Match Day Thread Ex-champions vs champions

Since there is no match thread for the game tomorrow morning, I thought I'd make one.

Only injury we got from the internationals is Okazaki who buggered his ankle and was on the bench when Japan faced Australia but should be fit for this game - hopefully he plays as we miss having someone running around like a nutter.

The big story is that we will be facing Kante again - as a result he will either end up scoring against us or "accidentally" get mullered.

Anyway I will be watching the game in my new away shirt - COYBR!!!.

 

I fear we could be on the end of a big defeat today if we play with the same lack of intensity as in our previous 3 away games, and keep giving the ball away easily. The fact that Willian is missing is good news for us.

 

Our full backs should get a bit more protection today.

 

Starting XI: Schmeichel, Hernández, Huth, Morgan (c), Fuchs, Albrighton, Drinkwater, Amartey, Schlupp, Musa, Vardy. #CheLei

 

1-0. Abysmal set piece defending again.

 

Shocking 1st half performance. What was Morgan doing for that first goal?!!!!

The long ball forward is being picked off far too easily and it's just comes straight back.

 

My god we were bollocks - after the great escape and reaching the pinnacle last season, no one seems to be trying any more.

 

I can't believe we have turned into a bad team just because Kantè has left. We've added some good players and you would of thought we'd be better than last season. That's not saying that we should win the league again but we should certainly be up there.
I'm hoping we are just having a bad spell and we'll start to get it together. Just don't get into a relegation battle pleeeeeeeease.
"UTF"

 

The second half display was much better but we can't afford to keep giving gifts away ...

Wes was pretty awful and not for the first time this season ... second goal was another defensive fcuk up but let's face it they got very lucky with the bounces that went their way to give Hazard an easy chance ... third goal was great football ... but we are not getting a lot of luck ... Luiz manages to get a toe on a great ball that would have been a tap in for Vardy which then hits the post when it could so easily have been an own goal and us back in the game .. such is life sometimes.

I thought Amartey had another good game - he's growing game by game ... but we have a lot of fundamentals to sort out ... the defence needs a real wake-up ... perhaps a switch to a back 5 and we really do need to keep the ball a lot better..

Need to bounce back (again) in midweek ... pressure is beginning to build and we look very lacking in confidence ...

 

back 5 time in the league for me too

 

Just don't understand the King substitution. Why play him on the left when you have Gray on the bench. We have to change from a 4-4-2 away from home IMO

 

In reality I didn't expect to be defending the title but we're currently not defending anything. It's so frustrating and disappointing that we do not look a shadow of the team we were last season. Our strong defence, energy, pace and effort all seem to be missing.
Chelsea played very well, take nothing away from them but we didn't even give them a game first half.

 

Or the simpliest option is to just play Okazaki? Bearing in mind that we always play better when he is on the pitch....

 

We've had a tough set of fixtures to start the season with, away at most of the big teams. When the games against the middling to lower teams start we need to build up a head of steam then and climb the table. I still think around 10th will be respectable this year.

 

Felt really despondent when watching that, but have just looked at the bottom of League 1 and feel a whole lot better.

 

Pretty despondent after the first half but a much better second half after a change in formation only conceded a great goal. Clearly the eye is on CL. Today will be forgotten on Tuesday. Biggest concern was service to and performance of Musa and Vardy. With teams sitting much further back they don't appear to have an answer.

 

When I saw the team sheet with Vardy and Musa up front and only 4 in midfield against Chelsea things looked bad. The thought behind bringing Schlupp back must have been to add energy and a bit of power to the left side. Unfortunately he failed to deliver on both counts. Whether he is just short of match fitness or just can't be bothered to put the effort in because he's now got his league winner's medal we will have to wait and see. And how many times, when we had a throw-in, was there any movement from players to get in a position to receive the ball? Not many is the answer you're looking for. .

Because we played so deep there was a huge gap between the strikers and the midfield in the first half and any ball played forwards to them was just gobbled up. Neither of the strikers looked capable of holding up play and bringing the midfield into play so the ball kept coming back time after time. And again the same old problems were caused by trying to move any type of ball on too quickly before it was under control, and to players who were static and closely marked. Chelsea showed us how it should be done - under control and on the floor to a player moving into space.

The start of the second half was better, but the game was lost by then. Drinkwater was our man of the match yet gain and Amartey played well, but he lacks any attacking threat. Hernandez doesn't look capable of becoming a competent Premier League defender. His attempt to play Hazard offside in the second half when he could see there was another defender in front of him still playing him onside was schoolboy stuff. Why Gray wasn't brought on to replace Schlupp is a mystery. The lad has ability and will hold the ball up and give defenders a test.

Against top teams we can't afford to play 2 strikers. We get picked off too easily in midfield and around our penalty box. We seem to be playing a lot deeper, presumably because our defence isn't quick enough to respond to balls played over the top. So we either need to play with 3 central defenders which then relies on our fullbacks becoming able wingbacks, or play 2 central holding midfielders.

 

Or play okazaki. That bridges the gap

 

I do see where you're coming from, Ed. I like the man's never say die attitude and he's at his most effective when we don't have the ball (and against the top teams that will be the majority of the time) so he could plug that gap between our holding midfielders and the lone striker (pretty much the area that Chelsea dominated yesterday). The problem for him is that he isn't great in possession going forwards and lacks composure, but if he's strong enough to hold the ball up and bring others into the game then he might be worth a try.

 

Spot on- the chaps hardly done anything wrong to warrant being neglected after such a good first season. Musa & Slimani were supposed to strengthen the team but without any service from midfield then that's not going to happen quickly. Defensively Morgan and Huth look to be slightly past their best by date and lack of credible replacements are going to make the next few months very difficult, especially away games. Hernandez looks like he's better suited to the European matches than the Premiership at present. Got to hope Mendy can make a difference when he's fit. At least for League games I would hope Okazaki is quickly reinstated.