Blackburn is in good form, Sheva is on his way back, i expect another goal from him at this fixture, yea I will call it 3-0, another clean sheet for the superstar Cech continues to shine, I think Rover will come out slow they have alot of respect for Chelsea so I am expecting early goals

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

Geremi--------Essien--------Riccy--------Cole

--------------Ballack-----------Maka

Kalou---------------------------------------Lamps

----------------Sheva---------Drogs

the horror.

Mikel must be in otherwise we will die. I don't think Mikel or SWP (swp terrible) played particularly well against forest, but the shape, with geremi especially and bridge coming up the flanks, gave us something to pass to. the horror of that capello-esque formation you have put out there makes me want to die instantly in a particularly painful, but less painful than watching capello, way.

ps.

......................Cech...................

..Paulo...Essien...Carvalho..Bridge

.....................Maka....................

........SWP................Lamps.......

.....................Mikel....................

..............Drogba....Sheva...........

a cole

hilario

kalou

ballack

diarraGeremi

I don't like Ballack in there, for individual and shape reasons. I think Kalou and SWP are in particularly poor form, but i would prefer to see them in there just to have something to pass to and some movement out wide. I would actually almost favour bridge in the midfield at the moment.

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

------Geremi---Essien--Ricci------Ashley---

--------------------Maka----------------------

--------SWP-------------------Mikel----------

--------------------Lamps---------------------

---------------Sheva------Drogs--------------

for me

....................cech

diarra.........essien..carvs.....cole

.......................maka

.........ballack................lamps

......................mikel

...............sheva...drogs

Scott

I think we will be mistaken if Ballack is let out of this game he has recently been working harder and is more visable in games, we should reserve SWP and Mikel for the FA cup,

and you must admit when Ballack does complete a pass its precise and usually game changing....

bay the way is anyone else noticing Liverpool?

these guys are 2 points behind

Line-up

Cech

Ferreira - Carvalho - Essien - A. Cole

Mikel - Ballack - Makelele - Lampard

Drogba - Shevchenko

Subs

Hilario (or Cudicini if he's fit), Bridge, Geremi, Wright-Phillips, Kalou.

It's important that we win this match. It's just one more game without John Terry, and we'll just have to give everything. If we do, we'll win.

Line-up

Cech

Ferreira - Carvalho - Essien - A. Cole

Mikel - Ballack - Makelele - Lampard

Drogba - Shevchenko

Subs

Hilario (or Cudicini if he's fit), Bridge, Geremi, Wright-Phillips, Kalou.

It's important that we win this match. It's just one more game without John Terry, and we'll just have to give everything. If we do, we'll win.

you pretty much picked my exact team in the BPL!!!

However, I do think it is importnat to win tomorrow with the absense of terry being a major factor. I know our last games have been comfortable, but they should have been as they were against lower division teams

Blackburn is always a close game, and it is always physical. Sparky's boys will try and kick us off the pitch but we better stay cool headed if Poll is the ref

SWP was sh*te against Forest , he was there to take on defenders and didnt . Lack of confidence ?

Sheva is hit and miss in the premiership but if chances are made for him , i fancy him to score. We just have to win tomorrow night , UTD have Watford and i hardly see an upset there so if we drop point were f***ed basically and i dont think i could bear the newspapers for a few weeks .

From the link in Chippy's thread:

Chelsea squad: Hilario, Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Geremi, Carvalho, Essien, Bridge, A Cole, Lampard, Drogba, Diarra, Mikel, Shevchenko, Wright-Phillips, Kalou, Woods, Ballack, Morais.

Blackburn squad: Friedel, Henchoz, Khizanishvili, Emerton, Warnock, Bentley, Pedersen, Mokoena, Tugay, Nelsen, Derbyshire, McCarthy, Nonda, Samba, Brown, Berner, Gallagher, Peter.

Blackburn seem to have some issues of their own. They've lost Savage and Ooijer to broken legs, and Lucas Neil to West Ham. So they have lost three regulars in the space of a couple of weeks. Maybe a debut for Warnock, their signing from Liverpool.

From the link in Chippy's thread:

Chelsea squad: Hilario, Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Geremi, Carvalho, Essien, Bridge, A Cole, Lampard, Drogba, Diarra, Mikel, Shevchenko, Wright-Phillips, Kalou, Woods, Ballack, Morais.

Blackburn squad: Friedel, Henchoz, Khizanishvili, Emerton, Warnock, Bentley, Pedersen, Mokoena, Tugay, Nelsen, Derbyshire, McCarthy, Nonda, Samba, Brown, Berner, Gallagher, Peter.

Blackburn seem to have some issues of their own. They've lost Savage and Ooijer to broken legs, and Lucas Neil to West Ham. So they have lost three regulars in the space of a couple of weeks. Maybe a debut for Warnock, their signing from Liverpool.

losing Ooijer is a blessing, he is absolute pants! we complain about boulah, could have been worse, could have had Ooijer...count your blessings!!!!

I'm not sure about RB. I prefer Paulo to Geremi but it's much of a muchness.

for me

....................cech

diarra.........essien..carvs.....cole

.......................maka

.........ballack................lamps

......................mikel

...............sheva...drogs

Scott

The same but I prefer Geremi

Seems like Maka is unavailable

So midfield of

Mikel, Lampard, Ballack and Wright Phillips. Drogs and Sheva up front.

Wright Phillips has looked keener than Kalou lately and Mikel is in front of Diarra, Mikel has already scored a few goals.

Ashley is no doubt a bit better than Bridge as a package but Bridge's willingness to attack gives him an edge as far as I'm concerned.

Hmm. If Maka is not available then I would go with:

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

Ferreira -----Essien------Carvalho-----Bridge

---------------------Diarra

---------Mikel-----------------Lamapard

-------------------Ballack

-----------Sheva--------------Drogba

Otherwise I would play Diarra at right back.

yep, i think ethical strategys team is right with the only questions being the full backs. i suspect it will be cole and geremi (but id prefer paulo and bridgey)

Apparently the ref for the match will be Graham Poll...

Apparently the ref for the match will be Graham Poll...

I think it`s nice. Now he will ref cautiously, this bas**rd can`t repeat it again.

P.S. Why maka is unavailable?

hes got flu i think

I would play Bridge in the centre and put Essien back in midfiled where he belongs apart from anything else we need some muscle there against Blackburn:

Cech

Geremi/Ferreira Carvalho Bridge Cole

Ballack Essien Maka Lampard

Drogba Neva Eva Sheva*

*Bonetti here is my ?20 for the copyright

Based on Diarra's current form I would prefer to see him in the midfield over Mikel, can you imagine having 2 Makalele on the same pitch on the same team

Chelsea is gonna kick ass and take names 3-0

can you imagine having 2 Makalele on the same pitch on the same team :

Yes - it would spell 80% chance of 0-0!!

Ok maybe not as high as 80% but you get my point. Having two players in the team playing the way Makelele does is overkill unless you are serious underdogs (which we certainly are not).

Mikel offers a lot more going forard than Diarra does and therefore if Maka plays (which it would appear he isn't going to be) then Mikel should get the nod over Diarra.

Team from the Beeb:

Chelsea

01 Cech

19 Diarra

05 Essien

06 Carvalho

03 Cole

13 Ballack

04 Makelele

08 Lampard

12 Mikel

07 Shevchenko

11 Drogba

Substitutes

40 Hilario, 18 Bridge, 20 Ferreira, 21 Kalou, 24 Wright-Phillips

Glad Mikel is still there, his physical ability will probably be needed. Also Diarra starting in a Premiership at RB, lets hope he does aswell as he has in the cups.

1-0 to the Chels.

That striker scored... whats his name? Drogba? Quite good isn't he?

Drogbaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

I'm saying that quite often this year

very nice finish from Didier - against the run of play as well