1.) 26 Mar 2018
26 Mar 2018 12:02:25
Chelsea have a huge problem with the formation and the current playing staff. 3-4-3 is too easily found out if you don't have the right players. This is all just my opinion on where your problems are.

For a start, a back 3 invites pressure and immediately concedes possession unless you have 2 really top midfielders. In Kante, Chelsea have 1. Selling Matic was a huge oversight. You can cover a slightly lesser midfielder with a 3 man midfield but if you want a back 3, you have to sacrifice a forward to play 3 in midfield and the system becomes even more defensive and invites more pressure. I hate it when Klopp puts on Matip to see out a game because our whole team drops 20 yards deeper. It only really works if you have a player like Luiz who constantly pushes the backline up and wants to be on the ball. A player Conte has exiled.

The lack of bodies in midfield can leave the front 3 in no man's land too, with a huge gap in between. This usually results in two of the forwards dropping to try and get on the ball but then you leave 1 man up top, extremely isolated and with too much to do. Maybe if you had a player with the power and control of Costa, Zlatan, Lewandowski or Kane it could work. Losing Costa and replacing him with a couple of pretty boys from the continent was a shocking error in judgement. The first choice option was Lukaku and he doesn't have the touch to definitely do what Conte wants either so that was Not a guaranteed solution.

For me though, the absolute worst issue with the system, is the wing backs. A wing back is either a full back who can't defend (Alonso) or a winger who can't attack (Moses) . So you end up with two at best decent players in the team who are not spectacular and they are both a liability in defence, and constantly at fault for the breakdown of an attack. Alonso does the role to a decent standard, but Moses is truly average. I could see this working if you could get a player of Zanetti or Marcelo's quality, but it just limits your options in the Market as it is such a bespoke role. You usually just end up shoehorning in a winger or a full back. It is a waste of two out of eleven players in my opinion but if you get the spine right, they can flourish with the freedom and a lack of responsibility. As Alonso does at times.

Conte has to go for me. He has shown no ability to build a team, only to win with one he largely inherited. He had 4 players who made his system work; Luiz, Matic, Kante and Costa. For whatever reason, only one of those players is left in the team. He can argue until the cows come home that he wanted Virgil, Vidal and Lukaku to replace them. Fact is, none of them chose to play for him.

If Conte stays, he needs to target Stones, Doucoure and Lewandowski plus keep hold of Kante. Stones can do what Luiz did and pull the defence forward, Doucoure will give back the power and aggression lost in the midfield when Matic left, and Lewandowski has the strength and skill combination to hold up the ball whilst support breaks forward. Sort out the spine, and the rest of the team can function around it.

Players like William and Pedro are not the problem. Just an unbiased opinion of a rival fan. Apologies in advance it is was unwelcome!


2.) 26 Mar 2018
26 Mar 2018 16:14:28
That midfield is awful it’s been our weakest link this year and you don’t want to change it? I’d put Luiz there.

And what on Earth has Boga done for Birmingham to be given a chance here?


3.) 26 Mar 2018
26 Mar 2018 19:16:59
Agree 1 million percent been saying it for months
Luiz treatment has been a disgrace injured or not.