Closed Spurs vs Chelsea

[robdog 2,084]

Damn you, I love Japan! Take me with you

It won't be for pleasure. I have to go for work. TBH this trip is messing w/ my fitness regiment & my pub team's schedule xD I am playing in a new position (midfield) & it has been a big learning experience. Then to make matters even worse, I want to see the match vs spudz. I was thinking about going to see Cerezo Osaka play, then I realized that it coincides w/ the Blues match. I believe there is a Huge CFC Supporter's Group in Osaka. I will let you know on Sat/Sun, cause I believe I will be closer to your own timezone now

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2218036/Sandro-David-Luiz-clash-Brazil-training.html

That looks fun...

[Jase 43,479]

Here's how this season's London derby mini-league in the PL have looked so far, if anyone is interested.

[Santiago. 1,500]

If Terry, Lampard, and Cole score. AVB will have a heartattache

[robdog 2,084]

If Terry, Lampard, and Cole score. AVB will have a heartattache

Can Supa Frank play or is fit??? Just curious cause he won't be playing for England tomorrow.

[Jase 43,479]

If Terry, Lampard, and Cole score. AVB will have a heartattache

Can Supa Frank play or is fit??? Just curious cause he won't be playing for England tomorrow.

And it also depends on what Terry does with his appeal which he has reportedly going to announce it this Wednesday.

[magic weeds 446]

And it also depends on what Terry does with his appeal which he has reportedly going to announce it this Wednesday.

I thought I read somewhere that CHELSEA have accepted the ban, and they will not appeal. which means he will be absent at Spurs, 2 vs United and Swansea.

[Jase 43,479]

I thought I read somewhere that CHELSEA have accepted the ban, and they will not appeal. which means he will be absent at Spurs, 2 vs United and Swansea.

Last thing regarding the matter I saw was this.

[magic weeds 446]

Last thing regarding the matter I saw was this.

Ok maybe I over read this

[Blue Armour 4,475]

It would make sense for Terry to appeal and make himself available for the Spurs and United games, but Chelsea tend to perform better under pressure.

[Kezza 1,965]

Its a tough call whether Terry should appeal or not, I don't think he will. The club will just want this episode done and dusted and move on.

If he appeals, I hope the hearing will take another year.

Defense organisation is level 9000 when Terry plays. But that doesn't mean Cahill is more than capable of taking the reins.

[robdog 2,084]

The last time Cahill faced spudz he did a fine job...I will never forget this play

[Rambo 1,729]

The last time Cahill faced spudz he did a fine job...I will never forget this play

Textbook challenge.

[Strike 7,533]

The last time Cahill faced spudz he did a fine job...I will never forget this play

then cfc went up the other end and Ramires dinked it over Cudicini for 3-1

[Kezza 1,965]

The last time Cahill faced spudz he did a fine job...I will never forget this play

Ohh totally forgot about that!!

Makes me smile everytime! When he gets the ball he's all like 'oh sweet, I got it, fuck you Bale, I'm outies'

[Strike 7,533]

And Lampard a doubt due to the knee thing. If those guys are out, I think RDM would move Oscar back into the middle of the pitch but it really underlines the lack of depth we have in central midfield (and striker and how much insane depth we have at attacking midfield.)

if Ramires is ruled out i would prefer Oriol Romeu coming in for a straight swap as it wouldn't change the complexion of the side much. Bringing Oscar to the middle is not a bad option given how hardworking he is on the pitch but then we have to go for either Moses, Sturridge or Marin in the attacking midfield slot and none of them have had enough game time and 2 of them are only returning from injury.

plus they are all essentially wide players, bringing any one of them in will see Sturridge/Moses/Marin hugging the touchline while Eden and Mata try to cut inside often. the current narrow system is working well for us with the triangular passing in and around the box. Oscar Mata Hazard in the attacking midfield role would be better in that sense

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

if Ramires is ruled out i would prefer Oriol Romeu coming in for a straight swap as it wouldn't change the complexion of the side much. Bringing Oscar to the middle is not a bad option given how hardworking he is on the pitch but then we have to go for either Moses, Sturridge or Marin in the attacking midfield slot and none of them have had enough game time and 2 of them are only returning from injury.

plus they are all essentially wide players, bringing any one of them in will see Sturridge/Moses/Marin hugging the touchline while Eden and Mata try to cut inside often. the current narrow system is working well for us with the triangular passing in and around the box. Oscar Mata Hazard in the attacking midfield role would be better in that sense

I disagree that the narrow system is working. We're winning, but we aren't creating scoring chances. You look at the four games we've used the narrow front three. Juventus, Stoke, Arsenal, and Norwich. Apart from the Norwich game which we would have won easily in any system, we've been very poor at creating chances. In those three games, we scored 5 goals. The two Oscar goals against Juve were both solo efforts and one took a lucky deflection or it wouldn't have gone in. The two goals against Arsenal were both from set piecesm and the goal against Stoke was scored only once we had brought on Moses and Lampard. What was our second best chance against Stoke? Apart from the Torres penalty shout, what was the next best scoring opportunity against Arsenal? We're winning and we're fantastic to watch, but the narrow system has not been able to break down half-decent defences at all so far. Even if you look at the goals we scored against Norwich. Torres scored on a long ball, great touch, and then a cross, Lampard and Ivanovic from volleys off of scrambles, and Hazard on a beautiful counter-attacking pass by Mata. As of right now, the narrow game is not really working for creating opportunities. Now, this could easily change as players get more familiar with one another, but I am skeptical that a team with no width will ever be able to have prolonged success (Nobody ever has as far as I'm aware of.).

Which is exactly why I'd bring in Moses. My biggest concern going forward is lack of width and someone like Moses would at least keep Vertonghen busy so he and Bale wouldn't have the free reign on the wing. Also, absolutely don't see Romeu for Ramires as a straight swap. Ramires, for all his flaws, is a box to box midfielder and Romeu is a defensive midfielder, and the personality and history that is closer to a defender than an attacker. It's possible some teams play the 4-2-3-1 with two purely defensive midifelders, but I can't remember it happening. Oscar actually does seem to have the perfect abilities needed for that position (good passing sense, good defensive awareness, excellent vision, etc...)

[Strike 7,533]

I disagree that the narrow system is working. We're winning, but we aren't creating scoring chances. You look at the four games we've used the narrow front three. Juventus, Stoke, Arsenal, and Norwich. Apart from the Norwich game which we would have won easily in any system, we've been very poor at creating chances. In those three games, we scored 5 goals. The two Oscar goals against Juve were both solo efforts and one took a lucky deflection or it wouldn't have gone in. The two goals against Arsenal were both from set piecesm and the goal against Stoke was scored only once we had brought on Moses and Lampard. What was our second best chance against Stoke? Apart from the Torres penalty shout, what was the next best scoring opportunity against Arsenal? We're winning and we're fantastic to watch, but the narrow system has not been able to break down half-decent defences at all so far. Even if you look at the goals we scored against Norwich. Torres scored on a long ball, great touch, and then a cross, Lampard and Ivanovic from volleys off of scrambles, and Hazard on a beautiful counter-attacking pass by Mata. As of right now, the narrow game is not really working for creating opportunities. Now, this could easily change as players get more familiar with one another, but I am skeptical that a team with no width will ever be able to have prolonged success (Nobody ever has as far as I'm aware of.).

Which is exactly why I'd bring in Moses. My biggest concern going forward is lack of width and someone like Moses would at least keep Vertonghen busy so he and Bale wouldn't have the free reign on the wing. Also, absolutely don't see Romeu for Ramires as a straight swap. Ramires, for all his flaws, is a box to box midfielder and Romeu is a defensive midfielder, and the personality and history that is closer to a defender than an attacker. It's possible some teams play the 4-2-3-1 with two purely defensive midifelders, but I can't remember it happening. Oscar actually does seem to have the perfect abilities needed for that position (good passing sense, good defensive awareness, excellent vision, etc...)

But remember how distorted our attack was against QPR. Moses was huggin the touchline on the right side and the rest were clustered in the middle. In the end even Moses went narrow and the dribble and cross he played (Hazard miss) was almost from inside the box. We haven't managed to integrate width into our side because of Hazard and Mata. those two continuously cut in and our width comes only from our full-backs.

But yeah, we are not fashioning nearly enough chances. The narrow system maybe at fault there as our midfield was almost standing in a straight line the other day against Norwich but it hasn't really improved by putting Moses and that's why I hope Rdm persists with Oscar Mata Hazard. their understanding is growing and given that ivanovic and cole are providing good width for the team, i want Romeu in for Ramires if he is ruled out

[Ankit 3,176]

Chelsea Stats @ChelseaStats

Only Graham Poll (52) has refereed more Chelsea games than Mike Dean (45) who officiates Spurs vs #Chelsea.

Chelsea have won 30 of Mike Dean’s 45 games at the whistle. After a run of 5 straight wins #Chelsea haven’t won any of the last two.

In our last 5 games with Mike Dean he has awarded us 2 penalties whilst awarding 1 against us. #cfc #chelsea

[Jase 43,479]

Ramires is starting along with Oscar and Luiz for Brazil in their friendly against Japan which will kick off in 10 minutes. Guess Rambo is fine from the reported illness then.