Closed Man City v Chelsea

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Don't understand why we're even playing Zouma in midfield or why people are willingly wanting him in there tbh, there's just no need.

I think there is a need. Our defense is looking woeful and we will need to win the midfield battle in order to come out victors. I like the idea of shadowing Yaya with Zouma and giving Matic the role of ball winner.

We play him there because he has the physicality to cope with players such as Yaya and also he gives us an extra threat in the air for set pieces. He can also drop in and cover for the mistakes someone like Cahill or Brana will likely make. In short, I don't think we're stable enough defensively to cope with the immense talent City have offensively. Bony will definitely occupy our CB's and Matic will have to fill in the gaps and with Sterling and Silva buzzing around I'd rather have defensively astute players for this one.

[The Skipper 20,593]

You're right but when our other options are Mikel, Ramires and Fabregas...well, playing Zouma in midfield isn't exactly the worst idea. That said, one should remember that while he did OK in the end when he first played in midfield against Spurs last season, he was poor in the first half - was given the run around a bit and couldn't really stop Eriksen. If we don't protect the space between midfield and defence well this Sunday, the likes of Sterling, Silva, Toure are going to run riot.

I definitely agree with your sentiment, however I feel like if we want someone to patrol the space between midfield and defence then Zouma is just an unnecessary option to even have considering Mikel and even Ramires are better at doing that than he is. He's not a DM at all IMO.

Personally I'd even play Chalobah ahead of him there.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I think there is a need. Our defense is looking woeful and we will need to win the midfield battle in order to come out victors. I like the idea of shadowing Yaya with Zouma and giving Matic the role of ball winner.

We play him there because he has the physicality to cope with players such as Yaya and also he gives us an extra threat in the air for set pieces. He can also drop in and cover for the mistakes someone like Cahill or Brana will likely make. In short, I don't think we're stable enough defensively to cope with the immense talent City have offensively. Bony will definitely occupy our CB's and Matic will have to fill in the gaps and with Sterling and Silva buzzing around I'd rather have defensively astute players for this one.

The reasoning is quite fair I suppose, I can see where you're coming from but for me personally I'd rather have Mikel doing that job.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Putting Zouma in the double pivot is so negative. I don't want to see us do that again unless it is an emergency or for a specific situation like targeting Fellaini. He not even a DM. I would rather play Mikel than play Zouma there. As good as Oscar has been in pre-season and opening game I can understand if Mourinho benched him. We obviously will look to hit them on the counter. So I think Mourinho will look to the faster players and ones who are capable of hitting them on the counter.

I think Mourinho will go with a 4-3-3. Matic, Fabregas and Ramires, with Willian and Hazard on the wings with Costa obviously up front. I would be happy with that tbh. If we go forward at them with pace, Toure will struggle to keep up with the runs of our attacking trio.

The reason I opt for Zouma is to negate the presence of Yaya... I don't think Mikel is the type to mark someone out of the game. If you can think back to City away 2 yrs ago. Jose played Matic next to Luiz and with Ramires leaking out on the right flank. The results were incredible... Zouma is different to Luiz but I feel his physicality and defensive awareness can be useful. Not to mention the fact he's an extra threat in the air that I don't think City will be able to cope with. Zouma, Matic, Cahill, Terry, Brana and Costa is a lot for any defense to cope with from set pieces let alone one as porous as City's

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

The reasoning is quite fair I suppose, I can see where you're coming from but for me personally I'd rather have Mikel doing that job.

Do you really think Mikel is useful in a marking role? I don't. He's the guy you put in to disrupt passing lanes, a natural screen.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Do you really think Mikel is useful in a marking role? I don't. He's the guy you put in to disrupt passing lanes, a natural screen.

Yes to the latter, that's exactly why I'd have Mikel play - City are very big on their passing game so naturally you'd want someone who can disrupt that.

I don't want Mikel to mark anyone at all (nor Zouma tbh), that'd be suicide. It'd be naive to just focus on Yaya tbh, they can damage us in a lot of other ways. If we want to man mark Yaya we should put Matic on him, he can deal pretty well with him as we've seen before. City have too much talent going forward for us to focus on just individually man marking any player. We need someone who can sit in front of the defence and plug holes intelligently and Mikel is the best player we have for that.

[HRiver 1,512]

?????it usually red cards that are appealed

What I'm saying is, it was a deserved red card, so what's the point in appealing. This is why I sometimes flat out despise the club's philosophy, making it seem as though we truly believe that there's a campaign against us and we're the victims all of the time. It's silly and embarrassing.

[OneMoSalah 8,618]

Some people will take entertainment over trophies. We spend so much time watching this team, I can see the argument. I'll take the way we play if we win trophies.

Yes and they are called ungrateful cunts or Arsenal fans.

[boshman 1,073]

Some people will take entertainment over trophies. We spend so much time watching this team, I can see the argument. I'll take the way we play if we win trophies.

If people really believe that, they shouldn't be supporting a football team. There is no entertainment in a loss. You can make the best pretty patterns in the world on a football pitch but if you lose the game you still get that shit feeling. You win a game no matter what way you play you get that joyus feeling. That's the entertainment. The win.

[Roquila 1,335]

Yes and they are called ungrateful cunts or Arsenal fans.

So, we are cunts because we want Chelsea to play proper football? Nice.

[kingofchelseadom 41]

Ummm draw or a 2-1loss.

[kmk108 1,186]

So, we are cunts because we want Chelsea to play proper football? Nice.

What is proper football? There's so many different teams and so many different styles of play, there isn't a proper way to play. I'd say we play proper football, because we won the title last year.

[Roquila 1,335]

What is proper football? There's so many different teams and so many different styles of play, there isn't a proper way to play. I'd say we play proper football, because we won the title last year.

It's simple. You don't park the bus at home vs Manchester United and give them 71% possesion AT HOME. .

[cfcs most wanted 657]

It's simple. You don't park the bus at home vs Manchester United and give them 71% possesion AT HOME. .

Yet you win the match and the opposition don't

[Roquila 1,335]

Yet you win the match and the opposition don't

You get excited to see Fabregas, Hazard, Costa and Matic play but wait.. they don't get the ball at all.

I know winning always comes first but other teams can do it in a better way, why can't we ?

[ParNolio7 285]

Yes and they are called ungrateful cunts or Arsenal fans.

"Ungrateful" ... really??

These players are paid over 200K a fookin week kicking a ball around and supporters trying to get by on a 30K / year salary investing every cent and minute of their time in the club, are "ungrateful cunts" for asking pretty please to show us some better football?

What kind of a cunt are you man?

[iseah100 5,612]

Ummm draw or a 2-1loss.

Too optimistic there, bud.

[ParNolio7 285]

You get excited to see Fabregas, Hazard, Costa and Matic play but wait.. they don't get the ball at all. I know winning always comes first but other teams can do it in a better way, why can't we ?

Maybe we're not as good as we think. Maybe just like United when Fergie left, this team would finish outside top 4 if Mou left. Think about it ...