Closed Schalke v Chelsea

[Barbara 15,149]

Schalke's European home record vs English teams - W3 D2 L2. They won the first three but have failed to win since then.

There's no live coverage of the press conference in Europe. Can only get updates through Twitter, live blogs etc..

Jason, do you have Chelsea vs German teams European away record, or somewhere I could find that info, sweetie?

Thanks

[Rmpr 8,977]

Some pics from the training

Oscar looks like a 'trombadinha'...

[zyzz 711]

Jason, do you have Chelsea vs German teams European away record, or somewhere I could find that info, sweetie?

Thanks

http://www.eurocupshistory.com/match/history_land/278-GER/chelsea_fc_against_german_clubs%20

[Magic Lamps 11,473]

W8 D4 L4 ok record, even though except for our win vs Bayern in 2005 no real dominant performance

With their injury list we really should win this. Boateng and Draxler are their only real dangerous players left.

I'd go for a Ramires-Mikel pivot to control those two bitches. Mikel really has to work in this one, cos Boateng will be running all over the pitch.

Oscar and Hazard pick themselves. the question is now Willian or Mata.

There will be a bunch of very mediocre players out there for Schalke. We should really wipe the floor with guys like Aogo, Uchida, Neustätter, Meyer, Clemens, Szalai.

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

W8 D4 L4 ok record, even though except for our win vs Bayern in 2005 no real dominant performance

With their injury list we really should win this. Boateng and Draxler are their only real dangerous players left.

I'd go for a Ramires-Mikel pivot to control those two bitches. Mikel really has to work in this one, cos Boateng will be running all over the pitch.

Oscar and Hazard pick themselves. the question is now Willian or Mata.

There will be a bunch of very mediocre players out there for Schalke. We should really wipe the floor with guys like Aogo, Uchida, Neustätter, Meyer, Clemens, Szalai.

I couldn't agree more!

We need two players there who are capable of defending and covering space to nullify their good players to make sure ours do the business. It's Ramires - Mikel for me.

[Magic Lamps 11,473]

Ah and we should really reconsider playing Ivanovic. Most of the time he will be up against Draxler. He is a very dangerous player. That is why I think Mou will probably play Willian who tracks back more and more effectively. I'd try to double Draxler with Willian and Azpi, who are both much faster than Draxler, so we would nullify his greatest strength- his agility.

[Korea 734]

Wouldn't using KDB and Andre be better...

Both excel in the German league and probably know the team better than anyone else...

[JamesGodfrey 87]

Ash is definitely ruled out of tomorrow's match.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8984359/ashley-cole-will-miss-chelseas-trip-to-schalke-in-the-champions-league

[Tomo 21,685]

If Cole is fit, he's in the team. Bertrand had a nice game but the kid is 24, made 200-odd appearances and is still a fairly flavourless, anonymous player.

I agree with that, he is a good squad player to have and a solid understudy to Cole, but if he was as good as has been made out before, he would have took Cole's place by now given the latter hasn't been that great himself for a while.

[Fernando 6,387]

Some pics from the training

Damn, dude looks mad built here.

If only such scary looking creature was also scary in the field, terrorizing the defenders and such.

[Jase 43,479]

Jason, do you have Chelsea vs German teams European away record, or somewhere I could find that info, sweetie?

Thanks

Apologies for the late response. You could use information from the match press kits by UEFA below when you are previewing our Champions League games next time.

http://www.uefa.org/mediaservices/presskits/index.html

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think Jose is cooking something up tactically. He had the final training session at Cobham instead of in Germay as is usually the case to keep the session private.

Draxler has scored two and assisted one of Schalke's 4 CL goals. Expect Schurrle to start on his side to help defend against him.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Match preview here by @Barbara.

[Barbara 15,149]

I think Jose is cooking something up tactically. He had the final training session at Cobham instead of in Germay as is usually the case to keep the session private.

Draxler has scored two and assisted one of Schalke's 4 CL goals. Expect Schurrle to start on his side to help defend against him.

absolutely especially because the alternative is Mata - who's very slow and Oscar isn't that fast himself either (supposing Oscar plays RW and Mata CAM). Of course there's also Wilian. If it was up to me I wouldn't even have Mata selected because I think this match isn't for him at all, unless he's fixed as a CAM (even then I don't see Mata as the best asset for counter-attack football, something I expect to see us playing more often tomorrow), but Kevin isn't on his best form in the team, so I expect him to fail to be selected.

Oscar looks like a 'trombadinha'...

he does look like a hobo

edit:

also the press conference report

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3505041/title/mourinho-we-need-points

[CHOULO19 24,332]

absolutely especially because the alternative is Mata - who's very slow and Oscar isn't that fast himself either (supposing Oscar plays RW and Mata CAM). Of course there's also Wilian. If it was up to me I wouldn't even have Mata selected because I think this match isn't for him at all, unless he's fixed as a CAM (even then I don't see Mata as the best asset for counter-attack football, something I expect to see us playing more often tomorrow), but Kevin isn't on his best form in the team, so I expect him to fail to be selected.

Agree about Mata, this isn't his kind of game at all. Willian's work-rate looks great so far, but I don't think he's fit in 100% yet.

[Pizy 17,867]

Oh, it's okay FOX. I'm sure there are millions of Americans just DYING to watch Celtic v Ajax tomorrow.

Seriously, Chelsea is hugely popular and rapidly growing here in the States and I haven't been able to watch a single bloody one of our CL matches so far and tomorrow's isn't televised either.

So fucking annoying that I just want to strangle whoever decides which games are on.

[Jase 43,479]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxUznm_KM4

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

Big game tomorrow night! Hoping for a sneaky win here.

I'd go with:

Cech

Azpi Cahill Terry Bertrand

Ramires Lamps

De Bruyne Oscar Schurrle

Torres

I'd like to see us take advantage of the Bundesliga experience we have in the squad with Schurrle (if fit to start) and De Bruyne (who should be ready to prove himself on the big stage). I picked Torres over Eto'o because I think we could do with his new found work ethic, making sure the defenders don't get too much peace. I also always think we look stronger with Cahill and JT especially away from home. Azpi comes in for a bit more attacking impetus on the right hand side.

COME ON CHELSEA!

Prediction: 1-0 Scorer: Oscar our Champions League hero!