Who would you pick and how would you play them?

[loz]

We have heard a lot of criticism of Grant and the team he picked against Spurs, some of whivh I agree with and some of which I think is excessive.

However I have seen very few, in fact make that nobody (apologies if I have missed a post/thread or two) come out and put their opinion where their complaints are and say 'given that we now have a full squad this is who I would choose'

So here is your chance. Name your starting eleven and also how they would line up tactically (assuming a fully fit squad).

[ethicalstrategy]

I gave my team in the west ham match thread.

----------------cech

-------------jt-------riccy

belletti---------------------bridge

------------mikel

-----lampard-----ballack

------------Cole

-------anelka

----------------drogba

The width would come from the full backs getting forward. cole would play in behind the front two rather than wide.

[loz]

So pretty much a diamond but with Anelka playing slightly behind Drogba?

[Scott]

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

........JB..................JT...............RC...............WB

...............................CM

..............ME...........................FL

.............................JC

..........................................................NA

................................DD

[MURDOCH_(8)]

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

........Micheal Essien..................John Terry...............Ricardo Carvalho...............Ashely Cole

...............................John Obi Mikel?/Obi John Mikel?/Obi Wan Kenobi?

..............Micheal Ballack...........................Frank Lampard

.............................Joe Cole........................................

..........................................................Nicolas Anelka

................................Didier Drogba

Full backs providing the width with Mikel pretty much not moving forward and covering the runners. Joe Cole given pretty much a free role to run at defenders and seek the ball. Frank making his trade mark runs and Ballack playing the same game hes been playing recently. Anelka up alongside Drogba but given the freedom to drift out left when he wants.

[BlueBeard]

I'd go for an attacking 4-4-2, with the full-backs frequently supporting the wingers.

My initial line-up would be as below, but once I'd got started players would only get picked on current form, not on past reputation.

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

Belletti.....Carvalho......JT/Alex*......Bridge

SWP.........Ballack.....Mikel/Essien*...J.Cole

................Anelka......Drogba

* = got to be honest, these two positions are very difficult to decide on, but if I were going on current form it would have to be Alex & Mikel. Also, if Ivanovic turns out to be any good at all, he'd replace Belletti

I'd stick with these tactics, and only change the team if a player or players were off form.

And I wouldn't worry about changing the system depending on the opposition, f*ck 'em, let 'em worry about us!

[Liam]

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

Belletti.....Carvalho......Alex......Bridge

SWP.........Ballack.....Essien...J.Cole

................Anelka......Drogba

4-4-2

[BlueBeard]

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

Belletti.....Carvalho......Alex......Bridge

SWP.........Ballack.....Essien...J.Cole

................Anelka......Drogba

4-4-2

I can't help feeling that you're a footballing mastermind, Liam

Maybe we should take over at Chelsea as joint-managers?

[loz]

My team, if I was picking purely for the here and now and not thinking of the future as well, would be

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

Ferreira...........Carvalho...........JT.............Bridge

..........................Maka.................................

............Mikel.......................Ballack....................

............................Joe Cole.............................

..............Anelka..........................................

.................................Drogba

[Chelsea FC Champions]

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

Beletti-------Riccy-----Terry---------Cole

----------------Essien-------------------

--------Lampard---------Ballack----------

-----------------Joey---------------------

----------Drogba------Anelka--------------

[Gem]

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

Beletti-------Riccy-----Terry-----Bridge

----------------Maka-------------------

--------Lampard---------Ballack----------

JoeyJoeyJoeyJoeyJoeyJoeyJoeyJoey (free roll basically)

----------Drogba------Anelka----------

[BlueBeard]

Loz picks Ferreira, and Gem picks Lampard - this thread is full of surprises!

[Chippy]

I find this really hard with all the players fit but would try this for today

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

Belletti..........Carvalho...........JT.............Bridge

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

............Ballack......................Lampard...................

............................Joe Cole.............................

..............SWP..........................................

.................................Anelka

I would be using Belletti in front of Paulo purely because he gets forward quicker and would fit this system better,

I would have Drogba on the bench with a view to bringing him on for Lampard late on, pushing Joey and Sweep wide of

Mikel and Ballack and trying 4-4-2,

I just feel some different formations have to be tried, problem is the games are so importent that its hard to know when to try it.

[loz]

Loz picks Ferreira, and Gem picks Lampard - this thread is full of surprises!

Give me a full back who defends first and foremost any day - Belletti getting forward 20 times is negated entirely by just one of his mad 3 seconds when he either says 'go one son have the ball' to the opposition's winger or he decides that his right back berth seems crowded so totally deserts it!!

[loz]

Oh and why we are ont he topic of surprises how about the one where you pick a 4-4-2 with a flat 4 across the middle

[The Moos]

I'd go with a traditional 4-4-2

Keeper:

Cech is #1 if he's fit. Carlo is good, but Cech is one of the best in the world (even if he sucks on penalties). This season we have seen two or three mistakes from Cech and that's not something that happens every season. So he might be a bit off form but he's still the best we have.

Defenders:

Riccy is the only one I would consider being certain of a place in the starting eleven. He's been great and the only bad thing I can say about him is that he makes a few stupid tackles every now and then.

JT is pure Chelsea and has the biggest heart in the squad. BUT he is off form at the moment and his performance against Spurs has to be one of the worst of his career. Good leader but that's not enough at the moment. Especially since we now have Alex who have stepped up and played really well after a weak start of the season.

So Riccy and Alex in the centre. The other two are a bit difficult too but I'd go with Bridge and Belletti. They have both been good and even though Belletti has had a few bad games he seems a bit more solid and reliable than Ferreira. He also provides more in the attack than Paulo. Bridge has been good and even though I think Cole isn't that bad I'd still go with Bridge.

Midfielders:

Perhaps the most difficult position to chose in my oppinion. We have like 8-9 players and only four slots to fill. And there's the question whether to play a very centred tactic or a more wide one. Do we use strong centre players or fast wingers?

Let's start with the defensive midfielder. That's the easiest. For me it's Makelele, but not all the time. The golden oldie needs to rest from time to time so I guess he'll have to share it with Mikel or Essien (depending on who's got the best form at the moment).

Then I'd use Cole as a attacking midfielder in the centre. He can set up plays and also drift out to the wings and play there during the game to add to the width.

So, two down and two to go. Purely on reputation I'd go with Lampard and Ballack but let's face it, they don't work well together. Not at the moment anyway. So who two chose? Legendary Lampard or Brilliant Ballack? Well, right now it's Ballack for me.

Final player to be chosen is Essien. Was bad against Spurs but before that he was good. I think he might have suffered from the fact that the entire team was crap against Tottenham.

Strikers:

Sheva and Pizzaro? Yes, please!

Don't bite my head off, it was only a joke (although I have to admit it was a feeble one).

We have Drogba and Anelka, they are the top 2 in the team.

Only reason why I would put one of them on the bench would be to have someone good to bring on if needed. If we're down a couple of goals I'd rather bring on Drogba than Pizzaro.

There are of course a few players that I haven't given up on yet. I still want to give Malouda and Sheva a chance to show that we didn't sign them for nothing.

Anyway, my starting eleven is:

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

----Belletti----Riccy----Alex----Bridge----

-----------------Makelele----------------

------------Ballack------Essien-----------

-------------------Joey------------------

-------------Anelka-----Drogba----------

As for additional tactics I want to see this:

* Joey let the ball go once in awhile. Don't try to go past all the opponents as soon as you get the ball. A simple one touch play can work too you know.

* Try different kinds of corners. Why not have someone with a good shot get the ball outside the penalty area? We need to get better at this.

* Mix things up if needed. If things isn't working then change something asap. Drop Anelka to the midfield and let Joey play with Drogba up front or let Essien and Joey drift out and play as wingers to give us more width. And, Grant, make subsitutions early if needed. Don't wait until the final minute!

[Tim W]

Management team: S. Clarke/B. Rodgers

Cech

Mannciene Hutchinson Terry van Aanholt

Bridcut

Mikel Woods

Sinclar Sahar J Cole

Bench: Taylor, Worley, Ivanovic, Smith, Stoch

Sell: Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Essien, Sheva, SWP, Malouda, Belletti, Alex, Sidewell, ArseCole, Ferriera, Carvalho, Makelele, Pizzario, Anelka, Kenyon, Buck, Ten Carte, Grant, - give the money to Roman and tell him to go buy a Russian club to play with.

"Bring back the real Chelsea campaign" even if it means playing in the Championship!

[BlueBeard]

I like your style, Tim!

[Chelsea FC Champions]

Management team: S. Clarke/B. Rodgers

Cech

Mannciene Hutchinson Terry van Aanholt

Bridcut

Mikel Woods

Sinclar Sahar J Cole

Bench: Taylor, Worley, Ivanovic, Smith, Stoch

Sell: Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Essien, Sheva, SWP, Malouda, Belletti, Alex, Sidewell, ArseCole, Ferriera, Carvalho, Makelele, Pizzario, Anelka, Kenyon, Buck, Ten Carte, Grant, - give the money to Roman and tell him to go buy a Russian club to play with.

"Bring back the real Chelsea campaign" even if it means playing in the Championship!

works for me

[Dorset]

Damn - who would want to have the team after Tim's?! Nevertheless, Ethical has got it about right for me, with maybe Paulo instead of Belletti (Loz's comment has merit). Up front, Drogba and Anelka have to play together on a need to know basis before the CL, if for no other reason.

[BlueBeard]

Give me a full back who defends first and foremost any day - Belletti getting forward 20 times is negated entirely by just one of his mad 3 seconds when he either says 'go one son have the ball' to the opposition's winger or he decides that his right back berth seems crowded so totally deserts it!!

I agree Ferreira defends more than Belletti, but over the last couple of years he hasn't been very good at it. Some of his defensive headers have been laughable, or at least they would have been if he'd been playing for someone else. I know I criticise Paulo a fair bit, but I actually like the guy - I just wish he'd find the form he had when he first arrived at Chelsea.

I only picked Belletti because of Ferreira's form - I'm still totally in the dark as to the potential of Ivanovic

Oh and why we are ont he topic of surprises how about the one where you pick a 4-4-2 with a flat 4 across the middle

Well, the 4-3-3 has looked totally sh*t over the last couple of years - mainly because it's not really a 4-3-3, it's a tarted up 4-5-1. It's brought about our really boring style of play, I f*ckin' hate it! And I've never liked the so-called 'diamond' formation either - I like to see a pair of wingers running at and terrorising opposition defences. We just need to find a couple, that's all...

And what's the point of having a pair of strikers like Drogba & Anelka if only one of them is picked? Unless of course they're drafted in to bring their expertise to the left-wing

Same thing applied under Mourinho of course, he persisted in playing just the one up front and proceeded to send the entire stadium to sleep within ten minutes of kick-off.

And it's not really a flat 4 across the middle - more like Mikel holding, Ballack playing more attacking, with the wingers steaming forward at every opportunity. If either winger was to ever stray into his own half I'd have him shot during the after match interview

[Guest Brian M]

(Loz's comment has merit)

A comment from Loz has merit? Ye gods man, hold the front page! Somebody get Fleet Street on the phone, stat!

[Liam]

Management team: S. Clarke/B. Rodgers

Cech

Mannciene Hutchinson Terry van Aanholt

Bridcut

Mikel Woods

Sinclar Sahar J Cole

Bench: Taylor, Worley, Ivanovic, Smith, Stoch

Sell: Lampard, Ballack, Drogba, Essien, Sheva, SWP, Malouda, Belletti, Alex, Sidewell, ArseCole, Ferriera, Carvalho, Makelele, Pizzario, Anelka, Kenyon, Buck, Ten Carte, Grant, - give the money to Roman and tell him to go buy a Russian club to play with.

"Bring back the real Chelsea campaign" even if it means playing in the Championship!

Great post Tim