ZAPHOD2319

Frank is starting to put the pieces together. "Mason's part of the first-team squad this year and it's time for him. His qualities will improve even more with the qualities around him." "Everyone knows the hopes I have for Mason and he showed today a glimmer early in pre-season of what we might see this year and going forward." https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelseas-plans-mason-mount-confirmed-18366345.amp

I am new to this team, so correct me if I am wrong. It seems teams are approaching preseason in two ways. ManU and Arsenal seem to be using it to condition many starters and evaluating more of their young players in practice. Chelsea is using the early game to evaluate as many young players and players that once showed potential to find the core of the team. I think it is pretty smart for a new manager to go this route and know that there will be lesser results than if he had more starters out there. It probably helps Lampard that he is not changing the offense much from Sarri, but just tweaking what he feels is necessary. It seems some managers have already made up their minds on young players before the preseason started. If he has mostly starters out there for the second half of preseason and they continue to struggle, I would be concerned. I will be patient while Lampard uses games to find who he is going to trust in the regular season with his career on the line.

It may have been Saturday Japan time....I can never remember the time difference with Japan in the US. It is weird. ETA it is 10:40pm Friday in Japan right now, so it could not have been Saturday.

My impressions; Still very impressed with Mount, more impressed this game that he plays bigger than his body should afford. He positioned himself well for contact and came away from it in control. The midfield looked strong in the first half and went to crap with all the subs in the second half. In the second half there was a lot of jogging in the middle but not improving your position to receive the ball and once it was received it seemed like only then were some players thinking about where it should go. The second half for the midfield should decide a few loans or selling of players. It is difficult to get much from Pulisic as he wasn't in much. He looked quick and decisive, he also worked well when he didn't have the ball to be in position for a pass and knew where he was going. If that was a real game there would have been a penalty when the Kawasaki player just threw his leg out to attempt to trip him. There was good play from the attacking positions, just not good finishes. I thought for sure Kennedy would score. There were some really good passes to players going forward to attack the goal. It is a game that Chelsea had control of and could not finish good passes. In that sense it was frustrating to watch all the way through. From a preseason aspect, I think it really did show who needs to be on the squad and who needs to play somewhere else.

Lol, Forbes currently has an article about the user agreement that people do not read but hit accept for FaceApp. By using the app you are agreeing to give your personal picture and name to the company for whatever use they want for as long as the company exists. That includes selling both.

I am sure this is just a reporter's guess. Predicted Lineups Chelsea Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Luiz, Emerson; Jorginho, Mount, Kovacic; Pulisic, Batshuayi, Giroud. https://www.90min.com/posts/6413163-kawasaki-frontale-vs-chelsea-preview-where-to-watch-live-stream-kick-off-time-team-news

He trains with his dad in the off season, plus he got a bit of rest at Dortmund. It is not like he came off a grinding season where he played most of the matches.

I want the club to have a great season. My son says this kid healthy is rather special on the pitch and will only get better. I am new to the EPL, I have watched several Chelsea matches with my son, but haven't really paid attention to the league as a whole. Can anyone think of a player that had 30 matches and demanded to be given the 10 jersey? It seems odd to me, but maybe it happens?

Lampard seems to know how to say the right things about his players. “I appreciate that. It’s how I would have been. It’s a big move for him to a huge club. He’s a top young player. He’s only going to go one way in terms of his career – he’s going to go up and be a big signing for Chelsea. I hope so. I look forward to working with him. “It’s important we start the season as well as we can. I know we have injuries – people back at Cobham now that are influential players for us at similar positions, so we’ll need him.” -Frank Lampard; source: Goal

I am hopeful to see Pulisic on the pitch for the first time for Chelsea.

This kid showed today he not only wants it, but he has the skills to get there. I was most impressed with him and Giroud today.

Giroud was impressive to me. Not that it was great defence that he was going against, but he is embracing the style of play Lampard wants. Mount was impressive. He is really grabbing the opportunity to make this squad and running with it. Too many players in the second half that are showing they might be in over their heads. It was about as fun a preseason match as I have watched in a long time. Mostly due to knowing these guys have a realistic chance of making the squad, now can you deliver on that opportunity.

Reading that he will be joining the team for the Japan preseason. Eventhough the US played him in the center for Gold Cup, he seemed like he made his best moves out wide. I think he is very comfortable there on either side.

An interesting article with his previous coaches talking about him playing the 10 position. Also interesting how the 10 position has changed in the modern game. https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/christian-pulisic-best-position-usmnt-chelsea-borussia-dortmund-061445361.html

I had a cardiologist appointment. Looks like I didn't miss much.

The US team has a way to go, but the youth movement is encouraging. The young players look to Pulisic as the leader. The team as a whole has improved and I think there are much better days ahead. I think the remaining older players are done after this Gold Cup. The team will truly be Pulisic's squad going forward. Bradley has had high praise for Pulisic. I think the leadership torch will go from Bradley to Pulisic now.

I think the biggest problem is that after most of the tournament the US went youth and did very well. In the final the coach put more experienced starters out there saying they would be better suited to the pressure Mexico uses. After Pulisic ran through the Mexican defense for the entire first half, Mexico adjusted and tried to deny him getting the ball. The US attack suffered. The US tried to get the offense through Bradley and Altidore, Mexico made them look old and slow. I think the US should have stayed with the youth that got them there.

This is the most complete article I could find about his plans. https://www.thesportsbank.net/football/chelsea/christian-pulisic-to-join-up-with-chelsea-after-gold-cup-no-post-tourney-holiday/

Pulisic has said that he is counting the time off he took (while in London and the US) between Bundesliga and Gold Cup as his time off and only plans a few days off after the Gold Cup final. He is hopeful to get in enough practice with Chelsea to be on the pitch in Japan.

Looks like Chelsea is getting paid.

It really is odd to see a player in any sport trying to leverage starting or playing time and a jersey number into a contract. Does this ever really happen in any team sport?

McKenny does not handle the ball anywhere near as much as Pulisic. McKenny is having a good tournament. Only someone that has an axe to grind would say he is having as good a tournament as Pulisic.

He definitely has development left to become better than an average player, but what a base of talent to develop from. He has been very fortunate to play for managers that have invested into his development. I am really happy he landed with Lampard and his coaches that all come from a player development past. I am excited to see where he goes with all the talented coaches around him.

The really nice thing about this is he has become very consistent at being able to drop the ball in like that. I have been following the kid for years and it is really nice to see his play become more consistent and his stamina increase in the last two years. He has more development to go, but Chelsea is getting him at a pretty sweet time in his career. The thing he has always had is how well he sees the field. Now he is better at delivering at what he sees.

Thank you all for the welcome. It seems like the last month has been daily checking to see where Chelsea is with Frank Lampard. I know I am new to the Chelsea culture. From an outsider it seems like Chelsea produces some pretty awesome young talent only not to use them, but to go after players in their prime through transfers. I think it is going to be exciting to see all these emerging stars that Chelsea has developed get a chance to shine for a year. It would be pretty spectacular if several of them emerge so once transfer happen again it is only one or two needed to complete a powerful squad. I have good friends over here that are die hard Man U and Arsenal fans and they do not seem to have this air of excitement that is going on at Chelsea.