Premier League 2022/23: Chelsea vs Man Utd ~ Sat 22nd Oct 17:30 KO

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A rare Saturday kick off for Utd although sadly due to the MET police our away allocation has been cut.

On the pitch Utd obviously come in bouncing after the mid week win vs Spurs injury wise we wait to see if there's a return for Martial or Maguire who are both back in training. We now know that Ronaldo won't be involved for this one for disciplinary reasons so that limits our options in the attack although I think Martial will make the bench which would be handy.

For Chelsea they're without James and Kante. I think Mendy is fit again but Kepa has done well in his absence so he's likely to keep his place. They also have a manager who's already handed out a defeat to ETH this season with his Brighton side so you wonder will he look to use the same tactics he used that day which was to be direct against us? Having watched the Spurs game you would think he'd be worried about playing from the back against this Utd side even if his Chelsea squad is better equipped for it. Doesn't seem like Potter has quite worked out his best XI yet although they've been getting good results lately but the performances in the last 2 games were not good, they needed the keeper to be on top form to keep out Villa and Brentford.

For Utd the question will be rotation and who needs a rest I think unless there's any injury concerns he'll put the same team out again. The one change might be McTominay in for Fred, the rest feels like it picks itself. I'd be looking to give Eriksen a start midweek in the europa and rest Bruno.

I really fancy us for this one which is the first time I've felt that in a very long time going to Chelsea. Despite results improving recently I always feel like this is a ground we will lose at.
 
Chelsea at home is a tough fixture.

I think we could get at least a point. But the same team for me. Don't change a winning team when you're transitioning like we are
 
I think we are clearly a better team than Chelsea who are really struggling. Like Tottenham they just haven't really played anyone yet.

Unlike us the only team they've played in the top half is Tottenham.

I think we could run off quite comfortable winners if we can get our shooting boots going. Kepa is in inspired form though.
 
Not sure about that, Potter is doing well there. Beat Milan twice lets not forget. I don't think it will be easy at all. And we aren't exactly breezing through the league, you say we're a better team, City destroyed us not too long ago. Couldn't beat Newcastle.
Lets not get carried away about where we are at.
I do think we could beat them, but I alos think they could. Pretty even I'd say.
 
Chelsea at home is a tough fixture.

I think we could get at least a point. But the same team for me. Don't change a winning team when you're transitioning like we are

I think we fell into that trap vs City you have to tailor the team to the opponent, I think on reflection ETH knows he should have changed the team that day and he won't make that mistake again.

This is different Chelsea and Spurs play similar systems so no real reason to change unless there's players who are knackered and risk injury be going out again.
 
Not sure about that, Potter is doing well there. Beat Milan twice lets not forget. I don't think it will be easy at all. And we aren't exactly breezing through the league, you say we're a better team, City destroyed us not too long ago. Couldn't beat Newcastle.
Lets not get carried away about where we are at.
I do think we could beat them, but I alos think they could. Pretty even I'd say.

You're a pessimist though. Had Tottenham beaten us and we could maybe get a draw.

I mean it when I say I'd be surprised if we lost to this bunch. Like I said about Tottenham. They aren't a good team. They don't pass the eye test. I said in preseason Chelsea will struggle this season.
 
I work with loads of Chelsea fans and they all say the same thing the results have been way better than the performances and they've not faced the bigger sides yet.

Potter has got good results but they've not played well all season.

Newcastle are 6th in the table and City didn't beat them either, Liverpool needed a 98th minute winner to beat them and second half in that game we created the chances to beat them just weren't clinical enough. 0-0 was deflating but it wasn't the end of the world.

Utd have taken 14 points from the last 18 and in that spell we've played Arsenal, City, Newcastle and Spurs (4 of the top 6). We've only played 3 teams in the bottom half in our opening 10 games. We've played 7 out of 9 teams in the top 10 already.

Villa battered Chelsea in the first half last weekend but Kepa was on fire and Villa gifted Chelsea two goals. The don't look like they've clicked at all yet.
 
You're a pessimist though. Had Tottenham beaten us and we could maybe get a draw.

I mean it when I say I'd be surprised if we lost to this bunch. Like I said about Tottenham. They aren't a good team. They don't pass the eye test. I said in preseason Chelsea will struggle this season.
no I'm not

I said first goal was crucial against Spurs

Our problem, clearly, is we are weak up front, created buckets against Newcastle and spurs. Scored two fortunate goals. Bruno's was a great finish, but it was fortunate how it fell to him.

Why is being a realist being pessimistic? Spurs and Chelsea are both above us. We have problems converting our chances. What's the point of just saying we're going to batter everyone. What I want, and what I think are two different things.

I also understand we are work in progress, very early on in the process. So i'm not as concerned as the majority of posters on here about top 4. I want to see decent football and a style this season. And I can see that. So I am happy where we are at the moment.

If we get top four I'd say ETH would have done a spectacular job, considering where we were.
 
Top 4 is the expectation. If he doesn't do that he's failed.

I get you don't watch Chelsea and Spurs often. We are clearly the better side it's obvious for all to see they just don't look that good. I said that before the game on Wednesday. And they performed against us exactly how they're performing all season. I said after the Arsenal game they didn't look like they belonged on the same pitch. I don't have either Chelsea or Tottenham finishing top 4 this season now. In fact could easily see them both all below Newcastle this season too.

The table looks that way because we've played 7 of the top 10. Chelsea have played 1 of the top 10. Spurs have played 3 of the top 10. 4 of Spurs wins have come against the bottom 4.

Being a realist isn't saying a point Vs Spurs is a good result. That much was proven Wednesday night. We've won our last 4 against them. Lost one of our last 8.

If we get beaten and outplayed Saturday I'll agree you were being realistic. But we will be the better side. They were brilliantly outplayed by Villa last week. Kepa may do his wonderman impression again though I suppose.
 
I still say, top 4, from where we were, would be an amazing achievement.

This was a squad where I would have saved nobody
 
We finished 6th and spent over £200m on 5 new players I don't think it's unrealistic to expect a top 4 challenge bearing in mind the two previous seasons were 3rd and 2nd. We fell away badly at the end of the season which made the gap to 4th look worse than it probably was in terms of quality.

So far Spurs/Chelsea have looked pretty average whenever I've seen them play, Liverpool have had an early wobble but I suspect as always they'll finish strong, Arsenal surprised everyone and City were always going to be in.

Be interesting to see where we are when the season stops for the world cup that'll be roughly half way in terms of games and we'll have played pretty much everyone at that point.

For me it's really up for grabs if we can find a way of beating the bottom half more consistently we've already shown against the top half we can hold our own then we should be right in the mix.
 
Not sure what spend has to do with anything

Last season was the worst United side I've ever seen. Maybe your memory is short as to how bad we were, organisation, attitude, ability all woeful.

ETH has worked miracles so far.
 
Not sure what spend has to do with anything

Last season was the worst United side I've ever seen. Maybe your memory is short as to how bad we were, organisation, attitude, ability all woeful.

ETH has worked miracles so far.

No my memory also covers the 2 years prior where there were plenty of positives. Have you forgotten how bad we were in 2015/16 under LVG or the first half of 2019/20 before Bruno arrived? Last season I agree was awful but things can change quickly in football and it really does feel like Utd have turned the corner quickly.

Last season was a disaster but Utd cleared out a load of dead wood and unhappy players last summer added what look so far as 5 quality signings to bolster the squad. There’s still areas where we are short but to me it looks a side capable of competing if it can build some momentum.

We also seem to have found a top class manager who still has things to learn but he seems to be learning fast.

We are talking top 4 not winning a league .
 
Not sure what spend has to do with anything

Last season was the worst United side I've ever seen. Maybe your memory is short as to how bad we were, organisation, attitude, ability all woeful.

ETH has worked miracles so far.

The end of the season was poor. But we had Ragnick who isn't a football manager in charge. If you thought that was the relative quality of this side it's you whose got the short memory.

The same team finished second the season prior to last. Last season especially the 6 months under Ragnick was obviously not the ceiling of this side.

Please do me a favour. And catch 90 minutes of a few Spurs and Chelsea games this season. I think you genuinely just don't realise how bad they are and how generous the fixture list has been to them especially Spurs it's been Kane and bad ref calls bailing them out. That performance on Wednesday was there norm. Spurs fans want Conte gone. He's now 4th favourite to be sacked next.

You may think you're a realist. But you said a point would be a good result. We got 3 and absolutely played them off the park so it isn't realism it's pessimism.

PS: You'll agree with me this time tomorrow that we are a better team than Chelsea.
 
Yet you wanted Potter over ETH. Only a few weeks ago when joined them you said you were gutted. Now he's no good?

And apart from the first 6 months of Oles reign, and Bruno's impact, we have not played decent football since SAF left. Last season, for me, was the worst United team I have witnessed. Including under Sexton. The attitude of the players was atrocious. And there is zero excuse for not playing for the shirt.

ETH is starting to make an impression, but it my opinion there is a lot more to be cleared up. He's made a fantastic start. And of course we could get top 4. But I'm not going to throw my dummy out the pram if we don't. If we get that, from where we were in June. I'd say brilliant job

As for tomorrow, pretty sure I said we could beat them. I just said it wouldn't be the walk in the park you were implying. Close match for me. Stamford Bridge is a tricky ground.
 
When did I say Potter is no good? Potter is an exceptional manager. But there's a reason Tuchel was sacked who by the way is also an excellent manager. The team is an absolute state, the owner wants to make his own statement signings (you're talking about a team that wanted Ronaldo this summer) and they don't have a striker. Let alone a good one.

Their strongest position was the left wing. So their statement signing was a left winger, their next strongest positions were right back and left back. So they signed a left back. Their weakest positions upfront, cm and CB they bought in one CB after losing 2 starting CB's in the summer.

Did you watch the Villa game? Or see they won 2-0 and think it was a good result? They got absolutely played off the park. Ming's made a defensive mistake and their keeper made a howler from a free kick whilst Kepa had the performance of his life.

Villa a team that just sacked their manager outplayed them last weekend.
 
If Martial is fit then it might be a different story.

I have put Rashford in my FF hoping he'll start burying some of his chances.

As I said at the start. Our problem is not converting our chances

I've been to a lot of games at SB. It's not a nice ground.

I haven't said anything about Chelsea being better than us. But with our shooting problems I do not think this will be a 3 or 4 niler as you implied. I predict a close game
 
Martial is out according to ETH news conference.
 
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Let's hope we can keep up the same pace and intensity with Eriksen in the middle of the park.

I find it befuddling to drop Fred after his performance on Wednesday. No one else we have inserts the intensity like he does.
 
Chelsea haven't beaten us in the league in 9 games. Did not realise that. Definitely due one then.
 
Started well and been the better side. Forced them in to a change. But like I worried it's all a bit slower.
 
Really good half for us but a little wasteful with the Rashford and Antony chances.

I do like this improvement from the team, very promising.
 
Sancho has been so infuriating today. Misplacing simple passes, deserved to be subbed.
 
Glad to have Fred on. Players need to start playing quicker. Don't take 4/5 touches when you could do the same thing in half the time with two touches. It's criminal.

This looks a big loss here.
 
So stupid from McT but we see it at every corner. Should be a penalty every time or never.
 

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