Jase

GIROUD: I WANT TO STAY AT CHELSEA AND WIN MORE TROPHIES https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/12/03/giroud--i-want-to-stay-at-chelsea-and-win-more-trophies?cardIndex=0-4

Also the same Leeds side that gave Liverpool a run for their money, drew with Man City and battered Arsenal and Everton in the last two games. Bielsa's teams operate on the extreme at both ends. This season, Leeds are in the top 2 for shots, shots on target and xG but they are also in the top 5 for most xG conceded, goals conceded, shots conceded inside the box etc. Sevilla did not press as intensely and as high as you think they did. On paper, what you described there about Giroud's play with Werner and Ziyech make sense but in reality, that may not work because we're not always gonna be able to do that. Is Giroud gonna be able to outpace Leeds' defenders if a ball is played over the top by say Ziyech? Out of the 3 players there, only Werner is gonna be able to do that and the one who will make the runs in behind the defence. Is that gonna be enough? And by the way, those Leeds' 4-1 defeats to Palace and Leicester...those 2 teams played with mobile, pacey attackers to exploit Leeds' open-ness at the back. I can see why people say Giroud should start because he scored 4 goals at Sevilla but if we had looked at this game tactically from a week or two ago, am sure many wouldn't have put Giroud in their starting XI against Leeds, given how they play.

Sergi Gomez, Diego Carlos,Gudelj and Rakitic are still better than the likes of Koch, Cooper, Phillips, Klich etc. Sevilla may have better individuals than Leeds but it's not like we have not seen how a cohesive system can make players play better than they actually are.

Having Mendy in goal might make Christensen or Rudiger more stable in defence but he isn't going to suddenly erase the defensive flaws from their game - e.g. Christensen's problem when dealing with physical players. Even Emerson looked OK against Sevilla but I don't think anyone is suddenly thinking he's up to the job. Zouma's main problem, IMO, was not his defending but rather his ball playing capabilities. He tends to keep it simple enough when defending and that is good and since we have more and better passers on the ball now, Zouma's ball playing capabilities is less of an issue. Unless one of Zouma or Silva gets injured (touch wood!) or needs to be rested, I don't see why we should deviate from that partnership. They have formed (an unlikely) solid partnership at the back and it would be silly to change that just for the sake of giving Christensen or Rudiger more game time. If anyone needs more game time and for the sake of the long term, then it is Tomori but that's another discussion altogether.

According to this, Sevilla's xG was only 1. Think their most dangerous moment was that goalmouth scramble from a set piece (IIRC).

Chat shit. Get banged.

Same can be said for Werner as well. Should be more refreshed after essentially not playing yesterday. Thought Pulisic looked a bit too over eager to impress yesterday.

The whole list is shit.

Pioli has done a very good job since taking charge of Milan. They might well achieve something great this season.

Those Spanish clubs weren't very smart, to put it kindly and look where Barcelona are at now with their finances after years of wasteful spending. And while I don't necessarily disagree with your point there, at least Hazard and Griezmann have done it at the highest level to be worth a lot. But Grealish? He has also priced himself out of an easy/cheap move when he signed that new contract at Villa.

But on its own, he's not worth that money.

"Idiots" not included in my previous post.

No one is crazy enough to pay that kind of money or even close to it.

Well, he didn't need to go at full throttle when we already won the game 4-0, did he? There were only a few minutes left after all. It's about managing the workload on the hamstring, especially after just returning. We have a free game against Krasnodar. He can get back his match fitness in that one.

This.

How many breaks do Werner need now? He pretty much got one yesterday and will get one again in midweek. There will also be a free midweek for us in like 2 weeks. This is a game that suits his strengths. And I'd be wary of starting Pulisic in this game. Just returned from injury and wouldn't risk overplaying him twice in 4 days so quickly, especially when this game will likely be a high pace game. We don't need another hamstring problem!

Giroud is on the cusp of another Chelsea renaissance https://theathletic.com/2235439/2020/12/03/olivier-giroud-chelsea-tammy-abraham/ The decision for Chelsea coach Frank Lampard appears to be a no-brainer: Olivier Giroud scored four goals against Sevilla to ensure Chelsea qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners, so has to lead the line instead of Tammy Abraham against Leeds United on Saturday, right? That was certainly the consensus among fans and pundits as they watched the club’s impressive 4-0 victory in Spain. Within minutes of the final whistle, former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle and midfielder Joe Cole couldn’t have been more emphatic. “He has to play at the weekend after scoring four goals,” Hoddle told BT Sport. “He can’t wait to get out on that football pitch again. He has so much confidence. He has that belief now of ‘I’m scoring goals. I’m in this rich vein of form’. It’s very difficult to leave him out. He’s earned that.” Cole concurred: “He’s given Frank a massive headache, a good headache. Does he go with Tammy? You have to go with Giroud with his four goals. What a player.” The thing is, it’s not that simple. For starters, one suspects Abraham was named on the bench against Sevilla because Lampard had already earmarked him for the first XI against Leeds. Lampard knew the question over Giroud being picked instead was coming during his post-match media duties and didn’t give much away other than to warn that it is “a tight turnaround” but also something he will have to think about. It is not the first time Lampard has been in this position. Abraham was first-choice striker for the first five months of last season, but an ankle injury in January gave Giroud the opportunity to impress. He did just that, scoring nine goals in a 15-game spell and keeping the England international on the periphery, even after his return to fitness. This campaign has seen the situation reversed once again, albeit only once Lampard decided new signing Timo Werner should operate more on the left-hand side of the attack rather than straight down the middle. Abraham, who was an unused substitute in Seville, has had nine starts to Giroud’s two over the last three months. But why would Lampard consider sticking with the 23-year-old after Giroud reigned in Spain? Having already got a hat-trick, the Frenchman seemed to be making his argument when he took a late penalty rather than giving the opportunity to a team-mate. Well, on top of being fully rested, Abraham is in pretty good form himself. He has a return of five goals and four assists from 15 appearances this season, although he missed a few good chances to add to that tally during last weekend’s goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur. However, it is about more than just stats. As one source explains: “Lampard loves Olivier’s professionalism and what he can do. He is highly regarded for the type of forward he is. The issue is over the lack of threat he poses when a ball is played in behind and the pressing off the ball. “I think Lampard sees what happened tactically in the FA Cup final loss to Arsenal as an example. With Giroud not having the speed to run in behind Arsenal’s defence, Arsenal pushed higher up the pitch and were able to press Chelsea more. Going forward, I believe he just has a different plan for what he wants the team to do, how he wants them to play.” Still, it should be pointed out that things have begun to change for the better for Giroud of late. As reported by The Athletic last month, the 34-year-old decided in the international break that he will have to leave Stamford Bridge in January if he doesn’t get more playing time. It is understood Giroud would not like to leave Chelsea, in an ideal world. But the former Arsenal striker has been warned by France coach Didier Deschamps that his place at the European Championships next summer will be in jeopardy if he is not featuring at club level more regularly. At that stage, he had been granted just 154 minutes of action this season. Lampard, who enjoys a great relationship with Giroud, appears to have responded to the potential threat by giving him 119 minutes (one start, three appearances as a substitute) in the four games Chelsea have played since. Sources have told The Athletic that this switch in Giroud’s treatment is a positive step and should it continue, may mean he stays until next summer after all. What happens — particularly in regards to the number of appearances — over the next eight weeks remains crucial. High-profile clubs are making their interest known. Adding someone of Giroud’s experience and calibre for the second half of the season would improve the options of many managers that are competing on multiple fronts. In saying that, Chelsea are showing positive signs they could win silverware too. Even if Abraham remains ahead of Giroud in the pecking order for the visit of Leeds, the busy schedule should provide the latter more opportunities. Saturday’s fixture is the first of eight in the space of just 29 days for Chelsea. Rotation will be necessary. Significantly, Lampard enthused post-match about what Giroud’s presence can do for the side. “It was not just his performance,” he said. “When you play him and utilise his strengths, there’s a real balance in the rest of the team.” Giroud now has two perfect hat-tricks — a goal scored with his left foot, right foot and head — for Chelsea, having first managed the feat against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League last year. His record in European club competition since the beginning of the 2018-19 campaign shows he has the joint-third most amount of goals (with Erling Haaland on 16), trailing only Lionel Messi (18) and Robert Lewandowski (26). That would be some asset for Chelsea not keep on the bench until his contract runs out in the summer. As Giroud went to take a seat in the stands following his late substitution against Sevilla, Abraham walked over to give the veteran a warm embrace and congratulate him on four magnificent goals. He clearly enjoys having him around. Chelsea can only benefit from the competition continuing between them.

Giroud is on the cusp of another Chelsea renaissance https://theathletic.com/2235439/2020/12/03/olivier-giroud-chelsea-tammy-abraham/ The decision for Chelsea coach Frank Lampard appears to be a no-brainer: Olivier Giroud scored four goals against Sevilla to ensure Chelsea qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners, so has to lead the line instead of Tammy Abraham against Leeds United on Saturday, right? That was certainly the consensus among fans and pundits as they watched the club’s impressive 4-0 victory in Spain. Within minutes of the final whistle, former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle and midfielder Joe Cole couldn’t have been more emphatic. “He has to play at the weekend after scoring four goals,” Hoddle told BT Sport. “He can’t wait to get out on that football pitch again. He has so much confidence. He has that belief now of ‘I’m scoring goals. I’m in this rich vein of form’. It’s very difficult to leave him out. He’s earned that.” Cole concurred: “He’s given Frank a massive headache, a good headache. Does he go with Tammy? You have to go with Giroud with his four goals. What a player.” The thing is, it’s not that simple. For starters, one suspects Abraham was named on the bench against Sevilla because Lampard had already earmarked him for the first XI against Leeds. Lampard knew the question over Giroud being picked instead was coming during his post-match media duties and didn’t give much away other than to warn that it is “a tight turnaround” but also something he will have to think about. It is not the first time Lampard has been in this position. Abraham was first-choice striker for the first five months of last season, but an ankle injury in January gave Giroud the opportunity to impress. He did just that, scoring nine goals in a 15-game spell and keeping the England international on the periphery, even after his return to fitness. This campaign has seen the situation reversed once again, albeit only once Lampard decided new signing Timo Werner should operate more on the left-hand side of the attack rather than straight down the middle. Abraham, who was an unused substitute in Seville, has had nine starts to Giroud’s two over the last three months. But why would Lampard consider sticking with the 23-year-old after Giroud reigned in Spain? Having already got a hat-trick, the Frenchman seemed to be making his argument when he took a late penalty rather than giving the opportunity to a team-mate. Well, on top of being fully rested, Abraham is in pretty good form himself. He has a return of five goals and four assists from 15 appearances this season, although he missed a few good chances to add to that tally during last weekend’s goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur. However, it is about more than just stats. As one source explains: “Lampard loves Olivier’s professionalism and what he can do. He is highly regarded for the type of forward he is. The issue is over the lack of threat he poses when a ball is played in behind and the pressing off the ball. “I think Lampard sees what happened tactically in the FA Cup final loss to Arsenal as an example. With Giroud not having the speed to run in behind Arsenal’s defence, Arsenal pushed higher up the pitch and were able to press Chelsea more. Going forward, I believe he just has a different plan for what he wants the team to do, how he wants them to play.” Still, it should be pointed out that things have begun to change for the better for Giroud of late. As reported by The Athletic last month, the 34-year-old decided in the international break that he will have to leave Stamford Bridge in January if he doesn’t get more playing time. It is understood Giroud would not like to leave Chelsea, in an ideal world. But the former Arsenal striker has been warned by France coach Didier Deschamps that his place at the European Championships next summer will be in jeopardy if he is not featuring at club level more regularly. At that stage, he had been granted just 154 minutes of action this season. Lampard, who enjoys a great relationship with Giroud, appears to have responded to the potential threat by giving him 119 minutes (one start, three appearances as a substitute) in the four games Chelsea have played since. Sources have told The Athletic that this switch in Giroud’s treatment is a positive step and should it continue, may mean he stays until next summer after all. What happens — particularly in regards to the number of appearances — over the next eight weeks remains crucial. High-profile clubs are making their interest known. Adding someone of Giroud’s experience and calibre for the second half of the season would improve the options of many managers that are competing on multiple fronts. In saying that, Chelsea are showing positive signs they could win silverware too. Even if Abraham remains ahead of Giroud in the pecking order for the visit of Leeds, the busy schedule should provide the latter more opportunities. Saturday’s fixture is the first of eight in the space of just 29 days for Chelsea. Rotation will be necessary. Significantly, Lampard enthused post-match about what Giroud’s presence can do for the side. “It was not just his performance,” he said. “When you play him and utilise his strengths, there’s a real balance in the rest of the team.” Giroud now has two perfect hat-tricks — a goal scored with his left foot, right foot and head — for Chelsea, having first managed the feat against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League last year. His record in European club competition since the beginning of the 2018-19 campaign shows he has the joint-third most amount of goals (with Erling Haaland on 16), trailing only Lionel Messi (18) and Robert Lewandowski (26). That would be some asset for Chelsea not keep on the bench until his contract runs out in the summer. As Giroud went to take a seat in the stands following his late substitution against Sevilla, Abraham walked over to give the veteran a warm embrace and congratulate him on four magnificent goals. He clearly enjoys having him around. Chelsea can only benefit from the competition continuing between them.

Giroud became only the 8th player to score 4 goals in a game against a Spanish side.

Yup, you're right. Man City did it back in 2015. And we're the second English team to have beaten Sevilla at their own ground.

wE oNlY sCoRe FrOm CrOsSes