Posted May 4, 200816 yr I know its wrong, but I really can't focus on this match... with West Ham rolling over and Wigan bound to do the same, it seems we blew our numerous oppertunities [i.e. Wigan, Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa...] to take the title. All I can see is the CL final, and that makes me extremely nervous. That said, I still want to win, but if we don't play Drogba, Carvalho or Lampard, I wouldn't be gutted, we need them on tip top condition for the final. I doubt that will happen though, I'm going for a 2-1 win, Kalou and Ballack.
May 4, 200816 yr Agree with your comment but we still have to win The Mancs will be nervous for their last game away so we never know... I think we could rest some players like surely Maka, Ash, Ballack as he played a lot lately and picked up a slight injury and Joe Cole especially as he looked quite knackered, Drogs maybe All I fear is to have injuries at the moment, it's vital so fingers crossed !!!
May 4, 200816 yr Come on Gem, we need to make them work for their title until the end. And who knows what could happen...(?) If we rest our players and drop points against Newcastle and then Wigan surprises us all by playing a draw against the Mancs, I could imagine quite a few people kicking themselves. There's a ten day break before the UCL final, so unless we get any serious injuries, the players should get a decent rest between the final match of Premiership season and the UCL final. I say, let's fight until the bitter end...and maybe then it won't be such a bitter end afterall. COME ON CHELSEA!
May 4, 200816 yr We still have to win, I want us to push United to the end. Newcastle has been a tough fixture for us in recent years but I think the players will be on a high after Wednesday night and we'll beat them, 2-1.
May 4, 200816 yr we need to continue our recent good performances to push the mancs all the way there is no pressure on us a good result at newcastle will pie the pressure on the mancs for the wigan game 0-2 chelsea
May 4, 200816 yr I don't think we even have a problem with fatigue. Most of our key players have missed big part of the season through injury so they should be able to give all. We need to win all our three remaining games! We can still cause a slip-up of a lifetime and that is reason worth fighting for+there is a carrot for us as well. I wouldn't believe all the comments about Wigan and WH rolling over so ManU would win. I don't think smart men like Curbishley and Bruce are ManU fans. I believe they are professional coaches. And if we do win at Newcastle we would really make ManU nervous.
May 4, 200816 yr We've got a big break before the final so no need to rest anyone. All it takes is for an early mistake from ManU next week and it could all be on - much stranger things have happened in football. Also even if we are focussed on the final, we need every ounce of self-belief and losing/drawing to Kegan's mob is not what our lot need. I really think that this game should be used to trial an attacking 4-4-2 formation FROM THE START. Belletti...Carv...Terry...Cole .............Essien ....Cole...Ballack...Lampard ......Anelka.......Drogba I'm happy for Ballack and Lampard to play a little shallower to hold the midfield if it means getting Anelka supporting Drogba up front and making some link-up play with Cole down that right hand side. On the left we know that A. Cole can get forward effectively (in which case, Essien can drop back. His pace makes him a very useful midfield 'sweeper', more so than an aging Makalele). The only alternative is to have the in-form Kalou on for Cole, move Lampard out right with Kalou on the left. Given A. Cole's good form, however, I would prefer to have the midfield creativity out right and I don't really know if Kalou can be effective out there.
May 5, 200816 yr We need to play Drogba and Anelka together, not necessarily starting with 442 . Maka doesnt play EPL these days, and Joe Cole should be rested (or dropped). Move Essien into the midfield, and if a certain Damien Duff will play, we should play Ferriera to cover the right flank.
May 5, 200816 yr A win is a must, not only to keep the fight going for the first place until the end, but we also need to secure at least a second place finnish and with a win at Newcastle we can do that. Arsenal are now just one point behind us, although they do have a game in hand.
May 5, 200816 yr I wish Keegan would say in his pre-match interview...'I would love it if Chelsea win the double as they deserve it for the way they have not thrown the towel in, like a lot of other teams at the top'.
May 5, 200816 yr I wish Keegan would say in his pre-match interview...'I would love it if Chelsea win the double as they deserve it for the way they have not thrown the towel in, like a lot of other teams at the top'. So we'd be pretty much doomed if he'd say that...
May 5, 200816 yr I wish Keegan would say in his pre-match interview...'I would love it if Chelsea win the double as they deserve it for the way they have not thrown the towel in, unlike a lot of other teams at the top'.
May 5, 200816 yr I wish Keegan would say in his pre-match interview...'I would love it if Chelsea win the double as they deserve it for the way they have not thrown the towel in, unlike a lot of other teams at the top'. What I meant was that the last time Keegan publicly stated he'd "just love it" if something happened, it didn't exactly go according to his wishes, now did it?
May 5, 200816 yr im in a similar position, im not at all nervous about this game and not really that motivated about it. with wigan winning on saturday i cant see us winning the league now unfortunately. though we do need to be careful with arsenal still close enough to grab 2nd.
May 5, 200816 yr Well I think Keegan probably said it the way he did because he was only referring to one team as opposed to a number of teams. Now I wonder who that might be...
May 5, 200816 yr well if i was avram grant i would go for a very attacking approach to this game! its do or die we need to score goals to catch up with manu's goal difference so, my team: --------------------Cech--------------------- ----------Carvalho----Alex----Terry----------- --------------------Essien-------------------- ---------Ballack---------------Lampard-------- Cole/SWP--------------------------------Kalou -------------Drogba-------Anelka-------------- If only Avram Grant has the balls to put in this formation!
May 5, 200816 yr You'd play with three at the back against a Newcastle team which most likely will play with three up front?
May 5, 200816 yr You'd play with three at the back against a Newcastle team which most likely will play with three up front? well mate, its worth the risk if we win both of the matches with 1-0 win we still wont be crowned the BPL champions if manu also win so, why not take the risk?
May 5, 200816 yr Of course we need to win this. Although I can't realistically see the Mancs slipping up in their final game, especially now that Wigan have nothing to play for, there's always a possibility. Besides which, and perhaps more importantly from a realistic point of view, we're still not assured of second place And yes of course, we should beat Bolton, but then we shouldl have beat Wigan the other week.
May 5, 200816 yr You'd play with three at the back against a Newcastle team which most likely will play with three up front? well mate, its worth the risk if we win both of the matches with 1-0 win we still wont be crowned the BPL champions if manu also win so, why not take the risk? You don't seriously think we can catch United's goal advantage, do you?
May 5, 200816 yr You'd play with three at the back against a Newcastle team which most likely will play with three up front? well mate, its worth the risk if we win both of the matches with 1-0 win we still wont be crowned the BPL champions if manu also win so, why not take the risk? You don't seriously think we can catch United's goal advantage, do you? "anything is possible"
May 5, 200816 yr Team News Cech Ferreira, Carvalho, JT, Bridge Mikel, Essien, Ballack Anelka, Drogba, Malouda Subs: Carlo, Alex, Lampard, Cole J, Sheva
May 5, 200816 yr Newcastle are expected to line-up in the following 4-3-1-2 formation: ------------------------Harper-------------------------- Beye-------------Taylor--------Faye----------José Enrique ---------Gérémi----------Butt------------Barton---------- -------------------------Owen ©------------------------ -------------------Viduka------Martins-------------------- Subs: Forster, N'Zogbia, Cacapa, Duff, Smith.
May 5, 200816 yr You don't seriously think we can catch United's goal advantage, do you? "anything is possible" I know football is "a funny old game" as they say, but to say that in our two remaining matches we could score 20 goals more than what ManU is able to score in their final match is simply hilarious. Good one, mate!
