11 Aug 2015 10:51:00
Zouma will play centre mid next to matic on Sunday guaranteed. Get ready for the first appearance of the bus being parked this weekend. 100%
11 Aug 2015 12:44:43
It's sad really because I think we have a good enough team to go out and play attacking football but while Jose is manager there will be a lot of these type of tactics. But we all wasn't complaining last May when we won the league under similar circumstances
11 Aug 2015 13:49:57
I just want to see Oscar on the pitch on Sunday. But I'm guessing it'll be Fabregas with Matic and Zouma if Zouma indeed plays.
Fabregas shouldn't be an untouchable IMO. Oscar is even more important than him, especially in the bigger games.
11 Aug 2015 15:25:15
Jose always sets up to maximize our chances of getting a result. Yeah we'll probably spend large parts of the game defending but this is how we perform best. Remember last season at the Etihad we scored a fantastic counter attacking goal on the break. This weekend we won't concede many goals, if any, and there's every chance we'll be able to score on the break again.
When we play this way we might not always win but we very very rarely lose which is important. I'm actually reasonably confident that we'll pull off a win on Sunday but we cannot afford to lose and give City a early 5 point lead on us.
11 Aug 2015 15:52:35
Jackson: Whilst we will have to 'dig in' as I call it I would prefer Oscar also in the team at the expense of Fabregas as he will go missing in a game like this. Oscar is showing some of his old spark and he is better at tracking back.
11 Aug 2015 16:19:54
Exactly Frensham. Oscar was very good against Swansea, really really good.
11 Aug 2015 17:17:37
We don't always need to be a defensive team. We are not getting the best out of certain players because there doing so much defensive work. Last season we started off great,pressing teams high up the pitch,one touch passing and looked great. It's only one game in but if you look at pre season as well we look unfit,lazy like we should just turn up and win instead of putting in the hard work. On the signings side I don't think signing stones is a top priority. The right side of midfield has been a problem for years and someone with greizmans quality is needed. Cuadrado is still wanted by juventus and I think of we can get £20m then go out and sign greizman for £40m plus. If you want quality then you have to pay the price.
11 Aug 2015 19:20:14
It is true we do have teams on the back foot when we press and early last season we did it very well and then we were cut to pieces by Tottenham and we then played a different game to the season end. Pressing puts pressure on our less than mobile defence when playing against teams with a lot of movement so we are currently between a rock and a hard place deciding what's best. Reading most of the newspaper reports for the Swansea game, two said the same - "something not quite right with Chelsea"- that is where the criticism has come from, we are not showing anything special and although others disagree, the right side is not working as it should. I agree that Stones is not a priority, the left back is and someone else on the right. I was convinced at the season end we would buy Griezmann but he has said nothing was ever put to him by his agent although he spoke to several clubs so maybe there is something that makes him less attractive but that buy has gone for now. I am convinced that neither Saleh or Cuadrado were Mourinho choices and one has finally gone and I cannot see the other lasting much longer. Against Man City you can guarantee however, Mourinho will have a plan.
11 Aug 2015 23:33:19
Come on lads do you really think mourinho would allow he's players to be lazy on league duty? We started later than everybody else so it's going to take that tough first game & the training in between to get back to 100% I think the city game has draw written all over it but I think we're capable of winning with Costa being fit, Oscar starts for me