Closed Chelsea v Aston Villa

[Stats 7,059]

If he does, Jose will be looking to take him off at the 60-65 mins with United in mind. This is only the second game of the season, players cannot be worked to the ground like we did with Mata and Hazard the second half of last season. 3 games in 8 days at the start of the season can cause injuries. We don't need that risk.

Well even if he does play the 90 mins, we have got 5 days still our match against United. More than enough time to prepare. If we are in a comfortable lead then maybe. Also think Lukaku will start. He deserves it. Ba is 3rd choice atm and I know many people who have Ba playing are thinking because Lukaku will be a better impact player however Lukaku did not commit to staying here this season by being a super sub. He will get starts and I will be surprised if he does not start tomorrow.

[Hutcho 8,443]

This is no walkover. People are already talking about resting players for the united game, and imo that is not the attitude to have at all. Sure we have a lot of options and unlike last season we have more depth and its not like we won't have any creativity if we bench both Mata and Hazard. We should win, but its not to be taken for granted.

Cech

Azpi Luiz Terry Cole

MvG Ramires

KDB Oscar Hazard

Lukaku

Is what i would play, depending on mata.

Get 3-0 up then we can start worrying about resting players for the united game.

[mediator 2,026]

Man U after this one, so i would play something like this vs Villa :

-------------- Cech --------------

Azpi - Ivan - Cahill - Bertrand

-------- Essien - MVG ----------

Moses ---- Mata ---- Schürrle

--------------- Ba -----------------

[Barbara 15,149]

Well, I think Mou will want to see if the team can repeat that first half display, but I expect one change and another one I'm unsure.

Cech

Ivan - Cahill - Terry - Cole

Ramires - MvG

Kevin* - Oscar - Eden

Torres

*my doubt here resides if he'll start Kevin and sub him for Mata @ 60' or if he'll do the opposite.

I'll go with this and seeing how the team plays with Mata in the second he'll decide who's going to play against ManUtd. and yeah, I do think he might not play Mata against ManUtd depending on how the team performs with him compared to how it performs with Kevin.

[Johnny Kills 164]

Are people forgetting about the Bayern game as well? Along with the international friendlies? We know we need Oscar and Hazard to start vs Utd and Bayern. If they start vs Villa then that means they will be playing 5 games in like 15 days, not including the WC qualifiers in the beginning of September! We say we love the depth we have but now no one wants us to use it!

[yuvala 2,167]

This is no walkover. People are already talking about resting players for the united game, and imo that is not the attitude to have at all. Sure we have a lot of options and unlike last season we have more depth and its not like we won't have any creativity if we bench both Mata and Hazard. But Aston Villa are a solid team who were unlucky to lose to United (especially by that margin), which wasn't representative of the game. We should win, but its not to be taken for granted.

Cech

Azpi Luiz Terry Cole

MvG Ramires

KDB Oscar Hazard

Lukaku

Is what i would play, depending on mata.

Get 3-0 up then we can start worrying about resting players for the united game.

Yep ..

I'd sub Hazard for Moses or Schurrle if we're like 2-0 up at around the 60 min.

I'd probably get some playing time for Mata aswell.

Ba maybe too.. and possibly rest Kevin.

This is all assuming we'll be leading at around the 60-70 min mark.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

This is no walkover. People are already talking about resting players for the united game, and imo that is not the attitude to have at all. Sure we have a lot of options and unlike last season we have more depth and its not like we won't have any creativity if we bench both Mata and Hazard. But Aston Villa are a solid team who were unlucky to lose to United (especially by that margin), which wasn't representative of the game. We should win, but its not to be taken for granted.

Cech

Azpi Luiz Terry Cole

MvG Ramires

KDB Oscar Hazard

Lukaku

Is what i would play, depending on mata.

Get 3-0 up then we can start worrying about resting players for the united game.

It' not about resting players, it's about rotating. OK, it's also about resting them. This is the first week of the season, players don't have the same stamina they have mid-season and asking them to play 3 games in 8 days or, in some cases 4 games in 10-12 days, is insane risks injury, Teams that win need to win games with their squad players to be good enough to win. If we can't beat Villa at home rotating players, we might as well give up the Premier League already because we'll have zero chance to win anything. Would a team of say, Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand, Van Ginkel, Essien, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, and Lukaku find it so difficult to win? If that team isn't good enough to have a great chance at beating Villa, we're dead this year.

This happened every game last year. Two common responses. Either "play Paizon, Ake, Feruz or some other player that is not nearly good enough" or "we can't take it lightly, we need to play our strongest lineup". teams need to be constantly rotating to fit with tactics and to lineup so that in the real big games (for example, ManU and definitely NOT Bayern) the best possible team is available and rested enough to be effective. Chelsea have depth and that depth allows Mourinho to rotate through different players to keep people rested. We didn't spend 18M pounds on Schurrle to run him out in Carling Cup ties. Essien wasn't brought back on the off-chance someone gets injured. Moses is going to have to get games at some point. Normal rotation of your squad does NOT equal taking a game lightly.

[Jose M 140]

Some people are being totally unrealistic on how much Mou will rotate for this game. I see a max of two changes Mata for KDB and Lukaku for Torres. Its a big game and I'm sure Jose wants continuity within the starting team. We have great depth in the squad and Jose using out bench wisely will make us that much stronger.

[Hutcho 8,443]

It' not about resting players, it's about rotating. OK, it's also about resting them. This is the first week of the season, players don't have the same stamina they have mid-season and asking them to play 3 games in 8 days or, in some cases 4 games in 10-12 days, is insane risks injury, Teams that win need to win games with their squad players to be good enough to win. If we can't beat Villa at home rotating players, we might as well give up the Premier League already because we'll have zero chance to win anything. Would a team of say, Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand, Van Ginkel, Essien, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, and Lukaku find it so difficult to win? If that team isn't good enough to have a great chance at beating Villa, we're dead this year.

This happened every game last year. Two common responses. Either "play Paizon, Ake, Feruz or some other player that is not nearly good enough" or "we can't take it lightly, we need to play our strongest lineup". teams need to be constantly rotating to fit with tactics and to lineup so that in the real big games (for example, ManU and definitely NOT Bayern) the best possible team is available and rested enough to be effective. Chelsea have depth and that depth allows Mourinho to rotate through different players to keep people rested. We didn't spend 18M pounds on Schurrle to run him out in Carling Cup ties. Essien wasn't brought back on the off-chance someone gets injured. Moses is going to have to get games at some point. Normal rotation of your squad does NOT equal taking a game lightly.

I dont have a problem with players like andre mvg etc playing. We do have a deep squad. What I had a problem with is the expectation of just putting all our thoughts into the man u game. This game shouldn't be seen as a great opportunity to rest players for the important games. It should be primarily seen as a game where 3 points are up for grabs and not taken lightly. Hazard for example doesn't need to be rested for this game. We could not play hazard mata or Oscar and would still be favourites to win the game.

But imo the whole resting players especially this early is just going too far. Squads need time to familiarise themselves with each other in game. Only so much can take part on the training ground. And we would be worse off imo by every game swapping 5 players over.

Villa is worth 3 points. So is united. It's a 5 day gap. Just wait til we are playing every 3 days.

And I know we haven't won it before and it's vs bayern etc (this probably deserves a place in the unpopular opinions thread) but any premier league game is much more important imo than the super cup.

So its not the rotation that annoys me. Essien arguably deserves to be in the team along with probably 15 others. It's just the worry about United mentality and unnecessary resting of players. We have great depth, that also means that we can get change games in the actual games through use of subs etc. Get the game won then, start thinking about the United game.

[Chelsea? 892]

Shurller--Mata--Hazard...

I'm sure that's gonna be the ATMs

[Shane 2,275]

I hope the Chelsea team aren't underestimating Villa like fans are on here. Very very dangerous team. Would love to see Van Ginkle start though, think Villa are the sort of team where he could dominate the midfield.

[Henrique 9,133]

Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Cole; Lampard, Ramires; Hazard, Oscar, Schurlle; Torres

[justa08 23]

Want to see more of de bruyne, hope he'll start.

[edenhazard17 281]

Bet Mata will play in this match.

[Mceachran 109]

Want to see more of de bruyne, hope he'll start.

Bet Mata will play in this match.

All of this.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Team to start for this match:

Cech

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Cole

Ramires Van Ginkel

Kevin Mata Hazard

Lukaku

Maybe Hazard can be a sub so Oscar can start as he was more impressive in the last match. Maybe Dave for Ivan too and Terry can have a rest.

[Roquila 1,335]

Villa is not a team to joke with

My team: Cech,Azpi,Iva,Terry,Cole,MVG,Ramires,Bruyne,Mata,Hazard,Lukaku.

I'm so excited :blue scalf: :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I dont have a problem with players like andre mvg etc playing. We do have a deep squad. What I had a problem with is the expectation of just putting all our thoughts into the man u game. This game shouldn't be seen as a great opportunity to rest players for the important games. It should be primarily seen as a game where 3 points are up for grabs and not taken lightly. Hazard for example doesn't need to be rested for this game. We could not play hazard mata or Oscar and would still be favourites to win the game.

But imo the whole resting players especially this early is just going too far. Squads need time to familiarise themselves with each other in game. Only so much can take part on the training ground. And we would be worse off imo by every game swapping 5 players over.

Villa is worth 3 points. So is united. It's a 5 day gap. Just wait til we are playing every 3 days.

And I know we haven't won it before and it's vs bayern etc (this probably deserves a place in the unpopular opinions thread) but any premier league game is much more important imo than the super cup.

So its not the rotation that annoys me. Essien arguably deserves to be in the team along with probably 15 others. It's just the worry about United mentality and unnecessary resting of players. We have great depth, that also means that we can get change games in the actual games through use of subs etc. Get the game won then, start thinking about the United game.

I agree with you re: Super Cup. It's an exhibition game as far as I;m concerned. If we win this year, does it mean we are actually better than Bayern or that accomplishment was greater? Of course not, so what's the point? (Answer, a way to make money) . I agree, I have never been for lineups were you rest everyone (except in Carling Cup games maybe). I disagree with not rotating players early. Squads have to get used to playing with different players. We don't have a set starting XI that needs to familiarize with itself, everyone has to learn to play with everyone. So, rotation is a must even early.

And sometimes, it does come down to priorities. Can Cole's ankle take 3 games in a week? Do you want De Bruyne, Hazard, and Oscar starting 4 times in 12 days this early in the year? And starting is much more taxing on the body that being a sub. You're talking about a 65-75 minute appearance versus a 15-25 minute one. Even when we had no depth last year, our top players only started about 30 games a year in the Premier League and the time to generally rest them is when you have a flurry of games, you rest them against the weaker sides. I don't think any player or Mourinho is just concentrating at ManU but the manager has to be aware of pacing the team for the long season as well.