Stats

Seems a lot of people didn't listen to Mourinho's post-match interview. Mourinho said he will play the "best possible team" so bar a few rotations expect a very strong team. Mourinho also said Ramires is not fit to start a game yet so he will most certainly be on the bench. Christensen definitely will not play. Zouma will start and will be partnered with Terry as Cahill is being rested. I am 100% sure of that. Mourinho always takes the cup games seriously and with us having a realistic chance of winning it he will not be getting complacent. On paper, we are by far the best team left in this competition. Really hope we don't see people start dreaming and suggesting they may see RLC in the line up. It is most likely that he will not even be in the squad. But right now I am happy to see a very stong team go and play this game. Derby are a good team and as Mourinho said himself we did not walkover them last season when we beat them. We had to work and this will be no different. In fact they are better this season than last season. Our next game is 6 nights after this game so enough resting period and this is the earliest piece of silverware on offer so it might just provide the needed morale boost to go on to achieve bigger things later on in the season. Think it is possible that we may see both Remy and Drogba start this considering they have both been on the bench for the last 3 games now.

Fantastic assist but still would like to see him contribute a little more offensively.

Bloody hell, You me frightened for a second until I got reassurance

Jesus Christ. Talk about overreaction. He has had a recent spell of inconsistent performances but we kept a clean sheet. He conceced one free kick today and made one sideward header. Was he poor? Clean sheet, won majority of his tussles and we still get his critics trying to bash him. I really don't understand. I thought our defence was solid. It is funny how people think he is playing poor but he continues to be a regular fixture in this team. Azpi was rotated and Luis came in. We don't see Cahill getting dropped. It seems like me and @didierforever are the only Cahill supporters on this forum. And of course Jose Mourinho. I get some of the constructive criticism but the level I am seeing at is way OTT imo. If it was so bad, Cahill would have been dropped. And before anyone says we don't have any adequate cover. Zouma has done very well when he has came in and Ivanovic could play at CB and Mourinho knows he can count on him there. If Mourinho thought that he was playing as bad as you lot are making out he would have been dropped.

I thought he was average tbh. Most of the afternoon he was frustrated. What I did appreciate was that he kept on working hard and the hard work got him a goal. Our best attacking player was Hazard by far. John Terry was immense at the back.

That is 6 goals in 6 games for him

And iseah

Derby are top of the Championship and are at home. If we go out and put youngsters in the team there is a risk. Derby are not a walkover. A game where we should win but Mourinho will take it seriously and by seriously I mean I am 100% sure that the only young one we will see in the team is Zouma. Look at this. You said the first team may be a level above them but Derby "certainly is not". So explain to me why we did not see the likes of RLC, Baker and co play against Shrewsbury earlier on. We saw Ake play and Christensen. Christensen, with all respect only played that game because Ivanovic and Azpi was suspended. Shrewsbury are 2 divisions below Derby so if we did not have those suspensions aforementioned it is most certain that the only academy product in that team would have been Ake and that is a fact. Why do you think all of a sudden later in the round against a much better team in Derby, assuming we get no injuries or red cards against Hull, we will play the likes of RLC? It just is not going to happen. Especially if they cannot get minutes against Shrewsbury.

Mourinho takes the COC seriously. He always has and with us in the QF he is no way going to give the youth a chance. He will want to win which means we will see quite a strong team and with many of the the 'big boys' knocked out he knows we have a realistic chance of winning silverware. I wouldn't be surprised if RLC is not even in the squad.

Are you on drugs?

PSG are better than us my ass. Someone ban this fucking idiot before he continues trolling. We all know it's Nike so just ban this idiot.

It just won't happen. While credit goes to Mourinho for taking the cup seriously you have to wonder when is the right time to play our best talents. Mikel will certainly start and Ramires will probably play if he needs fitness. RLC won't start. If people are saying he could not come on at 2-1 because of the 'unnecessary pressure' then he has less than 1% chance of starting against Derby. Tough game who will have their fans up for this and give us a right go. Mourinho wants to win this competition. I don't expect to see one youngster in that team apart from Zouma.

He is one of the best prospects at the club and this country. He is not going to lose his ability over night if the worse happens. I mean even if it did happen tonight the result hardly affects us. To grow as a man you need to play and eventually, sooner or later he will be played in big games. I see your point but I would agree on it more if we needed to win. Our position is guaranteed. If we only give our youngsters cameo performances in future when are we actually going to trust them in the future?

He is 18. Players play in pressure games at 17. We are top and will finish there regardless of result. How is that putting much pressure on him? I am not demaning he comes on but if he came on at 2-1 what is the big deal? In fact that could help his learning curve.

Mikel has always had an eye for a long pass. He does them pretty well too.

If people genuinelly thought RLC was going to start this game they were kidding themselves. When I heard RLC was going to make his debut I knew it would be off the bench. Baker is currently a first team squad member and he could not even start a game against Shrewsbury so I knew RLC would come off the bench for this game.

You clearly did not listen to Mourinho's PC then.

OMG I am running out of superlatives for Boga. What a goal. Deserves a double round of applause there. 3-0 up. If Boga does not make it here I will be really annoyed because he is going to be a great player.

What a talent. Done some excellent close-ball control and dribbling and the Sporting players could not hack him so kept tugging away at his shirt. He earns the free kicks and steps up and curls it over the wall to give us the lead We since that are 2-0 up :blue scalf:

Edit: Brown is starting for the U19 mate. Abraham got injured.

Really happy to see him in the squad. Always been a huge fan of him. Right now, Baker is ahead of him in the pecking order but if you ask me out of the two who has the biggest chance of making it here, I definitely would say RLC. He has the advantage of being a phsyical beast, very agile, good technically and pretty much everything. I am glad Mourinho recognised his talents and stated he will be making him train with the first team regularly to enhance his development. He can be one of the best B-2-B midfielders if he is developed properly. I think he is that good.

Dyche has no right to play him however it is a shame that we all wanted to see him have a PL loan which he got and it just has not worked out. He has the physical, technical qualites and is versatile. Hope he is not going down the same route as many other players we have seen. Mourinho was impressed by him as well and was even indicating that he would be part of the squad this seaosn however due to ups and down loans last season that never materialised. However Mourinho knows a talented player when he sees one.

Before anyone gets frustrated at not seeing Lewis Baker involved, it looks like he is injured for Wednesday anyway. A shame if he was being considered to play.

Looks like another season of wasted football. Has barely played. When he has not been injured he has been on the bench or not even in the squad. Talent is going to waste. Opinions below reflect what I fully feel. He was one of my favourite players when he was in the reserves. Had so much talent and when he had that successful loan at Watford a couple seasons ago which now seems years back, I thought he was destined for greatness. Nearly went up with Watford that season. I just begin to wonder if only Watford went up. Such a talented player whose talent is not being made use of.

Kane is out on loan to Bristol City. Why he went there I do not know but that is the club's decision. I reckon it will be Azpi alongside Zouma and either Cahill or Ivanovic partnering him. Luis LB. Subs will prob be the usual experienced ones incase of any injuries and probably Christensen. Doubt he will start.