Superblue

He's impressed me a lot this season, and I can only see him getting better when he's only in his mid 20's. Very comfortable on the ball, and fast, strong and powerful both in the air and across the ground he has all the attributes to be a top drawer defender. Some aspects to his game need improving but given both it is his first year in the Premier League and he has come back from a serious knee injury, the signs are very promising and he looks to be an excellent piece of business. One other thing that I love is his mental strength. He looks someone who is willing to take on responsibility (in fact thrive from it), lead by example and give everything for the shirt. It's a typical German mentality and I love it. It's a big reason I was such a fan of Ballack, and why they are such a strong nation that are always there or thereabouts when it comes to competitive football.

This. Hazard is a fantastic player and when he's in full flow he's one of the most enjoyable players I've ever watched. But his goal output at Chelsea has never been his strongest suit and he is relied on at times to both create and score when we're struggling which is a difficult spot for him to be in. In an ideal world, we would have Hazard on one wing to go out and do what he does best and a Salah type on the other wing who isn't nearly as creative but scores goals and has a much more ruthless streak.

The difference appears to be when Spurs put their little pressure on, teams never look like caving in and give them a sniff. Spurs and Liverpool don't seem to have dealt with it well so far and given us a chance to take this to the final day and you never know what might happen on that final game.

Whatever Conte's reign has left in it, we have to win these next 2 games and at the very least keep Liverpool and Spurs honest going into the final day. Stranger things have happened. On a separate note, we've had a pretty horrendous season with a period at the start of 2018 which was relegation form. Yet we have the opportunity to take Liverpool and Spurs to the final day of the season for top four, bearing also in mind they could rely this season on the two top scoring players in the league who have doubled the best that we have had. It goes to show that we are not (yet) very far behind, if at all, Liverpool and Spurs who themselves suffer from inconsistencies that are nowhere near emphasised as much as ours.

I agree about the Spurs and Liverpool thing. We have got a more talented squad than they had and we also have deep reserves of loan and academy players to help fill the squad. Like Conte did with Moses and this season Christensen, I would hope Sarri or any new manager that comes in can identify one or two players that could be recalled, giving us a larger transfer budget to spread over less players. With regards to a transition though, what formation is Sarri going to adopt if he joined. If it's 4 at the back we need full backs. Emerson and Azpi can play there, but I wouldn't trust Moses, Alonso and Zappacosta at full back. There are also question marks for me throughout the spine of the team which is the biggest worry. Lots of talk about Courtois leaving, do we need a commanding, leading centre back (could Rudiger and Christensen work as a first choice centre back pairing?), Kante needs a partner in the midfield (I feel this is the most important 'need') and there are still question marks over Morata's future and no guarantee's he'll kick on like we need him to next year. I do think the team needs some fairly major surgery, but there are also, as you highlighted, a group of players already here that would suit and fit a more attacking and expansive style of football.

I like what I read about Sarri and I've seen Napoli a few times and they play very good football, especially considering they don't work on huge budgets. He's gone in there and improved a number of players. An appointment like this is a huge risk but carries perhaps the biggest potential reward which would be playing exciting, vibrant football that most of us (including Roman) have wanted to see, but also in a means for us to be challenging for the top trophies. I understand also that he isn't afraid to play youngsters if he deems them good enough which would be another bonus. He would need time and patience though. From the article above, Napoli struggled initially and the likes of Guardiola's City, Klopp's Liverpool and Poch's Spurs were all pretty ordinary in their first 12 months. We have a group of players that has been used to playing in a certain style for a number of years and they won't adapt to such drastic changes overnight. If the board are willing to go 'all-in' with an option like this and give it the opportunity to flourish then I am all for it.

He's not wrong. The biggest problem is that we had a player last season that was a 20 goal a season striker and Conte didn't want him. Sometimes the best players are the hardest to handle and manage and at times you just have to accept that, which Conte wasn't willing to do. If Costa was here this season, playing at the level he was last season in my opinion we'd be comfortably in the top 4 and possibly sitting in 2nd place.

Out of curiosity, anyone know spurs average attendances at wembley this season?

I live in Gloucester and have travelled down to Chelsea a few times for midweek games with my dad and it's a pain. Taking half a day minimum off work because ideally we need to catch the bus around lunchtime and not getting home until the early hours (with work the next day) is a slog, so I can understand your point. Playing Devil's Advocate a bit here, but from what you've just said regarding fans from further afield. Should the club consider making an offer itself for Wembley? I know that a lot of fans, and particularly those that are based in London wouldn't be happy with this idea, but there are a few serious considerations to be made with this: 1. The stadium build is now being talked about as an estimate of around £1.2bn. You can't help but feel that the transfer activity in the last couple of years where we've adopted a sell to buy mentality is being influenced by this and will be for potentially many years. With the money pumping into the league now and giving even mid table teams a lot more money to spend we could find ourselves falling seriously behind the top clubs if we're not careful. 2. The apparent length of time away from Stamford Bridge will be 4 seasons. 3. By the time this is all done, and by the looks of things, making huge sacrifices as a result, it will be around 2024-2025. Buying Wembley keeps us still in London, albeit in a different area (However we were exploring alternative sites to Stamford Bridge previously). The cost of buying Wembley would be far lower than the expected costs for the Bridge. The stadium is ready to move straight into, would be far bigger than what Stamford Bridge can become and as a result the club can immediately start to benefit from the increased gate receipts, hospitality, etc helping to pay off the cost of buying the stadium that much quicker. The venue is iconic and world renowned and will allow the club to rent it out for events, England can still play there, etc again making more money for the club and the stadium's reputation would only enhance the club's own reputation across the world. As I said, some fans won't like it but I am far more concerned that by the time this Stamford Bridge build comes to fruition, the club will have made so many sacrifices on the pitch to compensate that we could be left behind. If the board believe a bigger stadium is paramount for us to continue developing and being more financially competitive then surely they should consider this if the FA is indeed open to selling.

Completely agree it is a worry, and I'll be one of the first to be critical of his attitude this season. I understand he has a right to be angry with the board's transfer business in the summer just like the majority of us are, but he still should have shown more professionalism. It just appears strange that things have suddenly clicked again. Conte even seems a little more bullish about trying to make top 4 in his press conferences than he was when we were in the top 4 a month ago. He seems happier and more relaxed too. You can't help but wonder if this is a sign that maybe the internal situation at the club has improved? Also there are no manager's we're currently being linked with which fill me with real excitement and all carry some huge question marks in my opinion. Do we have a better manager already at the club? With two miserable seasons immediately after title winning seasons, it can't just be the failings of Conte and Mourinho. There has to be question marks over the attitude and desire of the players and the board too.

I too was nervous of bringing on Baka, but my point is more along the lines of being flexible to change things. Against Southampton we reverted to 4-2-3-1 to get back into the game, against Burnley we started with 2 up front which was extremely surprising and in the cup semi the introduction of an extra midfielder at that stage of the game stunted Southampton's momentum when they were getting on top a little and had just brought on an extra striker. Once this was achieved 10 minutes later he changed Fabregas for Pedro and reverted back to go for the second goal. Whether these decisions are universally agreed amongst us, they have certainly helped us win the last three games and after a period early 2018 where we were crying out for Conte to make changes and be more flexible in his tactical approach (he just looked disinterested). Now suddenly he seems reinvigorated and is making changes and alterations that are making a difference which was a big part of our success last season.

I'm starting to get a feeling that Conte may keep hold of his job. There aren't any top candidates on the market at present, at least not available without a fight with their current clubs, and I don't see anyone standing out any more than a manager with the pedigree of Conte and what he has achieved. So many little links floating around without anything concrete. If Chelsea were going to do something you would think there is something in place already because with a shortened transfer window and the World Cup this is the worst possible summer to make drastic changes. Does the club instead look at keeping Conte for his last year next season, and summer 2019 they make more significant changes when they have more time without a major international tournament? I also find it a little odd that Conte in the last handful of games seems to have got his mojo back and is making bolder and more aggressive tactical decisions both before and during games. You wouldn't usually expect that from a manager who know's hes off at the end of the season and therefore would just go through the motions. You just wonder whether there has been a little thawing of the relations between manager and board. If the Conte of last season is still burning inside of him, I would take that over anyone we have currently been linked with.

I've seen a few rumours over the last couple of days about Nagelsman at Hoffenheim. Anybody know much about him? His record with Hoffenheim has been superb and only 30 years old too. Are we talking the second coming of AVB or is there more to him?

That is the key mental difference between him and Morata. Let's not pretend that Giroud misses his fair share of chances or with his gangly frame he somehow manages to get in a tangle. But he never shirks away, and his composure and confidence never seem to change regardless of the circumstances. With Morata you get the feeling, dare i say it like Torres and Shevchenko before him, that if he misses a couple of chances he goes into his shell and his head drops massively. That is hands down my biggest concern with Morata being our number 1 striker is his mental toughness.

My best mate is an Arsenal fan, he's always been a big fan of Giroud. Said he always gave 100% to the cause. Off topic but he's also distraught over Wenger leaving, thinks they'll struggle even more for a while now.

He's been far better the last few games (bar the Southampton away game). He looks fitter, that burst of pace looks back that he had at the start of the season, and I do think he's starting to understand the physicality of the league. He's built for the league, he just needs to embrace those aspects. He clearly has the intelligence of a striker to find pockets of space and has the pace to exploit that which Giroud doesn't have. The three chances he managed in the last 15 minutes yesterday show that. He just needs to show a more ruthless streak with his finishing. Hopefully it's a confidence thing and he'll be all the better for this year's experience next year. If it's a technical thing though we could struggle again next year without someone who's capable of scoring 20+ league goals.

I can understand why Arsenal fans were loathe to see him leave. He's not the top drawer striker who will fire us to league titles, but he is the best 'alternative option' we've had since Drogba/Anelka, Drogba/Crespo. He will get us goals, and offers a completely different option up top. The lad literally wins everything in the air and brings our more creative players into play if we need to hit the ball long. Nailed on for a striker spot next season. The bigger decision this summer is whether the club decides to stick or twist with Morata and how it views Batshuayi.

Pochetino's interview after the game today was interesting and hinted a little at suggestions of frustration (Dele Alli's too by the way). I think it would be silly for Chelsea not to at the very least make a play for him if we replace Conte in the summer. I'm not for one minute thinking we could easily get him and that likelihood may well be slim but Spurs fans can bleat all they want, Chelsea is a far bigger club in every aspect in this day and age and breeds a winning mentality across all forms of the game, something which may appeal to Poch who has already previously shown that he is extremely motivated to reach the very highest level. He may look at the additional resources here and feel this would be the step up he wants himself. At worst, it winds up Spurs and hopefully will rock the boat and upset/unsettle things there.

Clearly prioritising the cup semi. I'm surprised by omissions of Willian and Hazard though as we're not going to out-fight them and pace down the flanks I think would be our best option.

I'm extremely torn about this and could understand the Chelsea board having reservations over which route they take. The facts are whether people like it or not, we win trophies and have been now consistently for years. Even in a period of transition where we've let some of the best players in the history of our club leave, and not been as competitive in the transfer market as the Manchester clubs, we've still won the league twice. I love the idea of building a long term plan and project but the facts are there are only a handful of trophies that can be won each year and whilst the media laud Klopp and Poch and the sides they've built at Liverpool and Spurs, both still haven't won anything yet and may never do so. It was something touted about Arsenal a few years back when they had a young team that they would be a force in 2-3 years time and it never came to fruition. What I would like to see as a minimum is a strategy implemented at the club which will see an element of consistency in its transition between managers. We go from one 'top' manager to another without their styles and tactics being remotely similar at times and as a result we have a squad which lacks an identity. It is where football people on the board are needed. A manager and players are brought in to fit the style and strategy, which can also be implemented at youth levels too, which would hopefully improve the chances of players making it into the first team squad. Then even if a manager doesn't work, or only lasts the 2-3 year average that it now seems across the country, the club is far better set up to keep pushing forward. As opposed to the confusion and mess it appears to be right now.

Agree, I've seen some of Mount and he looks a very good player (although won't expect us to win many headers in the middle of the park with him and Kante!) Really difficult with Hudson-Odoi and Ampadu. i think they're both good enough already to be playing week in week out at the top end of the Championship and potentially even bottom half of the Premiership. Do they go out next season and get a full season of game time before coming back far more polished? Or do we go down the same route for them - cup games, Europa, etc gaining experience and hopefully impressing enough to force into the league team? As I pointed out earlier the biggest thing is to have a manager strong willed and brave enough to give these lads chances in big games if they are the best option available. Rather than shoe-horning a player into a different position because they are more experienced (e.g. playing Luiz in midfield instead of Mount).

I'd rate Pasalic above all of them and he probably still won't get a look in. Around 2 whole squad out on loan with no first team action in sight. I would love to see a manager come in and tap into this pool. There has to be 4-5 players either on loan or within our current youth set up who can be integrated into the first team squad. They don't need to be coming in and being expected to start the majority of games but need to be trusted to come in and do a job when called upon and given enough games to flourish and develop. I think back to the Spurs game this season where Conte put faith in playing Christensen. That set him up then for the rest of the season and he has been trusted ever since. We need to be bringing in more like this. That would allow us to cull a number of players from our current squad to change the style, formation, etc to suit a new manager, and allow us to concentrate this summer's budget on 3-4 signings which will significantly improve our starting XI.

You can't tell me that the likes of RLC and Van Ginkel could have been any worse this season than Bakayoko and Drinkwater. If we had shown a bit of faith in using some of the players already on our books, we could have used last summer's transfer budget on, say, 3 top players rather than it being spread over half a dozen. If we had midfielders that were both good enough and stayed fit this season it could have been so different. It seemed early on that Conte wanted to move the team towards a 3-5-2 formation. It worked perfectly against Atletico and would have given us a different option to use rather than become predictable and one dimensional. This just has not been possible this season when we've only really had Fabregas and Kante fit throughout the season.

I think he's certainly within his right to question the mentality of the team as a whole with regards to why we have given away so many leads this season - we're all asking the same questions!!!

I feel his general play has improved in the last couple of games, he has seemed more motivated to compete and stay on his feet far more. There is definitely a good footballer in there, but there are question marks over his attitude in my opinion. But again, it's first season, some players take to it and others take a much longer process of settling in (Drogba!). I don't think it's a coincidence that he dropped off completely around the time when he would be usually used to having a winter break whereas over here the games come even quicker. Add to that at the time, Batshuayi wasn't fancied so there was far more reliance on Morata and from what has come out he's been playing with an injury. I think there is such a huge job this summer that unless somebody truly world class is available on the market to replace him or he makes noises he wants out, we should stick with him and give him a chance.