Afternoon all. Just thought I'd get your thoughts on our game on Sunday. Hoping we are at full strength with Lovren back in defence. Looks like you'll be missing Luiz and also Eto'o so assume Torres will play up front.. For me we need to win the midfield battle if we are going to come away with anything. Should be a good game though with both sides in decent form. Thoughts?
Tough game with the way you're playing. At home we should win but I'd say a tight 2-1. Just hope you give us a gimme like you did with the arse!!
I'm hoping Azpi moves across to RB and Cole/Bertrand come in at LB. Gives us more balance and Iva is woeful at going forward. Then i'd play Mata instead of Lampard but let's be honest, that won't happen. Draw for me.
Hopefully that was a one-off and with Lovren back I'm hopeful we can snatch something. Your defence looked shaky last night and I'm hoping that we can get in behind Tery and Cahill.
Think we'll be more motivated then we were last night but given some of our recent results, wouldn't rule out an 'upset'.
Not really a 'must win' but I dont think any other result would do us good. Need to keep the heat on the Gunners.
I wouldn't back us to beat The Kings Head Clompers at the moment. Dreadful selections, players out of position, defenders stopping like they're shot when they reach the half way line.We are being forced to play so we don't lose, as opposed to playing to win. Absolutely convinced the players are less than impressed with what is happening with the Team, and that is reflected not just in performance, but especially in attitude. When it's bad on the pitch, it's bad off the pitch. Truth is, if we can't beat Saints at home with our squad , then we really are going backwards.
Why? Saints are a good side. And what convinces you that the players are unhappy; I'm not saying you are wrong, I just haven't heard anything myself
Clearly if your best players are on their game you should win but we've shown this season away at Liverpool and Man U that we can compete with the top teams.
Let's hope so. You are a good side, to say if we don't beat a good side like yourselves that we are going backwards is arrogant and quite frankly, ridiculous. You don't judge a team on one game. Let's see what sort of football we are playing in spring
Really, we need to be winning ALL our home games. We cannot afford to fall behind in the title race. To be honest I think a top 3 finish would be great for us this season, everything else can be built on. People forget we were slow starters in 2005 when we smashed the league. Arsenal were top until Christmas, then we ran away with it. Not saying we will do the same, as our team is not as good now as it was then, but to be only 4 points from the top after 12 games is better than I have come to expect from Chelsea's league form in the last couple of years. Arsenal's squad is paper thin, and when the Christmas/New year games start coming thick and fast, their squad will get decimated....I have no doubt of that. Southampton have been a surprise, their defence has been excellent this year. If they had a big name goal scorer they would be the real deal. We should win this though, with the players we have AND at home, especially in light of recent performances, we cannot afford to drop any more points.
If we are happy with top 3 finish, we don't need to win all our home games. If we are, say, six points off the top some MArch I will be delighted. It would be great to be in the mix in April, and then of course anything can happen. But we should not expect to win the title.
