West Ham Utd 0-0 Chelsea (23/09/18)

[Sir_Trevor]

Only just realised that Chelski are playing in Greece in the Europa on Thursday. May not mean anything but can't do our chances any harm.

[bowltorious]

They will rest everyone, they have an easy group.

[TheHandOfDog]

Got a feeling snodders will start, not so sure about Antonio.

[Peaches]

I’d go for an unchanged staring line up. Chelsea are great going forward, but leave chances at the back, especially as Marcos Alonso is often the furthest player forward.
I actually think we have a decent chance to get something out of this as Chelsea are a great attacking team but lack the pace of Liverpool, or City. I think they are a more polished Arsenal, with a better midfield , and we should have beaten Arsenal, even before we figured out how to set ourselves up.
I think Balbuena and Diop will handle Giroud and or Morata, but their real danger comes from Hazard, Kovacic and Willian.
If we keep Hazard in check, we should get enough chances to sneak a win as David Luiz is more prone to mental errors than Ogbonna.

[prophet:marginal]

I might be wrong here, but aren't Chelsea the only team to lost twice already at the OS?

(League Cup first season, league the next)

[hammerman11]

lets make it a hattrick

we need to be on our game from the first till last minute. full commitment on and off the field.

hopefully they will play a few on Thursday and be tired. a few injuries would be nice.

if arnie plays we will get something

same team as sunday

COYI

[James P]

I might be wrong here, but aren't Chelsea the only team to lost twice already at the OS?

(League Cup first season, league the next)

We beat Swansea at home both seasons too.

[woodford]

I might be wrong here, but aren't Chelsea the only team to lost twice already at the OS?

(League Cup first season, league the next)

haha amateurs, took them 2 seasons, we manage that in a month

[EvilC]

haha amateurs, took them 2 seasons, we manage that in a month

lol

[richneal]

Reluctant to change a winning team, but wondering if Zabaleta has to make way for Fredericks. Six of one half dozen of the other . . . is Zabaleta too slow for their wide men? Fredericks has the pace but will he be able to put his foot through the ball?

Someone has to be breathing down Hazard's neck the whole game - not sure if it should be Rice or Obiang.

Interesting to see what some are saying about Masuaku on this thread. Looks fine to me, doing a good job . . . opinions and all that . . .

[Crouchend_Hammer]

I'm probably on my own here, but I think Zabaleta excels when he plays against the Hazards, Pedros, Ozils and Willians ..... it's the out and out sprinters that he struggles with most.

Exactly.

Nearly every full back in the world can struggle against out and out pace. The fastest wingers, will almost always be faster than the fastest full backs

Zabaleta is a very very good defender, and he isn't a slouch anyway. Not to mention what he adds in experience, determination, motivation etc

Of course he can't get up and down as much as used to be able to do, but for me he should be nailed on starter against the better teams

[Crouchend_Hammer]

Interesting to see what some are saying about Masuaku on this thread. Looks fine to me, doing a good job . . . opinions and all that . . .

Someone was even trying to blame him for the Everton goal the other day. I am not sure what that is all about

[Patito]

Hazard will roam about so much that I don't think it would be wise to put someone specific on him and man-mark him. He will go wherever the space is, he will look for gaps in front of the back 4 and out wide, particularly the left. If we assign someone to follow him everywhere we will lose our shape IMO. Doesn't mean we don't have to be wary but we must keep our shape and plug those gaps when we don't have the ball. Rice was good at dropping deeper infront of the back 4 against Everton, we need more of the same. I'd imagine Obiang will slide over and help out Zabaleta if Hazard is picking the ball up wide left as he often does.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

Hazard will roam about so much that I don't think it would be wise to put someone specific on him and man-mark him. He will go wherever the space is, he will look for gaps in front of the back 4 and out wide, particularly the left. If we assign someone to follow him everywhere we will lose our shape IMO. Doesn't mean we don't have to be wary but we must keep our shape and plug those gaps when we don't have the ball. Rice was good at dropping deeper infront of the back 4 against Everton, we need more of the same. I'd imagine Obiang will slide over and help out Zabaleta if Hazard is picking the ball up wide left as he often does.

That is a very fair point PAtito. Hazard is one of those players that is just too good for man to man marking. Much better players than Rice have tried and failed

I would rather we set up so that whoever is playing DM keeps their positional discipline, not follows Hazard all over the pitch

[HammerAl]

That Everton win has taken the pressure off us for the next couple of games and if we can sneak a point from them then that would be great - anything more would be fantastic!

[sutts07]

Got a feeling snodders will start, not so sure about Antonio.

Tough to justify making any changes unless we have picked up knocks.

Rice will no doubt be asked to do to Hazard, exactly what he did for Sigurdsson. Keep an eye on him, but don't stay glued to him.

[BenniBlanco]

Usually, when there is a Hazard, Rice comes in handy

[Paddy O'Hammer]

Only just realised that Chelski are playing in Greece in the Europa on Thursday. May not mean anything but can't do our chances any harm.

This never seems to work in our favour :lol:

[TommyHammer]

Reluctant to change a winning team, but wondering if Zabaleta has to make way for Fredericks. Six of one half dozen of the other . . . is Zabaleta too slow for their wide men? Fredericks has the pace but will he be able to put his foot through the ball?

Someone has to be breathing down Hazard's neck the whole game - not sure if it should be Rice or Obiang.

Interesting to see what some are saying about Masuaku on this thread. Looks fine to me, doing a good job . . . opinions and all that . . .

Both of them should be on him.

[BromleyHammer]

Can anyone recommend a place to watch this in Chicago?