Champions League - Written by BlueChampion on Sunday, September 10, 2006 20:40 | 1,818 Views | 37 Comments | Add Comment
Chelsea’s Champions League kicks off!
My preferred starting XI against Werder Bremen
The all-important Champions League campaign of Chelsea starts on tuesday when Werder Bremen arrive in the Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea Football Club has publicly stated that their main target of this season is winning the Champions League, apart from the other domestic laurels. Having drawn in the group of death containing Barca and Bremen, there are already rumours that Jose would be shown the door if Chelsea under-perform in this Champions League. Though I dont believe a bit in this rumour, I have to completely admit that anything less than a runner-up in this Champions League is a disappointment.
In this context, we face Bremen who are as tough as any other Champions League team. Even in the worst case scenario, out of the 6 matches to be played in the group league stage, Chelsea should beat Levski Sofia twice, win and draw against Bremen and draw and lose against Barca. This would give us 11 points out of possible 18, which should see us through to the second round. The best case scenario is if we beat Levski and Bremen twice and manage to win one match against Barca, we would end up with 15 points. So, the range for Chelsea would be anywhere from 11 to 15 points, which would be safe enough to sail.
Werder Bremen is a strong that likes to play attacking football and they have been very impressive in the last Bundesliga season when they finished second to Bayern in the Bundesliga last season only by 5 points. They had scored more goals than any other team in their league and had the best goal difference too. Couple of seasons back, Lyon destroyed Bremen’s dreams in the Champions league by a 7-2 win where Essien scored twice for Lyon. We also have Michael Ballack, who has played against Bremen several times and I’m sure he would be sharing his knowledge with Jose Mourinho, captain Terry and the rest of the team. And there is Boulahrouz, who also has played them quite a number of times over the last few years. So, we can safely say that, we should have a good measure of our opponent.
Michael Ballack on Werder Bremen:
“Some days they can play very, very well. They are a team that thinks very offensively. They want to score every game. But sometimes they give chances to the other team, they make mistakes in defence. But I remember games where they lost badly because they were playing so offensively. As a team, seven or eight players have stayed together now for two or three years, so they’ve grown together. Now they are very strong”.
The Werder Bremen team:
Andreas Reinke (GK), Petri Pasanen (DF), Naldo (DF), Pierre Wome (DF), Frank Baumann (MF), Jurica Vranjes (MF), Clemens Fritz (MF), Mohamed Zidan (FW), Diego (MF), Miroslav Klose (FW), Aaron Hunt (FW), Patrick Owomoyela (DF), Leon Andreasen (DF), Ivan Klasnic (FW), Tim Wiese (GK), Jerome Polenz (FW), Daniel Jensen (MF), Torsten Frings (MF), Hugo Almeida (FW), Tim Borowski (MF), Florian Mohr (MF), Christian Schulz (DF), Per Mertesacker (DF), Kasper Jensen (GK), Christian Vander (GK).
Men to watch in the opponent camp: Miroslav Klose, Torsten Frings and Diego. Klose and Frings had a wonderful world cup in Germany. Diego is the new signing from FC Porto, who has arrived amidst much expectations.
The Chelsea FC team:
On our side, we should play 4-1-3-2 with Joe Cole and Robben yet to return from injury. I would start with Cech (GK), Wayne Bridge (LB), John Terry (CB), Ricardo Carvalho (CB), Khalid Boulahrouz (RB), Makelele (DMF), Ballack (RM), Essien (LM), Lampard (AMF), Drogba (CF) and Shevchenko (CF). Unlike the last campaign, we should have more self-confidence and play more aggressively and try to finish off the opponents. And I hope Jose has made it very clear that we have to play for 90 minutes. This is the Champions League and we can’t afford any late winners or equalisers by the opposition. It will be very tiring as we had played a match on saturday and now we have to play this match on tuesday and we have a clash with Liverpool once again, on Sunday. Nothing much to complain as this is what separates boys from men. I would be happy with 2-1.
[tags] chelsea, champions league, uefa, werder bremen, jose mourinho, michael ballack, khalid boulahrouz, miroslav klose, torsten frings, diego, stamford bridge, essien, barcelona, levski sofia [/tags]
37 Comments
1. tim_ber_lake
2. Ashton
Chelsea will surely make it to the final four. With some luck, we can win the trophy. The contributions from Shevchenko and Ballack are very crucial for this champions league.
No half measures this time mate. We should and would win it, unless the referee wants to show his loyalty to Barca.
@ timberlake
That’s what you must have told us two years back, for premiership. Thanks for your wishes.
5. Ronnie
In europe u wont get many chances as the style of play is different. If you play drogba he will waste those few chances and that’ll be your end
6. blueblood58
Still not sure about Boulahrouz BC so we shall see but the rest picks itself.
The Chelsea Academy won at the weekend 2-1 against Cardiff City so they are four from four. The reserves play Charlton tonight and you can keep up to date by clicking my ‘nick’
7. Marko
I hope we’ll start with win . The’ll be much easier.
How did you make that squad picture?
8. blueblood58
I think you are wrong about Bridge and Boulahrouz, the rest is fine LOL!
The Academy won on Saturday 2-1 and the Reserves play tonight. Keep up to date from 7pm UK time, by clicking my name!!
9. Ashton
Marko, the current chelsea attack will do very well against attack-minded teams like Bremen. We will win.
10. blue champion
Hey Marko! I think you liked the picture. I used the squad selector feature in BBC Sport. Do you think we would be able to do a clean sheet?
11. Marko
There are some roumors about Klose. If he really have an injury we are able to do a clean sheet.
12. blue champion
Marko! Even otherwise with our defence along with Maka and Essien, we should be able to keep a clean sheet. What I’m more interested in is to see us counter-attacking strongly as Bremen are know to play upfront and attack.
13. blueblood58
The Reserves beat Charlton Reserves away 1-0 tonight. Captain JImmy Smith scored the winner direct from a free-kick, three minutes from time.
14. blue champion
Blueblood! I always thought we should have more grown players that we have now. Right now, I think only Terry is an academy player. We should groom some guys from the reserves and make him a star.
15. blue champion
And Blueblood, I have deleted the season fixtures page. Thanks for the advice.
16. blueblood58
your welcome least I could do
There are quite a few players that could get their chance this season. Some players were impressive tonight
17. blue champion
At least for the next few years, I dont think we would be giving too many chances for such youngsters as the stake is very high. We have no chance of experimenting when we have incurred such a huge loss and also still pending a champions league title.
18. blue champion
Blueblood - Will you help me by adding this blog link that sports netword? Would that be asking for too much?
19. blueblood58
There is a competition called the Carling Cup, this could be used for an opportunity to play one or two of the youngsters or at least give them a seat on the subs bench. Two of them Ryan Betrand, left back and Michael Mancienne Centre back ahve 1st team squad numbers 43 and 44 respectively.
20. blueblood58
Blue Champion
I will do it for you tomorrow. I will link to you from my blog as well.
Will you link to both as well please??
21. blue champion
Thanks man. I’ve added you now. And I always use Mancienne in my Football Manager game. I like that bloke.
22. blue champion
Flash news:
1. Klose still doubtful for the champions league clash with Chelsea on tuesday
2. Werder will be without first-choice goalkeeper Tim Wiese who is suffering from bronchitis
3. Last saturday, Werder Bremen lost to a third division team of Bundesliga
We just have to win, by a safe margin.
23. Lena
I’m not so sure about Boularouz: he’ll almost certainly get a suspension along the way.
Good luck tomorrow!
24. Maysam
Chelsea will wiin Beremen easilly .
25. blue champion
I dont think Boulahrouz is a mad bull. He seems to be a hard tackling defender but with some sense.
26. blueblood58
Blue Champion. Many thanks and I have linked you to
COME ON CHELSEA!!
27. Aragorn
u have an absolutely rocking site.
28. Crew
No Klose! 2-0 for sure. If not today, atleast against Levski Sofia, Obi Mikel should play 9
mins.
29. Anonymous
Guyz,,,,nice comments…
But I think ther wil be a prob with the formation given by U BLUE man…
Essien should play on the left, I don think he needs to start…Ballack is naturally rite footed so he should be on the rite…..
rest everyone is perfect !!!
30. Anonymous
Ballack is both-footed. Did you see the 30-yarder against charlton which was from his left foot?
31. blueblood58
Chelsea Team Just announced
Cech
Boulahrouz
Carvalho
Terry
A Cole
Makelele
Essien
Ballack
Lampard
Drogba
Shevchenko
For Bremen - Klose starts
COME ON CHELSEA!!
32. blueblood58
Joe Cole is back. he has been named as one of the subs
COME ON CHELSEA
33. Josè
Wayne is unfortunate. Joe Cole’s inclusion is a wow. I’m not worried by Klose playing.
34. blueblood58
Chelsea subs in full
Cudicini, Geremi, Ferreira, J cole, , Bridge, Mikel, Kalou
35. blue champion
@ Aragorn
Thanks a lot. Keep visiting and participating.
36. Matthew
Im a chelsea fan, we have a strong team, but we are not settled yet.
In my opinion we are missing Damien Duff.
37. blue champion
I would rather say we are missing Joe Cole.
you’ll never win the champions league. keep dreaming.
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