Closed Man City v Chelsea

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Yeah, I'm not buying that Oscar "injury" either. Seems way too convenient, further strengthens my thoughts if he makes the bench on Sunday.

EDIT: I wouldn't mind using another Luiz in big games alongside Matic which was scarily effective. The difference is Zouma isn't David Luiz. Technique, passing, pace, stamina etc isn't there. He just offers physicality in abundance.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Yeah, I'm not buying that Oscar "injury" either. Seems way too convenient, further strengthens my thoughts if he makes the bench on Sunday.

EDIT: I wouldn't mind using another Luiz in big games alongside Matic which was scarily effective. The difference is Zouma isn't David Luiz. Technique, passing, pace, stamina etc isn't there. He just offers physicality in abundance.

Watching him bomb up the wings preseason I wouldnt be shocked if he actually had more pace than Luiz. He's deceptively fast.

[Roquila 1,335]

Regarding this "proper football" bullshit - I assume you like the tiki-taka passing style of play that the Barca team of around 2009 used yeah?

Well I personally found that dull as fuck. I would much rather watch my team defending like heroes than passing the ball backwards and sideways for 45 mins.

Everyone has their own opinions on what is "proper football". Don't mistake your own opinion with fact. Much like mine isn't. I don't run around squawking about Barcelona of 2009 not being any good because I didn't like their style. I just knew it was my opinion.

Once again, I personally would hate to see Chelsea go out tomorrow and play free-flowing attacking football against Man City. Because they have better/more in form players than us ATM and would almost certainly smash us if we did. Managers are employed to set up tactics in the way that best suits their team in the current situation to deliver a win in the next football match.

For instance, our game against Liverpool 18 months ago (with the infamous slip). We defended like heroes that day and were absolutely fantastic. We didn't play free flowing attacking football, we didn't attack out of our means, we just defended incredibly solidly, so much so in fact that it frustrated them into mistakes which we capitilised on. For me that is "proper football". A tactical masterclass of outwitting and outplaying the opponent.

If you don't like our style of play - fine. But don't get all high and mighty and suggest that the way you think we should play is the only way we can play. There are many different ways to skin a cat, so to speak.

Good post but it's not flawless.

I never said i like the Barca tiki-taka game. I hate it.

I like the kind of football that Dortmund played in the 2012-2013 season.

If you like 'park the bus' football than good for you because Chelsea plays like this and you are supporting a team that suits your taste.

But remember, if the day comes and we play good counter-attacking, or good attractive football don't be the first to say that we are playing so good. I guess you didn't like the 2009-2010 team ? Beating teams 6-0 constantly ? Pff, that's for shit teams like West Brom, we want a flukey 1-0 win vs QPR at home because that's what football is about.

[Jase 43,479]

City team news...

[1chelsea 864]

If Chelsea win this match do not come here saying I said it when you can't stand your ground on a win, but I must tell you we are Chelsea and we are going to win

[LAM09 7,051]

We can't afford to lose IMO. A draw is probably how it will end.

[supporter 3,088]

If Oscar can not play on Sunday (although I think that the words of Jose are just MIND GAMES to confuse Pellegrino) I think Moses or Ramires are the favorites to replace him.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is totally discarded (although I still trust this guy), Mikel is a disaster (I prefer Zouma in midfield if Jose wants to place the bus) Cuadrado is a mystery... And Traore or Kenedy are still very young.

I do not like the option of Ramires after seeing him against Arsenal. But perhaps Jose prefer that option for their experience and because Ramires is fully adapted to our game system.

Ramires Matic

Fabregas

Willian Hazard

Diego Costa

But I would rather Moses because he has had a splendid preseason and, moreover, Moses gives us more versatility on the pitch because he can play like CM and like right-winger. It's a risky option, but I'd bet on him.

Fabregas Matic

Willian

Moses Hazard

Diego Costa

And I would not rule out the possibility of seeing Zouma with Matic in midfield...

Zouma Matic

Fabregas

Willian Hazard

Diego Costa

Although I trust that Oscar can be recovered physically for Sunday...

Begovic

Cahill John Terry ©

Lets face it, Jose will not put Zouma.

Ivanovic Azpilicueta

Oscar Matic

Fabregas

Willian Hazard

Diego Costa

On Sunday we have to forget the media noise and paste a slap in the face of the cheap philosophers and win the match to remind to everyone who is the best team in England.

RESPECT

Regards to ALL.

[Clockwork 1,794]

Zouma is going to play in midfield, easy bet imo.

[Unionjack 7,531]

Zouma is going to play in midfield, easy bet imo.

At least that will mean Mou has realized that Mikel/Rami cant cut it amd our lack of GOOD options.

But I would rather just put him in for Cahill and let him do the job he has trained for.

[ice-boy 165]

Kompany: "You'd almost hope Eden Hazard has diarrhoea on Sunday. You can't underestimate the impact he has on ‪#‎Chelsea‬." [Het Nieuwsblad]

Kompany: "You can have as many tactical plans as you want, if Eden starts running it's chaos. He decides how good his team is." [Nieuesblad]

[lionsden 4,689]

so many on here seem to think we are a league 2 standard team, I am not worried at all for this game, City are nothing special, we will win 2-1 Costa and Ivanovic with the goals

We have been playing like one since january

[Adnane 1,101]

By your own standards.

Grinding results when we're weak, adapting to the opponent, reducing our weaknesses has become a part of our DNA, we'll continue playing that way, sometimes it doesn't work, like against PSG, apart from that, we're good.

[nyikolajevics 2,698]

Kompany: I hope Hazard gets diarrhea

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2015/08/14/14428012/kompany-i-hope-hazard-gets-diarrhea?ICID=HP_HN_HP_RI_0_3

Poor old Vince, I understand him. I guess he isn't look forward to face Hazard with his speed.

[Nero 1,872]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kjdfi4PDBs

[Unionjack 7,531]

Just on my way up Glad Im not driving I hate the M6.

See you up there guys

Stay Carefree

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Hopefully the result/game will be the main talking point this time. for all the right reasons

[Pacquiao 1,834]

We have been playing like one since january

of course we have.

[Viper22 2,418]

Good post but it's not flawless.

I never said i like the Barca tiki-taka game. I hate it.

I like the kind of football that Dortmund played in the 2012-2013 season.

If you like 'park the bus' football than good for you because Chelsea plays like this and you are supporting a team that suits your taste.

But remember, if the day comes and we play good counter-attacking, or good attractive football don't be the first to say that we are playing so good. I guess you didn't like the 2009-2010 team ? Beating teams 6-0 constantly ? Pff, that's for shit teams like West Brom, we want a flukey 1-0 win vs QPR at home because that's what football is about.

I agree I like the football Dortmund played that season too. It was quick counter-attacking football when first receiving the ball and choking the other team out of it with great possession football if they couldn't get through immediately. But let's remember they only scored 7 more goals that season than we scored last season. When they play counter attacking football people like it, when we play it it's "parking the bus".

I don't like that style of football particularly but I just have an appreciation for all styles of football and for times and places when certain styles are needed.

Aha dude you've misunderstood here. If we have the team and the capability to do so i'd love to see us turn up and run over teams with attacking football and win everything 6-0. The thing is we just can't at the present time with the present squad and the strong other teams in the league. I loved the football we played in the 09-10 season. We played great football and won the league (just). But let's not forget though that that season we lost to Wigan, Villa, Man City H&A and Spurs in the league, Blackburn in the FA Cup and got tonked by Inter in the L16 of the CL. We were hardly solid because of that style of football we played. Also then remember the next season 10-11 when we continued to try to play the same style (winning and scoring more than 3 goals in 4 out of our first 5 games) and once teams worked out how easy it was to counter our naiive style of play it started going wrong (we won only 2 games between 30th October and 15th January) and Ancelotti and the league were gone. You need to be able to adapt your style of play like Mourinho did last year when we started struggling, otherwise you won't be a successful team over any length of time.

For me styles of play should be flexible and not set in stone, that's all i'm saying.

[Roquila 1,335]

I agree I like the football Dortmund played that season too. It was quick counter-attacking football when first receiving the ball and choking the other team out of it with great possession football if they couldn't get through immediately. But let's remember they only scored 7 more goals that season than we scored last season. When they play counter attacking football people like it, when we play it it's "parking the bus".

I don't like that style of football particularly but I just have an appreciation for all styles of football and for times and places when certain styles are needed.

Aha dude you've misunderstood here. If we have the team and the capability to do so i'd love to see us turn up and run over teams with attacking football and win everything 6-0. The thing is we just can't at the present time with the present squad and the strong other teams in the league. I loved the football we played in the 09-10 season. We played great football and won the league (just). But let's not forget though that that season we lost to Wigan, Villa, Man City H&A and Spurs in the league, Blackburn in the FA Cup and got tonked by Inter in the L16 of the CL. We were hardly solid because of that style of football we played. Also then remember the next season 10-11 when we continued to try to play the same style (winning and scoring more than 3 goals in 4 out of our first 5 games) and once teams worked out how easy it was to counter our naiive style of play it started going wrong (we won only 2 games between 30th October and 15th January) and Ancelotti and the league were gone. You need to be able to adapt your style of play like Mourinho did last year when we started struggling, otherwise you won't be a successful team over any length of time.

For me styles of play should be flexible and not set in stone, that's all i'm saying.

I agree that we should be flexible, I disagree that alot of people are saying that our team doesn't have enough firepower in them to play some attacking football.

Last season started with a bang and the team really impressed me. I understand that after December we had to play more defensive and just suffocate games but why not fix it ?

Mou had the whole summer (still some time left) and I don't see any progress. We regressed since last season based on the couple of games we played this summer.

[Tomo 21,751]

No no no no, we were good. Tactically on POINT! It doesnt matter that we had only 29% possesion AT HOME. That Manchester United side is world class, they had Fellaini and Falcao, are you crazy?

Whatever Mourinho does is good, he is never wrong....... /sarcasm off

Ancelottis Madrid had less than 30% possession at The Bernabeu vs Bayern .

But that's Ancelotti, so it doesn't suit the agenda to mention it.