MrExcalibur100

It's not even a game anymore, it's just pure fuckery.

I don't even feel like watching the game anymore seeing Ivanovic in the line-up.

It's a cop out from Conte. Just a ridiculous cop out. And I don't want to hear that bullshit of Alonso isn't "ready" for a big game. Well neither is Ivanovic!

http://metro.co.uk/2016/09/20/scouting-report-marcos-alonso-provides-more-balance-to-chelsea-as-they-knock-leicester-out-the-efl-cup-6141330/

This is what happens when you don't have Azpilcueta slowing up our transition from defense to midfield by checking back to his stronger foot and playing it to the CB, instead of making a quick pass to the midfield player or winger. This is what happens when Azpilicueta doesn't have to think for 5 seconds to make a forward pass and our winger or midfielder recieves the ball in a bad position and then is quickly pressed by the opposition and has to pass it back to our defender. This is what happens when you don't have Ivanovic in your back four. He has the technique of a dying mule. By far our best perfomance away from home to the defending champions. We dominated even before their red card. All these things considered and the difference in how quickly we transition from defence to midfield is staggering but not surprising. Okay, Leicester don't do a lot of pressing but it's clear we pass it quicker from the back. Same line-up vs Liverpool with Alonso and Faberegas coming in for Ivanovic and Oscar. If this doesn't happen i'll lose some serious confidence in Conte. We'll have to riot.

Let's try something different, mate No Ivanovic. I just don't want to see him start for us anymore. He simply does not deserve it. He and Oscar must be nowhere near our starting XI. It's not just that their awful players, it's that playing them also affects the way we plays as a team. It'll just be another exhibition of us being unable to pass the ball out from the back.

Arsenal, mate. Matic has played a great game. The insane way fans continue to damn this player to hell despite how well he plays is strange to say the least.

Superb goal. Hazard back pass and Fabregas!! Really happy for the Spaniard. If Conte doesn't start him and Alonso vs Arsenal, we fucking riot. Deal?

Suarez, Aguero, Lewandowski. Even if he could raise his head up and was more intellgent, tough to put him above any of those three.

2-2 and a striker off for a midfielder. Maybe to shore up the midfield which was looking increasingly porous.

Chalobah sighting! Finally a deserved debut!

I think Conte knows he is a CM as well but he plays him in those unorthodox positions to accommodate Fabregas and to experiment with other formations.

Great pass from Luiz, bad miss from Costa. That wasn't difficult to score.

Great play from Batman, which typifies some of his qualities. We saw his close control and quick release.

He's a CM obviously

We look so much more of a balanced team with real fullbacks playing in their real positions. We pass it much better from the back as a result which we've been absolutely woeful at and that ability to build from the back is critical to a top team's success.

Just to note that Azpilicueta won't have managed that playing at LB

OH MY LORD!!

Great pass by Fabregas. A pass Oscar can only dream of making.

That's not Batshuayi's strength but he has to test the keeper there.

Get a grip of yourself.

Wow, left back overlaps and puts in a cross into the box with his stronger foot which almost leads to a goal! What a novel idea! Maybe we should try it more often.

He's playing in a team and in a league were the top teams are light years ahead of the rest of the league, which is garbage quality, so he stands out. That's not to say he's not a good player, he is, but I'm not convinced he's a world class player. If we were to lose Hazard next season, I won't mind him though.

Alonso has become a very important determinant for our season. It's very important he shows his quality and establishes himself as a first XI player for us to have a realistic chance of finishing top four. I just hope fans don't get on his back if he starts slowly and makes some mistakes. Certain sections of our fanbase were very quick to pounce on Baba's mistakes and now he's out. Just remember that the only other option is Ivanovic at RB and Azplicueta at LB before anyone of us jump on Alonso.

Whoscored's player characteristics doesn't mean much as it's wholly determined by what league you play in and what team you play for as opposed to the player's actual, you know, characteristics. @Gilvorak is somewhat right. For once