Team v Chelsea

[vegassd]

I understand some people's reluctance to try something new now, but whatever we do, with the injuries we have, it is going to be new, and it's not as if Vertonghen's unaccustomed to the position, as it's where he's generally played with a successful Belgian national team, and also many times for Ajax.

The danger is surely having Caulker in at CB having not played for so long. Even with Verts as a DM he can't completely cover Caulker, and if he does then we may as well just play Verts at CB and have an additional midfielder.

Don't get me wrong, I do like Caulker, but it's quite a high pressure match to bring a youngster into, especially when he hasn't had much recent playing time. I'm sure Jan is more than capable of playing the position, but with Chelsea's second line floating around all over the place we will really need two completely switched on CBs in my opinion.

We will have nice defensive options next season though, barring any more injuries and with the luxury of Caulker as a back-up:

Kaboul - Vert
Sandro

Dawson - Kaboul
Vert

Dawson - Kaboul - Vert
Sandro​

 

[ThorntonSpur]

Very serious, I think in terms of depth I believe we have a superior squad to Arsenal and Chelsea. I think the first XIs are very close, although the Chelsea first XI may just have that edge. I think the fact we're sufferring from a number of high profile injuries and are still able to put our a pretty strong XI without them proves that.

Take the following out of the Chelsea side and see how they match up: 1 first choice CB, 2 first choice CM, 1 first choice Right winger.

doesn't rafa do that every week plus 1st choice striker anyway

 

[Adam456]

doesnt look like it

mousadembeleGoing out for some sunny weather while I'm recovering in #Amsterdam
http://instagram.com/p/ZByxgEt8Zx/

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Adam456]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-final-push-for-Champions-League-stardom.html

 

[stormfly]

If Dembele and Lennon don't make it, I'm really struggling to think of a team that can win this. AVB won't risk Carroll and the Hud may be too slow to start this game. I think this team could contain Chelsea and hope we can nick a 1 - 0 with a bale super goal or and Caulker header from a set piece. I would worry for this team if we went 1 - 0 down though.

..............Loris

.....Dawson Caulker Verts
Walker Parker BAE
......Holtby......Siggy
.............Bale
.............Ade

 

[We'llWinThePrem]

Lloris​

Walker Dawson Vertonghen BAE​

Parker​

Huddlestone Holtby​

Lennon Adebayor Bale​

 

[Locotoro]

Lloris​

Walker Dawson Vertonghen BAE​

Parker​

Huddlestone Holtby​

Lennon Adebayor Bale​

That team will really struggle to keep hold of the ball with Chelsea applying pressure.

I would play Carroll in place of Parker as he has the highest percentage of forward passes of all our midfielders with Hudd operating in the deep role. I think we will see a Chelsea team set up to stifle us and apply pressure - its Rafa's way. So more creativity is the order of the day.

 

[stevenqoz]

These players started the game or finished it uninjured on Saturday
..............Lloris Walker Dawson Verts BAE Bale Defoe Ade Sig Holtby Huddlestone.........(Dempsey Lennon Dembele Parker either never started or got injured)
With the injury problems we have I would be surprised if these eleven don't start...maybe like this

...............Lloris
Walker Dawson Vert BAE
..........Huddlestone
......Holtby Bale Sig
...............Ade
.............Defoe

Hardly world beating but relatively balanced....important that BAE and Walker show some attacking intent........I fancy a 1-0 win a Sig header the winner

 

[Chris12]

tonight can be the night Holtby shows it to us

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

If Hudd starts we lose. It really is that simple.

I can just imagine Hudd lumbering around giving away fouls against Hazard, Ramires, Mata et al and then not showing for the ball as our defence is under massive pressure.

 

[ShelfSide18]

So for you:

Dawson Vertonghen​

Huddlestone​

Is defensively more sound than:

Dawson Caulker​

Vertonghen​

?

In my opinion the second three are a far more robust defensively, with Vertonghen in there we've potentially got a proper defensive shield for our CBs, and a platform in CM which hopefully will see us with more possession, in better areas, or at the least compensate for the slightly feeble off the ball work of some of our front four. With Vertonghen you can then play Holtby (who will have a better licence to be busy and in player's faces), and Carroll. But I don't think he'll drop Huddlestone, so Vertonghen will hopefully give Hudd a bit more licence, a bit more room to play his game (I don't believe that btw, I don't think he'll be effective at all, but there's more chance of it if he's not our CM defensive lynchpin!!).

I understand some people's reluctance to try something new now, but whatever we do, with the injuries we have, it is going to be new, and it's not as if Vertonghen's unaccustomed to the position, as it's where he's generally played with a successful Belgian national team, and also many times for Ajax.

All of that said, let's hope Parker's fit, but even then I want Hudd on the bench, forlorn hope though that may be.

Well when you put it like that...

I'm really not sure Sloth, ideally Parker, Dembele and Lennon are all fit and match ready. If not then putting Hudd in CM then the midfield is compromised, Jan in CM then the defence is compromised - and you also have to think that putting him in there for the first time this season is going to take a little while to acclimatise to the role even if he has played it before. There has to be compromise either way, and I accept your point, and the conclusion is I really aint sure and I hope AVB is putting more thoguht into it than me trying to post without my boss seeing me write on SC.

 

[Chris12]

Lloris
Walker--Dawson--Verts--BAE
--------------Parker--------------
----Carroll------------Holtby---
Lennon-------Ade--------Bale-

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Lloris
Walker--Dawson--Verts--BAE
--------------Parker--------------
----Carroll------------Holtby---
Lennon-------Ade--------Bale-

This could potentially work but I just don't think AVB has the balls to throw Carroll in - and I kind of don't blame him with the pressure that is on this result

 

[sloth]

The danger is surely having Caulker in at CB having not played for so long. Even with Verts as a DM he can't completely cover Caulker, and if he does then we may as well just play Verts at CB and have an additional midfielder.

Don't get me wrong, I do like Caulker, but it's quite a high pressure match to bring a youngster into, especially when he hasn't had much recent playing time. I'm sure Jan is more than capable of playing the position, but with Chelsea's second line floating around all over the place we will really need two completely switched on CBs in my opinion.

We will have nice defensive options next season though, barring any more injuries and with the luxury of Caulker as a back-up:

Kaboul - Vert
Sandro

Dawson - Kaboul
Vert

Dawson - Kaboul - Vert
Sandro​

I'd agree if the alternative wasn't Hudd as the defensive screen! It's about the least bad options here... Basically I prefer to play a CB at CB and DM at DM than a CB and a traffic cone!

 

[thePessimist]

doesnt look like it

mousadembeleGoing out for some sunny weather while I'm recovering in #Amsterdam
http://instagram.com/p/ZByxgEt8Zx/

might be a picture from the last time he was there...actually looks like it's raining in amsterdam today, don't know how it was yesterday though....

 

[chrissivad]

might be a picture from the last time he was there...actually looks like it's raining in amsterdam today, don't know how it was yesterday though....

Dated 7th of May.

 

[Buster18]

might be a picture from the last time he was there...actually looks like it's raining in amsterdam today, don't know how it was yesterday though....

I doubt with a big game today a trip to Amsterdam would have been sanctioned by the club, never mind the fact he has an injury.

I would expect yesterday the team would have been prepping for the game

 

[michaelden]

If Dembele and Lennon don't make it, I'm really struggling to think of a team that can win this. AVB won't risk Carroll and the Hud may be too slow to start this game. I think this team could contain Chelsea and hope we can nick a 1 - 0 with a bale super goal or and Caulker header from a set piece. I would worry for this team if we went 1 - 0 down though.

..............Loris

.....Dawson Caulker Verts
Walker Parker BAE
......Holtby......Siggy
.............Bale
.............Ade

Lloris​

Naughton Caulker Verts BAE​

Parker Holtby​

Walker Siggy Bale​

Ade​

​

My take on getting over the Lennon Problem.​

 

[Spurs_Bear]

We're going to win.

2-1.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Lloris​

Naughton Caulker Verts BAE​

Parker Holtby​

Walker Siggy Bale​

Ade​

​

My take on getting over the Lennon Problem.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!

Walker will NEVER EVER had enough technical ability to play in midfield. As I have said thousands of times on this forum - being fast is not the only attribute you need to be a winger.