Avram Grant returns to the Bridge with a team in turmoil but also a team that appears to be hinting a turning a corner.

If Avram was watching on Saturday he will be telling his players to launch the ball toward the penalty spot and wait for our defence to fail to deal with it.

Meanwhile we need to get our act together and ensure everyone knows their job when it comes to defending set pieces.

Words cannot adequately articulate what I will be feeling if we don't get 3 points in this fixture.

Deco will likely be back for this. Should Malouda get a start, perhaps in place of Mikel, shifting Ballack back to holding midfield.

Ivan, Riccy/alex, Terry Ashley

ballack

lampard malouda

deco

anelka drogs

i would play

cech

ash

jt

ricky

ivan

ballack

lamps

joey

belletti

drogs

anelka

Well it's about time we get back to our winning ways now. Too many losses already, so let's try and get a few wins before the new year (how many games is left in 2009?). I hope Carlo has talked to the team about our weaknesses and trained hard to fix them. We are a world class team, we can't continue making mistakes not even a minor team filled with amateurs make.

I hope we get a win here and play well. I don't really mind if we don't score lots of goals, I just want to see our defence be solid for once. I'd take a 1-0 win.

But it would be nice to see a total thrashing of Portsmouth and Grant

I'd expect to see:

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

Ivan.........Terry.................Carvalho......Cole

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

..................Lampard...Malouda

.........................Joey

.........Anelka....................Drogba

When will zhirkov get a start? Even Aquanli got a game on the weekend. I think Maloda will get a start along with Zhirkov. Portsmouth has been doing ok since Grant took over, with the defence problem we are having, they will give us a game.

Wouldn't it be just our luck if Dindane actually started converting some chances against us

Words cannot adequately articulate what I will be feeling if we don't get 3 points in this fixture.

Seconded.

f**k I've been away for awhile and things have gone to complete sh*t! Oh well we're still in the lead but we've lost our mojo, a serious drubbing of Pompei is in order otherwise we may have a slight issue on our hands.

I'd expect to see:

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

Ivan.........Terry.................Carvalho......Cole

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

..................Lampard...Malouda

.........................Joey

.........Anelka....................Drogba

that would be my line up aswell.

I think Alex will be fit for this. We've really missed him this season. I think he can make a big difference towards improving our set-play defending. I hope he starts.

I may be or may not be right to say that Essien makes our average midfield look good. And we do struggle a bit without him. We've had our best games with him and Malouda both playing.

So, I want Zhirkov and Malouda to get a chance in the midfield with Malouda at the tip and Yuri on the left. With Ashley also in there, I think we will we have much more pace and flair in us.

Everyone apart from Mikel could do with some rest. I really think he is trying his best and improving a bit every game.

Also, I hope Grant gets a good reception at The Bridge. Really miss his flapping of hands after every goal.

Time to bounce back Chelsea!

I would start Joe, as there are few real alternatives (Deco hasn't convinced and Florent is better in other positions), but he really does need to step up his game, as I think he's been pretty poor of late. He's obviously fit again, and puts in the effort, no doubt, but there's been very little end product. He looked a bit headless chicken on Saturday, and that's not the first time. With two in form strikers to aim at, he should be having a field day.

Fingers crossed we see the 'Blackburn at home' Joe Cole from Wednesday onwards.

Personal feelings about the issue aside, does everyone think it's a certainty that Cech will start?

Absolute certainty (barring an injury)

I'd tend to agree it is a certainty as well but I'm not sure if it is because of the managers absolute confidence in him or the fear of creating a huge controversy if he were to sit, even if it was only for a match to clear his head/give him a break.

Alex is in the line up, and Kalou is back from injury.

Drogba could miss this one

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0...1905746,00.html

but we should be able to cope with Anelka and Kalou upfront

wouldnt mind seeing Malouda at the tip and Yuri on the left of our diamond

Edited December 15, 200916 yr by b00gamaster

1 - Drogba

2 - Drogba

3 - Drogba

4 - Drogba

5 - Drogba

6 - Drogba

7 - Drogba

8 - Drogba

9 - Drogba

10 - Drogba

11 - Drogba

Subs: Drogba; Drogba; Drogba; Drogba; Drogba; Drogba & Drogba

If he's injured and can't play then this line up is f**ked in which case insert Anelka!

If Drogba misses this game and Kalou is not fit enough to start we might see Malouda paired with Anelka up front. Alex at the back could be a welcome addition to the starting line up.

If Drogba and Kalou are out I want to see Borini next to Anelka. Or If I would be the manager. 4-3-3 with Kakuta and Joe on the wing and Anelka in the middle

cech

ivan terry riccy cole

mikel

lamps malouda

joe cole

Drog if fit (kakuta if not) Anelka

cech

ivan rick terry cole

mikel

frank zhirkov

malouda

drog/kakuta anelka

Edited December 15, 200916 yr by Threepw00d

alex is back for this game

really need to get back to winning ways now. luckily we had such a strong start that we were able to cope with this bad patch. here is how i hope we ill line it up

belitti--ivan--JT--Cole

-------Mikel

------lamps--malouda

-------joey

------anelka--drogba if he back/kakuta

Pompey playing alright and avram will really want to win this but i think we should take it. (touch wood)