Chelsea Buzz

What are Zouma and Ivanovic doing? They just needed some popcorn so they could enjoy the view of that Newcastle goal.

Let's get it going! Up with the Chels! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

I hate Spurs, BUT a draw or win today (up 3-1 at the moment) over City would be extra motivation for the Chelsea to get in gear and take care of business today. Get back in the race mates! Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Surely not. Oscar has been key upon his return. I really want to see Pedro - Oscar - Hazard with Remy up top today. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

I like this lineup. For the life of me I cannot figure out why Remy sees little to no time on the pitch. I thought he produced nicely in Costa's absence down the stretch last year, including some big ones like the winner vs Hull and the first goal of the game vs City that ultimately ended in a draw. With this group, you can always come with Ramires or Matic in the second half for Cesc or even Mikel if you are leading. Definitely want to see Kenedy with some quality minutes. I also feel Oscar is important to our attack, which became more obvious during his absence. They are all BIG for awhile, so let's get the result mates, and climb back up the table. I will go with 1-3 the Chelsea with goals from Oscar, Remy and Terry. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Diego to sit in the crowd at St. James Park, among the Newcastle fans. How awesome would that be? Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

I'll play. Streamed most of the game. Considering the competition, the squad actually appeared interested and decent performance took place. Still do not understand why Remy does not get more opportunity on the pitch. How can you not like Kenedy's energy? I like "non public enemy number one" Diego, but the one from Saturday I can do without most days (except against Gooners of course ), so it was refreshing to see Falcao and Remy in the game. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

This is another big one for the Chels. Need to get the BPL ship righted now or never. Who better to beat than the Gooners. Would not mind this line up, but probably not likely from Jose: - - - - Costa - - - - - Hazard - Cesc - Oscar - - Matic - RLC - - Dave - JT - Cahill - Baba - - - - Begovic - - - - Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Ultimately it is up to Jose to get the best out of his players, but honestly, many have come out the new season like complete rubbish. 4 or 5 for sure. They need to show their professionalism and "get self motivated" and tune back in and have a tremendous team effort starting Saturday. I still think Jose needs to bench Ivanovic and find a way to sit Cesc for a game or two. Hopefully the others will snap out of it on their own. I know many on this board are down on Jose. I am not. He has some shortcomings, one being carry on throughout the season with a limited rotation of 12-13 players while not developing youth, but I would take him any day of the week in the BIG matches and small ones too. Other than the three point result Saturday, I want to see the return of intensity and chemistry to this squad. Play like they are on a mission. Perhaps the International break came at a good time. Not sure, but we will know more by Saturday afternoon for sure. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Cannot believe I am saying this, but as good as Fabregas and Costa were through February last year, I am not sure Lampard and Torres/Eto'o was not equal or better than Fabregas and Costa the past 15 EPL matches. Not saying I want those guys back, just illustrating how bad it has been. I am not sure I have seen a player drop as much as Costa after his first 20 games to the next 20. We would not have won the title last year without Cesc and Diego, but man, what a drop off since the sizzling start. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Well, there is not much to say. You saw the match. Played like rubbish for 98% of it. Though there is a myriad of issues, i.e. the shambles that is our back line, I am probably more confounded by our lack of scoring ability. somewhere along the lines of February/March last year, scoring has become incredibly tough for us. The walk it down and around approach just does not work for us. We are not Arsenal. Heck, it does not work for them a lot either. We make too many passes looking for the perfect set up. Hazard has been slowly disappearing. Costa looks worse than Torres, only with a bad attitude. Not every tackle is a flagrant foul so no need to flop and yell. Need to put out a search committee for Cesc. Not sure where he has gone. Ivanovic gets beaten more than a rented mule. This has been a slow but sure implosion, again starting last spring. We all saw it. But we kept pulling a rabbit out of a hat and winning late. The pre-season was terrible, which has carried over to the EPL. Maybe the lack of rotation has finally caught up with everyone. Maybe Jose has worn everyone out with his shtick. Do we miss Oscar that much? Schurrle? I am not sure Pogba can make an effective difference with this bunch at the moment. Worse thing is two weeks to sit around and dwell. I am with the club regardless and look forward to the eventual turn around. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Almost time for kick-off. Lineup is solid save one or two, but all in all, more than sufficient to win the three points. Let's see a good game from Ivanovic and Cesc today and a comfortable win. I am ready for Pedro's debut at the Bridge. Two goals please!! Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Juan, we are hardly knew you. Hope you get some PT and find yourself. Just didn't work here. His best Chelsea moment? Drawing the penalty vs Sunderland to allow Costa to equalize in the first half on the final day of 2014-15 season? Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

One word - Pedro One question - what would the result have been with no Pedro today? A lot of positives. A few disappointments. If Willian and Falcao could have finished, how many more assists would Pedro have had? Pedro brought the spark we desperately need. Let's hope the rest of the team takes his lead and starts to resemble his play and not after several games, he starts to look like we did the past 4 matches playing in molasses. Oscar instead of Willian improves our finishing I believe. Can't wait to see us with Pedro-chemistry. We may start to look like last year, early last year that is. Courtois had a great game. Zouma looked solid as well. Ivana, not so much, but we survived. Thought Cesc started to play better late though lost a guy in the box late that could have resulted in a goal. Come on Everton, at least get a draw and tighten up the table. It's been a good day, a Blue day! All hail Pedro! Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Agree 1,000%

Someone find the net one more time. Need another! Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

FFS - here we go!! Come on guys!!

May be a couple of players that still need to pick up their game, but to heck with that today, Pedro has shown what we can look like. It has helped everyone up top. Great signing! Pedro! FFS, now Terry off with red. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf: (Don't screw this one up now :D)

Ok, let's put it together lads and forget the first couple of weeks. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Well, with some of the results today and a BIG THREE POINTS BY THE CHELS tomorrow and a loss or draw by City and everyone will be coming back to us at the top, given that I think Liverpool definitively drops points at Emirates on Sunday. Based on Jose's comments, everyone is rededicating themselves to kick it in gear for the year. Time to get focused and go to work. I want to see Pedro in the starting XI. Looking forward to tomorrow. Up with the Chels!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Was looking forward to the match Sunday already as I (we all) want to see the club put it together and play 90+ minutes of solid football. But now, it is even better with Pedro in the fold and perhaps starting (we can hope) or getting at least 30 minutes of playing time on the pitch. Baba and Pedro has heightened the interest. Hope we can add Stones and/or another before the window closes. It is reassuring that the club acted quickly after the debacle at Etihad. Would have preferred this in July, but better now then not at all. It has been clear for some time we need help. Should Cuadrado transfer out, I wish him the best. He just was not a fit here in my opinion. I am excited about what Pedro brings to the team. He can be such a difference maker on the counter. If Oscar, when fit and back, can maintain his momentum all year and combine with Pedro, it really ups our offense. The real question for me is will Pedro's addition get Cesc back on track? They are good friends and Cesc is one of the reasons for Pedro joining. Will we almost get two players for one transfer by returning Fabregas to his early 2014 level? That would be awesome!! Really, really want to see Pedro start. :getin: Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Do we have any "genuine" options to sit Ivanovic and Cesc for this one? Isn't Oscar out already? No way Baba plays this early. I think Jose needs to make a couple of changes but not a major overhaul. Not sure he is up to that however. I would not mind Costa and Remy up top. West Brom has yet to score this year. Probably means they score in the first 90 SECONDS on Sunday. Ha! Seriously though, I want to see some offensive chances and goals by the Blues. Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

I feel he gets very little help. You watch the likes of Arsenal and Man City when in the box and there is typically a lot of players moving, making runs, etc and we seem to stand still a lot, waiting for that perfect look or opportunity that does not come. It seems with Cesc being rubbish for awhile has really hurt everyone, including Hazard. Really need Oscar to step it up and for the entire year. Just my quick thoughts.

Thought he contained Sterling for the first 70 minutes or so, especially when compared with Montero from last week. Its relative, I suppose.

Well, some quick thoughts after watching all of this one. I do not think Jose got his tactics wrong today. We did not park the bus. It was clear in the first half that JT was getting beat early and often with their speed. Though Ivanovic cost us late, thought he played well for the first 70 minutes. I thought City played us similarly to how PSG played us at the Bridge last year - very physical and got us completely off our game in midfield. My concern is what seems to be a shrinking pool of top flight talent. To be a supposed "big" club, and I realize we are and have unlimited funds as they say, we sure seem to be going backwards in some ways. We have to have the weakest bench game in and game out of any top 6 - 8 club. We have zero speed at times on counters. I miss Schurrle and the energy he could bring to a match. It is obvious we need to add back line players, but I would love to add an additional top flight attacking player. What has happened to Fabregas? He struggles almost every possession. I am beginning to be frustrated with Costa, whether due to injury or not. He is struggling when the ball gets under him and is likely to lose it, trip over his own feet or feign contact. I am not sure what has happened to these two. They were key last year and are again this year in the opposite direction. Can anyone tell me why Remy does not get more opportunity? He had some big goals late last year and even scored vs Man City. Begovic kept us in the game in the first half. Easily could have been 3-0 or 4-0 at intermission. My biggest item right now is finding some key additions in the transfer window immediately. Got to get some help in here! Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf: