*Chelsea-*-- We’re Champions of Europe, You'll Never Sing That

I don't think he has a future at Chelsea under Conte so yeah I'm sure they are looking to loan him out. He didn't play at all on the USA tour.

 

I don't know why we even try to do business with Napoli.

 

They are always a pain in the ass but if he is the CB conte wants we need to get him. I really don't see top 4 without adding another top CB (and even then without a RB unless aina surprises and is ready).

Still not really sure what our gameplan is with player additions. Clubs like real/barca have the board do it and the coach doesn't really do it so firing coaches is not a big deal. Clubs like Arsenal tend to give the coach the power. City/united seem to be willing to give this to Jose and pep.

Is Chelsea going to give conte this power? It's clear to me he likes koulibaly a lot. We have nickel and dimed almost every xfer in the last 2 years. If we end up with some shit patchwork CB because we wouldn't spend for koulibaly then I'm not sure the board is really backing the club enough to compete at the top of the league

The Leicester story is great but competing with a fully backed Pep and city and mourinho at United will take serious backing

 

@danlevene
"I had my reasons" - Nemanja Matic, after failing to celebrate goal v Sunderland. About to find out what those reasons were, perhaps?

 

Traore to Ajax on season loan seams to be a thing. Not a fan of it but I think it's confirmation conte sees him as a striker and we will be playing 1 striker and Traore is better off playing than being third choice.

 

Kenedy loaded to watford. Miazga going out next. It looks like cuadrado and Moses will stay. At least for now. Wouldn't hate if they stayed and we sent Pedro back to Spain.

Apparently Napoli are closing in on a Torino CB (was left out of Torino squad) and if they close that deal it could open koulibaly to Chelsea which is the player we need. Still think that means we are a right back signing away from being a legit contender for the league unless aina is ready

 

so the big signings last year were Pedro/Baba/Begovic/Kenedy

 

Even with the epic failures from Jose and the players I would argue the board had a worse year than either

 

This is year 9 of following Chelsea and the most negative my outlook has been at the start of the season:

08 coming off champions league final (started following Chelsea in the middle of 07-08)
09 Carlo and second leg of the semi vs Barca was a fucking disgrace. Out for revenge.
10 coming off BPL title
11 new manager AVB! (yikes was I off there)
12 Champions League winners!
13 Special One returns
14 Title Favorites
15 Title defense!
16 We are shit

 

It's hard to have a lot of optimism this year. I keep telling myself this group won the league two years ago, but it's pretty obvious most pieces have regressed beyond repair


As long as we play with some renewed energy and attitude I'll be happy

 

still think we make a couple more purchases, but if it isnt starter quality at CB and RB then it wont fucking matter.

 

I'd just like to get back into the CL. I don't think we get there.

Who the fuck knows though? Talent is here to win the league if everything falls into place, spend the money right in January, etc.

 

Seems like the pundits thing just hiring conte is enough to get you guys back. Kinda surprised but if conte gets the best out of hazard and Oscar like pre mourinho then I could see it. Still a pretty big question though.

 

leicester lose only n'golo kante and go from elite defensively to average?

 

kante is also a big addition but im still in the camp that another starting caliber CB is needed for us to be top 4

 

Huth was on suspension also.

 

Get a CB and a FB and I think they can compete for the title.

City and Arsenal can be penciled into the top 4 but spurs and Leicester might not have the squads to compete in Europe and challenge for top 4. 2 spots for chelsea, United, and pool imo.

 

Game day

 

Lets fucking do this. Predictions on the lineup?

Im going with

Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Dave, Kante, Matic, Cesc, Hazard, Willian, Costa

 

Only spot I think up for debate is cesc v oscar as the more attacking of the midfield 3. I would probably pick aina because I would rather risk an error from aina over watching Ivanovic get burned down the wing all game but I understand why conte will pick the vet

With hector loaned out I guess miazga will make the bench? Will be interested to see what CB makes the bench because I don't think we have a 3rd CB that will be on this team until we buy someone or zouma is healthy.

And I think your team sheet is correct. I think he goes with cesc and then subs in oscar for either cesc or matic depending on where the game is going. Wouldn't be shocked to see oscar start but I think he goes cesc for games like this and Oscar versus teams we might need oscar's increased defensive presence or ability to put the ball in the net

 

Has Costa played a second of preseason matches?

 

yeah the last one and then a couple in Austria IIRC

 

would love to slide Juan in over Willian on the right, Cesc over Oscar till i see a reason to sit Cesc

 

Ah. Carry on. For some reason I thought he hadn't.

 

I personally would like to see Michy uptop getting the start, his movement off the ball is so much better than Costa's and he tries to get infront of goal instead of pulling out wide like Costa does. Costa will start though.

 

What have you seen from cuadrado to warrant a start? If anything Moses has been the one who has looked good. Cudradro just doesn't seem as comfortable in a Chelsea shirt as he does playing in serie A but maybe a manager who believes in him can change that. As I have said previously I'm happy enough with the wing depth those 2 bring to sell Pedro back to Spain.

I always thought keeping cuadrado would allow us to show some 3-5-2 but our lack of center backs and loan of baba kind of ensured that won't happen

 

think he will be a better attacking option, he does need confidence though. Hasnt shown to have any while wearing a Chelsea shirt

 

I was hoping a start against a hull or a burnley or some league cup can give him confidence. Might have a higher ceiling than Willian but I would prefer Willian in there and Oscar over cesc if conte concerned that only hazard and Costa can score

Real happy to finally be talking real shit in here by the way. This summer took forever

 

Just want 3 points and 3 more buys. That's all

 

I just want to see Hazard as a second striker at this point. Him with Michy has me

 

Whether it is Michy or Costa, part of me thinks a 4-4-1-1 instead of the 4-2-4 with hazard playing off the striker and Willian/cuadrado on the wings, 2 capable of tracking back defensively would work best. Would only allow one of cesc/oscar/matic to start alongside Kante but none of those 3 have exactly played to a level demanding a spot in the starting XI over the last 12 months

 

I guess team sheet is in 10 min? I thought it kicked at 245 EST and not 3? Anyway one of the main guys at the telegraph tweeted that he heard no cesc. I guess we will see in a few min

 

That guy was right. Team sheet is same as clemsontyger04 said except oscar for cesc which we thought could be the only spot up for debate

Team to face West Ham: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, JT (c), Azpi; Kante; Willian, Matic, Oscar, Hazard; Costa.

Tonight's subs: Begovic, Aina, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek, Moses, Pedro, Batshuayi. #CFC

I guess any injury on defense means aina comes in at either fullback spot and if injury is to a CB Ivanovic goes to CB. Kind of surprised to see RLC over chalobah on the bench considering the fact that chalobah has some experience at CB and could play there if needed. Also no cuadrado on the bench

 

no Cesc

fuck watching Ivan look inept at RB but alas its going to happen

 

Ben Dinnery @BenDinnery
Payet only fit enough for a place on the bench. #WHUFC give debuts to three summer incomings - Masuaku, Nordtveit and Andre Ayew all start



Ayew going to rip apart Ivan

 

Would the ideal start be a 4-2 win where Ivan gets torn apart bad enough that aina starts the next game?

 

even if Aina starts we need to bring in another full back along with a center back.

 

Also best news might be payet on the bench. Thinking that he comes on if they are chasing the game but still nice to only face him part of the game

I agree with clemsontyger04 though. Ayew going to eat Ivan's soul

 

If you bring in koulibaly and have 3 CBs and 3 fullbacks with zouma coming back in 2-3 months I think we can be ok.

Zouma and koulibaly can play RB as well so you have some flexibility. We haven't been linked with fullbacks really and it seems like we will roll with 3. We have done that the last 2 years as well.

Also jake Clarke-salter hasn't gone on loan yet and he can play all 4 defensive positions. Not ideal but maybe in a league cup/FA cup/emergency role

 

Also clemsontyger04 no champions league/Europa league so depth not as much of a concern as the other top 4 teams or how it normally is for us. Still need at least one backup CB though. Not even having a CB On the bench speaks volumes

 

yeah I agree. Not excited about the lineup but there isn't much of a surprise.

 

Watch Iva score on a corner, with everyone universally shit talking his inclusion.

 

Kante on a yellow already lol

 

Oscar's pressing in the final third is looking real good.

 

Oh great Costa on a yellow

 

that looked like the old Hazard. THought it was in

 

How many fucking times will Costa attempt to run at guys with the ball when he has no chance to get by them?

 

Good half. Clearly the better side. Was on my phone so I couldn't tell but since no one complained I guess the Oscar penalty shout wasn't a valid one?

Costa is being aggressive which I like but too much dribbling and not enough opening up space for others. I think hazard, Willian and Oscar have looked very good

I don't see any subs right away but in the 60-75 range I think we could see Michy for Costa (especially with the yellow card) or RLC for matic (RLC brings more attack but still a solid presence in the midfield).

We have looked good in the 4-3-3 but if conte wants to go for it we could always go 4-4-2 with hazard tucking in and Moses/Pedro for matic or Kante or Michy for one of those midfield players and both strikers playing together

With the way the game has played we need another strong half and 3 points

 

Some anger in that PK from Eden