Closed Rubin Kazan v Chelsea

[Jase 43,479]

Mirror are reporting that Ake will start at LB.

Wouldn't complain about it. Azpi needs a rest anyway after having played 4 games in 9 days before this. Looked a tad jaded on Sunday.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Save Bertrand for Sunday then.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

take it easy guys!!! don't you remember that roman was Russian???

if you know what i mean.....

WATCH THE CL FINAL AGAINST MANU.

[themightyblue 443]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2306509/Chelsea-turn-18-year-old-Nathan-Ake-Rubin-Kazan-game.html?ITO=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss

[CHOULO19 24,332]

According to the official twitter account, Cole did travel with the team for this one, he could as well be starting at LB and not Ake.

[Jase 43,479]

According to the official twitter account, Cole did travel with the team for this one, he could as well be starting at LB and not Ake.

No he didn't.

Chelsea FC ‏@chelseafc

We've just landed in Moscow. Training tonight at the Luzhniki. Further to earlier tweet, no Ashley Cole on the trip either.

Gigi Salmon ‏@gigi_salmon

So just to confirm no Ashley Cole, Gary Cahill or Ryan Bertrand on the trip to Moscow (Ba cup-tied) press conference due at 5.30pm uk time

[CHOULO19 24,332]

No he didn't.

They tweeted earlier that only Bertrand, Cahil, and Oriol did not travel. They must have forgotten Cole.

[Milan 17,854]

Sooo, Paulo Ferreira at the left-back?

[Strike 7,217]

Sooo, Paulo Ferreira at the left-back?

Malouda has experience at LB but i doubt he'll even travel

[LeonDavis23 371]

Lets try a 4-4-2 for once and blood a few of the youngsters and give some from the retirement village a go

Blackman

Paulo Christensen Ake Malouda

Yossi Baker Musonda Jr Marin

Feruz Moses

Bench: The reserve team

leave the remainder of the team in london to rest and prepare for competitive games that actually mean something

[bushman 2,043]

Bertrand, Cole, Cahill, Ba did not travel to Moscow.

Youngster Ake did. It looks like he will be playing at LB.

Well boys, I hope these players can hold on & advance further.

If Chelsea were to lose tomorrow, no big deal in my view.

[magic weeds 446]

Malouda has experience at LB but i doubt he'll even travel

This guy is not even in London.

He is nowhere near any chelsea squad list in any competition. Completely SIDEKICKED.

[Backstreet09 499]

Lets try a 4-4-2 for once and blood a few of the youngsters and give some from the retirement village a go

Blackman

Paulo Christensen Ake Malouda

Yossi Baker Musonda Jr Marin

Feruz Moses

Bench: The reserve team

leave the remainder of the team in london to rest and prepare for competitive games that actually mean something

You wanna see us getting raped in moscow ?

[laeth 527]

Lets try a 4-4-2 for once and blood a few of the youngsters and give some from the retirement village a go

Blackman

Paulo Christensen Ake Malouda

Yossi Baker Musonda Jr Marin

Feruz Moses

Bench: The reserve team

leave the remainder of the team in london to rest and prepare for competitive games that actually mean something

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha .... *breath*... Hahahahahabahahahahahahahaha.

[Jype 6,398]

Lets try a 4-4-2 for once and blood a few of the youngsters and give some from the retirement village a go

Blackman

Paulo Christensen Ake Malouda

Yossi Baker Musonda Jr Marin

Feruz Moses

Bench: The reserve team

leave the remainder of the team in london to rest and prepare for competitive games that actually mean something

Makes perfect sense to field a strong team in the first leg and fight hard to get the advantage and then throw the tie in the second leg by playing the U19 team.

I honestly can't understand why some people are so much against the idea of progressing in the Europa League. Going all the way would only mean three additional matches and that's nothing compared to the amount of games our lads have already played so far this season. They are professional players who have one of the best medical teams at their disposal to ensure they recover from matches as fast as possible so three additional games shouldn't really be a problem. Reaching at least one cup final would most definitely give the players the momentum to go on and maybe do better in the league as well, that's way more important than resting them for a match or two by being knocked out of the tournament.

Even though it's not quite at the level of the Champions League, the Europa League is still a great competition. We as a club are not yet that big to be overlooking the Europa League, especially given our form in the PL for the last couple of years. Some of our newer players are not that used to winning things in their careers either so they should be looking to do as well as possible in every available competition to get valuable experience of playing in big cup finals and so on.

[Tomo 21,733]

A strong enough team for this. I want to win this competition. It may not be the Champions League but its a trophy and one i want to win.

[Alabama 1,992]

we gonna triumph

[Reddish-Blue 2,347]

Makes perfect sense to field a strong team in the first leg and fight hard to get the advantage and then throw the tie in the second leg by playing the U19 team.

I honestly can't understand why some people are so much against the idea of progressing in the Europa League. Going all the way would only mean three additional matches and that's nothing compared to the amount of games our lads have already played so far this season. They are professional players who have one of the best medical teams at their disposal to ensure they recover from matches as fast as possible so three additional games shouldn't really be a problem. Reaching at least one cup final would most definitely give the players the momentum to go on and maybe do better in the league as well, that's way more important than resting them for a match or two by being knocked out of the tournament.

Even though it's not quite at the level of the Champions League, the Europa League is still a great competition. We as a club are not yet that big to be overlooking the Europa League, especially given our form in the PL for the last couple of years. Some of our newer players are not that used to winning things in their careers either so they should be looking to do as well as possible in every available competition to get valuable experience of playing in big cup finals and so on.

How would you know if three additional games is a problem for the players? They could easily pick up injuries in those three games which could cost us UCL qualification.

We have the toughest fixture list out of the three teams chasing UCL football and you're saying three additional games shouldn't be a problem.

If we had a larger squad or tried to blood in a youngster or two, I'd be more than happy to see us progress in the Europa League...but at this stage of the season, I'd rather see us guarantee UCL football for next season.

The Europa League isn't a great competition & it never will be. It's mainly for Europe's second-tier clubs and a few strong clubs that screw up in the UCL.