g3.7 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 (edited) so after the best opening day for us since the 4-0 over sunderland with the poyet scissor kick, we can look forward to a potentially tricky game. bruce has improved them, apparently they deserved at least a point against west ham and so they'll be desperate to get points on the board and try to be a mid table side this season in front of their fans. palacios and kapo are dangerous players and heskey is one of those players who, while in theory is absolutely terrible, has caused us problems in the past too. can't see us changing the system from the diamond (which shows how different the same system can be- remember liam's favoured diamond of death?), and even if robinho does join, I wouldn't expect him to start. ballack was out for "up to a week", so could miss out, and essien is likely to be fit. if both are available, then scolari has his first problem with team selection. of course, there are midweek internationals so a good chance to lose players to injury early on. Edited August 18, 2008 by gullit4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barak81 Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 Cant see the team being to different, malouda will probably start on the left with deco in center, mikel was fantastic against pompy but if essiens fit i dare say he will start and away from home against a stuborn team like wigan i would like to see essien in the mix. Is there any news on drogs? word of warning, every one at work has alreayd labled us untouchbale bla bla bla... i keep think just one game, i remmeber the good old days of beating united 5-0 one week and loosing to watford 1-0 the next, I think those days are behind us but you just never know and wigan are just that sort of team!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g3.7 Posted August 18, 2008 Author Share Posted August 18, 2008 good point about mikel /essien, think that the diamond will end up being what we saw but with essien there- doesn't worry me because even in that position mikel had more freedom than he would have had before, so it shouldn't be too much of a waste. as ballack may be unfit I think we might see essien in for him as the only change. oh kalou might also be back, so could get on for joe at some stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreadis Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 No matter what some might think, Scolari's job to pick starting XI when everybody is playing well, and if fit at the same time...it sounds impossible. How can you replace Joey now with Kalou, even though both played great games. Not the mention the midfield...all 5 of them are playing extremely well. Essien might replace Micky this Sunday, but what after that. For me, Essien is one of the "untouchables" at the moment, yet all 4 midfielders played great against Pompey! One thing is for sure...SWP will not be amongst starting XI! Sorry, mate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliott Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I cant see the starting eleven changing much, except for the injured Ballack replaced by the returning Essien. Cech Bosingwa Terry Carv's Ashley Cole Mikel Essien Lampard Deco Joe Cole Anelka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozboy Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Kalou will come onto the bench. Not sure about Drogs. JC has had a midweek game so should be subbed early. If Ballack is fit the problem is fitting Essien in. Personally I wouldn't change the starting lineup if Ballack was fit, otherwise bring Essien in. Mikel did nothing wrong and is a better holding midfielder than Essien due to early release of the ball, but if push comes to shove Essiens go forward is more important than Mikel's holding skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueday3 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 It would make Scolari's job a lot easier if someone in the midfield would pick up a knock every month or so in even rotations, no more selection problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clubhappy Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Bananna skin these games, especially early into the season. Confidence will be high after last week though but i doubt the football will be a attractive away from home . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea Bar Boy Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/7570618.stm Well I never knew number 5 that we are unbeaten in 2008 in the league ? 4-1 for me Anelka hat rick and a lampard pen ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ethicalstrategy Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 can't see us changing the system from the diamond ???What diamond was that??? Started with Mikel holding and Ballack and Lampard in a 3 with Deco and Cole behind Anelka. When Ballack went off we switched Deco to midfield and pushed Malouda wide. Then in the second half we played with Cole and Anelka up front in a two with Mikel still holding and Lampard, Deco and Malouda across midfield. Finally we switched back to 4-3-3 when SWP came on. No diamonds in sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimboola69 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Essien for Ballack, and watch out for Terry and Lamps shoving jeers down throats after midweek. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea FC Champions Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 NEWSFLASH: RETURNS POSSIBLE AT WIGANPosted on: Fri 22 Aug 2008 Felipe Scolari has given a fitness update ahead of Sunday's game versus Wigan, including news on two Michaels plus Didier Drogba. Michael Ballack failed to finish last weekend's opener due to a foot injury while Michael Essien was unavailable. José Bosingwa was withdrawn during Portugal's midweek international. 'I have little problems with Ballack, Bosingwa and with Essien,' reported Scolari after Friday's training session. 'Now we started with Essien training more regularly. Bosingwa and Ballack are in good condition for Sunday and Essien maybe can play for 45 minutes, maybe no.' Looking more long term, the Chelsea manager also discussed Didier Drogba's rehabilitation from a chronic knee problem that has prevented him from playing since the Champions League Final. 'Drogba is better than before,' Scolari said. 'His knee is very well and he has been training every day in the morning and afternoon. 'Maybe against Tottenham, it is possible [for him] to play 30-45 minutes but if not Tottenham, complete recuperation for next game after the next national team games.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalpitv Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Well, I only expect the lineup to get stronger. However, the only change that I expect is Essien in, Mikel out. I hope Scolari does test some young players in games against teams from the bottom half and on sunday, I fancy a debut for Di Santo from the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g3.7 Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 ???What diamond was that???Started with Mikel holding and Ballack and Lampard in a 3 with Deco and Cole behind Anelka. When Ballack went off we switched Deco to midfield and pushed Malouda wide. Then in the second half we played with Cole and Anelka up front in a two with Mikel still holding and Lampard, Deco and Malouda across midfield. Finally we switched back to 4-3-3 when SWP came on. No diamonds in sight. this one: ...........................................cech bosongwa...........carvalho.................terry...............a.cole .........................................mikel ....................ballack.............................lampard .........................................deco ........................................................j.cole ................................anelka a 442 diamond, with joe as the second striker (hence his runs behind defence- he was playing up front) once ballack went off deco dropped into his position and joe went to the right, with malouda on the left, a 433. which is the system we played out the entire remainder of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_mac Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Pretty much the line up I'd go for to G4. However, isn't Ballack facing a late fitness test, and didn't Bosingwa get taken off in the Portugal match midweek? I also think with Cole playing midweek, we may (hopfully) see Di Santo given a game. If ballack is still injured, and Bosingwa out too, I'd replace them with Paulo and Essien. However, if Essien is out, I'd even plum for Paulo at RB and Ivanovich in the holding role, with Mikel and Lampard just ahead of Ivanovic Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g3.7 Posted August 23, 2008 Author Share Posted August 23, 2008 is the forum aware of a site called www.justin.tv? apparently you can find games streamed on that site, supposedly less of a hassle than the likes of sopcast... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virosh Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 (edited) is the forum aware of a site called www.justin.tv?apparently you can find games streamed on that site, supposedly less of a hassle than the likes of sopcast... I can't speak for others, but I often see links to it from the myp2p.eu site, which I always use to get our games. Everytime I've tried though, video quality is atrocious to say the least. Sometimes, the stream wouldn't even start. Oh, and I respectfully disagree about Sopcast. It is a great program to use. Note to self: Does that question belong here or in the Streaming section. Do we still have one for that matter ? Edited August 23, 2008 by Virosh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 I can't see Chelsea dropping any points today, touch wood. I fancy us to keep another clean sheet and with the attacking skills shown last week against Pompey I fancy us to stick 3 goals in today. We'll be top of the league at dinner tonight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerqueen Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Really funny thing happened yesterday. I was watching early evening news on ITV and they showed the premiership scores....... including at the bottom Wigan 1 Chelsea 2! Thought I was going mad and I'd got it all wrong about Chelsea playing on Sunday. I'm glad my son was watching with me otherwise I'd think I'd lost it! Now if it had said 0-0 I could believe that it was just set up like that as it hadn't been played but someone on the news team must have put it in as a prediction and forgot to take it out again??!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Perhaps it's subliminal advertising for a betting shop? Claim you've had a premonition and go and stick your house on a 2-1 result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Luiz Felipe Scolari takes his new Chelsea outfit to the JJB Stadium, intent on building on the most emphatic of all Premier League victories in the opening weekend. The Blues have only failed to win both of their opening Premier League fixtures in one of the last five seasons. Wigan lost their opener for the fourth time out of four; but have only been beaten in their first two fixtures of a Premier League season once. That was in their first campaign in 2005-06 when they were unfortunate to go down 0-1 to Chelsea in their first ever top-flight match, losing to a 90th minute goal from Hernan Crespo. Chelsea are defending the Premier League's longest current unbeaten sequence of 22 matches, and are vying for a fourth consecutive away league win. Wigan broke Chelsea's 100% Premier League record over them at the fifth time of asking, they when held the Blues to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on 14 April, courtesy of a shock injury-time goal from Emile Heskey. Distance between clubs: 212.8 miles (343 kms) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Chelsea - Best and Worst 2007-08 ALL PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES Won the second highest number of games 25 behind Man Utd (27) Lost the joint fewest number of matches 3 equal with Arsenal Dropped the second fewest total of points 29 behind Man Utd (27) Conceded the second lowest tally of goals 26 behind Man Utd (22) Second highest points to match average 2.24 behind Man Utd (2.29) Kept the joint highest number of clean sheets 21 equal with Man Utd Opened the scoring in the second most matches 26 behind Man Utd (29) Joint highest number of different scorers 16 equal with Sunderland and Tottenham Joint most red cards 6 equal with Blackburn and Fulham Achieved the longest unbeaten streak of games 21 HOME PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES ONLY Lost the joint fewest number of matches 0 equal with Arsenal AWAY FROM HOME PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES ONLY Most points 42 Won most matches 13 Joint fewest losses 3 equal with Arsenal and Liverpool Conceded fewest goals 13 Most clean sheets 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hijjawi Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Scolari on Wigan and Robinho Click Here for Video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gem Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 ... C'mon Chelsea, getting nervous now... I've missed the thrill of a victory but not the pre-match nerves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisC Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 ... C'mon Chelsea, getting nervous now... I've missed the thrill of a victory but not the pre-match nerves. Anyone know anywhere online to watch the game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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