Chelsea 3-0 Club America

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

53 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

I'm not watching the game but I'm enjoying reading positive comments about him. Think he's a good one.

I think he's always been a great talent. Just couldnt get healthy last season. There was a reason everybody was chasing him.

[Blue Armour 4,341]

On 30/07/2024 at 19:14, Blue Armour said:

I'll likely miss this match, but tomorrow might see KDH make his debut. Hope he has a solid, even if unspectacular, start.

Just not a terrible one.

Not sure how he played, but because he got an assist and a clean sheet, I'll assume it was a decent enough debut 

[Thor 2,476]

Lavia looks really, really good.

Nkunku's decision making is class. Can't wait to see some more of the regular first teamers in - think we will see some great combinations. 

[Stats 7,072]

2 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

I commented early last season that I didn't think Noni was right for us. Now, I'm hoping that the Newcastle rumours are correct and come to fruition.

I think he would be silly to get rid of him. We need to have the option of a wildcard down the right hand side. Someone who can come on and terrorize the oppostion with pace and directness. We don't have those options down the right and if we do move Palmer centrally, he is a very good option. Seems people easily sleep on him imo. He had a very good run in the team last season and is young and developing. Think he can make a big contribution this season.

[Nero 1,852]

His aura is insane. 

Edited August 1, 2024 by Nero

[DDA 9,746]

Lavia looks like the real deal. 
 

Really like what KDH brings to the team too. 
 

 

[cosmicway 1,333]

I did not see the match.
I take it we were lucky to score early.
Did Maresca's collective defense work ?

[Special Juan 27,567]

Lavia and Christo already looking like they are the diamonds

[Fulham Broadway 16,994]

Weak opposition -  There is one specific drill that the lads have practised repeatedly in the two training sessions. 

It involves playing a pass through the opposition defence on to a runner who then cuts the ball back. Its a modus operandi  that Enzo clearly wants to perfect ahead of the next  season, and I lost count of the number of times we saw that same move  against Club America. 

Finishing was not the greatest, but it will get better with time and Enzo now has his first win in charge of Chelsea.

[Blue Armour 4,341]

3 hours ago, Nero said:

His aura is insane. 

Can't wait to see him combine with Palmer

[OhForAGreavsie 5,904]

4 hours ago, Stats said:

I think he would be silly to get rid of him. We need to have the option of a wildcard down the right hand side. Someone who can come on and terrorize the oppostion with pace and directness. We don't have those options down the right and if we do move Palmer centrally, he is a very good option. Seems people easily sleep on him imo. He had a very good run in the team last season and is young and developing. Think he can make a big contribution this season.

That's a reasonable argument, though I prefer a good fee and alternative ways to sure up the right of our attack until reinforcements arrive in summer 2025. Sterling, Nkunku, or Gusto for example.

[King Kante 1,540]

9 hours ago, TheHulk said:

Expected, Guiu is better than these losers we've been linked lately like Oshimhen and Samu, if Maresca is a top coach he will see this and make the striker position his.

 

9 hours ago, TheHulk said:

Lavia balling hard, hope he stays fit this season, could be a real game changer if Enzo or Caicedo aren't in form or injured.

 

Guiu makes very good runs and seems to know as a CF that his principal job off the ball is to move in a way to find himself a yard of space between the goal posts. His movement so far reminds me of Crespo's - although I need to see more of him and in real games before I reckon it is something he can do at a suitable level. 

One thing he does need to improve however is his finishing. At the moment he isn't hitting the ball clean enough when getting presented with chances as he is snatching at the ball. That can be overcome. Personally, I do not see why he won't be kept as a CF3 at minimum. Jackson as CF1 and Nkunku as F9/CF2. 

Also good to hear people liking what they're seeing with Lavia. I said last season that once he gets fit he would show people what a proper DM looks like compared to Caicedo. 

The question - if he stays fit and can keep consistent - is who plays alongside him. If we need a ratter it'll be Caicedo, if it is a ball playing CM then Enzo or KDH

[Mhsc 954]

Haven't watched the replay yet, but it looks like an interesting example of how this kind of system really thrives when you have a lead and need to convert it, given we basically went ahead 1 minute in. We had a lot of trouble last year converting when we were ahead and I think Maresca ball will be 10x better at doing that honestly. 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,564]

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,564]

 

[YorkshireBlue 3,163]

1 minute ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

Least he gave it up without a fuss this time.

[Mhsc 954]

Ha, finally watched the game (in 2x speed) its funny how the result makes everything feel different. Not really sure we leapt forward that much from previous games but we ended up winning this one 3-0. They were woeful and conceded two stupid pens, we are still looking pretty raw imo - VERY wasteful of the opportunities we create, but in general we still need to improve with and without the ball a lot.

Bright sides for me were Sanchez really showing something this game, he was much better with his feet and played with supreme confidence. Another amazing save. A few lads like Lavia and Nkunku also look great - imo we totally would have got top 4 last season if they were both fit.

Madueke is so far a very frustrating player, almost unplayable in some situations but then fails to take advantage of his own brilliance. Playing with swagger is great but you've got to be a team player and humble at the same time, only people like Ronaldo can get away with a lot of the selfish decisions he's making, because they're that good. I imagine he will be starting on the bench in PL if everyone is fit and available based on what we've seen so far.

[bluesman2610 1,368]

47 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

Maresca told him to go over there and tell Noni give the ball up. You love to see it.