We have a massive game ahead of us. Wait, that’s not at the Old Trafford or at the Emigrants, come over to Upton Park where we take on the Hammers. We have won every single premier league match we played against West Ham since 2003. That won’t mean much for this match.
I think the team morale must be hitting new lows as I see the incidents of the last weekend unfurl one by one. Anything less than a win here is going to put the club, not just the team and manager, under heavy pressure. Hard decisions will have to be taken.
Betting houses have already cut the odds on Avram Grant to be the next premier league manager to be sacked. Grant could not go back to Israel for his UEFA pro license sessions due to turbulence at London. News is that if he misses another couple of such sessions, he will not get his license. Grant must have started to feel the heat.
We have a crucial champions league home fixture against Olympiakos on Wednesday night. Now is the decision making time for Grant. Where does he see a better chance of success – premier league or champions league? I’d say champions league. Tell me which one is better – a defeat at West Ham or defeat by Olympiakos? A win against both would be very nice and highly possible that we can have two top class starting elevens playing these two matches. But decision making seems to be Grant’s problem. Players would always like to play all the matches but Grant should see that he has enough players rested for the champions league match. The last thing I’d like to see is Olympiakos dumping us out of the champions league a Stamford Bridge.
After a much ridiculed choice of first eleven at Wembley, I’m sure Grant would not want to make a meal this time at Upton Park. He has to make up his mind as either (i) I have a system and I will fit the available players to suit the system or (ii) I have the players to play and I will devise the system to suit these players. At Wembley, the problem was, he did both.
Let me help Grant. I go with a 4-1-2-1-2 or the narrow 4-4-2 diamond. Cech is still my keeper. He has to fumble a lot more to make me look for Carlo. Terry, Carvalho, Belletti and Bridge at the back. Essien the Engine will be the defensive midfielder. I’m sure he can shrug off a poor last match. Ballack and Lampard being the other two midfielders. They can play together. I’ve seen them play well together last season. The central attacking midfielder will be Joe Cole. Drogba and Anelka will be the strikers. Essien will not join in attacks, he will concentrate only in breaking attacks and supplying Lampard and Ballack. Belletti and Bridge will have freedom to attack. And Anelka does not get a free role. He should not wander out of position. Principally, we should channel our attacks through the centre as much as possible. This system and the players we have, are more suited for central attacks than wing attacks. Bridge and Belletti can provide some varierty from the flanks once in a while.
So, what I’ve done here is to pick the best eleven to play West Ham. That’s because these set of players should be able to play two demanding matches in a space of 5 days. Also the result of this match can have a direct influence on the morale of the team. If we rest players on form and drop points at Upton Park, there would be more tension and pressure on the players to come up with a good show against Olympiakos, which again, should be possible by normal standards.
I’d hope Grant reads the game early and makes quick changes in players or formations or tactics. Last season against Spurs, I remember JM subbing Ferreira only after 30 minutes and replaced him with SWP and made him play as the right back and rescued the match. Also once he brought on Boulahrouz at the 40th minute and subbed him at 55 minutes and avoided a disastrous defeat. Like this, Grant needs to show some urgency in his tactics and methods instead of hoping for things to get better.
West Ham are no pushovers, especially at Upton Park. When they play big teams at home, they rise up to the challenge well. They have another important premier league match against Liverpool on Tuesday night. I guess Curbishley would take a cautious approach while fancying their chances against Chelsea as well as Liverpool. Expect both Arsenal and Man Utd to win their matches. If we don’t win this match, we should stop saying that ‘we’re still in three competitions’. As long as you don’t see Chelsea beating both Arsenal and Man Utd at the Stamford Bridge, this statement is already a fake.
John Terry has taken the team a day out as a clear team building/bonding exercise. Only Grant and Ten Cate were missing in that group. How do I understand this! Anyway, there is some realisation about the need for such a thing and some efforts are being made. Despite the troubled times, the quality of our players should prevail. I remember this match against West Ham where Chelsea went a goal down and had Maniche red carded within 20 minutes and ended up winning 4-1. That was a blast. I don’t need a 4-1, just a 1-0 would do. That’s what the result would be I think. A safe 1-0 for us, unless the team wants to show their reaction to the final loss and choose West Ham as their punch bag. Let me put these thoughts to rest. Just 1-0.
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I am sorry but I do not think this is a real match for chelsea.
The professional and player’s pride will make this game a certain win.
1–The players, at least the most influencial ones will want to win, in order to make sure that they are more important than AG or tthe “bully”.
2– WHU have a good team on paper but not real winners on the field.
3- JT will take the players again, for a paintball game again as a prize for the players. Only this time JT will invite TC and use real bullets.
4– as you say BC 1-0 is enough and shut shop, and lets hear again AG saying “that we have improved, we no longer play the long ball, we have improved in defense, in midfield and is constant attacking footbal” no doubt that under my(AG) and RA guidance we are a much better team, than before when JM was so negative and so defensive that EVEN Rosenberg managed a draw.
However this game is a more dangerous one than the one against olympiakos.
final result: 2-1 Chelsea 2 for DD and anelka in the bench to see and learn how good strikers are.
‘anelka in the bench to see and learn how good strikers are’….Drogba is not a scratch on Anelka…
MIB very much true mate
drogba should be on the bench and learn a thing or two
c’mon guys, we should be beating by three goals as we’ve done many times. i hope toad fixes his formation correctly and plays the right players. and btw, you’re right guys ‘anelka is not a scratch on drogba’. very well said.
i think we’ll win 2-0 comfortably. both drogs and anel to score. i heard lampard is dropped. so essien, mikel and ballack will play. or joe cole could come in for mikel.
next time toad plays mikel and essien together i’m gonna feckin scream. they can play together but toad doesn’t know how to manage them both.
sack avram and bring back jose mourinho. he was the best. roman knows it.
from the days when every team feared chelsea to chelsea fearing every team. getting worried for an upton park match lol! how chelsea have fallen! though i think we will win comfortably, i’m very nervous about this match. if we lose this one, we’re virtually gone from the league race.
I think we are already out of the race but can anyone tell me what was our position in league table when Mourinho left…
When Mourinho left:
Arsenal got 13 points from 5 matches.
Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea were all at 11 points though Liverpool played 5 while Man Utd and Chelsea had played 6.
BBC predicts a 2-0 win for Chelsea saying this:
Quoting BlueChampion
@7….and that was when ManU had a wobble in first few matches…
yes #9, just like Chelsea had a wobble.
cech,ferriera,alex,terry,bridge,essien,lampard,ballack,joe cole,malouda,and drogba…anelka should nt start as he played badly against spurs,rest swp and belleti and carvalho…ashley cole to come back into the line up for the champions league match.for the subs for the wh match,it should be mikel,cudicini,benhaim,anelka,kalou
West Ham will feel the backlash of the spurs game, so i have no doubt that cfc will win this game, WH has a good enough team on paper but most are in their twilight zone now.
And next weds against olympiakos will another foregone conclusion.
I am starting having shivers about P Chec performance of lately, maybe Cudicini should play, paulo should be brought back, he is a better defender than belletti, in my opinion, though belletti likes to attack a lot, I would stick with bridge, i really like this guy a very solid player and i would revert to a 4-4-2 formation.
Just read this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pag…..ge_id=1779
go there.
Well, I cannot remember a game where Lampard and Ballack played together and it worked well… the problem is not in that they cannot cooperate but they are both SLOW… too slow for PL, sorry for that. We can have one of them on the pitch, when other players pass the ball to him and he distributes it to the wings and attackers. But not two of them, cause it paralyses the whole midfield.
Nevertheless, I fancy the idea of 4-men midfield with no sharp wingers at each side. My tip:
Cech – Belletti, Terry, Carvalho, Bridge – Essien, Mikel, Lampard, Joe Cole – Drogba, Anelka
…Essien and Joe playing more towards middle, that is why I put Joe on the left side of the pitch. The sharp-wing variant is too well-known now, every team expects us to play it and is prepared to defend against SWP, Joe, Malouda or Kalou sprinting along the line. Avram should change it.
—————-Cech——————
—Ferreira—Terry—Carvalho—Cole–
————–Mikel——————–
———Essien—–Ballack———–
—————Lampard—————–
———–Anelka——Drogba———-
I am looking forward to seeing you all at Upton Park. You all sound as cocky as the Mancs and Scousers and look what we did to them !!
Yep cant wait for tomorrow.
Guys, every napoleon has his waterloo. we should refrain from judging players on the basis of one off match performance. Ronaldo normally has awful games against us but is not dropped cos of that.
How do you drop belleti just becos he had an off day agaisnt spurs? Who in blue had a great day last sunday except maybe terry? How do you drop a reliable guy like carvalho just cos he was a little below par last sunday. cech may have made a mistake but even after that he pulled off some tremendouis saves. Pls, guys lets not be slashing our boys on the basis of one or two matches.
playing a 4-3-3 formation agaisnt west ham might not be bad, west ham is a attacking team and dosnt have a solid defence. but drogba is bether in a 4-2-2 so if i was the manager i will have the wingers to fill next to drogba when attacking. the line up will look like this
————cech—————
bel/fer—–terry—carv——a.cole
j.cole—–essien—-mikel—–lampard
————–anelka——————
——————–drogba————
and i would like to se mikel behind the ball all the time and anelka to fall back when defending so he can pick upp the balls and and pass joe drogba or lampard when counter attacking.
Hey guys,
Do you know that we scored less goals in the league than Arsenal, Man Utd, Everton, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham. Now that’s disgrace for us. Given the quality of Anelka and Drogba that shows how poorly our midfield is linking with strikers. We need to play all four of Anelka, Drogba, Kalou and Joe Cole to score as many goals as possible.
My formation for tomorrow’s game is:
—————Cech———————
Belletti—Terry—Carvalho—Bridge——
———-Ballack—–Essien————-
J.Cole————————–Kalou——
—————————————-
———Anelka——–Drogba———-
————-cech—————–
belletti—-carvalho–terry-bridge
————–essien————–
—ballack—lampsy—-J.cole——-
———-drogba—-anelka——-
I would like this 4-1-3-2 formation which is like a 4-4-2 but with a attacking centre mid (lampsy)and a defensive centre mid (essien) I think this formation is good attacking wise and defending wise becuz lamsy and ballack can track back with essien already there.
I predict a 2-1 or a 1-0 – a hard fought win
My team against the Hammers in the East-West London Derby:
CECHY
BELLETTI-JT(c)-RICCY-ASHLEY
OBI
LAMPS-ESSI
JOEY-DROGS-KALOU
(4-1-4-1)
Subs IN 2nd half: SWP (KALOU), BALLACK (OBI), NICO (DROGS)
I would go for the following-
——————–Cech—————–
belleti—-Riccy————Terry—Bridge
——————–Essien——————-
—–Ballack——————–lamps———-
——————Joe Cole——————-
————-Drogs————Anelka———-
Start with:
—————–Cech——————-
Belletti—-Terry—-Carvalho——Ashley
—————-Essien—————
—————-BAllack—————
Joey—————————Kalou
——–Anelka——–Drogba———
Shevchenko & Lampsy must come on in the second half!
If we aint score in the first half…..no way should we keep on those guys when there are replacements on the bech!!
@18….you r right M_D…we have average midfield…except Essien no other can enter playing 11 of any top club…our mediocre MF is our weakest point…
regarding match against West Ham, Essien should start and play in attacking role rather than defensive…his surges give our attack great strength and keenness which otherwise lacks teeth…
Did you guys read the interview of AG in BBC, I believe?
This “monkfish” demands RESPECT for what he has achieved, OMG he makes me laugh. What a pathetic mind, the guy tried everything to disrespect the previous manager, with digs and commentaries that only HIM and ONLY him could see, and NOW demands respect for what he has achieved????
What has he achieved??? 30 wins or thereabouts against teams of very very inferior quality, and with LOTS anfd LOTS of LUCK, thats all, thats what he has achieved.
Everytime cfc plays a more decent team chelsea struggles badly, or either loses or draws.
I am all for the petition to get him out as soon as possible, and start preparing the next season with a decent, professional, football intelligent manager.
NO I do not believe in second comings, so JM is out, but bring FR from Barca, and let FR get rid of the BULLY and bring NEESKENS, what a management team.
Sorry RA another team to pay heavy compensation, but then again whats the prob?? a barrel of oil will cost $120 by the end of the year. You lose in one you gain in another.
When was the last time Chelsea really dominated a game and scored more than one or two goals? Against City a few months ago?
Come on blues.
Would you have said the same if we had won that game?
Or will you still think that if he improves the squad (which played together for the first team in this final) and wins the league/champions league??
I think it is only fair when you count your eggs after they hatch…
If nothing comes through then the “Frog” will need to leave…but until then am going to support him and the rest of the squad…yes even Lampsie…
After all we are seeking to win…hope we are on the same page on this…
Wtf happened to Malouda. He is Chelsea’s best player.
No he isn’t?
Jose Musumba – we have been asking questions even during grant’s unbeaten run. Cup final defeat is an icing on the cake.
Today Steve clark and Ten Cate should go for this lineup. (Avram Grant is a dummy ,he donot have any part in CFC lineup)..
I will drop lampard , drogba to bench ,Ricardo Carvalho is rested for champanion league match,i will make sheva,Anelka striking partner’s ,i think sheva and anelka will suit ,because they like to pass ball,Unlike drogba ,who like to play’s single upfront ,with his Strong body ,and face he beats opposite defender’s and score goal’s.Also i like to give credit to Sheva for his assits given to drogba for his 33goals last season.
My Sub bench will be with Kalou,drogba,lampard,Mikel,cudicini .If anything went wrong then bring out lampard for ballack,kalou for Malouada ,and drogba for sheva.
—————–Cech————————
Belletti—–Alex——-Terry(c)——–Bridge
Joe Cole—–Ballack—- Essien——–Malouda
————-sheva—–Anelka—————–
not a bad one arun but we should give the other guys a run before the UCL match
Well I am not very worried about this game, WH is not a match for chelsea, shit I said the same about spurs…….
@Jose:
What you mean “which played together for the first team in this final” they have been playing for the last 3 years.
RA should send AG to Israel to get his licence and leave the tactics and management to SC.
@34…thats the problem with people like you…just because our players are best paid in business you think we have best team which is actually not the reality…u also predicted an easy win against Spurs but we were stream rolled…so get a reality check first…and then u can easily see the truth…
25 mins played 3-0 to chelsea, hahahah
3-0 to chelsea and you know what, Arsenal trails 0-1 at home! LOL!
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