FrankLampard8

Bit of a random brain dump because I don't have anywhere else to put this out there and this topic felt the best fit... but i've been reading a really interesting piece in the Athletic about Xavi's tactics at Barcelona and the description of the roles and the players felt strikingly similar to what we have and I would love to see how it played out here. So I mapped our team and some prospective signings on to the system and I think it could work in theory. The main problem I see here is Cucurella or a new signing would have to be left back as whoever plays there effectively needs to slot in as a third centre half at times. Obviously Cucurella hasn't been great and we lose out on some attacking thrust from Chilwell who I really like. I'm unsure how well Badiashile fits in to the system which is harsh as i've been very impressed since he came in. I also think we need an upgrade at striker but that remains true no matter how we play. The pros are Reece James is our best player when fit and firing and this gets him up the pitch and involved in the final third. Nkunku (or Felix if we keep him) drops in to the half spaces and links with the striker leaving space for Mount to get forward and in to the channels where he was so effective under Tuchel during our Champions League run. It also makes use of Mount energy giving him licence to run that left hand side. Mudryk stays wide and uses his pace and dribbling and basically has the run of that left hand side but very little defensive responsibility. Anyway, I apologise if this isn't the right place for this kind of post. I just had fun looking at how we would set up in a similar way and this team with a new striker up top would make me excited for the new season. (4-3-3) Kepa James - Fofana - Silva - Cucurella Enzo - Rice - Mount Nkunku - Havertz - Mudryk (transition to 3-2-2-3 when attacking) Kepa Fofana - Silva - Cucurella Enzo - Rice Nkunku - Mount James - Havertz - Mudryk

Are you asking if we would take relegation for an FA cup? Absolutely not. Would I take it for a Champions League? Still no but i'd be lying if I didn't think about it for a split second 🤣

I'm not sure that "taking a stereotypical view of football" actually means anything. I also think that is one very niche and infrequent scenario where even then fans and pundits alike have debated in the past whether it's better to just win and let the chips fall where they may. So you want us to win every game and you won't be hoping for a loss at the weekend - so what are we even debating here?

There is never any scenario where Chelsea Football Club losing a game is the best case scenario for the club, i'm sorry. I guess we are just have very different outlooks on football if you'd rather hope that we lose and the manager gets the sack than hope we win or that we could win the Champions League. I know which sounds more fun.

Moaning about decisions at this stage is futile though in my opinion. I really feel like we need to help ourselves first. Stop conceding soft goals, start actually scoring some of our own... then and only then should we worry about what the refs are doing.

I completely disagree. I fully believe that things will not turn around under Potter and we will never be successful to the level required with him in charge... however, outright hoping for him and the team to fail is the opposite of what a supporter should be doing by definition. Look, realistically Potter isn't go to win us the Champions League but it is possible and frankly we shouldn't have won it on on probability the 2 times we did - so you have to hope. It's that which kills you but that's being a football fan.

Don't get me wrong, I hope he scores 30 goals a season and wins PFA player of the year as long as he plays for Chelsea. However, I just can't take to him as a bloke, do you know what I mean? I certainly believe he is far more likely to give us some attacking output than any other option we have currently.

If you're hoping for anything other than a win against Dortmund and an improbable run against all odds to the Champions League final then you aren't really a Chelsea supporter - sorry. You support the club and want them to win end of. If it meant Potter stays and we are absolutely bush again next season so be it - a Champions League win is worth almost any cost.

Hopefully there is some merit in the story. I've never liked the bloke and find it very hard to root for him even now.

It's not about being a "true" supporter. The fact is that being there in person has a far greater impact on the atmosphere around the club and the feeling transmitted to manager, players and owners. If everyone on social media is spouting vitriol but the fans in the ground are still behind the manager I can assure you the voices that can be heard in person carry far greater weight. Social media can be shut off - the voices right there in your face can't.

The social media stuff is almost inconsequential to anyone sensible. Anyone can type or tweet or send an email. Reality is the majority of those come from the Middle East, Africa and god knows where so those people will never actually come in to contact with Potter or the club. It is a lot harder to ignore 40,000 people booing and shouting abuse in person. That's what really shapes the mood around the club.

I can't overstate how brilliant Mount would be for Klopp's Liverpool.

Rumours Alvarez wants out of City. Pep and City have shown themselves to be willing to let go of anyone who is unhappy in the past. For me, he is a no-brainer and the ideal solution for our number 9 vacancy - I had been thinking about him for a while but never considered that it was remotely possible.

£50m in the bank will be great next season when Kova is at City and Mount is at Liverpool. Meanwhile both teams will probably finish above us in the league and we will be scrambling to replace them.

He would be class for them.

We're the boys in blue in division 2 but we won't be here for long... unless we keep Potter that is.

I don't think the change of formation is the answer but if we did... Surely as a pacey left footer Badiashile plays on the left of the 3? If not, Chilwell has to be the wingback - i've seen nothing to suggest Cucurella is dynamic enough to be anywhere near the attacking threat that Chilly is. Are you playing for the draw? I wouldn't blame you on current performances and results but this midfield and front line feel even less likely to score than our recent line up. Very solid defensively though. Felix and Havertz up top together feels very one paced. No one is running away from someone or taking people on particularly. Surely if we play 2 up front there should be at least 1 actual striker on the pitch? Having said all of this, I usually come here to offer a lie up in the build up to games - I give up this time as I literally can't think of an 11 that I think seems promising anymore.

He hasn't looked like much of a winner at Spurs so far. I think his title winning season here was the perfect storm which is partially why the wheels came off in his second season. I don't say that to undermine it (it was miraculous and wonderful) but I don't think he could repeat the trick. I also think football at the top level has moved on a bit from his style of play - you might nick a cup here or there but I can't see a manager like him winning the league any time soon. We need someone a bit more progressive in my opinion.

Why would Conte possibly be in the equation? I don't think he would want the job and neither should we want him. He is he a problem waiting to happen with his spikey, sulky and combative demeanour often towards his own club and board - literally the last thing this club needs right now. We have just bought a host of young talents which he will have no interest in working with and he will want to rebuild the squad again to fit his 3-5-2 formation which arguably we have just made a huge effort to move away from. Throw in turgid football, arguably he has been pretty ineffective at Spurs so far, the fact he likely has a bad taste in his mouth about how it ended at Chelsea and the fact that he is apparently pining for a move back to Italy to be with his family. Other than that? Top appointment. I think this needs to happen. If we can't get the right manager for our "project" right now, it is definitely worth waiting until the summer. However, there is absolutely nothing to be gained by keeping Potter in charge at this point unfortunately. Get someone in to freshen things up and hopefully get the feel good factor back.

We aren't going to suddenly become a free scoring side by pinging long shots every time we get over the half way line. They might not be uncouth but they are statistically not a great way to score goals.

Agreed. These next few games are an opportunity for Potter. Get a couple of results against 2 of our traditional rivals in Spurs and Leeds and get through to the next round of the Champion's League by some miracle and suddenly he's bought himself some time with everyone not least the supporters.

I often think it must be underwhelming coming from some of these European clubs with raucous atmospheres to then play at a lot of the atmospheres in the Premier League. Don't get me wrong, the Bridge gets rocking when it wants to but it's increasingly rare in my opinion. I live in Suffolk now and Ipswich Town have a group of supporters who have taken upon themselves to improve the atmosphere at the ground. Think the Crystal Palace Holmesdale Fanatics but maybe on a smaller scale and probably more organic. The results have been quite remarkable in terms of match day experience. They all sit together behind the goal in their equivalent of the shed, sing songs, wave flags and organise displays/tifos. It's never going to be Dortmund but for that level of football it is quite something and I think their players enjoy and respond to it. I often wish we could get something like this going at Chelsea because it is sorely needed and frankly a lot of fun... but it will never happen because of the amount of tourists at the games now and fans that are well hard and so "pwopa Chels" that they'd never be seen joining in with anything like that.

Maybe sometimes things can be too harmonious? Especially when one party potentially knows nothing about "soccer" - it just means their wrong views aren't being challenged.

The only merit in keeping Potter at this point is the lack of viable alternatives. I just can't see an way he manages to turn this around - at least not enough to keep his job long term, so what is the point?

I usually look forward to the games against these more than any other but I can't face watching this. I think the below is about the best we can hope for which is pretty damning when we've spent circa £600m and only have 3 new players in the side. I still have high hopes for Mudryk but I think he is best suited to a role off the bench whilst he adapts. Kepa James - T.Silva - Badiashile - Chilwell Loftus-Cheek - Enzo Ziyech - Felix - Sterling Havertz