Ibn Battuta

Hazard is almost a certainty. I am however thinking about Kante. We know how much Zidane loved playing with Makelele. Wouldn’t surprise me to see him make a run for Kante. It would solve the problem of that slow midfield immediately. Kante+Modric seems like the type of midfield you want in these Guardiola/Klopp times of high intensity football. He could start a new revolution, and judging by media reports that’s exactly what he wants to do. I guess Perez finally gave a go and opened Fort Knox.

Shouldn’t that be a red for Doherty?

Too little variation in attack. Should consider Giroud to free up Hazard more.

Pretty much. But Kante is world class, so it doesn’t mean Jorginho is crap. Serie A - slower, less dynamic, more tactical. EPL - quicker, more dynamic, less tactical. Jorginho - not quick, not dynamic, very very tactically astute. Main attribute is reading opposition tactics and setting up the right attacking plays with the right players at the right time Kante - supremely quick, supremely dynamic. Kante is in the right league but wrong team. Jorginho is in the wrong league but right team. The conundrum is real and I wonder if Sarri will solve it. I think he will if he can create a Serie A team within the EPL. But that’s like building a Swiss watch in China.

Not only good at holding up play, but he moves like a man with purpose and direction. He is also surprisingly unselfish. He makes runs to free up other attacking players. So refreshing. There was a moment in the game against City were he deliberately made a sharp left flank run in order to free up CHO. I think it was Luiz who played the ball to him in space, and he was vividly upset he didn't play CHO, pointing to his side to illustrate his run was just a planned decoy. Small things, but you dont see it as often as you should. We need more players who play to make others better.

Adapted and dealt with some heavy heavy pressure. I’m impressed. Tactic seemed spot on to me. I said before the game that Kovacic has to play with Kante. That was vital imo. But Sarri made them play smart. Move the ball quickly in the middle of the pitch and keep it simple to avoid getting picked off by their quick midfielders, and instead play the risky passes down the sides where they can’t hurt as much if we lose the ball. Simple tactics but brilliant. Basically took away their biggest weapon.

I wouldn’t want to see RLC AND Jorginho against their midfield. Kante and Kovacic have to play. We don’t match up well with them as they have the perfect weapon in Alli/Son to neutralise Jorginho. Players that can defend Jorginho and at the same time possess the ability to transition to attack very quickly when they win the ball. We have to counter that somehow. I think playing Kovacic or Kante closer to Jorginho is necessary.

Rudiger has been a bright spot and isn’t given enough credit for how much he has improved this season. He can still be a wee bit reckless but rather too much intensity than too little. Captain material for sure.

Small details like putting Kante in a position to just attack the point of play in defence can have a massive effect. Emerson looked good as well.

So just like a thought, a nothing story. Lots of people on here jumping on this story like the anti Chelsea brigade thirsty for a tabloid story is disappointing.

Glad I’m not the only one thinking this.

I must say I’m surprised by the reactions to Kepa. To me it looked like a player who thought he was getting subbed because they thought he couldn’t finish. But maybe the plan was always that he was going to get subbed? Weird weird.

I don’t think that they are necessarily better run. They are in a good period, we are in a bad period. These things fluctuate. The margins for error is hair thin at the top of modern football. A couple of wrong signings and you look like a club with no direction. This club has made one error too many but has also been hit with some bad luck. Some of these errors do point to a lack of vision. But it could also be a result of other factors which we can’t see from our perspective. I question the decision to buy Jorginho when it has become obvious the cost was 50m+ reducing Kante’s impact on the team. Looks like a fatal mistake in today ultra competitive market to make such a trade off. Kante is extremely popular in France and worldwide too. Makes the decision even more baffling. But some things you can’t blame the club for. The Diego Costa affair has been a major factor in our troubles.

That seems to be by design though. We are meant to pass our way through not carry our way through. The worry is that we spend so much time and effort to get the ball into the final third, only to play it back again because our attackers are isolated or have their back against the goal once they receive it in the final third. This has been a big problem.

He looked good against Tottenham. He has speed yes but he plays at a stop and go tempo, which is good. He doesnt just run around aimlessly. Uses tempo change at just the right time, very similar to Hazard in that regard. The tragedy will be if we lose Hazard after adding players like Pulisic and Higuain, as I am sure these players will make it easier for Hazard to play at a higher level.