Strike

i just wish that marin would go to the by-line and cutback once in a while

they have a point though. this is shit penetration. everyone expected chelsea to be an attacking god overnight. we can't even create consistent chances ffs

As is common practice in American sports, the All-Star game is an annual event where the best players in the American league are grouped together for one night. The new format, which began in 2005, sees an All-Star MLS XI take on a prestigious foreign opponent to showcase the best of American “soccer” and it cannot get any more prestigious than current European Champions Chelsea who are in the middle of a pre-season tour of the United States.<br /> <br /> Round 3 - Philadelphia<br /> <br /> Chelsea return to Philadelphia 8 years after losing 3-2 to Carlo Ancelotti’s AC Milan in front of about 40,000 people in Lincoln Financial Field. This time around, the game will be played in MLS side Philadelphia Union’s home stadium PPL Park which boasts waterfront views of the Delaware River 15 miles from downtown Philly although only 18,000 odd fans will cram into the stadium to watch the game this time around. <br /> <br /> MLS All-Stars<br /> <br /> Despite losing their last 2 exhibition games to Manchester United, MLS All-Stars is actually quite a good team with a healthy mix of talented individuals and experienced campaigners. Before the Manchester United fixtures, the MLS –All Stars had an impressive 5 1 0 (W D L) record in the All-Star games which included wins over Fulham, Celtic, West Ham and Chelsea.<br /> Landon Donovan, voted for a 12th straight time into the MLS All-Star team, is well-known in England for his impact in 2 loan spells at Everton and will be a man to watch out for. Chris Wondolowski of San Jose Earthquakes is another talented individual who is currently the top-scorer in the American League with 17 goals to his name. Dwayne deRosario, who scored in the 1-0 win over us in 2006, David Beckham and Thierry Henry all add years of experience to balance the squad while defender Jay DeMerit will bank on his 7 years in England (Watford) to negate the Chelsea attack.<br /> <br /> While Chelsea will be using this game to improve squad fitness, the All-Stars will have to work on chemistry developed over 72 hours or so. Having talented players is of little use without the right set-up to get the best out of them and coach Ben Olsen knows the task at hand for him as he prepares the squad for Major League Soccer’s annual global audition. <br /> <br /> MLS All-Star squad<br /> <br /> Goalkeepers: Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA), Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City).<br /> <br /> Defenders: Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes), Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Ramiro Corrales (San Jose Earthquakes), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls), Carlos Valdes (Philadelphia Union).<br /> <br /> Midfielders: Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders FC), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City).<br /> <br /> Forwards: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes).<br /> <br /> Chelsea <br /> <br /> A see-saw win over Seattle and a shaky draw against PSG might not be the best of preparations for this game but given that the squad is still incomplete and the players are still inching back to match-fitness, Chelsea have made a good start to the summer’s pre-season tour. The youngsters who deputised for the absent seniors gave a good account of themselves while the seniors used the time to get their sharpness back ahead of another long and arduous season. Last time around against PSG, young Lucas Piazon saved Chelsea’s blushes with a neat finish from Ramires’ cross. The goal papered an abject Chelsea performance reminiscent of the AVB era.<br /> <br /> The composition of the first-team will take shape on Wednesday as di Matteo revealed that he will reduce the number of substitutions and give more playing time to the players on the pitch. He also mentioned a secondary formation that the team has been practicing, so I wont be surprised if we start with a 4-3-3 or even a 4-4-2. This may end up being our plan B for the coming season.<br /> <br /> Defending set-pieces has been Chelsea’s Achilles heel for a long time now. While it may have been better last season, there were times in the Ancelotti and Scolari reigns when we used to concede from free-kicks literally every game. To the team’s credit, they withstood a barrage of set-pieces from a certain German giant on May 19 2012 to win the European Cup but the nasty habit of conceding from set-pieces hasn’t fully been eradicated yet. The game against MLS All-Stars may prove to be the acid test for our defenders as they face David Beckham’s pin-point deliveries. So don’t be surprised if Henry heads in unmarked from a Beckham free-kick.<br /> <br /> Team News <br /> <br /> Fernando Torres has joined the squad and is likely to get some game time on Wednesday night while John Terry, Ashley Cole and Raul Meireles are in line for a starting eleven spot. Manager di Matteo has to decide between Lukaku and Torres for the striker role with Lucas Piazon also worth a shout.<br /> <br /> Manager di Matteo speaking about the All-Star Game<br /> <br /> <br /><br /> Frank Lampard praising the progress of MLS<br /> <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> Players to Watch<br /> <br /> MLS All-Stars – Landon Donovan – David Beckham and Thierry Henry maybe more iconic than Donovan but you can’t deny the talent this lad’s got. He is the all-time leader in goals and assists for the American soccer team and a 4-time US Soccer Athlete Of The Year.<br /> His reputation is not restricted to America as he also took the Premier League by storm in loan spells at Everton (2010 and 2012) He supplied 7 assists in 2012, the last of which was a pass to Denis Stracqualursi which condemned Chelsea to a 2-0 loss at Goodison Park.<br /> <br /> Chelsea – Marko Marin – While all the talk has been about Eden Hazard, another new signing Marko Marin has settled in quite well at the club with decent displays in both pre-season friendlies. He was one of the catalysts of Chelsea’s improved second half performance at Yankee Stadium. His speed and dribbling skills makes him a hard man to mark making him the perfect replacement to Malouda’s old left midfield slot.<br /> <br /> Foot-Notes<br /> <br /> A late request from Chelsea means each team will have 10 substitutions. Because he needed an extra player to make that many changes, All-Star coach Ben Olsen called up Philadelphia Union utility man Michael Farfan.<br /> <br /> Landon Donovan has been selected every year since his rookie season in 2001. This, his 12 All-Star nod, sets an MLS record, one more than Eddie Pope.<br /> <br /> Last time Chelsea were in Philadelphia the Blues succumbed to a 3-2 loss against AC Milan with Andriy Shevchencko scoring a 25-yard free kick late in the game to settle it in Milan's favor<br /> <br /> FT Score : Chelsea 2-3 AC Milan - 31 July 2004, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia <br /> Eidur Gudjohnsen, Didier Drogba – Andriy Shevchencko x 2, Alessandro Costacurta<br /> <br /> This is the 7th time the MLS All-Stars are facing English opposition. They have won 3, lost 2 and drawn 1 over the years with one of their victims being Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2006<br /> <br /> Paulo Fereira, John Terry, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard are the only survivors from the starting eleven the last time Chelsea faced the MLS All-Stars<br /> <br /> Click here to view the article

1:55 am in Britain. the only question is whether its +5:30 or +4:30 now.

probably but i think if we are to promote attackers from the academy, piazon is first in line

Can't risk shoddy time conversion anymore. What time is the game in IST? waiting for Capriccioso to respond

yep and i dint say he could. but i have to say he is on par with mata on passing. i watched few borussia dortmund games last season and he was threading through balls with his left foot, right foot, the out-side of his boot and what not. Mata has proven himself in the Premier League though and it will be interesting to see what Kagawa does this season

Hazard's better but i do envy Kagawa's passing. He can replace Scholes at ManU

2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game As is common practice in American sports, the All-Star game is an annual event where the best players in the American league are grouped together for one night. The new format, which began in 2005, sees an All-Star MLS XI take on a prestigious foreign opponent to showcase the best of American “soccer” and it cannot get any more prestigious than current European Champions Chelsea who are in the middle of a pre-season tour of the United States. Round 3 - Philadelphia Chelsea return to Philadelphia 8 years after losing 3-2 to Carlo Ancelotti’s AC Milan in front of about 40,000 people in Lincoln Financial Field. This time around, the game will be played in MLS side Philadelphia Union’s home stadium PPL Park which boasts waterfront views of the Delaware River 15 miles from downtown Philly although only 18,000 odd fans will cram into the stadium to watch the game this time around. MLS All-Stars Despite losing their last 2 exhibition games to Manchester United, MLS All-Stars is actually quite a good team with a healthy mix of talented individuals and experienced campaigners. Before the Manchester United fixtures, the MLS –All Stars had an impressive 5 1 0 (W D L) record in the All-Star games which included wins over Fulham, Celtic, West Ham and Chelsea. Landon Donovan, voted for a 12th straight time into the MLS All-Star team, is well-known in England for his impact in 2 loan spells at Everton and will be a man to watch out for. Chris Wondolowski of San Jose Earthquakes is another talented individual who is currently the top-scorer in the American League with 17 goals to his name. Dwayne deRosario, who scored in the 1-0 win over us in 2006, David Beckham and Thierry Henry all add years of experience to balance the squad while defender Jay DeMerit will bank on his 7 years in England (Watford) to negate the Chelsea attack. While Chelsea will be using this game to improve squad fitness, the All-Stars will have to work on chemistry developed over 72 hours or so. Having talented players is of little use without the right set-up to get the best out of them and coach Ben Olsen knows the task at hand for him as he prepares the squad for Major League Soccer’s annual global audition. MLS All-Star squad Goalkeepers: Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA), Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City). Defenders: Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes), Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Ramiro Corrales (San Jose Earthquakes), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls), Carlos Valdes (Philadelphia Union). Midfielders: Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders FC), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City). Forwards: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes). Chelsea A see-saw win over Seattle and a shaky draw against PSG might not be the best of preparations for this game but given that the squad is still incomplete and the players are still inching back to match-fitness, Chelsea have made a good start to the summer’s pre-season tour. The youngsters who deputised for the absent seniors gave a good account of themselves while the seniors used the time to get their sharpness back ahead of another long and arduous season. Last time around against PSG, young Lucas Piazon saved Chelsea’s blushes with a neat finish from Ramires’ cross. The goal papered an abject Chelsea performance reminiscent of the AVB era. The composition of the first-team will take shape on Wednesday as di Matteo revealed that he will reduce the number of substitutions and give more playing time to the players on the pitch. He also mentioned a secondary formation that the team has been practicing, so I wont be surprised if we start with a 4-3-3 or even a 4-4-2. This may end up being our plan B for the coming season. Defending set-pieces has been Chelsea’s Achilles heel for a long time now. While it may have been better last season, there were times in the Ancelotti and Scolari reigns when we used to concede from free-kicks literally every game. To the team’s credit, they withstood a barrage of set-pieces from a certain German giant on May 19 2012 to win the European Cup but the nasty habit of conceding from set-pieces hasn’t fully been eradicated yet. The game against MLS All-Stars may prove to be the acid test for our defenders as they face David Beckham’s pin-point deliveries. So don’t be surprised if Henry heads in unmarked from a Beckham free-kick. Team News Fernando Torres has joined the squad and is likely to get some game time on Wednesday night while John Terry, Ashley Cole and Raul Meireles are in line for a starting eleven spot. Manager di Matteo has to decide between Lukaku and Torres for the striker role with Lucas Piazon also worth a shout. Manager di Matteo speaking about the All-Star Game Frank Lampard praising the progress of MLS Players to Watch MLS All-Stars – Landon Donovan – David Beckham and Thierry Henry maybe more iconic than Donovan but you can’t deny the talent this lad’s got. He is the all-time leader in goals and assists for the American soccer team and a 4-time US Soccer Athlete Of The Year. His reputation is not restricted to America as he also took the Premier League by storm in loan spells at Everton (2010 and 2012) He supplied 7 assists in 2012, the last of which was a pass to Denis Stracqualursi which condemned Chelsea to a 2-0 loss at Goodison Park. Chelsea – Marko Marin – While all the talk has been about Eden Hazard, another new signing Marko Marin has settled in quite well at the club with decent displays in both pre-season friendlies. He was one of the catalysts of Chelsea’s improved second half performance at Yankee Stadium. His speed and dribbling skills makes him a hard man to mark making him the perfect replacement to Malouda’s old left midfield slot. Foot-Notes A late request from Chelsea means each team will have 10 substitutions. Because he needed an extra player to make that many changes, All-Star coach Ben Olsen called up Philadelphia Union utility man Michael Farfan. Landon Donovan has been selected every year since his rookie season in 2001. This, his 12 All-Star nod, sets an MLS record, one more than Eddie Pope. Last time Chelsea were in Philadelphia the Blues succumbed to a 3-2 loss against AC Milan with Andriy Shevchencko scoring a 25-yard free kick late in the game to settle it in Milan's favor FT Score : Chelsea 2-3 AC Milan - 31 July 2004, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Eidur Gudjohnsen, Didier Drogba – Andriy Shevchencko x 2, Alessandro Costacurta This is the 7th time the MLS All-Stars are facing English opposition. They have won 3, lost 2 and drawn 1 over the years with one of their victims being Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2006 Paulo Fereira, John Terry, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard are the only survivors from the starting eleven the last time Chelsea faced the MLS All-Stars

is he a decent shot to be first team in the future? i don't think so. another one of those who rot in our academy. football is harsh

would prefer a right back. that frees up ivanovic to give cover for CB's as well

Beautiful, mate

strange because all other entries seem fine

i wouldn't prefer PSG over staying at Spurs. As shit as Levy is i would stay at Spurs and help them elevate themselves and that way i still have a shot at joining a Chelsea, Real Madrid or Manchester United next season. If u join PSG now, you lose that option. Next season, if i dont get big offers, i would sign for PSG. Note - I am Luka Modric

yeah but i would prefer staying at spurs to joining PSG, Malaga or Anzhi.

yeah but who'll buy him though? real madrid dont seem like they'll pay 35 mil, united are after moura, chelsea have signed oscar and manc may sign rvp. i think modric will end up at spurs itself

yes but i would prefer a midfield of Oscar and Mikel simply because of the creativity he adds through midfield. what we lose in combativity(or combativeness?), we gain in creativity

while it must be noted that this is still pre-season, the lack of tactics is a genuine concern. di matteo has settled in with this 4-2-3-1 system but he has not kept a plan B in place. We may have powered our way around Seattle but a Plan B is absolutely necessary in a long season. We are just not creating enough penetration in the opposition half. Players are gettin isolated and eventually lose the ball and for that I blame the defensive double pivot. The double pivot is way too deep and that affects the whole dynamics of the game. We are 2 men short in attack and asking the double pivot to pick out the 3-4 men ahead of them with about 4 defenders and 2-3 defensive mids patrolling the midfield is preposterous. the 2 DM's should play further up the pitch giving us a dynamic edge to our attack - similar to ManCity where Yaya Toure goes forward and Gareth Barry/Nigel de Jong stay back. Many of our attacks withered away as we enter the PSG half i.e the transition to attack is just not happening consistently. and also at one point we had Essien and Mikel in midfield In previous years, we used to execute sweeping attacks and destroy opposition. Back then we used to play 1 Defensive mid - Essien or Mikel and Lampard at CAM giving us more players in attack and hence more options to seek.

it seems arsenal will sell and given that united can afford 20-25 mil, i think they Can get RVP. Not sure they really need him with welbeck and chicharito in the squad

Manchester United will become a formidable force if they manage to sign Lucas Moura and Robin van Persie. The attack of Valencia/Moura, Rooney, RVP, Young/Nani, Welbeck/Kagawa looks devastating

joined - The Avengers

not really. most of the mids we have play in a deeper position - Romeu, Meireles, Essien, Mikel If the board doesn't retain KDB, then Benayoun will be the second-choice CAM and to be fair, he was our best player LAST pre-season and it was stupid to loan him let alone to Arsenal. imo. He is still good enough to contribute but yeah, given the overall strength of the squad now, benayoun maybe surplus to requirements

Chelsea are training at weird places. yestrday it was the airstrip, today it's central Park

Bloody brilliant. gotta wake up by 5 am for this. i prefer midnight kick-offs

We have an Aussie admin as well Anyway welcome to the forum