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

Lukerz

MrsGrey said:

It's not an exact science.

I know, but my view is the club have taken this approach with regards to being ambiguous around AC since he signed.

Yeoldhammer

though he is a science project for any sport scientist over the past 4 years or so. ;whistle

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

alderz said:

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.

Unfortunately Alderz, I do think the club are telling little white ones, at least being economical with the truth/facts anyway....

They've been this way since he got his first big injury........

I will add that AC's injuries have been complex in the main, what looked like very little turned into something much worse, but when the club found out, they didn't always release that information for fear of negativity from fans.

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

One other thing, I do believe they tend to wrap AC up in cotton wool a bit, because of his Injury history, which is natural.....

Therefore they're much less likely to take a "risk" with him

MrsGrey

Club has just tweeted he's back in training, with a picture.


If you believe that sort of thing, ;wink

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

That's good, are we sure it wasn't an old picture of him, photo shopped onto todays training picture?

;run

;wink

Vorselaarhammer

Are you sure it wasn't a horse strategically shaved and put into a WH kit...

steve

;lol

SuzanneClaret

;ac

puddleglumhammers

Got to match their formation to get anything out of this.
Randolph
Byram Kouyate Reid Fonte Cresswell
Noble Obiang
Lanzini
Carrol Ayew

Adrian Collins Fernandes Feghouli Snodgrass Calleri Fletcher

IronHerb

So who will actually get the ball to Carroll and Ayew? ;hmm

Adam

Randolph?

Haha, I'm half joking and half being serious. It's gonna be a tough game. Chelsea have conceded a league-low of 11 goals in 13 away games.

puddleglumhammers

IronHerb, Byram and Cresswell can push further forward in a back 5 than in a back 4 and get crosses in, while Lanzini can play through the middle, supported at times by Noble. That's enough support, IMO.

NEoldiron

With his lack of pace, this game is going to pass Noble by. ;weep

alderz

I bet we get battered and Noble gets completely overrun, but Reid, Fonte & Randolph have the game of their lives and then Noble scores a penalty. 1-0 ;ok

IronHerb

If Noble is having a mare then he will be subbed off and Lanzini gets the pen. ;biggrin

grey_til_I_dye

Got to be honest, saw Chelsea against Swansea last weekend, and they were wasteful and still ended up winning 3-1.

Their pace and movement is really difficult to defend against.

Unless we have one of those games (e.g Man U away in the Tevez season, or the Arsenal game where Bobby Z scored with our shot) can't see us getting anything out of this other than beat.

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

Home win

;cool

#DealWithIt

OldCastleSwift

Grey ;ok I think we'll get a very decent tonking, which is why I'm so frustrated with the previous two results. Had we got six points from them, as we should have done, you could write this one off without too much bother. But getting only two points means there's a bit more pressure on us, which will hardly help matters.

Comfortable away win I fear, 1-3

IronHerb

There's not really pressure on us other than it's a home derby. We tend to raise our game, especially if the crowd gets behind them, and anyway we've won the last two at home against them. A point to be had, at least. COYI

steve

just a point ;nonono .....I want at lest 4

eskimoking

puddleglumhammers said:

Got to match their formation to get anything out of this.
Randolph
Byram Kouyate Reid Fonte Cresswell
Noble Obiang
Lanzini
Carrol Ayew

Adrian Collins Fernandes Feghouli Snodgrass Calleri Fletcher

I've always been of the opinion that if two teams play the same way, the team with the better players wins. To stand a chance we need to counter them, not copy them.

ASLEFshrugged

Lawro says we lose 0-2 so that's a good omen.

Vorselaarhammer

A point would be Fab Dabby Dozy...

We need to start strong.

Give Costa a kick and triple team Hazard who will be attacking our right side which we know is the weakness.

I think three in MF this time plus Snodgrass and Lanzini dropping further back let Ayew work for his money up front.

Time for a Big Sam point....

Yeoldhammer

Rumours are no Carroll tomorrow and already know Antonio isn't available. This isn't going to end well.

Moore_than_a_nick

Yeoldhammer said:

Rumours are no Carroll tomorrow and already know Antonio isn't available. This isn't going to end well.

I don't have great expectations for the beginning or the middle either!

Lukerz

Yeoldhammer said:

Rumours are no Carroll tomorrow and already know Antonio isn't available. This isn't going to end well.

Shock

Again, no striker signing is ridiculous! Absolutely amateur.

IronHerb

Rumours? What rumours?

baracks_a_hammer

I personally subscribe to the theory that there is a good degree of smoke and mirrors about the statements put out by the club/manager when it comes to AC, which gives the impression he may make the squad etc for the immediate game ahead, when in fact in reality it is (yet again) a proper longer term spell out.

Perhaps to ward off and confuse those fans who are irate about a striker not being signed in Jan.

OutcastLondoner

The club have put a video up on FB with the caption "he's back". A bit stupid if he's not guaranteed to play.