closed Chelsea 3-1 Leeds

[Jase 43,479]

Chelsea 3-1 Leeds United
PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS



2020/21 Premier League Match 11
5th December, Saturday 2020
Stamford Bridge
20:00 Kick Off (UK time)

[Milan 17,835]

Fans fans fans fans!

Make it loud, welcome all of our new signings!

[NikkiCFC 7,566]

I think Frank will go with usual team, just Giroud will start over Tammy and Havartz for Kovacic. 

[Jase 43,479]

Before today, I believed Werner should start upfront for this one and Pulisic on the left because Leeds play an open attacking game and that will suit Werner, Pulisic etc. But then Giroud scored 4 goals in Sevilla...

[NikkiCFC 7,566]

Leeds for the first time at Stamford Bridge after 16 years. 

Bamford to score? 

[Hutcho 8,443]

The slightly awkward part is the way Leeds play I think Werner at striker would be the better option as they do leave big gaps with their super high intensity attacking system.

 

But, that being said if you play that well and score 4 goals and don't get picked to start the next game then what more could he do. So giroud has to start and then that gives Frank a lot of decisions to make for wide left with pulisic back.

 

Usual 5

Kante

Havertz mount

Ziyech giroud Werner

 

Pulisic off the bench after 60 (maybe). Good problems to have though

 

 

[The Skipper 20,593]

GF's dad is a massive Leeds fan so this should be a good one. 

Confident after that performance. Would like to see us go full throttle with:

 

Mendy

James Zouma Silva Chilwell

Kanté

Ziyech Havertz Mount CHO

Giroud

 

This is based on the best performers in the team ATM. Will probably see Werner in for CHO though. 

[Tomo 21,681]

11 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

GF's dad is a massive Leeds fan so this should be a good one. 

Confident after that performance. Would like to see us go full throttle with:

 

Mendy

James Zouma Silva Chilwell

Kanté

Ziyech Havertz Mount CHO

Giroud

 

This is based on the best performers in the team ATM. Will probably see Werner in for CHO though. 

Think we will have to be ruthless with this one and bench Oli, Leeds will be playing high and leaving space to exploit in behind, this games begging for Werner up top flanked by Pulisic.

Giroud should 100% start a good number of games in December, but not this one.

[The Skipper 20,593]

1 minute ago, Tomo said:

Think we will have to be ruthless with this one and bench Oli, Leeds will be playing high and leaving space to exploit in behind, this games begging for Werner up top flanked by Pulisic.

Giroud should 100% start a good number of games in December, but not this one.

I thought this too but two points:

- Werner is not on form. 

- Oli makes an excellent pivot. He brings in other players so well, so what you do is have runners around him. I'm thinking Havertz, Mount as runners from deep and CHO (who's off the ball movement has improved massively - credit to the coaching team) as an in line runner means we have enough variation in there. 

Timo can always come off the bench if it doesn't work. 

[1chelsea 864]

I thought this too but two points:

- Werner is not on form. 

- Oli makes an excellent pivot. He brings in other players so well, so what you do is have runners around him. I'm thinking Havertz, Mount as runners from deep and CHO (who's off the ball movement has improved massively - credit to the coaching team) as an in line runner means we have enough variation in there. 

Timo can always come off the bench if it doesn't work. 

Inform or not Werner need to sit on top of the attack against Leeds. Why because their defense move with their attack and there will be a lot of chances for counter attack if they don't sit tight with Werner at the back. And with him at the attack Harvert plays, Kante and Kova/Mount is a good setup for my opinion.

[Jase 43,479]

We have looked far solid defensively recently but this will be a big test of that. Here are some of Leeds' attacking numbers in the Premier League this season...

Shots - 153 (2nd)
Shots on Target - 54 (2nd)
xG - 17.11 (2nd)

They have also missed A LOT of big chances. But on the other hand, their defensive numbers...

xG Conceded - 14.82 (5th)
Shots Conceded Inside Box - 91 (4th)
Goals Conceded - 17 (3rd)

[Jase 43,479]

6 hours ago, The Skipper said:

I thought this too but two points:

- Werner is not on form. 

- Oli makes an excellent pivot. He brings in other players so well, so what you do is have runners around him. I'm thinking Havertz, Mount as runners from deep and CHO (who's off the ball movement has improved massively - credit to the coaching team) as an in line runner means we have enough variation in there. 

Timo can always come off the bench if it doesn't work. 

Werner's form might have suffered a bit of late after being overplayed and he was getting among the goals regularly up until that recent Spain v Germany game and that was only about 2 weeks ago. 

Based on how Leeds play, we know this game suits Werner to the ground and it's worth remembering what he did against another team who play similarly to Leeds in Southampton back in October and he wasn't exactly in form either going into that game but he went and scored 2 excellent goals. Plus, I don't think Lampard rested him against Sevilla only to bring him off the bench for this one or play him against Krasnodar next week. 

I know there were many excellent performances last night but hope Lampard doesn't try to be too clever and deviate much from the usual starting XI of late.

[Jase 43,479]

Two of Leeds' most recent defeats were 4-1 losses, against Leicester and Palace, and they both played with pacey, mobile attacking players upfront to take advantage of Leeds' open attacking style. #justsayin

[Special Juan 27,093]

Easy choice then....Werner Giroud Pulisic

[Jase 43,479]

3 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Easy choice then....Werner Giroud Pulisic

But no Ziyech?

TBH, I'd keep Pulisic on the bench for this one. Just came back from a hamstring problem and wouldn't risk playing him too much just yet. Can come off the bench if needed and start against Krasnodar to get more match fitness/sharpness. 

[Alabama 1,992]

I would rather unleash the attacking trio of Pulisic Werner and Ziyech...

[1chelsea 864]

Easy choice then....Werner Giroud Pulisic

Ziyech Werner pulisic

[Jase 43,479]

Giroud is on the cusp of another Chelsea renaissance

https://theathletic.com/2235439/2020/12/03/olivier-giroud-chelsea-tammy-abraham/

The decision for Chelsea coach Frank Lampard appears to be a no-brainer: Olivier Giroud scored four goals against Sevilla to ensure Chelsea qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners, so has to lead the line instead of Tammy Abraham against Leeds United on Saturday, right?

That was certainly the consensus among fans and pundits as they watched the club’s impressive 4-0 victory in Spain. Within minutes of the final whistle, former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle and midfielder Joe Cole couldn’t have been more emphatic.

“He has to play at the weekend after scoring four goals,” Hoddle told BT Sport. “He can’t wait to get out on that football pitch again. He has so much confidence. He has that belief now of ‘I’m scoring goals. I’m in this rich vein of form’. It’s very difficult to leave him out. He’s earned that.”

Cole concurred: “He’s given Frank a massive headache, a good headache. Does he go with Tammy? You have to go with Giroud with his four goals. What a player.”

The thing is, it’s not that simple. For starters, one suspects Abraham was named on the bench against Sevilla because Lampard had already earmarked him for the first XI against Leeds.

Lampard knew the question over Giroud being picked instead was coming during his post-match media duties and didn’t give much away other than to warn that it is “a tight turnaround” but also something he will have to think about.

It is not the first time Lampard has been in this position. Abraham was first-choice striker for the first five months of last season, but an ankle injury in January gave Giroud the opportunity to impress. He did just that, scoring nine goals in a 15-game spell and keeping the England international on the periphery, even after his return to fitness.

This campaign has seen the situation reversed once again, albeit only once Lampard decided new signing Timo Werner should operate more on the left-hand side of the attack rather than straight down the middle. Abraham, who was an unused substitute in Seville, has had nine starts to Giroud’s two over the last three months.

But why would Lampard consider sticking with the 23-year-old after Giroud reigned in Spain? Having already got a hat-trick, the Frenchman seemed to be making his argument when he took a late penalty rather than giving the opportunity to a team-mate.

Well, on top of being fully rested, Abraham is in pretty good form himself. He has a return of five goals and four assists from 15 appearances this season, although he missed a few good chances to add to that tally during last weekend’s goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it is about more than just stats. As one source explains: “Lampard loves Olivier’s professionalism and what he can do. He is highly regarded for the type of forward he is. The issue is over the lack of threat he poses when a ball is played in behind and the pressing off the ball.

“I think Lampard sees what happened tactically in the FA Cup final loss to Arsenal as an example. With Giroud not having the speed to run in behind Arsenal’s defence, Arsenal pushed higher up the pitch and were able to press Chelsea more. Going forward, I believe he just has a different plan for what he wants the team to do, how he wants them to play.”

Still, it should be pointed out that things have begun to change for the better for Giroud of late. As reported by The Athletic last month, the 34-year-old decided in the international break that he will have to leave Stamford Bridge in January if he doesn’t get more playing time.

It is understood Giroud would not like to leave Chelsea, in an ideal world. But the former Arsenal striker has been warned by France coach Didier Deschamps that his place at the European Championships next summer will be in jeopardy if he is not featuring at club level more regularly. At that stage, he had been granted just 154 minutes of action this season.

Lampard, who enjoys a great relationship with Giroud, appears to have responded to the potential threat by giving him 119 minutes (one start, three appearances as a substitute) in the four games Chelsea have played since.

Sources have told The Athletic that this switch in Giroud’s treatment is a positive step and should it continue, may mean he stays until next summer after all.

What happens — particularly in regards to the number of appearances — over the next eight weeks remains crucial. High-profile clubs are making their interest known. Adding someone of Giroud’s experience and calibre for the second half of the season would improve the options of many managers that are competing on multiple fronts. In saying that, Chelsea are showing positive signs they could win silverware too.

Even if Abraham remains ahead of Giroud in the pecking order for the visit of Leeds, the busy schedule should provide the latter more opportunities. Saturday’s fixture is the first of eight in the space of just 29 days for Chelsea. Rotation will be necessary.

Significantly, Lampard enthused post-match about what Giroud’s presence can do for the side. “It was not just his performance,” he said. “When you play him and utilise his strengths, there’s a real balance in the rest of the team.”

Giroud now has two perfect hat-tricks — a goal scored with his left foot, right foot and head — for Chelsea, having first managed the feat against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League last year. His record in European club competition since the beginning of the 2018-19 campaign shows he has the joint-third most amount of goals (with Erling Haaland on 16), trailing only Lionel Messi (18) and Robert Lewandowski (26). That would be some asset for Chelsea not keep on the bench until his contract runs out in the summer.

As Giroud went to take a seat in the stands following his late substitution against Sevilla, Abraham walked over to give the veteran a warm embrace and congratulate him on four magnificent goals. He clearly enjoys having him around.

Chelsea can only benefit from the competition continuing between them.