Given that we have already qualified the temptation will clearly be there to rest players and give some playing time to bench warmers. However we have lost back to back games now we need a bit of a confidence boost.

This doesn't mean I think we should put out the strongest first team but it does mean I think we should rotate sensibly so we have have players playing in their correct positions and also try to identify sensible alternatives to the first team regulars who are currently below par.

My preference would be something along the lines of

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

Belletti........Ivanovic..........Bruma...............Zhirkov

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

...................Essien..................Malouda.......................

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

.........Anelka......................................Borini..................

Subs

Hilairo

Drogba

Terry

Kakuta

A Cole

Deco

Ferreira (personally I would rather see Ferreira start but Belletti is ahead of him in Ancelotti's plans it would be wiser for him to get playing time)

Love to see zhirkov start in midfield on tues. with ivanovic and terry playing together at cb.

Borini isn't a part of the CL-squad is he? I want to see Zhirkov on the midfield and Hutchinson take the LB.

Love to see zhirkov start in midfield on tues. with ivanovic and terry playing together at cb.

I doubt we will ever see Zhirkov playing any other position but leftback for Chelsea. Ancelotti thinks diamond is the only way to play the game and we have plenty of midfielders that will get in the linup ahead of him.

A real waste.

Hmm not sure about Borini being in the squad, you may well be right. There was a link on here at some point to who had been named in the squad. Anyone remember where that was?

I was up for playing as many youngsters and reserve team payers as we can because this is as close to a unimportant game as it gets bearing in mind the result will not change or decide anything.

However bearing in mind how poor we were last night part of me wants the same team to start so they can put a few wrongs right and perhaps play themselves into a bit of form and start gaining a bit of a winning momentum again.

It wont happen of course but i think CA will pick a stronger team than he was anticipating a day or two ago.

I go:

Hillario

Ferreria

Carvalho

Bouma

Zhirkov

Mikel

Ballack

Joe Cole

Lampard

Borini

Deco

subs

turnbull

beletti

hutchinson

jt

kakuta

sturridge (is he fit?)

drogba

Edited December 6, 200916 yr by bjd

I dont think Borini is included.

I would like to see:

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

Belletti.......Ivanovic.........Bruma.......Hutchinson

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

.................Essien.........Zhirkov........................

........................Joe Cole...............................

.................Kakuta..........Anelka.....................

Have we secured the top position in the group? If so then I would not mind us resting a few players. In fact, I would rather like to see Carlo put the players who didn't play well against City either on the bench or in the stands.

Too bad both Sturridge and Kalou are injured because this would be a great opportunity to play them. And Borini isn't registered so we can't use him either, right? Not sure about all the rules, but I don't think we can use him.

But maybe we can use Malouda up front with perhaps Joey?

I think Carlo said that Alex would be back, but I'm not sure if he meant for this game or for the game in the weekend.

I wouldn't mind giving Bruma a chance in this one and then maybe bring Alex on if he's fit.

Joey - Malouda

Kakuta

Essien - Belletti/Lampard

Mikel

Ferreira/Zhirkov - JT - Bruma - Ivanovic/Ferreira/Hutchinson

Cech

I've quite sure that wont be our starting eleven though. I think we might go with more or less the same team as we did against City with perhaps 2-3 changes.

Is Daniel Sturridge fit ? I really hope so. Because Borini isnt in the squad, neither is Matic

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

--PF------------Ivan--Bruma-------Zhirkov----

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

-------------Ballack---Malouda------------------

---Joe-------------Sturridge--------Kakuta------

Subs: Hilario, Carvahlo, Hutchinson, Lampard, Essien, Deco, Anelka

If Sturridge is still injured, then Anelka should play.

Ballack to be captain

Btw:

The squad lists are:

A List

Petr Cech

Branislav Ivanovic

Ashley Cole

Michael Essien

Ricardo Carvalho

Frank Lampard

Joe Cole

Didier Drogba

John Mikel Obi

Michael Ballack

Florent Malouda

José Bosingwa

Yury Zhirkov

Deco

Salomon Kalou

Ross Turnbull

Daniel Sturridge

John Terry

Alex

Juliano Belletti

Nicolas Anelka

Henrique Hilario

Sam Hutchinson

B List

Rhys Taylor

Jeffrey Bruma

Gaël Kakuta

Edited December 6, 200916 yr by german-blue

Terry's not fit for this game.

Regardless of our position in the group or weak opposition I'm really not too keen on the squad losing three consecutive matches. So while we need to rest some players for sure I'd sure look to secure a victory here as well.

Normally this is a match to rest players, but we can't afford to drop 3 games in a row, and some players need to play to find form rather than resting. I would say a team like

Turnbull

Belleti Carvalho Alex Zhirkov

Mikel Malouda Lampard Cole

Anelka a fit striker?

This team we play are very dirty, they've had 9 red cards so far this season(half way through) 3 of which were in 1 match

I'm worried.

Im not worried. Any team that we line-up should beat APOEL It´s more about how we play as a team. Of course it would be bad to lose 3 games in a row. But what other chance will we get to line-up some young players like Bruma, Kakuta or Sturridge (if fit).

Maybe time to try a new formation in this game? Given some players who I'd have liked to play are not available for selection, I wont mind seeing the team sheet something like this.

......................Hilario

Belletti.....Ivanovic......Bruma.....Zhirkov

.......Ballack......Mikel......Malouda

............Joe Cole......Kakuta

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

Subs: Turnbull, Ash, Ferriera, Lampard, Essien, Drogba, Hutchinson

I agree with Loz, that what was once a great opportunity to give the rest of the squad a run out, has now become a game that we must take a bit more seriously to halt our mini-slump.

Which is a shame. but necessary.

I would like to see Zhirkov given a proper go in a more advanced position, and Bruma given a start after his strong performance against Blackburn. Perhaps Kakuta to start, but that depends on who else we have fit for up front. Joe still looks like he needs game time, so I would prioritise getting him up to 100% over Gael at this point.

Heard that JT is fit to play this game. Good news.

Whatever happens, I want Bruma, Kakuta and Zhirkov to play.

If they play, and we win, I'm a happy man.

Whatever happens, I want Bruma, Kakuta and Zhirkov to play.

Me too.

Im not too worried about the match. Its only APOEL, and we play at home. Bruma and Kakuta are still better then the average APOEL player, so there´s no reason to hesitate to play them imo. As I already said, this is a match that is not about who we line-up, but how we play as a team.

Just seen this:

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0...1898108,00.html

'I think that I will put in the squad five young players, Bruma, Kakuta, Borini, Ahamed and Philliskirk. Starting I think maybe only Kakuta,' said the Italian.

Dont know how that is possible. I thought only Bruma and Kakuta are in the squad for CL.

Ancelotti also has injuries to contend with, with John Terry (knee), Ashley Cole (ankle) and Michael Ballack (knee) all doubtful.

So Ashley Cole is injured again ?? :D What about letting him get fully fit, Zhirkov is more then a good back-up.

Looks like Kakuta shall start! :D

Though it is the likes of Sturridge and Borini who should be getting more game time as the ACN is coming up and Anelka will need an interim partner.

'I think that I will put in the squad five young players, Bruma, Kakuta, Borini, Ahamed and Philliskirk. Starting I think maybe only Kakuta,' said the Italian.

I have to say that it's amazing to hear a Chelsea manager say that. And to think that some of us (me included) was worried that he wouldn't play with many youngsters considering his ageing team at Milan.

Sure, it might backfire but it's still nice to see the youngsters. :D

except Carlo chucked on the youngsters at Blackburn and people weren't happy when we lost.

Maybe time to try a new formation in this game? Given some players who I'd have liked to play are not available for selection, I wont mind seeing the team sheet something like this.

......................Hilario

Belletti.....Ivanovic......Bruma.....Zhirkov

.......Ballack......Mikel......Malouda

............Joe Cole......Kakuta

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

Subs: Turnbull, Ash, Ferriera, Lampard, Essien, Drogba, Hutchinson

perfect

Edited December 7, 200916 yr by gee

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5753779,00.html

Ancelotti insists he has no plans to rest key men against Apoel at Stamford Bridge, claiming it is important to play his strongest possible side in Europe.

"I want to put the best side out," he said.

"In Europe the main thing is to control games and we will play our best players. We have some problems with Terry, Ballack and Ashley Cole, but they are not big problems.

"I want to control the game and use my squad the best I can. We could use some young players in the squad if Ballack, Cole and Terry are not able to play."

Ballack is currently struggling with a knee problem, while Cole has a knock to his ankle.

Ancelotti is confident both will make midweek duty, but admits he can offer no guarantees.

"I am not a doctor," he grinned.

I think the two consecutive losses and the possibility Bridge wont be packed Carlo says we will line up with a strong squad. Christmas time is really tough and although we are through the group stage Carlo will emphasize the importance of this game. We will see tomorrow how well he has made his message clear to the players. I think someone is feeling the pressure a bit...