Chelsea Build-Up Thread

City have been so poor since the new manager was announced.

Shi te effort too

one thing is for sure, chelsea will get a far tougher game against us.

city (today) have some players very good on the ball but all very young, weak and inexperienced

Was Lawro Danny Murphy's mentor for co-commentating? #miserable

one thing is for sure, chelsea will get a far tougher game against us.

city (today) have some players very good on the ball but all very young, weak and inexperienced

Really looking forward to Saturday but it will be tough game that's for sure

Bookie's have us slight favourites 6/4 v 7/4

A walk in the park against the City toddlers. They should be as fresh as us when we play them.

Bit worried we will have lost just a little match sharpness; never seem to do well after a break; typical for us to play Chelsea when they are in probably the best form of the season! 2 tough matches coming up now as Bournemouth will be desperate to win at home now...

Bit worried we will have lost just a little match sharpness; never seem to do well after a break; typical for us to play Chelsea when they are in probably the best form of the season! 2 tough matches coming up now as Bournemouth will be desperate to win at home now...

Yes, but so are we. Bring them on!

Also, in fairness we played them earlier when they were in their worst form of the season, so it evens out I guess.

why would we go 3 at the back (5 defenders) when they have 1 striker, costa..?

Because they are scoring for fun from all over their team

City have been so poor since the new manager was announced.

They do look poor at the moment, in recent games they just look like they've lost belief and direction, I guess Pellegrini doesn't have the incentive of trying to keep his job, strange situation they are in and one I hope we can avoid next year if Koeman runs down his contract.

We could really do with Man City getting a win next week to beat Liverpool in the cup final, that should ensure Europe to 6th place, we'll then see if they start to bottle 4th place if Man Utd / West Ham or us get within a couple of points of them.

I'm going to go for a 2-2 draw in our game, on current form Chelsea are capable of beating us but I get the feeling that the Champions league and FA cup are their priorities now.

Bit worried we will have lost just a little match sharpness; never seem to do well after a break; typical for us to play Chelsea when they are in probably the best form of the season! 2 tough matches coming up now as Bournemouth will be desperate to win at home now...

I know what you mean but I think this is more the case after the International breaks, at least this time the squad have had a well deserved rest and will have trained together no doubt focusing on how we'll approach the Chelsea game probably with a behind closed doors game as well.

Romeu to give a man of the match performance to show Chelsea what they could have had.

Regarding the Bournemouth game, I agree it will be tough but they do not look great at the moment, especially at home.

This will probably be our hardest game of the season. Really looking forward to this game.

I'm going to go for a 2-2 draw in our game, on current form Chelsea are capable of beating us but I get the feeling that the Champions league and FA cup are their priorities now.

Probably, but they still have a chance of getting to fourth qualifying place if they keep up their blistering form, so I reckon they'll treat our game as a 'must win'. It will be foolhardy if our players think that Chelsea are more interested in FA Cup and Champions League.

Probably, but they still have a chance of getting to fourth qualifying place if they keep up their blistering form, so I reckon they'll treat our game as a 'must win'. It will be foolhardy if our players think that Chelsea are more interested in FA Cup and Champions League.

I would hardly call 2 wins from their last 6 in the league blistering form. A loss in the Champions League as well. They're definitely playing better, but still beatable.

Probably, but they still have a chance of getting to fourth qualifying place if they keep up their blistering form, so I reckon they'll treat our game as a 'must win'. It will be foolhardy if our players think that Chelsea are more interested in FA Cup and Champions League.

They are 14 points off 4th , I don't think so !

Bit of a funny one this, having been off for 2 weeks you would think that we might be a bit rusty, but then this time last year we went on the jolly to Switzerland, this year we seem to have kept the players ticking over in training, which will hopefully make them hungry to get into action come 3pm on Saturday.

Having watched Chelsea on TV during the last 3 games I don't think there is much to fear, as Newcastle looked pretty poor through their own doing rather than Chelsea putting them under the cosh, the goal fest only occurred due to the Toon players giving up. Man City yesterday was a bit of joke with only 2 recognisable players in the line up and the rest made up of players wearing shirts numbered 56 61 etc, there was no understanding between the Citeh players who were trying rehearsed on PlayStation passes to fresh air, more often than not.

PSG were different though, organised and comfortable with each other, it showed in the result. Chelsea looked like an opposition team who would have turned up at Stamford Bridge last season in the hope of the wind being in the right direction to nick a result.

Having missed West Ham due to work, at nearly a month without live football before my eyes I am certainly looking forward to Saturday afternoon.

Probably, but they still have a chance of getting to fourth qualifying place if they keep up their blistering form, so I reckon they'll treat our game as a 'must win'. It will be foolhardy if our players think that Chelsea are more interested in FA Cup and Champions League.

With only 12 league games left you think Chelsea are in "blistering form" and still have a chance of 4th? Really?

4th Man City 47 points

...........

6th Saints 40 points

12th Chelsea 33 points

Form of last 6 league games...

Saints = 16 points

Chelsea = 10 points

If they maintain that "blistering form" in the next 12 games... 20 points and they'll finish on 53 points... only 6 more than Man City currently have.

Momentum matters and Chelsea feel like they are back on right now. But they do need to guarantee Europe of some kind for them next year. Best route for that is win in the cup for Europa (which would at least give them something next year), but really I would imagine they have their sights on the Champions league.

Regardless, now Chelsea have sorted out their problem, they have more than enough depth to have a decent late chase for the Europa League in the PL and still get at the CL.

Yes, Chelsea had an abysmal start this year, but 6th isn't off the cards for them. Last time they finished 6th, they did the cup double, so no need to write them off just yet!

With only 12 league games left you think Chelsea are in "blistering form" and still have a chance of 4th? Really?

 

4th Man City 47 points

...........

6th Saints 40 points

12th Chelsea 33 points

 

Form of last 6 league games..

 

Saints = 16 points

Chelsea = 10 points

Ok, I should have said on the form that they showed against ManCity in the Cup. On that showing they are fast approaching the form of last year, playing with increasing confidence and scoring goals. They are only eight points from 5th place and I doubt if they will drop as many points as they have in the not so distant past. With Hiddink in charge they have only lost to PSG since the beginning of the year I believe, and that has been during a recovery period. I maintain that they are now in very good form, alas, but the Saints game will be revealing. If we beat them, which I hope of course, I will take back what I said. But my comments were in the context that we should not be over-confident. We have not been scoring many goals from chances. Chelsea have the players to do better. We have to be at our best on Saturday.

So why can't we maintain our blistering form and get 4th ?

Ok, I should have said on the form that they showed against ManCity in the Cup. On that showing they are fast approaching the form of last year, playing with increasing confidence and scoring goals. They are only eight points from 5th place and I doubt if they will drop as many points as they have in the not so distant past. With Hiddink in charge they have only lost to PSG since the beginning of the year I believe, and that has been during a recovery period. I maintain that they are now in very good form, alas, but the Saints game will be revealing. If we beat them, which I hope of course, I will take back what I said. But my comments were in the context that we should not be over-confident. We have not been scoring many goals from chances. Chelsea have the players to do better. We have to be at our best on Saturday.

Form is generally done looking at 6 games, not one off games in the cup vs Man City reserves/under 21s.

In terms of league form out of the last 18 points available; Saints have 16 and Chelsea 10. It is Saints in "blistering form" at the top of the form table, not Chelsea. You were talking about Chelsea still being in the battle for 4th, they are 14 points behind with only 12 games left. It isn't going to happen.

So why can't we maintain our blistering form and get 4th ?

Why not?

So why can't we maintain our blistering form and get 4th ?

would you have suggest we would maintained the absolute relegation form?

would you have suggest we would maintained the absolute relegation form?

No because we have changed the formation we play and signed a new player since then !

No because we have changed the formation we play and signed a new player since then !

right. OK.

I guess we are on course for champions league then

Come on Ron, be brave and we can win this by playing 3.4.3

Forster ,

Fonte , Vvd , Bertrand

Cedric , Romieu , Classie , Davies

Mane , Austin , Long

Go on Ron, go for it.

why would we go 3 at the back (5 defenders) when they have 1 striker, costa..?

 

I think it's really naive to think this way. Chelsea counter attack with lots of pace. Hazard is starting to pick up his form and Willian is one of their best players.

Costa is also in beast mode atm but i'm least worried about him funnily enough.

Bit of a funny one this, having been off for 2 weeks you would think that we might be a bit rusty, but then this time last year we went on the jolly to Switzerland, this year we seem to have kept the players ticking over in training, which will hopefully make them hungry to get into action come 3pm on Saturday.

Having watched Chelsea on TV during the last 3 games I don't think there is much to fear, as Newcastle looked pretty poor through their own doing rather than Chelsea putting them under the cosh, the goal fest only occurred due to the Toon players giving up. Man City yesterday was a bit of joke with only 2 recognisable players in the line up and the rest made up of players wearing shirts numbered 56 61 etc, there was no understanding between the Citeh players who were trying rehearsed on PlayStation passes to fresh air, more often than not.

PSG were different though, organised and comfortable with each other, it showed in the result. Chelsea looked like an opposition team who would have turned up at Stamford Bridge last season in the hope of the wind being in the right direction to nick a result.

Having missed West Ham due to work, at nearly a month without live football before my eyes I am certainly looking forward to Saturday afternoon.

Hmm the who first team squad are in Dubai and they are there unsupervised I hear

Hmm the who first team squad are in Dubai and they are there unsupervised I hear

Good Lord! I hope there's someone there to get them dressed in the morning.

Hmm the who first team squad are in Dubai and they are there unsupervised I hear

Isn't it just Jay and Gardos who are there doing fitness work?

would you have suggest we would maintained the absolute relegation form?

You did though didn't you?

Hmm the who first team squad are in Dubai and they are there unsupervised I hear

So just Roger Dawtry and Pete Townsend then !!

I think they've calmed down a bit nowadays so alright to be unsupervised

Isn't it just Jay and Gardos who are there doing fitness work?

No the whole squad have been there but none of the coaching staff went. Guess there has been a bit of team bonding going on.

No the whole squad have been there but none of the coaching staff went. Guess there has been a bit of team bonding going on.

Fair enough. Nothing wrong with that. Some of the fitness staff were there with Gardos and Rodriguez so perhaps they stayed.

No the whole squad have been there but none of the coaching staff went. Guess there has been a bit of team bonding going on.

Judging by Big Ron's social media accounts he's been for a few relaxing days in the sun in the Algarve so there does seem to have been a break. Let's hope everyone is fully fit and raring to go. Massive week coming up in the context of the season. 12 games to go, 3 of them in a week against bottom half teams, 2 of which are at St Mary's, great opportunity to set ourselves up for an exciting end to the season.

Hmm the who first team squad are in Dubai and they are there unsupervised I hear

Kept that quiet. Bet the media team are upset to have missed that Gig, hope they don't find it too chilly then on Saturday with a forecast chill blowing in this week.

Has anyone had any luck with the ticket exchange, I am looking for just 1 ticket for myself and haven't found 1. It says limited on some blocks but nothing is showing? Only area with some seems to be family stand, which I don't want to sit in..

keep looking changes fairly often during the day

Seat in Block 18 currently available

Bit random but has Frank Turners 'I still believe' ever been played as a pre match build up song? Think it would be quite good as one of the lyrics is I still believe.... in the saints! (he is a saints fan isn't he?) and he released when we were in league one and probably created it when we were in admin or around then so is very apt, rather play his song than U2 the saints are coming one.

Anyway win here and I will firmly believe we will at least match last seasons 7th place.

Willian will score a free kick. Tadic will score pen. Austin will grab a late goal after coming off the bench. 2-1 Saints.

My first home game since Stoke , debating staying away for superstitions sake!?

My first home game since Stoke , debating staying away for superstitions sake!?

Wouldn't worry too much......... I can't remember which under crackers are the un lucky ones this season!!

Can anyone get me a single ticket on the exchange?

There are a few singles on there this morning but when i log in I can't buy against my ST, I guess you have to be a non-ST member to buy?

It's for my (adult) son, he's definitely a Saints fan, I'm happy to buy you a pie and a pint for your troubles.

Another clean sheet from Fraser??

See we have Martin Atkinson on the whistle for this one.

Seems a bit better than the rest, been doing well in the CL games I have seen him officiate, doesn't appear to get conned by the rolling about just been shot by a sniper in the floodlights that goes on in the Eurpoean games.

Atkinson is largely one of the worst IMO.

Or at least when he has a shocker its an absolute shocker.