BlueLion.

Put it this way: • Roma will qualify for the knockout stage if: o they do not lose to Bordeaux OR o Chelsea do not defeat CFR Cluj. • Roma will secure first position if: o they defeat Bordeaux OR o they draw to Bordeaux AND Chelsea fails to beat CFR Cluj. • Chelsea will qualify for the knockout stage if they defeat CFR Cluj OR Roma do not lose to Bordeaux. • Chelsea will secure first position if they defeat CFR Cluj AND Roma fails to beat Bordeaux. • Bordeaux will qualify for the knockout stage if they defeat Roma. If so, AND Chelsea fails to beat CFR Cluj, they will secure first position. In case they fail to beat Roma, they will qualify for the round of 32 of the UEFA Cup.

Chelsea F.C. vs CFR Cluj-Napoca Chelsea host Cluj in the Champions League with a win top of the agenda. The Blues currently lie second in Group A of the Champions League, a point behind AS Roma who top the group. With the Italians hosting third-placed Bordeaux in Rome, Chelsea must match the result of their French rivals to ensure qualification to the knockout rounds of the competition at least, whilst if Chelsea win and Roma fail to do so at the Stadio Olimpico, Chelsea will top the group. So how can we qualify? If Chelsea win and Roma beat Bordeaux, both teams will progress but Roma will top the group.If Chelsea win and Roma draw with Bordeaux, both teams will progress and Chelsea will top the group.If Chelsea win and Roma lose to Bordeaux, Chelsea will go top of the group and will progress with Bordeaux.If Chelsea draw and Roma win, both teams will progress but Roma will top the group.If Chelsea draw and Roma draw, both teams will progress but Roma will top the group.If Chelsea draw and Roma lose to Bordeaux, Bordeaux and Roma will progress and Chelsea will enter the UEFA Cup.If Chelsea lose and Roma beat Bordeaux, both teams will progress but Roma will top the group.If Chelsea lose and Roma draw with Bordeaux, both teams will progress due to Chelsea's goal difference, but Roma will top the group.If Chelsea lose and Roma lose, Bordeaux and Roma will progress and Chelsea will enter the UEFA Cup Can the Blues do what is necessary, or will Cluj stun the Stamford Bridge crowd? Match chat here.

I remember times when we used to go and beat the bigger teams at their place before coming back to the Bridge and getting stuffed by the likes of Sunderland and Coventry, I have always been looking forward to these sort of matches, whether we won, lost or drew.

As much as I want to see him back, I don't want him to be rushed back into action only to suffer the same injury again, and we should not risk him until he is 100% fit. Nevertheless, I'll state the obvious and say he is arguably our most important player in terms of defence and attack, and he is a rock at the back and his driving surgers forward almost always lead to goalscoring opportunities.

He's really gone back already? Must have been too cold

Just rewards, then. However, if throwing a coin is worth three matches, surely assault is worth more than a single game more? But we can have no complaints on the issue as we have not been punished.

Same, best of luck

Agreed, would be a stunning signing IMO, even if it is only a loan.

Sell after a replacement is definitely brought

Brilliant

Meh, he'll go and get a job with some Championship side and get them promoted

Acted like he got shot

Arsenal Football Club can suck my balls.

Bollocks to that, when Riccy or JT is injured, who is the one player we can rely on? Alex is one of the best centre-halves in the PL, and what he lacks in pace he makes up for with his intelligent reading of the game and his tackling is second-to-none.

More than a punt, he's a top player who can score goals at the top level. Would certainly suit our style of play because he can hold the ball up.

Have missed him in the big games. He's one of our most influential players, no doubt. Pisses over Ballack and Deco .

To cheer us all up, Burnley have beaten Arsenal's kids in the League Cup 2-0.

Chelsea 1 - 2 Arsenal November 30 2008, Premier League, Stamford Bridge, West London Robin van Persie scored twice as Arsenal came from behind to snatch victory at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had taken the lead through Johan Djourou's own goal as the defender slid in to clear Jose Bosingwa's menacing cross. Arsenal got back into the match when van Persie lashed home past Cech from a clearly offside position, before instinctively finding the target moments later to present Arsene Wenger's team with a much-needed win which keeps their title bid intact for the foreseeable future. The Blues were very professional in the way they went about their business in the first half, but will be livid for failing to take glorious chances presented to both Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka. Missing the likes of Didier Drogba, Joe Cole, Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho to suspension and injury respectively, Chelsea were clearly second best after the interval, and van Persie's brace sealed a memorable win as the Blues' form at Stamford Bridge continued to falter. With the aforementioned out of contention for this London derby, Luiz Felipe Scolari called up Salomon Kalou into the starting eleven, joining Michael Ballack, Deco and Frank Lampard in the Chelsea midfield foursome. Former Arsenal stars Nicolas Anelka and Ashley Cole started the match, and ex-Blues defender William Gallas returned to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea started the brighter of the two sides, but the first meaningful chance fell to Arsenal and their captain, Cesc Fabregas. The diminutive figure's strike was blocked by Cech, whose clearance evaded the onrushing William Gallas. It was a huge slice of luck for the Chelsea number 1 and his defenders, but the Blues were dangerous on the counter attack and but for a number of poor offside decisions against Kalou - one notably after being played through by the vision of John Mikel Obi - saw play stopped. Lampard wasted a glorious chance with a header on 23 minutes, directing his effort straight at Almunia, before the breakthrough came eight minutes after. Bosingwa stole in to take the ball after the Arsenal shot stopper had carelessly bowled the ball to one of his defenders, and his cross towards Kalou at the back post was diverted in by an unfortunate Djourou. It was an immense cross from the Portuguese full-back, and had the Arsenal defender not tried to clear the danger, Kalou would surely have tapped in. The game became more stretched as Arsenal became more direct in their play, and there were chances at both ends that produced an excellent piece of defending from Bacary Sagna to deny Kalou, before Cech snaked out a left glove to stop Nasri's effort. Kalou and Anelka both wasted chances before the half-time whistle; the Ivorian volleying straight at Almunia and Anelka heading wide. The second half started where the first left off, with the Blues the dominant side. Lampard shot inches wide after a ball had cannoned off of an Arsenal defender, before Anelka wastefully shot wide when a cross to Lampard would have been a better option. Van Persie made the home side pay when he brilliantly shot past Cech on the turn, but replays indicated that the Dutchman was at least a couple of yards offside when he latched on to Denilson's pass from an Adebayor flick. And the Arsenal striker made it 2-1 just four minutes later as he shot home on the turn beyond the despairing dive of the Chelsea goalkeeper. Deco smashed a shot over on 80 minutes as the Blues' second half performance was a complete polar opposite of the first. They were sloppy in possession, giving the ball away far too often and making the wrong decisions on the ball. Arsenal were performing in trademark fashion, passing the ball around with guile and taunting their opponents with their keep-ball tactics. Miroslav Stoch came on for his debut late on, but it was not enough as Chelsea crashed to a second home defeat of the season, leaving the Blues with just 12 points from a possible 24 at home - not good enough for potential champions. Liverpool's 0-0 draw with West Ham means the Blues are now a point behind their northern rivals in the title race, but with the Merseyside team going to the Emirates before Christmas, all could change in the Barclay's Premier League. __________________________________________________________________ Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, A Cole, Mikel (Malouda), Deco (Stoch), Ballack, Lampard, Kalou, Anelka Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson, Fabregas, Song, Nasri, Adebayor (Bendtner), Van Persie Attendance: 41,760.

Sent.

Easy to say that in hindsight, but he had been plagued by injuries by the time he left.

I thought that, actually. Play Ivanovic at right-back, with JT and AdC at centre-half. Bosingwa is a hell of a player going forward, it would certainly be another option if we need more width.

As much as I want the boy to succeed, bringing him on against Arsenal was a bit of a foolhardy move by Scolari in my opinion.

Ivanovic has certainly proved his is capable of performing for us, he has been quite solid in every game he has filled in, which is all you can ask of a supporting player.

I'm on about a young striker in the mould of Benzema who is already capable of banging away 30 goals a season regularly.

I completely agree. Under Mourinho he wanted to play for the club because he had the full support of the manager. Drogba is a player who needs to be told he is loved to give him the confidence to start performing. Once that happens, the result is goals. A lot of goals.