Chelsea vs. Manchester United

[Livewire1974]

looks like we are going 4-5-1.

 

[100]

Team v Man Utd: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Ramires, David Luiz; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Eto’o. #CFC
Substitutes v Man Utd: Schwarzer, Cole, Mikel, Matic, Lampard, Mata, Torres. #CFC

 

[Orton]

Being without our 2 best players really does make us look average. It's going to be down to Januzaj to produce some magic.

 

[Cee90]

It annoys me that Young hitting a ball quite nicely into the net twice has seemingly altered the perception of him. His all round game has still been piss.

Just because he stole your place in the first team Kag, there's no need to shit all over him on RedCafe.

He'll probably score today too...

Edit: he probably won't.

 

[Nickosaur]

That would have made more sense. Young seems to be the more defensive option in this case.

Yep. You can't really argue with Moyes' thinking if that's what he's going for. Considering all the rumours before the game it's a much better line-up than I was expecting!

 

[QuackQuack]

Completely agree with this Kagawa chat.

Never once failed us in a big game and his constant string of world class performances have made him undropable

Seriously, you'd think he was Messi the way you lot carry on.

Well when he gets replaced by Young after a decent performance, you can understand why some people are uneasy with his exclusion.

 

[Sixpence]

It annoys me that Young hitting a ball quite nicely into the net twice has seemingly altered the perception of him. His all round game has still been piss.

Played well there last year and got Ivanovic sent off? Only explanation really. He's still cat piss.

 

[LR7]

Hopefully will drop a bit deeper than he did against Swansea (in the first half). I'm also hoping Young still has the confidence he had before he got injured. I remember this fixture last season was his first game back from injury too and he did well.

 

[Randall Flagg]

A midfield trio of fletch, jones and Carrick with Adnan, welbz and kag would have been interesting but perhaps too dramatic a change

 

[Leg-End]

Again, why do we need defensive strength in an area of the pitch our opponents barely attack in?

It's times like these you realise certain managers don't actually watch football.

So Chelsea definately don't change their gameplans to attack their opponents weakness? Evra has been poor defensively this season and Kagawa ahead of him makes him even more vulnerable. Most of our gamplan today will probably hinge on breaking at speed, Young for all his faults is pretty decent at doing that when he realises he is an actual footballer.

 

[Ash_G]

It's a change that I'm not a fan of, and it's just part of Moyes' cautious approach in games.

Ironically being too cautious may well be a bigger problem than showing a bit of balls. As I said we'll have to see what happens, its just depressing to go from the potential of the second half against Swansea with a couple of players who would come short, run of each other etc and going straight back to having two players who won't budge from their flanks and have produced very little quality in the positions they're playing today.

 

[Kag]

Just because he stole your place in the first team Kag, there's no need to shit all over him on RedCafe.

He'll probably score today too...

Edit: he probably won't.

Ha ha. Here's hoping he does and shuts me the feck up, mate!

 

[bosnian_red]

fecks sake. Hope we grind something out but any hope of playing well is pretty much gone. Moyes picks Valencia and young on the wings for a big game YET AGAIN. Defensive, negative manager is what he is, always has been, and he'll always be like this in the bigger games instead of giving it a go.
Should be a fun game...

 

[Amar__]

So, Kagawa finally showed some life vs. Swansea and his reward is having Young picked ahead of him? Way to bolster his confidence, Moyes.....

He was pretty shit for half of the game tbf, and started playing when all others were good too, hardly impressive. And Young is usually reliable in big games.

 

[Mockney]

What would you do, though? If we had RvP and Rooney and at least one wide man firing on all cylinders, I'd understand you wanting us to go to Stamford Bridge and take the game to them.

I'm probably one of Moyes' biggest detractors on here but I can't see much room for other solutions today. Possibly Januzaj on the left with Kagawa through the middle, or possibly Fletcher ahead of Jones in CM, but I don't think he's got much choice and I can understand wanting to keep it tight today.

Not that I'm expecting a good performance, but I wouldn't today with the injuries we've got either way.

My main problem is that an augmented 4-4-2 with huge emphasis on wide play isn't the only way to play football. It's hardly been serving us brilliantly of late. It's not about "taking the game to them" it's about being rigidly stuck in our ways and tactically antiquated.

But hey, lets wait and see. Perhaps Young & Valencia will be brilliant and we'll try and play through the middle a bit. Stranger things have happened....Occasionally.

 

[Orton]

Ironically being too cautious may well be a bigger problem than showing a bit of balls. As I said we'll have to see what happens, its just depressing to go from the potential of the second half against Swansea with a couple of players who would come short, run of each other etc and going straight back to having two players who won't budge from their flanks and have produced very little quality in the positions they're playing today.

Yeah, I knew Kagawa wasn't going to start today though. It would be too adventurous for Moyes and this is probably the same team SAF would have picked today had he still been here.

 

[Mickeza]

I'm baffled quite frankly, it is a huge ask for an 18 year old to play that number 10 role, it's such a difficult position to play in our system due to our midfield and if it isn't done well we have no link between midfield and attack and can struggle massively, as we saw against Swansea in the first half. Actually, baffling doesn't even cover it, it was baffling against Swansea, but at least it was changed, if we wanted to go defensive with Young, which is a perfectly logical decision, then we should have picked him ahead of Januzaj, not Kagawa.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

I give Jones 20 minutes before he either a) hurts a chelsea player b) hurts a teammate c) hurts himself or d) all of the above.

 

[Freak]

I think he has been omitted due to his inabilty to put a foot in.Todays game plan wil be based on a workmanlike performance and it won't be pretty.If the game becomes scrappy we have a chance and I assume he's on the bench!

Any gentlemen>>>>>to the pub!

Its stupid either way. We just came off one of our best performances against swansea in the second half with brilliant ball retention, attack and pressure and what does he do? Puts in a winger whos coming back from injury and who's actually pretty shit. Im predicting we will have trouble with ball retention. Kagawa helps us keep the ball well. And where's fletcher as well? He was brilliant against swansea.

 

[Ludens the Red]

So Chelsea definately don't change their gameplans to attack their opponents weakness? Evra has been poor defensively this season and Kagawa ahead of him makes him even more vulnerable. Most of our gamplan today will probably hinge on breaking at speed, Young for all his faults is pretty decent at doing that when he realises he is an actual footballer.

They're starting Ivanovic and Willian, Willian and Ivanovic won't suddenly turn into Walker and Lennon. See my mate just said the same that Young breaks with speed, I don't see this. I see Young as deceptively slow.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Being without our 2 best players really does make us look average.

Yup, it's a shame Nani and Anderson aren't available.

 

[gasmanc]

To be fair Young has been fine in his last few outings and he will chip in and help Evra, good experienced wide men who can both defend a bit, we might just need them to tuck in and squeeze Oscar and Willian out of the game. Our worry here is them getting in behind from wide positions, that team is as good as it gets away from home with what is available.

Dowd could well be the difference today.

 

[marjen]

My main problem is that an augmented 4-4-2 with huge emphasis on wide play isn't the only way to play football. It's hardly been serving us brilliantly of late. It's not about "taking the game to them" it's about being rigidly stuck in our ways and tactically antiquated.

I can defnitely understand this, and it's probably my biggest gripe with this whole Moyes-affair: His inability/unwillingness to change our ways, which have become increasingly lacklustre, stale and devoid of creativity.

Having said that, changing it around for shits and giggles vs Chelsea at Stamford Bridge probably isn't the solution. Would you agree? This one, without our main men, will always be about grit and trying to fluke a win.

 

[noodlehair]

That's a fecking pathetic line up.

Dropping Fletcher for a central defender who hasn't even played a game in over a month? Janujaz back into the middle again after being ineffective there against the mighty Swansea. Young who even when he is in good form looks hopelessly out of his depth in these games.

I've lost patience with Moyes now. Every single fecking week it's like he's just walked through the door having never so much as watched a United game in his life.

Back to square 1 yet again after Chelsea comfortably walk all over us then...

 

[Kostur]

No wonder Young and ( ugh ) Valencia are starting, as stupid as it may look the paper. Hazard is in top form currently, there needs to be some serious barricading on the wings so we don't get ripped there.

 

[Damien]

They're starting Ivanovic and Willian, Willian and Ivanovic won't suddenly turn into Walker and Lennon. See my mate just said the same that Young breaks with speed, I don't see this. I see Young as deceptively slow.

Willian's apparently been playing very well of late according to a Chelsea fan who posted last night. If it was Januzaj and Evra on the left he said he'd be very confident.

I could see Januzaj and Evra struggling against Willian if that's the case. He's been very good the past few games. With Hazard's form as well, we should be looking to exploit the wings as much as possible.

 

[Pexbo]

I'm baffled quite frankly, it is a huge ask for an 18 year old to play that number 10 role, it's such a difficult position to play in our system due to our midfield and if it isn't done well we have no link between midfield and attack and can struggle massively, as we saw against Swansea in the first half. Actually, baffling doesn't even cover it, it was baffling against Swansea, but at least it was changed, if we wanted to go defensive with Young, which is a perfectly logical decision, then we should have picked him ahead of Januzaj, not Kagawa.

“But that’s the trouble with potential,” he went on. “People don’t identify potential. They’re very poor at it. I’ve identified it all my life – the potential in young people. I know potential. I know how to develop and have faith in young people, who surprise you when given the opportunity and that’s what this club is all about. - Sir Alex Ferguson.

 

[Eugenius]

Tbf, that Chelsea team doesn't look great. No real passer in there, Eto'o isn't a consistent threat and a bit cumbersome in defence.

 

[Shark]

Probably not the best lineup, but Januzaj and Welbeck will hopefully give Chelsea something to worry about. I don't have an awful lot of faith, but come on United!

 

[Mickeza]

“But that’s the trouble with potential,” he went on. “People don’t identify potential. They’re very poor at it. I’ve identified it all my life – the potential in young people. I know potential. I know how to develop and have faith in young people, who surprise you when given the opportunity and that’s what this club is all about. - Sir Alex Ferguson.

That's nice, but I watched what happened against Swansea. And I didn't realise Fergie made this decision, is he back in charge then?

 

[Mockney]

Having said that, changing it around for shits and giggles vs Chelsea at Stamford Bridge probably isn't the solution. Would you agree? This one, without our main men, will always be about grit and trying to fluke a win.

It's the way (and much of the team) we played in our tricky run of opening fixtures where Moyes thought "consistency" would pay off. It didn't, and we were pretty awful. Shits and giggles would at least demonstrate he learnt something from it.

 

[Leg-End]

They're starting Ivanovic and Willian, Willian and Ivanovic won't suddenly turn into Walker and Lennon. See my mate just said the same that Young breaks with speed, I don't see this. I see Young as deceptively slow.

He absolutely does break with speed, refer back to Chelsea and City aways last year. I wouldn't have played Young ahead of Kagawa either but its not like Moyes just plucked the idea out of his arse, in reality Kagawa should be where Januzaj is playing and Januzaj should be on the right instead of Valencia but for whatever reason we just won't give up on him.

 

[Nighteyes]

Terrible team. Valencia on the right was bad enough but now we have to look forward to Young on the left as well.

I am not even a big kagawa fan but he should be starting after his best league game of the season. Instead we have Antonio fecking Valencia again.

 

[Livewire1974]

Would love to see Januzaj roast Terry.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

By the way Kagawa had a good game against Swansea, look how Swansea are today. He would be trampled into the ground in this game. He honestly doesn't have the physicality for this game. Against softies like Swansea were in that second half he's fine.

 

[Ash_G]

Yeah, I knew Kagawa wasn't going to start today though. It would be too adventurous for Moyes and this is probably the same team SAF would have picked today had he still been here.

Tbh unless Young has been looking good in training I'd day Moyes is taking a chance by moving the player who has been perfoming better than anyone we have from a wide position and putting him back in a/m where he didn't look as comfortable, at the same time bringing in two players who have hardly played. I dunno if Fergie would have done the same, he was never afraid to have a go. Personally I really don't think kagawa in for Young would have weakened us that much more defensively. What you lose in tracking you gain in both keeping the ball better and actually carrying more threat. I was quietly optimistic about this game but not so sure now. But like I said we'll see what happens, hopefully Young isn't too rusty and carries the confidence he seemed to be getting back.

 

[noodlehair]

“But that’s the trouble with potential,” he went on. “People don’t identify potential. They’re very poor at it. I’ve identified it all my life – the potential in young people. I know potential. I know how to develop and have faith in young people, who surprise you when given the opportunity and that’s what this club is all about. - Sir Alex Ferguson.

His best position at the moment is clearly as a wide player.

Even when Lionel Messi was 18, he was used as a wide player.

Moyes has completely needlessly picked a team that gives us zero chance of getting a result barring a monumental Chelsea feck up.

 

[marjen]

It's the way (and much of the team) we played in our tricky run of opening fixtures where Moyes thought "consistency" would pay off. It didn't, and we were pretty awful. Shits and giggles would at least demonstrate he learnt something from it.

Aye, I certainly see where you're coming from as I said. It's just we're kind of out of options now.

He's not shown any willingness to learn thus far. But then again, his records away at big sides should tell you he's not really cracked that code in 10 years, why would he in six months at United?

 

[marjen]

His best position at the moment is clearly as a wide player.

Even when Lionel Messi was 18, he was used as a wide player.

Moyes has completely needlessly picked a team that gives us zero chance of getting a result barring a monumental Chelsea feck up.

I can't really see a team that would increase our chances much.

What would you play?

 

[SteveJ]

Would love to see Januzaj roast Terry.

Please. I haven't recovered from that photo of Terry in his pants yet.