So Saturday we face West Brom.

A team that - whether home or away - we seem to not have trouble scoring goals against, averaging 2.82 goals per game against the Baggies, compared to their less prolific 0.36!

However, on current form, they beat our record. 10 points from their last six games, Chelsea only have 9 - one less win (2) than theirs (3). We have however scored one more goal (10) than them (9) in the same amount of games.

My prediction? I'll go with 3-0 Chelsea. Lampard, Sturridge and Mata to grab them.

I also think we'll see maybe 4 or 5 yellow cards.

Thoughts?

Just hoping for a performance carrying on from Bolton and not a regression.

They've been doing well on current form, but I did read that before they handily beat Sunderland this last weekend at home, they hadn't won a home game in like 3 months. Hopefully we can grab an early lead and control the game from there.

Ivan, Cahill, Luiz, Bertrand, Essien, Ramires, Lampard, Sturridge, Drogba, Mata.

Edited February 28, 201214 yr by ace

I don't know if Drogba will be fit for West Brom Ace, might be time to try Pushing Sturridge into the middle and Kalou out to the right leaving Torres on the bench.

Don't know why, but I'd like to see Torres given the shirt for this one, ever the optomist you never know he might come good!!

I don't know if Drogba will be fit for West Brom Ace, might be time to try Pushing Sturridge into the middle and Kalou out to the right leaving Torres on the bench.

Ah, I missed him picking up a knock. I am all for trying Sturridge in the middle, and I'd rather see Kalou out there than Malouda or Ramires out of position. I still think it would be interesting to try Torres at one of the wing positions, but not sure we really have any freedom to be experimenting right now.

Peter Odemwingie is their danger man. Need to keep a close eye on him.

Don't know why, but I'd like to see Torres given the shirt for this one, ever the optomist you never know he might come good!!

I'd love to see him come good mate, the worry for me is with his almost unbelievable fear of shooting I feel we would be safer with Sturridge in the middle, at least he will get shots off if the ball is at his feet and I would like to see how it would look with the speed of Kalou to his right and the skill and vision of Mata, might be very good.

I think if Torres ever gets any sort of form back in this Country it will be with a good close season and some unimportant games.

Ah, I missed him picking up a knock. I am all for trying Sturridge in the middle, and I'd rather see Kalou out there than Malouda or Ramires out of position. I still think it would be interesting to try Torres at one of the wing positions, but not sure we really have any freedom to be experimenting right now.

He seems to be able to do a Job on the wing in the way Anelka did, dropping back and drifting in, I wouldn't put him there instead of Danny when Drogbas fit but it might be as good an option as Kalou, who knows?

West Brom have a terrible home record so we should really be looking for three points here.

They also seem to have abandoned the 4-4-2 and reverted to the 4-5-1/4-2-3-1 which was such a success both in terms of style and results under Roberto Di Matteo. Playing the 4-3-3 with Mata on the left runs the risk of leaving Cole exposed (especially as Steven Reid loves to get forward) but I'd imagine that Odemwingie's desire to get close to goal (and presumably not help out much defensively) will balance that situation out a bit.

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

Ivanovic---------Luiz----------Cahill--------Cole

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

--------------Ramires---------Lampard

------Kalou----------Sturridge--------Mata

We will lose this game.

Don't know why, but I'd like to see Torres given the shirt for this one, ever the optomist you never know he might come good!!

No...gotta stick with Didi..

Albion have been dreadful at home only 1 win in two months, that was Saturday....i fancy us for this one, i really do...plus, i'll be there

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

Ivan----------------Cahill---------------Luiz----------------Cole

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

-----------Ramires------------------------Lampard------------

Sturridge-----------------Drog/Torres--------------------Mata

Striker depends on Didi's fitness. Maybe switch it to a 4-3-1-2 with Mata sliding behind Drogba/Torres and Sturridge, if the initial 4-3-3 isn't working.

No...gotta stick with Didi..

Albion have been dreadful at home only 1 win in two months, that was Saturday....i fancy us for this one, i really do...plus, i'll be there

Drogs is out injured, otherwise I'd agree!

Have a good time!

We will lose this game.

Thinking positively I see

We will win, we will win by a good margin as well!

We will lose this game.

Great attitude!

We will lose this game.

WTF?

Playing the 4-3-3 with Mata on the left runs the risk of leaving Cole exposed (especially as Steven Reid loves to get forward)

Astute observation!

One of the comments AVB made this week in his Portuguese radio interview was that Chelsea are conceding too many goals from the left side. He said that's why he moved Mata into the middle (but he admits he doesn't have anyone else to play left wing.)

In so many words... Mata's reluctance to tackle and get stuck in makes him a liability when the opponent has the ball. It might help explain why Ash has been stranded so many times this season.

Me, I'd still like to see Kalou at left wing and Mata in the middle. That does force one of the midfielders to the bench, though.

Up until I found out who the ref was I was fairly optimistic.

But with Dowd as ref I can't see us winning. We may as well just come out with 10 men and let WBA take a free penalty kick before the teams kick off, it would save Dowd the trouble later on.

We will lose this game.

Is your bottle always half empty? For the first time ever (well not quite but almost) I wish there were a raspberry blowing button to click alongside the "like this" button".

I am going to give Gee the benefit of the doubt and hope he is playing possum/ using reverse psychology.

Anyway, I think in this now infamous interview AVB conducted on portuguese radio, he stated that mata would be used as a true number ten.

I would like to see us try

Cech

Ivan, Luiz, Cahill, Bertrand/Cole

Essien and lampard

Mata

Kalou, Malouda, and Danny.

Edited February 29, 201214 yr by mad_mac

Can't actually edit what I want, but to avoid confusion the front three are Kalou and Malouda either side of Danny

I'd like to see Danny given his chance in the middle (if Drogba is out) and why not Nando on the right of the three.

He is perfect for the job, capable of beating a player, he's quick, and has a good cross.

I just don't understand why he hasn't been given a start there ?

Alan

I think he did move Torres out right in a couple of games. People said he was cuckoo..

Still believe he should try Bretrand on the LW, he has a good left peg and will maintain the width on the left which we pull defenders out of position