Closed Chelsea v Manchester United

[Strike 6,971]

Yeah, ManU are a very different team and my concern with them is different. Rooney and RVP are playing really well together and with Hernandez or Welbeck, they form a very dangerous triangle and Nani, Valencia, and Kagawa (who might not play due to injury) also can be dangerous in attack and they along with their fullbacks, can create some width. Their defence and central midfield are suspect so I think our passing and skill moves could work to good effect to expose them.

Here's a couple of stats that shows the difference in styles:

Total accurate crosses. Chelsea: 28, ManU: 49.

Total Successful Dribbles: Chelsea: 62, ManU: 44

but in contrast to previous seasons, united are playing much narrower this time around. the crosses coming in are mostly from the full- backs or when van persie or rooney drift wide into the channels. ferguson has hardly played wingers. he is using welbeck rooney rvp kagawa carrick and cleverly in attack. only valencia is true out and out winger.

we might have a chance to win the midfield battle and put united to the sword on sunday. their defence has been paper thin without vidic jones and smalling. evra and rio are absolute jokes. the only worry is that if rooney or van persie get the kind of space spurs got last week, they will bury us. van persie in particular has the ability to finish even half-chances. so, if cahill and luiz can keep them quiet, we will win this sunday, easy

[themightyblue 443]

Assou-Ekotto and Parker would also be starters if healthy. And not having Terry for one game is not really a loss. Terry, Luiz, and Cahill are all around the same ability and rotate anyway. I also think that people don't appreciate how teams game-plan. I am sure the Spurs were planning their attack (as they always do) around Bale. With a coach like AVB, that means tons of plays and diagrams drawn up. We were all thinking about how they were going to use their width to try to counter our narrow midfield and I am sure they would have.To have that go up in smoke minutes before a game starts has a major impact. Having more shots does not necessarily equal having more chances to score, but Spurs did create more chances to score as well. A team can get 15 shots and another 9 and have more chances, but Spurs had 26 shots. That means that they were getting the ball in dangerous areas a hell of a lot. They weren't taking shots from 50 yards out. We did deserve to win because we limited our mistakes and were more ruthless in finishing. "we completely dominated the game" is just nonsense.

Parker wouldn't be a starter under Avb, most spurs fans say the same thing. They know Sandro and Dembele is there strongest midfield two and Ekotto being a starter is also debatable seeing as though Gallas is there club captain and Caulker and Vertonghen have been two of there best performers. Your also underestimating the loss of Terry massively as well, in a normal game maybe it would be fine, but this was a fiery London derby in a hostile atmosphere. To lose a Terry in a game like this is huge as his experience and cool head is necessary in games such as this and so despite Spurs missing key player we also had a key player missing too. No doubt about it. This is completely off topic from the Man United game anyway, but being the better team 70-75 minutes of the game i would class as 'dominating'.

On the United game, I get the feeling we'll see a similar sort of game to the one at OT last season with both teams having numerous chances. Although it does have to be said for our defensive vulnerabilities, United's defence is much worse than ours and the fact that they are most likely to play Evans and Rio at CB with Carrick and Scholes in front of them means that they will be susceptible to pace, which funnily enough we have in abundance. We can definitely win this game easily, but then again we could just as easily lose it. I said before the Spurs game that 4 points from United and Spurs would be brilliant and so i'll happily take a draw. However, I think it'll be 3-2 or 4-2 to either us or United

[royg 96]

I hope Hazard will be fired-up after that unfortunate mistake he had at Ukraine!

Everyone will be fired up and wanting to bounce back.

4-1 with a Hazard double!

[themightyblue 443]

The funny thing about Van Persie is that despite us saying he's 'clinical', he could easily be in double figures this season if he took his chances

[Blue Roar 240]

I feel that if we dominate possession we can win this. And we got to get back quickly and stop the crosses

[Kojo 4,676]

So you believe United will win their next 30 games...This is what you are telling me?

What the fuck are you on about?, obviously i never meant that, i meant i can't see them dropping points at the moment, they will have some form, then dip again, always the same with United but they always contend.

[Rmpr 8,977]

What the fuck are you on about?, obviously i never meant that, i meant i can't see them dropping points at the moment, they will have some form, then dip again, always the same with United but they always contend.

They are always a strong contender, but that does not mean they wont drop points or we wont win.

I am so done with the Ferguson stereotype and with English pessimism.

[Kojo 4,676]

They are always a strong contender, but that does not mean they wont drop points or we wont win.

I am so done with the Ferguson stereotype and with English pessimism

It's time to stop getting over-confident, I'm not saying fear Man United, I'm saying show them respect, we are top of the league yes, but there's still many games to go.

United have won the league loads of times despite not being the best team in the league, games like this is where they win points. So lets not walk into this game like we've won it.

[Rmpr 8,977]

It's time to stop getting over-confident, I'm not saying fear Man United, I'm saying show them respect, we are top of the league yes, but there's still many games to go.

United have won the league loads of times despite not being the best team in the league, games like this is where they win points. So lets not walk into this game like we've won it.

Overracting again, I am not confident, I am optimistic. Big difference, look in the dictionary.

[Kojo 4,676]

Overracting again, I am not confident, I am optimistic. Big difference, look in the dictionary.

Ok

o·ver·con·fi·dent

adj.

Excessively confident; presumptuous.

op·ti·mist

n.

1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome.

2. A believer in philosophical optimism.

HOLY SHIT, HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS?.

[meetdoscar 335]

Chelsea Fc VS Man utd. Preview

[meetdoscar 335]

Chelsea Fc 6-1 Man utd. Played

Scorers (Torres 3, mata 2, cahill 1)(RVP 1).

If city can do it so can we.

[Rmpr 8,977]

1. Presumptuous.

1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome.

Even with my bad english I understood...

I expect a win, but I am not saying we will win. You dont expect it (pessimism).

Kojo, I like your posts, you make me laugh a lot. Why do you have to go so low sometimes?

[Jase 43,479]

Couple of stats to throw in...

1. Chelsea are unbeaten against Manchester United in the last 10 Premier League meetings at Stamford Bridge - W6 D4.

2. However, Manchester United won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the 2010/11 Champions League first leg quarter final tie, just two visits ago.

3. Chelsea have won just ONCE in the last seven clashes against Manchester United in all competitions(Premier League + Champions League + Community Shield) - W1 D1 L5.

The referee for this game will be Mark Clattenburg and...

4. Chelsea have a 100% record whenever Mark Clattenburg has officiated a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge - P8 W8.

[Miguelito 459]

the one thing i am worried about is rooney. i thought that our double pivot left a little too much room last game and that willian went in between our defenders and double pivot all too easily. i saw numerous times that he would just drop in there and do what he wanted with the ball.

this is not just the double pivots fault, even though they do need to be more aware, but the defenders need to be more vocal and tell them where they need to mark. simple things such as LEFT! LEFT! or something, cause they can't always see right behind them. im scared rooney is going to exploit this area and it will hurt us.

ive been trying to keep my expectations low this season because i do think it is a transition year and the games against arsenal and tottenham ive said i dont think we will win and we have; so i am going to stick to that and hope we again prove me wrong.

[Elite 3]

the one thing i am worried about is rooney. i thought that our double pivot left a little too much room last game and that willian went in between our defenders and double pivot all too easily. i saw numerous times that he would just drop in there and do what he wanted with the ball.

this is not just the double pivots fault, even though they do need to be more aware, but the defenders need to be more vocal and tell them where they need to mark. simple things such as LEFT! LEFT! or something, cause they can't always see right behind them. im scared rooney is going to exploit this area and it will hurt us.

ive been trying to keep my expectations low this season because i do think it is a transition year and the games against arsenal and tottenham ive said i dont think we will win and we have; so i am going to stick to that and hope we again prove me wrong.

I can actually see Rooney being marked out the game quite easily if we employ the defensive midfield in the right way. I've noticed if you put a player directly in front of him and basically stop his movement he grows frustrated and resorts to 5-10 yard passes or clumsy balls forward which rarely come off. If we can combat his current style Rooney shouldn't be much of a problem for me

[Miguelito 459]

I can actually see Rooney being marked out the game quite easily if we employ the defensive midfield in the right way. I've noticed if you put a player directly in front of him and basically stop his movement he grows frustrated and resorts to 5-10 yard passes or clumsy balls forward which rarely come off. If we can combat his current style Rooney shouldn't be much of a problem for me

excellent point there. and that's why it's up to our defenders talking and midfielders to be more aware. i thought we were bad in that department against shaktar and one of the main reasons we lost.

but i agree if we do mark rooney out of the game he will most like come really deep to get the ball and there be very less effective as i'm sure oscar will be helping (tremendously as usual defensively) and then he will be in front of mikel and ramires

[Kieran. 6,317]

If you're standing on a corner with a red scarf 'round your neck...