The Chelsea FC Thread

[Kip Smithers]

8 hours ago, PAW said:

You go to a 441 like most teams who go down a man. You don't need 3 CB at home against a bottom table team when down a man, that's just not a smart adjustment. I almost turned the game off when that sub was made as I figured it would end up 0-0. You expect to score with Bats as a lone striker and only William supporting him? No chance. 

If he was insistent on 3 CB down a man, the better move is to move Azpi to CB where he played all last year and move a more attack minded player at RWB. 

Neither Azpi or Alonso is that dynamic going forward. Kante isn't creative at all. Fabregas is a distributor only. So he was basically relying on a set piece goal or Willian to do something amazing. 

 

441 is certainly an option but us conceding 3 goals in the first half has nothing to do with the formation. 

Ite clear that Conte is well versed in that system. The 3 at the back is a base formation. against a team like Burnley the WBs are further forward and act closer to wingers. So it's 3 defenders and 5 in midfield. That's what the system offers.

And say we move an more attack minded player to RWB, who would that be? 

I did expect to score yes with Conte playing the way we did. Because I still expected us to dominate possession as you saw in the second half. Azpilicueta is an asset going forward, Alonso is also an asset. Fabregas playing deep was what he would've been doing even if we had 11. He's capable of playing further forward.  Kante ability going forward is good, he's not just a destroyer. 

I get it, 441 was an option but heck no am I blaming that for why we lost.

[UKTexans]

Conte has handled this Costa situation so badly. 

I know he had a great 1st season, but since May his decisions have been appallingly bad.

[Kip Smithers]

52 minutes ago, texans_uk said:

Conte has handled this Costa situation so badly. 

I know he had a great 1st season, but since May his decisions have been appallingly bad.

The Costa situation is the only thing I object to because aa he should've handled it better. Everything else don't really have a problem with.

Edited August 18, 2017 by Kip Smithers

[UKTexans]

2 minutes ago, Kip Smithers said:

The Costa situation is the only thing I object to because he should've handled it better. Everything else don't really have a problem with.

Your squad is paper thin and you've allowed quality players leave without replacements. Right now your off-season is a D.

[Kip Smithers]

16 minutes ago, texans_uk said:

Your squad is paper thin and you've allowed quality players leave without replacements. Right now your off-season is a D.

Quality players leave? Only one guy left that I'd consider quality and that's Matic, yet he was surplus to requirements and wanted to leave. Traore is another one but he would've been back up at best. Matic is the only one who got regular time. Our squad was thin last year had well. We used really and truly 14, players last year. Difference this year that we've got a few injuries. hes been unfortunate with teams being unwilling to sell their players. Yeah we have a thin squad but I'm not blaming Conte for that.

Edited August 18, 2017 by Kip Smithers

[Imarobot]

I guess Nathan Ake, Asmir Begovic, and Juan Cuadrado aren't quality players. Although there wasn't a whole lot we could do about Cuadrado.

[teamorange]

Hasn't Conte been bitching about all his players leaving/super thin squad? Sounds like the board made moves without his approval.

[UKTexans]

1 hour ago, Kip Smithers said:

Quality players leave? Only one guy left that I'd consider quality and that's Matic, yet he was surplus to requirements and wanted to leave. Traore is another one but he would've been back up at best. Matic is the only one who got regular time. Our squad was thin last year had well. We used really and truly 14, players last year. Difference this year that we've got a few injuries. hes been unfortunate with teams being unwilling to sell their players. Yeah we have a thin squad but I'm not blaming Conte for that.

Last year you didn't have any European comittments and were fortunate with your injuries. 

Courtois 36

Cahill 35

Azpilicueta 38

Luiz 32

Kante 34

Hazard 35

Costa 34

Your core last season played together for almost the entire league season. An injury Morata, Hazard of Kante leaves you very exposed this year. 

Edited August 18, 2017 by texans_uk

[UKTexans]

26 minutes ago, teamorange said:

Hasn't Conte been bitching about all his players leaving/super thin squad? Sounds like the board made moves without his approval.

The while situation is odd. And perhaps it isn't Conte, but then one has to question why he remains at the helm.

[Imarobot]

53 minutes ago, teamorange said:

Hasn't Conte been bitching about all his players leaving/super thin squad? Sounds like the board made moves without his approval.

The only player he's actually complained about leaving was Matic, and Matic asked to be sold and Chelsea doesn't really hold players against their wishes for no reason. 

[Kip Smithers]

26 minutes ago, Imarobot said:

The only player he's actually complained about leaving was Matic, and Matic asked to be sold and Chelsea doesn't really hold players against their wishes for no reason. 

Thank you. I can't remember the last time we have kept somebody who is unhappy or wants to leave. Conte wasn't upset with the board that he left, he's upset at the reality of him leaving. 

Ake we replaced with Rudiger. Terry we replaced with Christensen. Begovic we replaced with Cabellero. Matic we replaced with Bakayoko. If anything the one I'm most disappointed with leaving is Traore. Conte has tried to sign players, not his fault that Danilo chooses City. Not his fault that Juve don't want Sandro to leave. Not his fault Tottenham rejected us with Kyle Walker. 

Edited August 18, 2017 by Kip Smithers

[Kip Smithers]

50 minutes ago, texans_uk said:

Last year you didn't have any European comittments and were fortunate with your injuries. 

Courtois 36

Cahill 35

Azpilicueta 38

Luiz 32

Kante 34

Hazard 35

Costa 34

Your core last season played together for almost the entire league season. An injury Morata, Hazard of Kante leaves you very exposed this year. 

And the players that we let go were largely back ups. We weren't relying upon them. I agree our squad is thin, but let's not act like we let a whole lot of valuable and irreplaceable players go. Our core players, are actually better than last year assuming everybody is fit. My whole point is that Conte isn't to blame for this thin squad.

[PAW]

On August 16, 2017 at 3:56 AM, Kip Smithers said:

441 is certainly an option but us conceding 3 goals in the first half has nothing to do with the formation. 

Ite clear that Conte is well versed in that system. The 3 at the back is a base formation. against a team like Burnley the WBs are further forward and act closer to wingers. So it's 3 defenders and 5 in midfield. That's what the system offers.

And say we move an more attack minded player to RWB, who would that be? 

I did expect to score yes with Conte playing the way we did. Because I still expected us to dominate possession as you saw in the second half. Azpilicueta is an asset going forward, Alonso is also an asset. Fabregas playing deep was what he would've been doing even if we had 11. He's capable of playing further forward.  Kante ability going forward is good, he's not just a destroyer. 

I get it, 441 was an option but heck no am I blaming that for why we lost.

It definitely contributed to conceding goals. We had like 65% possession until Cahill sent off, under 30% the rest of the half. The rest of the half was basically played on our end. Didn't have enough advanced players to hold on to the ball. 

 

Don't agree that Alonso or Azpi are assets going forward. Average at best in attack. Neither are dynamic.  Alonso is a good crosser, but that attribute is worthless when you can't possess the ball to get him in good crossing positions and hold on to the ball to get people into the box. Azpi offers very little going forward. 

I wouldn't have played with a RWB, but like I said if he was insistent on 3 in the back move Willian there or something against a team like Burnley. 

The only reason we dominated possession in the second half was because Burnley was up 3-0 and sat back and was fine giving us possession. Let's hope we could dominate possession when they let us. 

Not blaming the formation, I'm blaming the completely negative mindset after the red by Conte at home against Burnley. Teams like City, Man U, Spurs would still be creating down a man at home vs a team like that. 

[KimuraGod]

On 18/08/2017 at 2:24 PM, Kip Smithers said:

And the players that we let go were largely back ups. We weren't relying upon them. I agree our squad is thin, but let's not act like we let a whole lot of valuable and irreplaceable players go. Our core players, are actually better than last year assuming everybody is fit. My whole point is that Conte isn't to blame for this thin squad.

I think with the exception of Matic you are right about it being mostly backups. But I have to disagree with your comment on this years team being better than last year. 

No chance that Morata and Bakayoko are an upgrade over Matic and Costa. Costa suited your team perfectly, as good as Morata is he doesn't offer you the qualities Costa does. 

Apart from Hazard I truely find it difficult to come up with any attacking players we would have to really gameplay for. I like Willian but he doesn't start. I'm not overly worried about Morata and Pedro although they are obviously good players. 

I think Conte needs to go out and bring in another attacking talent although this transfer window has been historically bad to find value. 

[PAW]

In regards to the transfer window, it has been an F.  It's obvious Conte agrees as well, he has been pissed at basically every presser when the situation has been brought up.  He didn't want to sell Matic or Chalobah, didn't want to loan RLC (who just looked impressive against Liverpool).

Going into the offseason, I thought we needed additions at ST (only due to Costa situation), AM, CM, LWB, and RWB.  Not just depth signing, starter caliber signings at all those positions (while keeping most of our squad as it was already pretty then).

Stiker

Morata in; Costa frozen out, Traore and Solanke out, Abraham loaned

Attacking Mid

Cuadrado out (don't really count this as he wasn't with us)

Center Mid

Bakayoko in; Matic and Chalobah out; RLC and Baker loaned

Wing Back

Aina loaned

Center Back

Rudiger in; Christensen back; Ake and JT out; Zouma loaned

GK

Caballero in; Begovic out

-I haven't seen anywhere near enough of Rudiger or Bakayoko to form an opinion.  From what I have read on Bakayoko, he is very athletic and likes to carry the ball forward.  I worry about the creativity of a Kanta/Bakayoko pairing.  My fear is your dependent on Hazard creating everything again due to the center mids not being able to.

-Morata is going to be really good, but don't understand getting rid of all the young talent (Solanke left).  I don't rate Batshuayi at all so we are basically completely dependent on Morata who while really good has never been a full time starter so not sure he will be able to handle all of the minutes.

-Not any worse at CB, Christensen is really good and I hope he starts.  I like Ake a lot and think he is better than Cahill, but that was never going to be a switch made so making a nice profit on him wasn't bad business.  Zouma looked great last week but needed consistent game time to recover fully so a good loan.

-Wing back transfer business just a disaster.  If we wanted to be competitive in the CL, both Alonso and Moses needed to be upgraded.  We've tried to sign a lot of wing backs and have had 0 success. 

-Center mid another disaster.  At best, Bakayoko will replace Matic.  That still leaves us 3 CM for 2 spots with Fabregas being incapable of playing in a 2 man midfield against any top 6-8 side without being a huge liability and Bakayoko being unproven.  There is no way I would've allowed Chalobah to leave (especially for the pathetic fee we got).  Letting RLC go out on loan with no depth is another awful decision, but I am not sure if Conte would've played him in midfield anyways.

-Attacking mid, similar to wing back, is a position we needed to upgrade in order to compete in the CL.  Pedro and Willian are not good enough starters, both very good depth players.  Completely reliant on Hazard again.  Traore could've provided depth here as well as striker. 

I really hope Conte doesn't bother trying to advance in the CL with the current squad.  He needs to put all emphasis on league performance again as it is going to be really hard to make the top 4 this year for everyone and we can't waste guys fitness in the CL when we have no shot.  The goal every transfer window should be to get better, not just to make like for like replacements (Ake/Rudiger; Bakayoko/Matic; Morata/Costa). Palmer, RLC, Zouma, Abraham, Brown all started last week as we can barely field a side.

Edited August 19, 2017 by PAW