Sunderland 1-2 Chelsea

[bluesman2610 1,226]

i agree no need to rush him but with the way hilario gave up that goal against norwich and sunderland proving over the last few seasons they are not a team thats just going to get walked all over..i'd much rather have cech in net as much as possible

[Kojo 4,676]

Hilario made that mistake yes, but i think he's made up for it from the fantastic saves hes made before that... don't you?, he made some great saves against West Brom and Norwich, even in pre season his saves were world class. I think the positives outweigh the negatives a lot about this Hilario matter, but we definitely need Cech in for United, that's for sure.

[DoubleO 192]

Ahh, finally. International weekends ruining my football Going to be an interesting match. I hope we start with:

-------------------Hilario-----------------

--Bosingwa---Luiz---Terry---Cole--

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

-----------Lamps--------Ramires-----

--Sturridge---------------------Mata--

-------------------Torres----------------

Subs: Torres <-> Lukaku (or Drogba if he's fit already), Sturridge <-> Malouda (and Mata to the right wing), Ramires/Lamps <-> Meireles/McEachran.

And of course, if Cech is able to play then he will be in the starting XI.

Can't wait for the weekend! Up the Chels!

[bluesman2610 1,226]

Hilario made that mistake yes, but i think he's made up for it from the fantastic saves hes made before that... don't you?, he made some great saves against West Brom and Norwich, even in pre season his saves were world class. I think the positives outweigh the negatives a lot about this Hilario matter, but we definitely need Cech in for United, that's for sure.

true but in a league where one mistake can mean 3pts or none would you really want to risk it

[SeB 1,281]

Hilario is not Cech in the air, but he has been excellent on his line... Against WBA without him Odemwingie scores the 2-2, no reason to drop Hilario for a player who is not really fit and who can lack rythm even if it's Petr

[herohero 0]

Let us see what will happened!Shan't we?Such a super game!

[Kojo 4,676]

true but in a league where one mistake can mean 3pts or none would you really want to risk it

I know what you mean, i hate stupid mistakes, it took me a while to forgive Rob Green in the World Cup, but now i just feel sorry for him. I definitely wouldn't want Hilario against Man United, god knows what he would do, i don't think it will be the pressure Man United give, because i think Hilario is very confident, he's just a clumsy person.

[Fulham Broadway 16,393]

3 points nailed on

Long way to travel -and not nice -well wasnt in the 80s

Chelsea v Sunderland 1985 Milk Cup - the benches being used as spears against mounted police. Happy days :cfc:

[lionsden 4,689]

true but in a league where one mistake can mean 3pts or none would you really want to risk it

Petr is no saint neither. He's made tons of errors in the past as well which cost us many points especially in the 2008/2009 season. when top goal keepers like Cech,Van Der sar, Casillas make mistakes, it often gets overlooked. An advantage many lesser known and back up GK's do not have. The truth is Hilario has proven over the years to be a very reliable back up GK and was man of the match vs WBA, Bar the error that led to the goal, he was absolutely magnificent in the Norwich game as well. give the man some due credit.

[We Hate Scouse 10,260]

Epic stuff!! haha

[Fulham Broadway 16,393]

It was mental. The mackens reckon they had 8000 but was probably nearer 2500-3000.

The Sun afterwards had Chels top of the Hooligan League -but we got knocked off by No one Likes Us when they destroyed Luton few weeks later :blue scalf:

[bluesman2610 1,226]

Petr is no saint neither. He's made tons of errors in the past as well which cost us many points especially in the 2008/2009 season. when top goal keepers like Cech,Van Der sar, Casillas make mistakes, it often gets overlooked. An advantage many lesser known and back up GK's do not have. The truth is Hilario has proven over the years to be a very reliable back up GK and was man of the match vs WBA, Bar the error that led to the goal, he was absolutely magnificent in the Norwich game as well. give the man some due credit.

not to say cech is a saint but over the last few seaons including our recent championship season cech was was the reason we even had a chance point blank saves and all..that being said hilario should pay this weekend but that should be his last game for a little while

[manco 38]

Steve Bruce is usually bad news

[bombayblue™ 55]

Meireles starting would be a big statement, particularly as he would have had just 2-3 days training and it would mean dropping either of Mikel and Ramires. That gives out a clear signal of what AVB plans to do with the team.

For me Mikel doesn't do enough going forward, you can defend him and his role all you want but the modern day defensive midfielder provides something going forward. He's been through a lot already this season and I don't blame him for his head not being in place. He lost possession and it resulted in a goal not so long ago and yesterday to Messi and it ended up as a goal as well. Not suicidal, I know, but when your ball retention and pass completion, backwards, are the only highlights of your CV, you aren't doing enough if you can't even do it well.

For all the talk of the Maka role having changed since he left, he still provided more going forward than Mikel does. He sprayed balls to Duff and Robben and there was the classic to Frank Lampard at Bolton to win us the league in 04-05. He had 4 assists in the 04-05 season. Although assists aren't the best way to judge DM's since they'll be more involved with the pass before the assist. So let's leave it at that. Ok, Mikel may not have had the luxury of pacey Duff and Robben but he does now have Mata and Studge and I eagerly await him turning his game around, because even your average joe knows the talent is there, the frustration arises because it is being wasted and for what?

For Sunderland I'd try Frank-Mikel-Raul but I foresee Ramires starting ahead of Raul.

For me Studge has to start and we are all assuming Mata will too, although the fact remains Mata has never started for Chelsea and has had just 1 substitute appearance, however bright it may be. Common sense to prevail and both of them starting wide in 4-3-3. Don't wanna see the diamond against Sunderland, more so away.

How the game pans out depends on who and when gets the first goal, Sunderland will park the Antonov 225, if we get it then it'll open the game up to suit us, hoping the defence will be up for it and Cech will be in goal, well figuratively not literally.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

The problem with Mikel and his role is that in the three games already, we have seen that the back-line has been caught many times with the high-line defence, and he comes back and helps out as a third centre-back. If you replace him with someone more offensive, we could potentially see more scary moments in games, because we have to rely on the speed of the full-backs and/or centre-backs. Mikel has some speed, and does press players well IMO.He breaks down attacks, and sometimes starts attacks. Yes, in the last few games some of his passes may have been array, but his mindset has been dented with the kidnapping of his father!

Unless Ivan, Terry and the full-backs get used to the high line, then i think Mikel's defensive role will come in handy. If not, then we should ditch it. I have always wanted Mikel to be more offensive, but with Rambo and Frank, we don't need - or the mindset is - any more offensive midfeilders. If AVB decided with a 4-3-3, with a midfeild shape of two DMC's - one defensive and the other offensive - then that could unleash more danger (Ramires's speed is one factor at times). Miereles powerful shots could be a large factor, but, we would have to rely on Lampard playing behind the striker, which i don't think he can do anymore. If he played in the offensive midfeilder role (like he did in pre-season), he could be more harmful (he can still find a pass now and then) and play Mata/Miereles behind - but, Lampard has stated he doesn't want to play in that role again, another problem.

[Guest justin_3d]

Meireles starting would be a big statement, particularly as he would have had just 2-3 days training and it would mean dropping either of Mikel and Ramires. That gives out a clear signal of what AVB plans to do with the team.

For me Mikel doesn't do enough going forward, you can defend him and his role all you want but the modern day defensive midfielder provides something going forward. He's been through a lot already this season and I don't blame him for his head not being in place. He lost possession and it resulted in a goal not so long ago and yesterday to Messi and it ended up as a goal as well. Not suicidal, I know, but when your ball retention and pass completion, backwards, are the only highlights of your CV, you aren't doing enough if you can't even do it well.

For all the talk of the Maka role having changed since he left, he still provided more going forward than Mikel does. He sprayed balls to Duff and Robben and there was the classic to Frank Lampard at Bolton to win us the league in 04-05. He had 4 assists in the 04-05 season. Although assists aren't the best way to judge DM's since they'll be more involved with the pass before the assist. So let's leave it at that. Ok, Mikel may not have had the luxury of pacey Duff and Robben but he does now have Mata and Studge and I eagerly await him turning his game around, because even your average joe knows the talent is there, the frustration arises because it is being wasted and for what?

For Sunderland I'd try Frank-Mikel-Raul but I foresee Ramires starting ahead of Raul.

For me Studge has to start and we are all assuming Mata will too, although the fact remains Mata has never started for Chelsea and has had just 1 substitute appearance, however bright it may be. Common sense to prevail and both of them starting wide in 4-3-3. Don't wanna see the diamond against Sunderland, more so away.

How the game pans out depends on who and when gets the first goal, Sunderland will park the Antonov 225, if we get it then it'll open the game up to suit us, hoping the defence will be up for it and Cech will be in goal, well figuratively not literally.

Drop Mikel or Ramires for Meireles?

And Lampard continues playing full 90 mins......

Also have to mention that Terry is too slow for high lines. He should be drop as well and start with David Luiz - Ivan.

[Severinb 309]

I would play

Cech

Bosignwa Luiz Terry Cole

Romeau

Mereiles/Ramires Lampard

Sturridge Mata

Torres

[Melanicus 5,208]

I'm pretty sure Meireles won't start this match.