GWT: PL Matchday 2

[Chimaera]

Sure, but how many world class CDM's honestly win games for clubs? Sure they impact the play greatly which cannot be justified by analytics or numbers, but I suggest that CDM is also a position where you truly don't need an amazing player in it to win championships either. I think the most important world class positions on the pitch is a combination between #9, #10, #4, #11, or #7 and perhaps a #8.

He’s been the best player on an EPL winning side at least once and possibly twice (though there’s a debate with Hazard I guess).

I think there are way worse starting blocks than building a side around his abilities.

 

[S E P H]

He’s been the best player on an EPL winning side at least once and possibly twice (though there’s a debate with Hazard I guess).

I think there are way worse starting blocks than building a side around his abilities.

I don't disagree, but he shouldn't be the best player on the team if they have aspirations of winning the EPL and CL again. However, I will admit that it also depends on the manager. Kante looked beastly for Chelsea during their EPL title due to Mourinho parking the bus like The Great Wall of China in every game where more defensive-ability players will shine through.

 

[Blender]

I don't disagree, but he shouldn't be the best player on the team if they have aspirations of winning the EPL and CL again. However, I will admit that it also depends on the manager. Kante looked beastly for Chelsea during their EPL title due to Mourinho parking the bus like The Great Wall of China in every game where more defensive-ability players will shine through.

Antonio Conte was their manager when they won the title in 2016-2017. Kante won PFA and FWA Player of the Year, and should have won both the year before when he won the title with Leicester as well.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I don't disagree, but he shouldn't be the best player on the team if they have aspirations of winning the EPL and CL again. However, I will admit that it also depends on the manager. Kante looked beastly for Chelsea during their EPL title due to Mourinho parking the bus like The Great Wall of China in every game where more defensive-ability players will shine through.

Not only was that Conte's team, not Mourinho's, but they also scored more goals in that season than Arsenal did in ANY of their title-winning campaigns. They weren't just parking the bus.

 

[Chimaera]

Yeah, I mean, just because Sarri would rather play Jorginho in the hole, and push Kante up doesn’t mean he’s diminished. A good manager (and who knows with Lampard) will build around him and have a competitive side. Heck, I think he’s so good he covers for many faults that his side does have. He does the work of two players. Chelsea might lack talent, but Kante walks into any side in the world if he really wanted to.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

On a side note, I think James Maddison might be my favourite non-Chelsea player in the entire league, and if he had scored the winner when he should've I wouldn't even have been mad.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Those three Chelsea substitutes....not great.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Those three Chelsea substitutes....not great.

Abraham was decent, Willian was dreadful, and Kovacic should've come in for Mount when we were leading, rather than for Jorginho while chasing.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Maddison really needs to stop diving, though.

 

[robertmac43]

Maddison really needs to stop diving, though.

I still remember him getting a second yellow for diving at Brighton last year. Is that his reputation ?

 

[Live in the Now]

I mean, I would take Kante and whomever over Leicester’s.

He’s the one truly world class player on that pitch. I think some of Chelsea’s young players have talent, I’m just concerned they don’t have the patience to let them develop

It's more the quality of the other positions that makes me think their first elevens are similar. Again, Chelsea should finish ahead of Leicester by ten points or so because of their depth. I don't really understand how things got to this point.

 

[Blender]

Abraham was decent, Willian was dreadful, and Kovacic should've come in for Mount when we were leading, rather than for Jorginho while chasing.

Willian has looked pretty terrible for 2 years now. Guy is done as an EPL player.

I agree about Kovacic/Mount. Mount was pressing very high all game and was leaving a gap in our midfield that Leicester exploited. Abraham was a drop off from Giroud, that's for sure. He wasn't negative, but he didn't really contribute anything either.

 

[robertmac43]

Chelsea are going to be fine, they just look extra shaky at the moment and some of that likely comes down to the the Manager. They will get better over time.

 

[YNWA14]

On a side note, I think James Maddison might be my favourite non-Chelsea player in the entire league, and if he had scored the winner when he should've I wouldn't even have been mad.

He's really a fantastic player. I'm surprised he wasn't poached. He was legitimately one of the best midfielders in the league last season, he's young and he's British.

 

[gary69]

Surprising that neither Chelsea nor especially managed to score more in the late 2nd half, it was such an open end-to-end game at that point.

I think given his status and if this is how they play most of their games, he'll be the manager next season, even if they don't make the top 6. Then he gets to buy 2-3 players, somebody replacing Pedro & Willian (Hudson-Odoi as the other starter) and a striker most likely.

Hopefully Lampard gets to stay at least three years. If after 3rd year, they're not a solid top4 team, then maybe start to look at other options.

Pedro puts in an effort, but 90% of the time his decisions are poor enough, so that makes him crucially bad choice at inopportune times. Getting in decent offensive positions, but then shooting just wide, passing is just a bit off, puts in a tackle but then misses a crucial one, tracks back but then loses his man just when it matters most.

 

[Halladay]

Chelsea lost their best player and have a manager who hasn't managed at this level and hasn't managed much at all. With Arsenal having a good window, Im not sure how anyone could have expected them anything better than 5th place.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Sure, but how many world class CDM's honestly win games for clubs? Sure they impact the play greatly which cannot be justified by analytics or numbers, but I suggest that CDM is also a position where you truly don't need an amazing player in it to win championships either. I think the most important world class positions on the pitch is a combination between #9, #10, #4, #11, or #7 and perhaps a #8.

If Arsenal still had had a player like Patrick Vieira the last 10+ years they would have won several more trophies over that time span.

 

[Jussi]

Not enough Pukki in this thread so...





By the way, apparently Celtic fans are quite bitter or sour grapes over his current form.

 

[Havre]

Istanbul took its toll. Even if Chelsea got one more day of rest compared to Liverpool. Liverpool won the game down to a bit of luck and some individual skill. Skill Chelsea hasn't got.

If Chelsea can keep their energy up I think they will do well. Not sure if that is possible when the novelty of things wear off though. Also - who will score their goals when games are getting tight?

Early days. City look great. The rest of the "top" teams look quite average. Maybe Utd can convince me otherwise tonight. Will be interesting to see who gets going. Spurs look %#"¤#" so not confident there, but certainly haven't given up.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Istanbul took its toll. Even if Chelsea got one more day of rest compared to Liverpool. Liverpool won the game down to a bit of luck and some individual skill. Skill Chelsea hasn't got.

Liverpool dominated almost the entire second half of their game.

 

[Havre]

Liverpool dominated almost the entire second half of their game.

Well. They didn't "deserve" to win. I doubt Southampton would have been that close to Liverpool if it hadn't been for Istanbul.

Not that Liverpool will completely run over every mid/bottom half team this year. And Leicester isn't a bad team, but I'm not surprised that both Chelsea and Liverpool struggled this round.

 

[hatterson]

Will be interesting to see if United can solve the issues they had with Wolves last year.

Last September Wolves scored a second half equalizer in a game where united dominated possession but did almost nothing with it.
In March they knocked united out of the FA cup with a couple of second half goals in a game where Wolves were definitely the better side despite less possession.
In April United was playing better at first, and jumped out to an early and deserved lead, but then quickly went back to past form. Wolves equalized a few minutes later, Young got himself sent off in the second half because he's a moron and Smalling poached an OG to give Wolves the win. That loss didn't end United's top 4 hopes directly, but it had a pretty big impact and despite a win the next week against West Ham, they never really recovered.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Some of the Chelsea takes have been over the top here, but there’s one thing that I would definitely worry about if I were a fan. 3 straight games where they started well, but opponents made halftime adjustments and they had no answers. Opposing managers are clearly adjusting and in the 2nd half, Chelsea get ran.

Yeah, I'm enjoying the Chelsea bashing from opposing fans. This was always going to be a transition season. A successful season simply comes down to some of the youth developing into quality players to make a bigger impact next season when Lampard can bring players in to play his style. It's clear the defense needs to be revamped and to bring in an actual #9. For the attackers, we need to see which ones out of Mount, RLC, Hudson-Odoi, and Pulisic can be long-term starters and where we need to bring in upgrades.

But sure, opposing fans keep up with the hot takes. All clubs get to this point, I just laugh when I see a crazy hot take from a fan of a club that was at this point in recent times.

 

[AB13]

 

[Jussi]

Will be interesting to see if United can solve the issues they had with Wolves last year.

Last September Wolves scored a second half equalizer in a game where united dominated possession but did almost nothing with it.
In March they knocked united out of the FA cup with a couple of second half goals in a game where Wolves were definitely the better side despite less possession.
In April United was playing better at first, and jumped out to an early and deserved lead, but then quickly went back to past form. Wolves equalized a few minutes later, Young got himself sent off in the second half because he's a moron and Smalling poached an OG to give Wolves the win. That loss didn't end United's top 4 hopes directly, but it had a pretty big impact and despite a win the next week against West Ham, they never really recovered.

Apparently United coaching staff have been watching a lot of the video of last season's meetings, so they should be prepared.