they wont change the rules , UEFA are a bureacratic nightmare of an organisation

only thing these petitions may do is have them make a change in the summer & give amnesty for finals starting next season

When Liverpool want the rules changed... UEFA do it. Although I understand that wasn't decided during the competition, sure would like this yellow card thing to be abolished for next season's campaign.

Kalou and Malouda to start in a CL final? u mad?

Our only other choices on the flanks are Sturridge and Torres, I would imagine both of those will be involved at some point, but Kalou and Malouda are our best options for tracking back on the wings, Sturridge and Torres are not renowned for tracking back. Why would I be mad ?

Torres is very good at tracking back, but he loses his concentration in his marking. He's excellent in stealing the ball, but not a man marking man. Therefor, RDM won't play Torres on the wing in a CL final.

Shame our two options left then is Kalou and Malouda.

Our only other choices on the flanks are Sturridge and Torres, I would imagine both of those will be involved at some point, but Kalou and Malouda are our best options for tracking back on the wings, Sturridge and Torres are not renowned for tracking back. Why would I be mad ?

Bang on, we are gonna need the wings covered and Kalou and Malouda are more likely to do that than Torres or Sturridge, Sturridge especially. Though I would prefer to play Mata over one of them, but in a free roll behind Drogba.

I disagree about Malouda, who IMO is woeful when it comes to tracking back and helping the defence out.

Kalou yes, Malouda never!

I disagree about Malouda, who IMO is woeful when it comes to tracking back and helping the defence out.

Kalou yes, Malouda never!

Really? I think its something he does quite well, he certainly seems to work well with Ash Cole defensively.

Really? I think its something he does quite well, he certainly seems to work well with Ash Cole defensively.

Its all about opinions mate, I don't rate him in any way shape or form, so perhaps that clouds my judgement on everything he does!

I don't see him tracking back and defending with any conviction!

I would much rather see Kalou starting than Sturridge. For all the stick he gets he is an utterly selfless player.

Malouda and Sturridge on the wings for me would be a disaster. Bayern would tear us to shreds. Bosingwa needs as much support.

Malouda is easily our best option on the left, it would be mad to put Torres out there and expect him to do a job.

I still think that a diamond formation would get more out of our squad than a highly wing demanding 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, but I can't see it changing this late in the season. We have fairly offensive full backs as well so width wouldn't be a problem either.

There's still a month left, but I think we'll play 4-3-3 (defending in 4-5-1) with Kalou and Mata on the wings and Mikel, Lampsy and Malouda/Essien in the midfield.

I'd actually have no problem with seeing a similar team to what we put out against Benfica minus the obvious absentees. That was our best away performance in the CL bar Barca

about bayern, who will cover for their suspended players?

i hear van buyten is injured so he wont replace badstubber. Rafinha will probably cover alaba, but i heard that he's not good. But, who will cover for Gustavo??

hopefully their team will be weak, and if we're clinical with our chances and strong in defence we got a good chance

Midfield? Obviously Ramires is a massive loss, but Robbie has played him exclusively wide, so our only suspension in this area is Raul, and it's no big loss, relatively speaking. Don't get me wrong I really feel for Raul. He really went up in my estimation on Tuesday, but he was in the team against Barca more for his energy. We still have Mikel, Romeu, Lamps and Essien available for Bayern, touch wood. Malouda also can play as a more attacking central midfielder, should injuries hit us.

Ramires is a huge, huge loss.

First of all, he was vital to 2 of Chelsea's 3 goals against Barca.

Secondly, with Bayern weakened at left back, left midfield and left center-back, having Ramires make deep runs into that defence would be invaluable. He would also double back and cover Ribery.

Losing Ramires may be the single biggest blow of all our suspension.

If Van Buyten is injured:

Neuer

Rafinha Tymochyk Boateng Lahm

Schweini Kroos

Robben Muller Robbery

Gomez

If Van Buyten is injured:

Neuer

Rafinha Tymochyk Boateng Lahm

Schweini Kroos

Robben Muller Robbery

Gomez

apart from the defence, team is quite decent. schwein and kroos will be out of position though. Chelsea do normally play well in finals, if everyones at their a-game we're more than capable of winning.

Sturridge on the wings for me would be a disaster. Bayern would tear us to shreds. Bosingwa needs as much support.

Aye, there's the problem. With Bayern so weak on the left side of their defence, Sturridge's runs could be dangerous. But Chelsea really can't trust Sturridge and Bosingwa to cover Ribery. Disaster.

Ramires' pace and work ethic will be sorely, sorely missed. We're a slow team without him.

Taking a step back, it's funny that while everyone would generally regard Barcelona and Real Madrid as the two best teams in the world, neither are in the Champions League final. Ha!

apart from the defence, team is quite decent. schwein and kroos will be out of position though. Chelsea do normally play well in finals, if everyones at their a-game we're more than capable of winning.

ive yet to see kroos do something influential in a big game. i know hes regarded as one of the world brightest prospects but i think hes still a couple of years away from being a top player. their midfield is not that good (not counting robben and ribery)

whats happening with cahill? any news on his injury? it would be a big blow if we cant field both him and luiz come 19th

Edited April 26, 201214 yr by Lane

cech

bos-cahill-luiz-ash

mikel-romeu

kalou-lamps-mata

drogba

we need battlers in the midfield. the old essien would be perfect...

malouda may be tracking back, but he was, erm, forgottable both in attack and defence so i'm not sure he would make a difference. anyway, that side will be bayern's weak point with the suspensions and mata is the man to exploit that. on the other side we need the player who can help bos the best, and that seems to be kalou.

Can't see Romeu starting in the final having not featured since the group stages.

cech-bosingwa-luiz-cahill-cole-mikel-essien-lampard-mata-kalou-drogba....torres coming on for kalou/drogba. good enough for me

Can't see Romeu starting in the final having not featured since the group stages.

Needs must. At the end of the day in the group stages Meireles and Ramires wouuld have both been available and the system is much different now.

Can't see Romeu starting in the final having not featured since the group stages.

There's no one else, Essien was out for much longer. Unless of course you'd risk a more attacking midfield by switching him for an attacker, but as i wrote that's exactly what I wouldn't do against Bayern.

We need to protect our left side - Robben. I'm not overly worried about Ribery.

This?

Cech

Bosingwa - Luiz -- Cahill -- Bertrand

Mikel

Lampard Cole

Kalou Drogba Mata

Edited April 26, 201214 yr by SeannyC

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

Bosingwa--------Luiz-------------Cahill-----------Cole

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

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

Mata------------------------------------------------Kalou

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

YEAH I'M AWESOME, ALL HAIL ME!!!!!

Bollox. Bottled.

In all fairness to Ronaldo, he did show up last night. Just like in El Classico where he seemed to turn the corner and come up big in a big game, rather than fluffing chance after chance.

Naturally, Jose went to the wall for his talisman as he always does/did.