Closed NK Maribor v Chelsea

[beyondinvisible 47]

What are the conditions in Slovenia like currently? Not too cold I hope.

[Special Juan 27,103]

Can't wait for this.....3-1 to us.

[Styles 9,790]

Hopefully there'll be enough rotation to give the players the best chance for Saturday.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Can't wait for this.....3-1 to us.

Really? I can't wait for Liverpool, must get a win to forget about the United match.. don't care too much about this one...

[Special Juan 27,103]

Really? I can't wait for Liverpool, must get a win to forget about the United match.. don't care too much about this one...

I look forward to every game.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Cech
Azpi - Zouma - Cahill - Ake
Mikel - Ramires
Salah - Willian - Schurrle
Drogba

Rotation for me. This team should be able to dispatch Maribor.

Hopefully some of the younger guns i.e. Baker, Solanke etc. get some minutes as well if we're comfortable.

[ParNolio7 285]

Rotation for me. This team should be able to dispatch Maribor.

I think it would be quite arrogant to play a B-team against any opponent in the Champions League.

Okay to rotate here and there but 6 out of 11 should be regular starters.

Also Mikel & Ramires together in midfield, that is not giving me much confidence.

[Tautvix 1,321]

Really? I can't wait for Liverpool, must get a win to forget about the United match.. don't care too much about this one...

Win this game and then get ready for Liverpool... Nuff said...

[The Skipper 20,593]

I think it would be quite arrogant to play a B-team against any opponent in the Champions League.

Okay to rotate here and there but 6 out of 11 should be regular starters.

Also Mikel & Ramires together in midfield, that is not giving me much confidence.

Arrogant maybe, but I'd want to save most of our starters for the Liverpool game. It would be nicer to give some of the more fringe players a run out and a platform to prove themselves.

[Special Juan 27,103]

If Schurrle and Salah are to start they need to be a damn sight better than they were against Shrewsbury.

[Rom2013 446]

Cech

Azpi - Zouma - Cahill - Ake

Mikel - Ramires

Salah - Willian - Schurrle

Drogba

Rotation for me. This team should be able to dispatch Maribor.

Hopefully some of the younger guns i.e. Baker, Solanke etc. get some minutes as well if we're comfortable.

I also would rotate almost all the team. Premier League is the main objective right know and at least until February.

[Tomo 21,681]

I think it would be quite arrogant to play a B-team against any opponent in the Champions League.

Okay to rotate here and there but 6 out of 11 should be regular starters.

Also Mikel & Ramires together in midfield, that is not giving me much confidence.

Calculated risks with selection is needed some time, Fergie use to do it in the CL group stage, yes it backfired twice but most of the time they got through and it helped them remain fresh for the business end.

Considering the circumstance this is as good a time as any to rest most if not all our key players, it could backfire but that's the percentage risks that sometimes needs to be done.

[AswinR 96]

time to seal our spot in knockouts!!

maybe i am being naive or something but would like to see zouma, ake and solanke play ... big opposition and not that daunting and could be a gr8 experience for them...

---------------cech------------

-azpi---zouma---terry--luis-

-------ramires---ake---------

-salah---solanke----schurrle

------------costa/drogs------

costa should start and drogs towards last 20-25 mins

this team line up could really give costa a chance to shine and schurrle and salah to prove they are better than bench warmers...!!

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

I think it would be quite arrogant to play a B-team against any opponent in the Champions League.

Okay to rotate here and there but 6 out of 11 should be regular starters.

Also Mikel & Ramires together in midfield, that is not giving me much confidence.

Mikel still injured, I think. So you don't have to worry.

If Schurrle and Salah are to start they need to be a damn sight better than they were against Shrewsbury.

I think you mean Strawberry

[Jase 43,479]

Play the strongest team possible, kill the game off early and then rest the key players. Getting through is one thing but another thing we do not want is us finishing in second place and face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the last 16. Would like us to maintain or better, extend the gap on second-placed Schalke before we play them in Germany on matchday 5 because that's not going to be an easy match. We may have thrashed Maribor 6-0 in the previous game but one should also remember that they have taken points of Schalke and Sporting Lisbon, proving they do have quality to trouble opposing teams if they aren't careful.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Play the strongest team possible, kill the game off early and then rest the key players. Getting through is one thing but another thing we do not want is us finishing in second place and face Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the last 16. Would like us to maintain or better, extend the gap on second-placed Schalke before we play them in Germany on matchday 5 because that's not going to be an easy match. We may have thrashed Maribor 6-0 in the previous game but one should also remember that they have taken points of Schalke and Sporting Lisbon, proving they do have quality to trouble opposing teams if they aren't careful.

Even if this is the case, do you truly believe we have to play our utmost strongest team?

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Confidence must be high before the trip to Anfield and Maribor are no mugs, although Chelsea pretty much raped them at the Bridge. I'm sure they will play their hearts out and give Chelsea a good fight this time. Jose is no fool, he will send a strong team out there.

Diego Costa

Eden Oscar Schurrle

Matic Cesc

Filipe JT Cahill Azpilicueta

Courtois

[Kendrick 339]

If Schurrle and Salah are to start they need to be a damn sight better than they were against Shrewsbury.

You mean Strawberry.

Although we won pretty easily at the Bridge, this is an away game and we can't expect the same result.

Let's not forget they already took a point from both Schalke and Sporting.

Don't go too wild with your starting XI.