Closed Newcastle v Chelsea

[ChelseasMessiah 304]

And Lampard had about 5 where he was key to our transitions from defence to attack...if you're going to stick to one-note then the Mikel thread is the place for it.

Newcastle is always a fucking horrible place to go and I always expect a 1-1 draw, but we're the form team in the league and they're coming off a derby day loss. I expect that cheap Away shirt is the only charity we're going to get from Mike Ashley and the Sports Direct crew so for me it's back to the team that won against City and Schalke.

Cech

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Cole

Ramires Lamps

Schurrle Oscar Hazard

Torres

The only choices I'm not sure of are Cahill/Luiz and maybe Schurrle/Willian but beyond that, none of these players has done anything to be dropped whilst it's hard to take much from the Arsenal game and make changes.

Except that's not true. One note or not, my comment pertains to this thread as we look a far more balanced side with players who fit that role, especially on the defensive side of the game.

[Shakez 755]

Mata and Willian deserve chances but at the expense of whom? I would even dare to say Hazard based on his last performance. But i trust José to make these hard decisions.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Would love to see the same 11 that played vs arsenal start this game.

That doesnt mean other players are being dropped, but instead will give all of these boys the chance to play the same unbelievably fast game with quality skill through and through.

I still dont think The three amigos should play together as it slows down our game and doesnt bring out the best overall in terms of the team as a whole, especially with a high pressure energy approach which we have working for us now, with real wing play.

Yesterdays performance, pressing, skills, speed all coming together was the happiest i have been with our play, sexy football over 90 minutes.

As people have mentioned, the balance was so damn good, it seemed like well oiled machinery , reminded me of bayerns style of play.

It will come as a surprise to Newcastle, who would have prepared this entire weak to manage against certain expected starters. They wont know what hit them.

On the flipside, these boys will be rewarded for playing their hearts out and producing such a performance.

Not only will it give them the oppurtunity to win their place back into the starting 11, but also put more pressure on the current 11 to further raise their game .

Moreover, i feel that ivanovic has not been legendary this season and azpi deserves a shot. Mata as well must get a run of games.

Lastly, dont think many people will agree with me here, but Cech IMO has not been that good this season, letting many goals go in that should not have. He needs to be challenged again to raise his concentration.

Wierdly, even though both our first team and second team work with the same philosophy, both have such different identities , its amazing.

Luckily even if Jose plays the first team, which he probably will, we are in a very good place.

Wow....so a team beats Man City and 10 of them are dropped for the next league game to be replaced by the team that so valiantly defeat Bendtner, Miyaichi and the rest of Arsenal's team in the Coca Cola Cup?

I think you gave the game away when you suggested dropping Cech.

Except that's not true.

Well it's my opinion and it seems to be backed up by the stats, although I believe you were going to get onto whoscored.com about their stats not matching your view of the game, so perhaps a correction will be posted on their site in the near future.

Personally I think Lamps improvement in his defensive game (the stats you'd be looking for their primarily would be interceptions and tackles, as well as clearances) as well as a pass completion average that exceeded 90% in 4 consecutive games (if I remember correctly) before the City game whilst including a lot of longer passes suggests he's become an important player in that pivot for us.

[Namika 922]

Cech

Ivanovic - Luiz - Terry - Bertrand

Mikel - Ramires

Mata - Oscar - Willian

Torres

Cech, Iva, Terry, Ramires and Oscar are going to start, no doubt about that.

Willian, Mata, Mikel and Bertrand deserve to start thanks to the performance they put yesterday.

[The Rising Sun 696]

Wow....so a team beats Man City and 10 of them are dropped for the next league game to be replaced by the team that so valiantly defeat Bendtner, Miyaichi and the rest of Arsenal's team in the Coca Cola Cup?

I think you gave the game away when you suggested dropping Cech.

As i said before, all 22 of our the players involved over the last week have been brilliant.

In no way am i suggesting those players be dropped.

It would be an interesting tactic if it were to be done by Jose, which he obviously wont do.

Secondly, the (good) problem with our team is that we have too many skilled players who are playing well , and you dont want to disrupt a winning 11. But then again, it is harsh to make the team against arsenal, who apart from 2 players were close to first team, go back into the 2nd team after such a performance.

That was an idea, more than anything.

Regarding Cech, i stand by my opinion. He is an amazing goalkeeper, but he has been caught out a few times this season. Nothing wrong injecting a new wave of desire in him. This is not to say he hasnt performed well, but it seems he has lost concentration sometimes.

Bottomline is that i thought the team vs arsenal played a very quick skillful incisive sexy brand of football which i hadnt seen since the first day of the season, those first 20 minutes vs hull.

Dont know where that leaves the squad and starting 11..... thats a good problem for Jose to have but i also feel a few of these boys need a proper look in, but at the expense of whom??

Its a good situation to be in, but a tough one to manage.

[MHL 47 378]

Regardless of the run we're on, this is one of those games. If I recall correctly (which, I do...), Mourinho has only ever won once at St. James' Park , and it isn't one of our happiest hunting games. This will not be easy: especially after Newcastle lost in the derby last week. They will have something to prove.

The above is very true, our record up there is not great. Also it's the first game in a month (I'm not even going to say the months name!)where over the last few seasons we've performed poorly. Hopefully Jose's return will put an end to that nonsense.

Let's hope they have a long and hard game tonight.

I'd like to squeeze Mata into the starting line-up. Would keep Ramires in the starting eleven and perhaps give Hazard or Schurrle a rest. The great thing is just how difficult the players performances are making picking a starting line-up.

Hopefully it will a long and happy trip home for the travelling blues.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I have a feeling this won't be easy, mainly because everyone seems to think that we will cruise to a win. Newcastle will have nothing to lose and they'll be looking to prove a point after the derby defeat.

But any way any how we must get the win to keep the momentum going and take advantage of the Liverpool-Arsenal game.

[Jase 43,479]

???? how??? arsenal's GD is 11 and ours is 10. if they draw and we win by 2 goals we go on top by GD. if we win by 1 goal we would be 2nd as arsenal have 20 goals compared to our 16.

Ooh. Apologies. Suffering from morning blues. Saw the wrong column, rather than looking at the GD, was looking at the goals conceded where we have conceded 6 compared to Arsenal's 9.

[aerlgenx 49]

My team against Newcastle:

Cech

Iva-Luiz-Terry-Cole

Ramires-Lampard

Willian-Oscar-Hazard

Torres

[The_Flash 1,144]

I think that team did great last night. However I think many will not be playing at the weekend. I think Mata and Luiz may play though. I mean whoever plays we have shown we have a great squad with people who can be called into action and produce a result. I would hope he would play Torres, Eto'o was pretty weak again last night, and Ba...i just dont know...

[Shakez 755]

Torres, Terry and Ramires are the only locks imo.

[bushman 2,043]

Just hammer them all as they come.

Newcastle, Schalke whoever comes by.

[dalVlatko 8]

I would play Mata, Oscar, and Willian behind Torres because I think Mata and Willian earned a starting spot with their performance against Arsenal.

Hazard didn't do great against City and should be rotated out but Schurrle has been playing great and I wouldn't mind him playing ahead of Mata or Willian.

[dave30 728]

Cech

Dave-Luiz-Terry-Cole

Ramires-Lampard

Mata-Oscar-Hazard

Torres

[The_Flash 1,144]

Cech

Ivan-Luiz-Terry-Cole

Ramires-Lampard

Mata-Oscar-Hazard

Torres

[Spike 12,049]

Yet, Newcastle have both the Pardew and Kinnear factor to consider. If their combined insanity and idiocy can influence this match...well anything could happen. Besides, I don't rate this Newcastle team that highly. They have a lot of talent but nothing that consistantly delivers.

[Korea 734]

Sorry, but the Toon are bad...

Pardew should of been sacked already with the amount of French talent on that squad, they should be challenging for top 7 at least...

I wouldnt mind fielding the same team yesterday for Saturdays game....

Also, with wens big game in mind, it would be beneficial to rest some of the starters

[Irakozium257 350]

I remember turning on a stream when that game in February was in the last minutes and that inbred team had just scored and and all of their inbred fans were celebrating like the primates that they are. Needless to say, I enjoyed their poor run in the end where they got stuffed 0-6 by Liverfool and 0-3 by S'land, I really enjoyed watching that smug Pardew becoming obviously depressed during those humiliating defeats. I really hope we humiliate them too on Saturday.

This team would be so nice;

Cech

Ivanovic-Cahill-Terry-Cole

Ramires-Mikel

Willian-Oscar/Mata-Hazard

Torres