Posted January 30, 201213 yr So Ramires is out (for a month) and we have no new signings since Cahill's arrival. Swansea at home is a good team and with our bad finishing this will be a tough match. The minute Torres starts scoring we are making things easier for us. Maybe this is the game... Good thing is AVB's got our defence working but I have to say it is at the expense of attack. Our attacks are slow, predictable and with no end product. One signing could change a lot in this dept. IMO. Team form: Swansea LDDWWL Chelsea DDLWWD I would start with: -----------------Cech----------------- Ivanovic---Luiz---Terry-------Cole Essien---------Mata------Lampard(if fit) Sturridge-----Torres------Malouda It is funny how AVB says squad is strong and we rotate but there is no chance he'd rotate Cech, Terry or Mata as our chances of winning would be even slimmer than they are.
January 30, 201213 yr We need to mix it up a bit, we've gone stagnant. Cech Ivan luiz terry cole romeu Essien lamps Mata Sturridge torres
January 30, 201213 yr Still can't get my head around the fact we went out to buy Cahill when we are obviously lacking creativity further upfield. Cahill can't at present get into the squad and we are going into games with no clue how it will pan out and saying how a win is 3-points. Controlling possession is ok but we are not creating nothing and I feel we are going to receive a drubbing either against the Swans or Man U. Our expectations has really fallen as a club , worrying enough we haven't managed more than a goal in each match since mid-Dec and AVB goes on about having Mikel to come back into the team. Worrying times
January 30, 201213 yr We need to mix it up a bit, we've gone stagnant. Cech Ivan luiz terry cole romeu Essien lamps Mata Sturridge torres This is exactly the line up I'd go with to be honest, a midfield three of Essien, Romeu and Lampard is by far our best option with Ramires out, throw Sturridge alongside Torres with Mata behind them and let's see what happens. Sturridge, Mata and Torres are known to drift so they will offer some width when necessary, and Romeu should offer a good amount of protection for Lampard and Essien to get forward too.
January 30, 201213 yr This is exactly the line up I'd go with to be honest, a midfield three of Essien, Romeu and Lampard is by far our best option with Ramires out, throw Sturridge alongside Torres with Mata behind them and let's see what happens. Sturridge, Mata and Torres are known to drift so they will offer some width when necessary, and Romeu should offer a good amount of protection for Lampard and Essien to get forward too. At least every player will be playing in their natural position.
January 30, 201213 yr Call me crazy but I'd play Torres on the wing since he's more interested in creating these days. Hopefully they'll have a go at us so we don't have to attempt to break down a packed defence.
January 30, 201213 yr No real quandaries apart from Lampard's fitness. Essien starts if he isn't. I'd love to see Lalkovic or Piazon on the bench for a possible run out if we were in the position to give them one.
January 30, 201213 yr Call me crazy but I'd play Torres on the wing since he's more interested in creating these days. And Luis on the other wing.
January 30, 201213 yr Maybe a long shot , but Torres seems the creative one on the midfield last few games , often falls back and gives a good pass.Why not try him center midfield and Lukaku deep? (Again just a long shot , never gonna happen) -----------------Cech----------------- Cahil------Luiz---Terry-------Cole -----------Ivanovic---Essien--------- Sturridge------Torres------Mata-- ------------------Lukaku--------------- Just a dream Edited January 30, 201213 yr by jungbrunnenwald
January 30, 201213 yr I'm almost wishing we had kalou as an option. At least he tries to get into the box.
January 30, 201213 yr I think we might be best off playing direct and on the counter as Swansea are weak against physicality and we don't want to get into a big midfield battle that we might end up losing. Might be time for Gary Cahill's debut? If he is feeling up for it this kind of match would be perfect for Michael Essien to make his return, although that is by no means a certainty and we don't want to repeat the mistakes of the past by rushing him back too quickly. If he and Lampard aren't fit then Meireles can do a job. -----------------------------Cech Ivanovic---------Cahill-----------Terry-------Cole ------------------Essien----------Romeu ----Sturridge-------------Mata------------Malouda ---------------------------Lukaku
January 30, 201213 yr Lucas Piazon is travelling with the first team. Exciting Edited January 30, 201213 yr by Mike 93
January 30, 201213 yr Lucas Piazon is travelling with the first team. Exciting Would like to see him get a good 20 mins Edited January 30, 201213 yr by Zola
January 30, 201213 yr how cool is that guys!?!?!?!? Lucas Piazon is travelling with the first team!!!! our subs last time had no attacking player apart from Lukaku. having Lucas Piazon will be great. he can possibly make his Debut!
January 30, 201213 yr Amazing that we're all getting excited about our squad being so thin on the ground we've put an 18 year old in the squad that we know very little about :D But I think many of us are just at the stage now where we want to see something, anything, a bit different from what we've seen recently.
January 30, 201213 yr Rumours John Terry hasn`t travelled due to a knee injury, only seen it on twitter a few times but can`t find anything to back it up.
January 30, 201213 yr Im happy Piazons been drafted in with Ramires out.. Time to be bold though i think and pray for a reaction ---------Cech--------- Ivan Luiz Terry Cole --------Romeu-------- Essien-------Malouda (believe me i hate having to include him) ---------Mata---------- --Sturridge--Torres-- Subs: Turnbull, Cahill, Bertrand, Meireles, Lampard, Piazon, Lukaku
January 30, 201213 yr Been confirmed by AVB that Terry wont be playing, nor will Ramires (expected) Mikel or Lampard.
January 30, 201213 yr I'd be tempted to go something like: --------------------------------Cech ---Ivanovic---------Cahill------------Luiz-------------Bertrand ---------------Essien---------Romeu-------Lampard -------------------------------Mata ------------------Sturridge -------------------------------------------Lukaku Bench: Turnbull, Cole, Chalobah, Piazon, Merieles, Torres, Lalkovic Edited January 30, 201213 yr by BlueSkies
January 30, 201213 yr Mikel, Ramires and Lampard all out? I guess that explains why Piazon has made the bench then... I wonder if AVB will shift to a 4-2-3-1 or just stick Malouda down the middle / give Essien an early start with the 4-3-3. Fingers crossed for the former...
January 30, 201213 yr I guess it will be: Cech Ivan, Luiz, Cahill, Cole Malouda, Romeu, Meireles Sturridge, Torres, Mata But would prefer Essien for Malouda.
January 30, 201213 yr People putting lukaku over torres I guess are the ones who want rid of torres because if an 18 year old is picked and he is sat on the bench that really would be the end of him. We are ment to be building his confidence not destroying it further. He must start every game at least till drogba is back and if he hasn't scored by then then drogba comes back in.
January 30, 201213 yr Terry wont travel, wasnt it because he needed time off for his trial? It's the recurrence of the knee injury he suffered in the FA Cup match against Pompey when he collided with the goalpost. Apparently it has bothered him since. I wonder who will captain the team since JT, Lamps and Drogba are all out. Cech?
January 30, 201213 yr I wonder who will captain the team since JT, Lamps and Drogba are all out. Cech? Cech would be my guess. Maybe Cole.
