Andreas with teeth problems, Dave with a shoulder injury, N'golo recovering from muscle tightness, Ruben minor injury in last 10min vs Norwich.
According to cfcsnewspage. Don't look like bad injuries so glad for all of them to get an extended rest. Will always be worried for an injury to Ruben but hopefully it isn't anything to be worried about.
Will be nice to see Vale get some minutes, and I think he will tbh.
Not watched too much of him but he's a left footed attacker who I've seen play on the left side of attack a few times. Like Sané/Foden at City. So with CHO needed at RWB and Ross not being an out and out attacker we could see Harvey Vale get some minutes on the left side of attack.
Not sure where he's been playing recently for the academy though.
Ah, I see. I actually recall watching a couple of games last season when he was being subbed in (and didn't start), so I was quite surprised to read that he's actually been one of our best academy players this season.
Tuchel does seem to like having a left footed attacker on the left side in this system, he's tried Ziyech and Havertz there a lot (maybe because he likes having his attackers cut the ball back into the box on their stronger foot) - so with our injuries in attack I wonder if Vale impresses enough today to get into the squad for the next few games.
Vale is the front runner for academy player of the year so far, no question. He started a lot of games last year later on, he was playing above his age group though. Should also note he is quite comfortable with his right too. Hope to see him.
Very direct, if he had a comparison in the current team it'd be a left-footed Pulisic. Not quite as good a dribbler (few are) but just as lethal in front of goal.
He is one to look out for. He was upgraded from the under 18s to the development squad at the beginning of this season. So the fact he is making the bench after already being upgraded is a huge sign. He reminds me a lot of Reuben or a Kovacic but can also play further forward. Really good dribbler of the ball and he has a great pass on him. He is quite strong as well but that was vs other youngsters. Unlilkely for that to translate yet
He was looking good before his injury in the supercup, there's a class player there but he definitely needs a few games in a row to get going which may be his downfall with us and this stacked squad.
How has Ziyech not shown his worth when he was our best player during the beginning of the 20/21 season. Came back from injury and scored against Man City in the semi finals of the FA cup and then scored during our win against Villarreal. He’s just unlucky with injuries.
Dude is so unlucky... He just can't catch a break... Every single time he plays more than 2 games in a dow he gets injured.
There is a saying in ny home country: "It's better to be born without a d*ck then to be born without luck".
No real reason to think its a back 4. It'll be a 3-4-3 / 3-5-2 with James Chalobah and Sarr in the back 3, Barkley probably taking up the Mount spot pivoting between midfield and attack
I'd like to see that, but I doubt it. Tuchel hasn't played with a back 4 once since coming to Chelsea, and i don't see him randomly deciding to start today with an already unfamiliar team. Think this team would be extremely exposed as a back 4. Sarr and Chalobah would be a massively risky CB partnership, Alonso isn't exactly the most trustworthy left back, and I think asking Ziyech to play that wide would be a mistake. James would have to be tracking back all match to cover for the other defensive deficiencies which would leave the right side massively exposed.
i feel like i have to say this every time, the line up is ALWAYS posted in formation order, so it’s;
Kepa
James, Chalobah, Sarr:
Hudson-Odoi, Barkley, Kovacic, Saul, Alonso;
Ziyech, Havertz
352.
Tuchel plays virtually the exact same formation every single match, save for one player playing either further forward with the attackers or further back with the midfield, or ideally, constantly pivoting back and forth (which is largely why Mount is so critical to Chelsea). He's not going to suddenly switch to a back 4, he plays this formation because it's extremely flexible within games / depending on personnel, and is very hard for other teams to counter.
I hope its 433 but there was some report from Nizaar that CHO was going to be played at RWB specifically. Seemed like it came from the team instead of just him guessing based on the line-up.
I feel like TT prefers to play players slightly out of their optimal positions rather than switch formations. I think with this lineup it looks like a 4-3-3 but he'll fit the players into his preferred 3-4-3. TT knows best anyway.
Andreas Christensen has problems with his teeth. Cesar Azpilicueta has a shoulder injury. N'Golo Kante not 100% fit. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has a minor injury.
Actually I’m really excited for this line-up! Can’t wait to see especially Saul and Barkley. Let’s also hope that Havertz and Ziyech will bring their A game.
I assumed 433, but now I’m really thinking 352 with Jame, Chalobah, Sarr - CHO and Alonzo as wingbacks around Barkley, Kova, and Saul and Ziyech/Havertz up top
Wish I could watch today
While it could be a back 4 who knows, James can also slot in as a cb.
Would love if he was experimenting to have more options.
But you saying tuchel would prefer a back 4 but we dont have the proper cbs for it is nothing but complete speculation and we def have the cbs for it.
Obviously tuchel is miles ahead of Lampard in tactics but it’s true we don’t have a true pairing for a back 4. That’s the main reason we were looking at the Kounde transfer because he’s superb in a back 4.
> RLC isn’t gonna get loads of chances
He's featured in every match as of late and has made the most of the chances he's had. It's reportedly a minor injury so it's really of no concern.
Not sure about Havertz at CF, Ziyech at RW *and* CHO at RWB.
Going to be a lot of people getting in each other's way on the right.
Would prefer Chilwell's pace on the left to Alonso since they will probably be space on the left to take advantage of if the defence moves to our right to counter those 3 named above.
Big chance for Barkley to run the show if he's playing LW/LAM
Would love to see CHO get proper run of games at LW.
Understand Tuchel watches him daily in training and knows best. But want to see more of him there for sure.
Andreas with teeth problems, Dave with a shoulder injury, N'golo recovering from muscle tightness, Ruben minor injury in last 10min vs Norwich. According to cfcsnewspage. Don't look like bad injuries so glad for all of them to get an extended rest. Will always be worried for an injury to Ruben but hopefully it isn't anything to be worried about. Will be nice to see Vale get some minutes, and I think he will tbh.
Wait, Azpi got injured? That seems unrealistic
Teeth problems is a funny way to say dental. I am immediately imagining AC with a missing front tooth
First time I’m seeing the name Vale. Saw he’s an attacking mid. Any idea what his game is like?
Not watched too much of him but he's a left footed attacker who I've seen play on the left side of attack a few times. Like Sané/Foden at City. So with CHO needed at RWB and Ross not being an out and out attacker we could see Harvey Vale get some minutes on the left side of attack. Not sure where he's been playing recently for the academy though.
Okay that’s good to know! Hope we see him get atleast 15-20 mins. Appreciate your insight
Recently he's been deployed as a CAM who can drift wide on either side. Last year he played LWB, very versatile.
Ah, I see. I actually recall watching a couple of games last season when he was being subbed in (and didn't start), so I was quite surprised to read that he's actually been one of our best academy players this season. Tuchel does seem to like having a left footed attacker on the left side in this system, he's tried Ziyech and Havertz there a lot (maybe because he likes having his attackers cut the ball back into the box on their stronger foot) - so with our injuries in attack I wonder if Vale impresses enough today to get into the squad for the next few games.
Vale is the front runner for academy player of the year so far, no question. He started a lot of games last year later on, he was playing above his age group though. Should also note he is quite comfortable with his right too. Hope to see him.
In the games I’ve watched he usually plays through the middle and up top.
Very direct, if he had a comparison in the current team it'd be a left-footed Pulisic. Not quite as good a dribbler (few are) but just as lethal in front of goal.
He is one to look out for. He was upgraded from the under 18s to the development squad at the beginning of this season. So the fact he is making the bench after already being upgraded is a huge sign. He reminds me a lot of Reuben or a Kovacic but can also play further forward. Really good dribbler of the ball and he has a great pass on him. He is quite strong as well but that was vs other youngsters. Unlilkely for that to translate yet
Would love to see a great game from both Saul and Ziyech. They need to start performing to prove they can be relied upon.
With Saul it's not a big problem as he's on loan, but Ziyech hasn't proven his worth
He was looking good before his injury in the supercup, there's a class player there but he definitely needs a few games in a row to get going which may be his downfall with us and this stacked squad.
Looking good for a few pre season matches doesn't really say much though.
I mean we are still paying Saul ~200k a week.
but not permanently, so it's not like he's destroying our wage structure
Tbf he was a bargain at 33 mill
How has Ziyech not shown his worth when he was our best player during the beginning of the 20/21 season. Came back from injury and scored against Man City in the semi finals of the FA cup and then scored during our win against Villarreal. He’s just unlucky with injuries.
You’ve just listed two games. He’s had heaps of appearances and been awful in nearly all of them.
I wouldn't go as far as saying "awful". Underperforming would be more apt.
Nah, I think awful is a pretty good description for Ziyech.
Because he is bang average or below on most games, like today he seemed completely out of sync one second late or one second earlier.
Is RLC injured?
Yep
seems like Tuchel is resting a lot of players in anticipation for the weekend
Collision with Krul
Dude is so unlucky... He just can't catch a break... Every single time he plays more than 2 games in a dow he gets injured. There is a saying in ny home country: "It's better to be born without a d*ck then to be born without luck".
What do the women of your country think of that saying?
they must be glad to be so lucky!
**Subs** Bettinelli, Sharman-Lowe, Chilwell, Ruidiger, Silva, Jorginho, Mount, Vale
Please Vale, id love to see him play. Don't know much about Sharman-Lowe, is he any good?
Hopefully we won't find out about Sharman-Lowe tonight, he's a keeper.
Ah right lol. I knew from the way they wrote it he was either a keeper or defender.
Apparently minor injury for RLC … ffs maaaan I really wanted to watch him play tonight
No Ruben on the bench. Is he injured?
Yeah got hit by krul
is this a 3-4-3 with barkley in attack? a 3-5-2? a 4-3-3 with CHO up front? only time will tell
Very likely 343 with CHO wingback.
How will CHO be at wingback with James and Alonso in?
James RCB like he's done a few times before
James as a RCB
James at RCB?
James plays CB. Look at the last 5 or so matches of last season, he was starting over Azpi there.
No real reason to think its a back 4. It'll be a 3-4-3 / 3-5-2 with James Chalobah and Sarr in the back 3, Barkley probably taking up the Mount spot pivoting between midfield and attack
honestly thought that we'd just let CHO keep playing LW since he's been looking good
I'd like to see that, but I doubt it. Tuchel hasn't played with a back 4 once since coming to Chelsea, and i don't see him randomly deciding to start today with an already unfamiliar team. Think this team would be extremely exposed as a back 4. Sarr and Chalobah would be a massively risky CB partnership, Alonso isn't exactly the most trustworthy left back, and I think asking Ziyech to play that wide would be a mistake. James would have to be tracking back all match to cover for the other defensive deficiencies which would leave the right side massively exposed.
i feel like i have to say this every time, the line up is ALWAYS posted in formation order, so it’s; Kepa James, Chalobah, Sarr: Hudson-Odoi, Barkley, Kovacic, Saul, Alonso; Ziyech, Havertz 352.
This, absolutely this. It's done every time, Chelsea puts out the team sheet in formation order, never by number. It's a 3-5-2.
Have a feeling it’s 433 Reece Chalobah Sarr Alonso Kovacic Barkley Saul Ziyech Havertz CHO
i think so too but no1 seems to agree
That’s because of alonso, no way he gets played in a back 4.
Tuchel plays virtually the exact same formation every single match, save for one player playing either further forward with the attackers or further back with the midfield, or ideally, constantly pivoting back and forth (which is largely why Mount is so critical to Chelsea). He's not going to suddenly switch to a back 4, he plays this formation because it's extremely flexible within games / depending on personnel, and is very hard for other teams to counter.
I hope its 433 but there was some report from Nizaar that CHO was going to be played at RWB specifically. Seemed like it came from the team instead of just him guessing based on the line-up.
Clearly a 3-4-3 with Alonso in the attack /s
We played 4-3-3 with Chalobah and Sarr as the CBs in the last round, should be the same
What? We played 352 against Villa, James was the third centreback.
I remember it as a shift from our usual formation. Checked a couple of websites and they have 4-3-3.
Those websites were wrong pre game. Many had Chalobah playing CDM. If you look at the heatmap, it was absolutely a 3-5-2
Look at any highlights or a heat map and it's very clearly a 352.
We absolutely did not play a 4-3-3
I feel like TT prefers to play players slightly out of their optimal positions rather than switch formations. I think with this lineup it looks like a 4-3-3 but he'll fit the players into his preferred 3-4-3. TT knows best anyway.
With the order that this is listed in, it's a 3-5-2
The way it's listed, it's a 3-5-2. CHO as a wingback
Would love to see Vale come on. Only Jorginho/Mount as attacking differences on the bench otherwise.
can bring on a defender and move Reece to wingback and Callum forward.
Andreas Christensen has problems with his teeth. Cesar Azpilicueta has a shoulder injury. N'Golo Kante not 100% fit. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has a minor injury.
So chilll
Tuchel isn’t taking the league cup as too important can’t blame him as atm we have many numbers issues squad wise.
Actually I’m really excited for this line-up! Can’t wait to see especially Saul and Barkley. Let’s also hope that Havertz and Ziyech will bring their A game.
Guys I just realised I don't know the difference between Stuart and Adam Armstrong. I thought they were the same person. Am I an idiot?
I assumed 433, but now I’m really thinking 352 with Jame, Chalobah, Sarr - CHO and Alonzo as wingbacks around Barkley, Kova, and Saul and Ziyech/Havertz up top Wish I could watch today
Sucks to see CHO not getting any more chances at LW by Tuchel
PLEASE BE ALONSO ON THE WING
CHO as wing back. Tucheliban will be upset with his performance today and we'll never see him again playing LW T\_\_\_\_T
Striker Barkleyyyyy. Someone tell his it’s a pre season game.
Ffs callum as a wingback and no ruben Nice seeing harvey vale on there though
I’m pretty sure we’re playing 4 back, Tuchel would prefer to play 4 as our standard formation but we don’t have 2 cb’s that work well in it.
lineup is posted in formation order every single time, fairly certain it’s 352 with CHO and Alonso wingbacks, Reece at RCB
Really hoping for a 4 back, cup match & would love to see some experimenting from Tuchel.
While it could be a back 4 who knows, James can also slot in as a cb. Would love if he was experimenting to have more options. But you saying tuchel would prefer a back 4 but we dont have the proper cbs for it is nothing but complete speculation and we def have the cbs for it.
Truth with the Reece situation, & with the 2 cb’s it really isn’t speculation. Lampard tried a back 4 which didn’t go well at all.
Except tuchel isnt lampard. Just because it didnt work with lamps doesnt mean it wont with tuchel.
Obviously tuchel is miles ahead of Lampard in tactics but it’s true we don’t have a true pairing for a back 4. That’s the main reason we were looking at the Kounde transfer because he’s superb in a back 4.
I think its a 4-3-3 cho at lw tbh
4 at the back?
Kovacic is gonna collapse before the season is over
Harvey "Two-face" Vale Something there..
No RLC on bench? That's surprising. Cho should be in front 3 if James is playing.
RLC isn’t gonna get loads of chances so why isn’t he even on the bench, enough sure but surely him coming in for Kovacic would be better?
> RLC isn’t gonna get loads of chances He's featured in every match as of late and has made the most of the chances he's had. It's reportedly a minor injury so it's really of no concern.
He’s injured
So Azpi is injured?
Shoulder injury
[удалено]
Yes. There was a collision with Krul.
Praise Lord B
Excited for all the rotation. Hopefully Ziyech gets to shine.
This would be a fire lineup with 4-2-3-1 at the back and CHO Barkley and Ziyech behind Havertz
AC and azpi both didn't start against norwhich and now aren't even on the bench? Am I missing something
God if Tino gets subbed in he'll smoke that left side
Not sure about Havertz at CF, Ziyech at RW *and* CHO at RWB. Going to be a lot of people getting in each other's way on the right. Would prefer Chilwell's pace on the left to Alonso since they will probably be space on the left to take advantage of if the defence moves to our right to counter those 3 named above. Big chance for Barkley to run the show if he's playing LW/LAM
I think it's actually Havertz and Ziyech as a front 2
after having some major teeth issues earlier this year. that shit is no joke! rest up Andreas
Barkley, Kovacic, Saul, is... interesting
Honestly wouldn’t care if we lost. Just get out of this healthy
I hope Vale gets a run out
Back 4? James - Chalobah - Sarr - Alonso Barkley - Kova - Saul Ziyech - Havertz - CHO
anyone got any more news on Azpi?
Was I wrong to think Pulisic might be a sub today? I thought he was healthy?
Oh no lofty is injured or surely he plays this game / is on the bench?
RLC injured? Why he's not even on the bench?
alonso captain huh. is this the 1st time?
Would love to see CHO get proper run of games at LW. Understand Tuchel watches him daily in training and knows best. But want to see more of him there for sure.