Grant de Smidt Profile
Grant de Smidt

@grantdesmidt

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Masters Degree student @MSD_MMU . Consultant to Brighton owner (2014-20). Formerly: @StatsPerform (2012-18). UEFA B holder and CAF A License student.

Joined June 2010
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Roman Abramovich even used to attend Chelsea youth team matches before his visa problems. You can't say that about many of these billionaires who have bought football clubs in England.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Kanté only has 12 goals for Chelsea but they include: - 2 vs Man City - 2 vs Man Utd - 2 vs Spurs - 1 vs Liverpool
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Just rewatched all of Azpilicueta's Chelsea assists. His crosses from inside right positions (right half-space) have assisted goals for these strikers: Torres Costa Morata Lukaku
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Update: Chelsea have lost 1 of their last 22 matches in all competitions.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
6 years
Nigeria will do nothing in this World Cup with Mikel as a pure ten and the brilliant Iheanacho on the bench. Put Mikel deeper, Iwobi 10, Kelechi 9. So obvious.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane: “Mason Mount’s jersey is not for me. It was for my daughter, who loves the game and always says ‘Mason Mount, Mason Mount’, so I spoke to him and he gave me the jersey."
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
4 years
Chelsea have won 9 of their last 11 matches.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Chelsea top open play goalscorers in the Premier League this season: Abraham 6 Werner 6 Zouma 5 Mount 5 Giroud 4 Havertz 4 Pulisic 4
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Squawka are as useless as ever. Chilwell completed 59 of his 67 passes. 16 unsuccessful crosses is where this 30 number comes from. Completely misleading rubbish since 2011.
@Squawka
Squawka
3 years
Ben Chilwell lost possession 30 times for Chelsea against Wolves in their 2-1 defeat. The most by a Chelsea player in the Premier League this season. 😬
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 months
So nice to beat Morocco. Nothing but diving and dissent as soon as things go against them. Sundowns players (and others) won't be intimidated.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
This is Cucurella in a back three against Chelsea. Absolutely outstanding performance. Realistically, it'll also be a few months until Chilwell is vaguely up to speed I suspect.
@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
I don't see Chelsea signing Marc Cucurella. But, many of his best games last season came as a LCB in a back three (including at Stamford Bridge). So he could co-exist with Chilwell. Surely City just match whatever Chelsea offer and get him? That's how this ends.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
4 years
Kurt Zouma's last four games: - clean sheet (Liverpool) - clean sheet (Everton) - clean sheet (Leicester) - clean sheet (Watford)
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Lampard: “Some senior players would turn away, but Oli and Tammy have a great relationship. Because of the lack of crowds, I can hear the substitutes & Oli is constantly praising Tammy when he holds the ball up or does some good forward play. That’s special." (The Athletic)
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
The year is 2030. New Chelsea manager Cesc Fabregas has selected Cesar Azpilicueta for his first match in charge citing the defender's knowledge of the club.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Chelsea 6km more distance covered than Leeds today. Chelsea 11km over their season average today. Please RT this propaganda. Mentioned on PLTV.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
It's barely received a mention but Loftus-Cheek was outstanding last night. Even in the first half where a few seemed disappointed by him. Looked after the ball so well, took up clever positions in a very demanding hybrid role between RWB, right diamond/right 10. What a comeback.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Before today, Chalobah has started just twice in the last 10 matches. He's now played two cup finals against Liverpool, going 225 minutes without conceding in direct confrontation with a brilliant, relentless winger in Luis Diaz. That's the definition of being 'good enough'.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
5 years
Reminder: Chelsea had a full week to prepare for this game. City played on Wednesday.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Chelsea have lost one of their last 21 matches in all competitions.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Just a reminder after that second half performance from Billy Gilmour: he has ZERO Scotland caps. Absolutely bizarre.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
5 years
Now that I've calmed down: Barkley on penalties story makes sense/checks out. Scored two in pre-season with Jorginho on pitch both times. Barkley not on pitch when Jorginho scored in Super Cup. Very, very good penalty taker usually. Just a miss. Crappy first ever CL appearance.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Not sure Fabinho is all that relevant in that disallowed goal. It's whether Konate deliberately plays the ball - he does - and from there, there's no last touch by a Madrid player before Benzema.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Not good enough.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
The squad is in such a weird place. Ziyech getting minutes when he was so close to leaving. Pulisic in awful form and should've been loaned out. Gallagher starting three PL matches already. Kovacic totally unfit, new signings galore, back three being changed mid-game most weeks.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
4 years
Chelsea have won away at Lille, Ajax, Wolves, Southampton, Burnley, Watford, Spurs and Arsenal this season with Tomori starting at centre back. Without him, the side leaked heavily at Man Utd, West Ham, Sheffield United and Liverpool. He's far from perfect but so much ability.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner starts together this season: West Brom 3-3 Chelsea Chelsea 4-0 Crystal Palace Burnley 0-3 Chelsea Chelsea 3-0 Rennes Chelsea 4-1 Sheff Utd 17 goals scored in five matches.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
As said at the time, Lampard was appointed not because Derby proved anything but because it didn't disprove anything. He was appointed based on his character and therefore potential. If you've judged him as the finished article then you missed the point (board & owner included).
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Tuchel.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
Loftus-Cheek was great as the lone 6. He's been very good in almost all outings in that role. Gets a bit flat when defending in a double pivot and somewhat squeezed to his side of the duo. At 6, it's all in-front of him with options/help both sides when on the ball or off it.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Vs Wolves: Kovacic passes to Jorginho: 39 Jorginho passes to Kovacic: 40 #CFC
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Grant de Smidt
3 months
100% you get Colwill and Chilwell off at half-time. The former is a yellow from missing the final and the latter has been bombing around like he has reliable hamstrings.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Carnage.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Chelsea's season: - 8 matches unbeaten - Consecutive defeats to Man City and Juventus - 12 matches unbeaten - Defeat to West Ham - 9 matches unbeaten
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Massive fan of Tuchel's Ruben Loftus-Tweak. His last 12 months have been brilliant and he has a massive role to play this season in midfield and in this hybrid role.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
1 year
@AshwinRaman_ Chelsea were largely outstanding that day. Certainly the best performance of the season up to now.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
On Mendy: absolutely love him. I still get replies that Kepa is "better on the ball". No fucking chance in hell.
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Grant de Smidt
6 years
If Hazard played in the 2004-2012 team and was getting kicked around like tonight, several teammates would have been accosting the Arsenal players. We are so nice, Hazard included - friends with all the Arsenal players and PSG players in the past. It irks me so much. #CFC
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
6 years
What a bizarre group. Chelsea completely outclassing Atletico in both games, getting outclassed in both games against Roma and destroying Qarabag twice - who Roma and Atletico struggled to beat! #CFC
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Abraham is rubbish. Static in the box waiting for tap-ins. No movement, no pressing, no hold up play, can't work the channels, doesn't suit Tuchel's 22-goals-in-17-PL matches attacking system. That's why he is the only club top scorer in world football sitting in the stands.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
4 years
Hernan Crespo breaks the hearts of Wigan (and Martin Tyler) with this superb 93rd minute winner on the opening day of the 2005-06 season.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
2 years
I find Man City unwatchable. They're fine to study for positioning innovations or to watch highlights of, but their full matches are worse than watching paint dry. Obviously, they're brilliant at what they do, I just find what they do to be incredibly mind-numbing.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Chelsea's stats from the last two home matches combined is pretty mad. 49 shots, 4.82 xG, 100 touches in the opposition box. Burnley and Man Utd had a combined 8 shots and 17 box touches.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Werner has failed to score in 44 of his 69 matches since the beginning of last season. If you exclude penalties, it's 49 blanks in his last 69 matches. I'd love some comparative data on this vs "similar" forwards eg. Salah. As many braces and hattricks and pens?
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Abraham doesn't make the 20 today. Three extra subs in the CL final but Kante, Caballero, Emerson & Anjorin could all get in ahead of him. Pathetic treatment considering sympathy starts handed to Kepa, & Emerson runouts in big CL matches. Thankfully mentally strong guy is Tammy.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
You literally couldn't waste a player's strengths and highlight their weaknesses like Tuchel has done with Gallagher this season. He's a box-crashing, pressing machine.
@AndyForrester1
Andy Forrester
2 years
Conor Gallagher, 21-22 profile. #CFC #CPFC
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
"Chelsea spent 200m and should be doing better halfway through the season" - 10 players in 2 wk quarantine in preseason - Havertz deal delayed, trained 4 days before Brighton - Thiago missed first 2 matches - Mendy debut late Sept (5th match) - Havertz missed a month with Covid
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Grant de Smidt
5 years
Exactly the same as Kane dive vs. Liverpool. Goes down before contact, which he initiates. You simply do not deserve a goal for this.
@FootballJOE
FootballJOE
5 years
Harry Kane clasping his feet together as he falls might be one of the funniest sights in football. He should fold his arms next time too.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
1 year
Lewis Hall is a really good footballer (no shit, Sherlock). A midfielder whose first two Chelsea starts have been at LCB and LWB. Should be getting real involvement in the Premier League, certainly whilst Chilwell is out.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Kanté, Thiago Silva and Mount were brilliant. The latter has become outstanding at protecting the ball and being press resistant ™.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Stephen Child. Cheats. 100% penalty.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
I genuinely expected Lampard to be a ruthless manager with meritocracy in his decisions. Pick those who perform in matches and stop picking those who don't. Couldn't be further from the reality.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Abraham ripping up Serie A is not even slightly surprising to me. Brilliant all-round striker. On and off the ball, in all phases.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Mount has both scored & assisted in six different PL matches this season, the most any CFC player has done in a single campaign. Only two English players have ever scored & assisted in seven different matches within a PL season: Shearer in 1994/95 and Kane in 2020/21.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
James is a special player. All clubs have injuries and 95% aren't just "back luck" but to lose him and Chilwell at the same time completely changed CFC's PL season. Team vs Norwich? My first thought is that Rudiger needs a breather after 300 minutes in seven days.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Havertz immense. Best game since arriving. Massive handful and a proper focal point. Finally pulled finger physically with his counterpressing and protecting the ball in duels.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
4 years
Glorious @didierdrogba creativity. The very definition of a focal point. As well as averaging 21 goals per season from 2003-04 to 2011-12, he also averaged more than 10 assists per season in that time (including seasons with 16, 16 and 19 assists).
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Grant de Smidt
2 months
One thing I'll say about Disasi. He is one durable guy. Has played almost every match, CB or RB, with every other defender getting injured at some point around him. Absolutely outstanding today.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Hudson-Odoi's minutes in last 17 Chelsea matches: 0, 0, 23, 0, 0, 0, 0, 14, 45, 14, 0, 0, 0, 82, 0, 0, 0. 178 mins out of 1560 available, 11.4% of the mins played.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
9 years
John Terry is 34 today. Carlo Ancelotti sums him up perfectly. http://t.co/X8iaDm8Mxg
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Chelsea didn't keep an away clean sheet between December 2019 away to Spurs until Man Utd last weekend. Now two in a row. Four in a row overall. Nine games unbeaten in regulation time. Only defeat this season? With ten men to the champions. #LampardOut
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Grant de Smidt
7 years
Whether #CFC sign Chamberlain or not, it amazes me how little credit Moses gets for being damn brilliant at his job.
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Grant de Smidt
4 months
Chelsea went 3-0 up and then allowed Luton 2.04 xG. Appealing game management from the players and the bench. Needed a back five earlier to allow Gusto to engage Doughty without exposing Disasi to Chong's underlaps/seam runs.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Thomas Tuchel on Havertz: "He's pretty much a nine, not a false nine."
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Grant de Smidt
7 years
Massive win. Hazard and Costa fresh and sharp and sublime. Decision to rest them on Saturday looking like an absolute stroke of genius. #CFC
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Chelsea will be fine for Madrid as long as we see Kovacic back in favour after barely playing of late bizarrely. Need Kante fit. At least James can start. 100% have to go with a back three. Two defeats in 27 matches now. A fifth defeat in the 50th match of this season.
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Grant de Smidt
4 years
Arkadiy Abramovich celebrates Petr Cech saving Arjen Robben's extra time penalty in the 2012 Champions League final.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Fixed: Tuchel also very complimentary about Jorginho. Calls him “a very strategic guy” with “high game understanding”, but adds that his physical level might need improvement for regular PL football.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Tuchel's use of Pulisic is something to watch. Hasn't started a match yet. Three substitute appearances: one as a RWB and two as a split striker (mostly right sided of the two FWs). Not seen as an option at 10 and seemingly TT prefers him on the right, not the left.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Current mood. #CFC
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Grant de Smidt
5 years
On Santi Cazorla by @sidlowe -
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
For me, zero minutes for the deadwood vs Luton. I'm not playing Kepa, Christensen, Emerson, Kovacic (don't tweet me about his fan-voted POTS award), Jorginho etc. Start building something and move on from them.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Probably the happiest I've been with a Ziyech performance at Chelsea. Was hit and miss on the ball (mostly miss) but outstanding off it. That's the standard. No more strolling around.
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Grant de Smidt
1 year
I remember a story where Dave Kitson fouled a Chelsea player and Ballack spent the rest of the game getting revenge on him physically and verbally. What I'd give for even one player willing to fall out with teammates and opponents tonight. Total apathy amongst the squad.
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Grant de Smidt
6 years
Chelsea, as it stands: Conte in charge, 3 weeks preseason before Community Shield, only 3 friendlies before then, a 17-hour flight to Perth for a single game, Courtois, Hazard, Willian and Morata seemingly wanting out, no Technical Director for 8 months. #CFC
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Huth on Havertz: “I don’t like his body language, he looks lightweight. He looks like he’s not bothered. He loses the ball and doesn’t work back. He needs someone to tell him what it takes to play in the Premier League. The whole changing room is a little bit too nice.”
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Chelsea start the season in two weeks. There are only two more friendlies to play. And we have Emerson playing in the middle of a back four and Batshuayi starting up front.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
4 months
Hall has stopped getting any minutes despite a dozen injuries. NUFC clearly trying to avoid triggering the buy clause. Livramento doing so well at left back means Hall is third choice there (at best). Just bring him back in January.
@CraigHope_DM
Craig Hope
4 months
🚨 Eddie Howe can’t confirm if Chelsea loanee Lewis Hall will be a Newcastle player next season. Says the decision isn’t his as certain criteria have to be met (£28m obligation to buy existed at time of deal) #nufc
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Last six starts with Zouma and Rudiger together in a back four: 2-0 Liverpool - clean sheet 4-0 Everton - clean sheet 1-0 Leicester - clean sheet 1-0 Norwich - clean sheet 4-0 Krasnodar - clean sheet 2-0 Newcastle - clean sheet #CFC
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
3 years
Petr Bosz: "I cannot yet see the exact idea Lampard has for him [Havertz]." Also Bosz: "He can play in any position across the front three and he has played on the right countless times before he played for Chelsea." Same guy who played Sokratis in a high line at Dortmund.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Shameful effort tonight from every Chelsea player compared to Mount. The one player tearing around with indignant rage.
@markrstats
markstats
3 years
Mason Mount completed 7 progressive passes and 12(!) times returned possession to Chelsea. Look at his heatmap, incredible amount of work #LEICHE
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Grant de Smidt
1 year
For Chelsea, this is the 'what could have been' match. Courtois, De Bruyne, Rudiger, Stones, Modric, Tchouameni.
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@grantdesmidt
Grant de Smidt
1 year
Lampard even being linked with the job is more enjoyment than Potter gave me all season.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Since Thomas Tuchel’s first game in charge in January, Chelsea have lost fewer Premier League games than any other side (5), while only Man City (92) have won more points than the Blues in this period (79).
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Anthony Taylor from Manchester is the referee for Chelsea vs Man City.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
@Squawka @OllieGlanvill Penalty shootouts count as draws. You'd expect better from a company relying on data.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Wizard.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Fikayo Tomori is requested to pronounce his full name.
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Grant de Smidt
4 years
Kai Havertz doing his first training session with Chelsea today. Some basic individual work, perhaps with the non-internationals having a day off.
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Grant de Smidt
1 year
Kepa captaining Chelsea is truly horrible. A microcosm of all that is wrong with the squad and club.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
I'd like to dedicate that win to Petr Cech. After his heroics in Munich, he missed all the celebrations as he spent hours after the match doing a doping test. Had a huge hand in signing Mendy. What a story.
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Grant de Smidt
1 year
This guy was horrific under Lampard before and Chelsea became pretty damn solid in Lampard's second season with Mendy in goal (see image). Why the fuck is he selecting him? This whole interim spell has been pandering to big names and egos. I'd make eight changes at Bournemouth.
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“Unsavable”
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Grant de Smidt
8 years
Luiz. Hero. #CFC
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Grant de Smidt
4 years
Tammy Abraham with his 17th goal (15 PL, 2 CL) of the season against Liverpool and his second as a substitute (Palace, his 16th goal was his first from the bench). 2855 minutes played, 168 minutes per goal.
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
Unbelievable performance. Spurs aside from 0-4' and 60-75' were humiliated tactically, technically, physically. Probably the eight best players on the pitch were in Blue. Small margins... leave your tall, aerially strong forward on the pitch to defend set-plays next time!
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
@KierDoyle Yes, City, Juve, West Ham.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Genuinely my favourite part of tonight's Chelsea game was Mendy being embraced by so many of his former teammates.
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Players best/only suited to Tuchel's preferred shape(s): Rudiger, Christensen, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso, Werner. Players best/only suited to 4231/433: James, Zouma, Chilwell, Pulisic, Ziyech. The rest look suited to both. Which group would you say is best to maximise?
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Grant de Smidt
2 years
"Poor scouting" "Just the 1,626 days left of Lukaku’s contract" Use him better. Select the number tens who show some level of chemistry with him and other teammates.
@lbvegz
LB
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Romelu Lukaku v France 2021
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Grant de Smidt
3 years
Gilmour was solid tonight. Not more than that. Give him more options ahead of the ball and you'll see more of his biggest asset, his forward passing.
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Grant de Smidt
1 year
Chelsea with a back three and both James and Chilwell starting (since August 2020): Games: 21 Wins: 15 (L4, D2) Win percentage: 71% Goals scored: 38 (1.80 per match) Goals conceded: 8 (0.38 per match)
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