Closed Chelsea v Schalke

[cosmicway 1,256]

Schalke put up a certain resistance last year, until the their goalie miskicked the ball.

Because of the silly performences against the Swiss before Schalke, there was some danger.
I don't fancy them, somewhat better than Galata Saray maybe but we got to be careful. On Sat we scored own goal and for a time it looked like Swansea were going to have a second rather than us equalizing. Swansea collapsed as soon as the second half started but that was their problem. I think we must be careful and avoid costly defensive errors.

[Stats 6,980]

PL is priority for me this season, need to regain our domestic crown!

Remy needs playing time, Ideal game...not as if he's not good enough!

LOL, so because Remy needs playing time he should play for that reason then even though it is our first UCL game? But anyway, Remy does not "need playing time." He has already played 2 full 90 minute games for QPR this season already and started for France during the international break as well and like we all know he is our 2nd choice striker, not our first. Remy's match condition is fine and it is lucky we have a quality option like him to start if Costa is injured or needs to be rotated for whatever reason but right now with the form Costa is in and with the key to getting of to a good start in the UCL, I can't see Mourinho not starting him. Get the game done and dusted then take our key players off with the game in City in mind.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Courtois

Brana-Brana-Brana-Brana

Brana-Costa-Brana

Costa-Costa-Costa

Oscar

Oscar Oscar Oscar Oscar

Oscar Oscar Oscar

Oscar Oscar Oscar

[DavidEU 2,023]

Our strikers weren't that bad In Europe last season

Torres 4

Eto'o 3

Ba 3

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.

[eerik 11]

I don't want to underrate our opponents, but we did beat Schalke 3-0 in both meetings last year and they seem to be much weaker this time. We could, and perhaps should, rest Costa, at least partly. Keep him on the bench, just in case, or start him and substitute at half time if he has already done the job. City game on Sunday is obviously the one we should go in full force, no matter what, and we don't have to take too many risks on Wednesday.

[Special Juan 27,103]

Really cannot see this being a problem at all. Remy to start and score and a nice win with no injuries please.

[The Skipper 20,593]

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.

[stroey 2,525]

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)

[thehappyone 140]

2 more days, unleash the kraken

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

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

[Special Juan 27,103]

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 20,593]

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 20,593]

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.