Our attempts to be crowned kings of London is put on a short break for the visit to Aston Villa. 6 out of 6 against the white sides of the capital is a very good start to the 5 game mini series I have talked of before, we need to keep this momentum going. 

 

Villa park, a once not so happy hunting ground for us (unless we were playing an FA cup semi final there), but more, of late, a ground we have done decently on. Villa's home form has not been so good this season, but their attacking options remain a realistic threat, a combination of pace and power.

 

City play before us, Arsenal and Liverpool play a day later. City will, temporarily, play one of the games in hand, an away trip to Hull, fresh off their Wednesday trip to the Camp Nou. I would still be very surprised if they dropped any points to Hull though, regardless of how tough the match in Barca is. 

 

Arsenal travel to Spurs on the Sunday, with Liverpool going to United a few hours before. I know we are saying this on a regular basis but every game now in the league becomes the biggest match of the season. If we are to remain in with a good chance of the title we MUST beat Villa. 

Horrible place for us in fa cup semi finals except against Fulham never enjoy going to villa park even since we have a decent record of late. 3 points anyway possible please. Jose has never won at villa park if my memory serves me right. Tough game

Edited March 9, 201412 yr by bluegraham

Horrible place for us in fa cup semi finals except against Fulham never enjoy going to villa park even since we have a decent record of late. 3 points anyway possible please. Jose has never won at villa park if my memory serves me right. Tough game

Ahh I did not know that stat...well he needs to snap that record right away then or it will be our title hopes that snap instead.

Ahh I did not know that stat...well he needs to snap that record right away then or it will be our title hopes that snap instead.

Yeah 100% be a huge win if we can do it

After much back and forth it seems like Ive finally secured tickets for this. Anyone else going?

Edited March 9, 201412 yr by Xfaxtor

Yeah 100% be a huge win if we can do it

Our defense has been very, very good of late but i think they will have a hard time against Villa's front 3. I know people will point out we have said the same of RvP, Saurez et al before this season but Villa have such a combination of raw power and pace and will be looking to hit us on the counter. 

 

We need Jose to get his tactics spot on for this one and the lads to follow them to the letter and take our chances.

Our defense can handle benteke and co. I think a problem of late it's the attack, we have been very lucky in the last two games, 0-0 at half time, and ended with 3-0 & 4-0. Shurrle, Willian or Oscar needs to step up their performance

Our defense can handle benteke and co. I think a problem of late it's the attack, we have been very lucky in the last two games, 0-0 at half time, and ended with 3-0 & 4-0. Shurrle, Willian or Oscar needs to step up their performance

 

Exactly what I have been hoping for.

 

Just some magic out of them players. But at least we still have Hazard, he was still good last game despite it being one of his quiet ones of the season.

I thought our attack looked better with Schurrle over Willian, but Willian looked better than usual in an attacking sense against Spurs.  Perhaps he just needs a rest.  Schurrle never stops making runs and if he gets played in more often we'll score a lot more.  The downside is his passing can be atrocious, but he knows how to play a final ball or make a great run. 

I f**king hate Villa Park for results, although Frankie Lampards double is still one of my beautiful Chelsea moments.

I f**king hate Villa Park for results, although Frankie Lampards double is still one of my beautiful Chelsea moments.

 

I personally don't like the away shirt we had last year but we'll always have that memory of it.

Rival fans talking about us having a "normal" game next weekend while Arsenal and Liverpool have much harder games.

 

Kinda leaving out the part City have a "normal" game too and that Spurs and United are hardly world beaters at the mo...

let's not wear the black kit. evening kick off is better than an early one, it'll be tough but our guys look like they are up for the home straight

Always a tough game at Villa.

Every season I think it's going to be tough for other teams too. Utd, City, Liverpool, Arsenal. But no. Villa roll over and every time lets these teams tickle their tummies. Yet they come to life against us. It's weird.

Saturday will be no different. Tough game, any type of victory will do me.

0-0 all over it i reckon

Echoing sentiments... I hate going to Villa Park, they just get up for it. They pretty much ended Jose the first time around. they almost spoiled the home coming...

 

they are less affective at home given there style is 100% counter attack and the fans tend to get on their back when they sit do that

Weirdly worried about this one, as has been said villa seem to always give us a good game, a week without games will help, finally some much needed rest for our players

I am not so worried.

 

Villa don't have as much to play for as we do. This league is full of hard games because it's so tight, Villa despite being 10 points away from bottom are still 11th in the league I think. They wont be in much a worry as the other teams are and I don't think they are going to be one of the teams in the relegation zone or near there at the end of the season. Perhaps not as safe as Southampton or Newcastle but at least it wont a MUST win game for them.

 

No doubt they will come up against us as they always do but I think we have much more to play for than they do and that's why I am not so worried.

we most likely won't win all 9 remaining games. This is a winnable game on paper but our constant problem is  and will be  scoring enough goals. Hope Torres is fit his running and ball control are helfpul in these games.

Always a tough game at Villa.

Every season I think it's going to be tough for other teams too. Utd, City, Liverpool, Arsenal. But no. Villa roll over and every time lets these teams tickle their tummies. Yet they come to life against us. It's weird.

Saturday will be no different. Tough game, any type of victory will do me.

 

You getting to this one, mate?

 

Anyway, I agree.  Villa Park has a dark cloud of uncertainty that perpetually hangs over it for me.  Not sure why, but I just never feel confident.

 

I'd take a 1-0 for sure

This is a must-win game, we need to put pressure on city! hazard-willian-shurlle could be a more direct, and faster front three... and if healthy, Luiz could play with matic again

cant win the league without a water tight defence and Chelsea have the BEST in the prem per opta       Ivan Cahill JT Dave

 

not worried about Villa, it should be 3 points, the Chelsea team has belief, momentum and on a 14 game unbeaten streak

 

& now you're gonna believe us

Nick it 1-0. Hazard

This will be a tough match, with the CL match 3 days away. If we manage to win it, I will feel a lot more confident about winning the title. 8 matches to go, I can't see us throwing it away.

Jose Mourinho.

 

I'm confident, as the man himself said recently in an interview, he goes in to every match expecting to win.

 

We'll probably get off to a slow/cautious start as we work out what Villa are planning to throw at us, before really going for it in the 2nd.

 

Cech

Iva - JT - Cahill - Dave

Matic - Ramires

Schurrle - Willian - Hazard

Eto'o

 

Has to be the team.