EskWeston

I agree, however this is going to be the first time we have really had to deal with it for these midfielders. Before we have either had injuries or Mikel just learning and also playing the diamond to keep them all in the team. Now only 3 of 4 absolute top top class midfielders are going to play every game...

The problem for him is that as far as going forward is concerned both Ballack and Lampard are better than him at it! So he will not get forward as much for us.

Well maka will go back to being rested and saved for the big games. SWP won't be played in the centre after everyone is back and isn't as influential down the wings. The difficulty will be deciding how to play and rotate Mikel, Essien, Lampard and Ballack.

Yup i would agree with that, although having either back to play alongside Lampard and Essien would be a huge bonus. Will be good to have a first choice central midfield again, and just in time to play the Scousers.

This is a very important game in the season for us. To take 3 points away from this game with be massive for us and give us a good motivation to kick on in the league. Having Lamps and Mikel back is going to be a very very big bonus for us and make us a lot stronger in midfield. Yes Ballack and Lampard can play in the same midfield together and they will show that hopefully in this game. It will never be an easy game but i would think we have the quality to be able to beat them at home.

He should get bloody knighted if he does that

It should be that we hope that Ref's can use some common sense and not send him off for nothing challenges.... Would be fantastic if we could put out Mikel, Lamps and Ballack for the visit of the theives...

Nah, it has already been confirmed that his suspension will be served while he was in Africa.

Will be great to have Mikel back, and also at the same time as it looks like we will get Frank back too. Mikel served his ban while in Africa so it isn't a problem.

Again it is funny how these stories come out when we are doing very well and actually look like having a successful season. At the end of the day who gives a s**t! Couldn't care less what players get up to off the pitch as long as they are doing the business on it.

I do hope that story is true, and it would have been even better if the whole team had wiped their arse on it before handing it back

No we didn't fill those slots, Sam Hutchinson and Lee Sawyer went onto "List B" which is for players born on or After January 1st 1986 and to have played for the club for an uninterupted time of 2 years since their 15th birthday. We can only have a 23 man squad because JT is our only "club trained" player (This is a player who has been registered with the club for 3 years between the ages of 15 and 21) This is the sensible thing for the club to have done, Ballack and Anelka can be vital for us and better options than Sidwell and Pizarro.

Doesn't sound much like a coaching role! More like a senior player helping out the younger. Would be good though to have him stay on in a coaching role. Top class player.

Just doesn't feel right. All those people being shareholders in the club with a small investment each just seems a recipe for disaster and to not function properly. What happens when the club needs a cash injection? Does everyone raid their savings and club together?

Yup Ballack and Anelka are 2 quality players and will be a massive asset in our push for the CL!!

Of course, it is completely different to the website thingy model. But it also sounds different to the Spanish model, and i just don't think it will work. Christ could you imagine how bloody annoying the scousers would be if their owned the club.....

Reports today saying that Sidwell and Pizarro have been dropped from our Champions League squad for the latter stages to make way for Ballack and Anelka. I don't think anyone was particulary suprised, everyone (including Sidwell himself) knew if Ballack was fit for the latter stages they would be swapped in the squad. And everyone would rather have Anelka available rather than Pizarro for the Champions League. Ivanovic missed out because you can only include 1 player who has previously played in the UEFA cup and we included Anelka....

But could it work with that many people being "owners"?? I just can't see it working like this at all.

Hmmm, really not sure how it would work with shares like that? It doesn't sound like it is the same as the Spanish model, and i am not sure that the scousers could pull it off either.

Surely there wouldn't be any money to be made in the investment?? I thought the Spanish model works in the way of a sort of "membership fee" which means they then get to vote on the key descisions, like voting for the president ect...

I wouldn't bother either, never going to see the Chelsea first team again, more a question now of finding him a decent permanant club. The now are looking to keep the players on the books longer because some players develop later, but Grant won't make it for us.

We should definately be able to go there and take the 3 points, we are playing well and not giving teams many chances. A big problem this time though will the absense of Carvalho, which will mean a start for either Ben Haim or Ivanovic, will be interesting to see who he goes with. After a extremely busy January with a very very small squad there will be a lot of tired and leggy players which could make it a bit harder for us. But i believe we will win this game.

It's a senstaional record, and one that is unlikely to be beaten anytime soon which makes all the more better. We will keep going as well and to make 100 would be nothing short of incredible. Some hard home games comming up against the big red 3 but we are on a high and playing well and should at least get a draw from those 3 and will more than likely win them.

The interviews with the players are usually worth a read, the past players and youth players articels are usually pretty good. But that is about as much as i read.

They are all as bad as each other, so it really doesn't matter who we have so long as it isn't Poll