closed Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona

[bigbluewillie 1,931]

Just now, Special Juan said:

I reckon the English lion heart Cahill will start.

I fear me too

I dread to think that he will play Fabregas, Alonso, or even Drinkwater as well

[sainttourist 68]

I really can't see us overcome our weaknesses there. This season we always struggling against high pressing and Barca naturally pressing team. Alonso, Moses will sit deep and midfielders will have a hard time again. Hope I am wrong, this Barcelona is certainly beatable, but we need to play our best game.

[Strike 7,539]

2 hours ago, manpe said:

Time to post the team I would like to see tonight (already!!! big night).

Courtois

Azpi - Christensen - Rüdiger

Moses - Kante - Fabregas - Alonso

Willian - Giroud - Hazard

 

Tbh any kind of midfield we put out is going to be weak. Drinkwater or Fabregas? At home I'd take the risk and play Cesc, he isn't that bad defensively but granted he's slow. When we recover the ball and he can quickly spread accurate passes up front then it will make up for it, Drinkwater is lacking in that department. I don't envy Conte, but whatever he does I hope he doesn't play Hazard as striker and keeps Cahill on the bench.

Drinkwater. Just like the last time around when Ramires, Meireles Mikel and Lampard started in a packed midfield. 

I think a 3-4-3 leaving out Fabregas gives the team the energy needed to press Barcelona. That means the only one able to create is Hazard but it is a chance that Conte has to take. 

 

 

[Pizy 18,994]

Such a headache for Conte in terms of selection. Go 3-4-3 with both Hazard and Willian in great form and hope like hell that a midfield 2 of Kante and Cesc can withstand the pressure of dealing with Busquets, Rakitic, Messi, and Iniesta or go 3-5-2, sacrifice a bit going forward, and solidify the midfield. 

We can either go balls out and try to play with them or go conservative and somewhat cowardly to minimize risk of away goals. For me we have to go 3-4-3. Let's be honest, we probably ain't stopping them from scoring no matter what we do so we may as well have a go with our best attacking XI.

I'm praying that Cahill doesn't start. Absolutely praying. Azpi/Christensen/Rüdi is our best back 3. Cahill will be his infuriating passive self that he always is against top opposition. He just back peddles and let's his man run at him. He cannot start tonight. But sadly will most likely.

[cfcs most wanted 657]

No matter the result

Just keep your heads up and the blue flag flying high 

[cfcs most wanted 657]

I think it would be a 3-4-3 with Drinkwater starting instead of of Fabregas, so we'll basically have 7 players holding the defence and 3 players to break on the counter, and that's why I think Morata will be such a better option than Giroud.

[gadget 126]

Going to get stick for this... ( i know he's been poor in a lot of matches this season) but...

Think we're going to miss Baka tonight.. can see them running rings around Cesc 

[Barbara 15,149]

Fàbregas shouldn't be starting big games for us at all. He can only face pub teams in domestic cups because even by relegation fold he's been bullied, bypassed easily and his creative contributions - which isn't as often as it used to be - don't make it worthy

 

 

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

I'l be honest. I think we are getting knocked out. So I don't see the point in a 352 with just 2 players attacking. We are going to concede either way. Or hope for a 0-0 at home? No point.

I say, have a go at home. Play 343 but really drill into Hazard and Willian to drop back. If it's 343 no Fabregas. 

There's no pressure because we shouldn't realistically expect to go through (come on, the Bournemouth result didn' exactly fall out of the sky! Our midfield is terrible). 

I'm a cynical bastard. So I hope we put up a fight and I'll be happy. Anyway, going out with Tottenham and Liverpool still in the latter stages could really help with top 4. 

After noon, I'll be an optimistic fan. I promise 

[Pizy 18,994]

3 minutes ago, Barbara said:

Fàbregas shouldn't be starting big games for us at all. He can only face pub teams in domestic cups because even by relegation fold he's been bullied, bypassed easily and his creative contributions - which isn't as often as it used to be - don't make it worthy

 

 

In this particular case he'd be going against midfielders who are similar to him. None of Barca's midfielders are the type that Cesc struggles against (powerful, dynamic, athletic, fast). For this reason I actually think he can start tonight. He's not going to get bullied by Busquets/Rakitic/Iniesta or beaten for pace.

The biggest problem I see is us not having much of the ball meaning Cesc will be expending all his energy chasing shadows. 

[Alabama 1,992]

2 minutes ago, Supermonkey92 said:

I'l be honest. I think we are getting knocked out. So I don't see the point in a 352 with just 2 players attacking. We are going to concede either way. Or hope for a 0-0 at home? No point.

I say, have a go at home. Play 343 but really drill into Hazard and Willian to drop back. If it's 343 no Fabregas. 

There's no pressure because we shouldn't realistically expect to go through (come on, the Bournemouth result didn' exactly fall out of the sky! Our midfield is terrible). 

I'm a cynical bastard. So I hope we put up a fight and I'll be happy. Anyway, going out with Tottenham and Liverpool still in the latter stages could really help with top 4. 

After noon, I'll be an optimistic fan. I promise 

This..  Absolutely spot on... We don't have a chance both leg.... But we shouldn't approach the game in a coward approach..... Play best line 343 and exploit their weakness... Play conservative formation and the game becomes boring long night and uninteresting... We still go out... 

[Beigl 1,387]

Ballack 

[FabHazard 655]

35 minutes ago, Supermonkey92 said:

I'l be honest. I think we are getting knocked out. So I don't see the point in a 352 with just 2 players attacking. We are going to concede either way. Or hope for a 0-0 at home? No point.

I say, have a go at home. Play 343 but really drill into Hazard and Willian to drop back. If it's 343 no Fabregas. 

There's no pressure because we shouldn't realistically expect to go through (come on, the Bournemouth result didn' exactly fall out of the sky! Our midfield is terrible). 

I'm a cynical bastard. So I hope we put up a fight and I'll be happy. Anyway, going out with Tottenham and Liverpool still in the latter stages could really help with top 4. 

After noon, I'll be an optimistic fan. I promise 

I agree 3-4-3 suits best for us...Better to go out trying a different approach...If it is 3-4-3 Fab should not play...he does not have energy....3-4-3 also allows us to play counter attacking football better...but the 2 man midfield should work very hard...

Option 1  3-4-3:

                 Courtois

    Azpi - Christensen - Rüdiger

Moses - Drinkwater - Kante- Alonso

    Pedro - Morata/Giroud - Hazard

 

Option 2   3-5-2 :

                     Courtois

        Azpi - Christensen - Rüdiger

Moses - Drinkwater - Kante - Cesc - Alonso

                 Morata/Giroud - Hazard

Option 3  False 9 :            

                 Courtois

     Azpi - Christensen - Rüdiger

Moses - Drinkwater - Kante - Alonso

       Willian - Hazard - Pedro

 

IMO Option 1 is best ...When you check comments made by conte he suggests pedro works very hard off the ball there by allowing us to make 2 man midfield into 3 man midfield

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Shame. If this happen. Conte inviting the pressure.

You kids need to take a course in critical reading.

Nowhere does Conte say he’s flirting with the idea of playing a false 9. You guys took that tag line hook, line and sinker

[Antonio8 736]

2 hours ago, Barbara said:

Fàbregas shouldn't be starting big games for us at all. He can only face pub teams in domestic cups because even by relegation fold he's been bullied, bypassed easily and his creative contributions - which isn't as often as it used to be - don't make it worthy

 

 

It's strange but i think the opposite. Cesc has the quality for big games, him and hazard are necessary imho. But he has to play in a 3 midfield. 

So i think that it will be 352 with Morata or Giroud plus hazard. 

Let's see 

[LAM09 7,070]

This..  Absolutely spot on... We don't have a chance both leg.... But we shouldn't approach the game in a coward approach..... Play best line 343 and exploit their weakness... Play conservative formation and the game becomes boring long night and uninteresting... We still go out... 

I don't get this sort of attitude at all. We certainly aren't favourites but we should be going for the win at home.

Conte has to field a front 3 tonight

[Fulham Broadway 17,367]

Just watching SSN - Suarez training on our pitch -I forgot how much I despise the goofy scouse wankstain.

Whatever happens I will take consolation from a moment of sublime ecstasy when Torres earned redemption for many in the Nou Camp, with a goal that caused mayhem in the FB household 

[Alabama 1,992]

26 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

I don't get this sort of attitude at all. We certainly aren't favourites but we should be going for the win at home.

Conte has to field a front 3 tonight

That's my personal opinion....i don't want a conservative or pragmatic approach to the game tonight.... Fielding front 3 is key to doing that....barcelona are in great form but they are very beatable... 

[LAM09 7,070]

That's my personal opinion....i don't want a conservative or pragmatic approach to the game tonight.... Fielding front 3 is key to doing that....barcelona are in great form but they are very beatable... 

I agree. Conte can save a defensive line up for the away leg

[!Hazard! 3,394]

 

Just tried this in FIFA 18, it worked like magic  Alonso turned into a real beast with that left foot on the right side of the box.