LDN Blue

Cesar Maicon - Lucio - Pique - Cole Xavi© Ronaldo - Sneijder - Iniesta Messi - Drogba Coach: José Mourinho My pick

Goalkeepers Iker Casillas Julio Cesar David de Gea Maarten Stekelenburg Eduardo Right Backs Maicon Sergio Ramos Phillipp Lahm Branislav Ivanovic Gregory van der Weil Central Defenders Gerard Pique Lucio Carles Puyol Walter Samuel David Luiz Leonardo Bonucci Brede Hangeland Diego Lugano Souleymane Diawara Douglas Left Backs Fabio Coentrao Giovanni van Bronckhorst Ashley Cole John Arne Riise Michel Bastos Right Midfielder Arjen Robben Cristiano Ronaldo Javier Zanetti Adam Johnson Dirk Kuyt Central Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger Mark van Bommel Xavi Hernandez Sami Khedira Esteban Cambiasso Attacking Midfielder Wesley Sneijder Mesut Ozil Cesc Fabregas Thomas Muller Keisuke Honda Left Midfielder Andres Iniesta Florent Malouda Antonio Cassano Angel Di Maria Gareth Bale Forward Lionel Messi Diego Forlan David Villa Diego Milito Luis Suarez Didier Drogba Gonzalo Higuain Samuel Eto'o Romelu Lukaku Carlos Tevez Coach Jose Mourinho Vincente Del Bosque Quique Sanchez Flores Bert van Marwijk Louis van Gaal So, who are your picks?

Gotta agree with Shane here, Max. Even though Drogba hasn't been great this season the threat of him is always there. With Kakuta, well let's be honest, he'll get crushed by the Spurs defence, we can't throw him to the wolves at White Heart Lane & expect him to shine. Drogba and Malouda are a must start. I'd personally like to see Anelka there too because despite his criticism, he can still burst to life with a run down the wing and deliver in a good ball.

I personally don't think Eto'o will/should win it. I know he won the double with Inter, but he wasn't very profilic that season, nor is he this. This could be because José played him down the wing (which he hated). Drogba had his best season in his career last season. Unfortunately he played the entire World Cup injured and so couldn't make an impact. This season he's been total shit I don't know about Gyan last season, but I know he had a phenomenal World Cup and he's having a good season with Sunderland, let's be fair, he ripped us apart with Welbeck. So I really wouldn't mind if it goes to Gyan.

You're right. The British media are convinced it's a FIFA conspiracy. I personally think we're just really SORE LOSERS. The FA needs to grow some balls and get over it

All I know is.. What a waste of time sending Delac there on loan.

Hughton for Chelsea Assistant Manager please.

I think Gyan's got a chance as well. He's never won it before, they may feel it's his time..

5 names short listed 1) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast &Chelsea) 2) Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast & Chelsea) 3) Asamoah Gyan (Ghana & Sunderland) 4) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon & Inter Milan) 5) Seydou Keita (Mali & Barcelona) This list will be shortened to a final 3 on December 11th. The eventual will be announced on 20th December. Voting is done by the national managers associated with CAF (Confederation of African Football)

Thing it, technically the FA can't do anything about it because the decision was made to give a free-kick for the incident. It's just like the Gerrard smash of the forearm, to the back of the head, last season. If he can get away with that, surely they have no case for Malouda. Then again, we are not blessed with such luck :\

buying any Alex?

Why on earth not? I don't know about you, but I'd ask Britain's top entrepreneurs to put in a stake if we'd won it. It should be a national duty and it's not like they would not benefit from it after words, I don't think Roman will have any problem doing it in my opinion. It won't be direct cash injection and he'll recoup the money from ticket sales, advertising and general commercialization in 2018.

Malouda could face possible ban

Screwed by the ref too?

I thought he's on a season loan deal? The only way we can recall him is if Mick agrees..

Nono don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're pointing anyone out. I'm just saying lol

I don't think anyone here would disagree with that. Everyone is here through think-and-thin. The problem with our youth system is 2 things I believe.. 1) Scouts and 2) Lack of attraction. Let's be honest, if you're an 18-year old football prodigy if Chelsea or Arsenal or even Man Utd came up to you with a contract, you're more likely to sign for Arsenal/Man Utd. Why? Because they've proven they'll give their youths chances to be successful in the first team. They look at Chelsea and what do they see? 1 academy player in the squad right now. And with the expenditure our club has on players there's always the element, you'll be replaced by someone who becomes popular. Reforms with youth coming into our system can only be a long term thing, which is why right now, I know we can't expect much. The scouts is another issue. Why is it Arsenal managed to find players like Fabregas, Van Persie, Nasri and even Henry when they were relatively unknown? Why did Manchester United manage to find Cristiano Ronaldo, recognise the potential of Wayne Rooney et al and lure them to ManUtd? Because their scouts did their homework and found the best rising stars in the world. We found players like Drogba, Malouda, Anelka and co when they were nearly 25-27 and for 5 season we managed to coast. But now the decline is beginning and we don't have many stars ready to step up The one thing I do love about our youth is, we have an abundance of English talent who look like, one day, they will make it onto the big stage. Albeit it may not be us (example, possibly, Carlton Cole, Scott Sinclair, ect). Arsenal recruit only French and ManUtd recruit anything BUT English now.

Here's someone's reaction to this game, I fully agree with them

Lace up, #EndAIDs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoOlqzIKTcA

I can see why you think that, football is more business than sport these days. Call me naive maybe, but I still maintain there are players in big clubs who are there for the passion of the game, yes they enjoy the financial benefits but they love the sport more. Terry, Lampard, Gerrard, Joe Cole*.. to name a few, play for the game (in my eyes). *before anyone argues with me about Joe Cole, we should remember a) He moved because Chelsea said they ceased contract negotiations and he'd been released & He went Liverpool, hardly after the money, he was guaranteed game time there!

And suddenly that idea doesn't seem so bad to us

Hmm.. I'd still disagree with you. While perhaps it's true we gave him a pay rise, I'm sure that wasn't his sole reason for staying. He's a Chelsea boy, raised through the ranks and shining at the club, a clone of what Maldini meant to AC Milan. The pay rise would've been Chelsea way of saying "we want you to stay" but Terry's response was probably that's the commitment he wanted the club to show, respect perhaps? At the time of the City speculation I think Terry was regarded one of the best central defenders in the game so obviously Chelsea realised, money does corrupt even the purest of men but I really have no doubt he would've stayed anyway.

To be fair, his managerial history shows he's never won back-to-back titles. If he can deliver the Champions League somehow, this season, Roman will give him full confidence.