This is a must win for us. Kurt being away isn't a huge problem as we know Gary's level. I hope Hazard starts and we finally show some adventurous football at SB. Costa and Willian are on song and Mikel is reliable. Our back 4 works fine. We just need some goals and clever football up the field.

Might be worth pointing out we have PSG away three days after this one. Not much left to play for in the league so i expect to see a few players rested.

Well hopefully this opportunity for a first home win under guus does not slip us by.

Might be worth pointing out we have PSG away three days after this one. Not much left to play for in the league so i expect to see a few players rested.

Not much left to play for? We are still close to the relegation zone. A couple of bad results and we are back scrambling. Full team. Champions League is a pipe dream right now anyways. Lightning could strike twice and we could win like 2012 but we were in top 10 and could rest players then.

the geordies fighting for their lives will take two points of us

We need these 3 points to go up the table and for morale. So we'll see the usual starting lineup, if we found ourselves comfortably winning at halftime (though I doubt it), then I'd give second half rest to some players. In any case, I don't think Guus will risk it.

PSG changes all here I think. Our lads will be thinking of Paris even though they shouldn't.

Play like the last 30 minutes of the Utd game and we should secure 3 points against the barcodes...unless Shelvey comes up with a blinder

PSG on there minds after all its a window for summer moves

they will want to play on the break  using the pace of townsend to cross balls for there attackers

a measured approch is required but giving a little more licence to our wiingers to push forward forcing them to think

about getting there  wingers to defend other wise they will play long ball out wide and hit us on the break

we need a win they are no mugs

2:0

Courtois

 

Ivanovic

Cahill

JT

Azpilicueta

 

Mikel

Fabregas

 

Willian

Oscar

Hazard

 

Costa

 

Get it done boys, 3-1.

For god sake let's hope Hiddink send out a team to win the game. I think the team left the filed against United will do, or inconsistent Oscar in for the helpless Pedro. Ideally Baba and RLC to step in, but it's never going to happen. We got a couple of big cup games coming up, have to rotate the team. Newcastle is a crap team with decent players, on the road they are pretty awful. If we hit them early, we will in comfortably. The longer the game drags on, the worse it will get for us.

 

Prediction is a 1:1, please prove me wrong.

Guus needs to change the Team ... try something different ...

He won't ...

Therefore, a revitalised Newcastle, with a few new players should get the draw against a very, very, predicatable Chelsea team.

Ivan and Matic should be dropped for starters. Pedro shouldn't be anywhere near the bench ...

However, nothing will change and the status quo will remain.

Football ain't rocket science ... Piss poor from both Jose and now Guus, tbh.

* With a squinting eye on the Paris Game...              

 

              Tibo

 

Azpi - Ivan - JT - Baba

 

             Mikel 

     

       RLC  - Kenedy/Fab

 

 William - Costa - Hazard

 

 

3:1 (Costa, Kennedy, Ivan)

Edited February 9, 201610 yr by ButchersHook

Fabregas must start from deep.

He keeps starting in the number 10 role then towards the end of games is pushed deeper and suddenly he's constantly influencing play.

Guess what? Start him deeper and he'll be able to do it all game.

It's not like Matic is playing well is it?

Get Hazard back in the starting line up and I think we've got our best XI on the pitch.

A win or a draw without anyone getting injured before the PSG game will be good for me because with us been hard to beat, I fancy out chances of winning the Champions league again but for the EPL we can't make top four again.

Yet another potential tough game. Aren't they all at the moment.

2-0 us for me. We have to start putting away teams like Newcastle Utd.

They always raise their game against us. If Guus is still in cautious mode then at best we'll draw. Unfortunately.

Not much left to play for? We are still close to the relegation zone. A couple of bad results and we are back scrambling. Full team. Champions League is a pipe dream right now anyways. Lightning could strike twice and we could win like 2012 but we were in top 10 and could rest players then.

 

Fact is chelsea won't be relegated mate - there really is not much to play for this season in EPL.  And with PSG around the corner - I think we need to give the young talent a chance (which I think will play better than the old talent).  My dream line up is.

 

             Cortios

Baba Cahill Terry Azpi

           Mikel RLC

Kennedy Hazard Traore

             Costa

 

Newcastle are playing well and made good signings - i don't think this will be an easy game and Chelsea should start strong!  This line up will have pace and people hungry to prove a point so will be able to run at Newcastle.  But obviously from hiddink we will have:

 

             Cortios

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpi

          Matic Mikel

Willian    Fabregas    Osca(or Pedro)

             Costa

 

Come on you blues - whatever the case, just give us the 3 points!!!!

I think Willian, Fabregas and Osca need to be rested for PSG.  Ivanovic needs to be permanently out of the squad.

No home win in 4 wins, or 2 months. 7 goals conceded in that time. 

 

Newcastle is a tricky one because unlike us, they're actually aware that they could be relegated I think. They've looked at their problems and they went out and backed their manager in the transfer market in January. We seemed to be more focussed on which manager will lead our title challenge next season.

 

This is a MUST WIN game. Paris isn't important, Man City isn't important.

 

These are our next 8 league games after Newcastle

 

Southampton A

Norwich A

Stoke H

Liverpool A

West Ham H

Villa A

Swansea A

Man City H

 

That's a title contender, 3 teams fighting relegation and 4 teams who have a realistic shot at the Europa League next season. We seem to be 'oh the season's over and we've got nothing to play for' and I'm guilty of that but it wouldn't take much for us to be dragged into a fight.

 

If West Brom and Bournemouth get wins this weekend then we're possibly down to 15th. If Swansea win the weekend we're playing City in the Cup, that's 16th. 

 

We aren't going to win the Champions League (sorry to say it) so let's put out a strong team for what is our easiest chance to get points in the next 2 months of matches.

Fact is chelsea won't be relegated mate - there really is not much to play for this season in EPL. And with PSG around the corner - I think we need to give the young talent a chance (which I think will play better than the old talent). My dream line up is.

Cortios

Baba Cahill Terry Azpi

Mikel RLC

Kennedy Hazard Traore

Costa

Newcastle are playing well and made good signings - i don't think this will be an easy game and Chelsea should start strong! This line up will have pace and people hungry to prove a point so will be able to run at Newcastle. But obviously from hiddink we will have:

Cortios

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpi

Matic Mikel

Willian Fabregas Osca(or Pedro)

Costa

Come on you blues - whatever the case, just give us the 3 points!!!!

I wish I had your confidence but before this season I was sure of a lot of things. Like chelsea never outside the top 10, Jose hardly ever losing a home game, chelsea never being in 16th position in december, etc.

As shedender put it well in the above post, it is a must win game. CL glory will just be an icing right now.

Edited February 9, 201610 yr by JoseBlues

There's no reason we shouldn't be able to field a quality team against both Newcastle and PSG? We are allowed to do that right? We don't have to concede one match or the other yes?

Let's go mad and play people in their rightful positions eh Guus? Baba on the left and Dave on the right...Mikel and RLC and heaven forbid Hazard starting a bloody game...he's had more protection than a papal condom...and Costa less dribbling and more charging eh?

Newcastle whether they are shyte or not are always giving us a go at it. If this club looks beyond them to PSG it will be a fatal mistake. Watching PSG btw, they are blowing through Ligue1 and may not be battle tested when we play them. If we could only score when it matters... PSG can be beaten.