lost all identity going forward and goals just seem impossible at the moment. Early in the year, effort and form was poor. I feel slowly the effort has come around, but the results just aren't following. After complete shambolic play at the back over the first couple of months, improvement has been seen. Not world class play, but improvement certainly. But going forward, we cannot create anything. We cannot break down the weakest of teams. Teams are doing to Mourinho what Jose has done to them in the past, sit back, put 10 in the box and counter. Champions League and FA Cup are worth finding our form and trying to make a run. The PL is about lost so let's stay above relegation and get some playing time for the RLC's and Kenedy's of the roster. Victor Moses might star on this club now Is Fernando Torres available out there? Norwich is a good match to see RLC and Kenedy start in my opinion. And I am sorry, but let's see Remy start up top. Costa has to be the worst dribbler in traffic. He looks clueless. I used to think David Luiz was a carnival act at times, but Diego has quickly surpassed. It's good to see most everyone on here sticking with the team and trying to will this group to victory. I suppose it will turn around, just hope it is soon. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Love this starting XI! Now, I am ready to love the result too! Come on you Chelsea!!

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:

I am not sure all hope is lost for the top 4 "if" we get our act together, take advantage of the the next eight fixtures to get our mojo back and then hit January 1st playing like Chelsea can play. I am not saying we have to be in complete 2014-15 mode, but come close and we'll have a chance and I think that is what everyone is anxiously awaiting is that little "spark" that says we are back to playing like we are Chelsea. The fourth place team has finished with 70, 79, 73, 69, 68, 70, 72, 76, 68 and 67 points the past 10 seasons. That is a 71.2 point average. There are 81 points remaining. Six of the years, 70 or less gets you fourth. 70 points is a good goal to shoot for. That means we need to get 59 out of the 81 remaining, which means we need to take 72.8% of the points the rest of the way in our 27 matches. Under this scenario, winning 18 out of 27 with 5 draws would get you to 70 total for the year. Obviously, we play like we have the first 11 and nothing matters. We would be lucky to break 40 points. But "if" we find ourselves, why not? I'll take it a step further, let's just look at our eight matches remaining through the end of the calendar year, which gets us to the halfway mark. As you suggested, the scheduled lightens up a bit. You have suggested 5-1-1 over the next seven. How about 6-0-2 over those eight, sweep the 4 home matches with Norwich, Bournemouth, Sunderland and Watford and find two wins from the 4 road matches against Stoke, Tottenham, Leicester City and Manchester United. This would put us with 29 points at halfway and needing 41 out of the remaining 57 points in the second half. I think the four home matches are likely wins. I think we can win one of the four road games, so why not two? The point is there is still a chance if we are now finding form. If not, it is all moot. We will know soon. Let's get the three points Saturday and hit the break preparing to finish the end of the first half strong! Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Okay, I realize there were a few break downs, especially at the back in the 65' - 80' period, but all and all, there were less than previous games and the biggest positives I saw came late: (1) The Willian cracker at 83' combined with (2) the return of a fire after the goal putting us up 2-1 with Hazard and Pedro coming on. Though they did not get it in the goal during those final 10 minutes, we did control the possession, threatened a couple of times with some Hazard moves of old and killed it off! How many times this year have we scored late to get all three points and killed off the game? This is the first sign we may be coming to life. I agree with many on here that "if" Hazard and Pedro will play for 90 minutes with the fire they showed the final 10 today, then put them with Willian and let's go! I am also in agreement with many on here that we have to have a better option up top than Costa. I cannot believe how quickly he has fallen from royalty (first half of last season) to complete side show since. He is a distraction. His antics get old. He was not as into the villain role the first half of last year but he is now. No need to play Falcao any more in my opinion. Just go with Remy and let's see what happens. Costa is a lightning rod for the officials and just sets a negative tone. Keeping Ramires and Matic together in midfield seems to work somewhat until we can add someone else in January. Just keep Cesc out of those positions please. Though Begovic has played admirably, do not under-estimate the return of Courtois in 5 weeks or so. This will strength our back line too by adding confidence. Odd that we are in the bottom half of the table and yet every weekend is a "BIG" game for us. Here is yet another one. We do not play well at Stoke, but we honestly played well enough to win last week there so why not now? Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

I like the lineup. Team seems focused and energized. Can they keep it up for 90+? Haven't put 90 minutes together all year. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Yes Ramires and almost Mikel! Great start! Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Enough already! I have been waiting nearly 90 days now for the Chels to begin the season and today is the day, I say! Time to pull out all the superstitions you have mates, wearing stinky socks, just whatever that gets the Blue mojo flowing again. Play like the Chelsea we know. It starts today! I want to see RLC, Baba and Kenedy in the lineup. Start a new. Who better to thrash then Scouse! Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf: End this nightmare now Jose!!

This. As pitiful as we have played, this is utterly amazing to only be 5 behind. Today's performance was pretty "meh", except that the back line looked improved, though you have to take into account it was Villa. When are we going to play with purpose up front? We have to be one of the weakest attacking clubs this year. I think [insert your choice here]-Oscar-Willian is becoming clearly best behind Costa. Pedro has been a slight disappointment. He takes some long range shots instead of passing to open players too much for taste. Insert Your Choice would naturally seem to be Hazard, but he just has not shown he is up to it this year. Pedro? See above. Do you put Ramires here? I would not. Kenedy? So, I'll stick with IYC-Oscar-Willian. In midfield, RLC should play more in my opinion. Thought Matic showed better today. Fabregas just looks outta gas. Matic-RLC or Ramires-RLC best option? Thought Baba looked really bad first half today, but improved in the second half. Is Baba-JT-Zouma-Azpi our best back line? Next four matches through the end of October are big if we are to make a push towards Top 4 in BPL and contend to some degree in the UCL. Need to win Tuesday and then earn 6-7 points out of a possible 9 at West Ham, at Stoke and vs. Liverpool. Is 6 or 7 points from those three matches too much for this squad? Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Well, what I have seen so far........ Azpi-Ivanovic is better than Baba--Azpi

Hello fellow Chelsea mates! Good to be back with a PL match again. As most have already commented, it will be an interesting XI by Jose tomorrow, or at least he hinted that it might be. We have all been saying it is time to turn it around. The break has probably been good for everyone so let's see some good football at the Bridge. I prefer not to see Zouma at RB. I prefer to see RLC in midfield and Kenedy in the game as well. We shall see. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

We are scoring at a lower clip than in 2013-14 with Torres/Eto'o/Ba up top. You are unfortunately correct in your assessment of Jose's attacking prowess, little to none. He has never been identified as an attacking genius certainly. The defending has been beyond shocking. I just cannot believe that Felipe Luis was so bad at LB that we could not move Azpilicueta to RB, but I digress. In hindsight, we probably saw hints of the 2015-16 issues towards the end of 2013-14. In the last 14 matches (all BPL matches after the 1-0 win at the Etihad), we were only 9-2-3 down the stretch with draws 1-1 at WBA, 0-0 home to Norwich and losses at Palace 1-0, at Villa 1-0 and home to Sunderland 1-2. Scoring a total of 2 goals in those 5 games cost us the title. We lost by 4 points and dropped 13 out of 15 in those five games. By the way, those clubs finished 17th, 18th, 11th, 15th and 14th that season respectively. The team that year survived on the superior play of the back line and Cech, not attacking tactics. Cahill has yet to regain his form of that year in my opinion. We won the title last season primarily due to Costa and Fabregas being white hot the first half of the season and then we coasted in with a lot of 1-0 wins with late heroics. The offensive magic was beginning to fade by March or sooner. This year has been the most terrible defending I have seen by a Chelsea club. I have never seen so many players lost, confused, beaten by their man, out of position or all of the above. This truth combined with Jose's lack of offensive strategies is the perfect storm we are living with. I would love to see Jose solve the problems, but I am not sure he can. I watch a LOT of BPL football. Everyone seems to know how to go forward except us (plus defend, plus hold in midfield ) Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

There is no need to vent any longer. The club has lost it completely and no where to go but up. Just a question of when that ascension will begin. The worst start since 1978 should clear all the plastic "fake" fans out, eh? I am with the Chels win or lose. Problems abound. No need to continue hammering Ivanovic. If we were three points off the top of the table and he was costing a point here and there maybe, but the problems are MUCH greater than just number 2. The team has collectively lost their mind and spirit on the pitch. Unfortunately that all falls back to Jose. Jose is an incredible legend at the Bridge. Wow. What a career. But I think we can all see he has lost this group and the locker room. I do not know if Roman will sack him during the break or not, but I have to admit it is inevitable at this point. It is clear he cannot figure it out. I hear after the match that NO Premier League team has started with just 8 points from 8 games and finished in the Top 4. The task at hand is bigger than just trying to get the players motivated as a team or finding the winning XI, after 8 games, we are what we are. Just above relegation. This season is a loss. Need to start the re-building process. Need to start approaching each game looking for improvement, getting OTHER players in the lineup and seeing what we have. I am with Chelsea now and forever, but I am ready to get the future started and inject some life into the club. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Unbelievable!!!!!! Willian. GTF in! Come on you Chelsea!!

Well, another match day and another desperate need of a result. Mourinho believes Ivanovic is the best answer for RB, so might as well get over it, because that is what we are going to see. Again. Hopefully JT returns to the starting XI. I would not mind seeing something like this: - - - - - - Begovic - - - - - - Azpi - JT - Cahill - Baba - Ramires/RLC - - Matic - - Willian - Oscar - Hazard - - - - - - - - Falcao - - - - - - Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Preach on brother. There is something much more sinister at work here than all of the players waking up suddenly out of shape and forgetting how the game is played. There is something seriously wrong, which is more than obvious because it is the same story over and over. No improvement from one game to the next. The back line is not even a leaky bucket, it is like trying to catch rain without a bucket. Could have lost 6-1 tonight easily. As I have stated before, I will always support the Chels and I'll be there watching again this Saturday, but there are major problems in the locker room. Jose needs to sort it out quickly. We all love the guy for what he has won at Chelsea and will always be a legend, but he clearly has no answers for this group. Oh, how I long for the days when we could only complain about Fernando No-Score-es! Those were the days Hell, I'd take Torres over most of this current lot. Do we miss Drogba and Cech's leadership this bad? Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Well, if it does, we lose 6-0. Let's hope they don't. Or Jose will be the best former manager in club history.

I am still not sure he has 100% recovered from the concussion in April vs Arsenal. I think that may be the "mystery" illness that kind of comes and goes, which is common to those injuries.

Wow, tough crowd to please here. I know Ivanovic is a lightning rod, among many other things I am sure, but many have complained about Jose playing the same 11 or 12 over and over and so he mixes it up, and it is OMG that is the worst lineup in the history of CFC. We all know something has to be done and mix it up and create a spark (or perhaps a dumpster fire) but let's give this one a shot. Can this XI really play worse than the first half Saturday? Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Let's hope the shuffle, though not complete without RLC for Cesc and Baba for Brana, gets the Chels fired up tonight. Don't need a repeat of the sleepwalking first half vs Newcastle. I for one and am kind of excited to see the Ramires, Willian and Pedro combo with Costa up top, unless its a 4-3-3. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

My question exactly. Just think how bad Baba must be or the nude photos of Jose that these two guys must have? :D

It is very interesting to see all the love for Ramires suddenly. 20 minutes of energy vs Newcastle really highlights the issues. We all watch a lot of football I am sure, and over the past 6-9 months, our attack (if you want to call it that) bogs down to the slowest, most pathetic approach of all the clubs I have watched. Where it was often free flowing early last year, it has all but gone away. I love Hazard, but he can single handily kill a break sometimes or when we have the advantage with numbers, he walks the ball around until the other team is behind the ball. We are too patient at times and try to be too precise. I am not putting it all on Hazard, just using him as an example. Ramires and Willian came in and showed instant pace and tried to create, create anything. It earned us two goals. We all can see it. The thinking before was to control possession, be methodical and hold the ball. With our brick wall back line, we could play for the one precise goal and the 1-0 result. Our back line now is like a bucket full of holes, so no need to show patience. The other team will get 2 or 3 goals. We need to play like Liverpool played with Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling, by sending runners and creating opportunities. Do not get me wrong, we do not have a Suarez on this club, but we certainly have a Sturridge and Sterling. Turn them loose. There is just too much holding of the ball and pass it around the outside of the box. Ramires and Willian seemed to inspire the rest of the club with their pace Saturday. Bring it again tomorrow night. No need to wait. The pace going forward is another reason we all like Kenedy and RLC as well. Pace! Make something happen lads! Someone said Jose is not an offensive strategist or mastermind. So far, it shows. We know he can park a bus, but can he flatten some things with a bus at full speed? Let's find out. I'd probably start Costa up top with Pedro-Willian-Kenedy just behind him. Put Ramires and RLC in midfield and let Ramires rough it up a bit. Then go with Azpi-JT-Cahill-Baba. Why not? I am with this club through thick and thin. I watched all 90+ Saturday even with probably the worst first half performance by a Chelsea team in years (decades?). It is annoying to hear "plastic" when you wear your Chelsea gear here in the States. I am not and I know most of you on here are not as well. We are with the Chelsea win or lose, but FFS sort it out fellows! Turn them loose Jose. Let them play free flowing and openly. That is all. Rant off. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf: