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Let’s get ready to reach the second league cup final in two years. After the Spurs completely outplayed and outclassed Arsenal for a brilliant 5-1 win, we should be wary of how different things can be in the second leg. But I don’t see Chelsea losing with a 4-goal margin even without a goalkeeper.

Injury news to start with. Official Chelsea website reports that SWP might have a chance to play in this match though Guardian reports otherwise. In all the injury fiasco at Chelsea over the last season and this one, SWP has been the only player who never sat out because of injury. That’s as much as I can remember! Lampard looked like recovering but got something done to himself to keep him out for about two weeks. Terry would be available only after 3 weeks.

This is what Avram had to say about this match:

If you come only to defend, you can make a mistake and you have lost the game on just one mistake. And also that has not been our style for the last three months and I do not believe you can come for one game and play differently. Maybe you can play differently by 10 per cent but not totally differently. Until now we have played the same in away games as in home games. Sometimes it has not worked but most of the time it has. We will not change our system or our style. I believe Everton feel more comfortable to play at home but for us it is the same.

I agree. Only correction is ‘that has not been our style in many many seasons’ and not just last three months. To play defensively in the second leg away from home, is never a good idea. I think we should treat it like the first leg.

They play tactically very well, score goals and they know how to defend well. It is difficult to play against them and they will fight for a place in the Champions League. In the first leg we were very good until the sending-off of Mikel. We scored a goal, we had more chances, then came the sending-off. Everton equalised, they had one more very good chance to score but then we came back into the game. I can be happy for that result but I can be unhappy because of the sending-off. We could have had a bigger advantage than we have now.

Everton should certainly fancy their chances for a champions league spot. With Liverpool on a downward spiral, it could be contest among the red, Everton, Man City and may be Pompey. Frankly, I was expecting to read the ‘Rafa sacked’ news this morning when I opened the BBC website. He fights to live another day. With so much uncertainty around his position and his relationship with the owner, it’s certainly not comfortable and his concentration levels are going to be hit. We’ve seen this one before, we should know.

Back to this match and Avram’s quote above. We have never been lucky with the yellows and reds. If you make a compilation of all the red cards that were given to Chelsea players over the last few seasons, I guess only half them could be reasonable. In the first leg, we were helped by a Lescott own goal and I don’t think we expect any such favours in this leg, purely going by the law of averages. If he does that again, let’s give him karma :-)

Michael Ballack has sounded some very confident words ahead of the match:

I think it will be another difficult game because we know for Everton this is their chance to play in a final this year, and they know this and so I think they will give everything to go to the final. But we know that and we will as well, because we are the holders and it is also a big motivation for us. It would be good to be in the final again. We want to go to the final, so you have to take your chance. Every player is ready.

Now, that’s a captain-speak! As always, we respect every competition and we would take this cup pretty seriously as well. I would expect Avram to field a strong team. Anyone thinks Cech should be rested (dropped?) because of his recent performance? I think he is still the best out there and should start. That need not stop us from genuinely resting Cech and allowing Carlo to play.

The back four could be same set of guys – Alex, Belletti, Carvalho and Ashley Cole/Wayne Bridge. Tony Glover says, based on some confident sources, that Bridge has been allowed by Chelsea to have discussions with Newcastle. Liverpool or Newcastle, I get the feeling that he won’t be around with us next month. If he really goes I’d thoroughly disappointed and I know that I’ve said this a few times already. Ivanovic is available and eligible to play in this match. I’m sure we’ll see him for a short period but I’m just curious to see where he plays, if he comes in.

I’d play a 4-3-3. Despite his goal, I won’t pick Pizarro, simply because he has no role to play in a 4-3-3. He would be more suited for 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-2-1, where we play with strong midfielders instead of wingers. The easy choice would be Anelka supported by Malouda and Joe Cole on the wings. Sinclair might be on the bench and play his usual 5 minute cameo at the end. Poor him!

The midfield should have captain Ballack, Makelele and SWP, if available, Sidwell otherwise. Or else, I would even try Wayne Bridge on the left midfield, if we want to be attack-minded and kill the game. I hope we don’t get into the mess of 4-2-3-1 again as our current set of players can’t actually excel in this formation right now.

On Everton’s side the key men, Cahill and Arteta would be available and would naturally start. At least McFadden won’t be there as he is with Birmingham now. They would be missing Yakubu and Yobo as they’re on international duty at the African Cup. BlueWinner has taken the pains to write his African Cup report. Makes a nice read.

Remember, if the scores are level at the end of the second leg, extra time is played. If the scores are still level after extra time, the team which has scored more away goals qualifies for the final. If the number of away goals is level a penalty shootout is used to decide the winners.

No extra time, no penalties. Another 2-1 for Chelsea.