MSK Zilina v Chelsea (CL) 15/09/10, 19:45 BST

[loz]

So who knows anything about Slovak club Zilina? Certainly not me. They beat Sparta Prague in the final CL qualifying round to reach the group stages. They have a tiny all seater stadium. Err.. that's about it!

[ozboy]

We need to treat all these games with respect. However Zhirkov would fit in well, perhaps in place of Ashley, perhaps in place of Ramires, perhaps in place of Essien. Maybe Benayoun could play but I'd like to see Kakuta get some more game time, maybe a full 30-40 minutes and possibly even in place of Drogba.

When will Bossy be fit to play?

Also maybe Terry could be rested with Alex and Ivan playing as the back two.

[loz]

I think Carlo said Bosingwa is 2-3 weeks from being ready to play.

[RegRabid]

We need to treat all these games with respect. However Zhirkov would fit in well, perhaps in place of Ashley, perhaps in place of Ramires, perhaps in place of Essien. Maybe Benayoun could play but I'd like to see Kakuta get some more game time, maybe a full 30-40 minutes and possibly even in place of Drogba.

When will Bossy be fit to play?

Also maybe Terry could be rested with Alex and Ivan playing as the back two.

Looks like Terry being rested is a distinct possibility:

Link

'John Terry took a knock on his rib, and we will look in the next day and [see] if he is fit for Wednesday,' the manager said. 'I don't think it is broken, he took a knock in the first half, played again for 60 minutes and had pain at the end of the game so I took him out.

[charierre]

So who knows anything about Slovak club Zilina? Certainly not me. They beat Sparta Prague in the final CL qualifying round to reach the group stages. They have a tiny all seater stadium. Err.. that's about it!

they beat Villa in 2008 eufa cup group match.

[Andreas]

As someone said earlier, we really need to show some respect to these sides, just remember what cluj nearly did to us when Scolari was in charge.

I expect a few players to be rested and we could see a line-up like this.

Cech

Ferreira Ivan Alex Zhirkov

Mikel

Benayoun Ramires

Kalou Sturridge Malouda

Edited September 12, 2010 by AndyCFC

[Bobbywoodhogan]

As someone said earlier, we really need to show some respect to these sides, just remember what cluj nearly did to us when Scolari was in charge.

I expect a few players to be rested and we could see a line-up like this.

Cech

Ferreira Ivan Alex Zhirkov

Mikel

Benayoun Ramires

Kalou Sturridge Malouda

Hmmmm I dont think Terry will play I reckon Anelka will play though and Lampard (if fit).

[dkw]

Apparently they were the first team we played under Romans ownership.

[Mod]

Joke Hole scored his debut goal for us against these bunch back then (I think?)

[Bobbywoodhogan]

Well we beat them 2-0 and 3-0 over the course of both games so unless they've really improved this should be easy.

[BlueNose]

We should put our strongest team out,no doubt about it,we need to make a statement in this game,and if we are to win this competition we are only going to be able to do it by putting out a full strength side.

[loz]

Strong team, yes. Strongest team, no. We have some big games in September and October and we need to use our squad intelligently over the next 6 weeks or so.

[Hutch]

i wouldn't be too amazed to see Hilario start this one.

[The Moos]

I haven't seen Zilina play so I can't say how good or bad they are, and therefore it's hard to say what players we should play.

But I doubt Carlo will change too much. This is the Champions League after all and I think we'll play our strongest team in every game (perhaps not the last one if we're are sure to finish first).

I would like to see players like Zhirkov, Kakuta etc. play, but I really don't think that will happen. They might be brought on though.

Main question for me is whether Ramires will get to play. He needs time to settle so he should play more than just a game every now and then. I would do well to get to play again in our next game. Lampard will be back so I guess he'll play. Perhaps we'll rest Essien or Mikel?

And Malouda might play as well. Kalou on the bench?

[Ruh Buh Juh]

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

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

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

----------Essien-------------Ramires

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

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

Subs: Hilario, Paulo, Zhirkov, Lampard?, Benayoun, Kakuta, Sturridge.

Would hope to see Sturridge/Kakuta instead of Anelka/Kalou respectively, but I doubt that'll happen.

[sdsdsdsd]

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

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

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

----------Essien-------------Ramires

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

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

Id guess we play our strongest line-up and then maybe rest Anelka/Essein/Terry/Cole in the next prem game

[Maksimov]

Seems like it won't be on television over here. I wonder if there will be a decent stream available.

[Andreas]

Don't you have Viasat over in Finland? if so it will most likely be on one of the XTRA channels if you have the satelite thingie installed.

Edited September 13, 2010 by AndyCFC

[PloKoon13]

I fully expect Zhirkov, Ramires and Kalou to get 90 minutes in this one. Premiership has to take priority.

[ethicalstrategy]

Drogba is suspended so Anelka will play up front and I expect Kalou and Malouda to make up the front three.

Midfield will probably be Essien, Mikel and Lampard, if fit. Otherwise Ramires will play. Defensively, JT will probably play but it depends on his ribs. So apart from suspensions and injury I'd expect a full strength team.

These away games in the CL are always difficult and 3 points early on will make qualifying a lot easier. That will give us the opportunity to rotate more later in the group stages.

[coco]

I can see this being a scrappy game, would love to see us start with Studgy, Kakuta and Bruma on the pitch, and rest Drogba, Lampard and JT, let the young guns do the business, show some faith Carlo.

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

--Ivan-------Alex-----------Bruma-------Ashley

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

----------Essien-------------Malouda

--Sturridge------------------------------Kakuta

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

[mbh]

Zilina 0-2 Chelsea

Gudjohnsen 42

Drahno 76og

Chelsea 3-0 Zilina

Johnson 32

Huth 67

Hasselbaink 78

Scores and scorers last time we played Zilina, also the attendance at Zilina's ground was 6,160, all in all can not see to many problems for us, so a little bit of caution can be exercised with team selection, so lets rest JT, let Lamps have more rest after his operation, bring in Sturridge for Drogba

Benayorn for Lamps, Alex for JT, rest Mikel, and swap Malouda in place of Kalou, with four of our main players rested for the coming fixture against the new boy high flyers Blackpool, who will give us more trouble than Zilina.

Cech,,,,, Ferreira, Alex, Ivan, Ash,,,, Essien, Ramires, Benayoun,,,,, Anelka, Sturridge, Malouda. Team to see a comprehensive win for us 4 - 0, get job done, lads.

[PloKoon13]

I think it'll be scrappy and fairly unimpressive all around. 1-0.

[The Machine]

So who knows anything about Slovak club Zilina?

I do. To start off with their fans produced this great football anthem a few years back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-3OzRo-hqo

In terms of the current Zilina team they have some good players. One to watch out for is striker Momodou Ceesay. He scored very good goal in Prague against Sparta Prague. One last thing to add is that over the weekend they won their latest league match, 2-1 at home to Tatran Presov.

[BlueNose]

I doubt we'll be able to bully zilnia and a 1-0 will do me fine