Closed Chelsea v Sunderland

[Thendo 1,088]

I don't think we will see much of a difference regarding starting XI. It is the same for Holland taking charge of this game and for whoever takes the interim role afterwards, they will have the same pressure to deliver results as José and wont care to integrate youth as I see some people here are hoping.

[DYC. 7,542]

Changing up the line-up is too much of a risk for whoever is in charge on Saturday and basically a slap in the face of Mourinho. Don't expect much change. He could even send out the same team.

[Fernando 6,590]

A fun game to watch.

Despite all the shenanigans I will still support Chelsea no matter what.

Just hopefully we don't get relegated!

A season without cl won't be the end of the world, we will just need to do our best next season to get back. Because two seasons without cl then it starts to hurt.

[kingofchelseadom 41]

1-1

[Rhino's Skin 972]

there is a silver lining to this. we are not getting european football this season.

would give us the oppurtunites to really offload some of the mercenaries in the bloody squad.

better not win the FA cup then

[Ossie the King 634]

Nobody can convince me that RLC would of been any worse than Fabregas/Matic or Remy worse than Costa.

But it's not just that he wouldn't have been worse, but would he have been better than them at their normal level and doesn't the manager need to get them back to that level? Matic's drop-off in form was remarkable but we needed him to get back to his best and you need to give him minutes to do that don't you?

How else does a player play their way back into form? Or do you accept that their form simply won't improve and leave them on the bench?

That's why no-one can convince you, because there are no certainties in sport. All you can do is make a judgment based on what you know. We all knew what they were capable off because we saw it last season, so you have to back them to return to that and how do you go about that? By playing surely?

[zolayes 14,489]

t-bo

azpi zouma cahill baba

ramires rlc

pedro willian rlc

remy

RLC deserves a chance but can he really play in 2 positions at THE SAME TIME?

[Fulham Broadway 17,350]

Going to stick a sizeable wad on a CFC win.

The players will up their game -quelle surprise.

Not to the Porto match levels because theyre not in the CL shop window, but they will definitely raise their game

[didierforever 7,349]

But it's not just that he wouldn't have been worse, but would he have been better than them at their normal level and doesn't the manager need to get them back to that level? Matic's drop-off in form was remarkable but we needed him to get back to his best and you need to give him minutes to do that don't you?

How else does a player play their way back into form? Or do you accept that their form simply won't improve and leave them on the bench?

That's why no-one can convince you, because there are no certainties in sport. All you can do is make a judgment based on what you know. We all knew what they were capable off because we saw it last season, so you have to back them to return to that and how do you go about that? By playing surely?

true. this is exactly what jose's judgement was and this is exactly the reason he is sacked.

a player is worth investing a time only if they actually show gradual progression or any inclination to actually improve himself and try.

both cesc and costa did not, and yet jose contiued playing such under-performing players and got the sack.

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

true. this is exactly what jose's judgement was and this is exactly the reason he is sacked.

a player is worth investing a time only if they actually show gradual progression or any inclination to actually improve himself and try.

both cesc and costa did not, and yet jose contiued playing such under-performing players and got the sack.

In the Spain game Cesc was fantastic and he's had some bright spots this season. Costa on the other hand should have been dropped long ago.

[Ossie the King 634]

true. this is exactly what jose's judgement was and this is exactly the reason he is sacked.

a player is worth investing a time only if they actually show gradual progression or any inclination to actually improve himself and try.

both cesc and costa did not, and yet jose contiued playing such under-performing players and got the sack.

So was the option to drop them completely and give them run-outs in the cup? Cesc was dropped a couple of times and Costa had enforced periods of time on the sidelines but we simply don't have the competition in the squad to do that.

Obviously you think differently and that's you're right but again we're talking about the failures to improve the squad in the summer and provide competition for established players. It would've been lovely to have dropped Cesc and brought in Pogba or Vidal but we didn't have that option so we're left saying we should've played Loftus-Cheek who has a lot of potential but also has a huge amount to learn.

Matic and Fabregas were the best midfielders in the league last season in my view and I think their form will eventually pick up again.

[didierforever 7,349]

So was the option to drop them completely and give them run-outs in the cup? Cesc was dropped a couple of times and Costa had enforced periods of time on the sidelines but we simply don't have the competition in the squad to do that.

Obviously you think differently and that's you're right but again we're talking about the failures to improve the squad in the summer and provide competition for established players. It would've been lovely to have dropped Cesc and brought in Pogba or Vidal but we didn't have that option so we're left saying we should've played Loftus-Cheek who has a lot of potential but also has a huge amount to learn.

Matic and Fabregas were the best midfielders in the league last season in my view and I think their form will eventually pick up again.

costa was droppped for eden. remy was not given a chance to prove himself.

cesc was dropped against porto and that was our best performance this year.

what was the point of playing cesc against bournemouth afte the performance he put against spurs? the perfect match to start RLC and mould him into the team.

and yes, my option is for the underperformers to be dropped and players who give a shit about the like (unlike cesc and costa) to be given a chance. if their replacements are unable to provide an further improvement, then going back is an option. but not the way jose did it.

you cant do the same thing a 100 times and then expect a different result. thats not how the real world works.

when? will their form pick up? like @curlyhairlikeluiz said, he produced a masterclass for spain and then was hopelessly pitiful for us. why? did his form drop or did his motivation levels along with his desire drop? i am not sure. but just sticking the same players again and again was never going to be the solution.

[Ossie the King 634]

costa was droppped for eden. remy was not given a chance to prove himself.

cesc was dropped against porto and that was our best performance this year.

what was the point of playing cesc against bournemouth afte the performance he put against spurs? the perfect match to start RLC and mould him into the team.

and yes, my option is for the underperformers to be dropped and players who give a shit about the like (unlike cesc and costa) to be given a chance. if their replacements are unable to provide an further improvement, then going back is an option. but not the way jose did it.

you cant do the same thing a 100 times and then expect a different result. thats not how the real world works.

when? will their form pick up? like @curlyhairlikeluiz said, he produced a masterclass for spain and then was hopelessly pitiful for us. why? did his form drop or did his motivation levels along with his desire drop? i am not sure. but just sticking the same players again and again was never going to be the solution.

See I do agree with some of what you're saying, but I don't believe we had the options in the squad to make the changes we needed to. Everyone knew both us and City needed to improve, yet they went and spent three times as much as us (net) to do what they needed to.

There seems to be an acknowledgment that we were running on fumes towards the end of last season but we didn't do the business in the summer so when players had a downturn in form, we're left to look at Loftus-Cheek to come in which is massively unfair and also overlooks a lot of his weaknesses that he needed to work on gradually in order to maximise his potential.

You also say about doing things 100 times. If we're talking about Matic, Costa and Cesc then they don't have that sample size. It's roughly half of that and in the vast majority of those appearances they were magnificent and impactful. To regain the title we needed them to get back to that level and with fitness seeming to be a factor, match time was probably key to them getting there. You can't then drop them however much you'd like to. We simply don't have the resources for that to be a realistic option.

[zolayes 14,489]

Going to stick a sizeable wad on a CFC win.

The players will up their game -quelle surprise.

Not to the Porto match levels because theyre not in the CL shop window, but they will definitely raise their game

Im hoping to recoup some of my recent Chelsea losses as well

[MihaiM24 156]

RLC deserves a chance but can he really play in 2 positions at THE SAME TIME?

lol i meant kenedy

[Henrique 9,133]

All reports point to Jose planning major changes tomorrow. Fuck's sake.

Stop the madness mate, Mourinho wasn't planing major changes. We all know what he would in this game: probably leave out 2 or 3 players that started last game, perhaps Hazard, Costa and Oscar, and replace them in his rigid and outdated 4-3-3. My is the team woud be something like: Matic, Ramires, Fabregas, Pedro, William; Remy. Nothing that we didn't see before.

[Spike 12,049]

Stop the madness mate, Mourinho wasn't planing major changes. We all know what he would in this game: probably leave out 2 or 3 players that started last game, perhaps Hazard, Costa and Oscar, and replace them in his rigid and outdated 4-3-3. My is the team woud be something like: Matic, Ramires, Fabregas, Pedro, William; Remy. Nothing that we didn't see before.

If I may do a Mourinho myself (remember when he predicted the Bacelona lineup?). The line-up would have been:

Costa

Hazard - Willian - Pedro

Cesc - Matic

Azpi - Cahill - Terry - Ivan

Courtois

He would have subbed Zouma on for Fabregas, Ramires for Matic and Oscar for Pedro past the eighty minute mark.

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Essential for supporters not to make Mourinho the main man again. Thank him, but he's gone now and like Roman said, time to move on and time for a fresh new start. Lets all unite together and stand behind our team, because whether or not you like it they are all Chelsea and we love this club.

Can't wait for the game, very exciting times to be a supporter.

Come on the Chels!

[stroey 2,525]

Courtois
Azpi Zouma JT Baba
RLC Matic
Willian Hazard Pedro
Remy

[iseah100 5,612]

I'm gonna miss Jose's face and amazing watches on the touchline