Who's actually going to play for Chelsea?

[karennina]

Having had high hopes we would be playing a very weak Chelsea side on saturday, I investigated Physio Room and created a serreptitious account on CFCnet to discover that despite missing the following players...

Up front:
Drogba, Kalou (both ANC)
Schevchenko (leg injury, no return date, very doubtful)

From midfield they are missing:
Essien, Mikel, (both ANC)
Lampard (Thigh muscle strain, 30th Jan, 'very doubtful')
Makelele (Ear, no return date, 'very doubtful'')

Just Terry is missing in defence (metatarsal, 10th Feb)


... they will still be able to put out an disconcertingly strong 433
of:

Cech/Cudicini/Hilario (all in training)

Belletti Alex Carvalho Bridge/Cole

Wright-Phillips Ballack Sidwell

Malouda Pizarro Joe Cole.
:-|
How much weaker does anyone reckon that is than their usual lineup? There's still obviously a lot of creativity in that side, physically big enough players and a lot of experience.Also, they played that lineup minus Sidwell against Evterton so it isn't totally alien to them. How much of an opportunity really is this for us relative to normal?

 

[robin09]

Still a good team, but a obviously a bit weaker without Drogba and Lamps. I fancy us for a draw.

 

[Dougal]

I was speaking to a Chelsea fan earlier who's worried we'll beat them. I suppose that's the thing with playing the top 4 in the last few years. We win so rarely that it magnifies the effect a win will have. They'll be more gutted, we'll be more unbearable

 

[Dibby]

Anelka.

 

[Mchillio]

i think we might sneak a win against them. I think Juande out done Wenger with his tactics when we have played the goons and i think he will out do Grant as well this weekend.

 

[Dibby]

I think we can win this game with the players they have out of action.

 

[michaelden]

I think their missing 8 would still give us a run for our money if they had a keeper.

 

[The Apprentice]

I reckon we're gonna be the team to end their long, long, long unbeaten home run.

 

[Black]

i think we will win but we will defo win if pizzaro is playing

 

[karennina]

I actually think that line up is stronger on paper than ours, though it's difficult to compare.

Hilario ? Cerny
Belletti ? Chimbonda
Carvalho > Dawson
Alex < King
Malouda > Lennon
Ballack > Jenas
Sidwell ? O'hara
Wright Phillips = Malbranque
Joe Cole > Robbie Keane
Pizarro < Berbatov

At least it's tough to call, which is unusual.

 

[nightgoat]

Up front is where they're obviously lacking... Pizarro's been shit, but then knowing our luck he'll score against us...

Cech's only just come back to training, and has said he came back too early against Villa, so there's a chance they may not risk him just yet...

SWP's bang on form though, and Ballack seems to have made a good return, but they could still be missing their 5 most important players...

We probably won't have a better opportunity to win, but still a draw would be a good result...

 

[Joey]

Its always times like this where we become unstuck! Besides we are missing a few players too, not to mention that a few members of our playing staff such as Chimbo are looking for a way out of the club. Not the sort of player for a big game.

 

[AllSeeingEye]

If they do play the "weakened" line-up above then we stand a good chance of getting something.

Just had peep on Newsnow for an update on Anelka and it looks like Bolton have raised the price, and he is yet to sign so may not be ready.

I also noticed the Telegraph are running a story on Grant being "haunted by the Holocaust" since his Dad was a survivor of the impending refugee crisis back then. So perhaps there's a chance we won't be hearing the deplorable "hissssssss" on Saturday.

 

[Babylon22]

jenas is suspended.

 

[Mr-T]

I also noticed the Telegraph are running a story on Grant being "haunted by the Holocaust" since his Dad was a survivor of the impending refugee crisis back then. So perhaps there's a chance we won't be hearing the deplorable "hissssssss" on Saturday.

I doubt the chelski fans will be intelligent enough to not do it. They'll probably pipe up with their 'spurs are on the way to auschwitz' garbage too which would no doubt aggravate grant too.

It could be quite ironic and perversely funny if the things they do to annoy us just upset their own manager.

 

[donny1013]

looks like Anelka will be playing for them tomorrow.

 

[tototoner]

looks like Anelka will be playing for them tomorrow.

indeed, £14 million on 4 1/2 year deal apparently - SSN

deadline was 12:10 and they just made it

 

[Dibby]

Anelka.

See, I told ya.

 

[spurs4europe]

so without jenas tomorrow we lose the experienced head in the midfield.
does that mean a midfield of (left to right)

malbranque o'hara boateng lennon ?

only problem with that is o'hara and boateng are so young. we could also have huddlestone in the middle to accompany boateng - surely that would be the largest and strongest CM pairing ever!!!

 

[thfcsuperyid]

forget Anelka...we hav king.