Jase

Looks like the news from Daily Fail was BS. Maybe RDM will shed some light regarding the news in his PC later at 5pm UK time. Adding 2 more stats: 1. Chelsea have a 100% Champions League home record against Portuguese opposition, albeit all coming against Porto - P3 W3 F6 A2. 2. Chelsea's Champions League Home Record(excluding qualifiers) - P54 W34 D15 L5. Last 4 actually. And here's the UEFA Match Press Kit for anyone interested - http://www.uefa.com/..._2007685_pk.pdf

Juan Mata, without a shadow of a doubt!

He's obviously getting some hair tips from Meireles.

Happy Birthday boss. Have a great day.

Hope not. We have so many games coming up. Can't afford to get all these injuries now! RDM's PC will be held later at 5pm UK time. Lets hope he can give us some real positive news.

FFS! Do we really need another like thread like this?!!

LOL at the major trolling of Liverpool there!

This thread needs locking...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2124177/Branislav-Ivanovic-heads-Chelsea-injury-list.html According to Daily Mail, RDM is sweating over the fitness of Ivanovic, Sturridge, Cole, Cech, Drogba and Lampard for this game! WTH!!

Brilliant. :clap: :clap:

Fixed.

1. Too lightweight (very true anyway) 2. Neat and tidy but lacked the cutting edge in the passes 3. Does not take much risks in his passing 4. Gets robbed of the ball too easily And among others as well. Then again, he has hardly played at Swansea. Only seem to feature in games that they lose and when they're winning Rodgers hardly uses him at all!

Waiting to see if Pardew and Newcastle will suffer the second season syndrome next season.

No worries. Was just clarifying it a bit. Well, it's the same as us rating McEachran highly while he's being criticized by the Swansea fans.

I just hope his head isn't turned by the Real Madrid interest and the prospect of playing at arguably the biggest club in the world.

@Tomo: Well, I was just pointing out the effect that he had on the game after he came on and not his overall performances at Villa. Nonetheless, interesting comments from their fans but I know some Chelsea fans do really fate Albrighton. He provides a lot to what we desperately need on the flanks - pace, a bit of trickery, directness & accurate crosses. My take on why he has probably been average at Villa is because he's not being given a really good run of games. He's been in and out of the side I believe and don't think McLeish trusts him a lot especially defensively which he can be a bit of a suspect. That said, still think he's one of the bright English talents around.

It can still happen...

Having watched the game again with ease( ) this time, want to point out a couple of things: 1. Collins's goal. Well, think it has been well pointed out that it was a poor defending overall from us. To concede a goal from a throw-in like that when we usually deal with Stoke's one quite comfortably was just pathetic but what was Cech doing?! When Lichaj launched that throw, he came off his line only to retreat back 1-2 seconds later and when Collins headed the goal towards the net, he couldn't get back in time to make the save. Had he just stay on his line, think he would have definitely prevented Collins's header from going in! 2. Ivanovic's 2nd goal. Thought it was a real good assist from Torres but found it slightly funny that he started of standing beside Shay Given only to quickly run towards the near post to provide the flick on for Ivanovic to score. Nothing much but just found it hilarious. 3. Albrighton. This is arguably a hindsight comment but thank goodness he didn't start the game. He was extremely lively after he came on and was Villa's main threat since then. Even then though, thought we looked lost and didn't know how to deal with him. Ivanovic should have probably got more protection on the right hand side but he defended poorly against him and allowed to drill that cross in for Lichaj to score. There was also another moment where Albrighton went down the byline and Ivanovic just stood off him(like he did against Giggs in Feb) and allowed the cross to be put in! Then, when Albrighton cuts inside to his right foot, nobody closed him down and he was given plenty of time and space to put some real dangerous crosses into the back post! It was the same case in the 3-3 draw last season when his floated cross allowed Ciaran Clark to score that equalizer and it appears that we still have not learned for that!!

Goodness me. What has he done to his hair?!!

Becareful for what you wish for...

Against Getafe actually and think that he has more clean sheets than Casillas this season too!

Yup, those are the 3. It's stated in the UEFA Match Press Kit.

That is the only positive I can see IF we miss out on CL and get into the Europa League. Apart from that, I see it as a major distraction because we would surely want to challenge for the title again or at least make sure we finish in the Top 4. Having need to play extra games in the qualifying rounds and even the round of 32 and playing on a Thurs-Sun-Thurs-Sun will seriously disrupt preparations for the league matches. So, it's a 'NO-NO' for me as the negative far outweighs the positives in this one.

We can't go into this game thinking about having that 1-0 lead and away goal. Need to treat this as if the tie is still 0-0 and where conceding a goal would be a disaster.

All we have to remember here is that 2nd leg against Liverpool 3 years ago...