Today’s match against Roy Keane’s team is a match up between the strongest home team and the weakest away team. In matches against bigger oppositions, Sunderland are going from bad to worse, 7-1 vs Everton being the latest insult. Chelsea, by all probabilities, should roll them over, and make good the home disappointment against Everton.

Players who may not be available are Malouda, Ferreira, Carvalho, Ballack and the suspended Essien. Also, something is brewing about Drogba. He is fit, he is unfit, he needs an operation, no he doesn’t, he’ll have it now, no he’ll have it later . . . We’ll discuss about this topic later on, separately.

Even if Drogba is available for this match, we should play Sheva, Pizarro and Kalou. C’mon, we are playing Sunderland at the Bridge. I’d prefer to see an attacking 4-3-1-2, with a defensive midfielder and two wide midfielders. This way, most of the attacks would be from the flanks not only because of the formation but also because Lampard may not have a role to play here. I’d rest Lampard and have Mikel, Joe Cole and SWP play in the midfield.

When we were playing 4-1-2-1-2 in the first half of the last season (when Sheva and Drogba were playing alongside), there were complaints about our game lacking width. With 4-3-3, we certainly see the width in the game but what we lack is variety. Teams with tactically strong managers can wear us down, when we play 4-3-3, if they know the strengths and weaknesses of SWP and Joe Cole and their possible lack of connection to the man up front. These are the circumstances where we should be able to change formations in minutes and make the difference.

This season, whenever teams have tried to take the game to us or try to play open football, we have taken them apart. It’s almost certain that Sunderland will park the proverbial bus and look for some favours from the heavens. Michael Chopra, the only premier league player of Indian origin now, plays against us today. But I’m perfectly fine if he keeps blasting the ball to row Z and even scores a few own goals.

With just few more weeks left for the transfer window, transfer news and rumours are everywhere. Cup-tied Ronaldinho to join us in January, Lulinha has agreed for a deal with Corinthians but 20 million pounds would release him, Sheva to be despatched, Villa to move over to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea has offered 15 million pounds for Anelka – all rumours. If you want official transfer news from Chelsea, here is Avram talking about the need for strikers:

We will not find a replacement for Didier because Didier I think is the best striker in the world at the moment. But we want to have a striker in the squad and if we find someone, we will do it. It will not be a problem of money, it will be a problem of quality. I don’t want to take a striker who is not good for our quality. The right one is not easy to find.

We need a striker of quality. Music to the ears of Sheva, Pizarro and Kalou? If we are getting quality strikers, we should certainly show the door for Sheva or Pizarro. There is no point in having 5 strikers (after Drogba’s return) for a 4-3-3 formation which Grant seems to have stuck to.

It’s quite hard to find ourselves at No.2 this weekend as Man Utd takes on Derby at Old Trafford. In the early kick off match on Sunday, Boro host Arsenal which can be of some interest to us. If Boro manages to upset Arsenal, that would be a good life line for Chelsea ahead of the match at Emirates, which might then give the possibility of equaling Arsenal’s points tally. Wishful thinking!