Chelsea have won seven out of the last nine against Bournemouth in the league and cup games and should be favourites to repeat last years victory at the Vitality Stadium. Having said that Bournemouth have just had their best week in the league this season and have Jermain Defoe back for our clash. We have been less than convincing so far and need to kick on if we are to maintain a credible challenge. It’s extremely rare for a team to lose five or more games and win the title so having already lost three we need to go on a run like last year. A win here would be a terrific springboard towards regaining self belief but I envisage a tight game as Bournemouth can play good football. Starting eleven will probably be similar to the Watford game but would start with Willian over Pedro as he seems to have turned the corner after some disappointing form. I expect we will just be too strong for the Cherries and am looking at a 2-1..3-1 win for us. Thoughts?
Your mental. Pedro over william all day long. Hes only been banging them in and hes a far better winger. Put willian instead of cesc. Its no coincidence last season pedro was a starter and we smashed the league. This year we have been hit and miss in attack without sir pedro
I'd prefer to see both Pedro & Willian start and save Fab until the game opens up where he would be more effective.
Lovely away day if the sun was out!....Think we'll nick it,team selection could be interesting. Drinkwater anyone?..COYB'S
Dave taking the armband made the difference end of the day. Rudi wasn't too far. Everything he did was massive. He kept things very simple. Luiz take note. Luiz back to his maverick worst. Very annoying when he tries to do too many things. Just keep it simple. Zappa is next level compared to all our wingbacks this season. Alonso take note. Morata could have bagged a hatrick another day. Eden loves playing against Eddie's team. Because Eden will get a chance to play for a change against Ed & Co. Pedro was decent enough. Like everyone else, would have started with Willian over Cescy. But Tony will not agree for some weird reason. Today was very close, could have snatched draw / defeat from the jaws of victory.
I watched the game on BT Sport. Would have loved to have been able to get a ticket. The Chelsea support sounded awesome and were often louder than the Bournemouth supporters. Good game, great result.
Bakayoko for me does not do enough, he never seems to make the right decision and seems to be negative in his passing, he gets around the pitch and his positioning is not bad but when we go forward and are encompassed in the opposition half he seems clueless. Am I being over critical of a guy that cost an awful lot of tokens.
No Abu's you are not. Baka is our new Rambo. Remember Rambo used to impeccable with Lamps or Essien (post injury few days) and awful with Mikel. Baka will be similar when he plays with Kante. Lets give kid sometime.
Agree with most of this, Bakayoko is still just an inexperienced kid and has had to play with too many mid field partners to form any kind of proper partnership. Playing with Fabregas one week and Kante the next is having to learn 2 different styles in too short a time. He looks able to play a bit, but if he is to be our go- to man, he needs some stability of style to adapt to. He's going OK, but should improve out of sight rest of the season.
Think you are overly critical. He's our only big presence in midfield and he's got a great engine. Technically he's diabolical and he is similar to wanyama at spurs when he first turned up. Wins the ball then give a shocking 2 yard pass. However he's winning the ball back a lot more than losing it. Admittedly he hasn't contributed more in our attacking play as i would have liked but we have seen his ability to drive forward and he looks a beast in the air and is very dangerous at set pieces. Hes new and relatively young so give him a chance Going to have to disagree today stan on some points. Cesc had a pretty good game. Some frustrating sloppy passes but some decent ones. The Bournemouth players didn't really attack him enough to breeze past / had enough cover today. He controlled the game pretty well today. Dave was outstanding and i really liked the look of rudiger today. So calm on the ball and his passes always forward or can turn past the striker unlike a cahill back pass to courtois. Luiz wasn't that bad. The standard 1 brainfart he got away with when afobe nearly dispossesses him but he was pretty good today. Today i saw the best and worse of hazard. He's so talented he will always make the difference and he looks so dangerous by there were numerous chances when we were on the break maybe 3on3 or 3 on 4 where all he needs to do is skin his mam and score or cross it in first time where he does neither and we send it back to alonso. If only he could be more direct like Pedro. Pedro still showing why he's one of my favourite players. His end product might sometimes be lacking but he works hard, is so direct and he's always finding so much good space whether that's in between the lines or running beyond the final defender. Zappa looked really really good. Alonso on the other hand provided some serious amount of energy and overlaps but today was sorely missing in the final third. Was solid enough which is first and foremost but he's just not on the same consistency levels as last year. Morata today was vet frustrating today. Aside from being my fantasy football captain, he missed 2 sitters (admittedly one where it was a great turn by him) but it was his general lack of running and movement today. He still looks injured or doesn't trust his hamstring properly and for someone whos game is elevated by being pretty quick and great off the ball movement, he just didn't provide that. Lastly when ****ing drinky came on he was actually pretty good and a welcoming presence. Right place at right time and came up with some tiny interceptions and tackles so well played drinky
is it day time for your Bobby? You should consider becoming our scout or something. But I am sure you have better things to do in your life. Enjoy your trip and catch up on Peeha
Seems to me you are being more critical than I am !!! I have stopped trying to critique the kid because of his difficult introduction to our midfield. He's done very well ,but is not yet doing what we need. That said, and hopefully reading between the lines you wrote, we are both saying the same thing but using different words. I like him a lot and think he will be a seriously good player by seasons' end. Not trying at all to downgrade the kid, just saying what I see and offering an opinion.
Bobby, your review is pretty much spot on. Bakayoko is a big talent who needs guidance in midfield. Drinkwater, Kante and Fabregas can all help the kid to learn. He has what none of the previous have, power, aggression and drive. Give him time he will be another Ballack, Essien player and a huge star for Chelsea. Your take on the players today is also spot on. Pedro, Luiz, Alonso were fine. Morata is no Costa, but he's OK, but starting to look like scoring is more difficult than it needs be. I'm not totally convinced. Zappa is the best winger we have , much better than Moses. Dave and Rudiger are consumate, reliable pros, Cahill the one to warm the bench and definetely no Captain. Drinkwater is in a win win place. If he's any good, he'll play more than Fabregas, if he's no good , he's no worse. We should have bought a much better player than him , but maybe he might step up a gear. Otherwise he's going to be just a decent sub. Hazard is our only, truly world class player and will not be here next season if we don't get another one. I don't think we will because our recruiting is all over the shop, fixated on names and not on building a team.It has always been so since Roman. Hazard can't carry the team, and will be off like a brides' nightie to Barca or Real where he can play with others of the same standard. We can't continue to pile the pressure on Hazard to save us. Imagine Hazard and De Bruyne if you can and then think, who can we get?. Anyway, another win, another tricky week. KTBFF. PS Just read Lampard has said Hazard cannot be expected to win every game on his own and he needs more players of his quality around him.
Rudi and Zappa are great, hit the ground running, very astute signings. Baka I think will need more time to adjust, he is playing in a new league, in a system he is unfamiliar with, and his midfield partner changes almost every damn game. He has shown me enough to prove he has what it takes. Hopefully when Kante comes back, the two of them can strike up a formidable partnership and cement it. Morata I think needs some time to get his fitness back, strikers, even more so than any other position, need time to get their sharpness and confidence back after an injury lay-off. He will be okay. DFD did okay.
Very much agree CP. And hope you are right. Baka has been carrying injury too. People forget Essien took while to adapt too