closed PAOK 0-1 Chelsea

[cosmicway 1,328]

8 hours ago, Unionjack said:

Wasm't that vid from 2011? Spuds had all the posession and shit defense. PAOK gets a guy sent off and Spuds still couldnt score past 10 men.

I really hope that some of the lads manage to get some blue flares in the ground.

It was 2011. Spurs had Kane, Bale, Modridge in their squad and for PAOK Salpingides - the one who scored the first goal. Also Athanasiadis appeared in the Brazil world cup.
In this group PAOK are second best, because Bate and Vidi are weakies.
If they finished second in the league (first without the events) it's even better for them than 2011.
The 1-4 result against Benfica was too bad but they 're not thorougly useless.

Last time Chelsea was in Salonica was 1971, against Aris (1-1 then 5-1 at the Bridge).

[Unionjack 7,531]

14 hours ago, cosmicway said:

It was 2011. Spurs had Kane, Bale, Modridge in their squad and for PAOK Salpingides - the one who scored the first goal. Also Athanasiadis appeared in the Brazil world cup.
In this group PAOK are second best, because Bate and Vidi are weakies.
If they finished second in the league (first without the events) it's even better for them than 2011.
The 1-4 result against Benfica was too bad but they 're not thorougly useless.

Last time Chelsea was in Salonica was 1971, against Aris (1-1 then 5-1 at the Bridge).

You're looking forward to this aren't ya! Wish I was going mate. Hope you have a goodun.

[cosmicway 1,328]

18 hours ago, Unionjack said:

You're looking forward to this aren't ya! Wish I was going mate. Hope you have a goodun.

I 've been to Salonica only once with my mom for the expo.
Now I am in Ikaria island.
I look forward because they make a lot of noise here about this match.
I fancy a handicap bet Chelsea -1 but I have misgivings. Eden stays at home, also Pedro.

[bluephoenix 1,126]

I am not sure how Sarri would see this competition, would be interesting to see if he would play best 11 or develop/give game time to youngsters for which this is quite a big opportunity

 

[Unionjack 7,531]

2 hours ago, cosmicway said:

I 've been to Salonica only once with my mom for the expo.
Now I am in Ikaria island.
I look forward because they make a lot of noise here about this match.
I fancy a handicap bet Chelsea -1 but I have misgivings. Eden stays at home, also Pedro.

I will happily swap you homes mate. You can have my luvly Brixton flat and I can live on a gorgeous Island and sit on the beach all day getting stoned and fishing!!

Only a short trip to the ground-fancy an exchange lol

1 hour ago, bluephoenix said:

I am not sure how Sarri would see this competition, would be interesting to see if he would play best 11 or develop/give game time to youngsters for which this is quite a big opportunity

 

I don;t THINK Eden will even take the flight. We shouldn't need to be reliant on one player to beat the likes of these teams

It's time we gave the likes of CHO the trust to step up.

See this is the exacts position that I worry about. With our lack of rotation when we ask our guys like CHO to do a job they dont have the experience or game time in the 1st team necessary to do it possibly.

IF we had been giving them 10 mins or so a game they would be climatized and would be without the nerves they will probably have IF they are picked

I'm sure Sarri will rest a few of the 1st team for the pikeys game.

I'm more interested to wonder how he will attack the 3 scouse gits games.

[cosmicway 1,328]

I swap homes with the building we see from the shed side of the stadium, the one Courtois does n't like.

[Unionjack 7,531]

4 hours ago, cosmicway said:

I swap homes with the building we see from the shed side of the stadium, the one Courtois does n't like.

Not the same atmosphere as Coldharbour Lane lol

[mccg 1,528]

11 hours ago, bluephoenix said:

I am not sure how Sarri would see this competition, would be interesting to see if he would play best 11 or develop/give game time to youngsters for which this is quite a big opportunity

 

Think he will take it serious but not as serious as the league 4sure,we used to be bang average when we made 7/8 changes(the team sheet will be interesting?!) , i hope that has changed! Quicker we win games in this cup the more time we can give to youth&others , and if they impress give them more time,these 1st 6 games good chance to do that.

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Jase 43,479]

 

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

Drinkwater not even in the EL squad, really feel for the guy.

[!Hazard! 3,394]

Who's going to play LB? Surely not Alonso?

My thoughts on the XI:

Attack should be Hudson-Morata-Willian....I doubt there are any objections to this.

In midfield Jorginho and Kante should not be starting so it's interesting to see how we'll line-up. Barkley-Ampadu-Fabregas would be my pick. Or Barkley-Fabregas-Loftus but this option seems very very weak defensively. Even against a team like PAOK.

Defence without Emerson in squad will be complicated. Will we see Rudiger as LB? Or will Alonso play again? I guess Alonso-Christensen-Rudiger-Zappacosta is the only one that makes sense given the players. Or Ampadu next to Christensen if Sarri doesn't see him as a holding midfielder.

Bulka should start in goal but I wouldn't mind Kepa either considering how many changes there will be to the defensive line.

[Pizy 18,371]

I'm glad that Hazard hasn't travelled. I really, really hope that Sarri doesn't waste Jorginho here either. He's so important to the team and in a new league with so many matches we can't afford to burn him out. No way should he be necessary against PAOK.

 

[LAM09 6,755]

No idea if reports are true about Emerson being ill or not. He needs game time at some point to give Alonso competition.

 

 

[kellzfresh 7,229]

6 minutes ago, !Hazard! said:

Who's going to play LB? Surely not Alonso?

It'll probably going to be zappacosta who is the attacking fullback. The right back is normally more defensive out of the two, so that is probably what is going to happen.

[Magic Lamps 11,655]

God to see Kovacic, Hazard and Luiz rested. Hopefully, Jorginho, kante amd Azpi also will not start.  Disappointed Drinkwater and Emerson are not in the squad. Maxbe its injuries bc i can not see us restricting our contingeng voluntarily 

[bigbluewillie 1,859]

14 hours ago, Unionjack said:

I will happily swap you homes mate. You can have my luvly Brixton flat and I can live on a gorgeous Island and sit on the beach all day getting stoned and fishing!!

Only a short trip to the ground-fancy an exchange lol

What?

And you can't do this in Brixton

[nyikolajevics 2,587]

41 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

God to see Kovacic, Hazard and Luiz rested. Hopefully, Jorginho, kante amd Azpi also will not start.  Disappointed Drinkwater and Emerson are not in the squad. Maxbe its injuries bc i can not see us restricting our contingeng voluntarily 

Drinkwater is not named in the EL-squad so he won't feature in any of the 6 group games.