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Chelsea vs Fenerbahce

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loz

loz

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Barely one game passes and it is time to start looking to the next.

Based on what we saw on Wednesday and then today (and presuming we stick with the 4-5-1 formation) there is definitely a case for Anelka starting ahead of Drogba on Tuesday however it is pretty safe to say that isn't going to happen.

Also I hope that Wednesday and then today convinced Grant that playing Essien at right back should only be done in emergencies. Potentially a case for Makelele being left out on Wednesday as well.

Having said all of that we shouldn't let the result today against City hide the fact that we were desperately poor in the first half and could easily have conceded one or two goals.

Given all of this, the team I would personally choose on Tuesday (assuming a 4-5-1) would be

..........................Cech (if fit).........................

Ferreira..............Carvalho...........JT...........Bridge

..........................Essien..........................

..................Lamps.............Ballack..............

Joe.....................................................Kalou

............................Anelka.........................

However what I expect to see is

..........................Cudicini.........................

Essien.............Carvalho...........JT...........Bridge

..........................Maka.........................

..................Lamps.............Ballack..............

Joe.....................................................Kalou

............................Drogba.........................

One thing that should be carved on Grant's head is 'don't pick Malouda' I would rather see Bridge pushed up to the left side of midfield than Malouda playing!

 
Loz

I'm going to watch match of the day before I comment on how we are playing but I have to say I do like your first team and have been wanting to see Essien where we usually have Makalele or Mikel for a while,

I would prefer Anelka anyway as I think his movement gives us more link up play and the midfielders (Frank) a better chance of finding the space to get in and shoot.

 
Grant should throw caution to the wind, were hanging on with a chance of winning the 2 biggest club trophies in Europe, but only by our fingernails.

He needs to get radical and show us this "new beautiful football".

Go for it with a 3-4-3 formation and scare the sh*t out of the Turks.

It's radical, but easily changed to 4-3-3 with 1 substitution (Alex for Bridge LB, Essien to RB)

-----------Cech/Carlo-----------

-----Carvalho--Terry--Alex------

Essien--Ballack--Lampard--J.Cole

-------------Kalou--------------

-------Drogba----Anelka--------

Subs: Goalie,A.Cole,Bridge,Mikel,Maka,SWP,Sheva.

Imo we need to score 3 goals in 90 mins, and the players should go onto the pitch believing this.

 
Cracking formation coco, and looking at that, would opt for myself. Again easily changed if needed by just bringing Essien back more.

 
I think it is crazy to leave Drogba out. Anelka on his own isn't going to get a lot of goals. That lone role doesn't suit him. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we need to play both of them.

My preference is for a midfield diamond with Joe at the tip. Some in the City thread said it is too defensive but I don't agree. Provided the full backs get forward we will have enough width.

So I'd go with:

----------Cech

Belletti----JT----Riccy------Bridge

----------Mikel

---Lamps---------Ballack

----------Joey

----Anelka------Drogba

 
I think it is crazy to leave Drogba out. Anelka on his own isn't going to get a lot of goals. That lone role doesn't suit him. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we need to play both of them.My preference is for a midfield diamond with Joe at the tip. Some in the City thread said it is too defensive but I don't agree. Provided the full backs get forward we will have enough width.

So I'd go with:

----------Cech

Belletti----JT----Riccy------Bridge

----------Mikel

---Lamps---------Ballack

----------Joey

----Anelka------Drogba
Click to expand...
Indeed i would settle for that 11, if the full backs stay forward.

Thought you'd like that formation Mod.
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We all know were lucky to be where we are in the league and in Europe after the season we have had with injuries and sh*t poor form, i would even go so far as to say that we do not deserve to win anything.

Avram has the chance to turn the season round in the last 9 games.

Possible games are a tough trip to Everton 72 hours after our away game at Wigan.

A resurgent Newcastle away.

Man utd (maybe twice) or could be Barca, or either of Liverpool or Arsenal.

Tough games to win the way were playing at the moment.

 
We all know were lucky to be where we are in the league
Click to expand...
Not me. You can be lucky in a cup competition but the league doesn't lie. We are where we are because we deserve to be there. Yes there are games where a bit of good fortune has allowed us to get the result that transpired but Man Utd and Arsenal have also received good fortune on occasions over the season.

 
Maybe not lucky, but we certainly havnt got there by playing good football, just solid stuff, were going to need more than that for some of these final games.

 
I think we should play both Drogba and Anelka but that probably wont happen
icon_sad.gif


 
Anelka should get the start forr fenerbache, not subbed on in the 85th minute!

What's the news about Cech?

 
Unless Cashley has picked up an injury, I would imagine him to start ahead of Bridge. I also would like to see Essien Ballack and lamard occupy the midfield 3

 
I would give Essien his normal midfield spot after yesterdays game and bring in a proper right back, you know the best one we have at the club who hardly plays...Maka was awful on Wed and the empahsis has to be on attack on Tuesday anyway. Anelka wont start im sure of it.

Kalou in for Malouda is a given surely...

Proper nervous about this one. Could be a massive night.

Carlo

Paulo

JT

Carv

A.Cole

Essien

Ballack

Lampard

Kalou

Drogba

J.Cole

 
I think it is crazy to leave Drogba out. Anelka on his own isn't going to get a lot of goals. That lone role doesn't suit him. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we need to play both of them.My preference is for a midfield diamond with Joe at the tip. Some in the City thread said it is too defensive but I don't agree. Provided the full backs get forward we will have enough width.

So I'd go with:

----------Cech

Belletti----JT----Riccy------Bridge

----------Mikel

---Lamps---------Ballack

----------Joey

----Anelka-(and very close together)-Drogba
Click to expand...
Same as that for me. Unfortunately, as Alan said in his post, it's not gonna happen though.

This is the vitally important bit so I'm going to repeat it again:

I think it is crazy to leave Drogba out. Anelka on his own isn't going to get a lot of goals. That lone role doesn't suit him. I've said it before and I'll say it again, we need to play both of them.

 
I think we will create a decent number of chances to score on Tuesday without the need of attacking full backs but crucially we must not put any extra pressure on ourselves by conceding. Therefore I would select our most defensively reliable full backs which means I would pick Bridge over Cole and I wouldn't let Belletti anywhere near the 16.

 
The BIG match is on ITV4 at 18:30 in the UK.

 
I think we will create a decent number of chances to score on Tuesday without the need of attacking full backs but crucially we must not put any extra pressure on ourselves by conceding. Therefore I would select our most defensively reliable full backs which means I would pick Bridge over Cole and I wouldn't let Belletti anywhere near the 16.
Click to expand...
It's a fair point about the full-backs Loz. My take on it is that whatever side and formation we put out, it should be more than enough to see off the Turks. However, I don't think we should play Avram's usual cautious game on Tuesday.

Because of our second half capitulation last week, we have made the task far more difficult than it should have been. They are winning the tie. It is us that HAS to score, not them. We have to be positive from the off. The last thing we should do is sit back and invite them forward, especially when you consider that our defending is nowhere near as organised and solid as it was under Jose. For this game I really feel attack is going to be our best form of defence.

I'm certain they will put numbers behind the ball and defend with everything they have. The longer the game goes without us scoring I can see the pressure building on us and them gaining in confidence. So, two up front is a must IMO. And that should be Drogba and Anelka. I will be stunned if Grant does that though.

 
I don't see Bridge as a better defensive full back than cole. The reason to play Bridge is because he crosses better.

I'd pick Belletti for this game. If we pick J Cole and Kalou and Drogba how to get Anelka into the side, only way is to leave out either Ballack Lampard or the holding midfielder.

My side

Carlo

Ferreira Riccy Terry A cole

J Cole Essien Ballack Lampard

Drogba Kalou

with Anelka to replace one of the central mid 3 at half time or possibly Drogba if he doesn't pick up his game.

I'd have SWP, Sheva and Alex on the bench as well as Anelka (are we allowed that many?) I'd like to see Sheva given some game time as if fully fit I think he does have goal scoring ability. However the second half against Wigan, no mugs these days, is probably the right opportunity.

I'd like to see J cole rested after an hour, he runs out of puff towards the end.

 
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