Chelsea XI: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Fabregas, Matic, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, Costa. Cech dropped and that is one strong looking team, not just in ability but strength. Title winners if Costa and Fabregas show their previous form.
Have to say Costa looked poor in the World Cup and Barca don't release players stupidly - Fab looks to have lost something since he left Arsenal. Will be interesting to see how they do.
Schurrle is the darkhorse for being one of their top scorers but agree about Costa, but if Mourinho has spent 60 million on two duds then thats him for the sack yet if they prove to be top players then they must be favourites for the title?
Chelsea still look light in that central strikers role and wouldn't be surprised if their top-scorer comes from midfield. Still have lots of options in midfield/attacking-midfield though. And Schurrle is a great player to have on the books.
Sorry to hear that. Hope it's nothing too serious. I think that they'll both be very good for Chelsea, unfortunately. Costa's extremely well suited to both the league and Mourinho's style. Fabregas needs to be a regular starter. The thing that stands out about City and Chelsea is their depth at the back, when compared to those that are supposed to be challenging them for the title. Immense. The Goons do appear to have signed Kostas Manolas though, so that'll add something. No idea if he's up to this division, but I guess we'll see.
Really **** start to MNF. 5 minutes of analysis of how 3-5-2 can work and half an hour of bickering about what the wingbacks are supposed to do with 5 minutes of the painfully forced "banter" thrown in for good measure. Neville was really flogging a deadhorse showing Juventus scoring against Nordsjaelland as an example of how it can work. These days it's an unnecessary complication and whilst it allows 2 players to start upfront it causes unnecesarry rotation and running about around the back. Carragher was talking some **** too though, going on about 352 being an old, dead formation when it was less than a year ago that Rodgers played 3-5-2 at the Emirates and got comfortably beaten. I think that was when Rodgers finally gave up the ghost on that, it's a poorly suited formation against teams that will really push you.
"Shocks keep on coming." Or the standard of the rest of the PL 'may not be as poor as last season. Which of course has implications for the points tally needed to finish 4th.
Don't you just hate Chelsea? So ****ing smug. Mourinho just personifies everything I hate about them. The fans that have been there from the start fair play, but all these chavvy Jonny come lately fans do my head in.
Burnley are in danger of getting absolutely battered now, unfortunately. I think they're feeling the big step up, though it's a very unfortunate first game for them.
I wouldn't write them off. The third was a really poor goal to conced as 4 of their players all followed one runner and left the box open but the other 2 goals were either excellent football or a bit of bad luck with the ball bouncing off the post straight to Costa. They have a team that I think can compete just not sure about the depth in the squad. Gutted, I had £2 on 2-1 Burnley(22/1 ) and when they scored I figured I'd offset £30 on Chelsea to win at evens but I missed my opportunity as they scored just as I submitted the bet Ah well stuck it on Chelsea -2 instead. Might cash out so I can go back to cheering on Burnley, I feel dirty wanting Chelsea to score.
These type of games are what will help prepare Burnley to stay up (or get relegated) as if they are sat there dreading the second half then they aren't going to last, but if they are fired up for making sure they don't get hammered then at least they have a good spirit and good management. Pulis would have them fired up, as he knows how to help a team come back against one of the title favourites and earn a 3-3 draw.
Can't believe they're saying Costa didn't dive. He clearly was going over early and dragged his right foot to get some contact. He didn't even appeal, he was holding his hand up apologising. No wonder so many get away with dives these days when everyone's so keen to protect them.
