Sunderland 1-2 Chelsea

[Styles 9,790]

Gyan is injured apparently.

why do I have a feeling that Kalouda will be starting this match? :thinking:

That simply won't happen. He didn't even make the bench in the last game and that was with Sturridge still suspended. His days are numbered.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Maybe AVB will surprise us...

Cech/Hilario

Bosingwa - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Meireles

Ramires - Lampard

Mata

Sturridge - Torres

Alternatively Sturridge - Torres - Mata in a front three, in a switch from 4-1-2-1-2 to 4-3-2-1/4-3-3

[Styles 9,790]

Maybe he will surprise us but I think he will stick with the usual for now. We'll start to see changes when the games come thick and fast every 3 days.

What will be interesting to see is the subs bench. Will guys like Oriol, Lukaku and McEachran all be on there?

[chrismada9 1,948]

Maybe AVB will surprise us...

Cech/Hilario

Bosingwa - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Meireles

Ramires - Lampard

Mata

Sturridge - Torres

Alternatively Sturridge - Torres - Mata in a front three, in a switch from 4-1-2-1-2 to 4-3-2-1/4-3-3

I'd love to say that I do like that lineup, but it doesn't matter what players we have, the diamond NEVER works for us

[Styles 9,790]

I'd love to say that I do like that lineup, but it doesn't matter what players we have, the diamond NEVER works for us

One of the main reasons the diamond never worked for us was because we didn't have the guy behind the strikers. Joe Cole was rubbish, Lampard didn't fit the position and Yossi was always injured. Anelka did OK sometimes. Mata can do that role very well.

[Beast 85]

I'll be livid if Sturridge doesn't start this match.

[chrismada9 1,948]

One of the main reasons the diamond never worked for us was because we didn't have the guy behind the strikers. Joe Cole was rubbish, Lampard didn't fit the position and Yossi was always injured. Anelka did OK sometimes. Mata can do that role very well.

I guess you could say it was a good thing that we didn't waste £45m on Modric then...

[Styles 9,790]

I guess you could say it was a good thing that we didn't waste £45m on Modric then...

Perhaps, but only because he was overpirced. Besides Modric isn't a behind the strikers type of player, he's a deep-lying playmaker and he and a Mata can coexist in the same side.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Gyan is injured apparently.

Yea picked up a knock on international duty. We might see Nicklas 'best striker in the world' Bendtner then?

[chrismada9 1,948]

Perhaps, but only because he was overpirced.

The more the merrier... at least Levy and his shitty little Sp*rs team aren't £45m better off as far as I'm concerned...

[zolayes 14,489]

At last the season will kick off properly. International breaks and the transfer window ruin the start of the season..

Finally time to get our asses in gear .. Expect Mata to start and hope Sturridge does as well.

[Yusuf Quadri 0]

I think of playin mata behind torres and danny

cech

bosingwa-luiz-jt-cole

raul -lamp-ramires

mata

tores-dany

with bosingwa and cole moving at wings during counter attack

[Tomo 21,681]

im hoping for this

-------------------------------Cech---------------------

Bosingwa--------Ferreira---------Terry--------Cole

-------------------------------Anelka---------------------

--------------------Mikel-----------------------------------

------------------------------------Lampard--------------

Kalou---------------------------------------------Malouda

--------------------------Kalou's twin brother------------

[chrismada9 1,948]

Expect Mata to start and hope Sturridge does as well.

I'm hoping that too... both those players will link up brilliantly!

[manpe 10,855]

I've got big respect and like Mikel, but I hope Meireles gets a call instead of him this time.. to up the tempo. With Meireles, Mata and Danny we might finally see a more fluent game and maybe an eclipse of a Torres goal

[Styles 9,790]

I've got big respect and like Mikel, but I hope Meireles gets a call instead of him this time.. to up the tempo. With Meireles, Mata and Danny we might finally see a more fluent game and maybe an eclipse of a Torres goal

Then what happens to Oriol Romeu? Meireles is a CM if he's going to replace anybody it's either Lampard or Ramires.

Mikel and Romeu are our two specialist DM players.

[manpe 10,855]

Then what happens to Oriol Romeu? Meireles is a CM if he's going to replace anybody it's either Lampard or Ramires.

Mikel and Romeu are our two specialist DM players.

Wouldn't mind seeing Romeu in action but I don't think it's gonna happen... My idea is to take a risk and play without a classical DM because Mikel doesn't offer much in attack and in terms of tempo, although he does offer some security in defence.. Meireles and Ramires can both cover further back while the other goes banzai mode in attack. It would be thinkable against weaker oppositions.

[Tomo 21,681]

As ive said in a previous post IMHO our main culprits for our slow game are Alex, Mikel, Lampard and Anelka, if Andre plays 2 of them maximum each game i reckon we will see a completely different ball game.