Chelsea (A) build up thread

[Johnny75]

Coady a career midfielder? He's spent the last 4 seasons at CB (sweeper) and had a season mostly at RB...how old is he 27? Hardly a career midfielder

Coady was bought as a midfielder from Huddersfield and that’s where they and we played him until Nuno turned up.

So yes he was a career midfielder, as in that was the position he had played to date.

Of course it can also work In other ways too; Kevin Phillips was considered a RB, Ashley Cole a striker and Gareth Bale a left back.

 

[Freddeno]

Bennett was an excellent defender, but really limited us with his contribution to build up play, so we’ve gone with Saiss who isn’t as good at defending but is far better at joining up play and distributing the ball.

We weren’t in a position to buy defenders who were Bennett level of defending but also with the ability to start play, or have incisive passing into the midfield (we got pretty lucky with Willy Boly in that he was frozen out at Porto).

that’s the kind of player I’d like us to get now though (ideally with pace and able to defend one on one) even if it’s someone with only a season or two behind them that we can develop, because that’s the level of defender we need if we want to be a club that really pushes on.

maybe Marques could be that player in time, but he needs physical development and games first.

yes, in the best of worlds you want both good defending and also contribute with great passing and such..but maybe sometimes it is just not possible..and you are called a defender for a reason

 

[Premier Quality]

Did Ashley Cole ever play a senior game up front?

 

[prawnking]

yes, in the best of worlds you want both good defending and also contribute with great passing and such..but maybe sometimes it is just not possible..and you are called a defender for a reason

I'd say if we're looking for some kind of perfect defender the the recruitment team need to pull a blinder, or we'll have to really push the boat out financially, especially if we're aiming for a Rio Ferdinand-style Rolls-Royce.

Half of the PL will be looking for the same profile

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Depends on the financial landscape when we eventually exit the mess that is Covidball, but I wouldn't be surprised if we were looking at Eder Militao.

 

[sycophantia]

Coady was bought as a midfielder from Huddersfield and that’s where they and we played him until Nuno turned up.

So yes he was a career midfielder, as in that was the position he had played to date.

Of course it can also work In other ways too; Kevin Phillips was considered a RB, Ashley Cole a striker and Gareth Bale a left back.

yeah he was bought in as a midfielder but has spent most of his first team career where he is now.......I accept its a bit of a pedantic view

 

[Freddeno]

I'd say if we're looking for some kind of perfect defender the the recruitment team need to pull a blinder, or we'll have to really push the boat out financially, especially if we're aiming for a Rio Ferdinand-style Rolls-Royce.

Half of the PL will be looking for the same profile

Exactly

 

[The Bear]

Ultimately once Jonny is back, I'd move Marcal to LCB and keep Boly at RCB. I think Marcal's attributes best suit him there. Assuming he can stay fit that is.

That IMO will be our strongest back 5 if we stick to that formation.

If we play a 4 then that gives us an issue as who to play as the two CBs. Boly is obviously one, but do we buy another or keep playing Coady or Saiss there?

 

[Freddeno]

Ultimately once Jonny is back, I'd move Marcal to LCB and keep Boly at RCB. I think Marcal's attributes best suit him there. Assuming he can stay fit that is.

That IMO will be our strongest back 5 if we stick to that formation.

If we play a 4 then that gives us an issue as who to play as the two CBs. Boly is obviously one, but do we buy another or keep playing Coady or Saiss there?

I would play Coady and Boly

 

[prawnking]

If we play a 4 then that gives us an issue as who to play as the two CBs. Boly is obviously one, but do we buy another or keep playing Coady or Saiss there?

This is the key question. I think we probably have to try Coady first (shame to lose Romain's commitment and goal threat) and see if him and Willy can strike up a partnership.

I'm really not keen on currently going back to a back three, hence me going with YW's team at the start of the thread. I think two CBs with Neves and Donk in front of them should give them enough protection and Donk gets about but doesn't necessarily need to be so far advanced.

I worry that with three at the back v Chelsea we'll just see Silva isolated, Neto and Adama either side doing their thing and everyone else miles back (except Donk to occasionally spanner the ball over).

I was enamoured with Vitinha actually shooting the other night, so I'd get him in behind Fabio for now. Not saying he's the answer but I want to see more of him. Then later in the season maybe when we have Pod and Jose for those two roles we can mix it up

 

[sycophantia]

P

This is the key question. I think we probably have to try Coady first (shame to lose Romain's commitment and goal threat) and see if him and Willy can strike up a partnership.

I'm really not keen on currently going back to a back three, hence me going with YW's team at the start of the thread. I think two CBs with Neves and Donk in front of them should give them enough protection and Donk gets about but doesn't necessarily need to be so far advanced.

I worry that with three at the back v Chelsea we'll just see Silva isolated, Neto and Adama either side doing their thing and everyone else miles back (except Donk to occasionally spanner the ball over).

I was enamoured with Vitinha actually shooting the other night, so I'd get him in behind Fabio for now. Not saying he's the answer but I want to see more of him. Then later in the season maybe when we have Pod and Jose for those two roles we can mix it up

Pretty much my thoughts atm

 

[prawnking]

Pretty much my thoughts atm

I don't think 3 at the back is a write off, I'm hoping Jose can be something like the fulcrum Raul was, but it doesn't work with Fabio atm for me

 

[Freddeno]

This is the key question. I think we probably have to try Coady first (shame to lose Romain's commitment and goal threat) and see if him and Willy can strike up a partnership.

I'm really not keen on currently going back to a back three, hence me going with YW's team at the start of the thread. I think two CBs with Neves and Donk in front of them should give them enough protection and Donk gets about but doesn't necessarily need to be so far advanced.

I worry that with three at the back v Chelsea we'll just see Silva isolated, Neto and Adama either side doing their thing and everyone else miles back (except Donk to occasionally spanner the ball over).

I was enamoured with Vitinha actually shooting the other night, so I'd get him in behind Fabio for now. Not saying he's the answer but I want to see more of him. Then later in the season maybe when we have Pod and Jose for those two roles we can mix it up

I think Nuno will go back to a 5 just to try and get some stability in the team especially defensively

 

[Tony Towner]

Beat them with 3 at the back and a midfield 2 of Donck and Neves a month and a half ago.

 

[sycophantia]

I don't think 3 at the back is a write off, I'm hoping Jose can be something like the fulcrum Raul was, but it doesn't work with Fabio atm for me

I'm not against 3 at he back in itself but as you allude to, we seem to struggle in that formation to create much with the midfield and forward players we have.

 

[YoungWolf]

Beat them with 3 at the back and a midfield 2 of Donck and Neves a month and a half ago.

Judging by how we set up on Friday that seems exactly the plan. Similar to the United game also with Vitinha behind Traore and Neto, I reckon.

 

[Freddeno]

just to be clear, think he will go 3 cb´s and 2 wb´s..especially away to chelsea

 

[YoungWolf]

just to be clear, think he will go 3 cb´s and 2 wb´s..especially away to chelsea

Agree, wouldn't surprise me if we then played a back four at Palace, with WJ involved for the first time. Hoping Podence is fit soon to play behind him.

 

[Freddeno]

Agree, wouldn't surprise me if we then played a back four at Palace, with WJ involved for the first time. Hoping Podence is fit soon to play behind him.

Yeah, agree with that..WJ should be introduced much faster as we are in such trouble strikewise

 

[YoungWolf]

Quite hard to predict how Chelsea will line up. Surprised Reece James is starting today when he's only just had a muscle injury.

Mendy
Azpilicueta Rudiger Silva Chilwell
Jorginho Kovacic
Ziyech Mount Hudson-Odoi
Giroud​

Mount always plays no matter what for some reason. Werner is out of favour and he doesn't seem to have worked out how to use Havertz.