Closed Man City v Chelsea

[Polo7 3,496]

Lol, but we are not even winning. So what are you talking about?

And I'm not looking for tiki-taka football. A good performance is what I want from this team, and they are capable of it with exhibit 1 - first half of last season. Although, maybe not now since they are a year older.

One draw.....one draw and this is what we put up with. Your attitude stinks mate.

[Polo7 3,496]

Correction: 3 draws, 3 losses. And I don't care what you think about my attitude.

Carry on glory hunting. This is one reason I preferred us before Roman. Fans like you didnt exist.

[Polo7 3,496]

Hahaha, now you're just an idiot. You know nothing about my past and you spout shit. Lol.

We just won the league 3 months ago. Anyone who is now moaning about us being shit is nothing more than a glory hunter. Nothing more needs to be said.

[TheIceMan 596]

2-1 Sorry, I don't wanna be negative and a "glory hunter", But this is how I see things right now as it stands!!!

[nyikolajevics 2,698]

I would start with:

Bego - Azpi, Zouma, Terry, A Decent Left Back - Matic, Fábregas - Moses, Willian, Hazard - Costa

Mourinho would start with:

Bego, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpi - Zouma, Matic - Ramires, Fábregas, Hazard - Costa

[lionsden 4,689]

I can't see past a City win here, maybe a draw if we are extremely lucky and our goal keeper wins MOTM again (which was a common theme from January to May of last season) Even If we park the bus, we won't win here because we haven't actually been efficient and hard to beat in the games where we parked the bus last season which defeats the very purpose of such tactics. We have looked shambolic defensively, giving away too many chances to our opponents despite sitting very deep. even if we do manage to score, can anyone bet on us maintaining the lead for full 90 minutes?

With our form since the second half of last season and the way we have been defending coupled with the lack of creativity and movement , It is not logical to predict a Chelsea win or draw here. I don't get those that are confident we will get a result in this game either. I mean what signs have you seen thus far to suggest the result will favor us. Fabregas is always shambolic in this type of games and hasn't started the season well, hazard hasn't been in good form either and looks unfit (that's a huge chunk of our creativity gone) Then there's ivanovic and the team's overall defending.

[lucio 5,418]

Don't be a coward jose. Lets see azpilicueta, zouma terry ake

[TheIceMan 596]

Don't be a coward jose. Lets see azpilicueta, zouma terry ake

never gonna happen...

[sapper245 40]

Hell would freeze over first before Jose picks that back four.... if Zouma is going to play it will be in midfield to follow yaya about

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

Show some balls Jose and bench Cesc. 4-3-3 with Oscar as creator and Willian as b2b. Moses on right wing. With this line-up we can win.

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

I reckon 2-1 and we look the better team.

No mistakes, we looked good before going down to 10 men after Jose made a tactical error and took off the wrong player.

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

I have my concerns about Cesc and Diego at this point. Neither are tuned up and running smooth. I realize Diego is due to his hamstring. Cesc? No idea what has happened. He looks so confused out there at times.

Are we better with Zouma in midfield hounding Toure as someone suggested previously? It may be a better decision than Cesc. It could be similar to strategy two years ago with Luiz at City.

Unfortunately no real options to replace Ivanovic for this one.

I expect Jose to play to score and attack first half, tied or ahead in second half and we park the double decker.

Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

I have my concerns about Cesc and Diego at this point. Neither are tuned up and running smooth. I realize Diego is due to his hamstring. Cesc? No idea what has happened. He looks so confused out there at times.

Are we better with Zouma in midfield hounding Toure as someone suggested previously? It may be a better decision than Cesc. It could be similar to strategy two years ago with Luiz at City.

Unfortunately no real options to replace Ivanovic for this one.

I expect Jose to play to score and attack first half, tied or ahead in second half and we park the double decker.

Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

Diego looked fantastic, what are you talking about, he should have won us a pen and he ran them ragged.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

3-0 Man City. Mourinho gets fired after the game.

I think that would be madness !

Even if we have terrible run of results wouldn't want Mourinho to be sacked ( we have no place else to go ) I stand by the players and manager but also reserve the right to criticize and mock them

[iseah100 5,612]

Costa and hazard to get Zabaleta sent off

[Thor 2,702]

It really is cringe worthy reading some of these posts this early on in the season. Yeah, we didn't do well in the first game based on result, but many will agree we played well outside of our backline.

Guess what? We're trying to get that situation sorted. Baba and Stones are both being bid for.

A lot of you are saying "just pay the money", but then you're the same ones that complain when we pay too much and they have a bad performance every now and then.

Be patient. One game in. Barca looked like shit early on in last season, and they ended up having a pretty damn good year. We're good enough to do the same.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Zouma is not quicker than Ivanovic. Putting Zouma at RB would be ludicrous imo. I think Montero would have done the same to any of our FB. Possibly even Azpi. I would definitely keep Ivanovic in at RB for City. He had a poor game yesterday but as we have no alternate LB he has to play there really.

Zouma is our fastest defender.

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

Diego looked fantastic, what are you talking about, he should have won us a pen and he ran them ragged.

He just doesn't quite look like he is 100% in my opinion. He had a couple of chances that early last year he would have gotten loose from the defender for a better effort. I feel he is about 80-85% of last year at this time. And I feel there is a huge difference in Diego at 100% and him at 80%. He is terrific with a boomer on a rebound, etc but he does not have he dribbling skills of other top flight players.

I agree with you that he should have gotten a couple of calls, etc. But we all know that is par for the course for the PL officiating.

My concern with Diego is health. My concern for Cesc is different.

Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

[Tomo 21,751]

I can't see past a City win here, maybe a draw if we are extremely lucky and our goal keeper wins MOTM again (which was a common theme from January to May of last season) Even If we park the bus, we won't win here because we haven't actually been efficient and hard to beat in the games where we parked the bus last season which defeats the very purpose of such tactics. We have looked shambolic defensively, giving away too many chances to our opponents despite sitting very deep. even if we do manage to score, can anyone bet on us maintaining the lead for full 90 minutes?

With our form since the second half of last season and the way we have been defending coupled with the lack of creativity and movement , It is not logical to predict a Chelsea win or draw here. I don't get those that are confident we will get a result in this game either. I mean what signs have you seen thus far to suggest the result will favor us. Fabregas is always shambolic in this type of games and hasn't started the season well, hazard hasn't been in good form either and looks unfit (that's a huge chunk of our creativity gone) Then there's ivanovic and the team's overall defending.

Now while I'm not too confident off a result here either, you saying the oppo were creating loads of chances when we "parked the bus" isn't true.

The only two games was PSG and Anfield where we were very lucky not to be on the wrong end of a hiding, other games like City away, Arsenal away, United home, City home, even Spurs at Wembley the opponents barely created anything. I can count the serious chances in those games on my left hand for the oppo (Rooneys side net, Falcao chance, Aguero shot Tibo saved, Lamps and Silvas goals, not much more aside from that).

[LAM09 7,051]

I would like us to go for the win, but we all know Mou will be more worries about no losing. The importance of this match will be bigger if City win against West Brom.