Chelsea Vs Tottenham: Match Thread

[thinktank]

Be brave. That's all.

 

[thinktank]

I guarantee Mourinho will make changes, and not just forced ones. Ramires will come in for them I reckon.

I bet the cunning bastard is gonna soak up our play and counter like a xxxx. We can't have any slow-coaches on on weds, they'll batter us.

Same team with the same spirit, at least to start and get our game going.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

As long as we keep 11 players on the pitch and work as we hard as we did yesterday then we'll be ok. I don't think we'll win but just hope for an decent performance.

 

[carpediem1906]

one more point / observation

- fazio and verts will also be key in the attack instance... because
- their midfield will look to dribble or pass to exploit space and get into the area just outside the box... if they beat our midfielder and continues or lays it off to an open player..
- fazio and verts must be alert to intercept the short passes and instead of clearing it away or passing it sideways etc
- they must look to run directly and aggressively forward which will
- force fabregas / matic to come to them and therefore leave our midfielders open to receive the ball
- or if they have gone beyond fabregas / matic, draw one of the defenders out of position

i can imagine a scenario something like...

hazard cuts in from left, pushes past lennon and passes it to oscar who releases it to willian first time on the edge of the box, and willian pretends to shoot and beats mason, and nabil is on him but willian tries to play a pass to drogba running beyond defensive line, but nabil just manages to deflect it a little away from original path, and fazio reacts quickest...

intercepts and runs forward, draws matic towards him and releases the ball to lennon who runs towards the 2 centre backs at the centre circle and passes it to soldado in space who plays a first time lay off to running kane / eriksen into the final third to create a one-on-one situation and we score....

i can dream can't i ?

 

[Mr Pink]

I bet the cunning bastard is gonna soak up our play and counter like a xxxx. We can't have any slow-coaches on on weds, they'll batter us.

Same team with the same spirit, at least to start and get our game going.

Will be interesting for sure. Its a tricky balancing act for me and I think some changes should be carefully considered. Only Poch and his team are in a position to assess recovery and plan for so many games in such a short period.

I'll trust and roll with his judgement on this, because his style - the one we saw yesterday - is bloody energy zapping, so I wouldn't be surprised if we did see a few changes given we have Palace on Saturday.

 

[prawnsandwich]

That said maybe it is a good time to catch them.
Costa is a big miss for them if you look at how many home goals he's scored for them this season, more than half.
Fuck it, I'm going 1-1 (and I called 2-1 against Everton lol)

They did not play good v Sunderland. If we can play like we did in the 1st half last season I am confident of a point

 

[chrissivad]

We have to get a win there at some point in the PL.....dont we?

 

[prawnsandwich]

Last 6 home games. Uh oh.





Got to believe. Coys

We have won 6 of our last 7 in all comps not playing particularly well.

 

[thinktank]

Will be interesting for sure. Its a tricky balancing act for me and I think some changes should be carefully considered. Only Poch and his team are in a position to assess recovery and plan for so many games in such a short period.

I'll trust and roll with his judgement on this, because his style - the one we saw yesterday - is bloody energy zapping, so I wouldn't be surprised if we did see a few changes given we have Palace on Saturday.

I wouldn't be surprised either, just desperate not to lose that buzz the that starting eleven had.

 

[King of Otters]

Just hope we don't get thrashed and have our confidence smashed after taking a big step forward on Sunday. Could do without this game right now tbh.

 

[Mr Pink]

I wouldn't be surprised either, just desperate not to lose that buzz the that starting eleven had.

Yeah totally, that's why its tricky.

We want to pick up where we left off for sure, but we also want to be taking three points on Saturday that's for frigging sure.

Gallant effort on Wednesday, and a defeat, with dropped points on Saturday will be tough to take after what we saw yesterday. A big kick in the swingers lol.

 

[thinktank]

Yeah totally, that's why its tricky.

We want to pick up where we left off for sure, but we also want to be taking three points on Saturday that's for frigging sure.

Gallant effort on Wednesday, and a defeat, with dropped points on Saturday will be tough to take after what we saw yesterday. A big kick in the swingers lol.

I know, but if we get it wrong on weds and get thumped it will probably put a dampener on things anyway and we might lose momentum.

I think a heroic effort on weds will stand us in good stead in the long run tbf, far more than being cautious and preserving players for the weekend.

 

[Mr Pink]

I know, but if we get it wrong on weds and get thumped it will probably put a dampener on things anyway and we might lose momentum.

I think a heroic effort on weds will stand us in good stead in the long run tbf, far more than being cautious and preserving players for the weekend.

You see that's where I kind of disagree a bit mate, respectfully of course. I just don't think you can maintain that level of performance - Pochettino style - with three games in 6 days, four in 8 if you count Partizan.

Its conceivable, that if we start the same eleven as yesterday that we could tire after 45 minutes and still go on to get humped - which could be even worse for morale and momentum.

Were as if we mixed it up, and still got beat, at least we'd have plenty of energy for Saturday
and a fresher impetus could see us stronger to contain Chelsea anyway - possibly.

Of course, if you could guarantee me the same level of work ethic, pressing and overall endeavor for the whole week we wouldn't be having this conversation

 

[riggi]

Booked day off work. Forgot to get ticket. Fml

 

[thinktank]

You see that's where I kind of disagree a bit mate, respectfully of course. I just don't think you can maintain that level of performance - Pochettino style - with three games in 6 days, four in 8 if you count Partizan.

Its conceivable, that if we start the same eleven as yesterday that we could tire after 45 minutes and still go on to get humped.

Were as if we mixed it up, and still got beat, at least we'd have plenty of energy for Saturday.

Of course, if you could guarantee me the same level of work ethic, pressing and overall endeavor we wouldn't be having this conversation

I'd say start that and maybe change key players early in the second half to rest 'em.

I think it's worth the risk, and have subs come on with our game up and running rather than having a potentially unbalanced 11 having to magic something up.

Though that could work the other way, of course, and they could rise to the occasion and try and prove to poch they are just as good as the sunday gang.

It is tricky disco.

My personal preference is to start the same...that's the version of risk I'd go with.

 

[Mr Pink]

I'd say start that and maybe change key players early in the second half to rest 'em.

I think it's worth the risk, and have subs come on with our game up and running rather than having a potentially unbalanced 11 having to magic something up.

Though that could work the other way, of course, and they could rise to the occasion and try and prove to poch they are just as good as the sunday gang.

It is tricky disco.

My personal preference is to start the same...that's the version of risk I'd go with.

Just down to preference at the end of the day, and its hard to second guess without knowing the condition of the players etc.

 

[only1waddle]

Lets face it, Mourinho eventually worked out one of the best pressing teams in world football, Peps Barcelona, the only decision needed is do we keep the high press and risk some loss in confidence if we get murdered, or do we sit deeper with an extra CM and press as a more compact unit inside our own half, not only could this keep the morale up but we would stay fresher for Palace, decisions decisions.

 

[Mr Pink]

Lets face it, Mourinho eventually worked out one of the best pressing teams in world football, Peps Barcelona, the only decision needed is do we keep the high press and risk some loss in confidence if we get murdered, or do we sit deeper with an extra CM and press as a more compact unit inside our own half, not only could this keep the morale up but we would stay fresher for Palace, decisions decisions.

Exactly, and I'd go with the second option all day long.

The minute we tire with the same team, and the pressing stops from the front our high back line is fucked, I mean fucked.

And I think fatigue will come into it. Kane, Lennon, Eriksen, Mason and Bentaleb put in a huge effort yesterday. The minute they stop working hard we'll be ripe for it.

I say freshen it up, go with three in the middle, and drop deeper. They love to play through balls, so just sit deep to combat that and hit them on the counter.

I like tactical flexibility and altering the approach for different opponents and conditions. Not to mention I think its necessary to freshen shit up.

 

[only1waddle]

Exactly, and I'd go with the second option all day long.

The minute we tire with the same team, and the pressing stops from the front our high back line is fucked, I mean fucked.

And I think fatigue will come into it. Kane, Lennon, Eriksen, Mason and Bentaleb put in a huge effort yesterday. The minute they stop working hard we'll be ripe for it.

I say freshen it up, go with three in the middle, and drop deeper. They love to play through balls, so just sit deep to combat that and hit them on the counter.

I'd like tactical flexibility and altering the approach for different opponents and conditions. Not to mention I think its necessary to freshen shit up.

If we play with the same intensity then Kane's number might as well be put on the subs board scheduled for 60 mins, he wont last, i would be inclined to sit deeper myself, half of me wants us to go out and attempt to stick it up em, the brain says stay fresh for Palace.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

They've had an extra days rest than us.