Chelsea v West Ham, Saturday 31st January 2026, 17:30 KO on SKY
As it's a Wednesday and there's a lot of pedantry around 😬 I think it's time to open the game thread.
Chelsea away is not an easy one and will be a test of our upturn in form. Injuries permitting I feel it will be the same starting XI.
Making amends for the 5-1 drubbing earlier in the season is the order of the day so I'm going for a 1-1 draw.
COYI ⚒
Chelsea away is not an easy one and will be a test of our upturn in form. Injuries permitting I feel it will be the same starting XI.
Making amends for the 5-1 drubbing earlier in the season is the order of the day so I'm going for a 1-1 draw.
COYI ⚒
Comments
Traore on bench as an option
Let's hope for an intense match with a few slight knocks keeping players out of Saturday.
After losing his first game in charge at home to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup Rosenior has won four in a row
Even worse news is that it looks as if Cole Palmer is fit again and in form. He's only managed 11 starts and 3 substitute appearances out of a possible 36, missed two matches before last night but came on at half time and set up both goals
Whether Palmer is fit enough to start or not Rosenior has plenty of talent to call on.
One player we're pretty much guaranteed to see is Trevor Chalobah who was on the bench against Naples and played the last half hour
Last season he was deemed surplus to requirement and sent on loan to Palace before he was recalled in January but this season he has clocked up more minutes on the pitch than any other Chelsea player apart from Enzo Fernandez and Roberto Sanchez.
Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto are the only two players to start all five matches under Rosenior, Neto was subbed at half time but Fernandez played the full 90. Top scorer Joao Pedro, Reece James (top for assists), Robert Sanchez, Moises Caicedo and Marc Cucurella have started four out of five
Acheampong, Colvill and Gittens are injured as is Romeo Lavia (again). Since we played in August he has added seven appearances for a grand total of 30 in 2 years, 5 months. He's been out for about three months but is back in training
Remember Ben Chilwell? He signed a 2-year deal with Strasbourg on deadline day and apparently Leeds are interested. Good for him
A draw would be nice...
Caicedo too - he missed a game after 5 yellows.
So they've started every game they were available.
I daren't say it.
Half right
Caicedo was suspended for the Carabao Cup against Arsenal but Cucurella was sent off against Fulham and missed the FA Cup 3rd round against Charlton before Rosenior was appointed
He was left out of the starting line up against Patos in the Champions League, came on as a substitute in the 2nd half
They both played the full 90 against Napoli along with James, Fofana, Fernandez and Joao Pedro. Given Chelsea’s fanatical devotion to “performance management” some of them could be dropped to the bench (Fofana is allegedly only allowed to play once a week)
Wan-Bissaka - Mavropanos - Todibo - Diouf
Bowen - Soućek - Fernandes - Summerville
Pablo
Castellanos
Hermansen, Kilman, Walker-Peters, Scarles, Kante, Magassa, Potts, Traore, Wilson
A point would be wonderful
Fortunately nothing comes of it this time, but I suspect he'll have a major influence with a dodgy call at some point.
All sorts of useless trivia, with almost nothing about the actual game he's supposed to be commenting on.