Pizy

Expecting a very tough game so I hope Potter doesn’t go nuts with the players shifting around to unnatural positions. Can see Conor coming into the XI in place of Kova. We really need to match Brentford’s intensity so having fresher legs will help. For the same reason I’d consider starting Broja here as well. Pick a team that Brentford won’t be expecting or specifically be planning for. Go for maximum work rate and pressure in behind. Broja, Pulisic, Mount, Gallagher. Best way to beat them is to force them back and not allow quick breaks.

Fuck, that’s devastating. 😔 That’s probably the end of his Chelsea career, huh? Even if he gets fit before the end of the season it would be stupid of him to play again and risk re-injuring himself just before his contract ends. At his age and with his recent injury troubles I can’t see us offering him the new long term deal he apparently desires. What a sad way for it to end for a genuine legend. My favorite Chelsea player in the post Lampard/Drogba/JT era. 😢😢😢

I should’ve said most sensible out of all these super expensive midfielders we’re linked with. Much as I rate Bellingham I’m not so sure he’s the profile of midfielder we’re crying out for at the moment. He’s more of a #8 where we already have Kova, Conor, and a newly resurgent RLC. Plus just spent good money on Carney who plays a similar position. We badly need a long term, steady #6 who can actually move about the pitch and not get massacred on the counter. Rice fits the bill perfectly in my eyes.

I’d still love Rice here. He’s basically risk free as he’s already doing very well in the PL unlike some of the super expensive alternatives. He’s a captain, a leader, and a big personality. Also has great relationships with the other English lads in the squad. The price is of course crazy but he’s the sensible midfield signing we could make. He’s a DM that you can plug into the XI and pair with literally any of our others without worrying.

Talk about a turn around for him. Out in the wilderness for both club and country without much hope of things changing. Tried and failed to move in the summer and looked destined to ride our bench for years. Now he looks to have solidified his starting spot for us and should do for Spain as well. Oh, and he’s also got a smoking hot fiancé and will be getting married soon. The dude is winning life right now. 🤣🤣🤣

Darwin Nunez is absolute dogshit, btw. Lukaku like.

Damn. Arse will be in dreamland if City lose this. And I was hoping we could keep Liverpool 9 behind us.

Hopefully the overall performance there was a blip and a result of too much chopping and changing in the wrong areas. Because Brentford up next is another team that will do a lot of the same things Villa did today but can actually score goals. We were a bit better in the second half but for about 75% of that game we were shocking.

Good LORD!!! Mount finally in last season’s form?

Jorginho finally comes in and instead of RLC going off who seemingly hasn’t made a single forward pass it’s for Kova? 😩

We just keep giving it away in midfield OVER AND OVER AND OVER again.

They’re still crating chances at will. Because our midfield is nonexistent.

Can we PLEASE get Jorginhomon so we can keep the ball?!

Just play players in their actual positions. That’s all there is to it. Not complicated. Was annoying when Tuchel played players out of position and now Potter is doing the same. As mediocre as Azpi is these days at least he knows that position. And I realize that with the fixture pile up he’s got to rotate certain players, but it was a mistake to drop KK when he’s finally starting to hit top form and replace him with a wingback playing out of position.

Should never, EVER be playing CB when we have a fully fit LCB like Koulibaly in the squad. Should only play there in an emergency. He’s a tireless worker who runs the channel, not a natural CB. And it really shows here. Should’ve rested Chilwell instead of Koulibaly.

We are getting murdered down both flanks. Massive change needed at half time. Midfield isn’t working at all either. This is by far the worst we’ve looked under Potter. One injury to James and the whole team looks lost because we have to shift everyone around to new positions. Very concerning. Don’t think I can pick out 1 positive from an outfield player that half. Kepa prevented complete embarrassment. Even Silva looked very shaky that half which almost never happens.

Take Cucu or Chilwell off for KK, please. Cucu looks totally lost out there at CB. Shift RLC to RWB, move Sterling up the pitch, and bring J5 on so we can keep the fucking ball.

Fucking hell, man. They’re dominating us! Other than the shocker that we scored from we haven’t done a single positive thing. They should’ve scored 2-3 by now.

They’re just easily creating chance after chance down that side, ffs.

That right side is just as much of a problem as I suspected it would be. Sterling, RLC, and Trev are completely out of sorts on where each of them should be. Also not a fan of Cucu at CB.

Really need to sharpen the fuck up on the ball. We’re giving it away far too easily.

Biggest concern I have is Ings and Watkins running that left channel against a right side of RLC and Trev who are both prone to silly lack of concentration errors.

Nah, apparently is was all verbally agreed but I remember Tuchel getting publicly annoyed at Barca in a presser he had and forcefully said that Azpi must stay at all costs basically. Said he was far too important to the squad to lose after we already lost Rüdiger and AC.

100% on Tuchel for adamantly putting his foot down and blocking Azpi’s move to Barca. We absolutely would’ve brought someone in but Tuchel strongly told us all that he felt Azpi was still good enough.

So is it a back 3 with Cucu at CB and RLC RWB? Interesting. Looks like Villa have either gone for maximum pace and pressing with Ings, Bailey, and Watkins or they’re sitting deep and hoping those 3 can spring lightning counters. Either way it should be a real test for a makeshift back line.