Eyes on the prizes - Bolton first!

[loz]

A lot of focus on the CL 2nd leg and not alot on Saturday's lunchtime kick off against Sam Allardici's 'honest hoofers'

Let's keep our eyes on all the prizes and worry about Tuesday from Saturday 2pm onwards.

In terms of Tuesday's game I don't expect Jose to make too many changes in personnel (other than bringing Essien back) and so this should have an influence on his team selection for Saturday. I expect to see changes at left and right back, Maka rested and maybe Sheva and Joe rested.

hence I expect something along the lines of

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

Diarra.................JT..........Carvalho............Bridge

..................................Essien...........................

................Mikel....................Lamps..............

......SWP............................................Kalou

....................................Drogs....................

[The Moos]

If anyone needs some rest it's Drogba but unfortunately we really need him on the pitch in every game.

Bolton will be a difficult task and I fear that we might thinking about the 2nd leg against Pool too much and play as we did against Newcastle.

I hope I'm wrong though.

ManU will be playing away against Everton and that isn't the easiest thing to do. Everton has only lost 3 games at home (against Aston Villa, Spuds and us). Their 13 conceded is the 4th lowest in the league after Pool (5), us (8) and ManU (11).

ManU has lost 3 games away but they have only conceded 13 goals.

I think it can be a close game and hopefully ManU can drop atleast a couple of points.

As for us we should be able to get a few points against Bolton. They have been playing rather bad recently. 7 points from 6 games isn't that good. They've played 17 away games and they've lost 8 of them. 27 conceded goals is really bad.

We haven't lost at home yet and have only drawn 4 times in 16 games. We have an average of more than 2 scored goals/game and 8 conceded isn't bad at all.

Last time we played them was 29th november last year and we won 1-0. The only goal was scored by one Michael Ballack

So let's get those three points (and a few extra goals wouldn't hurt) and then hope that Everton can give us some help.

[abramovich]

The Tubby will be resting his starters just like he did two years ago. Scousers had already secured a CL spot for next year and Tuesday will be their match of the season.

While we can't afford to take it easy in the league as long as there's even a remote chance of catching the mancs, at the same time we can't expect the boys to play their best at Anfield after only two days' rest against rested and highly motivated opposition. I think Jose will try to rest as many key players as he can.

At this point you have to set your priorities and make a choice. League is still a long shot considering the schedule and Mancs's advantage in points and goal difference. If we could beat Bolton without using our best lineup, great.

If not, so be it. CL is in our hands , the premiership isn't.

I think it's time for Boulahrouz to make an appearance, he has polished the bench long enough. What was the point of buying him if not for cases like this?

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

Diarra.................JT..........Boulahrouz............Bridge

..................................Essien...........................

.....................Mikel....................Lamps..............

..........SWP............................................Kalou

....................................Drogs....................

After first half replace Drogba with Sheva and Lamps with Ballack(if fit). I would even rest Drogs for this one but Bolton is the kind of team we need him against.

[Lofty]

All those statistics make me uneasy. How often does it happen that we play a team who haven't even scored for x amount of games, are playing rubbish football week-in, week-out and suddenly when we're up against them it's a completely different story? I'd like to see Sheva starting, with Drogba coming on for the second half if necessary. Somehow I don't think that'll happen though.

[superdan]

Two very probable formations.

If ballack is fit I think he will be a sure starter - I reckon Mourinho will go for the big men vs Bolton + 1 winger either Joe Cole or SWP.

I hope that Ferreira starts (as much as I like Diarra) He is a confidence player and is improving as his run in the team goes on. His experience compared to Diarra (though he's also played some good big matches!) is a big bonus in the big matches we have left.

There is a fair chance that Essien will play right back against Liverpool next week though so you never know.

[TomP]

I think this is going to be the last match of the season that we can realistically rest players for - so I expect JM to do just that - ahead of the crucial 2nd leg against the scousers.

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

Ferriera........Carvalho...JT...............Bridge

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

..............Essien.................Lampard...........

SWP..................Sheva..................Cole

With the likes of Drogba, Ballack and Kalou to come off the bench if needed.

[MHedges]

I think this is going to be the last match of the season that we can realistically rest players for - so I expect JM to do just that - ahead of the crucial 2nd leg against the scousers.

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

Ferriera........Carvalho...JT...............Bridge

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

..............Essien.................Lampard...........

SWP..................Sheva..................Cole

With the likes of Drogba, Ballack and Kalou to come off the bench if needed.

I'm with you Tom, I hope that is the formation we have...with the expection of Diarra on for Ferriera.

[The Moos]

Anyone has news regarding Robben?

Last I heard he was going to be back by the end of April and we're there (or almost anyway). Shouldn't he be back soon?

[yuliastar]

Anyone has news regarding Robben?

Last I heard he was going to be back by the end of April and we're there (or almost anyway). Shouldn't he be back soon?

He took part in today's training session - so he will probably be back soon, at least off the bench!

[clubhappy]

Christ , hoping for a win but more worried we dont get any injuries .

[The Moos]

Anyone has news regarding Robben?

Last I heard he was going to be back by the end of April and we're there (or almost anyway). Shouldn't he be back soon?

He took part in today's training session - so he will probably be back soon, at least off the bench!

That is great news. I wonder if we might see him on the bench tomorrow already?

Ahhh... Robben on one side and Cole on the other. It does sound nice

[g3.7]

I would go with:

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

paulo.................carvalho..................terry.................bridge

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

............................essien

..................................................ballack

.......swp......................................................kalou

.........................................sheva

there's ability in the air in that side, even without drogba (who I'd bring on with 20 mins to go- when we need to defend the lead we hopefully would have by then). also lamps... a well deserved rest. and remarkably, shevchenko playing up front instead of on the left wing.

[Gem]

Seems neither Stevens or Carjacker make the trip to Pompey, locals must be releaved, they can put all their possesions back where they were now. Shows Tubby's intent, reckon Jose will rotate slightly aswell.

[german-blue]

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

-------PF--------Ricci-------------JT----------Bridge----

--------------------------Mikel--------------------------

--------------------Ballack---Lamps---------------------

------------J.Cole-------Sheva----------Kalou---------

Subs:Carlo,Boula,Maka,Robben,Drogba

[Lofty]

Anyone has news regarding Robben?

Last I heard he was going to be back by the end of April and we're there (or almost anyway). Shouldn't he be back soon?

From BBC Sport:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 578777.stm

Arjen Robben has returned to training but is unlikely to be included in Chelsea's squad, although he is in line to return before the end of the season.

Squads from:

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Diarra, Carvalho, Terry, Boulahrouz, A Cole, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Obi, Essien, J Cole, Wright-Phillips, Robben, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou.

---

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Michalik, Meite, Gardner, Campo, Nolan, Giannakopoulos, Speed, Teymourian, Davies, Anelka, Thompson, Walker, Tal, Martin, Vaz Te

[Gem]

According to SS1, no Lamps and Drogba in the starting 11, didn't say if they were on the bench.

That is one hell of a risk

EDIT: Team from official site:

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech

14 G?r?mi

6 Ricardo Carvalho

26 John Terry ©

18 Wayne Bridge

5 Michael Essien

19 Lassana Diarra

12 Mikel John Obi

24 Shaun Wright-Phillips

7 Andriy Shevchenko

21 Salomon Kalou

Substitutes: 23 Carlo Cudicini, 13 Khalid Boulharouz, 8 Frank Lampard, 10 Joe Cole, 11 Didier Drogba

[loz]

I guess it is pretty clear where Jose's priorities lie! Still it is far from a weak side so no reason why they can't take all three points.

[Gem]

True, especially as Essien will be the main attacking midfielder, or so I assume.

Good to see Bridgey there too

[Lofty]

Good to see Bridgey there too

It's just a shame he's unlikely to start on Tuesday

[loz]

A large number of enforced changes in the Bolton team so we can have no excuses about having to field a weakened team.

[german-blue]

1-0 Everton !!

[Gem]

1-0 Bolton, some shoddy defending at a set piece.

[german-blue]

1-1 KALOU great crossing by Bridge

[Gem]

1-1 Kalou - great cross by Bridge, diving header by Kalou

[german-blue]

Kalou 2-1 !!! Well deserved now !!