Ok, thought I might as well start a new thread about the actual game. As much as I like the "it's fenerbache' thread, thought I would start one focused solely on the game.

Cech is out, and Sheva did not travel. So who do you expect us to start with?

...................Carlo

Belletti....Carvs...JT...A Cole

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

........ballack.....Lampard

J Cole..........................Kalou

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

Hilario, Alex, Essien, Anelka, SWP, Malouda, Mikel

1-1 Draw

thoughts?

Ok, thought I might as well start a new thread about the actual game. As much as I like the "it's fenerbache' thread, thought I would start one focused solely on the game.

Cech is out, and Sheva did not travel. So who do you expect us to start with?

...................Carlo

Belletti....Carvs...JT...A Cole

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

........ballack.....Lampard

J Cole..........................Kalou

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

Hilario, Alex, Essien, Anelka, SWP, Malouda, Mikel

1-1 Draw

thoughts?

Avram might bolster the right side of the field because of Roberto Carlos. He just might put in Essien instead of Belletti/Paolo. Centrally Maka is the one to keep Alex. I think we will be okay if Fenerbache don't get too many corners and freekicks. We are just cr*p at defending them, plus that Alex guy is allegedly really good at giving them.

1-2 or 1-1 is my prediction.

I really hope we try to attack or this game will be a torture to watch.

------------------------- Volkan Demirel ------------------------

Onder Turaci --- Diego Lugano --- Edu Dracena --- Roberto Carlos

----------------------------------------------------------------

-------------- Claudio Maldonado --- Mehmet Aurelio ------------

Deivid de Souza ---------------------------------------Ugur Boral

--------------------------- Alex de Souza -----------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------

------------------ Mateja Kezman (Semih Senturk) ---------------

We'll be trying to keep our form in Sukru Saracoglu this season. We've defeated 4 champions and the winner of last two UEFA Cups this year and conceded only once apart from Edu's two own goals. Everyone expects to get a clean sheet victory as Chelsea has had difficulties in creating scoring opportunities in recent games.

Playing Anelka instead of Drogba will make him disappear between our two towering defenders but playing him on the wing may cause problems to us.

Let the side who really deserves win the game and I hope it will be a friendly clash. I'll repeat, my hopes of qualification depend %90 on a clean sheet victory. If we keep Chelsea at the Boro performance, I'm sure we'll succeed.

Playing Anelka instead of Drogba will make him disappear between our two towering defenders but playing him on the wing may cause problems to us.

I guess we'll see pretty soon, but how fast are your central defenders? I mean, do you think they can handle it if the ball is being played on the ground instead of trying to beat them in the air? I honestly don't know as I've seen just a few glimpses of Fenerbahce this season.

Ok, thought I might as well start a new thread about the actual game. As much as I like the "it's fenerbache' thread, thought I would start one focused solely on the game.

Cech is out, and Sheva did not travel. So who do you expect us to start with?

...................Carlo

Belletti....Carvs...JT...A Cole

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

........ballack.....Lampard

J Cole..........................Kalou

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

Hilario, Alex, Essien, Anelka, SWP, Malouda, Mikel

1-1 Draw

thoughts?

Agree on most things, apart from:

- Paolo for Belletti - Juliano was not impresive in his defensive duties vs Boro

- SWP for Kalou - Shaun on right, Joey on the left. Shaun is pretty good at playing defensively when needed, and we need a strong defence on the flanks.

------------------ Mateja Kezman (Semih Senturk) ---------------

I was just starting to get worried about this game, the usual pre match butterflies.

Then i read your team line up, and now i feel much better knowing you have ^ leading your line.

Thanks

- SWP for Kalou - Shaun on right, Joey on the left. Shaun is pretty good at playing defensively when needed, and we need a strong defence on the flanks.

Kalou is our top assister this season (10), hes scored more goals than SWP, but you pick SWP for his defence.

Kalou is our top assister this season (10), hes scored more goals than SWP, but you pick SWP for his defence.

Sorry, but I don't feel this is the game where we need to concentrate on attack too much, but more on our defensive lapses. Knowing that we struggle a lot on the RB position, I think SWP would be useful there as a back-up!

Than again...I am dreading every set-piece!!

Playing Anelka instead of Drogba will make him disappear between our two towering defenders but playing him on the wing may cause problems to us.

I guess we'll see pretty soon, but how fast are your central defenders? I mean, do you think they can handle it if the ball is being played on the ground instead of trying to beat them in the air? I honestly don't know as I've seen just a few glimpses of Fenerbahce this season.

To be honest, our central defenders are both not fast. Anelka passes any of them in 1 on 1 in open space. But in a settled defence, Anelka is lost. He can not use his talents against a settled defence. Because he is weak in physical contacts and in the air. He can not earn time for the rest of the team to come near to him, and make his teammates play. Lots of times we tried to use him as the only striker but he couldn't play well neither could the rest of the team. But when we used him as an attacking winger, he used all his talents of dribbling and passed the defenders like he was taunting with them. He is very well in one-on-ones and when he beats the defender on the wing he can dribble through the penalty area or cut it for the striker. If I were Grant, I would play him as Jose played Robben or Joe Cole. It will be very hard for him to turn his face to our central defenders and try to beat them. He's very talented but he cannot pass both of our defenders.

If Chelsea scores and we move our backs to increase pressure on them, this is the optimal time to play Anelka. He is just a counter attack forward. I mean Anelka is not the man that will make the score 0-1, but if you're up 0-1 Anelka IS the man that will increase the lead to 0-2.

Most of the goals he scored at Fenerbahce was the goals that increased our leads, not the goals that put us in front from draw.

The only games he played well and moved Fenerbahce to victory were Besiktas (away) and PSV Eindhoven (home). We beat them 1-2 and 3-0 respectively and whichever Fenerbahce fan you ask about Anelka's good play, he'll tell you only these two games. Everybody says that he is very talented but he was no more than an ordinary forward in Turkish league although he used to say Turkish League was not of good quality. So if Turkish League was not of good quality and Anelka was a very talented player, why couldn't he play well. He went to swimming pools instead of training and never forced his limits when we need the leading goal. I prefer a player with limited talents but contribute to his team with all of his talents, than a very talented player but not able to contribute to his team, as Anelka. He was a spiritless player and never helped his former teams to achieve something. He only got the transfer fee and played how he wanted. If he wants, I believe he can be the best player in the world but he doesn't want. He has a mental problem. Everybody says he has a great career but I think, Alex de Souza, who only played 6 months in a European team (Parma) before coming to Fenerbahce is 100000000000000000 times greater player than Anelka. Because Alex lead us to countless victories, not only single games but also whole tournaments, and is now leading the top asissters in Champions League. Alex scored more goals than Anelka although he was playing behind the Frenchman and none of them, except for one goal to PSV Eindhoven, was created by the efforts of Anelka. Anelka couldn't even score a CL goal and I cannot remember when was the last time he scored a CL goal or against which team was it.

UEFA Press Kit for the game - http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/compe ... 906_pk.pdf - good stuff.

------------------ Mateja Kezman (Semih Senturk) ---------------

I was just starting to get worried about this game, the usual pre match butterflies.

Then i read your team line up, and now i feel much better knowing you have ^ leading your line.

Thanks

The only reason Zico selects Kezman instead of Semih is to show Kezman to the world and try to get rid of him, his huge transfer budget, and create an open space in the foreign player quota. He gets 3.5 Million $ a year and scored 9 goals last season 2 of which were scored in the last game after we guaranteed our championship 2 games before the season ends. He cannot perform well, he can not play as a single striker, he is slow, he can not pass defenders, he is not strong in air and has a poor finishing. The only things he does well are pressing and making correct runs. And he earns greater than players who clearly perform better than him.

If we prison him to the bench, the world will forget that there was a man like Kezman and he will continue to stay in Istanbul next year. Who wants to replace his 3.5 Million contract with a lower one despite playing bad?

We have a very talented striker, Semih, who is very close to being a top scorer from the bench. He changes the flow of the game everytime he enters. Konyaspor, Kasimpasaspor, Besiktas he all scored or assisted in these games. nearly all of the journalists in Turkey are criticising Zico about his selection of Kezman instead of Semih but the reason is that I've written above.

Semih is the leading scorer but I would still pick Semih instead of Kezman although he scored less goals, or less than Kezman. Because Semih is a player tat makes our one forward system work, but Kezman is not. Everything I've written about Anelka's performance as the only striker in the previous post is also true for Kezman, in addition Kezman isn't as talented as Anelka.

I don't misjudge him by the goal he scored against Sevilla, becuase Sevilla is a very open team. They score and concede lots of goals. None of the teams in this stage gives that much space to a player who is weak in air (like Kezman). However he says that he'll prove his abilities to his former team, I'm not hopeful from Kezman but hopeful from Deivid, Alex and the times we play with Semih.

UEFA Press Kit for the game - http://www.uefa.com/printoutfiles/compe ... 906_pk.pdf - good stuff.

Please look at the 10th page and be careful with our last 3 games. See how has the score changed after Semih comes in play.

I would pick

GK:Cech

LB:A.Cole

CB:Terry

CB:Carvalho

RB:Essien

DM:Makelele

CM:Mikel

CM:Lampard

LW:Kalou

RW:Joey

ST:Drogba

We basically have to contain Fenerbache for 90 minutes, which is why I would play mikel instead of Ballack as he is better defensivley.

However I think it is important not to be to negative an away goal could prove crucial as I can see Fenerbache scoring at he Bridge. Essien is a much better player than Paulo or Belletti even at right back. He offers far more going forward, especially on the counter and is just as good defensively.

Ok, thought I might as well start a new thread about the actual game. As much as I like the "it's fenerbache' thread, thought I would start one focused solely on the game.

Cech is out, and Sheva did not travel. So who do you expect us to start with?

...................Carlo

Belletti....Carvs...JT...A Cole

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

........ballack.....Lampard

J Cole..........................Kalou

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

Hilario, Alex, Essien, Anelka, SWP, Malouda, Mikel

1-1 Draw

thoughts?

dunno about the draw, but that's my first thought at a team except that I prefer either paulo or essien as defensive full back to belletti. Also I don't think J Cole is up to 3 90 minute efforts in a week so I would have him off after 50 minutes replaced with either Anelka or Sheva.

SWP wouldn't get on the park, too frustrating for me. Sheva is slower but give him a good opportunity and he'll take it.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I know that Sheva hsa not travelled to Istanbul, where he scored 4 times with AC Milan uniform against us

------------------ Mateja Kezman (Semih Senturk) ---------------

I was just starting to get worried about this game, the usual pre match butterflies.

Then i read your team line up, and now i feel much better knowing you have ^ leading your line.

Thanks

The only reason Zico selects Kezman instead of Semih is to show Kezman to the world and try to get rid of him, his huge transfer budget, and create an open space in the foreign player quota. He gets 3.5 Million $ a year and scored 9 goals last season 2 of which were scored in the last game after we guaranteed our championship 2 games before the season ends. He cannot perform well, he can not play as a single striker, he is slow, he can not pass defenders, he is not strong in air and has a poor finishing. The only things he does well are pressing and making correct runs. And he earns greater than players who clearly perform better than him.

If we prison him to the bench, the world will forget that there was a man like Kezman and he will continue to stay in Istanbul next year. Who wants to replace his 3.5 Million contract with a lower one despite playing bad?

We have a very talented striker, Semih, who is very close to being a top scorer from the bench. He changes the flow of the game everytime he enters. Konyaspor, Kasimpasaspor, Besiktas he all scored or assisted in these games. nearly all of the journalists in Turkey are criticising Zico about his selection of Kezman instead of Semih but the reason is that I've written above.

Semih is the leading scorer but I would still pick Semih instead of Kezman although he scored less goals, or less than Kezman. Because Semih is a player tat makes our one forward system work, but Kezman is not. Everything I've written about Anelka's performance as the only striker in the previous post is also true for Kezman, in addition Kezman isn't as talented as Anelka.

I don't misjudge him by the goal he scored against Sevilla, becuase Sevilla is a very open team. They score and concede lots of goals. None of the teams in this stage gives that much space to a player who is weak in air (like Kezman). However he says that he'll prove his abilities to his former team, I'm not hopeful from Kezman but hopeful from Deivid, Alex and the times we play with Semih.

Your a breath of fresh air around here, in fact i would be cheering your team on, if you were not playing against us.

It says it all that a Fenerbache fan can write more eloquently, articulately and objectively than any of the tedious Scouse/Manc fans we get on here, who think spouting tired media cliches is funny/worthwhile. They could learn a lot.

Have much enjoyed your informative posts mate, keep em coming.

Van, you should forget about Sheva, like most of us already have.

If he was like the Sheva of Milan, he would almost certainly be on the plane.

On the other note, i am sure we will play Drogba tomorrow night, and i am sure that he will enjoy the physical battle against your two centre backs.

He is the best in the world at what he does.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I know that Sheva hsa not travelled to Istanbul, where he scored 4 times with AC Milan uniform against us

You a absolutely correct

I do not think we will see too much of Sheva at all for the rest of the season.

I also think Cech not being in this game could cost us, no matter how much I love Carlo.

I watched Anelka's press conference now. He said he loves Fenerbahce he leaved because he wanted to return to England. He mentioned the atmosphere that will be generated by the fans but they should play as if they do not hear them. He felt happy to draw with us to see Istanbul again and to see his former teammates. He said that Zico was a great manager and it is not surprise for him to see Fenerbahce at this level of CL. He was asked how he would feel if he scores tomorrow and he said he'll be happy for his new team because he is a Chelsea player any more. He said the game will be a tough one and they will try to get a draw with an away goal or a win. He gave information about us to his team mates. He told that the unforgettable memory he had with Fenerbahce was the trip to the centre of Kadikoy with a doucle decker bus after we were champions which lasted 4 hours to go 500m. because of the fans all over the road.

Now, I'm watching Grant's press conference. I'll write about it soon.

Grant started by thanking the warm greeting to him yesterday but he was told that those were GalatAsaraY fans :) Everybody laughed. He said that any team that came this far in CL is a good team and Fenerbahce is also good. He told that he watched lots of our games andwe scored lots of goals and we (Fenerbahce) are a dangerous team. He played in Kadikoy with Hapoel 11 years ago and Jay Jay Okocha scored the goal to eliminate his team. The atmosphere was fantastic in that game and he expected a similar one tomorrow but they'll try to do their best to get a good result for the second game.

Now there is an interview with Peter Kenyon. He told that this was his second visit to Turkey, the first one was with Manchester Utd and he told that we had a fantastic stadium. He also said that since the draw they were looking forward to the game and the quarter final was an honour for every team involved. He said that they didn't get any information from Anelka and watched our games from cassettes and did their homework well.

He was asked about the rumours that there are problems between players, Grant and the management especially after Jose's resignment. He said all of the players were professionals and they are all ambitious and trying to maximize their performance. Their progress in CL continues and they are second in PL. They've won 6 throphies in 3 years and there aren't any problems.

He was finally asked what kind of game he expected tomorrow. He said that Zico created a very attacking team and we score lots of goals, we have talented Brazilian stars but he expects his team to score more than Fenerbahce.

The last question was which players could have been effective on the result of the game and he answered that Didier is very dangerous when he's on form and Terry will also be a key player. In Fenerbahce, he didn't anoounce a name but he said that we have a very strong midfield and an attacking team that may cause problems to them.

Kenyon is a warm person and he gives positive energy to his environment with his smiling face.

Now Chelsea started training with two groups of players, the first group defensive giants and the second one is attacking stars.

Fenerbahce played 11 times with English teams. We won 3 times, drawn two times and lost 6 times. We haven't beaten any team apart from Manchester teams. (2 times Manchester United and 1 time City) I hope you'll be the first one. :)

Carlo

Beletti

JT

Riccy C

A.Cole

Maka

Lampard

Ballack

Joe Cole

Drogba

Kalou

Subs: Hilario, Alex, Essien, SWP, Mikel, Ferreira, Anelka.

Score: 0-0 or 1-0 to Chelsea