295 replies to this topic

[Chelsea3]

footbal_fan, on 19 December 2011 - 04:41 PM, said:

report today saying terry is out?

apparently he is going to be fit?

[Castiel]

Terry would play with a bullet wound.  More concerned about Ramires and Luiz.

[CFCCAN]

footbal_fan, on 19 December 2011 - 04:48 PM, said:

redknapp recons he should be fit so i would have thought he will play. dunno aboot defoe though.

So is it Redknob recons he'll be fit...or Bale?

Edited by CFCCAN, 19 December 2011 - 06:07 PM.

[Chelsea3]

i dont want torres or drogba to play.
i'd hate to be the manager

[TrojanMan]

Chelsea3, on 19 December 2011 - 06:09 PM, said:

i dont want torres or drogba to play.
i'd hate to be the manager

Luiz at striker?

[Chelsea3]

TrojanMan, on 19 December 2011 - 06:20 PM, said:

Luiz at striker?

probably do a better job

[TrojanMan]

I honestly think I'd rather Torres start this game.  Yes, seriously.

Drogba has obviously been in better form lately, but that's really not saying much as Torres hasn't been in any form at all.  It's hard to know what he'll do since he hasn't even played.  But even at his best, Drogba still looks gassed after 60 minutes or so in every game.  I'm not raising the white flag on the title chase just yet, but let's be honest, it's a long shot, right?  So I'd like to see AVB take inventory of what he's got over the last 20 games and determine what exactly he needs in the summer.

Do we have a world class striker or no?  We've got £50m invested in what we assume is a world class striker, so maybe we should find out.  Drogba is not the answer going forward, given his age.  Torres might be, but a handful of substitute appearances isn't enough to find out.  He needs to be the guy without having to constantly look over his shoulder.  Then we'll see what he can do.  And then we'll know if he's the answer or not.

Luiz has to start this game for me, and Ivanovic out on the right.  Ivan's a fantastic defender, but he's started to look like a RB playing CB (as opposed to a natural CB) when he's back inside.  Keep him out wide where he's more effective, and let Luiz harass Adebayor (outside the penalty area, please).

Romeu and Ramires are obvious selections (assuming Rambo is healthy).  And I'd prefer Meireles to Lampard in this one.

Sturridge, Torres, and Mata up front.

[shedpensioner]

TrojanMan, on 19 December 2011 - 07:27 PM, said:

  And I'd prefer Meireles to Lampard in this o

I'd prefer Meireles to Lampard every game the way Franks been playing this year!

[romansoldier1981]

TrojanMan, on 19 December 2011 - 07:27 PM, said:

I honestly think I'd rather Torres start this game.  Yes, seriously.

Drogba has obviously been in better form lately, but that's really not saying much as Torres hasn't been in any form at all.  It's hard to know what he'll do since he hasn't even played.  But even at his best, Drogba still looks gassed after 60 minutes or so in every game.  I'm not raising the white flag on the title chase just yet, but let's be honest, it's a long shot, right?  So I'd like to see AVB take inventory of what he's got over the last 20 games and determine what exactly he needs in the summer.

Do we have a world class striker or no?  We've got £50m invested in what we assume is a world class striker, so maybe we should find out.  Drogba is not the answer going forward, given his age.  Torres might be, but a handful of substitute appearances isn't enough to find out.  He needs to be the guy without having to constantly look over his shoulder.  Then we'll see what he can do.  And then we'll know if he's the answer or not.

Luiz has to start this game for me, and Ivanovic out on the right.  Ivan's a fantastic defender, but he's started to look like a RB playing CB (as opposed to a natural CB) when he's back inside.  Keep him out wide where he's more effective, and let Luiz harass Adebayor (outside the penalty area, please).

Romeu and Ramires are obvious selections (assuming Rambo is healthy).  And I'd prefer Meireles to Lampard in this one.

Sturridge, Torres, and Mata up front.

couldnt agree more on all the points
If he doesnt want to use Torres then lets sell him and get some money back and re invest in a new striker but putting Kalou ahead of him is a joke

[Mike 93]

Why would we play torres against one of our biggest games of the season. If you read my previous comments I really want him to play and succed, But I wouldnt let him start against spurs when he has no confidence or even match fitness. He's hardly played for nearly 1 and half months.

[Blues Brothers]

Really struggling to be optimistic about this one.



3-0 Spurs.

[Mike 93]

Blues Brothers, on 19 December 2011 - 10:13 PM, said:

Really struggling to be optimistic about this one.



3-0 Spurs.

why? We just beat Newcastle, Valencia and Man City. We had a poor game recently. But I wouldnt go as far as saying we will lose 3-0. The team will be up for this, the atmosphere will be incredible. Compared to Wigan where there was no one there ffs. Give us a chance.

[TrojanMan]

Mike 93, on 19 December 2011 - 10:13 PM, said:

Why would we play torres against one of our biggest games of the season. If you read my previous comments I really want him to play and succed, But I wouldnt let him start against spurs when he has no confidence or even match fitness. He's hardly played for nearly 1 and half months.

Quite honestly, I'm not sure Drogba can be effective for 90 minutes.  Not for the third time in 10 days or whatever it's been.  He's looked like he's running on empty towards the end of every game he's played for the most part, and that's with more rest.  Had Torres played against Wigan like most people expected, I'd say Drogba on Thursday for sure.

[Mike 93]

TrojanMan, on 19 December 2011 - 10:18 PM, said:

Quite honestly, I'm not sure Drogba can be effective for 90 minutes.  Not for the third time in 10 days or whatever it's been.  He's looked like he's running on empty towards the end of every game he's played for the most part, and that's with more rest.  Had Torres played against Wigan like most people expected, I'd say Drogba on Thursday for sure.

If he cant play 90, play him for 60 -70. But I still think he is a better option at the moment. He'll be up for the game.

[Chelsea3]

Saturday was one of his worst games, and he didnt play that well against city?  he needs a rest hes not 25 anymore? and that rest should of been against wigan (which avb didnt give him). So yer drogba would be the safer option, but in the premier leauge Torres has offered the excat same, and i feel he needs a chance. When drogba goes, we will be left with Torres, Kalou and Lukaku. Torres needs game time.

[Peckham Blue]

Oh for f**ks sake everyone, what is this some sort of Spurs love in.  If the team turns out with the frame of mind they had in the Valencia and Man City games then we shouldn't have a problem and even a draw wouldn't be a bad thing as they're not the pushover they used to be and are probably one of the best teams in the PL coming forward.

If we perform like at Wigan then they deserve all the sh*t they get because you can't blame the manager for players turning it on when they choose and each and every one of them who strops can f**k right off.

[Myles_91]

Mike 93, on 19 December 2011 - 10:17 PM, said:

why? We just beat Newcastle, Valencia and Man City. We had a poor game recently. But I wouldnt go as far as saying we will lose 3-0. The team will be up for this, the atmosphere will be incredible. Compared to Wigan where there was no one there ffs. Give us a chance.

We have strikers that aren't scoring (Sturridge the exception) and a defence that looks like conceding in every game. We have to face facts, at the moment Spuds are better than us and at home so they are favourites.

One of the big disappointments for me over the last 3 or 4 season is the lack of passion the team has shown in derby games (away in particular).

We seem to be forgetting that we are a cup final for any London club (even Arsenal).

Last season at WHL was the first in about 2 or 3 seasons we matched them for desire hence why we nearly pulled of a win.

Sadly I just fear another Wigan like performance hence a loss. If we played like we did against City we would win, simple as.

Edited by Myles_91, 19 December 2011 - 10:56 PM.

[Spiller86]

Cech, Ivan, Luiz, JT, Cole, Romeu, Frank, Ramires, Sturridge, Didier, Mata. Huge match requires big match players. Didier and Frank lift for these matches.

Atmosphere will be toxic, will be very tight but its a CL six pointer so we simply must won

[PloKoon13]

I really hope our Benfica boys are fit for this one. I see little point in playing (or at least starting) Ramires if he isn't feeling 100%; while I'm sure the media will continue their late-on-the-bandwagon worship of Scott Parker regardless of how well he plays on Thursday, I'd like to think that the superior footballer in Frank Lampard would be able to come out on top.
I'd stick with Drogba for this one. While he struggled against Wigan's three centre backs he showed enough form in the previous games to warrant his place. Sure Torres and Lukaku need gametime but this match is huge and it is no place for a luxury choice to benefit one individual rather than the team. I feel a slight temptation to pick Bosingwa at right back for his pace against Bale, but I feel space rather than pace will be the key issue in that position so I'd stick with Ivanovic.
The rest of the team picks itself, although there could be variations for fitness/injuries and of course if Ramires is completely match fit then he is an automatic selection.

-------------------------Cech
Ivanovic-------Luiz---------Terry------Cole
------------------------Romeu
--------------Meireles------Lampard
--------Sturridge----Drogba-----Mata

This game is always huge, but our league positions have made it an even bigger occasion and I for one hope we give the bar stewards the slaughtering of a lifetime.

[Spiller86]

Ploks I just hope Parker doesn't continue to show us how foolish we were to let him go to Spurs in August