assuming what telegraph reported is true, who is our third captain? cesc?

Yeah good point. You would think Cesc.

Telegraph saying that RLC will start as well. Good news.

If Baba does indeed exist, then I hope he starts.

What I'd like to see is a few youngsters brought in a few players given a rest and a few players that aren't firing to play in order to play them selves into form.
Baba should come in for his first game on the left allowing Azpi to be rested, Ivan looked more like his former self against Everton so I wouldn't be too upset seeing him in the side and playing in this game can only help his form. but I would go with Aina as I would like to seem him get game time.
I think someone defensive is needed to play alongside RLC who I'd want to play the more game time he gets the better and I believe Matic could do with a break so I would go with Mikel alongside RLC in the pivots.
I'd like to see Kenedy or Traore get a game and think hazard needs to play himself into form and I think that Pedro could do with a break to keep him fresh for the Bpl, so I'd start with Kenedy and Hazard on the flanks and bring Traore on for the last 30.
Oscar needs to regain some fitness after injury so hopefully he will start at no.10.
And Costa still looks rusty and needs to refind some form, so I would keep him in but I wouldn't mind seeing Remy in his place.
 
                    Begovic

Ivan/Aina - Zouma - Terry - Baba
                  RLC - Mikel
Kenedy     -    Oscar     -    Hazard
                      Costa

subs; Blackman, Aina/Ivan, Matic, Fabregas, Traore, Willian, Remy

Edited September 16, 201510 yr by PedroMendez

Want to see Remy. Falcao will probably get the nod though.

'Chelsea will be without striker Radamel Falcao when they open their Champions League campaign at home to Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv.'

 

Edited September 16, 201510 yr by PedroMendez

The Guardian also reporting that Ivanovic, Terry, Matic and Costa are all set to be rested tonight. 

 

Based on the reports I think we might be seeing something like this as a starting line up

 

Begovic

 

Dave - Cahill - Zouma - Baba

 

Fabregas - RLC

 

Willian - Oscar - Hazard

 

Remy

 

Freshens things up a bit, I'll be happy if we see something like that. I'd imagine that with Oscar just coming back from injury he's likely to only play an hour so Kenedy will probably get a run out for the final 30 minutes as well. 

My prediction

Begovic

Dave

Terry

Zouma

Baba

Matic

Loftus cheek

Oscar

Pedro

Hazard

Falcao

The Guardian also reporting that Ivanovic, Terry, Matic and Costa are all set to be rested tonight. 

 

Based on the reports I think we might be seeing something like this as a starting line up

 

Begovic

 

Dave - Cahill - Zouma - Baba

 

Fabregas - RLC

 

Willian - Oscar - Hazard

 

Remy

 

Freshens things up a bit, I'll be happy if we see something like that. I'd imagine that with Oscar just coming back from injury he's likely to only play an hour so Kenedy will probably get a run out for the final 30 minutes as well.

I certainly wouldn't mind that starting line-up. Would prefer to see Kenedy start though.

Edited September 16, 201510 yr by Jonty

I certainly wouldn't mind that starting line-up. Would prefer to see Kenedy start though.

 

Who would you have him start in place of?

assuming what telegraph reported is true, who is our third captain? cesc?

Cahill??? He is vice for England. Surly fab has not been he long enough.

Has time here got anything to do with captaincy, you dont earn it, you are it, he was captain for the Gooners for yrs, in fact their youngest Captain!

My correction Tony adams was 122 days younger..

jose also said last year that even with lampard gone the dressing room is still full of leaders in jt, drogba, and cesc

would love for him to put the armband on just to see the reaction from arse fans 

Why Matic is dropped and not Cesc?

Same goes with JT, dropping him for... Cahill.

I mean, they all played bad.

I wish we had Christiansen (totally misspelled that).

Edited September 16, 201510 yr by Kendrick-L

The Guardian also reporting that Ivanovic, Terry, Matic and Costa are all set to be rested tonight. 

 

Based on the reports I think we might be seeing something like this as a starting line up

 

Begovic

 

Dave - Cahill - Zouma - Baba

 

Fabregas - RLC

 

Willian - Oscar - Hazard

 

Remy

 

Freshens things up a bit, I'll be happy if we see something like that. I'd imagine that with Oscar just coming back from injury he's likely to only play an hour so Kenedy will probably get a run out for the final 30 minutes as well. 

 

I don't think we can put out much better given the circumstances, I'd be happy to see that starting off too.

Why Matic is dropped and not Cesc?

Same goes with JT, dropping him for... Cahill.

I mean, they all played bad.

 

He's probably keeping Fabregas in there because we need to take the game to Maccabi and he'l be looking to Cesc to get the ball forward quickly from deep and I would imagine will ask RLC to keep it neat and simple on his Champions League debut. 

 

We shouldn't "need" a holding player as much against this sort of opposition, especially with what looks set to be a pretty pacey back four. 

 

Willian and Oscar if they both start will be doing quite a lot of pressing and dropping deep to allow Fabregas to get forward as well. 

Begovic
 
Azpi - Cahill - Terry - Baba
 
Mikel/RLC - Matic
 
Willian - Oscar - Hazard
 
Remy

 

Give Ivan the rest he desperately needs so he can come back stronger later in the season. Good opportunity for Remy to impress Jose after his dreadful performance in the CS against Arsenal and Baba can show what he can do on both sides of the pitch against this type of opponent.

 

Terry and Matic aren't playing at their best, not even close, but there's no way they're "dropped", if you "drop" them you're basically playing with 2 players in the first team. I can accept Jose resting them for Saturday, that's another story. Hopefully, if Fabregas starts here that means he's not playing against Arsenal.

 

Comfortable game - 3/4-0

Edited September 16, 201510 yr by JM1

I'm sitting in the East Upper for the first time tonight. What's it like, am I going to be in the heavens?

If Matic doesn't play then I would be shocked if mikel isn't the one to replace him.

I'm sitting in the East Upper for the first time tonight. What's it like, am I going to be in the heavens?

 

Just take an oxygen mask.  And allow time to get up there - it's a long walk!

I just hope RLC starts and scores a f**king screamer.

 

That will put excitement back into this season. Hearing SB roar and cheer this young man who has come through the academy will be sweeter than any 3 points.

First thing that comes to mind when you see the teams for the game without Ivan and especially JT is how much we're missing characters, mentally strong leaders who can carry the rest of the group along with them and thrive under pressure. It doesn't help that just a few years ago we've had some of the best there has ever been all at the same time so we were probably extremely spoiled and took it for granted.

 

Looking at the teams right now, we're far too nice, almost Arsenal nice and naive. That's not where we want to be.

I'm sitting in the East Upper for the first time tonight. What's it like, am I going to be in the heavens?

 

I sat there once and only once. 

 

Definition of being up in the Gods.

I'm sitting in the East Upper for the first time tonight. What's it like, am I going to be in the heavens?

 

Just be careful not to sing too loudly.

 

They don't like it up there.

I've sat there twice - both free tickets, both in either late 70s or early 80s.  Lost both I think.