Chelsea (H) 06.03.17 - 8pm k/o SS1

SuzanneClaret

No idea.

Hammerex

Thats what they call a blind Bambi. ;lol

SuzanneClaret

;lol

alderz

Herb

I want a right back at right back, and I like Noble and Obiang together in midfield ;ok

Hammerex

I agree alderz, but I would also like a striker at the front of our attack, but with
A/C laid up again we havn't got one.

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

Kouyate should probably be the second name down on the sheet, after Reid

TwistandShout

There is room for all 3 against the bigger teams IMO Obiang, Noble and Kouyate all in the middle.

alderz

;ok

For me though, if you do that you can't have Lanzini. He just doesn't work on the wings, imo.

TwistandShout

alderz said:

;ok

For me though, if you do that you can't have Lanzini. He just doesn't work on the wings, imo.

Alderz ;ok

Randy
Byram, Fonte, Reid, Cresswell
Obiang, Noble, Kouyate
Lanzini
Carroll, Ayew

;hmm

All 4 in the middle? Byram and Cresswell providing the width

OutcastLondoner

Kouyate up front.

Moore_than_a_nick

TwistAndShout said:

alderz said:

;ok

For me though, if you do that you can't have Lanzini. He just doesn't work on the wings, imo.

Alderz ;ok

Randy
Byram, Fonte, Reid, Cresswell
Obiang, Noble, Kouyate
Lanzini
Carroll, Ayew

;hmm

All 4 in the middle? Byram and Cresswell providing the width

Yep, you could shift that into a diamond formation, which I'd like us to try. Put Obiang at the base, Nobes and Cheik at the sides/middle and Lanzini at the tip/top!

Does need two strikers, however, when we've struggled for one. But it looks like we'll have Carroll and Antonio/Ayew available. Problem with this formation is that you can probably only have one of our most expensive signing and our best attacking player of the season. But to be honest, we're unlikely to have Carroll, Antonio and Ayew all available and fully match fit too often.

However, when we do, we should decide on the formation and personnel based on the oppo and use Antonio preferably wide in a front three (4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1) or, if necessary, as a second striker.

OutcastLondoner

Diamond also suited Sakho very well in his first season (whenever he's fit again).

MrsGrey

Antonio's suspended for this match.

alderz

Twisty ;ok

I like that, BUT, let's remember that Chelsea will have 2 wingers and 2 wingbacks. Our fullbacks would be very exposed in that formation.

OldCastleSwift

Randy
Byram Fonte Reid Cresswell
Feghouli Obiang Kouyate Snodgrass
Lanzini
Ayew

Adrian, Masuaku, Collins, Noble, Fernandes, Carroll, Calleri

tomkinsworldclass

I think Slaven will be tempted to revert to the 3 at the back system (so would I), if so, then I would like:-

------------------ADRIAN------------------
-------KOUYATE------FONTE----REID--------
-BYRAM----OBIANG--LANZINI---NOBLE-CRESSWELL-
------------------AYEW----CARROLL-----------

We all know how we have struggled at home against the elite, especially on the counter and with our pressing game; so changing to this system would significantly help us in rectifying that IMO. We all know how CFC will line up because they are largely unchanged week in week out, so i think almost matching up systems (not like for like though) would give us a good chance- Wing backs on wing backs, the 3 CBS, having alot of protection infront, whilst having 3 vs 3 in CM, and 2 up front to have a genuine outlet would cause CFC a number of issues.

I would like to see Lanzini play deeper and make a 3 in the middle to help out Noble and Obiang; Lanzini is probably more effective there vs the elite teams as he is our best technical player under pressure and can initiate the counters because he is able to turn out of the press unlike others (except Obiang obviously ;bowdown ). Plus it would get him on the ball more often which would enable us to gain more control and structure to our game.

I'd like to see Adrian return; Randolph hasnt necessarily done anything wrong but I think Adrian brings more to the table, especially with shot stopping, and yes, he is abit impulsive at times, however I think its been over played and he is more consistent than people think and probably deserves another chance after his spell out of the team.

Yeoldhammer

Drop Noble game just walks by him now.

Moore_than_a_nick

MrsGrey said:

Antonio's suspended for this match.

Yes, thanks, temporarily slipped my mind as I wrote and started to think about the next few games. But goes to prove my point that we won't often have AC, Antonio and Ayew all available (I could add Sakho), so the diamond with two of those four could be good.

Alderz makes an interesting point suggesting that we need two banks of four (my interpretation - perhaps he's not being that rigid) to sort of double up against Chelsea's wide players. But since they play a 3-4-3 now (correct me if wrong), I wonder if a 3-5-2 wouldn't be our best option, matching their attacking 3 with our defensive 3, but out-manning the midfield to cover for their man-for-man superiority there. I agree with TWC that Lanzini can play deeper in midfield, and do the normal Noble role of collecting the ball deep and starting breaks. In fact, I'm going to go along with TWC's suggested line-up for this match. But I'd still like the diamond to be tried when the oppo don't have such strength in two layers of wide men plus through the middle.

thornburyiron

I think that we will spend a lot of time deep.

Hammerex

Does anybody know when AC is expected to return from injury.

OutcastLondoner

Didn't they mention in commentary that the club was struggling to work out what the problem is?

PhysioRoom says will have a late fitness test to be available for Chelsea.

Bazshuayi

Said somewhere I looked today he was to resume training today

thornburyiron

Gold said he resumes training this week

alderz

The thing that frustrates me about Carroll's injuries isn't so much the injuries themselves but the fact that we never know what's going on. When he went off it was for a precaution, then he had a late fitness test against West Brom, then a late fitness test against Watford. Nobody knows what the problem is, or when he's coming back. I don't think the club is lying or hiding something or anything like that, I just can't understand why nobody ever knows anything.

MrsGrey

I read yesterday (i think it was article on the club site) that Slav had said AC had been running, and had had no reaction, so was probably eligible for Chelsea.

I will see if I can find it and clarify.

Edit: Here we are. (Wherever I saw it, it has been picked up by other outlets. Several use the direct quote.)

"The guys from the medical department have told me he's going to start training Tuesday or Wednesday. Andy ran on Friday and Saturday morning with no negative reaction, so hopefully [he will be back].

"Me and my medical department are fighting. They say Wednesday, I say Tuesday. Then hopefully four or five days of training, that is always enough for Andy to shine in the next game. So hopefully he is going to be able to play against Chelsea."

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11685/10782716/slaven-bilic-hopes-west-hams-andy-carroll-will-be-fit-for-chelsea-clash

Yeoldhammer

Its AC just apply the formula of, Injury = 3x longer than the standard for anyone else.

Lukerz

The original issue was a groin problem. That's what somebody (Slav, Gold, medical team) said when he came off against Boro.

The worry, again, is that this is what, four/five weeks after he initially suffered it, and he's still doubtful.

I think the club should just say 'he's out for a month', but sometimes I feel they don't like saying it as they know the reaction will be 'not again', so they disguise it for weeks saying he 'may make it/may not'.

MrsGrey

My take on it is that it is one of those niggly injuries that flares up from time to time. It's not completely debilitating, and a player can (and often wants to) play through the pain. But the medical staff know that the best way to get it to clear up is to rest it. (Hence his recent pattern of games - since he came back from injury 13 games ago for the Arsenal game he had 3 games building up his match fitness, then played 3 X 90 minutes. Went off after 22m n the next one, then managed a 90, then did 66min ... 78min ... 55min. Then missed 2 games)

And the club has conflicting aims: a duty of care to the player not to push it. As well as wanting the player to not be missing for longer than is necessary.

The problem then is that when it seems OK, you have to test it by training/playing. At which point, if it isn't completely fine, you have just caused it to flare up again. So you are back to resting.

Luke, how can the club say he'll be out for a month if they don't actually know how long he'll be out for?

Lukerz

Well if they don't know they need better medical staff because that really isn't good enough, given the supposed quality of staff you'd expect to be working in the sports science department.

He's missed WBA and Watford! That's 3 weeks football. They must've had an idea of timeline? He can't have been that close to making WBA to then miss a game two weeks after.

MrsGrey

It's not an exact science.