The start of our title defence and, lets be honest, our build up has hardly been ideal. OK they were pre-season friendlies and a game many classify as a friendly but it is still four defeats on the bounce and, most worringly, we are conceding far too many soft goals.

On a more positive note there is a good chance that both Alex and Cech will be available. if this is the case then I would expect to see Ivan move to right back and Alex partnering JT in the centre. Drogba should start up front with Kalou dropping to the bench.

Ramiries may be a Chelsea by then but I would be very surprised to see him start, more likely we opt for Mikel, Essien and Lampard again.

Welcome back Robbie D but let that welcome stop at 1730!

Do you think Drogba showed enough today to warrant that he's 100% fit after surgery and that he'll start against West Brom? I'd like to see the starting line up you are going for Loz, but i think we'll see Anelka upfront alone with Malouda and Kalou out wide, which usually means we better make the most of all of our chances

cech

ferreria ivan, terry cole

essien

kalou lampard malouda

anelka drogba

subs: Alex, ramires, Sturridge another

Absolutely disgraceful pre-season...time to put that behind us, and defend our title.

If this goes tits-up I can see people (both Chelsea fans and the gutter press alike) starting to call for Ancelotti's head.

I sincerely hope it doesn't go tits-up.

Absolutely disgraceful pre-season...time to put that behind us, and defend our title.

Jeeezus wept! Talk about over reaction!

Jeeezus wept! Talk about over reaction!

What, it was a terrible pre-season....lots of losses, some new injuries...and yet to complete a signing after Benayoun.

But as I said, the players need to put it out of their minds and get focussed to retain the title.

I don't think it's an over-reaction.

The way I look at it preseason is for the Manager to look at different options, different systems/players and to bring the players fitness levels up, yesterday was not much more than a preseason friendly and due to the WC and some players coming back from injuries/operations we may be a bit behind the ideal levels,

The defence was certainly not sharp enough but its not a line up we have used much nor are likely to.

We had the majority of chances and we lost to a good break against the run of play, a goal that had some offside written on it and a very well taken goal when we were odds on to draw level.

I doubt Carlo is overly anxious and we shouldn't be either.

Looking forward to the game against Robbies boys, they will be up for it so we need to be a lot more focussed which I think we will be.

I would like to see Alex back for this with Ivan moving over to RB, Drogba should be starting so that will see Anelka out wide again, I'd rather see him there than wandering all over the place when hes played as the main striker.

Edited August 9, 201015 yr by Chippy

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

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

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

-------Essien------Lampard

Kalou---------------------Malouda

-------------Anelka

That would be my starting 11 for WBA.

We have a pretty bad pre-season indeed but our offense has been getting a lot better, what needs to be fixed is the defense and the slacking going on in it, especially against the mancs yesterday, to be fair if we get it sorted im not scared to face any team seeing how we pushed them to the limit the last 15 mins.

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

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

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

-------Essien------Lampard

Kalou---------------------Malouda

-------------Anelka

That would be my starting 11 for WBA.

We have a pretty bad pre-season indeed but our offense has been getting a lot better, what needs to be fixed is the defense and the slacking going on in it, especially against the mancs yesterday, to be fair if we get it sorted im not scared to face any team seeing how we pushed them to the limit the last 15 mins.

Really don't like the look of that starting 11 at all.

A midfield three of Lamps, Essien and Mikel is an absolute no no for me. If Lamps is out of sorts (like yesterday) it puts too much pressure on Essien to perform as Mikel's contribution is always negligable. Anyway, WBA at home is there really any need for a holding / defensive midfielder?

And I would rather see Sturridge get a start ahead of either Kalou or Anelka.

Kakuta MUST be on the bench as well.

Edited August 9, 201015 yr by Nibs

Really don't like the look of that starting 11 at all.

A midfield three of Lamps, Essien and Mikel is an absolute no no for me. If Lamps is out of sorts (like yesterday) it puts too much pressure on Essien to perform as Mikel's contribution is always negligable. Anyway, WBA at home is there really any need for a holding / defensive midfielder?

And I would rather see Sturridge get a start ahead of either Kalou or Anelka.

Kakuta MUST be on the bench as well.

What's wrong with it? It's the same First XI (minus Drogba and plus Essien) that we had last season. It's more or less the same side (with Joe Cole instead of Kalou, and ESSIEN instead of Ballack) which beat Man Utd away last season, and the same side which battered Villa.

Edited August 9, 201015 yr by PloKoon13

What's wrong with it? It's the same First XI (minus Drogba and plus Essien) that we had last season. It's more or less the same side (with Joe Cole instead of Kalou, and ESSIEN instead of Ballack) which beat Man Utd away last season, and the same side which battered Villa.

As you say, that was LAST season. On that basis we could put the same side out every week and expect to batter everyone. It's not gonna happen.

Unfortunately none of our players had a good world cup and judging by the pre-season friendlies, a number of them still look pretty rusty to say the least.

I'd be suprised if we didnt win this just hope we hammer them to get some confidence back

As you say, that was LAST season. On that basis we could put the same side out every week and expect to batter everyone. It's not gonna happen.

Unfortunately none of our players had a good world cup and judging by the pre-season friendlies, a number of them still look pretty rusty to say the least.

Most of the first XI (besides Mikel and Essien, who both look good) didn't play the majority of the pre-season, and so it's forgivable that they'd look rusty. However we're a top team and it's a whole extra seven days before we play a game which matters. I trust Ancelotti will have this side (who are man-for-man better than last season's first XI due to the addition of Essien) fit to defend our Premier League trophy.

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

--Ferreira---Ivan----JT---Ashley

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

--------Essien-----------Lampard

---Anelka---------------Malouda

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

Subs: Hilario, Bruma, Alex, Zhirkov, Kakuta, Benayoun, Sturridge.

I'd like to see that. Even if Alex is fit, I can see him coming on for the last 30 minutes or so, just so we don't rush him back. Sturridge, for me, deserves a start after the way he played yesterday, but I have a feeling Carlo will stick Anelka on the right, Sturridge will then get a few minutes towards the end, no matter the score at the time as he's proven on numerous occasions (yesterday and last season - West Ham away for example) he can change things, can make an impact. It takes a lot for Andy Gray to talk highly about a player that isn't Rooney, and he said he likes Sturridge, that he has talent and can go far.

Yeah, I'd like to see Sturridge get at least 45 min, subbing with Kalou at Half-time.

Cech

Ivan Alex Terry Cole

Lampard Essien Malouda

Sturridge Drogba Anelka

Bad pre-season or not our confidence shouldn't be that dented after that beautiful last season! Confidence is not sky-high but it only takes one or two good games to peak again as the squad is pretty much the same.

I hope we will see Ramires in the squad and if we lead he could play the last 20 or something.

As I stated in the Shield topic WBA will be lot tougher to beat than ManU. They were tired as us and it was a friendly. WBA is lot fitter than us and had lot more time to prepare. Plus it is a home game and you know how it can be if the game is still 0-0 after 70 mins...Nailbiter ahead

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

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

----------------Essien----------------------

-------Lampard---------Benayoun-----

Anelka--------------------------Malouda

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

I'd like this to happen, as we looked a lot brighter with Benayoun on the pitch, and with Lamps looking a bit rusty it takes the pressure off him to provide the killer ball. Studge on for Anelka part way through and we'll be laughing!

If Drogba is not fit enough to play a full 90 minutes then I would rather Sturridge started in the centre than Anelka. Anelka is no longer a centre forward. Play him there and we end up with nobody in the middle.

If Drogba is not fit enough to play a full 90 minutes then I would rather Sturridge started in the centre than Anelka. Anelka is no longer a centre forward. Play him there and we end up with nobody in the middle.

Yup, he drops back way to far and to often from that space but I still reckon he is a head in the pecking order for WBA.

Do you think Drogba showed enough today to warrant that he's 100% fit after surgery and that he'll start against West Brom? I'd like to see the starting line up you are going for Loz, but i think we'll see Anelka upfront alone with Malouda and Kalou out wide, which usually means we better make the most of all of our chances

Anelka is wasted in the middle, and so is our attack. He slows it down in the middle with his back tracking, going wide and holding the ball instead of running at defenders...if the CS wasnt proof of that, hen the WC should be. He has essentially turned himself into a winger who can still hit the back of the net when given a decent chance...he just doesnt seem good at creating them from the middle of the park!

Really don't like the look of that starting 11 at all.

A midfield three of Lamps, Essien and Mikel is an absolute no no for me. If Lamps is out of sorts (like yesterday) it puts too much pressure on Essien to perform as Mikel's contribution is always negligable. Anyway, WBA at home is there really any need for a holding / defensive midfielder?

And I would rather see Sturridge get a start ahead of either Kalou or Anelka.

Kakuta MUST be on the bench as well.

Agreed 100 and 10% (I needed that emphasis!)

I would like to see.....

--------------Cech/Turnbull------------

Ivan ------- Alex ------ JT ----------Cole

-------------------Essien-------------------

Lampard----------------------------Malouda

Kalou-------------Sturridge--------Anelka

I like this as it gives DD time to recover, yet if all is not well then imagine if you were a WBA defender who has just been running for 60 minute or so, and now you have DD, the best striker in the league, coming on fresh to ran at you in your first ever EPL game........I think that would be a massive psychological weapon as they will have nerves to start and if they do well and settle fast this should help unnerve them again, if we capitalise on the nerves at the start this sub wont be necessary!

and as Nibs was alluding too, i think this match a attacking CM will be more benificial than a CDM. Lets allow the Bison to roam and bring on Mikel once we have some goals scored!

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

Ivan------Riccy--------JT--------A.Cole

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

-------Essein---------Lampard-----

Benayoun--------------------------Malouda

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

Hopefully this will be the lineup we use most weeks except maybe Ramires in more Mikel. I like the lineup with Benayoun instead of Anelka as it offers us more width if we are using the 4-3-3.

First sub on should be sturidge this season and kakuta to give us additional pace if this formation does not work.

Not sure how Anelka fits in this season imo, hasn't really had a good game since January were he played lone striker. Mikel as well, im not too sure of his role. Wouldn't sub him on if we were chasing the game or if it was even. Maybe he'l be used to spell either Ramires or Essein.

If we persist with this lineup, im hoping Sturidge/Kakuta/Zhirkov are the 3 subs used to change the game

If Drogba is not fit enough to play a full 90 minutes then I would rather Sturridge started in the centre than Anelka. Anelka is no longer a centre forward. Play him there and we end up with nobody in the middle.

Interesting hypothesis. But if he isn't a center forward and he doesn't play well out on the wing really then where does he fit in?

cech(if fit)

ivanovic---- Alex(if fit)--- Terry----A.cole

Essien

Lampard --------------------------Malouda

Sturridge -------Drogba(If fit) --- Benayoun

Subs-- Hilario

Bruma

Anelka

Zhirkov

Katkuta

Kalou

Ferreria