Closed Chelsea v Cardiff

[different level 1,056]

God, I hate the international breaks! It feels like this match is so far ahead in time.

[Special Juan 28,141]

Seems an absolute eternity away again.....fuck off international break you kill my life.

[meetdoscar 335]

Its AMAZING that none of our strikers have scored in the league and yet we are third in the league with i think the joint second highest goal difference. Signs of a strong team for me. Hopefully our strikers start scoring soon and put us in full throttle.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Its AMAZING that none of our strikers have scored in the league and yet we are third in the league with i think the joint second highest goal difference. Signs of a strong team for me. Hopefully our strikers start scoring soon and put us in full throttle.

Don't expect our midfield to come up with the same number of goals if we get a striker who will score 20+ league goals. We create a number of chances, and right now the vast majority fall to our midfielders. If they start to fall more to our striker, then the number of goals scored by our midfield will obviously decrease.

If you want the team to score more goals, you have to get the team to create more chances.

[Rmpr 8,977]

I would love to see some rotation...

Cech

Azi-Cahill-Terry-Bertrand

Essien-Rambo

Willian-Mata-Schurrle

Eto'o

[Jase 43,479]

I would love to see some rotation...

Cech

Azi-Cahill-Terry-Bertrand

Essien-Rambo

Willian-Mata-Schurrle

Eto'o

Really hope the likes of Azpi and Bertrand being used more. Seems ridiculous that they have hardly got much playing time so far and Mourinho has persisted with running some players to the ground. It's not like Azpi, Bertrand etc are rubbish players.

[zolayes 14,489]

Don't expect our midfield to come up with the same number of goals if we get a striker who will score 20+ league goals. We create a number of chances, and right now the vast majority fall to our midfielders. If they start to fall more to our striker, then the number of goals scored by our midfield will obviously decrease.

If you want the team to score more goals, you have to get the team to create more chances.

our strikers could and should be taking a higher % of the chances they are getting.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Don't expect our midfield to come up with the same number of goals if we get a striker who will score 20+ league goals. We create a number of chances, and right now the vast majority fall to our midfielders. If they start to fall more to our striker, then the number of goals scored by our midfield will obviously decrease.

If you want the team to score more goals, you have to get the team to create more chances.

I don't think so. We usually create enough chances, a good deal of them fall to our strikers, but they are shit and don't convert. Last game Oscar, Hazard, William, Mata, Lampard had one chance each and Ba had 4. He should have scored at least one from these. If we had strikers we would simply score more, cos more of the chances falling to our strikers would be converted.

[ChelseaUnite 26]

will be interesting to see who jose plays in this game. after this match we have some important and relatively tough games on the trot.

19th - cardiff (h)

22nd - schalke (a)

27th - man city (h)

2nd - newcastle (a)

6nd - schalke (h)

so this is a relatively easy game compared to the other games and they come thick and fast.

so probably some squad rotation in this game.

cech

azpi cahill JT bert

rambo mikel

willian kdb schurlle

torres (if fit).

also with the other title "pretenders" and "contender" having tough fixtures, it maybe our week to open up some gap.

pool play away to newcastle. tottenham play away to villa, united host southampton and city play away to west ham. so i expect atleast 3 out these 4 to drop points.

will be interesting to watch jose's team selection for the game.

30th - Arsenal

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Badly want to see Azpi start this one. Better option offensively if Jose's planning to run at the right flank with Mata there.

Provides better width than Bran and Azpi compliments Mata well.

Bran should be rested as he is the automatic choice for the Schalke match.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

30th - Arsenal

Nah, doesn't count...the League Cup is for our B team

[CHOULO19 24,332]

our strikers could and should be taking a higher % of the chances they are getting.

Absolutely, but it won't make a HUGE difference, imo. Which was one reason why I was against us spending ridiculous money like 50-60m for Falcao or even Cavani.

I don't think so. We usually create enough chances, a good deal of them fall to our strikers, but they are shit and don't convert. Last game Oscar, Hazard, William, Mata, Lampard had one chance each and Ba had 4. He should have scored at least one from these. If we had strikers we would simply score more, cos more of the chances falling to our strikers would be converted.

Last game was an exception because it was practically the first time our striker was the key man in our offensive game plan since DD left. When was the last time before that when a striker of ours got 4 clear cut chances against decent opposition? Torres had one half-chance against Spurs when Mikel played a long for him behind the defense but his control let him down. Even against Steaua who were shit, Eto'o barely had two chances.

Yes, getting better strikers will increase our overall goals because obviously they'll (hopefully) take their chances better, but it won't be a huge difference, imo.

[Hutcho 8,443]

Torres is back. So I expect him to start.

[We Hate Scouse 10,326]

Torres is back. So I expect him to start.

Is he not injured?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Is he not injured?

He's expected to be back for Cardiff, but it's not 100%.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Although consistency would be preferable at this point in the season it might be worth playing a few of the second stringers like Azpi, Bertrand and Mikel and giving the main guys a rest. I wouldn't be playing Mata in Schalke so he'd start, as would De Bruyne and possibly Willian.

Cech

Azpi Cahill Luiz Bertrand

Mikel Ramires

Willian Mata De Bruyne

Ba

[Tomo 21,751]

Absolutely, but it won't make a HUGE difference, imo. Which was one reason why I was against us spending ridiculous money like 50-60m for Falcao or even Cavani.

Last game was an exception because it was practically the first time our striker was the key man in our offensive game plan since DD left. When was the last time before that when a striker of ours got 4 clear cut chances against decent opposition? Torres had one half-chance against Spurs when Mikel played a long for him behind the defense but his control let him down. Even against Steaua who were shit, Eto'o barely had two chances.

Yes, getting better strikers will increase our overall goals because obviously they'll (hopefully) take their chances better, but it won't be a huge difference, imo.

Don't you think? i think it will make the world of difference. You only need to look at Man.Utd who won 4-2 against Levekusen despite playing dog shit to see where actual good forwards will get you not one's who "work hard for the team".

When it comes to a forward - Goals > link up play, working hard and all that jazz, if we have a forward who scores almost every match, we would effectively be 1-0 up before we set foot on the pitch. That's why i would have took Mario Gomez with my eyes closed.

The line i see used a lot is our system doesn't rely on a forward, well funnily enough since Jose left the last time we have only had one season off a striker being bang on his game and scoring week in, week out and by coincidence it's the only season we have won the league since.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Although consistency would be preferable at this point in the season it might be worth playing a few of the second stringers like Azpi, Bertrand and Mikel and giving the main guys a rest. I wouldn't be playing Mata in Schalke so he'd start, as would De Bruyne and possibly Willian.

Cech

Azpi Cahill Luiz Bertrand

Mikel Ramires

Willian Mata De Bruyne

Ba

The last 2 games where pretty unfair to Mikel after his goal. Deserved starter against Cardiff.

[aerl 4]

Torres is back. So I expect him to start.

Hopefully Torres will play

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Don't you think? i think it will make the world of difference. You only need to look at Man.Utd who won 4-2 against Levekusen despite playing dog shit to see where actual good forwards will get you not one's who "work hard for the team".

When it comes to a forward - Goals > link up play, working hard and all that jazz, if we have a forward who scores almost every match, we would effectively be 1-0 up before we set foot on the pitch. That's why i would have took Mario Gomez with my eyes closed.

The line i see used a lot is our system doesn't rely on a forward, well funnily enough since Jose left the last time we have only had one season off a striker being bang on his game and scoring week in, week out and by coincidence it's the only season we have won the league since.

I'm not disagreeing with any of that (mind you I'm not agreeing with it all either), but it's kinda besides the original point which was that we are currently creating a certain amount of chances per game which won't be affected too much even if we had someone like Gomez leading our line. If you want a striker who scores every match you'll need to change the system and make most of the chances fall to him instead of falling to the AMs as is the case atm.