Closed Chelsea v Man United

[didierforever 7,349]

you do realise we have enough cover? you must be a bit slow i understand. let me show you

RB - Ivanovic, Azpilicueta, Essien, Kalas, Luiz

CB - Terry, Cahill, Luiz, Kalas, Ivanovic

LB - Cole, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Essien

Last season we loaned out Essien and then Romeu got injured and were left with 3 CM's so we played Luiz in there and he done fine! Jose trusts Essien to fill in at fullback if we need to play him there! as he done a good job there last season for Madrid! and for all you know we may be bringing someone else in!

essien and kalas. yes well said. i saw how essien performed against sunderland in the COC match. KALAS has been a relevation this season!!!

u do know that one player can play in only one position in a match.

or by your account matic was a useless by cos lets take a look at all our DM options

rambo, lamps, mikel, essien, mvg, luiz, oscar (he played a game in that position under benitez).

the list u have given me simply compresses to this reality for 95% of our games in which jose would not even think of starting either of essien/kalas (remember kalas has not started either of COC or FA cup or a CL dead rubber)

RB - iva, azpi

CB - JT, GC, DL

LB - AC

[The only place to be 11,313]

cos they actually have 3 LBs (evra, buttner) not a makeshift RB (smalling, rafael).

by the way add rio to the list.

Look, we've loaned out a player who appeared in one match for us for just over an hour. He's not a big loss to us in all likelihood, in fact the only person who seems to miss him is you because it means you can't include him in your team predictions anymore.

All his leaving does is save one of us the trouble of pointing out to you that he won't play at the weekend. That's literally all he did at this club.

Luke Shaw on the other hand would probably be a starter for us....not loaned to Vitesse. That's never been our policy and it never will be.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

essien and kalas. yes well said.

u do know that one player can play in only one position in a match.

or by your account matic was a useless by cos lets take a look at all our DM options

rambo, lamps, mikel, essien, mvg, luiz, oscar (he played a game in that position under benitez).

the list u have given me simply compresses to this reality for 95% of our games in which jose would not even think of starting either of essien/kalas (remember kalas has not started either of COC or FA cup or a CL dead rubber)

RB - iva, azpi

CB - JT, GC, DL

LB - AC

so whats your point?

yes Essien and Kalas! you can even add Ramires to that list if it came down to it Rami could even fill in at RB! this would only be the case if we had the worst defensive injury crisis in PL history! in terms of the other 6 players they are more then enough to fill the 4 defensive positions! no one is going to fall down because they are getting overplayed like you mentioned! Bertrand has been no where near playing all season, we simply wont miss him!

[didierforever 7,349]

Look, we've loaned out a player who appeared in one match for us for just over an hour. He's not a big loss to us in all likelihood, in fact the only person who seems to miss him is you because it means you can't include him in your team predictions anymore.

All his leaving does is save one of us the trouble of pointing out to you that he won't play at the weekend. That's literally all he did at this club.

Luke Shaw on the other hand would probably be a starter for us....not loaned to Vitesse. That's never been our policy and it never will be.

first thing first, i see u still have not gotten sarcasm.

secondly, its the mid week FA cup matches i am more worried about than the weekend PL matches. i think i made myself very clear on that.

maybe it cos i dont want to see an already slow AC (who has lost a lot of pace) now playing against wingers when he is tired too. makes out for a patheitic combination.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

first thing first, i see u still have not gotten sarcasm.

secondly, its the mid week FA cup matches i am more worried about than the weekend PL matches. i think i made myself very clear on that.

maybe it cos i dont want to see an already slow AC (who has lost a lot of pace) now playing against wingers when he is tired too. makes out for a patheitic combination.

there are no mid week Fa cup games! they are all played on the weekend.

[didierforever 7,349]

so whats your point?

yes Essien and Kalas! you can even add Ramires to that list if it came down to it Rami could even fill in at RB! this would only be the case if we had the worst defensive injury crisis in PL history! in terms of the other 6 players they are more then enough to fill the 4 defensive positions! no one is going to fall down because they are getting overplayed like you mentioned! Bertrand has been no where near playing all season, we simply wont miss him!

so let me get this clear. iva and AC being injured at the same point it "worst defensive injury crisis in the history of PL"

lets take a look at what happened when we went to barca, DL was already injured, GC got a hammy and we had to play bosingwa in the back 4 after JT was carded.

i can go on and on about the number of times 2 defenders have been injured together (cos unfortunately thats all we need to leave us thread bare at the back).

[didierforever 7,349]

there are no mid week Fa cup games! they are all played on the weekend.

i think TOPTB would have got what i meant to say.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

so let me get this clear. iva and AC being injured at the same point it "worst defensive injury crisis in the history of PL"

lets take a look at what happened when we went to barca, DL was already injured, GC got a hammy and we had to play bosingwa in the back 4 after JT was carded.

i can go on and on about the number of times 2 defenders have been injured together (cos unfortunately thats all we need to leave us thread bare at the back).

no it would be worst defensive injury crisis in the history of PL if it got to a point where we have to play Essien, Kalas and Rami in defence together!

If Iva and Cole were to get injured we could just simply play this team,

Luiz/Essien - Cahill - Terry - Azpilicueta

problem solved.

[didierforever 7,349]

no it would be worst defensive injury crisis in the history of PL if it got to a point where we have to play Essien, Kalas and Rami in defence together!

If Iva and Cole were to get injured we could just simply play this team,

Luiz/Essien - Cahill - Terry - Azpilicueta

problem solved.

ohhhh dear. u do get that any injury is not for a match but for a period of time!!! i was never once talking about essien, kalas and rami TOGETHER.

when i said 2 injuries, it was to show that we would be left with no choice but to play with a certain back 4 for a period of time. no rotation possible what so ever. any rotation would have the likes of essien/kalas/rambo (why????) coming in the back 4. not the ideal situation for a team fighting for PL, is it?

also DL as a right back would be interesting!!!

[Pizy 17,860]

So has Diddling Dave had his press conference yet to confirm or deny whether Rooney and RvP will play?

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

Matic will NOT start, confirmed by José.

[Jase 43,479]

Matic will NOT start, confirmed by José.

That is like taking a needle and poke it on balloon for some after thinking Matic should just walk straight into the lineup...

[Pizy 17,860]

That is like taking a needle and poke it on balloon for some after thinking Matic should just walk straight into the lineup...

He said he's not starting out of respect to the other players.

He COULD start if Jose wanted him to.

[Namika 922]

Wayne Rooney trained on his own with Manchester United's physio this morning, reportsIan Ladyman, but Phil Jones and Marouane Fellaini took part in full training ahead of Manchester United's trip to Chelsea.

United boss David Moyes was hoping to have the England forward back this weekend but that is looking increasingly unlikely now.

[Jase 43,479]

He said he's not starting out of respect to the other players.

He COULD start if Jose wanted him to.

Obviously Mourinho could start him if he wants to but like he said, he's not starting Matic out of respect for the other players mainly because they have been doing well in recent games and got us to where we are now. It's unfair for someone new, however good he is, to just come in and start as Mourinho said as well, it sends out the wrong message. There is no reason for Matic to just come in and play from the start but some think he should. Moreover, that is only one reason. Like some and Choulo - as I remember specifically - mentioned, Matic still need to familiarize himself with Mourinho's system, style of play and what he wants from the players as well as forming that understanding and/or partnership with others. Risky to do that when things could go wrong and be forcibly punished in a game like this.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He said he's not starting out of respect to the other players.

He COULD start if Jose wanted him to.

Was a long shot but it's disappointing. Seems to offer exactly what we need for this game but I suppose it's a toss up between Luiz and Mikel now.

Apparently it's out of loyalty and nothing to do with him needing to familiarise himself with our system though as some suggested. The similarities between the role he was performing at Benfica and here shouldn't have been too vast, especially when you consider we've played a defender in that position.

[zolayes 14,489]

I am delighted Matic won't be starting . However good he needs a few training sessions with the rest of the team.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I am delighted Matic won't be starting . However good he needs a few training sessions with the rest of the team.

He looks a bit like Flo...a similar sort of debut off the bench wouldn't be bad.