!Hazard!

We're much more likely to win the game with this lineup than with the one we played in the previous game

Why go for Barkley from the start though. I think Kovacic is a much better defender and he was amazing in that 2-0 City win when we played similar tactic

This is a defensive move. I think he has set up us for counter attack. Clearly Sarri wants that trophy

False 9 and Emerson as LB. Well I didn't expect that....

Terrible changes from both coaches too. Lingard sub was hideous and similarly taking Sturridge on instead of much more in-form Shaqiri makes little sense

I want to back Sarri but at the same time I'm really scared to see his lineup for today

Pep had a much easier job at City than Sarri is having now at Chelsea so in that sense the comparison is madness. Sarri is asked to change the philosophy of the team entirely and deliver results in the process, kinda like being asked to turn Soviet Union into capitalist market economy in 6 months and expecting it to be a smooth process. Pep took over a squad that was used to playing possession football and the club had done everything to make the transition easy as possible for him. Is there a managerial change to which Sarri's current term can be compared? I can't remember any top club in Europe changing their philosophy from counter attacking to possession football in such a radical way as we're doing now.

And if he doesn't win he'll be sacked

It's good that he has performed well this season so we can sell him easily for a good sum of money. Personally I want him to stay far away from this club, he simply doesn't not have the technique to play for a top6 Premier League team. The Lukaku of midfielders, looks good for midtable teams and like fish out of water for any team competing for trophhies

Clearly he should be CB. He's not technical enough for midfield or fast enough for fullback. At CB he could be perfect and IMO he has the highest ceiling of all our CBs

If Hazard is sold the club MUST give Hudson-Odoi his role. Use the Hazard money in other areas (new CB, LB, CAM, ST) instead.

The fact that he was wearing the armband last night after Azpi was subbed.......

There are multiple reasons that explain why we have struggled so much in those type of games recently, one reason being of course Jorginho being in poor run of form, but playing from the back is exactly why is put into that position. His one touch passing and awareness allows the team to invite that pressure and then bypass it with ease (in theory). If we stay with Sarri for the long-term and Jorginho remains as the regista then I hope he will hit the gym and bulk up a bit. He could easily add another 10 kilos to his frame and overall become a a stronger and better defensive player over the years. It's not like bulking would affect his mobility since he already runs and moves like a handicap on the field.

To be honest that was exactly what I was thinking as well when I was watching that first half. Malmo were pressing hard and Kovacic was quite disappointing. Jorginho+Kepa make a huge difference to our ability to pass the ball from the back

Young players seem to have much more hunger and confidence than the old ones. RLC, CHO and Ampadu deserve good run of games in the starting XI

HUDSON!!!

Just shows how influential media and the pundits can be in shaping peoples' opinions about players, coaches etc

Whats wrong with Kovacic

I wonder how many points we would have right now if Higuain had come here in July. Remember all those games where the team still had at least an ounce of confidence but Morata/Giroud just couldn't finish? Back when the team still could create plenty of chances and defense was solid as a rock. Lost a lot of points in October/November/December simply because of poor finishing and then that false 9 experiment somehow managed to kill our momentum entirely

Damn Morata must have hit the gym at Madrid if he can make Chiellini fly like that with only one hand Absurd decision

I think we can all agree on that Kante-Jorginho pivot thing – it's something that should be tried. And you're wrong about Jorginho not being suited to that role, he played next to Allan in a double pivot at Napoli when they were playing 4-2-3-1. Why isn't Sarri at least trying this here is a mystery

Interesting how it nearly always falls apart around Christmas. It's as if it comes to as a surprise to the foreign coaches that there's no winter break in England

Schalke leading 2-1 and Fernandinho is suspended for the second leg. This might get interesting

I also still want Sarri to stay and for me the results are not the problem (this was very much expected) but rather the manner in which the defeats have come. His tactical inflexibility, incredibly poor in-game management and lack of rotation have also become a great concern. If he addressed at least two of these concerns somehow, just to show that he isn't as suicidal as he seems right now, then I'd be more than happy to back him 100% and give him enough time to overhaul the squad (even if that means selling Hazard, Kante etc.). I am really sick and tired of this never ending managerial chaos at this club.

At no point was Sarri "shitting on Kante". He simply answered the question and defended his choice to play Jorginho as the deep lying midfielder by pointing out that Kante doesn't have the characteristics to play that role in his system and that's why he's playing in another role. Whether you agree with his opinion is another thing but certainly he wasn't blaming Kante here.