steve5221

What about Mikels Mobility and positional awareness, is that where he is lacking?

Hopefully you will bring us luck then!!!

Carlo quote from press conference: 'Drogba will start, but I have to choose the striker to use with Drogba. Does this mean he is gonna go 4-4-2, or is this Carlo's jumbled English??

I would have more respect for the man if he at least tried something different. I think he has an agreement in place with Roman to leave at the end of the year anyway unless he wins the CL.

How many games do we win when he aint in the team?

When will Carlo have the balls to drop him?

lets hope we dont get Real this year then

I'll make sure I hide all the pills and razor blades before the game!!!!

If we have lost because we were crap = disappointed If we have lost because of the ref = Angry If we have lost to Tottenham = suicidal

The changes Carlo will make will be: Drogba 4 Torres Kalou 4 Anelka Mikel 4 Essien

Carlo was brought in for his Champs league credentials, but look at last year. Ok Inter were the eventual winners but totally out thought by Jose.

I think we should all feel very positive for next year and my main basis for saying that is the young players. As you have just pointed out Josh Mc will be a year older and would have been in the setup of the first team squad for a season. He is regarded as the best young English player coming through after Jack Wilshere - who is a year older (it is not just Chelsea sources saying this). Secondly Sturridge, if he can maintain his form at Bolton till the end of the season he will be buzzing come start of next year. As has been pointed out on previous threads Carlo can ignore his reserve goals and against lower oppostion but he will NOT be able to ignore a proven PL consistent goalscorer and remember Bolton are not as good as us. Throw in the talents of Bruma and Kakuta and it is looking good. In the recent interview with Arneson he stated that we he arrived at Chelsea we had a handful of youth players involved in international squads, now we only have a handful that are not. Sure this has taken time but it will be the future of Chelsea and is a business plan all long term succesful clubs adopt. Torres, Luiz, Ramires will also improve next year having had the time to bed in with us. Yossi will hopefully get fit and will be like a new signing. I dont want to sound to negative here, but the things that concern me is the potential loss of income should we not qualify for Champs league this season with UEFA's new rules coming in soon. Can we hit the required criteria without the CL money?? Sure we all want success now but if we want to be thought of along with the likes of Man Ure and Arsenal in 10 years we need to invest and have patience in youth.

The top european sides know how to mark Drogba now though, I think they will all fear Torres.

Thing is he will want a 4 or 5 year contract. Will be ok for the first few years but when 30+ he'll be earning huge wages but won't have the same effect on the side( a la Shevchenko, Ballack, Deco and now Lampard and Anelka)

Please not Anelka for this game Carlo, start with Kalou on the right.

You also need a strong decent ref over the 2 legs who will not be intimitated. In the later rounds games hinge of important decisions. We can all remember being robbed by the ref against Barca and if the ref would have given that blatant pen in the San Siro last year against Milan things could have been different.

I cant agree with you on Anelka mate, I wish Liverpool would have took him as part of the deal for Torres.

we need to remember also he is a long term signing, not an impact signing. Roman has been courting him for ages, come summer City will spend big again and he wont be the centre of attention.

Is it true that Borini is out of contract in the summer and wont sign a new deal??

Yossi if he could get fully fit could do a job.

If it was me i would drop Lampard and play him there. He can however play on either flank of the front 3. Would Carlo have the guts to drop a fit Lampard though?

Will Yossi play again this season??

He's to slow for the Premier league anyway.

Yossi is underated a good little player. He's knackered his achilies though and players are sometimes never the same after that.

If we do end up in Europa even Carlo would play the youngsters!!!!