Chelsea vs Stoke

[Randall 315]

90-0 a goal a minute.

[AlexRO 1]

and half of them (90) own goals )

[Manuf 1,448]

and half of them (90) own goals )

Man Utd style

[Aria 19]

Gotta be an easy win, as long as we're playing these lower-table sides, we have to get all points and score a lot of goals.

Cech

Ivanovic Terry Alex Cole

Mikel Essien

Lampard

Anelka Drogba Malouda

Can't see any reason why this won't be the line-up. Ramires, Benayoun and Kalou to come on.

[Gianfranco_Z 202]

Does anyone know player availability? Most wanting to know about Bosingwa but also what's going on with Ramires... I assume he'll be on the bench?

[Kostas 1,468]

Does anyone know player availability? Most wanting to know about Bosingwa but also what's going on with Ramires... I assume he'll be on the bench?

Bosingwa,who turned 28 yesterday,has started training this week but I doubt he'll come into full fitness before November,Ancelotti said he would need 2-3 weeks of training before playing but I expect more.

Ramires has been training with the team this week so maybe he'll get his debut.

Gael Kakuta was expected to come back to training today but I don't know if he did,doubt he'll make it to the bench.

[AlexRO 1]

The last line up worked superb, why change something when they make such good games ? Maybe some of them are tired, but I don't think so, is just the 3rd game of the season...

[vinhseo 0]

Glory Chelsea . i guess I will be 6-0 again

VictoryMotorCars

[Luke 60]

Really looking forward to this game, its my first of the season, Matthew Harding Lower. I wont be at all surprised if we stick with the same starting line up.

Is Ramires in the squad? If so, it would be good to see him get 20 mins or so.

[Steve 10,227]

Hey guys here are some questions i answered for a Stoke Website:

Steve from TalkChelsea.net answers the Boothen Roars questions on tomorrows big game

After a poor pre-season Chelsea have gone goal crazy, whilst Stoke have lost both league games so far this season, how do you think the game will go?

I think we can get up with a victory but that said i do not think we will score as many goals as the last two games. I can see stoke coming out and playing a defensive game and play on the counter attack. If we can play the way we have the last two games i think we can break you down and get a few goals on the board. But the 3 points is what is important, so as long as we win i will be happy.

What style of performance will Chelsea aim for, free flowing footy or more direct?

I can see us playing with width just as we did in our last couple of games. Playing down the wings and working the ball into the box. If Malouda is on his game and can work well with Ash down the left wing I think we will give use all sorts of problems.

Is this the best Chelsea team ever or at least in the Abramovic era, and can you get any better?

It's hard to say really. I would say this has been the best football we have played for a very long time. Our one touch football is amazing when the whole team is playing well and not many teams would be able to keep up. I think the team has a very strong bond with Carlo Ancelotti which is always a good thing. We have been waiting for a while for a coach to come along and make the kind of impact that Carlo has.

To say this is our best team ever can not be looked past. We won our first league double last season and we broke all sorts of record in the league. Also the premiere league has improved a lot in comparison to four or five years ago. There is no longer a real dominate top four, its more like a top six teams. People always seem to say Chelsea only win things because of the money that we have, to a certain extent that is true but you still need to have the chemistry and team work to follow. So for me personally I would say yes it is the best Chelsea team so far.

If you could pick one Stoke player for your team, who would you take?

For me personally I am a big admirer of Ryan Shawcross. I think he is a really good player and would be happy if Chelsea were to pick him up. He is still only 22 years old and has a lot of things to learn but that will come with time. I think joining a bigger team eventually is something he will have to look at to make himself a better player.

If you could give one of your players to Stoke, who would suit our style well?

Honestly I am not too sure. I think a loan move for some of our younger players would be good. Someone like Jack Cork who is currently on loan with Burnley, I think it would be better if he went on loan to a better club like Stoke. He is a versatile player who can play in the midfield but also sit in a defensive role as well.

Prediction?

I am going to say a 2 or 3 nil win to Chelsea with Drogba to score first. But it would not surprise me if we scrape a one nil or totally blow it out of the water

http://www.stokecity...078/index.shtml

[zolayes 14,489]

The last line up worked superb, why change something when they make such good games ? Maybe some of them are tired, but I don't think so, is just the 3rd game of the season...

no mid week game for us ..so they should be fresh and raring to go

[caesarblues 51]

-=Guardian=-

Chelsea

Subs from Hilário, Turnbull, Ramires, Van Aanholt, Zhirkov, Benayoun, Matic, Kalou, Borini, Sturridge, Di Santo

Doubtful None

Injured Ivanovic (back, 11 Sep), Bosingwa (thigh, 19 Sep), Kakuta (back, 19 Sep), Bruma (hernia, 25 Sep)

Suspended None

Form guide WW

Disciplinary record Y3 R0

Leading scorers Drogba, Malouda 3

Stoke

Subs from Begovic, Nash, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Walters, Pugh, Tuncay, Soares, Lawrence, Lund, Jones

Doubtful Jones (ankle), Lawrence (groin)

Injured Sidibe (achilles, May)

Suspended None

Form guide LL

Disciplinary record Y5 R0

Leading scorers Faye, Fuller 1

[Kostas 1,468]

Di Santo on the bench?Well it looks like we couldn't find any team that wanted him.

Edit: Just noticed that those are just the players who could be on the bench.

I'd love to see Danny and Ramires and PvA getting >30 minutes but I think our subs will be Kalou Ramires and Benayoun.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Having both Ivan and Bos out at the same time is pretty worrying. Say Paulo has to leave the pitch, who plays RB then (Essien?).

Good news is that Sturridge is back and we can (hopefully) expect to see Ramires for the first time.

Edit: Just had a look on the official site, 52% say they would be disappointed with a 1-0 win...Absolutely ridiculous - 3 points is 3 points.

[gary gordon 1,777]

Having both Ivan and Bos out at the same time is pretty worrying. Say Paulo has to leave the pitch, who plays RB then (Essien?).

Good news is that Sturridge is back and we can (hopefully) expect to see Ramires for the first time.

Edit: Just had a look on the official site, 52% say they would be disappointed with a 1-0 win...Absolutely ridiculous - 3 points is 3 points.

This is one thing that has always pissed me off about our fans.. I would glady take a 1-0 every week and win the title 6 weeks before the end of the season ... But i have to admit, i ain't hating the way we are playing...

[BLionheart 516]

don't give a damn about the score , i only care about the 3 points ....

also i will be more happy winning 2-0 with the likes of PVA , ramires and sturridge in there than winning 8-0 without them .

carlo must give ramires and sturridge their chances today specially if we are ahead in the game.hope more than 30 minutes for each , although i have a feeling ramires might start the game

[AlexRO 1]

After two consecutives games that we scored 6 goals, 1 - 0 will be a little dissapointing, because can be interpreted like a... drop shape... But 3 points are 3 points

[Kostas 1,468]

Borini and PvA confirmed for the bench.