The Pre-Season Thread

[jmarlow 458]

Chelsea vs Seattle Sounders on 18th July. Can't wait for this pre-season.

Biggest game of the season! absolute must win game! This game could make or break our season! COME ON CHELSEA!!!

[Leif 6,006]

Hope we win vs. Milan + PSG.

I hate losing during Pre-Season. Doesn't set a good tone for the coming season.

[HNKS 508]

Are we only missing Mata and Luiz for pre season? Looks like I need to subscribe to chelsea tv to watch the matches.

[jmarlow 458]

Are we only missing Mata and Luiz for pre season? Looks like I need to subscribe to chelsea tv to watch the matches.

Mata, Luiz, Sturridge, Bertrand, Romeu + all the players from the Euros will be coming back late.

[DavidEU 2,023]

I'd imagine all the Euro players will miss the Seattle game and perhaps the PSG game. Perhaps Cech might play a part, but would be too early for the rest.

England players and Malouda expected back to training on the 15/16th.

[HNKS 508]

I'd imagine all the Euro players will miss the Seattle game and perhaps the PSG game. Perhaps Cech might play a part, but would be too early for the rest.

England players and Malouda expected back to training on the 15/16th.

Will Torres feature? He didnt play that much for Spain.

[jmarlow 458]

Will Torres feature? He didnt play that much for Spain.

he isn't due back until 22nd i think.

[DavidEU 2,023]

Will Torres feature? He didnt play that much for Spain.

Irrelevant. Didn't finish the tournament til Sunday and each player is given 21 days holiday minimum. And after theyd all need around a week/10 days training to get fit enough for a friendly.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

So many players absent for the pre season.

Anyone has a list of players that we might actually see during this tour?

[DavidEU 2,023]

So many players absent for the pre season.

Anyone has a list of players that we might actually see during this tour?

Well, here's a break down.

We have the new signings (3):

Hazard

Marin

de Bruyne

Returning from loan (5):

Benayoun

Kalas

McEachran

Kakuta

van Aanholt

Main squad, not involved in Euros (11):

Ivanovic

Essien

Ramires

Lampard (fitness permitting)

Mikel

Lukaku

Ferreira

Turnbull

Cahill (fitness permitting)

Hutchinson

Hilario

And finally the players who will join late after the euros, with their expected return dates (6):

Cech - 11th July

Cole - 15th July

Torres - 22nd July

Malouda - 14th July

Meireles - 18th July

Terry - 16th July

These players would need another week on top of these dates to be fit to play I'd imagine.

I'd expect the likes of Todd Kane, Nathaniel Chalobah, Jamal Blackman and Lucas Piazon to go from the reserves too.

[HNKS 508]

Great Turnball in goal for most of pre-season.

I am getting kind of worried now though, if Torres doesnt find form/gets injured we will be relying on Sturridge/Lukaku as our main striker

[Nic! 301]

Kevin De Bruyne just gave an interview to Belgian press saying he did train already individually with Marin today. All the other players (injury, Euro excluded) will join tomorrow. Says he will be loaned out probably, except if he plays a really good pre-season. Doesn't mind to get loaned out though, he added.

[Henrique 9,133]

Really looking forward the pre season games with Hazard and new kit. Tired of boring topics, Hulk, Peace/zolayes leaving/returning, Torres scoring and...AVB.

[BlueSanti 290]

I am sure someony allready mentioned it but I can't find it.

When is the kick-off of pre-season games(UK time)?

[theoteho 6]

is maicon really going to chelsea?? i mean.. he's old and always overlapping the field just like bosingwa..

i hope thats just a rumour..

[Leif 6,006]

This may just sound ignorant, which I understand, but looking at some of the "Can't wait for pre-season! " tweets from some of our young players, I've had a thought:-

We'll likely take Chalobah, Piazon and Blackman from our youth ranks on the pre-season tour.

Chalobah because he's rated highly, Piazon because he had a good debut season, and Blackman because we need to take another GK.

The likes of Lalkovic, Feruz (although young), T.Kane etc. are simply lazy by the standards set by footballers in the 90's and before.

(Actually, you can probably apply the rest of this to almost all young footballers these days.)

Of course it's harder than it sounds to talk to the manager of a team even when you're in the youth/reserve ranks, but these guys really need to make more of an effort.

Go to the manager's office every day.

Constantly ask to go on the tour and be given a chance.

Give the manager phone-calls, texts, letters etc.

Have someone from within the club put in good words for you.

You can't get everywhere on talent alone.

I feel our young players are taking it for granted that they're at such a great club, and seem to just expect to get called upon when the time is right.

They should be begging for a shot; not just tweeting the occasional subliminal shot at the staff like I've seen many of our youngsters do.

It's already easily predictable that there will be tweets etc. sent out when some of our guys aren't selected for pre-season.

I guess this was more of a rant than anything else. I'm not even sure if it'll make sense. Cba reading over it. Meh.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

So...Who do we have here?

[theoteho 6]

^^^^

youngster?