Agree with all your points. Think it will be a tight game. Chelsea are not as bad as people make out.. they have nobody to score. they also play much better against team that come at them and actually attack rather than those that sit deep.

They have played well this year Vs Liverpool and Arsenal while struggling against teams like Bretford, Forest who came to the Bridge looking for a point.

2-1 Spurs.... Son & Johnson

It’ll be a tough game. Unlike Man U, I don’t think Chelsea are nearly as bad as their league position suggests, they are mostly lacking some quality and clinical finishing in the final third. Defensively they are ok and they will press us well with players like Gallagher and Palmer as you say so our back line will need to be really careful with the way they play it out.

Brentford beat them by sitting in their own box and sucker punching them. It will be a much more open game with the way we play and that will suit Chelsea. We need our forwards to be more clinical than theirs basically. Score first to settle the inevitable nerves, then hit them again as they come forward and space opens up. It’ll be nice for us also to play a team that doesn’t just sit back following games against Palace, Fulham, Luton and 9 man Liverpool who had to adopt the same tactic.

As long as Spurs win, not overly worried re performance.

Slightly annoying though that Spurs will probably be back in 3rd/4th again when they play Chelsea because of the way the fixtures are falling. Pressure back on to go top again. Then a tricky match at Wolves to follow.

comment by sandy, golden boot winner fa cup 1901 (U20567)
posted 1 minute ago
As long as Spurs win, not overly worried re performance.

Slightly annoying though that Spurs will probably be back in 3rd/4th again when they play Chelsea because of the way the fixtures are falling. Pressure back on to go top again. Then a tricky match at Wolves to follow.
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Yes, but if we beat Chelsea then wolves is the Saturday lunchtime KO so we’ll have a chance to go 5 points clear and put pressure on others to catch us.

why would silva (our best cb by a mile and still quick as anything) be targeted in particular?

Good article btw

I don't think the players will be worried about winning to go top.

They'll just want to win.

Ange doesn't put any pressure on them, other than to play well. I have not heard him usher one word about ambitions or cups or top 4 or titles.

Its just, go out there, play to our best and the results will take care of themselves.

Seems to be working as we have all seen the the past that a chance to go top or clear has often seen us stumble.

*utter

comment by Nickasaurus (U9257)
posted 2 minutes ago
why would silva (our best cb by a mile and still quick as anything) be targeted in particular?
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He aint "quick as anything", and even if he were, few are quicker than Son. As said though, he is a good reader so his positioning is always strong, so less reliant on pace.

I think people see age and think slowness.

he's still very very quick. Outpaced nunez a few times on a break last year as a prime example.

obviously teeing myself up for a silva ricket now

Son's 31 and as fast as ever so i get what you're saying.

We'll see how it goes

This is going to be a tough game, we’ve seen Chelsea play really well against Arsenal and Liverpool and the way we play will suit them.

Ange will never go for a low block and it will be all out attack which will give Chelsea space and as we have seen in previous games plenty of scoring opportunities (Fulham should have scored at least 3 against us the other day).

I have bit of a bad feeling about this game but hopefully I’m wrong.

It’s definitely going to be end to end thriller I think..

if James starts then we need Brennan testing his hamstrings all night


I think it'll be similar to the Arsenal game where they don't create much outside of pressing so it'll really be on us to not make mistakes in buildup, need big games from the back 5 and Bissouma.

We're due an early goal and with the confidence of both sides you'd think going up 1-0 early on and getting the crowd going would be a bit of a death sentence for this Chelsea side

comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 4 minutes ago
if James starts then we need Brennan testing his hamstrings all night


I think it'll be similar to the Arsenal game where they don't create much outside of pressing so it'll really be on us to not make mistakes in buildup, need big games from the back 5 and Bissouma.

We're due an early goal and with the confidence of both sides you'd think going up 1-0 early on and getting the crowd going would be a bit of a death sentence for this Chelsea side
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I agree, an early goal against them will kill their confidence.

They will come out flying and get right at us, if we can’t score early we just need to weather that first 20 mins or so

Would be great if we started quickly with an early goal. Suspect their heads would drop pretty quickly if we did and then we could control the game.

Bissouma, Sarr and Maddison will have their hands full in midfield and their full backs can be really good so Kulu and Richy or Johnson will have track back with them.

Really hope Bissouma is on top form.

comment by Del Big Ange Postecoglou (U22000)
posted 23 minutes ago
comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 4 minutes ago
if James starts then we need Brennan testing his hamstrings all night


I think it'll be similar to the Arsenal game where they don't create much outside of pressing so it'll really be on us to not make mistakes in buildup, need big games from the back 5 and Bissouma.

We're due an early goal and with the confidence of both sides you'd think going up 1-0 early on and getting the crowd going would be a bit of a death sentence for this Chelsea side
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I agree, an early goal against them will kill their confidence.

They will come out flying and get right at us, if we can’t score early we just need to weather that first 20 mins or so
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Not sure i agree with this.

They will be aggressive, it's the Poch way, but there will not be a "storm" to weather.

We're the home team. We're the unbeaten team we're the team with sky high confidence.

Poch wont low block but they will be either looking to catch us in our own third, or draw us on and on catch us on the counter.

I don't seem them dominating us and pushing us back for 20 minutes.

and Romero needs to keep his hands off Cucurella's barnet

comment by Devonshirespur (U6316)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Del Big Ange Postecoglou (U22000)
posted 23 minutes ago
comment by Christopher huffing glou (U20930)
posted 4 minutes ago
if James starts then we need Brennan testing his hamstrings all night


I think it'll be similar to the Arsenal game where they don't create much outside of pressing so it'll really be on us to not make mistakes in buildup, need big games from the back 5 and Bissouma.

We're due an early goal and with the confidence of both sides you'd think going up 1-0 early on and getting the crowd going would be a bit of a death sentence for this Chelsea side
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree, an early goal against them will kill their confidence.

They will come out flying and get right at us, if we can’t score early we just need to weather that first 20 mins or so
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Not sure i agree with this.

They will be aggressive, it's the Poch way, but there will not be a "storm" to weather.

We're the home team. We're the unbeaten team we're the team with sky high confidence.

Poch wont low block but they will be either looking to catch us in our own third, or draw us on and on catch us on the counter.

I don't seem them dominating us and pushing us back for 20 minutes.
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Maybe not a storm or a period of dominance but they have started strong recently which they have shown against Brentford and Arsenal.

Brentford came through and ended up winning 2-0.

You are right though, we are the home team and it should be us dictating

Ange say Udogie will be assessed for Chelsea

comment by LukaBrasi Ange-r management (U22178)
posted 2 minutes ago
Ange say Udogie will be assessed for Chelsea
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Just seen that. Massive kick in the ballbag that is if he’s missing, saw against Palace that our progressive play isn’t as good without him, and Chelsea is a tougher ask. Hopefully he’s fit. And hopefully he’s not gonna be another Sess type muscle injury crock.

Yep that’s a huge loss if he’s out…fingers crossed it’s a bit of mind games.

comment by Ace (U14461)
posted 21 minutes ago
comment by LukaBrasi Ange-r management (U22178)
posted 2 minutes ago
Ange say Udogie will be assessed for Chelsea
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Just seen that. Massive kick in the ballbag that is if he’s missing, saw against Palace that our progressive play isn’t as good without him, and Chelsea is a tougher ask. Hopefully he’s fit. And hopefully he’s not gonna be another Sess type muscle injury crock.
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I read before the Palace game that he was "fatigued".

So may be this is just Ange putting doubts in the opponents mind, giving them hope that Davies will start

I think a lot of our supporters are getting s bit carried away with how good Chelsea are this season.

They have won just three Prem games against Luton Burnley and Fulham. They are not very good.

https://twitter.com/Memerinho1/status/1720087585618632996?t=RS_GjdMwDN0XCUsE4mhwCw&s=19

😂