Closed Chelsea v Southampton

[The only place to be 11,313]

I'd be inclined to go with the same team that beat West Ham, but with Torres in for Eto'o.

Cech

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpi

Mikel Lamps

Ramires Oscar Hazard

Torres

Obviously it's a bit more fluid than that but I think that line-up deserves another run-out with an extended rest.

I could actually see Ivanovic maybe getting dropped with Cole in on the left and Azpi shifting to the right, but we need to have some intensity in our game right from the off. Oscar needs to be the focal point because he's completely anonymous out on the wing.

[haranr 485]

I am going to this game. Flying Friday. COMON BLUES!!!!!!!

Please don't play Lampard jose...

[Special Juan 28,141]

A reaction is a must. Be really nice to see a fast and up tempo rhythm from KO.

Carefreeee

[Clevemayer 764]

I would give DeBruyne a go, either with Ramy alongside him, or Mikel and I would rest Oscar and try Mata for this game.

they like to play the ball on the floor and have a pretty good technical squad, at least what I've seen in that two or three games I've watched of them.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

I would give DeBruyne a go, either with Ramy alongside him, or Mikel and I would rest Oscar and try Mata for this game.

they like to play the ball on the floor and have a pretty good technical squad, at least what I've seen in that two or three games I've watched of them.

As much as I adore Mata, I'm afraid this is not his type of game. Wanyama is going to eat him alive.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

My team

Cech

Azpi-Terry-Cahill-Bertrand

Mikel-Ramires

KDB-Mata-Hazard

Torres

[Clevemayer 764]

As much as I adore Mata, I'm afraid this is not his type of game. Wanyama is going to eat him alive.

so oscar woudlent get eaten up or what if I follow your logic?

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

so oscar woudlent get eaten up or what if I follow your logic?

He could be, but less likely than Mata, sorry it sounds arrogant but it's a fact.

[Thendo 1,088]

I think Ivanovic should be rested this game, he hasn't looked very sharp the last 2-3 games. If we go for 4-3-3 I would really like to see Essien play, he is well rested and I think he could do a good job in this formation. Everyone is probably screaming for Mata to play but I am not sure this game will suit him very well, and he will have alot of oppertunities to start in december.

Anyone know if Luiz is fit for this game?

My team: Cech

Azpi Terry Luiz* Cole*

Mikel

Ramires Essien

Schurrle Hazard

Torres

* If fit

[Sovieticus 743]

So many creative lads. But truth is that our team will be looking

Cech

Ivanovic Terry Cahill Azpilicueta

Mikel Lampard

Ramires Oscar Hazard

Torres

[edetarod 2,155]

Lampard and Ivan could do with a "rest"

[The_Flash 1,144]

Ashley cole and mata should play, any word on luiz ?

[didierforever 7,349]

As much as I adore Mata, I'm afraid this is not his type of game. Wanyama is going to eat him alive.

dont think so. i have not seen any1 except for toure causing a problem for mata thru his physicality. we NEED mata for this game to actually control the flow of the game (like arsenal did) rather than playing on the counter and putting th =e onus on southampton.

[Stats 7,144]

He could be, but less likely than Mata, sorry it sounds arrogant but it's a fact.

That is your opinion which I find bizarre. No it is not a fact. If we go out and play the way we are capable of, they will have problems dealing with Oscar and Mata, whoever is in the no.10 role. I would like to see Mata start for this. Been unused for the last 2 matches and I feel he has a point to prove and games like this I believe he can be the deciding factor. Also, why is that a fact because I find statements like that quite stupid.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

thank god for this.

really important game this one. cant afford to drop points. man city wont (they are playing at home), arsenal are playing away to cardiff, and so far cardiff have been brillaint at home in big matches. so we can extend the gap between us and the likes of united, tottenham, southampton themselves while closing the gap with arse.

cech

azpi luiz JT cole

rambo mikel

schurrle mata hazard

torres.

oscar looked damn tired in the game, lamps played pathetic and looked tired, iva will get murdered against lallana and would probably end up giving the ball away by dawdling on it awkardly and he is a definite "do not start" for this one. just have a feeling that luiz would be a good choice for this game. GC might get bullied off the ball by lambert and also luiz's ball play might come in real handy. i still dont get why schurrle has stopped starting after scoring a goal against city and generally being really good all round the season. his directness and his tracking back may keep shaw/clyne real quite and help our full backs too...

expecting a real hard fought game.

Good Lineup, Agree with everything except the bold part. it is only Lallana FFS. Neither fast nor too skilfull.

We indeed looked tired vs BAsel, no fuckin idea why Jose started almost the same team like the one vs WHam in such an unimportant match, when he could have rested for this much more crucial fixture. If we lose to Southampton them and Citeh will overhaul us, so absolute must win.

Last season this fixture was a disaster. Thank we are at home, oscar would be instrumental in that fixture so I am sure Jose will start him, unfortunately.

[FabHazard 655]

ivanovic should not start he cannot cope with southampton's pressing!!

[didierforever 7,349]

Good Lineup, Agree with everything except the bold part. it is only Lallana FFS. Neither fast nor too skilfull.

We indeed looked tired vs BAsel, no fuckin idea why Jose started almost the same team like the one vs WHam in such an unimportant match, when he could have rested for this much more crucial fixture. If we lose to Southampton them and Citeh will overhaul us, so absolute must win.

Last season this fixture was a disaster. Thank we are at home, oscar would be instrumental in that fixture so I am sure Jose will start him, unfortunately.

i am not worried about iva vs lallana in a 1v1 situation. i am more worried of lallana's general play and him running behind iva continously. azpi would be a much better defender in that situation.

[didierforever 7,349]

I'd be inclined to go with the same team that beat West Ham, but with Torres in for Eto'o.

Cech

Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpi

Mikel Lamps

Ramires Oscar Hazard

Torres

Obviously it's a bit more fluid than that but I think that line-up deserves another run-out with an extended rest.

I could actually see Ivanovic maybe getting dropped with Cole in on the left and Azpi shifting to the right, but we need to have some intensity in our game right from the off. Oscar needs to be the focal point because he's completely anonymous out on the wing.

in my opinion, playing with this team would be a massive mistake.

we dont have any natural width on the right. iva is the one that provides it, and with lallana continously running behind him, we would lose a complete wing, defensively and attackingly.

also by playing 3 midfielders, we are going on the defensive. we ll be letting soton play their own game and giving them the conrtol of the match something which arsenal nullified perfectly. arsenal played their own game, pushing soton really deep, on the defensive, thru out the game.

[Jase 43,479]

i am not worried about iva vs lallana in a 1v1 situation. i am more worried of lallana's general play and him running behind iva continously. azpi would be a much better defender in that situation.

That depends really on the type of player he faces. If it's a physical one, then you would expect Ivanovic to win 9 times out of 10 but if it's a pacey wide player or a full back, he'll struggle badly as we have seen in the past. Gets owned too easily at times and once the opposition skip past him, he doesn't even have the pace to track back in time and make a tackle. In the isolated incident of the Basel goal yesterday, had Azpi been at RB instead, think he could well have got back in time to put a challenge in on Salah and prevent the goal.

[The only place to be 11,313]

in my opinion, playing with this team would be a massive mistake.

we dont have any natural width on the right. iva is the one that provides it, and with lallana continously running behind him, we would lose a complete wing, defensively and attackingly.

also by playing 3 midfielders, we are going on the defensive. we ll be letting soton play their own game and giving them the conrtol of the match something which arsenal nullified perfectly. arsenal played their own game, pushing soton really deep, on the defensive, thru out the game.

Not a bad argument, but I think there's a strong possibility we go back to doing what we did against West Ham and force Southampton onto the back foot.

The other option is simply to throw in Schurrle for one of the midfielders and let him and Hazard loose on the wings.