closed Man Utd 4-0 Chelsea

[ZAPHOD2319 4,476]

I think Mount is a better scoring threat, but Barkley sees the field and his teammates better and delivers some crazy wicked passes. I guess it depends on the match ups as to who is better for that match.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

Pedro was def awesome in Conte's title winning season. a vital vital part of the team. Scored super goals too. That Pedro was really really good. He's gotten older and slower but his work rate and desire is still kinda there.

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

7 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

Pedro was def awesome in Conte's title winning season. a vital vital part of the team. Scored super goals too. That Pedro was really really good. He's gotten older and slower but his work rate and desire is still kinda there.

It is imaginable he has lost a bit of pace but what I noticed is that he is sprinting more often. Like always. Even in preseason almost all of his off the ball and pressing movement was conducted in full sprint. Most players do not have the endurance for that but his guy is crazy fit.

 

As for formation, I do not really trust Tammy. He is wasteful and slow in his pressing. What i could imagine is some kind of a double-false 9 with one of Barkley and mOunt always falling back to receive the ball. Requires a lot of pracice obviously but would confuse the shit out of oppositions.

-------------Kepa-------

Azpi---AC--Luiz--Emerson

--------Kante-----Jorginho---

Pedro-Barkley-Mount-Pulisic

 

This way we could feature all of our better players and empahsis our strength (midfield). RLC could easily drop in for Mount or Barkley when fit again. So the 3 players for one position problem would be solved as well.

But obviously not gonna happen. Still worth a thought.

[MoroccanBlue 5,296]

People not want Batshuayi?

[Vesper 28,764]

7 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

People not want Batshuayi?

Only if we play the 4-4-2 diamond, otherwise Giroud to start with

[LAM09 6,742]

Kepa
Azpi Zouma Luiz Emerson
Kante Kovacic
Mount Barkley Pulisic
Bats

Pedro instead of Mount and I'd be OK with the line up. AC just ain't up to starting big games.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

1 hour ago, Magic Lamps said:

It is imaginable he has lost a bit of pace but what I noticed is that he is sprinting more often. Like always. Even in preseason almost all of his off the ball and pressing movement was conducted in full sprint. Most players do not have the endurance for that but his guy is crazy fit.

 

As for formation, I do not really trust Tammy. He is wasteful and slow in his pressing. What i could imagine is some kind of a double-false 9 with one of Barkley and mOunt always falling back to receive the ball. Requires a lot of pracice obviously but would confuse the shit out of oppositions.

-------------Kepa-------

Azpi---AC--Luiz--Emerson

--------Kante-----Jorginho---

Pedro-Barkley-Mount-Pulisic

 

This way we could feature all of our better players and empahsis our strength (midfield). RLC could easily drop in for Mount or Barkley when fit again. So the 3 players for one position problem would be solved as well.

But obviously not gonna happen. Still worth a thought.

Yeah its good to watch him give such a fuck even after hitting 30, and somethin tells me we have bluecified him lol, just like Fab.

I like that formation but aint gonna happen, but I wouldnt mind seeing us try it here and there.

[Pizy 18,368]

Pedro is the counter attacking teams dream player, that's why I think he'll start this one. I think we'll surrender most of the possession to them at home and have Luiz and Jorginho repeatedly try to play balls over the top and through the midfield to the sprinting Pulisic and Pedro.

For this to be successful, we must hope Kante is is up to good fitness levels and that our defense isn't a shambles. Otherwise this could get ugly.

[Tomo 21,733]

20 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Pedro is the counter attacking teams dream player

I disagree, when we've played retreating football (Conte's second season, Jose/Hiddink season) Pedro was a borderline non entity, it's combination play with attackers playing close to eachother (Sarriball, Conte's first season) which gets the best out of him.

Pedro's a player for when the going's good that's why he tends to get the nod when things are looking rosy and Willian gets it when it's not and individual magic is needed more.

[Vesper 28,764]

3 hours ago, Magic Lamps said:

It is Old Trafford the refs will obviously give their best. The number of times Mike Dean and friends have robbed us vs Utd. The only time we got lucky vs them was in 2010 when Drogba was a yard offside before scoring what proved to be a title winning goal. The season before we were not given 2 clear pens and in  2011 we also should have gotten a pen. Not to mention how the refs robbed us at the bridge in 2011 and 2012 with those ridiculous penalties for them, the res for torres which was a joke and the offside winner from hernandez afterwards. 

The new ref darling is now liverpool obviously but i am sure they will be a few Manu fans left in the ref squad.

Referee announced for Manchester United vs Chelsea - and it's bad news for Frank Lampard

https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/fixtures-results/man-united-vs-chelsea-referee-16704535

The referee has been announced for Chelsea's opening game of the 2019/2020 Premier League season against Manchester United.

And it's bad news for Frank Lampard as he bid to begin is reign with victory at Old Traford.

It was Maurizio Sarri in charge the last time the Blues visited the 'Theatre of Dreams' in a game which finished 1-1 thanks to Marcos Alonso's equaliser and boosted the visitors top four hopes.

In fact it's over six years since the west London outfit last tasted victory away at Man United.

Hopes of improving that record on Sunday afternoon have been somewhat dented following news of the referee appointment.

Anthony Taylor will take charge of the clash at Old Trafford and the Blues did not have a good record when he was the man in the middle in last season.

 

snip

the walking bellend

[Pizy 18,368]

Anthony Taylor, huh? Great. Worst referee in the league.

[Fulham Broadway 16,827]

At least Luiz is telling him to fuck off

[Jase 43,479]

Since the starting XI is all the rage right now, think Lampard will go with this:

Kepa

Azpi---Zouma---Luiz---Emerson

Jorginho---Kovacic

Pulisic---Mount---Pedro

Abraham

Give or take Christensen for Zouma, Barkley for Mount and Giroud/Batshuayi for Abraham. Doubt Lampard will risk Kante from the start (might have him on the bench) and Willian is not match fit yet. 

[NikkiCFC 7,941]

Lamps won there last season with Derby against Mourinho. This should be piece of cake 

[Pizy 18,368]

30 minutes ago, Jason said:

Since the starting XI is all the rage right now, think Lampard will go with this:

Kepa

Azpi---Zouma---Luiz---Emerson

Jorginho---Kovacic

Pulisic---Mount---Pedro

Abraham

Give or take Christensen for Zouma, Barkley for Mount and Giroud/Batshuayi for Abraham. Doubt Lampard will risk Kante from the start (might have him on the bench) and Willian is not match fit yet. 

Think about what a statement of confidence it would be for Mount to get the nod on opening day against United at OT. The lad will play his socks off.

[Jase 43,479]

3 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Think about what a statement of confidence it would be for Mount to get the nod on opening day against United at OT. The lad will play his socks off.

Different circumstances this time but Lampard did play Mount from the start at OT last season with Derby. Wouldn't be a surprise to see the same again.

[Jase 43,479]

39 minutes ago, Jason said:

Since the starting XI is all the rage right now, think Lampard will go with this:

Kepa

Azpi---Zouma---Luiz---Emerson

Jorginho---Kovacic

Pulisic---Mount---Pedro

Abraham

Give or take Christensen for Zouma, Barkley for Mount and Giroud/Batshuayi for Abraham. Doubt Lampard will risk Kante from the start (might have him on the bench) and Willian is not match fit yet. 

Assuming that's the XI, then 3 from the 10 here are gonna be left out entirely for the subs - Caballero, Christensen, Alonso, Kante, Kenedy, Willian, Batshuayi, Giroud, Barkley, Zappacosta. Probably Willian, Batshuayi and Zappacosta.

[Hutcho 8,443]

There's 2 ways this can go.

Lamps goes for his full philosophy from game 1 and plays mount who knows his system better than anyone and has been one of our best performers in pre season...

Or he goes Conservative, plays barkley, giroud and Co away from home vs United.

Don't mind either approach as its a long season.

I'd hope he went option 1 and then if we lose we go down fighting. But the prudent approach would be to go with a Conservative option and then put the pressing and fast paced mount and Co on for the last 30 depending on how the game goes.


Although for all the talk about mount barkley Abraham etc. The key point is kante. If he plays and is fit our chances of winning sky rocket, but that being said I'd rather we rest him if he's not fit than risk him game 1. As I said above it's a long season and we are gonna need him.