Magic Lamps

none of our signings will make up fo the loss of Drogba or the loss of height in general, We will irrevocably lose some effectivity in freekicks and corners. Torres, Lamps and Mikel are all average heading players despite their decent height, so only the centre-backs can be an asset here.

Does Moses actually help out in the back? At any rate, he's got the physical attributes. It's always good to have some defensively capable wingers in the event of playing a still far superior Barca side.

Is there extra time or a shoot-out in case it's level after 90mins ?

yeah but Tiote did not play that well in that match and got injured early in the second half. It was rather Cisse who teared apart an uninspired B-Team with two amazing goals

Courtois is not eligible to play against us.

Players should have nuff time to regenerate till friday, esp as some were rested against Nucastle. Don't know how fast Moses and Azpi will fit in, but I'd rather not rush ist so I'll go for my fav linup (except Terry): ----------Cech------ Iva--Cahill--David--Cole ----Ramy-Mikel-Lamps ------Mata-----Hazard- ----------Torres-------- Think we are slight favourites, as the CL-Winner always should be, but nothing to get complacent about. Falcao is a Top10 Striker (frighteningly 4 of those 10 play in manchester), can create a goal out of nowhere, but we are the in-form team. Expect a tough 2-1 win.

There is one think I understood completely different than most of the commentors here. IMO, we practically played a christmas tree-like version of a 4-3-3 with mata and hazard operating as playmaking wingers, coming inside more often than not, mikel sitting in front of the defense and bertrand and meireles cramming the holes between wings and defense. This allowed hazard/mata enough space in attack, support and defensive cover, whereas also mikel, whose biggest problem is his limited range of movement thrives having a fellow midfielder on each side. So the answer is not meireles and the problem is not lampard, the solution is a mid-three. Hence i think a 4-3-3 alternating with a christmas tree with the same players is our best formation, as it comforts every players strengths. mata and hazard can go outside as well as inside, create and/or provide width, lampard (best position lcm) and ramires (best position rcm) can alternate going forward, whilst mikel has protection

Can't remember any Chelsea player ever having surpassed its achievements here anywhere else in modern football 2ndly the identification with the Chelsea Family is so strong, our top players only leave when the club decides not to prolong the contract or the player wants to end his career elsewhere. The EPL is by far the best league in the world, here is where players peak and here is where champions are made. if u make it here, u have proven everything

As long as hazard keeps winning penalties, Lamps has a chance of topping the CFC all time goalscorer list. - 6 assists, assited 5 of our 6 goals in epl, nuff said.

Referee does like whistling foul but does not like whistling for handball or foul on Oscar

Mata, Lampard need a rest

this one even torres can not miss

Mata fucks it up once again.

Failing to use the momentum a goal gives u a second time in a match: check

CAHILL, ya beauty, knew Cahill had still in it. Symptomatic, Cahill not hazard, torres or mata scores

so its either being killed on the break or winning with studge replacing Mikel

2 strong penatly appeals for handball declined

what a bad, frustrating game. only fouls, no passing, no chances. We simply suck atm, don't know for what reason, except most palyers, above all Torres and Mata are hugely underachieving

take off mata, he is too slow, too weak, esp when he looks as rusty and tired as today

Amazingly Mikel is one of our better players today. The ref is once again a joke, but incompetent refs are barely a surprise these days.

Ivanovic is simply a joke today.

we simply lack quality atm, simply no accuracy, urgency, power

Torres should score that one

Why the hell is Ramires always playin RW???? It simply does not work. Ramires and Iva form a technically far too weak side

luiz is injured