Pizy

Indeed. I do think we'll be way better and more assertive against the small teams in the league that we struggled against last season. Sarri's play style and tactics will help massively there. I just worry about us scoring against the top sides with Morata as our striker and Willian as a starter.

Doubt we'll be signing another attacking player then if Willian is staying. Our last signing will be a Courtois replacement. If you had told me at the end of last season that after finishing 30 points behind the champions and in 5th place our only signings all summer would be one midfielder and a keeper I'd have laughed. It's crazy.

Convinced he'd be a beast for us opposite Hazard. Opposing fullbacks getting roasted repeatedly on each flank. Fucking delicious. Unfortunately, the thought of Palace selling their talismanic best player who carried them last season doesn't sound possible with mere days left in the window. Not like them getting mega money for him does them any good when a club like Palace can't attract someone else on his level. Would be like us and Hazard. No use having money sitting in the bank with no one to spend it on.

So he's "weak" at everything a footballer wants to be good at? LOL!

Hazard: We need to sign big, big players and challenge for the title next season. Chelsea board: Right then, let's get that lad with the annoying fucking hair from Villa who wears his socks super low like a twat. 😂😂😂

At the age of just 17 he is completely fearless and confident in taking on his defender. Got the ball and attacked the fastest defender in the PL over and over again and destroyed him numerous times. Bellerin couldn't live with him. If Eden stays, CHO should be our definite starter in all earlier round cup games and should be one of the first options to come on as an impact sub. Hazard should be able to get plenty of rotation this season.

Thing is, it's not just his awful finishing that's a huge problem. After over a year in England he still hasn't learned that this isn't La Liga where Real Madrid and Barca players get fouls called with even the slightest contact. He still crumbles to the ground and begs for a whistle time and again. Did it about 4 times today and didn't get a single whistle. He simply doesn't appear to have what it takes to be the main man, big boy on the block #9 for a top club. Which is why he never has been until he got here. For a team playing with two forwards he can be effective.

Pressing and midfield should look better when Kante and even Willian are back. Not concerned about that. I am very concerned about where the bulk of our goals will come from as well as our defending in wide areas.

Other than the same susceptibility down our left flank, that was a fantastic overall performance. Night and day in terms of playing style without the ball. CHO and Jorginho were phenomenal. Morata is soft as tissue and has no composure. He's got that same look about him as last season. Like he is a turtle who wants to disappear down his shell. Confidence is shot. If we had a clinical, big time striker up top today it would be about 3-0. He is a big problem.

CHO setting up Morata over and over and he keeps fluffing his lines.

Our pressing as a unit has been outstanding this far,

Yeah, I don't think he's some top class fullback or anything but at least he's got pace and athleticism. He can theoretically be counted on to stay in front of his attacker. Alonso is a liability to just do that. I guess both Conte and Sarri feel his qualities going forward outweigh his massive weakness defending.

Still would have thought he'd start Emerson in one or two preseason games to get a proper look at him before making that call. We've seen evidence of Alonso getting spanked for pace for the last couple of years.

Yeah, it's really worrying. Sarri doesn't seem to fancy Emerson. Alonso in a back 4 is so fucking risky. Something we may see on display today.

Arse going with nearly their strongest XI here. Only a couple missing.

With Caldara leaving, that surely means Rugani won't. So that's 3 of our reported transfer targets off the table in one deal. Not too bothered. All 3 would have been significant risks.

Think if Barkley starts his 3rd straight game in that advanced midfield role today then surely he's Sarri's chosen man there to start the PL season. Especially if he performs well against Arsenal who will have there first choice midfielders, yes?

Looks like he's staying. Will he be fine with being a cup player, though? Especially knowing he could go to a fairly big club and start every game?

Like I said the other day, it looks like our business is all but done. Every target we've been linked to has pretty much fallen through. Higuain, Rugani, Caldara. Struggling to find an adequate replacement for Courtois so he may stay. Surprised if we see any other incomings with so few days left. Even our customary panic buy that I was sure would happen.

Well, Vecino can control a football and seems to be able to complete simple passes so he's certainly an upgrade on Bakayoko. 😂 This just doesn't make sense, though. Unless Baka & DD are both off which seems unlikely. At this point if we are indeed after another midfielder it would need to be one who is clearly head and shoulders above Barkley/Cesc/RLC like SMS/Pjanic/Thiago. Vecino feels like a player we'll be looking to sell on in a couple of windows.

Always like reading what fans of the clubs players we're linked with think. Juve fans are happy to see the back of Higuain and weren't terribly bothered about Rugani going for a large sum. Inter fans on their forum are actually laughing and begging us to take this dude off their hands. If he's a target Sarri wants I trust him, but yikes. When a side that's a level below us like Inter currently are want a player out and won't miss him at all that's a bit sketchy.

Yep. We'll go into this season with the same exact attacking options as last season and hoping a change in tactics/philosophy improve them.

At this point the only way he goes is if the Martial exchange is available.

Yep, I think they'll be much improved. I predict theyll get off to a flyer, be near the top around Christmas, and then fade away as the fixtures really pile up.

The pressing should help us massively against the smaller teams in the PL who aren't as good on the ball. Just imagine how our pressing will look when Kante gets back! No more depending on counter attacks or absorbing pressure even from sides we should be bullying.