Tricky one this me thinks, can we get our first away Premier League win ahead of the international break?

 

Not even sure who I would pick as the starting 11, but if you go buy Jose's "earn the right to play" method I believe Oscar, Mata and Schurrle have earned it in the past 2 games for the former two and the last game for the latter.

 

Hope we can win this, will be tough but if we show a good mentality our class should shine through.

I agree with Oscar, Mata, Schürrle. Might as well embrace Eto'o too, as long as Jose chains him to the center.

Hope Torres's injury is nothing to worry about. I'd start him if he is fine. Mata, Schurrle and Ramires all need to start as well. D-pair JT and Luiz.

Torres will be serving his one match ban

Got a spare ticket for this as I can no longer make it. If anyone is interested PM me. Face value of course.

Seems worryingly strange that after the performance of the last two last games Norwich away becomes a "tough game" for us... 

 

2-0 to Chelsea (Eto'o & Mata)

 

Chech

Azp - Cahil - Terry - Bert

Rami - Mikel

Mata - Oscar - Sch

Eto'o

 

Subs to be used  (all three please at various intervals!) Haz 4 Schu, Ba 4 Eto'o & Willian 4 Mikel (Oscar dropping deep with Rami, Mata central no.10 William right wing.)

 

There you have it! 

                Cech

 

Ivan - Luiz - Terry - Cole

 

    Ramires - Lampard

  

    Mata - Oscar - Schurrle

 

               Eto'o

 

 

 

 

Basically, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Just had our best performance of the season so I would stick with the same team with Eto'o starting due to Torres being banned. 

 

 

Just had our best performance of the season so I would stick with the same team with Eto'o starting due to Torres being banned. 

 

 

If you disregard Swindon, Steaua are comfortably the weakest team weve faced this season

If you disregard Swindon, Steaua are comfortably the weakest team weve faced this season

 

So? You can only beat what's in front of you and we lost against them 1-0 last season in the Europa Cup.

 

It was a solid performance by all players and not to be scoffed at. Against Swindon a lot of players on the night were jank and rightly dropped for the following fixture. All XI from last night deserve to keep their place. 

Basically, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

 

I still think Jose will want to explore a little more options & more importantly allow some other players to 'prove themselves' (best do that against teams like Norwich no?!)

 

Sure the performance was good/better - but lets be honest to ourselves about the opposition we faced - they made some shocking errors yesterday (i.e. their right back!)

Edited October 2, 201311 yr by ButchersHook

So? You can only beat what's in front of you

 

Im just saying its not a coincidence our best performance was against the weakest opponent

 

Against Swindon we played better than we did against Basel, does that mean we shouldve dropped Cech, Hazard, Ivan . . .?

Edited October 2, 201311 yr by Lane

Im just saying its not a coincidence our best performance was against the weakest opponent

 

Against Swindon we played better than we did against Basel, does that mean we shouldve dropped Cech, Hazard, Ivan . . .?

 

Why down play a good performance, what's wrong with playing well against "lesser" opposition?

 

Swindon are a League 1 team and the likes of KDB and Willian were poor and rightly dropped.

 

Last night, possibly for the first time this season, all XI players performed well and did their jobs and as I say it was our best performance to date. 

 

As for dropping Cech, Hazard etc, if they play badly like KDB did against Swindon then yes, they should be dropped. 

Why down play a good performance, what's wrong with playing well against "lesser" opposition?

 

Swindon are a League 1 team and the likes of KDB and Willian were poor and rightly dropped.

 

Last night, possibly for the first time this season, all XI players performed well and did their jobs and as I say it was our best performance to date. 

 

As for dropping Cech, Hazard etc, if they play badly like KDB did against Swindon then yes, they should be dropped. 

So why do you think Hazard should be dropped?

I love Hazard and how he can be so creative and explosive at times but lets face it, his form has been very patchy of late. He may not be fit to start against Norwich but even if he was, I would have him on the bench to throw on if need be. Schurrle, Mata and Oscar deserve to start.

I love Hazard and how he can be so creative and explosive at times but lets face it, his form has been very patchy of late. He may not be fit to start against Norwich but even if he was, I would have him on the bench to throw on if need be. Schurrle, Mata and Oscar deserve to start.

 

I think that even when out of form, Hazard will make defenders double and triple cover him which will open up space for our other players, and we know he can turn the game on its head by just 1 moment of brilliance

So why do you think Hazard should be dropped?

 

Because Schurrle was MOTM last night and deserve to play at the weekend.

 

Oscar has arguably been our best player this season to date and Mata has played his way back into the same.

 

Like I said, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

No point rushing Hazard back into the team following injury if those playing in the attacking positions are playing well. 

Urgh another international break after this.  I just hope we don't gain some momentum only to have it interrupted again.

 

We should be picking up 3 points here and build upon our confidence boost in Romania.  I'd love a tidy 0-2.  Man City host Everton after a CL midweek against Bayern.  Spuds face game raisers West Ham, and Arsenal take on a parked bus at WBA who just beat United at OT.  Plenty of opportunity to overtake some teams this weekend.

                            I favour the same team that defeated Steau Bucharest

 

                            Cech, Ivanovich, Luiz, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Mata, Oscar, Schurrle , Eto'o

 

                            Looking forward to a clean sheet and picking up 3 points.

Torres will be serving his one match ban

Aah yes. Forgot that. Eto'o it is then.

Cech

 

Ivan - Luiz - Terry - Cole

 

    Ramires - Lampard

  

    Mata - Oscar - Schurrle

 

               Eto'o

 

 

 

 

Basically, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Just had our best performance of the season so I would stick with the same team with Eto'o starting due to Torres being banned.

I'd have this but I'd have Mikel in the middle instead of Lampard.

Like I said on the Steaua match chat thread, our team seems to do well in our white away kits (bar the 1-0 defeat at Everton). I'm expecting a comfortable 2-0 or 3-1 win on Saturday. I think the lads will put in a good performance and I really hope that Eto'o can get on the score sheet.

Yep.Fancy an away win here.Confidence is abundant.Although teams like Norwich will always play their best football against us..A 3 1 win for me....

Hazard to sit this out. He needs some alone time with the bench. 

 

Schurrle played his way in this week. 

Edited October 2, 201311 yr by JoeyN

I feel very optimistic about this game, which should worry you all.

Like I said on the Steaua match chat thread, our team seems to do well in our white away kits (bar the 1-0 defeat at Everton). I'm expecting a comfortable 2-0 or 3-1 win on Saturday. I think the lads will put in a good performance and I really hope that Eto'o can get on the score sheet.

We didn't put on white kits against everton. It was black.