DavidEU

How on earth does that work? Great player, but we can't afford half that.

Explain?

That £286,000 a week is allegedly tax paid too. Ridiculous.

JT. No one else was close.

Tottenham: 1. Heurelho Gomes 2. Alan Hutton 20. Michael Dawson 19. Sebastian Bassong 32. Benoit Assou-Ekotto 7. Aaron Lennon 12. Wilson Palacios 14. Luka Modric 3. Gareth Bale 9. Roman Pavlyuchenko 18. Jermain Defoe Subs: 23. Carlo Cudicini, 5. David Bentley, 10. Robbie Keane, 15. Peter Crouch, 17. Giovani dos Santos, 22. Vedran Corluka, 30. Sandro. Chelsea: 1. Petr Cech 19. Paulo Ferreira 2. Branislav Ivanovic 26. John Terry 3. Ashley Cole 7. Ramires 12. John Obi Mikel 5. Michael Essien 21. Salomon Kalou 39. Nicolas Anelka 15. Florent Malouda Subs: 22. Ross Turnbull, 8. Frank Lampard, 11. Didier Drogba, 23. Daniel Sturridge, 38. Patrick Van Aanholt, 43. Jeffrey Bruma, 46. Josh McEachran.

Lampard and Drogba on the bench. Full team to come. Michael Dawson returns for Spurs.

Can't see it really. Rumour that Gallas is struggling too though.

And the shit from the lane...

No, I don't. But I don't think we have the players to dominate the game in midfield whoever we select, and whatever formation that we pick. As the topic shows, I'd have liked to have been brave and played Josh over Ramires, to give us something fluid and more going forward in linking the midfield to the strikers.

I'm worried about the Gareth Bale that ripped the best right back in the world to pieces for 180 minutes last month... There's other ways to stop the threat of Modric, but unless you stop Bale running at you, getting space, and getting the ball in the box, he WILL hurt you. Furthermore, Mikel has been OUTSTANDING this season. Possibly alongside Pete as our best player, and you want to change his position to something he hasn't done for us in years in our biggest game so far this season? To me, that's barmy.

Your summary of midfield, sorry, is absolute tosh. Ramires to help out Ferreira with Bale? I couldn't pick two players I'd be less comfortable with doing that. All Ramires would do is constantly foul Bale and probably get himself sent off. Essien HAS to start on the right. As for Mikel... just no.

Modric is fit apparently. Van der Vaart, Huddlestone, Kranjcar, Jenas and King all out. Gomes Hutton Gallas Bassong Assou-Ekotto Lennon Modric Palacios Bale Crouch Defoe Kaboul, Keane, Pavluychenko are their only other real options.

Just cos we're shit atm, doesn't mean we're allowed 12.

I wouldn't be disappointed to play Essien at right-back for this one. Carlo has said he isn't sleeping, but if he does before Sunday at all, he'll be having nightmares about Bale against Ferreira. The more I think about it, the more I want to see YJM start, and I've been one of the ones on here saying 'no' for weeks about Josh starting when others have campaigned for it. I know he's probably not quite 'there' for it, for such a big game, but try telling me Ramires is? Josh's performance in Marseille was as comfortable and mature as any of the other 10 players out there, and his passing and vision will do far more for the performance than 90 minutes of Ramires running around like a lunatic. Plus, Mikel, Essien, Josh would give us a bit of everything in midfield and give us a positive, creative link between the midfield and front three. I can't be the only one who wants this?

Would love to see us go for; Cech Ferreira Ivanovic Terry A.Cole Essien Mikel McEachran Anelka Drogba Malouda It'll be Ramires though, surely.

Kalou :')

Julio Cesar Maicon Lucio Gerard Pique Ashley Cole Arjen Robben Xavi Wesley Sneijder Andres Iniesta Didier Drogba Lionel Messi Jose Mourinho.

Kalou and Ramires, oh dear.

Thank fuck for that.

How much did we pay again for Ramires? Christ.

We are woeful right now.

1 Petr Cech 17 Jose Bosingwa 2 Branislav Ivanovic 33 Alex 3 Ashley Cole 7 Ramires 12 John Mikel Obi 15 Florent Malouda 21 Salomon Kalou 11 Didier Drogba © 39 Nicolas Anelka Subs: 22 Ross Turnbull, 19 Paulo Ferreira, 43 Jeffrey Bruma, 38 Patrick van Aanholt, 46 Josh McEachran, 44 Gael Kakuta, 23 Daniel Sturridge. Krul; Simpson, Campbell, Taylor, José Enrique; Routledge, Guthrie, Tiote, Gutiérrez; Ameobi ©, Carroll. Subs: Perch, Kadar, Ranger, Soderberg, Best, Smith, Lovenkrands.

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LivePressConferences/0,,10268,00.html Carlo's press conference, 5 minutes. As for the team, along the lines of; Hilario Bosingwa Bruma Ivanovic van Aanholt Essien McEachran Ramires Kakuta Sturridge Kalou

http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LivePressConferences/0,,10268,00.html Carlo about to talk to the press re: tomorrow nights game. Could be interesting.

You think? Carlo's gotta change something. No idea what though with what we have available. Be brave.