Chelsea (H) Sunday 20th August 4:30pm live on Sky

ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
edited August 2023 in Match Threads
Well, where to start?

After the utter car crash of Chelsea 22/23 Chelsea 23/24 are almost a completely different team.

Poch has taken over, 12 first team players have moved on while five players have joined. Only three of the starting XI when we played Chelsea at home in February started against Liverpool yesterday.

Chelsea's most expensive signing this season (or at least so far), CF Christopher Nkunku, £52m from RB Leipzig, managed to pick up a knee injury in the last pre-season friendly and will be out for “an extended period”.

There are several other expensive signings keeping Nkunku company on the sick list, CB Wesley Fofana (£69.5m), CB Benoit Badiashile (£33m) and CB Trevor Chalobah (£20m) along with CF Armando Broja who was supposed to be returning for the per-season.

Yesterday they set up in a 3-4-3 with three new signings in the starting XI including GK Roberto Sanchez who joined from Brighton two weeks ago, replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga who “has permission” to leave.

GK Roberto Sanchez

RCB Axel Disasi (£38,8m Monaco)
CB Tiago Silva
LCB Levi Colwill (20yo, on loan at Brighton last season)

RWB Reece James (c)
MC Enzo Fernandez
MC Conor Gallagher
LWB Ben Chilwell

RW Raheem Sterling
CF Nicholas Jackson (£32m Villarreal)
LW Carney Chukwuemeka (19yo, signed from Villa 2022)

This left a couple of last season's big signings on the bench, £88.5m Mykhailo Mudryk replaced Sterling with 10 minutes left while £63m Marc Cucurella was unused.

Reece James was subbed after 75 minutes but Poch insisted he wasn't injured.

The good news is that there was absolutely no sign of Romelu Lukaku

The bad news is that Spurs are rumoured to want Lukaku as Harry Kane's replacement
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Comments

  • ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
    Yeah, i know Chalobah was a Chelsea youth. Come on, its 7am...
  • alderzalderz
    I reckon we'll be unchanged from Bournemouth.

    The only realistic change, IMO, would be Alvarez in for either Fornals (meaning Paqueta moves slightly further forward) or for Benrahma (meaning Paqueta moves slightly forward AND Fornals moves to the left flank). If James Ward-Prowse signs this week I'd imagine he'll make his debut from the bench.

    Areola; Coufal Zouma Aguerd Emerson; Alvarez; Bowen Soucek Paqueta Fornals / Benrahma; Antonio

    If Harry Maguire signs this week I can see him coming straight into the side, probably at the expense of Alvarez / or Benrahma to move us to a 3-4-3 (or 5-4-1 depending on whether you're a cup half full or half empty kind of person).

    Areola; Zouma Maguire Aguerd; Coufal Soucek Paqueta Emerson; Bowen Antonio Fornals
  • LukerzLukerz
    Given our midfield was really good on Saturday, I can’t see it changing but there are two possibilities, there is movement this week on the Paqueta deal or we move Fornals to the left & bring in Ward-Prowse for Benrahma. I’m sure Moyes will want to get JWP in the side asap.
  • jay_in_cptjay_in_cpt
    JWP has to start IMO ⚒️🏌️‍♂️
  • LukerzLukerz
    edited August 2023
    Areola
    Coufal - Zouma - Aguerd - Emerson
    Ward-Prowse - Soucek - Paqueta
    Bowen - Antonio - Fornals

    Fabianski, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Johnson, Álvarez, Benrahma, Cornet, Ings, Mubama

    Likely side, I’d say.
  • LukerzLukerz
    edited August 2023
    Poch admitted Chelsea were playing a 4 at the back, with Chilwell as a LM, but they didn’t get it quite right (looking more like a 5). Colwill was meant to be playing at LB.
  • WHU_Champo_league_in_7_yearsWHU_Champo_league_in_7_years
    They played well against Liverpool but they looked light up top again

    Annoying looks like Caceido may be announced today/tomorrow, think they'd jump him straight in and looking at how they played against Liverpool you can see why they bought him

    No idea how we'll line up, think JWP comes in but Alvarez probably too soon base doff Moyes comments

    Once Alvarez is up to speed, does this mean soucek will finally be dropped? I doubt it
  • jay_in_cptjay_in_cpt
    WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

    They played well against Liverpool but they looked light up top again

    Annoying looks like Caceido may be announced today/tomorrow, think they'd jump him straight in and looking at how they played against Liverpool you can see why they bought him

    No idea how we'll line up, think JWP comes in but Alvarez probably too soon base doff Moyes comments

    Once Alvarez is up to speed, does this mean soucek will finally be dropped? I doubt it

    Soucek was MOM for quite some, so if he keeps that up, just perhaps he'll deserve his spot in the starting 11....
  • SlackerSlacker
    Chelsea are fast becoming my go to most disliked club. I think it’s the amount of money they’ve spent ‘specially since the Americans took over.
    I really, really want it to all blow up In their face, starting this Sunday.
    Dunno if it’ll happen but it would make my day for sure.
  • ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
    edited August 2023
    Lukerz said:

    Poch admitted Chelsea were playing a 4 at the back, with Chilwell as a LM, but they didn’t get it quite right (looking more like a 5). Colwill was meant to be playing at LB.

    It doesn't really look that way from whoscored "average player positions"


    James 24 and Chilwell 21 look to be playing as wing backs
  • alderzalderz
    What's really the difference between left midfield and left wing back in this system though? Colwill's position looks more like he's a left back than a centre back to me/
  • ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
    alderz said:

    What's really the difference between left midfield and left wing back in this system though? Colwill's position looks more like he's a left back than a centre back to me/

    I think the evidence is that Disasi and Colwill didn't put any crosses in whereas James and Chilwell put in 12 out of the total of 26 crosses
  • LukerzLukerz
    Only saying what Poch said
  • KuchinghammerKuchinghammer
    Chelsea are looking seriously good, definite top four contenders. A point would be an excellent result (for them, I want three points for the Mighty Hammers) 😉
  • ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
    Chelsea have finally signed Moises Caicedo but he only got two run outs for a combined 90 minutes in the pre-season and hasn't played since 28th July
  • jay_in_cptjay_in_cpt
    Referee appointment:
    West Ham United (First Team) v Chelsea (First Team)
    Premier League
    Referee: Brooks, John
    Assistant Referee: Betts, Lee
    Assistant Referee: Howson, Akil
    Fourth Official: Pawson, Craig
    Video Assistant Referee: Tierney, Paul
    Additional Video Assistant Referee: Ledger, Scott
  • ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
    edited August 2023
    There goes another one!

    Hakim Ziyech to have a medical with Galatasaray (he failed one with a Saudi club last month)

    What is the record on players transferred out of a single club in a summer window?
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    Whether it's a decision for this match or in a match or two's time, but I wonder what Moyes's first choice midfield will be this season should we keep hold of Paqueta. We've bought in 2 fairly pricey players in Alvarez and JWP, we've got arguably our best player in Paqueta, and we've got Soucek who Moyes was extremely reluctant to bench last season even when he was struggling for form (although he could well be aided by a disciplined DM in Alvarez behind him).

    Will we see Soucek benched as we play Alvarez in a sitting role with Paqueta and JWP in front of him as our default first choice midfield? Obviously we might mix things up depending on the opposition, but I'm curious to see how we set up once our new signings are up to speed.
  • alderzalderz
    buffybegood said:

    Whether it's a decision for this match or in a match or two's time, but I wonder what Moyes's first choice midfield will be this season should we keep hold of Paqueta. We've bought in 2 fairly pricey players in Alvarez and JWP, we've got arguably our best player in Paqueta, and we've got Soucek who Moyes was extremely reluctant to bench last season even when he was struggling for form (although he could well be aided by a disciplined DM in Alvarez behind him).

    Will we see Soucek benched as we play Alvarez in a sitting role with Paqueta and JWP in front of him as our default first choice midfield? Obviously we might mix things up depending on the opposition, but I'm curious to see how we set up once our new signings are up to speed.

    It wouldn't shock me to see us play a diamond midfield, tbh.

    ---------Alvarez-----------
    --------------------------
    --Soucek---------Paqueta--
    --------------------------
    -------Ward-Prowse--------
    --------------------------
    -----Bowen---Antonio------
  • WHU_Champo_league_in_7_yearsWHU_Champo_league_in_7_years
    alderz said:

    buffybegood said:

    Whether it's a decision for this match or in a match or two's time, but I wonder what Moyes's first choice midfield will be this season should we keep hold of Paqueta. We've bought in 2 fairly pricey players in Alvarez and JWP, we've got arguably our best player in Paqueta, and we've got Soucek who Moyes was extremely reluctant to bench last season even when he was struggling for form (although he could well be aided by a disciplined DM in Alvarez behind him).

    Will we see Soucek benched as we play Alvarez in a sitting role with Paqueta and JWP in front of him as our default first choice midfield? Obviously we might mix things up depending on the opposition, but I'm curious to see how we set up once our new signings are up to speed.

    It wouldn't shock me to see us play a diamond midfield, tbh.

    ---------Alvarez-----------
    --------------------------
    --Soucek---------Paqueta--
    --------------------------
    -------Ward-Prowse--------
    --------------------------
    -----Bowen---Antonio------
    That's a very very slow midifeld/attack
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    Valid point, I guess who else we sign in the rest of the window will have a big impact as to how we line up. I'd prefer a fitter partner up front with Bowen in this formation as you'd not get 90 minutes out of Antonio, and you'd need that with only two instead of three attacking players, so I'm not sure this formation would work great unless we get someone else in.
  • alderzalderz
    WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

    alderz said:

    buffybegood said:

    Whether it's a decision for this match or in a match or two's time, but I wonder what Moyes's first choice midfield will be this season should we keep hold of Paqueta. We've bought in 2 fairly pricey players in Alvarez and JWP, we've got arguably our best player in Paqueta, and we've got Soucek who Moyes was extremely reluctant to bench last season even when he was struggling for form (although he could well be aided by a disciplined DM in Alvarez behind him).

    Will we see Soucek benched as we play Alvarez in a sitting role with Paqueta and JWP in front of him as our default first choice midfield? Obviously we might mix things up depending on the opposition, but I'm curious to see how we set up once our new signings are up to speed.

    It wouldn't shock me to see us play a diamond midfield, tbh.

    ---------Alvarez-----------
    --------------------------
    --Soucek---------Paqueta--
    --------------------------
    -------Ward-Prowse--------
    --------------------------
    -----Bowen---Antonio------
    That's a very very slow midifeld/attack
    I can't think of too many configurations of our midfield and attack that are quick, tbh!
  • PrestonHammerPrestonHammer
    I reckon JWP behind 2 strikers could work very well.
  • alderzalderz
    buffybegood said:

    Valid point, I guess who else we sign in the rest of the window will have a big impact as to how we line up. I'd prefer a fitter partner up front with Bowen in this formation as you'd not get 90 minutes out of Antonio, and you'd need that with only two instead of three attacking players, so I'm not sure this formation would work great unless we get someone else in.

    FWIW I'm not necessarily saying I think we should play that way, just that I think we might.

    Remember when we played the diamond before? Alex Song, Mark Noble and Morgan Amalfitano as a midfield three with Stewart Downing at the tip. What a time to be alive.

    https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/9505700/stewart-downing-thriving-in-west-hams-diamond-formation
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    But if we’re slow in midfield then quick passing to get the ball up top, which that midfield is more than capable of, will nullify the issue.
  • MrsGreyMrsGrey
    alderz said:



    Remember when we played the diamond before? Alex Song, Mark Noble and Morgan Amalfitano as a midfield three with Stewart Downing at the tip. What a time to be alive.

    https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/9505700/stewart-downing-thriving-in-west-hams-diamond-formation

    Happy days!
    :awesome:
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Reece James out for this game.
  • alderzalderz
    IronHerb said:

    Reece James out for this game.

    Sick note. Malo Guato likely to replace him
  • nychammer66nychammer66
    MrsGrey said:

    alderz said:



    Remember when we played the diamond before? Alex Song, Mark Noble and Morgan Amalfitano as a midfield three with Stewart Downing at the tip. What a time to be alive.

    https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/9505700/stewart-downing-thriving-in-west-hams-diamond-formation

    Happy days!
    :awesome:
    Wasn’t this with BFS?
  • WhitehorsehammerWhitehorsehammer
    I would like to see Cornet get a start ahead of Benrahma.
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