Birmingham wouldn't normally be a game to get too worried about however they are bang in form, we aren't and it is the banana skin boxing day fixture. With Man Utd and Arsenal not playing till the day after this means we can either put pressure on them to get a result or slip up and given the impetus to get a win and close the gap at the top of the table.

Who to play and who to drop? Well based on recent performances any number of players are vulnerable.

I haven't heard anything about the injury that kept Anelka out of the West Ham game but if he hasn't recovered we will surely look to either Sturridge or Borini to support Drogba. You could toss a coin to decide who plays out of Deco and Joe Cole and it would make little difference to the team, Ballack was very poor against West Ham and the centre of our defence still doesn't look solid.

Malouda was also poor against West Ham but I would be tempted to go with him again since he has had far less chances than the likes of Cole and Deco and therefore arguably deserves another run out. I would like to see Alex return and if I was picking the team on form I would see him alongside Carvalho rather than Terry but I know that isn't going to happen and Carvalho has been iffy as well.

I share your concern that it is a difficult game and I'd be reasonably happy with a draw. But we do need to recognise that just because we don't win every single game it does not make us the sh*t team that you would think from reading the forum over the last few days and weeks.

I don't see that many changes. Ancelotti is bound to rotate a few players to cover the number of games but I think he will continue with the same core as normal.

I think we will see:

Cech

Ivanovic

Terry

Carvalho

Cole

Mikel

Ballack

Lampard

Deco

Drogba

Anelka/Kalou

I don't really care how we get them, I just want 3 points from Santa for Xmas.

I share your concern that it is a difficult game and I'd be reasonably happy with a draw. But we do need to recognise that just because we don't win every single game it does not make us the sh*t team that you would think from reading the forum over the last few days and weeks.

I don't see that many changes. Ancelotti is bound to rotate a few players to cover the number of games but I think he will continue with the same core as normal.

I think we will see:

Cech

Ivanovic

Terry

Carvalho

Cole

Mikel

Ballack

Lampard

Deco

Drogba

Anelka/Kalou

I don't really care how we get them, I just want 3 points from Santa for Xmas.

I would prefer Alex to Carvalho and obviously Joe to Deco. The only way Joe is gonna improve is to give him match time. Of course you could argue that for any player, but Deco in the middle of Winter at a cold St Andrews? I just can't see it.

For me, Mikel & Ballack in the same midfield just doesn't work well, so I would plump for one and bring in Malouda.

And if Anelka isn't fit, then it HAS to be either Borini or Sturridge with the other on the bench (along with Kakuta). Don't give me Kalou FFS. I'm hoping he'll already be in Africa by Boxing Day?

If Zhirkov is fit enough to start, I think he should start, but he won't.

I'm almost more nervous about this one than a game against ManU or some other top team. A feel a draw or a loss coming but I hope I'm wrong.

And I don't know who I want to play. Some players that I usually trust will do a good job has been sub par for so many games, but do I want to play someone like Matic instead of Lampard and Kakuta instead Deco or Joey? I don't know.

Ancelotti have to do something that will lift the players because otherwise we can kiss the trophy goodbye.

It's time to shape up.

Some players that I usually trust will do a good job has been sub par for so many games, but do I want to play someone like Matic instead of Lampard and Kakuta instead Deco or Joey?

At the moment I'd rather see almost anyone else in the starting lineup instead of Joe Cole. He just doesn't seem fit enough to play a full 90 minutes at the moment.

 

 

Sadly, we have every reason to be worried about this game. its going to be a big noisy crowd and a team full of confidence who will harass us and shut us down at every opportunity, just the sort of fixture we have struggled with this season. 

Its the midfield that concerns me most - without Essien we seem to have no power, no pace and dare I say it no form. No matter who we play there I can see us struggling. Id like to see Matic start but it wont happen.

 

Up front I read that Anelka has a 'slight muscle tear' so i guess that will make him iffy for the game. If CA starts with Kalou he needs shooting, I really cannot put it any milder than that.

 

I defy any Chelsea fan anywhere to provide a reason why Strurridge based on what we saw yesterday should not start. Both he and Borini this past week have offered more than Kalou has all season. All four seasons in fact, and it cannot be allowed to go on anymore.

 

Hopefully Drogba has had his nightmare game for the season and should be raring to make amends! Zhirkov must also be very close to his first EPL start too.

 

Working on the basis that Anelka wont make it,  my team would be:

 

Cech

Cole

Terry

Alex

Ivanovic

Mikel

Lampard

Malouda

Deco

Strurridge

Drogba

 

But I expect:

 

Cech

Cole

Terry

Carvalho

Ivanovic

Mikel

Ballack

Lampard

Cole

Kalou

Drogba

 

Something tells me its not going to be a lot of fun, but lets hope our players have had a rocket up their arse and bust a gut and show some quality. If that happens we should win.

 

 

Edited December 21, 200916 yr by bjd

A tricky game in prospect on Saturday as has already been mentioned. I am optimistic though that we can get a positive result at Saint Andrews. One thing to point about about the boxing day fixture is that since the start of the Premiership we have only won six out of seventeen boxing day fixtures. They were against Southampton (x2), Aston Villa (x2), Fulham and West Brom.

Edited December 21, 200916 yr by The Machine

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

---Ivanovic-------Alex---------Terry------Ashley

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

-------------Lampard-----------Zhirkov

--------------------------Joey

-----------------Drogba-------Sturridge

I hope.

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

Ivan----Alex----Terry-----A.Cole

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

------Ballack------Zhirkov

-----------Lampard

------Anelka*----Drogba

*if fit, if not Sturridge or Borini(NOT Kalou)

I wouldn't play Joey just because he wants to play the WC. He's been as bad as Kalou although there is much more hope with Joey deciding games for us. We really don't have anyone sitting in the bench eager to decide games who could actually do it. Sad to see out-of-form-Joey us that man...

Edited December 21, 200916 yr by evissy

In my opinion, the upcoming game against Birmingham is a "must win'' situation to boost the morale of the team. I would take a gamble and bring in Kakuta to replace Joe Cole at the tip of the diamond and also start Borini if Anelka is not fit. But Carlo is not a gambler which I understand. I presume he will start Deco at the tip.

My starting eleven is as follows:-

Cech

Ivanovic

Alex

Terry

Cole

Mikel

Ballack

Lampard

Kakuta

Drogba

Anelka/Borini

Joey just isnt doing it , holds onto the ball too long , his shooting is awful and wastes posession, Ricky was lucky yesterday not to give away a penalty , he has a habit of giving away free kicks in dangerous areas, Id prefer to see Sturridge start if Anelka is still injured but ive a feeling Kalou will start .

I've had a hard time coming up with this squad, but I think it needs to be tested. Ballack, in his prime, was an attacking midfielder and should be tried there now. His passing is far more accurate than Deco or J.Cole, and while he doesn't have the style of either he does have power and vision. I'm not ready to say that Sturridge is the best alternative to Anelka, but Kalou is absolutely awful this season.

Cech

Ivanovic Alex Terry Cole

Mikel

Lampard Zhirkov

Ballack

Anelka/Sturridge Drogba

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

-Ivan---Alex---JT---A. Cole

-----------Ballack

Lampard------------Zhirkov

-----------Kakuta

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

This is the line-up I want to see against Birmingham, but we all know kakuta won't start.

Will be a tough match and if we don't bring our A-game it could mean a loss.

Itll be a comftorble win im sure 3-0 :) I hope

This match is away... we probably will use that jinxed kit...

Anyway this is a must win! 1-0, tough and ugly game, and I'm happy.

Anelka will be back, right? I hope so. If not, please please please, no Kalou in the squad.

....................CECH

IVANOVIC...ALEX...TERRY...A.COLE

.....................MIKEL...................

........BALLACK...........LAMPARD....

....................ZHIRKOV...............

........DROGBA.............ANELKA.....

SUBS: KAKUTA, STURRIDGE, CARVALHO, J.COLE, MALOUDA, BELETTI, HILARIO.

I know we're not going to start with the following line-up, but I'd rather see:

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

------Ivanovic-----------Alex-----Terry-----------A.Cole------

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

----------------Lampard--------------Zhirkov------------------

-----------------------------Kakuta-----------------------------

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

Substitutes: Hilario, Joe Cole, Sturridge, Carvalho, Ballack, Deco, Belletti

* Could swap Alex for Carvalho, and if Anelka isn't playing, then I'd rather have a Christmas tree formation with Drogba upfront.

And I'm pretty sure ^ this is never gonna happen. Sadly it doesn't look like we're gonna see Kakuta or Zhirkov starting anytime soon.

Zhirkov really deserves a start imo. Not sure about the tip of the diamond. Would like to see Kakuta getting a chance because Deco and Joe didnt impress there.

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

---Ivan------Alex----JT-------Ashley----

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

-----------Lamps----Zhirkov---------------

-----------------Kakuta---------------------

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

Subs: Hilario, Ricci,Ballack, Malouda, Joe, Sturridge, Borini

Does anyboy know about Anelka´s injury? Havent heard anything about it so far.

If Anelka isnt fit fot the match I want to see Sturridge and not Kalou please.

Edited December 22, 200916 yr by german-blue

Get ballack out of the starting 11!.. we'd be basically starting with 10men!

This would be my starting eleven against Birmingham:

GK: P Cech

DF: B Ivanovic

DF: J Terry

DF: Alex

DF: A Cole

MF: Y Zhrikov

MF: JO Mikel

MF: F Lampard

MF: C Cole

CF: D Drogba

CF: N Anelka (if fit to play)

Formation: 4-4-2

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

---Ivanovic-------Alex---------Terry------Ashley

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

-------------Lampard-----------Zhirkov

--------------------------Joey

-----------------Drogba-------Sturridge

I hope.

Our the best squad at the moment.

Get ballack out of the starting 11!.. we'd be basically starting with 10men!

11-1=10. good work, mate.

i dont mind who carlo picks ,i just want a win as im fed up with having my boxing day ruined by a chels horror show.

Only a win will do.