Man, the Ribery wing looks quite leaky on a side like that

Man, the Ribery wing looks quite leaky on a side like that

Better than it being Robben, I suppose, since he's been impressing me a lot more recently.

Something like this then?

Yup if you want to be offensive. Have to have faith Robbie will pick the right side. Much as being in the CL is important he did what he needed too it was proved against the Toon, rested players and the result was we more or less got knocked out of the top 4 race BUT helped us to go on and win the FA cup.

While some may disagree adding a trophy, and one of the big 3 in the FA cup, is more important than one league match, one set of 3 points. End of the day useless performances and results early in the season are what have hit our top 4 chances.

Better than it being Robben, I suppose, since he's been impressing me a lot more recently.

hate to have him come back to bite us

After quietly being optimistic against Barca and very optimistic over the scouserscum, the Germans are giving me butterflies, with our current paper thin choice of defence I think we need to make our midfield our strength maybe even considering a 3-5-2 with Torres and Drogba up front with Mata behind, Essien, Lamps, Mikel and (sorry but he has played defensively) Malouda the three defenders will all depend on fitness but we need the midfield because my real fear is bloody Robben! Gutted my two players of the season, Rambo and Ivan-ho will miss the final they are so important to the team but we are CFC so I have hope.

We will play 4231, I'm pretty sure. The diamond wouldn't give enough defensive cover against Ribéry and Robben.

Well said. FloMo should be nowhere near the starting lineup unless the lads want to get knocked out

If it came down to a straight choice between the two, I'd play Malouda over Kalou any day of the week.

Countdown for this one officially starts for me today.

Ugh. If we had Ramires, Ivanovic and Terry I would not have the slightest doubt of us putting in a great performance and potentially winning it, but if those suspensions end up being the reason why we didn't win this CL, therefore most likely not getting a top four spot for next season, it'll drive me insane...

Thing is i reckon the best games Bosingwa's had this year have been against sp*rs and barca at centre back so it wouldn't be COMPLETELY disastrous and at least then he wouldn't be marking ribery or robben! Plus Paulo's done alright when he's come in this year.

I'm sure they are both close to being fit. If this were midseason Luiz may even be playing. They are holding them out so that they don't take any chances for the final.

Those 3 are huge to us. In adversity we overcame when Cahill got injured and JT sent off, but we had Ramires and Brana to help us do it. Without them and JT we need the whole team to step it up again.

As far as I'm concerned, the four most vital players to our team, and the only players to have consistently performed well all season, are Ramires, Terry, Ivan and Mata. We are without three of those.

I remain brightly optimistic but at the same time have this "butterflies" feeling that many are talking about.

I reckon its a 50/50 game. Yes we have lost some of our most important players , but I see what we did against Barcelona as all I need to know about this teams courage. Bayern are going to be a handful , but so are we to them.

I don't want to be a spoil sport, but I see it as a 40-60 game, due to: a) the fact that the match is in Munich, and b) our players lost by too many yellow cards are more key to us than the ones lost to Munich.

Until the Blackburn game has been played and Bayern have played the German Cup we won't know.

We have 3 games to get through without injuries first, that's why I'd advocate playing the likes of Meireles who we know definitely won't play, it isn't worth risking Lampard, Drogba or Cole against these IMO. 4th is gone now

As far as I'm concerned, the four most vital players to our team, and the only players to have consistently performed well all season, are Ramires, Terry, Ivan and Mata. We are without three of those.

I remain brightly optimistic but at the same time have this "butterflies" feeling that many are talking about.

got to remember Munich have have 3 very good players out who will be as big of a miss as ivan and the likes are for us . game will be 50/50 , i havent seen anything from munich that scares me tbh , Ribery ive never seen have a good game always seem to be kept quiet when ive seen him play , if they play Robben on the right then i think Cole will have a hard job but i think cole is good enough to look after him and keep him quiet , all robben does it try and cut in on his left foot for a shot and against real didnt look to much of a danger for them once they realised all he wanted to do was cut in. Gomez has scored 40 plus goals this season but that game against real he didnt look as good as i thought, he's one of them players that doesnt help outside the box just takes his chances abit like darren bent ! . .. im going for a 2-3 Chelsea win , Drogba 1 , Lamps pen then Torres winner after being 2-0 down

Luiz divides opinions on here but nobody can deny in Europe he has been nearly faultless. I thought he would be the biggest loss when we faced Barca.

Europe is his stage and he is more apt in Europe. I can only thing of one time (Napoli's 3rd goal) where he has made a mistake. I'd say Benfica's goal was more down to Cahill and Cech than him.

If Luiz and Cahill play like they did against City (let's be honest we were comfortable until Essien handballed it) and Benfica we should be okay.

We are without our engine (Ramires) but Bayern are without theirs (Gustavo). David Alaba is a huge loss as well, that guy was my biggest worry. Badstuber a loss as well.

Bayern do keep the ball well but IMO don't create that many chances for all the possession they have, a bit like Barca. Forget Bayern and just remember we have some quality players ourselves like Drogba, Lampard and Mata who can cause a threat.

It won't be easy but I don't think Bayern are that much better than us as bookies and pundits would have people believe.

It won't be easy but I don't think Bayern are that much better than us as bookies and pundits would have people believe.

Yup. With the final happening in Germany, so much money is going to be put on Bayern Munich it'll create unrealistic odds. To get more money on Chelsea to even their books, the oddsmakers will have to make Chelsea bigger dogs than they are, as giving people better value on them is the only way people will put money on them. They're not as big of dogs as the odds would have people believe.

Edited May 7, 201214 yr by Samzilla

Until the Blackburn game has been played and Bayern have played the German Cup we won't know.

We have 3 games to get through without injuries first, that's why I'd advocate playing the likes of Meireles who we know definitely won't play, it isn't worth risking Lampard, Drogba or Cole against these IMO. 4th is gone now

And there is the problem, for both teams. We are the same going into Saturday's Cup Final v Dortmund, do we use Alaba, Luis Gustavo and Badstuber or do we leave them out and play our CL Final team ?

Tough decision for Heynckes.

Edited May 8, 201214 yr by zippy

I feel like this match could be the end of an era.

Barring injury, it looks like 9 players can be certain of starting in Munich (Cech, Bossy, Cole, Luiz, Cahill, Mikel, Lampard, Drogba and Mata).

That leaves both wide slots up for grabs, or 1 wide slot and 1 central midfield berth if Mata plays wide.

I can't believe Mata will play wide so I expect the 2 wide slots to be competed for between Kalou, Torres, Sturridge and Malouda.

2 from 4. Take your pick.

drogba up front and el nino on the wing will rip their makeshift defense to shreds

Kalou will start imo. Robbie seems to trust him over any other wide player atm.

Kalou will start imo. Robbie seems to trust him over any other wide player atm.

He does track back defensively which could be a key bonus. Any thoughts on the second?