awkjello

Last 20 minutes from City is maybe the best i've ever seen

This is just not true... The fighting spirit is soooooo much better. And that's a big step towards getting to where we want to be

Don't understanding all the negativity. Aston Villa is a team in good form with massive confidence. We played far better than them and created good chances. Could have scored one or two more than we did. The first 10-15 minutes weren't good, but we did good from there. Let's start supporting our team and not criticize every little thing we don't like... This performance is a big step up from the Arsenal game.

The bookmakers sees the chance of us beating City as likely as Palace beating Liverpool. I know they're at home but still kinda crazy imo.

Costa, Alonso and Conte(because of the Fabregas sub) made the difference today. Willian was sloppy. Happy with the three points.

Really like this optimistic attitude compared with some of the other posts in here. I agree with this lineup! But, i don't think Pedro will start after his injury problems. He will probably be substituted sometime during the second half. I want to see Traore instead of Pedro. Not Oscar. Traore has pace and he has been showing good skills. With Traore and Costa, Fabregas has two players he can play in the depth. Given that PSG probably will score we need this opportunity. Oscar won't make these runs and he can't even hold on to the ball. On the defensive side we have to do something different than against Stoke. Things were horrible. A lot of responsibility on our entire defensive line and Mikel. Fabregas can't keep loosing the ball halfway up the pitch, he needs to either pass or hold on - not dribble. Baba needs confidence because he looked edgy against Stoke. I would actually prefer Kenedy if he is ready. This is my lineup if i was Guus: Courtois Azpi - Cahill - Iva - Kenedy (if ready) Fabregas - Mikel Traore - Willian - Hazard Costa

Let's go with this: Courtois (why rest him?) Azpi - Cahill - Ivanovic - Baba (Kenedy substitute early would be good for Baba going in to the big PSG game - maybe there won't even be a reason to rest him if Terry is ready) Mikel - RLC (very defensive, but i want to see Matic - fabregas next week, so let's rest them) Willian - Oscar - Remy (no hazard - he needs to be fit next week. Willian didn't play a lot this week, give him some of the game, then give Hazard the last 20-30 minutes) Traore (Rest Costa obviously) Other lineup suggestions guys? I am really in doubt of what would be a clever lineup. We need to rest, but we need momentum.

I want to see the strongest lineup possible. I cannot believe some of you want to rest players. We seriously need momentum more than rest right now. I am a bit confused if whether Pedro is ready or not. I'll just assume he is not. Courtois Azpi - Cahill - Ivanovic - Rahman Fabregas - Matic Willian - Oscar - Hazard Costa Let's play offensively and score goals, THEN we can give RLC some minutes. I have left out Mikel. I know Guus likes him and all, but we really need to start Matic in this game. Let him get some confidence going into the very important game next week (PSG) Matic needs to get his a-game back imo! Hazard needs to score, Fabregas needs to assist, and Baba has to try to forget his big mistake he made in the last game. We NEED to get three wins in a row. Even four. That will gain our momentum coming into the next week.

Sounds good. But instead of Hazard i would probably prefer Willian on the right and Oscar as 10. Hazard is best on the left. I read some place that Hazard as 10 would be an option. But i would choose Oscar over Hazard anyday. Willian - Oscar - Pedro could be an option. You are right about the defensive skills on Pedro. But it is all about which approach we are going to have. Hazard will start if we are going to attack - that's how i see it.

Not true about the season. They played two times against Real Madrid and they could've won both of them. They played well and created almost as many chances as a strong Real team. That was a test. But i guess you are right - that was a long time ago. We have been playing good when we have been underdogs. Arsenal 0-1 and a draw against United - a game where we could have gotten all three points without a sleeping Ivanovic. However we are suffering defensively. I think everybody in here mentions that, but what you guys do not mention is how much we are going to need our captain. If PSG scores an early goal it makes a huge difference who has the captain role. If i was Hiddink i would try to surprise them with an offensive start. Without Matic and with two fast and offensive backs in Rahman and Azpi starting, we could score the first goal. We have to score that away goal and we have to score before they do. 1-1 or 2-1 would be more than fine. Lets start like this ----------------Courtois Azpi - Ivanovic - Cahill - Rahman (no doubt about this defensive line i guess) ----------Fabregas - Mikel (without Matic this is probably what we'll see. I do not think we will se RLC starting in this one.) --Pedro --- Oscar ----- Willian (Rahman does not have the defensive skills to hold his side with Hazard. Willian will help him. Azpi is better defensively - he can hold his side.) --------------Costa ------------ (Costa needs to run in this game. Keeps pressuring. If we want to score, we need Costa to force some mistakes from their defensive side) Oscar has been pretty good defensively this season. He can do some switching with Fabregas along the way. Pedro has a good back behind him which give him less defensive responsibility - this could be our strong side in this game, if he passes the ball faster and runs in the debt instead of dribbling. Willian on the left is just another defensive guardian - we can't play Hazard and Rahman on one side together. If we do though i suppose we play attacking football. Maybe that would be a pleasant surprise?

I like Kenedy, don't get me mistaken. And he could succeed against Vida on their left back. But you are talking about surprise eggs, and i would consider Kenedy being one. Loftus-Cheek. Too unexperienced. Especially taking the importance of the match into consideration. This match is not only about getting into the last 16, but could change some of the players' momentum. Hazard being one. Cesc being another. These guys has to start. Ramires has played well and i really don't think he is getting benched after the goal he scored in the weekend. I could see a Matic - Ramires pairing today if Mikel gets benched. Matic also needs the boost of confidence. Willian - Cesc - Hazard are going to play. Oscar has not been able to hold on to the ball this season. He shouldn't start. I wouldn't complain if Remy starts this one. He could be our secret weapon. The speed, the agility etc. I would love to see that today along with some aggressive style of play from Willian and Hazard. If this lineup doesn't work (like you say, it hasn't been working this season), i agree something needs to change. But today, let's win this and let's give these guys what they need: confidence.

I meant Ramires matic Cesc *

What makes you think that he won't perform? How can you be so certain that these bad perfomances, not only from Hazard, will continue? If we want to turn it around we have to give these guys confidence. If Mourinho and the players don't work together, i believe the players will. It's simply about the guys stepping up, and i have the patience to wait for it to happen. Maybe it is not a lineup change we need, maybe it is simply a new view on the tactical side. Could you imagine a 4-3-3 with a Pedro - Costa - Hazard on top? That would be something. And then let's bring in Ramires - Fabregas - Cesc on the midfield with Matic as anchor. That 4 - 2 - 3- 1 has not been working well. Let's give less responsibility to Hazard and Pedro (when ready), and maybe assign Fabregas to a box-to-box role. These players are good, they have proved themselves, but Mourinho will not change the tactics. Nonetheless i believe in the players to turn this around. Do you want to give all the responsibilities to the youngsters and new players? Baba, Kenedy, Traore? Would you be feeling confident with those guys in your lineup?

I cannot believe some of you guys. It is a disgrace to see so many of you wanting to bench Hazard. Against a team like Kiev who are probably parking the bus today, we need the creativity Hazard brings. I know he has been awful - at least compared to last years performances. But this is a player who brings something extraordinary if he performs well. I can't see any other Chelsea player open up that Kiev team, maybe Willian with a good performance. When we were trailing against Liverpool we needed Hazard to open up the attack. Kenedy tried hard, but didn't really succeed. Willian intercepted the ball often, but we lost possession in the middle when Oscar, Cesc or Costa were given the ball. Hazard played as 10 in the most of his time of the pitch. Hazard can't play 10. He needs to be on the wing to get his free role, and he should be placed there today. Teams still fear Hazard and there is a reason why. Put Azpi behind Hazard like in all the other games. I want to see this team __________Begovic Zouma - Cahill - Terry - Azpi ______ Ramires - Mikel ___Willian - Cesc - Hazard __________Costa Maybe i am just old fashioned, but at least i trust the players who won the premier league last year to do the job against Kiev. These players are some of the best in the world, they just don't think they are. So lets support them and believe in them instead of blaming them all the time. CHELSEA <3 <3 <3

----------Courtois Iva - Zouma - Terry - Luis --------Matic - RLC Willian - Fabregas - Hazard -----------Remy Would like to see Cuadrado, but lets get the three points and not give away anything.