FA, Southend vs Chelsea, 14/01/09, 2010 GMT

[loz]

Normally speaking we consider playing some younger players in games like this to give them experience and rest a few first team players.

This time I think we should be playing some youngsters because too many of the first team regulars don't deserve their place in the team.

As far as I am concerned the FA Cup is now the most realistic chance of us winning anything this season and as such I want us to put out a team most likely to win the game. That, for me, means dropping Ballack, Drogba and Deco - none of whom I think will offer much against Southend. U would also rest Mikel as I feel his form is starting to drop.

Personally I would go with.

..............................Cech...........................

Ferreira.........Carvalho.....Terry.........A Cole

Joe Cole........Belletti........Lampard................Kalou

.....................Di Santo................Anelka...........

Maybe not as a flat 4 across the middle but something using those players.

I would like to have put in Kakuta or Stoch but I am trying to be slightly realistic - that is not going to happen.

[evissy]

I agree and the formation also looks good to me. Well, not good as it includes off form players but we have to cope with them.

Give Di Santo a proper chance and leave Drogs on the bench, they both deserve this.

I think that Anelka will bang couple goals and we win 2-0.

Maybe Ivanovic in for Ferreira but no Bosingwa, please.

[The Moos]

I hope we play with almost only youngsters. Scolari have to show that he have faith in them and show the bigger names in the team that everyone can be replaced.

The big guns couldn't beat Southend the first time we played so why give them another chance? No, let some other players show what they can do. We might lose or we might win. I honestly feel we've got a bigger chance at winning with players like Kakuta, Woods, Nouble on the pitch than with Malouda, Deco and Drogba.

The only players I can consider giving another chance is the ones who has been injured alot and need time to get back on form or one of the few (very few) who have actually played quite well.

I do hope Scolari does something extreme now but I guess we'll see the same old faces in the pitch yet again and they will prove, yet again, that they can't beat a "big", "strong" team like Southend.

P.S. I have to be honest and say that I wouldn't mind if we lost against Southend just as long as we showed some spirit and that the players still have some skill left.

[ethicalstrategy]

I think we need to decide how we intend to play before deciding on the team.

I've seen no evidence that we can play 4-4-2 effectively - the 2nd half against Utd was a disaster and a complete waste of our best player.

So it either has to be a diamond or 4-3-3.

Diamond

---------------------------Cech

Bosingwa--------Carvalho-------JT---------Cole

--------------------------Mikel

----------Ballack--------------------Lampard

------------------------Cole

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

or 4-3-3

---------------------------Cech

Bosingwa--------Carvalho-------JT---------Cole

--------------------------Mikel

----------Ballack--------------------Lampard

Cole-----------------------------------------Stoch

----------------------Drogba

[dkw]

theres 2 ways of thinking that scolari could take going into this match. he could pick an almost identical 11 to sunday as a punishment and hope they get some much needed confidence from a decent win, or he can tell the lot of them hes embarassed by them and will pick 11 players that actually want to play in chelsea blue. now ive been against throwing in youngsters all along, but after that sh*t yesterday i hope he goes with the latter and makes sure anyone not playing knows they arent being rested but are DROPPED.

[forbzy]

Based on what I saw yesterday Ballack and Drogba should be benched.

Cech

Bosingwa JT Mancienne Cole

Mikel

Sawyer Lampard

Cole

Anelka Franco

[Ruh Buh Juh]

EDIT: Great to see we're already planning our FA Cup Replay for next year

Not expecting much change in the side that got hammered as Scolari hasn't got the guts to change anything. Maybe Anelka instead of Drogba, but it's an "as you were" team for me. Di Santo'll get 10 minutes, as usual, and it'll go to extra time, I can guarantee it.

This is what I'd like to see, though, with that 0.000000000000000000000000001% chance of Scolari taking a good risk and changing it all around:

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

....Ivanovic........Mancienne.........JT........Ferreira

....................................Mikel

................Belletti........................Lampard

...J. Cole...............................................Stoch

................................Di Santo

Optimistic? Yes, but that's all I have left for Chelsea, optimism.

2nd EDIT: Why not take a shot, play Joey Cole in a more central role and have Stoch and Kalou on the wing? A bit like this:

.............................Mikel

.......................................Lampard

.................J.Cole

....Kalou...........................................Stoch

.............................Di Santo

or is that TOO optimistic?

Edited January 12, 2009 by Ruh Buh Juh

[Paul Seery]

I would go for playing some of the fringe players as well against Southend on Wednesday. As for the game itself I am hoping for a 3-0 win for Chelsea. It is going to be tough but I think those that play can do a job.

[icecoolguy22]

I know who should not start tomorrow - Drogba, Ballack, Deco. Ashley Cole and Mikel should get a game off, Cuddicini should get another game, I doubt SouthEnd will have more than 3 shots on goal. If we lose, Scolari should be on the next plane back to Brazil, and the Chelsea firesale will be on. I expect a 2:0 win.

[geezer]

If we lose, Scolari should be on the next plane back to Brazil,

Disagree. He should be tied to a post outside the Bridge ready for all of us to flog.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Honestly, I couldnt give two sh*ts if we proceed with teh FA cup or not

Scolari might be on the firing line, and I dont want to see him canned, but play youngsters and if it doesnt work out the to hell with it, just focus on what we have left.

Becuase if he plays the first team, and this isnt a f**king blowout, I dont know what to think. Its last chance saloon for alot of people, in my eyes.

I am almost afraid to see what happens. I hope the players have more bottle than me

Edited January 12, 2009 by TheWestwayWonder

[loz]

Honestly, I couldnt give two sh*ts if we proceed with teh FA cup or not

I can't, and never will, agree with that. I love the FA Cup and I want us do as well in it as we possibly can. There is not a single competition Chelsea enter that I don't want to see us win and, more than most, the FA Cup is steeped with great memories.

Furthermore I think it is the only realistic chance of silverware we have this season.

[BlueBeard]

Team I'd like to see against Saaarfend: -

Cudicini

Ivanovic Mancienne Carvalho Cole

Joey Lampard Mikel Sinclair

di Santo Anelka

never gonna happen though - I wouldn't mind betting that Scolari picks the same team as Sunday.

[Chippy]

I can't, and never will, agree with that. I love the FA Cup and I want us do as well in it as we possibly can. There is not a single competition Chelsea enter that I don't want to see us win and, more than most, the FA Cup is steeped with great memories.

Furthermore I think it is the only realistic chance of silverware we have this season.

I love the FA Cup,

I remember the 70 final and the replay and the goals we scored as one of my best Chelsea memories, brought tears of joy,

Peter Bonetti hobbling about, what a team that was and what a Dirty bunch of hackers Leeds were ;)

[loz]

I love the FA Cup,

I remember the 70 final and the replay and the goals we scored as one of my best Chelsea memories, brought tears of joy,

Peter Bonetti hobbling about, what a team that was and what a Dirty bunch of hackers Leeds were :D

:D And Chopper barely touched Eddie Gray!!

[BlueBeard]

1970 FA Cup Final - best Chelsea moment ever for me!

And Eddie Gray was a big fairy :D

[Chippy]

:D And Chopper barely touched Eddie Gray!!

You watched it with the same Glasses as me...they had a slight Royal tint but kept the sun out nicely :D

[abramovich]

Team I'd like to see against Saaarfend: -

Cudicini

Ivanovic Mancienne Carvalho Cole

Joey Lampard Mikel Sinclair

di Santo Anelka

never gonna happen though - I wouldn't mind betting that Scolari picks the same team as Sunday.

Sinclair is out on loan, I think.

[BlueBeard]

Sinclair is out on loan, I think.

Bugger! Forgot he'd gone to Brum! OK, put Kakuta in there instead :D

[blizeH]

Cech,

Ivanovic, Terry, Mancienne, Cole,

Stoch, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Malouda,

Anelka.

I'd play with that, and give Paulo, Belletti and Di Santo a good run out in the second half.

[blizeH]

I'm looking forward to this game a lot actually, I just hope Scolari tries something a little different.

[ethicalstrategy]

Given our current defensive weaknesses I think we should play our strongest defence. They need playing time together and that needs to start now. So bad luck for Carlo and some of the others but it must be Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry and Cole. They aren't going to sort out this crossing nonsense sat on the bench.

[Nibs]

I'm looking forward to this game a lot actually, I just hope Scolari tries something a little different.

Me too. It's live on ITV. Wouldn't it be great to tune in and see Di Santo & Stoch in the starting 11 and Kakuta on the bench.

Something to give us a bit of a buzz.

[blizeH]

Agree, I'd like to see a mixture of the above too on hindsight - give the back four a chance to gel again, and give some younger players a chance with Mikel and Lampard being the core in the centre.

I also think Joe Cole should start in the middle, and Malouda on the left. Not sure then whether you'd pick Di Santo up front with Anelka on the right just behind him, or whether to play Stoch and leave Di Santo on the bench.

[Tim]

Bluebeard, I would love to see that team, I really would. Perhaps Stoch instead of Kakuta, as the former seems nearer the first team, for whatever reason.