Starting XI for Next Season

[Cholo 428]

Azplicueta

Azplicueta-Azplicueta-Azplicueta-Azplicueta

Azplicueta-Azplicueta

Azplicueta Azplicueta

Azplicueta

Azplicueta

The only CL-Winning-XI! José has spoken!

[LAM09 6,750]

Schwarzer - Bertrand, Aké, Zouma, Kalas - Ramires, Mikel, van Ginkel - Piazon, Bamford, Salah.

Haha, that was meant to be a pisstake, but that would actually be a feasible side to play in the COC against shit teams like Swindon or Arsenal.

Lay off Swindon!

[Jusek 2,031]

This and Courtois on goal.

[Korea 734]

cech

Azpi-jt-ivan-luis

matic

ramires-cesc

Oscar-costa-hazard

[Jase 43,479]

Considering the German and Brazilian lads will be having 3-4 weeks break after the World Cup (and 3 of them are our AMs!), do wonder how our lineup is gonna be when we start against Burnley. This perhaps?

Courtois/Cech; Azpi/Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luis; Matic, Mikel, Fabregas, Hazard, Salah; Costa

P.S. Just going with the players we have now in the squad..

[zolayes 14,489]

Considering the German and Brazilian lads will be having 3-4 weeks break after the World Cup (and 3 of them are our AMs!), do wonder how our lineup is gonna be when we start against Burnley. This perhaps?

Courtois/Cech; Azpi/Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Luis; Matic, Mikel, Fabregas, Hazard, Salah; Costa

P.S. Just going with the players we have now in the squad..

better to wait and see how pre season goes

[Jase 43,479]

better to wait and see how pre season goes

I don't think any of the younger lads are gonna break into the starting XI that quick unless they do very very very very very well. Mourinho is likely to go with his tried and trusted (and experience) players.

[zolayes 14,489]

sad BUT true

[CHOULO19 24,332]

It's beautiful! :')

[hjperdeath 2,226]

It's beautiful! :')

A friend of mine found the beautiful template.

[Mr_President 404]

Oh ffs I just want the season to start so I can see my Chelsea play.

So glad we got our transfers done at a reasonable price and early on in the window, despite the world cup.

The only thing that is of slight concern is the quality of our fullbacks as attacking options. I know Luis is a monster defensively, and so is Azpilicueta, but I'm not sure how he is offensively (didn't watch him much last season - can anyone educate me?). I am hoping that when Dave is switched to the right it will make it easier for him to be more effective going forward whilst maintaining his defensive solidity.

I really hope Schurrle continues to improve and can play on the right or interchange with Hazard because the team just looks better set up, to me at least, when he is part of that 3 behind the striker instead of Willian. I think right now Willian is the better all-round footballer but Schurrle has the potential to be more useful to the team by stretching defences and having much more end product. Even if he isn't ready to be 1st choice, he's a machine when he comes off the bench.

Also looking forward to having a striker like Costa. It has all been said by members here already but he is the kind of striker, like Muller when he plays as a striker, who is constantly moving and playing off the last man and occupying defenders. Add to that Hazard being backed up by Luis on the left, Fabregas adding some serious quality in midfield and our usual defensive strength then I can't help but feel this will be an awesome season. My only concern is Oscar.

[mediator 2,026]

That's what i would like to see

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Matic - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Courtois

Azpi-Cahill(Benatia?)-Terry-Luis

Matic

Cesc Oscar

Schurrle Costa Hazard

Subs:Schwarzer,Lukaku,Salah,Willian,Ramires,Brana,MVG.

Reserves:Hilario or whoever,Romeu,Zouma,Torres(BOOOO!!!!),Tiago,Ake.

[The Rising Sun 710]

AGAINST TOP TEAMS

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Matic - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

AGAINST DECENT TEAMS

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Oscar - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

AGAINST PARK THE BUS TEAMS

------------- Costa ---Lukaku(New striker)---------

--Schurrle---Hazard--Fabregas---Oscar---Willian---

-----------Luis ----- Terry ------ Cahill -----

----------------- Courtois ---------

[robsblubot 3,504]

Oh ffs I just want the season to start so I can see my Chelsea play.

So glad we got our transfers done at a reasonable price and early on in the window, despite the world cup.

The only thing that is of slight concern is the quality of our fullbacks as attacking options. I know Luis is a monster defensively, and so is Azpilicueta, but I'm not sure how he is offensively (didn't watch him much last season - can anyone educate me?). I am hoping that when Dave is switched to the right it will make it easier for him to be more effective going forward whilst maintaining his defensive solidity.

I really hope Schurrle continues to improve and can play on the right or interchange with Hazard because the team just looks better set up, to me at least, when he is part of that 3 behind the striker instead of Willian. I think right now Willian is the better all-round footballer but Schurrle has the potential to be more useful to the team by stretching defences and having much more end product. Even if he isn't ready to be 1st choice, he's a machine when he comes off the bench.

Also looking forward to having a striker like Costa. It has all been said by members here already but he is the kind of striker, like Muller when he plays as a striker, who is constantly moving and playing off the last man and occupying defenders. Add to that Hazard being backed up by Luis on the left, Fabregas adding some serious quality in midfield and our usual defensive strength then I can't help but feel this will be an awesome season. My only concern is Oscar.

Good post.

My understanding is that Luis is also a defensive fullback as he only has 2 assists in 30+ games in la liga...

That also concerns me, because against smaller sides who play with 11-men behind the ball at the bridge, we will be attacking with only 6 players, while 4 are completely inapt in attacking positions. Yes, they are good in set pieces (spec Iva), but that's about it.

Oscar's form is also a big question mark, and if Fabregas is moved up a bit we end up with the same Matic/Ramires which is a very defensive CM pairing - works in some situations not in others.

[The Skipper 20,593]

AGAINST TOP TEAMS

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Matic - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

AGAINST DECENT TEAMS

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Oscar - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

AGAINST PARK THE BUS TEAMS

------------- Costa ---Lukaku(New striker)---------

--Schurrle---Hazard--Fabregas---Oscar---Willian---

-----------Luis ----- Terry ------ Cahill -----

----------------- Courtois ---------

AKA suicide.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

AGAINST TOP TEAMS

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Matic - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

AGAINST DECENT TEAMS

---------- Costa ----------

Shirley - Hazard - Willian

---- Oscar - Fabregas ---

Luis - Terry - Cahill - Azpi

--------- Courtois ---------

AGAINST PARK THE BUS TEAMS

------------- Costa ---Lukaku(New striker)---------

--Schurrle---Hazard--Fabregas---Oscar---Willian---

-----------Luis ----- Terry ------ Cahill -----

----------------- Courtois ---------

Getting Fabregas to partner Oscar in the middle is a death sentence for our defense.

[The Rising Sun 710]

AKA suicide.

I stand by that tactic.

Watched it last season thinking ... if only we had the players to play that sort of a formation.

When teams are simply sitting back and doing nothing, we need to counter that setup by going for a 3-5-2 formation and bombarding them, and that too will only occasionally get us behind their backline of 10 players.

Its bold, and we should do it against park the bus teams. Nothing to lose. No point starting with a 4-2-3-1....maybe 4-3-3 but i like 3-5-2 also.

Its not like the 5 will have absolutely no defensive duties in the moments when we lose the ball.

I simply see this 3-5-2 formation as a pack of wolves looking for the weakest animal(opening) in the herd, and going mental through the opponent defensive line of 10.