The point about Kante is good and asks the question which of the current squad are currently indispensable? Especially if, as expected Hazard and Courtois leave,

Just Azpi and Kante for me. An honourable mention for Willian who has had a decent season.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

comment by The Chavy One (U12176)
posted 8 minutes ago
I would actually like to keep Fabregas next season but as long as hes used sporadically like he was in 16/17.

We really need someone in the middle of the park to give Kanté a hand, The fella is brilliant but could you imagine a Wanyama/Dembele alongside him?

I also feel that Christensen is being used an awful lot amd im not sure hes ready to be a starter every game in that CB role, Id like to see Luiz back in there for a stint.
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Chavy - I hate to disagree with you again - but Fabregas is one of the first I'd show the door to

It's constantly recurring theme that he goes missing in games - the only decent game I remember him having this season is against Le Ar$e.

I agree with your other points, though I do have sympathy with Christensen. He's a young lad who's been thrown in at the deep end at the centre of a defence that's been under a lot of pressure of late.

He's a very talented lad who's deserved to play his part in the team but I think too much has been expected of him in his 1st season, with an under performing team around him.

On one hand, It may have been wise to pull him out of the firing line for a while, before his confidence is shot. On the other hand we don't have too many options available in order to give him that break.

comment by Sideshow (U11809)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Chelseamf™®© (U1677)
posted 2 hours, 2 minutes ago
When we've had a good start in matches, opposing coach has managed to alter tactics which reverses/momentum every single time and Conte has never adapted. Just stuck in reactive rigid approach.
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Yeah I also feel that Conte has come up short tactically on occasions this season. He has been reactive rather than proactive and delayed addressing problems during matches for far too long which has been surprising considering Italian managers are well-known for their tactical nous.

To be honest ,although Hazard is a good player,he ain't no Messi,we could get along without him,same Coutoise,he doesn't fill one with confidence,seems to be dreaming sometimes.
Fab is a luxury ,and past his sell-by date.
Morata and Rudiger I have been disappointed with,but am prepared to give them time to come up to scratch.
Moses and Alonso,as much as I like them,they are not quality full backs.
Pedro and Willy are both good players,although Pedro maybe better on the bench.

The two outstanding players are Dave and N'Golo.

comment by JohnTerrysHardTackle - #Lampard211 (U1634)
posted 1 hour, 3 minutes ago
comment by The Chavy One (U12176)
posted 2 minutes ago
Am I the only one who wouldn't mind Jody taking over the first team? Hes doing great things with the younger team and they have a very specific way of playing, Something incredibly pur first team doesn't have.

Jody in charge with Lamps as his assistant... Two proper Chelsea men who know what it means to play for the shirt.
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I’ve seen this suggested a few times and I wouldn’t be totally against it, considering he’d do what I’m saying and give the squad roles to young players.

The concern would be that our youth team set up is so successful, they make any manager look good.
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He's not ready for that surely...

comment by JohnTerrysHardTackle - #Lampard211 (U1634)
posted 21 minutes ago
The point about Kante is good and asks the question which of the current squad are currently indispensable? Especially if, as expected Hazard and Courtois leave,

Just Azpi and Kante for me. An honourable mention for Willian who has had a decent season.
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Spot on...the rest are either not good enough or need to move on...incl Hazard

I think Emerson could be good...if only we could see him

I also feel that Christensen is being used an awful lot amd im not sure hes ready to be a starter every game in that CB role, Id like to see Luiz back in there for a stint.
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Yes, whatever has happened with Luiz has led to us having Christensen in an unstoppable position. As a youth advocate, ofc it can be said he's had a poor last 4-6 weeks, what would have helped is to have a bit of competition for him. No qualms, he's young, has enormous potential and will get back to his best.

Jury out on Luiz....been unavailable too often

comment by Chelsea_since_summer_1969 ✯ (U1561)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sideshow (U11809)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by Chelseamf™®© (U1677)
posted 2 hours, 2 minutes ago
When we've had a good start in matches, opposing coach has managed to alter tactics which reverses/momentum every single time and Conte has never adapted. Just stuck in reactive rigid approach.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Yeah I also feel that Conte has come up short tactically on occasions this season. He has been reactive rather than proactive and delayed addressing problems during matches for far too long which has been surprising considering Italian managers are well-known for their tactical nous.
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I'd go further than that 69, he seems positively chromatose when it comes to reacting to bad situations.

At 2-1 down you could see we were drifting aimlessly and something needed to be done, I was actually shouting at the TV for him to react to what was unfolding, yet once again he let the rudderless ship fall over the waterfall and made no changes until the 80th minute, by which time the ship had already foundered on the rocks.

I mean what does he expect player to do with minutes left of a lost game?

Sheriff

It worked for Real Madrid and Zizou.. Yes they have a quality team but he recognised their "weakness" in midfield in that despite having quality players in Kroos, Modric and James, They lacked anybody with real bite. He brought Casemiro back into the fold and hes won back to back European Cups.

All I'm saying is the solution could be staring us in the face.

When it comes to Conte, I do feel that he has been unfortunate that both Morata and Bakayoko have been so underwhelming this season. You could argue that the board signed these players, however these were signings Conte was in favour of as well.
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In particular Bakayoko - just because he's been chit doesn't mean Conte didn't want him. Been linked to many chit players Conte supposedly targeted himself (Candreva, Biabany, Llorente). Conte has had links in newspapers to Bakayoko since December 2016..reportedly went with Emenalo to watch Monaco vs Tottenham at same time as Bakayoko links started coming about. He's also used him a lot, meanwhile other signings have been brought in who he barely uses, potentially because he doesn't see them as 'his' players.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/conte-wants-bakayoko-to-replace-60m-oscar-pv86rbkkc

^first links of Conte wanting Bakayoko.

And at same time, reported he went personally with Emenalo to watch Monaco vs Tottenham

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/572395/Chelsea-Transfer-News-Antonio-Conte-Moanco-Tiemoue-Bakayoko-Djibril-Sidibe-Gossip

comment by The Chavy One (U12176)
posted 1 minute ago
Sheriff

It worked for Real Madrid and Zizou.. Yes they have a quality team but he recognised their "weakness" in midfield in that despite having quality players in Kroos, Modric and James, They lacked anybody with real bite. He brought Casemiro back into the fold and hes won back to back European Cups.

All I'm saying is the solution could be staring us in the face.
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More chance of us getting Zidane in....I cannot see how Morris gets that gig in a month of Sundays.....we don't do youth players...why should we do a youth coach

comment by The Chavy One (U12176)
posted 5 minutes ago
Sheriff

It worked for Real Madrid and Zizou.. Yes they have a quality team but he recognised their "weakness" in midfield in that despite having quality players in Kroos, Modric and James, They lacked anybody with real bite. He brought Casemiro back into the fold and hes won back to back European Cups.

All I'm saying is the solution could be staring us in the face.
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Solutions staring us in the face are a huge weakness with us

Vardy is a prime example

I would love to know exactly who did sanction the signing of Bakayoko, whoever it was should facking fall on their sword.

I cannot envisage him coming good even under a new manager next season, I did think he was a Conte choice when I saw him getting selected week in week out while offering nothing and others were getting left out instead of him and they did more in those games than he did.

The only game I felt he played well in was Athletico away, the rest of the time we could have played a bod out of the youth team and still had more return than we did out of him. For me he has to go at the end of the season. I appreciate that some players take time to settle but I don't see him coming good now or in the future.

As bad as yesterday was I was so glad he stayed on the bench as he would not have brought any solutions to the problems that we were having.

Bakayoko strikes me as a player who is used to being able to physically bully his way through games without needing much technical ability.

The problem is, it’s more difficult to do this in the PL, where there are tonnes of physical players in every midfield and you can’t just rely on physically intimidating opponents.

Doesn't help when the likes of Fabregas are well past their best either...Moses is not good enough when on...leaving Kante to clear up the mess...he deserves better around him

Barkley isn't ever going to be fit...or good enough...Luiz is a liability fitness wise...drinky is average Hazard is just a luxury player now...not contributing enough for the team

Big clear out next term

comment by BrummieBlue! (U3487)
posted 23 minutes ago
For me the one transfer that sums up the ludicrous transfer system we have, is the signing of Zappacosta.

Nothing personal against the bloke but he's an average player, signed basically as cover for Moses and some one deemed that paying in excess of £20m for him was acceptable.

Would it not have been better to have used Sterling or James for the same purpose?

I have a feeling that if some one at the club had a bit of vision one of those two could have turned out better than the hapless Moses!
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Same thing with Drinkwater too. Even if Chalobah and Loftus Cheek leave, surely there’s someone from the academy who can be 4th choice CM? Would save us over 50m on the pair of them as well which could go towards an actual top player.

comment by Erik (U21750)
posted 2 hours, 22 minutes ago
comment by BrummieBlue! (U3487)
posted 23 minutes ago
For me the one transfer that sums up the ludicrous transfer system we have, is the signing of Zappacosta.

Nothing personal against the bloke but he's an average player, signed basically as cover for Moses and some one deemed that paying in excess of £20m for him was acceptable.

Would it not have been better to have used Sterling or James for the same purpose?

I have a feeling that if some one at the club had a bit of vision one of those two could have turned out better than the hapless Moses!
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Same thing with Drinkwater too. Even if Chalobah and Loftus Cheek leave, surely there’s someone from the academy who can be 4th choice CM? Would save us over 50m on the pair of them as well which could go towards an actual top player.
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Exactly what we need to be doing going forward.

the lack of preperation doesnt help.

we dont seem to do our business early before pre-season.

then their is the lack of motivation and hunger to defend our title.