The year Derby made it to the 1st Division with Cloughy as manager I backed them to win the League at 15 -1 They did. So I am quite fond of Derby and the great team that they were then. Now Frank Lampard brings them to the Bridge with Man Us scalp in their belts and 2 very good Chelsea kids in their side. Wish I could be at the game, but it is live here in Melbourne and at a decent hour, 6.30am on a summers' morning. Just hope we see a couple of our kids run out as well, especially 2 from Christensen, RLC and Hudson Odoi. Don't underestimate Derby, but our Europa Team should be good enough for the win, hopefully with 2 kids starting.
Agree with the sentiments and would expect some fringe players. Looks like Hazard and Pedro are both unlikely to feature due injury/illness anyway so hopefully we'll see at least Hudson Odoi starting with perhaps Willian on the other side. RLC deserves another start as you say. I'd rather Ampadu get a game than Christensen personally as I think he is a better prospect. Christensen looks far to error prone for our level, albeit he is still young. Cahill will probably start alongside one of them to provide experience. Think this could be quite tight but going for a 2-1 win.
Chelsea 13Caballero 21Zappacosta 24Cahill 27Christensen 33Emerson 7Kanté 4Fàbregas 17Kovacic 22Willian 29Morata 12Loftus-Cheek Substitutes 6Drinkwater 8Barkley 11Pedro 20Hudson-Odoi 28Azpilicueta 30David Luiz 59Bulka Derby 1Carson 37Bogle 6Keogh 5Tomori 46Malone 8Mount 44Huddlestone 7Wilson 9Waghorn 14Marriott 10Lawrence Substitutes 3Forsyth 15Johnson 20Bennett 21Roos 23Holmes 28Nugent 33Davies
Easy to see why Luiz and Rudiger start before Christensen who looks slow and tentative . As for Cahill, everything is sideways ,backwards or to an opponent. He slows all play and ruins any chance of the team playing at pace as Sarri wants. Being kind, maybe both are short of fitness , but they don't look great. Zappacosta is again causing havoc and must be making Dave sweat a little. He looks ready made for our new style, which is a bit of a suprise. Mason Mount looks a ready made Fabregas replacement, Fabregas needs to move to a slower paced league where his game is better suited. Interesting 1st half, hope for a big improvement from us in the 2nd half.
Didn't watch the game. Was disappointing that hudson didnt start or play and rlc wasnt used in the centre Think ampadu is still injured isn't he?
That game is a classic example of what can happen when you change essentially the whole back 6 (if you include the keeper and Jorginho. A bit of a mess all round. Sarri certainly seems happier to rotate the defence more than the attack and disappointed that RLC was in a wider role rather than Hudson Odoi. Cahill is almost certainly into his last few months with us and Christensen is running the risk of getting left behind as well. With Ampadu in the wings and us being linked with that young Italian defender as well, I don't think Christensen has a long term future under Sarri if he doesn't play better when given a chance. Striker situation continues to be a problem as well. But we march on and remain undefeated. Draw was relatively kind as well.
Good draw , I expected us to get City !!! Can't be easy for the fringe players to show any kind of teamwork when they hardly play. That said, I think all bar Cahill and maybe Fabregas, should now be trusted by Sarri and be used regularly. That gives us so much more depth and options. Christensen in particular could be used more and get his much needed game time in 30 minute bursts as sub, much as Barkley was. Worked wonders for Barkley.The other players like RLC, Zappa etc can be rotated as the season wears on and legs get tired from overuse. Sarri really does need to step up his thinking with his subs, as they are all up to PL standard and all have something unique to offer when we need more than like for like changes. In retrospect, he has brought people on to the point they need to be used, should be used, and will help by being used.
Always been a fan of Zappa. Admittedly defensively he's iffy but going forward, he does try even if his crossing is hit and miss. What a like about emerson and zappa is that they have the ability and burst to go past a player, something that sadly alonso and dave lack (but are better in other situations) against the opposition. Saying that, this one touch passing doesn't require so much dribbling but they are definitely options off the bench as i think both are more "attacking". I agree that RLC needs to be used more too
What a great job Frankie seems to be doing,thought they played very well and deserved a better result. Hope more of our "Learners" go there.
Liked the way attack was their first move. They are direct and quick and with mount have plenty of skill and guile. He is a serious prospect. Our other kid had a very composed game after a horror start, showing character and good skills plus read the game well. Nice to see Frank plays them !!!
I look forward to getting 7-8 million for Mount in a year or 2 from a mid table premier league club.........
In part yes I guess it's also the realisation that if players like Drinkwater can't even get on our bench, how is some kid?
Drinkwater was a daft purchase to be honest. he isnt a bad player by any ways, but he is not up to the standard we want if we want to challenge for PL titles and Champions Leagues on a regular basis. Everyone knows that the Leicester title win was pretty much a miracle, the stars aligned....and the stars of that team were Kante, Vardy and Mahrez, not Drinkwater. He would do good playing every week, at a club like Everton. Not rotting in our reserves. Yet we still paid £30m for him
Shamefully Chelsea bought good players but not Chelsea standard. In reality now we have a manager who knows his **** those that were bought are not standing up to the plate.
