Can't wait for this one - can't believe it's only a week until our Champions League campaign kicks off!

Going to have to keep a close eye on the Sunderland game to get an idea of the system we'll use and how we set out, but I'm hoping to see something along the lines of:

Cech (fitness permitting)

Bosingwa - Ivanovic - Terry - Cole

Lampard - Ramires

Miereles

Sturridge - Drogba - Mata

Hard to pick between Drogba and Torres, again I think the outcome of Saturday's game will decide who starts this one. I'd pick Lampard in more of a holding role and hope for him and Ramires to help dictate and breakup play, and hope Sturridge and Mata add some real thrust going forward and a bit of width too.

On a side note, I really hope Ballack plays this one - one of my favourite Chelsea players of the last decade or so, and will be great to see him back at the bridge.

Edited September 6, 201114 yr by blizeH

i too am also looking forward to this one. i do hope its on itv though.

come saturday we will soon find out who is looking to be in the strikers role come the CL game. i really hope torres can do some damage overall against sunderland but i think drog will get the nod for CL due to his raw strength, its really hard to tell atm though as none in the team is playing out of their skin. after the international break maybe our boys can come back after playing a game or 2 and be up for sunderland and then bayer lev.

Is Drogba fit to play? I've been trying to find news about him, but haven't found anything. Last I heard he had a mild concussion, but nothing about how long it will have him out of action.

i too am also looking forward to this one. i do hope its on itv though.

come saturday we will soon find out who is looking to be in the strikers role come the CL game. i really hope torres can do some damage overall against sunderland but i think drog will get the nod for CL due to his raw strength, its really hard to tell atm though as none in the team is playing out of their skin. after the international break maybe our boys can come back after playing a game or 2 and be up for sunderland and then bayer lev.

Sky I'm afraid

I don't think Drogba will be ready for this one, will he?

Also, do we really want to use a mid week CL game to warm up Cech and Drogba considering we have Man Utd the following weekend?

Can't wait for this one - can't believe it's only a week until our Champions League campaign kicks off!

Going to have to keep a close eye on the Sunderland game to get an idea of the system we'll use and how we set out, but I'm hoping to see something along the lines of:

Cech (fitness permitting)

Bosingwa - Ivanovic - Terry - Cole

Lampard - Ramires

Miereles

Sturridge - Drogba - Mata

Hard to pick between Drogba and Torres, again I think the outcome of Saturday's game will decide who starts this one. I'd pick Lampard in more of a holding role and hope for him and Ramires to help dictate and breakup play, and hope Sturridge and Mata add some real thrust going forward and a bit of width too.

On a side note, I really hope Ballack plays this one - one of my favourite Chelsea players of the last decade or so, and will be great to see him back at the bridge.

Good team, but Ramires is suspended for this match.

Shall we do a 10 german bombers on this match?

I'd like us to use Ivan at RB for this one.

Think the midfield 3 will be Lampard, Mikel and Raul.

Question is, who will be the spearhead of the attack.

I can see luiz plaing in this one. Maybe mikel. Very tough week

I can see luiz plaing in this one. Maybe mikel. Very tough week

This is a massive week for the manager. We're going to learn a lot about him in terms of how he uses his squad.

I see torres in a front three with mata and sturridge. I dont think AVB would let too much time pass without trying that out, and this week will be the week.

I see Torres in a front three with two of Anelka, Malouda and Kalou lol

I see Torres in a front three with two of Anelka, Malouda and Kalou lol

Where the dislike button mod.

Only if we're completely ignoring this match to prepare for United. Hard to imagine Mata, in particular, missing out otherwise.

Hope Luiz and Romeu play in this

Think the midfield 3 will be Lampard, Mikel and Raul.

Have a feeling you're right. Which is why I can't understand why Lamps was kept on for the full 90 minutes again yesterday? He's struggling with one game a week, never mind two.

Torres should be starting, dont think Drogba will be fit and I hope he has a good game because we will need him against utd with some confidence.

Have a feeling you're right. Which is why I can't understand why Lamps was kept on for the full 90 minutes again yesterday? He's struggling with one game a week, never mind two.

It is strange, Nibs. I know that AVB is talking about strategies to progress in all competitions, and that those strategies will see squad rotation. I just wonder when we'll see that "strategy" in place with Franks

Also Josh better get a chance!

4 games in and still not even a sub appearance

I doubt Josh will get to play against ManU so maybe it's time to give the lad a few minutes atleast.

It's an important and a not all to easy game so it's not like we can rest a bunch of players.

Otherwise I would have liked to see Bertrand and Ferreira.

If my student overdraft is on time, I may have a fiver on Torres to score in this... just have a sneaky feeling.

Would like to see this team on tuesday, got ticket to see it at the bridge, wonder if playing in europe will set torres off - come on torres.

CECH

IVAN-LUIZ-TERRY-COLE

MEIRELES-ROMEU

LUKAKU-LAMPARD-MATA

TORRES

Edited September 12, 201114 yr by sriboi

Would like to see this team on tuesday, got ticket to see it at the bridge, wonder if playing in europe will set torres off - come on torres.

CECH

IVAN-LUIZ-TERRY-COLE

MEIRELES-ROMEU

LUKAKU-LAMPARD-MATA

TORRES

what have u been smoking? lukaku, who is not even registered, playing on the wing?! romeu starting in the 1st cl match of the season . . .

lukaku(if was included and should have been included within the cl squad) i think would bring alot of pace playing on the wing. Sturridge over anelka in place of him. about time AVB gave romeu some playing time and would be good experience with the extra boost of playing at home.

lukaku(if was included and should have been included within the cl squad) i think would bring alot of pace playing on the wing. Sturridge over anelka in place of him. about time AVB gave romeu some playing time and would be good experience with the extra boost of playing at home.

i wanted to ask you if youve ever seen lukaku play on the wing, but since you consider it a viable option i came to conclusion youve never seen him play period. he 'cant' play there, and he is not registered for the group stage.

romeu did get playing time just a couple of days ago. this is an important match and theres no reason to just throw him into the fire. we must get 3 points here, and leverkusen are no bums.

Edited September 12, 201114 yr by Lane