Closed Man United v Chelsea

[ChelseaFC12 134]

**** that Del Bosqc**t.

Hope Costa is better than before now.... GWS Costa...

[Rom2013 446]

Who would you start?

Anyone... Mourinho didn't put Solanke at the Bridge with 1-0 against a team like Maribor, do you think Solanke has any option of playing in OT in the starting eleven?

COsta, if that's not posible Remy. If none of them is an option put Drogba, Schurrle or Fabregas, or other AM. A 17 year old can't do his first game in the PL in a game like this when we are fighting for the title.

THey will play mostly in the Bridge in games for cups, or games already won. We have a title to win.

[robdog 2,084]

didn't Salah play #9 for Basel? He would cause the manure back 4 fits w/ his quickness & agility. I still think Schurrle can do a job up top as well. I still remember his performance vs fulham. Before people start saying that was fulham & not manure, I will point out that manure's defense is totally crap & not much better than fulhams.

[The Chels 2,502]

You'd think people have never watched football before with the way they're saying 'our team is much better than theirs so it's an easy win'. Lol personally I wouldn't be surprised if they got something out of the game especially if we play too defensively.

[Jase 43,479]

Andre Schurrle ready to take striker role for Chelsea at Manchester United as injury rules out Loic Remy

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Andre Schurrle ready to take striker role for Chelsea at Manchester United as injury rules out Loic Remy

After seeing how they struggled to handle the pace of Berahino, this might not be as bad as last year's episode. The blueprint has been laid...

Give him 60 Drogs 30... Let Schurrle run them ragged and then bring on the battering ram that is Didier.

[Jase 43,479]

After seeing how they struggled to handle the pace of Berahino, this might not be as bad as last year's episode. The blueprint has been laid...

Give him 60 Drogs 30... Let Schurrle run them ragged and then bring on the battering ram that is Didier.

Never mind United's defence has been rubbish, our 'experiment' with a False 9, if you like, hasn't exactly been successful in the past. The PSG and United away games last season come to mind. Heck, could even mention the time when Hazard was used upfront against Juventus in Turin.

[thehappyone 140]

All this talk of Costa, Remy, Drogba

This is Chelsea fc for fucks sake, John Terry will smash them

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Never mind United's defence has been rubbish, our 'experiment' with a False 9, if you like, hasn't exactly been successful in the past. The PSG and United away games last season come to mind. Heck, could even mention the time when Hazard was used upfront against Juventus in Turin.

You can't go on past performances. Utd's defense IS rubbish and we pose a different challenge for them this time around. The reason we didn't do anything the last time we tried it is because we didn't have the players in the squad to dictate the play. At OT we started with Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, DeBruyne, Hazard, Schurrle, that squad lacked ball retention... With Matic, Fab and Willian in that team it becomes much more likely to see false 9 have more success. Just my opinion...

Against Juve false 9 wasn't the problem it was the defense... Hazard clearly isn't a false 9 though.

I think Schurrle wouldn't be a bad call he's a willing runner and also a willing shooter. If he's provided the bullets it could get ugly.

[Jase 43,479]

You can't go on past performances. Utd's defense IS rubbish and we pose a different challenge for them this time around. The reason we didn't do anything the last time we tried it is because we didn't have the players in the squad to dictate the play. At OT we started with Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, DeBruyne, Hazard, Schurrle, that squad lacked ball retention... With Matic, Fab and Willian in that team it becomes much more likely to see false 9 have more success. Just my opinion...

Against Juve false 9 wasn't the problem it was the defense... Hazard clearly isn't a false 9 though.

I think Schurrle wouldn't be a bad call he's a willing runner and also a willing shooter. If he's provided the bullets it could get ugly.

How can we not look at past performances? Not saying they proved conclusively that we won't succeed with a False 9 again but they certainly gave us hints on whether we can do well with it. Let's not forget in that PSG away match last season for instance, Mourinho spent half of the time shouting at Schurrle because he wasn't making the right decisions as the ST/False 9. And for the sake of it, we may have lost to Juventus because of our bad defending, but nothing worked going forward us that night with Hazard as the False 9.

Moreover, United's rubbish defence is one thing but if we were to play with a False 9 here, are we actually going to be effective enought to exploit their weaknesses? Playing with a proper ST and False 9 is two different things as it requires tweaks within the play and not to mention, our unfamiliarity with this. Maybe it will work on Sunday but am not buying some of the fans' mentality that think regardless of what we put out at Old Trafford, we'll walk over them because of their own deficiencies. Still gotta make sure we have good and effective approach to beat them.

[Thendo 1,088]

Imo when Shirley plays up top, he isn't really a false nine. He feels more like a real striker.

[thekid9 418]

If Remy and Costa are both injured i would personally go with Solanke, none of this false 9 BS.

GREAT IDEA!

up there with Hiroshima and invading Iraq!

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

How can we not look at past performances? Not saying they proved conclusively that we won't succeed with a False 9 again but they certainly gave us hints on whether we can do well with it. Let's not forget in that PSG away match last season for instance, Mourinho spent half of the time shouting at Schurrle because he wasn't making the right decisions as the ST/False 9. For the sake of it, we may have lost to Juventus because of our bad defending, but nothing worked going forward us that night with Hazard as the False 9.

Moreover, United's rubbish defence is one thing but if we were to play with a False 9 here, are we actually going to be effective enought to exploit their weaknesses? Playing with a proper ST and False 9 is two different things as it requires tweaks within the play and not to mention, our unfamiliarity with this. Maybe it will work on Sunday but am not buying some of the fans' mentality that think regardless of what we put out at Old Trafford, we'll walk over them because of their own deficiencies. Still gotta make sure we have good and effective approach to beat them.

Come on brother... different team on both sides. That was two games into Jose's return... We have a world class long range passer, we have a guy(s) that will bully them in the midfield. Its all about match ups and right now I think if we start with Schurrle in the 9 with Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Fab and Matic we will have too much for them. If we play on the counter they will be overrun for sure.

PSG away presented the same problems...We didn't have a guy who could win the ball in the midfield and get on the counter. Its a completely different scenario, if you ask me if I think we should play false 9 against PSG I'd say no even today, but against this Utd squad we can definitely employ it with some success.

What do we need our striker to do when we play on the counter? My belief is we need a willing runner and a guy capable of getting in behind the defense. I don't think lumping it up to Drogba is a bad option either, but I can't see him being effective for 90.

Its not ideal, in a perfect world its Costa and perhaps Remy on at 70 but given the circumstances I'm not opposed to Schurrle getting a look in.

You keep talking about past performances, I say the reason we haven't been effective in the past has more to do with personnel than it does with the employment of false 9. You need midfielders capable of winning the ball and also keeping it, we never had that at any point in the previous games... We tried to play on the counter and never had a guy in the squad capable of delivering the long ball accurately.

EDIT: and I agree its all about executing an effective game plan by taking advantage of their deficiencies, we can do that by playing with our best players that are available. Jose is no mug, he'll want to go there and not lose first, then win.

[Jase 43,479]

Come on brother... different team on both sides. That was two games into Jose's return... We have a world class long range passer, we have a guy(s) that will bully them in the midfield. Its all about match ups and right now I think if we start with Schurrle in the 9 with Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Fab and Matic we will have too much for them. If we play on the counter they will be overrun for sure.

PSG away presented the same problems...We didn't have a guy who could win the ball in the midfield and get on the counter. Its a completely different scenario, if you ask me if I think we should play false 9 against PSG I'd say no even today, but against this Utd squad we can definitely employ it with some success.

What do we need our striker to do when we play on the counter? My belief is we need a willing runner and a guy capable of getting in behind the defense. I don't think lumping it up to Drogba is a bad option either, but I can't see him being effective for 90.

Its not ideal, in a perfect world its Costa and perhaps Remy on at 70 but given the circumstances I'm not opposed to Schurrle getting a look in.

You keep talking about past performances, I say the reason we haven't been effective in the past has more to do with personnel than it does with the employment of false 9. You need midfielders capable of winning the ball and also keeping it, we never had that at any point in the previous games... We tried to play on the counter and never had a guy in the squad capable of delivering the long ball accurately.

I don't necessarily disagree with you. I just think it's not going to be as simple as having better personnel now and/or United's defence being rubbish for us to get a win (or draw at least) on Sunday.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I don't necessarily disagree with you. I just think it's not going to be as simple as having better personnel now and/or United's defence being rubbish for us to get a win (or draw at least) on Sunday.

This is true, but you could say that even if we had Costa and Remy fit.

[robdog 2,084]

I don't necessarily disagree with you. I just think it's not going to be as simple as having better personnel now and/or United's defence being rubbish for us to get a win (or draw at least) on Sunday.

well it is starting to look like CFC is going to have to adapt & overcome their current striker situation. I will advise you to Trust in Jose. The guy is Master Tactician.

[Jase 43,479]

This is true, but you could say that even if we had Costa and Remy fit.

If we have Costa or Remy fit to play on Sunday, I would be confident because we'll be sticking to the way we've been playing. But without them, we're gonna have tweak certain things, the intricacies if you like, in the approach, which may or may not work. That's why I'm not really sure what to expect on Sunday. Doubt Mourinho is gonna shed any light on the injury issues in his pre-match presser.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

If we have Costa or Remy fit to play on Sunday, I would be confident because we'll be sticking to the way we've been playing. But without them, we're gonna have tweak certain things, the intricacies if you like, in the approach, which may or may not work. That's why I'm not really sure what to expect on Sunday. Doubt Mourinho is gonna shed any light on the injury issues in his pre-match presser.

Good point. Perhaps I'm more optimistic due to the fact that Hazard, Oscar and Fab are in form and have established some good chemistry. In my amateur opinion, most football games are won and lost in the midfield, not in the striker position. Remy got one shot away vs. Crystal Palace and you that game was more lopsided than the score would indicate.

I guess what I'm saying is the approach or change from say, Remy to Schurrle is not that great. They both will look to stretch defenses and play better on the half turn as opposed to playing with their back to goal.

I'm also not sure what to make of this game but our best players at the moment are Matic, Hazard, Fabregas, Willian and Oscar, if they build on recent form we should win. Utd's biggest problem stems from lack of understanding on the pitch. They have a bunch of individuals and lack a team...