Once again a difficult match against a pretty impressive Bolton-side. Nothing is working at the moment, and me thinks it`s time to try something new. Lampard played 90 minutes on monday without being fit, and will probably be rested for this one. Give McEachran his shot. No midfielder even close to usual form at the moment anyway so giving Josh his chance can do no harm no matter what.

As shocking as it is Bolton will climb past us if they manage to pull off a win here aswell.

Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Essien, McEachran, Sturridge(if fit), Malouda, Drogba

Absolutely must win not only to stay fairly close to Arsenal, City etc but also to gain some confidence.

Something needs to happen, but I think Lampard has been out for too long and needs to play tomorrow. I just hope that Carlo makes some changes.

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

Bossie.......Ivan...Terry....Cole

...................Josh

......Essien.............Lampard

Sturridge.....................Malouda

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

We will win - 4-0!

Assuming all fit to play, I would go for:

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

Bosingwa.....Ivan...Terry....Cole

,,,,,,,,,,,,......Essien.............

Lampard........McEachran..............Kakuta

.........Sturridge....................

...................Drogba

Subs: Turnbull, Bruma,PVA, Ramires, Malouda, Kalou, Mikel

Josh holding against the likes of Davies and Elmander don`t sound like a good idea so we got to use him further up. Rubbish form but i would still prefer Mikel to anyone else holding tomorrow. At least he don`t make stupid ideas like Essien is capable off.

Birmingham just scored in stoppage time against Manchester United! Win this and still have a shot at the title then lads!

will be a very interesting match cos wanderers can play it long and physical or short and sweet...........but fundamentally they are a hard-working team, highly motivated and competitive - so if we arnt up for it well lose!

so we need some physicality as well as some guile, so I'd go for;

cech

boss

ivan

jt

ash

ramires

essie

josh

malouda

drogs

strurridge

lamps to come on if we need an impact

2-0 blueboys (but thats my heart talking)

I get a feeling Kakuta may well get a start ahead of Josh in this one.

Ok. Bolton will be going into this game believing they can win. This is a massive game for us. They're on a good run of form, and we're .. not. They'll be difficult to beat but I've no doubt that beat them we can. That's not a prediction, I'm saying we can beat them. If we win tomorrow, it'll be a massive confidence boost. Cue sighs of relief all round.

And then we'll have a run of three extremely winnable fixtures to look forward to: Villa, Wolves and Blackburn. I'm not going to make predictions for any of those games either. But you can see where I'm coming from.

We have the perfect opportunity to start turning things round. Starting tomorrow.

Teamwise, Ancelotti has dropped hints that there may be changes. Kukata and possibly McEachran are likely to be involved, and may well be in the starting lineup, we'll have to wait and see.

Edit: Anelka is back in the squad, Mikel is out having twisted his knee. Sturridge hasn't recovered, Anelka, Ramires and Bosingwa likely to start. Ancelotti thinks Frank Lampard "could play a further 90 minutes."

LINK

Edited December 28, 201014 yr by Hutch

I can't imagine us making many changes personnel-wise. I'd imagine we'll play something along these lines:

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

Ferreira-----Ivan--------JT--------Cole

--------------------Ramires

----------Essien----------Lampard/McEachran

Kakuta---------Anelka----------Malouda

I have a feeling we might sneak a scrappy and perhaps not entirely deserved 1-0 win. If the luck comes back it could well spark a bit of confidence too.

I would like to see us line up something like this:

Cech

Bosingwa Ivan JT Ash

Essien

Ramires Lampard

Nico Didier Kakuta

I will throw up if Ferreria, Mikel and Kalou are included in the starting 11 again. I like to see us play a 442 for this one, we can't afford to start slow once more, and we need an extra man to take the pressure of Drogba. If Essien is anywhere near 80% of himself, I don't see why he can't play the box to box role instead of having an additional defensive midfielder. We aren't passing the ball well, so let's go back to the basic and play a high tempo direct style of football. It's been do a die for a while now, but for god sake if we can't beat Bolton at home, we are a real joke.

Hard to pick a team for this as although I feel its time to let Mikel have a seat on the bench and Ramires to start Bolton are a big strong side and it might be the wrong game to change it.

Up front is another dilemma as we don't know the condition of Anelka or Sturridge, both unfit would mean a start for Kakuta for me.

If I was in Carlos shoes I would make it clear to Malouda should he start that anything less than a performance showing some eagerness to make things happen would result in a quick substitution and should Mikel start I would be explaining that he needs to be fully focussed or expect Ramires on for him sooner rather than later.

Its a difficult time for Carlo as these players just don't have to work for their places enough and early substitutions can backfire if any injuries occur but other than risking benching the experienced but out of form players all he can do is make it clear to them that more of the same is just not acceptable.

I hope whoever he picks is playing well enough for Carlo to have the luxuary of making substitutions late on just to see more of the fringe players rather than because the starters have again been found wanting.

It is looking like we have three players in Mceachran, Kakuta and Sturridge that will have an influence on the rest of the seaon and I think a lot depends on the performances in this game be it of changes Carlo makes or of players he has stuck with, somehow this game seems to be a bit of a last stand to me for some of the usual first team and I feel if somebody comes on and does well it could make a career for them.

I know the Arsenal game showed we can expect more of the same but giving credit to them they did play some quick passing stuff and going behind to them with some broken confidence the way they play was always going to be hard,

Bolton would also be difficult but without the added difficulty of spending such long spells chasing the ball around.

Ok. Bolton will be going into this game believing they can win. This is a massive game for us. They're on a good run of form, and we're .. not. They'll be difficult to beat but I've no doubt that beat them we can. That's not a prediction, I'm saying we can beat them. If we win tomorrow, it'll be a massive confidence boost. Cue sighs of relief all round.

And then we'll have a run of three extremely winnable fixtures to look forward to: Villa, Wolves and Blackburn. I'm not going to make predictions for any of those games either. But you can see where I'm coming from.

We have the perfect opportunity to start turning things round. Starting tomorrow.

Teamwise, Ancelotti has dropped hints that there may be changes. Kukata and possibly McEachran are likely to be involved, and may well be in the starting lineup, we'll have to wait and see.

Edit: Anelka is back in the squad, Mikel is out having twisted his knee. Sturridge hasn't recovered, Anelka, Ramires and Bosingwa likely to start. Ancelotti thinks Frank Lampard "could play a further 90 minutes."

LINK

Thanks for the news. Realistically, I think we'll end up lining up something like this:

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

A. Cole-------- Terry---------- Ivan----------- Bos

------------------McEachran/Ramires

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

Malouda/Kakuta--------------------------------Anelka

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

More likely than not, given the hints Carlo has dropped, I expect Ramires to start over McEachran and Kakuta to start over Malouda, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised and see McEachran starting this one.

Thanks for the news. Realistically, I think we'll end up lining up something like this:

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

A. Cole-------- Terry---------- Ivan----------- Bos

------------------McEachran/Ramires

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

Malouda/Kakuta--------------------------------Anelka

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

More likely than not, given the hints Carlo has dropped, I expect Ramires to start over McEachran and Kakuta to start over Malouda, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised and see McEachran starting this one.

Nice lineup, if it were up to me, id play McEachran and Kakuta ahead of Malouda/Ramires however I doubt that will be the case. Nothing against the former two players, its just the team could use some freshening up.

Anyone know when Alex is expected back in the team?, with him back, we can push Ivan to rb to give this position some stability. Paulo/Bossy, despite how good they have been over the past few years, they just don't cut it defensively for me.

---------Essein

Lampard----McEachran

Kakuta--------Anelka

-------Drogba

Bolton have always been challenge at the Bridge, now the sweaty is managing them they serve up their usual fare but have added some flair, Elmander has come into form and Davies is always a handful....a real thug in the box, the way our defence has been crumbling lately this could be a long 90 minutes. They would usually visit with a 4 -5-1 formation but I reckon like Brucey did they will play 4-4-2 and really go for it - who could blame them Chels have been pants lately.

Cant see Carlo changing much, its not like he has a lot of options player and tactics wise....if our midfield can actually bother to show up we may get a result. I'm off work watching my youngest daughter 'Zola', so will enjoy the match broadcast live in glorious HD on Fox Soccer Channel.

If we win...great, kick on and take Villa to bits at the weekend, they were awful against City today, happy days. If we lose, Bolton leapfrog us into 5th with Sunderland breathing down our necks.... lord help us. Who of us lot could of even imagined that distressing scenario in their worst nightmares back in October ! Funny old game.

KTBFFH.......COME ON CHELSEA

Carlo said most of the players that started against Arsenal are playing tomorrow. Ramires, Bosingwa and Anelka coming in for Mikel, Ferreira & Kalou.

Same old.

COME ON CHELSEA

Gilvorak is spot on but I honestly feel that 4-3-3 has to go. Our next 4 fixtures is winnable say my heart but my head says different. I will however say: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Ramires, Lampard, Kalou, Drogba, Malouda.

2-0 win but I will take a 1-0 win with a Cech's screamer.

Carlo said most of the players that started against Arsenal are playing tomorrow. Ramires, Bosingwa and Anelka coming in for Mikel, Ferreira & Kalou.

Same old.

That is good. I don't understand what Carlo sees in Paulo. Bossy is in different class when on form even off-form. Kalou was ineffective at Arse and Mikel didn't have the best game of his career.

We have Lampard back with already some 100mins back from the injuries. Ramires will be participating the attacking and Essien will hopefully be back at his usual self. Essien had probably one of the worst games of his Chelsea career at Arsenal.

I think this is a very strong lineup:

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

Bossy----Ivan----JT----Ashley

Essien----Ramires---Lampard

Anelka----Drogba---Malouda

Bolton is on good form but at home even at this form we should be very disappointed with a draw.

COME ON CHELSEA!!!!

The teams that have done well against us have pressed high up the pitch. We have to be able to counter this without going long ball. Better width is needed in our play ,if Malouda keeps his place and its a big IF, he needs to hug the line instaed of the free role he currently enjoys without success.

Kakuta to start!

Cech

Bossy, Ivan, JT, Cole

Josh, Essien, Lampard

Anelka, Drogba, Malouda

t. I will however say: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Ramires, Lampard, Kalou, Drogba, Malouda.

Based on recent form that is a disaster waiting to happen.

If that is our starting 11 and we lose again then Ancelotti will deserve to be under HUGE pressure.

Don't care who plays as long as they ooze passion, sweat blood and die for the shirt for every second of 95 minutes