Closed Chelsea v Schalke

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

From Jose words, it seems he will play Costa every time he is fit. Scary..

[Special Juan 28,187]

They got a seeing too by Monchengladbach apparently at the weekend.

[ParNolio7 285]

Courtois

Dave - Iva - Cahill - Luis

Matic - Cesc

Oscar - Hazard - Schürrle

Costa

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

People are underrating our squad depth. Schalke is a decent team but IMO resting the likes of Terry, Ivanovic, Fabregas, Costa and replacing them with Zouma, Luis, Willian and Remy is okay, it's still a strong team we're putting out there.

I doubt VERY highly on matchday 1 that Jose will rotate the squad that much. The players you've mentioned are the keys to our success so far and lets not forget we're still developing our understanding and identity... Zouma and Luis will get in the League Cup and Remy may get a start in the Champions League because of Costa's hamstring, other than that its gonna be more of the same and rightfully so. We can't go into the competition underestimating our opponents, if we win our first 4 in the champions league then we can start to rest players since qualification is all but clinched.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Mou said it's very important to win the first CL game at home so I'm expecting a very strong line up. We will try to kill the match before the HT so we can rest some key players for City. Expecting Cesc,Costa, Hazard, Matic all to start with our senior defenders. The only changes I'm expecting is Filipe Luis for Azpi/Iva and Salah/Schurrle to start this one.

Against City we will probably start with: Courtois, Iva, Gary,JT, Azpi, Matic, Cesc, Mikel/Rambo, Hazard, Willian, Costa. (4-3-3)

So I think the line up for Schalke will be: Courtois, Azpi/Iva, Gary, JT, Luis, Cesc, Matic, Salah/Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, Costa. (4-2-3-1)

Mikel is more likely to start in the champions league than he is at City.

Could see Matic being rested for Sunday in favour of Mikel actually, makes sense since we're at home and won't need to play a lot on the counter.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I doubt VERY highly on matchday 1 that Jose will rotate the squad that much. The players you've mentioned are the keys to our success so far and lets not forget we're still developing our understanding and identity... Zouma and Luis will get in the League Cup and Remy may get a start in the Champions League because of Costa's hamstring, other than that its gonna be more of the same and rightfully so. We can't go into the competition underestimating our opponents, if we win our first 4 in the champions league then we can start to rest players since qualification is all but clinched.

We are still developing our understanding but doesn't mean we should flog our first XI until they've fully understood everything. Besides, our squad players need to buy into our philosophy as well, and they are all decent enough for us to do a job over Schalke.

Yeah, Schalke are a good team but they aren't tougher than most we've faced already this season, especially on current form. Again, I'm not saying Jose will change or rotate that many, it's just something I'd like to see. I do expect at least 2 or 3 changes though - we have a very important game against City this weekend and we need to ensure our better players are fresh for that game.

[stroey 2,525]

Mikel is more likely to start in the champions league than he is at City.

Could see Matic being rested for Sunday in favour of Mikel actually, makes sense since we're at home and won't need to play a lot on the counter.

Yep, we need that extra defensive power in the midfield which Luiz gave us last season against City. Hope Ramires can provide that if Mikel doesn't play.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

We are still developing our understanding but doesn't mean we should flog our first XI until they've fully understood everything. Besides, our squad players need to buy into our philosophy as well, and they are all decent enough for us to do a job over Schalke.

Yeah, Schalke are a good team but they aren't tougher than most we've faced already this season, especially on current form. Again, I'm not saying Jose will change or rotate that many, it's just something I'd like to see. I do expect at least 2 or 3 changes though - we have a very important game against City this weekend and we need to ensure our better players are fresh for that game.

Its not like we play City on Saturday and its not like they aren't playing midweek as well. Its hardly a flogging at the beginning of the campaign anyways, these guys are professionals in top shape the fatigue settles in after Christmas right now they should be rearing to go. The time to blood in new players is in lesser games like the League Cup, matchday one is huge and I seriously doubt Jose takes it for granted. Last year we did and got our hides handed to us...

I'm not sure how you can measure a team that we haven't faced vs. teams that we have. Every team has their own profile and present new challenges and its all about how we match up against what they like to do. Its not as easy as saying 'Schalke lost to a German team and we beat Everton so we should smash them' football is always gonna be about form and our XI is in a good run of form right now, no sense in chopping and changing the core of that side because we have a game on Sunday. There will be many cases this season where we will have to play two games a week and its something we have to be prepared for, not saying no rotation but I'm not a fan of making 4 changes from a winning side in an important match. We need to carry on with our positive play and build on the understanding we're developing.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Its not like we play City on Saturday and its not like they aren't playing midweek as well. Its hardly a flogging at the beginning of the campaign anyways, these guys are professionals in top shape the fatigue settles in after Christmas right now they should be rearing to go. The time to blood in new players is in lesser games like the League Cup, matchday one is huge and I seriously doubt Jose takes it for granted. Last year we did and got our hides handed to us...

I'm not sure how you can measure a team that we haven't faced vs. teams that we have. Every team has their own profile and present new challenges and its all about how we match up against what they like to do. Its not as easy as saying 'Schalke lost to a German team and we beat Everton so we should smash them' football is always gonna be about form and our XI is in a good run of form right now, no sense in chopping and changing the core of that side because we have a game on Sunday. There will be many cases this season where we will have to play two games a week and its something we have to be prepared for, not saying no rotation but I'm not a fan of making 4 changes from a winning side in an important match. We need to carry on with our positive play and build on the understanding we're developing.

You do know Schalke have had a very bad start to the season right? They are currently 3rd bottom in the Bundesliga and have quite a few players out injured. It's not like we're facing a fully fit Schalke brimming with confidence.

Honestly I don't see anything wrong with at least rotating 2 or 3 players. I think we have 4/5 games on in the space of the next two weeks, squad rotation at this point is important. The drop off in quality (i.e. Our replacements) isn't that high either. We should be able to beat this Schalke team without playing our entire first XI.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

There is a time and a place to rest players and this isnt it.

Courtois

Ivanovic - Cahill - Terry - F.Luis

Fabregas - Matic

Remy - Oscar - Hazard

Costa

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

You do know Schalke have had a very bad start to the season right? They are currently 3rd bottom in the Bundesliga and have quite a few players out injured. It's not like we're facing a fully fit Schalke brimming with confidence.

Honestly I don't see anything wrong with at least rotating 2 or 3 players. I think we have 4/5 games on in the space of the next two weeks, squad rotation at this point is important. The drop off in quality (i.e. Our replacements) isn't that high either. We should be able to beat this Schalke team without playing our entire first XI.

I wouldn't be so cavalier is all I'm saying and I doubt Jose will either. Football is a funny game in that one week you can look like the shittiest team in Europe and the very next you turn it on and smash Madrid... We have to prepare for the best Schalke, not the one who lost to a German opponent, thats how I see it anyway... when you underestimate you're opponent you are setting yourself for a fall(ask Utd who played MK Dons and got smashed 4-0) I don't care what the circumstances are this is the Champions League and no team is to be taken for granted.

As far as the rotation I'm not against it, its making 4 or 5 changes before a big match that I'm opposed to. Even if we're targeting City its always best to have players carry on with the good form rather then sub them out and risk losing the continuity. Don't dismiss the fact this is still a team that is still finding its understanding of one another. When you bring in guys off the bench in large numbers the communication takes a lot longer to bed in, it becomes more about individuals and less about team. Its precisely why we almost NEVER run up the score in the League Cup and also why Jose goes with such a small squad. There will be time to rotate 4-5 players its just not before our first Champions League game... that's what my belief is anyway.

[iseah100 5,612]

Maybe we shouldn't rest players, beginning of the season these guys should be in shape. Costa and Hazard for 45 minutes would be fine though. And Luis starting.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

I see no reason why Hazard shouldn't play all 90 minutes. He didn't have international games, so he doesn't need rest as much as those who played do.

[Jase 43,479]

A Serbian referee - Milorad Mazic - is gonna officiate this game. He refereed our away game against PSG last season.

Time to do your job Ivanovic.

[thekid9 418]

Torres scored 4 in 9. Including 2 in one game.

Eto'o scored 3 in 9. Including 2 in one game.

Ba scored 3 in 6. From one start.

You're right, thats not that bad. But if we go far in the tournament this year, it wouldn't be surprising if Costa scores that many combined by himself.

Yeah I know,

The only point I was making, is that the Poster I referring to kind of Implied that we got there without our strikers contributing....which is clearly wrong...

YES Costa & Remy will hopefully make a big difference though

[OneMoSalah 8,887]

We are still developing our understanding but doesn't mean we should flog our first XI until they've fully understood everything. Besides, our squad players need to buy into our philosophy as well, and they are all decent enough for us to do a job over Schalke.

Yeah, Schalke are a good team but they aren't tougher than most we've faced already this season, especially on current form. Again, I'm not saying Jose will change or rotate that many, it's just something I'd like to see. I do expect at least 2 or 3 changes though - we have a very important game against City this weekend and we need to ensure our better players are fresh for that game.

You have to remember the problems they gave us last year (with a lot of injuries in their squad) with a similar team bar Courtois, Matic, Cesc and Costa. They are better than anything we've faced so far this season. I would hope Jose doesn't go daft and swap 3 or 4 players. Maybe Costa could do with a rest but how do you justify resting a player with 7 goals in 4 games for a game that is 4 days after this one?

[The Skipper 20,609]

They are better than anything we've faced so far this season.

Completely disagree, certainly not in this state. They've started off very badly in the Bundesliga and have got quite a few key injuries. We've faced better teams (on current form and situation) in Everton and Swansea.

[Jase 43,479]

Blues gear up as quest for European glory begins

[Barbara 15,149]

Half of Schalke's team is injured, that's why they had a less than impressive start of season. Some of them are expected to be fit against us, so I expect some slight improvement already. They were sort of lucky getting us as their first match. The odds of them beating us at the Bridge with their full squad fit were already sort of small, at least for the other matches against the weaker sides they'll have most of their players (if not all) already recovered. And there's no way they're currently the strongest side we've played this year. Everton and Swansea are stronger and maybe Leicester is more organized and well put together than them now.

On our side though I could see some rotation if Costa really had some muscle issues in the last two weeks, even if they're small. Rest the guy, leave him in the bench and if we're in trouble, release the beast. It has nothing to do with Remy deserving to play yadda, yadda. It's just so we rest a player that could possibly be a stiff away from a hamstring injury that could get him out of the team for a couple of weeks (or even longer). Why risk, especially with City away around the corner? Hazard was spared from Belgium because of an injury. If it's worth giving him a rest because of it, I'd take it too.

I don't see a point for either Schurrle or Salah to start this match - unless Mourinho wants to please them. We won't play counter... Schalke won't dominate the midfield, won't have possession. It isn't a game that would need someone of their characteristics, but I would understand they could play.

I really want to see Luís though. If he doesn't start now, it'd be a shame. I know we have a League Cup coming next week, and then he'll certainly start, but I think he could play against Schalke in an UCL match. He has the experience, it won't be as physical as the EPL matches and we need to start introducing a player we spent some decent amount of money on.

I don't see a need for Terry to rest so early in the season. He seems to be physically fine... it might help him to reach his better fitness sooner actually. Saved for injuries, the most they play now, the sooner they'll get 100% fit physically.

All in all, I'd play Luís, no matter what, I'd rest Costa to prevent an injury (Remy should be enough to handle Schalke and Costa would be in the bench anyway) and I'd rest Hazard if he also has a minor physical issue. All the rest I'd keep the same. We could do the opposite too. Start Costa and Hazard and if the match is already dealt with by the end of the first half, get them subbed during half time.

I don't get though why people are suggesting Cesc should be rested... First, we don't have a replacement for him (while Remy is no Costa, he's a decent striker, we have no decent midfield play-maker in the team. Oscar and Ramires are off and on regarding that, and still they don't come even close); second, he doesn't have a physical issue; third, playing him now is giving him a chance to keep assisting and maybe even scoring - that will only increase his already sky high confidence.

We have a new style that is quite based on Cesc playing everyone in. I even go as far as saying it'd be great for him to get a chance to play with other players that normally will only come as subs so they can develop an understanding between them too. I'd play him no matter what.

[OneMoSalah 8,887]

Completely disagree, certainly not in this state. They've started off very badly in the Bundesliga and have got quite a few key injuries. We've faced better teams (on current form and situation) in Everton and Swansea.

They didn't have a great start the last time we played them either if I remember correctly. The thing is it doesn't matter how badly they were last week or the week before that, its first night of the Champions League and they will have their critics and they will want to ram their critics opinions down their throats. Perhaps Everton and Swansea are playing better right now but a full strength Schalke team performing better than they are right now would comfortably dispatch any of those two sides. No contest.

We can't take anything for granted, especially after the first half of that Swansea match and even defending against Everton. If players like Sigurdsson, Mirallas, Naismith etc can exploit spaces and make an impact on the game then imagine much more quality players like Boateng, Farfan, Draxler, Meyer etc?

I'd say a full strength team and we beat them in 50-60 minutes then we can sub players in and out, but using the squad 4 games in and resting key players like Matic, Costa, Hazard and whoever else people have suggested (not you but I've seen lots of posts with a similar point about rotation) would also send out the wrong message in my eyes, it would show we are more concerned about the City game (although players who are on our bench do have points to prove). We can't send that message out to a team that's say won every game at the start of the season, never mind a team that's struggled recently and have a point to prove to their own critics.

Our squad is very good yes but I don't want to see us rotate every game before we play a big team, especially when we play a big team before like Schalke, because cmon they aren't exactly minnows nobodies heard of. 4 days is a lot of time to recover, although it doesn't seem like it. When the games start coming every 2 or 3 days maybe depending on scheduling and cup competitions then the squad is useful.