Closed Derby v Chelsea

[Laylabelle 9,535]

We struggled against Strewsbury so definitely won't be easy.need to go for it straight away none of this faffing around n no bloody diving bollocks

[thekid9 418]

Some people seriously under estimating Derby....we Lost against newcastle with a full strength team and people want to play 4/5 youngsters?

If you listen to Jose's post match , he explains it all!

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

This is the game of Derby's season - nothing will get bigger than this, except maybe Play Off Final

Anybody expecting an easy game is just nuts.

Yes they looked shit against Boro, because every single one of them was focusing on this game.

High tempo, professional start with the big guns! If we can get to 3-0 at any point, then is the time to bring on the youngsters.

I swear - if Jose played the kids and lost 99% of you would go fucking mental and this place would be in meltdown.

Just chill out. the young lads will get there chance when ready, or sadly, when a key injury forces it. This is not the season to be experimenting ! We need to win some trophies !

No one underestimating Derby imo. But I thought this is the right time to do the first team rotation in busy periods rather than we just make some rotation in our next PL matches.

[The Mak 4,459]

I don't think its anywhere as youthful as you're suggesting. Apart from RLC, Boga and Ake it's pretty much still a very solid, experienced XI that I've put up there. Not like we're playing youth all over the gaff here are we?

Also, I personally was one of the few that wasn't angry that Jose only gave RLC 10 minutes against Sporting, I sort of understood why. I honestly don't think that side I put there is as inexperienced and youthful as you're making it seem.

If you can somehow support youngsters starting a match away to Derby, as well as 'understand' José's decision to only play RLC for 10 ten minutes as a substitute in a nothing game at home, then I think its best to just end the discussion.

[illmatic 901]

Some people underrated so much to Derby. No one remember the game against Shrewsbury (Or Strawberry for Hazard)?.

Derby and all teams like this, will play his game of the season with us and play with all motivation to us out. Would like so much, but this is not game for make debut 4/5 players. The only thing that we would do, is complicate the classification.

Is Better make the difference with most experienced players and if the result of the match permit it, make play some youngsters.

[LAM09 7,056]

I presume we'll field a similar team to the one that played last Wednesday.

[lionsden 4,689]

Can someone explain to me logically (without the use of unfounded and overused cliches) why the selection of "youngsters" automatically means we are at a disadvantage? If you haven't seen this youngsters start a competitive game for us, how can one be sure that they won't be as good or even better than the senior players performance wise.

How many times have we seen youngsters come into a side and relegate established pros to the bench but let me guess those are just special talents which our youngsters are not. right?

The likes of fabregas,sterling et al must have been walking on water and scoring hatricks every game at youth level

[Muzchap 8,966]

Can someone explain to me logically (without the use of unfounded and overused cliches) why the selection of "youngsters" automatically means we are at a disadvantage? If you haven't seen this youngsters start a competitive game for us, how can one be sure that they won't be as good or even better than the senior players performance wise.

How many times have we seen youngsters come into a side and relegate established pros to the bench but let me guess those are just special talents which our youngsters are not. right?

The likes of fabregas,sterling et al must have been walking on water and scoring hatricks every game at youth level

Pressure, Experience, Organisation and Reputation

An under 21 game and training are very different to the real thing. That's why lots of promising players end up never achieving the high expectations set. Wilfred Zaha springs to mind, at Utd looks lost, chuck him back into Palace team and he shines - just cannot make that transition (yet?)

As it is a cup game - no second chances, higher potential of risk vs the league where it's the best team over 38 games as opposed to 90 minutes.

I don't think you will find one true Chelsea fan that doesn't want to see the youth guys get a chance - we have some amazing talent coming through.

However this needs to be balanced with achieving Silverware. If we lose tomorrow night, we undermine everything Jose is trying to build here, the 'winning attitude' the mental resilience to pressure.

That's just my opinion, have tried to avoid cliches where possible - but sadly some cliches do hold small grains of undeniable truth.

[lionsden 4,689]

Pressure, Experience, Organisation and Reputation

An under 21 game and training are very different to the real thing. That's why lots of promising players end up never achieving the high expectations set. Wilfred Zaha springs to mind, at Utd looks lost, chuck him back into Palace team and he shines - just cannot make that transition (yet?)

As it is a cup game - no second chances, higher potential of risk vs the league where it's the best team over 38 games as opposed to 90 minutes.

I don't think you will find one true Chelsea fan that doesn't want to see the youth guys get a chance - we have some amazing talent coming through.

However this needs to be balanced with achieving Silverware. If we lose tomorrow night, we undermine everything Jose is trying to build here, the 'winning attitude' the mental resilience to pressure.

That's just my opinion, have tried to avoid cliches where possible - but sadly some cliches do hold small grains of undeniable truth.

Where your argument regarding pressure fails is that it assumes the ability to deal with pressure comes with age, i disagree. It's an individual thing same with confidence, self esteem etc which are character traits that's embedded in ones DNA, you either have it or you don't hence the phrase winners are born not made.

It only appears as though older players/people deal with pressure better because typically older players/people are put in pressurised situation and asisgned greater level of responsibility far more often than teenagers due to social engineering but there's absolutely no proof that establish senior players deal with pressure better as there are plenty of evidence to the contrary that disporves this myth.

A teenager in Fabregas could deal with the pressure of being the main man and controlling the midfield of a big team like Arsenal , A young Messi was absolutely fantastic for barca, Ronaldo lima won the WPOTY at age 20, Maldini was leading the great Milan defence alongside baresi at age 20, pele was shining domestically and at the int'l stage at age 18 and so on. on the otherhand there have been plenty of experienced players who couldn't deal with the pressure of either leading a team to glory or justifying their transfer fee. pressure is an individual thing and has absolutely no link to age. so the chances are if a youngster is mentally fragile now, he will end up being an established and experienced fragile player with more refined skill but the tendency to choke under certain situations will still be there and no amount of loans, education and training will fix that.

So wilfred zaha flopped even though some would argue that he wasn't given sufficient opportunities but even then how were you able to find out that he couldn't hack it at a top club? because he was given chances to proof it and failed now if our top rated youngsters haven't being given chances nor failed any test thrown at them then how can you oppose their selection in the first team, what are you basing their inability to rise to occassion on.?

It's a cup game huh, so which games do you suggest we select the youngsters in then giving our overly cowardly and cautious approach?. In the league the argument is we are aiming for the title and under pressure, in cup competitions "no second chances, higher potential of risk" either way the youth are never getting any real chances.

Plenty of teams have balanced success with youth integration before. again you are perpetuating a myth and using cliches that lack historical facts.

[The Skipper 20,609]

If you can somehow support youngsters starting a match away to Derby, as well as 'understand' José's decision to only play RLC for 10 ten minutes as a substitute in a nothing game at home, then I think its best to just end the discussion.

Which is why I said from the start that it won't happen but oh well....

[Kendrick 339]

^Good desicion there, regardless the dive. Cahill not in good form lately, maybe a rest will do him good.

Anyway, as far as rotations are going this season, I think it is really unrealistic to expect Jose to play it any different than he did so far.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Where your argument regarding pressure fails is that it assumes the ability to deal with pressure comes with age, i disagree. It's an individual thing same with confidence, self esteem etc which are character traits that's embedded in ones DNA, you either have it or you don't hence the phrase winners are born not made.

It only appears as though older players/people deal with pressure better because typically older players/people are put in pressurised situation and asisgned greater level of responsibility far more often than teenagers due to social engineering but there's absolutely no proof that establish senior players deal with pressure better as there are plenty of evidence to the contrary that disporves this myth.

A teenager in Fabregas could deal with the pressure of being the main man and controlling the midfield of a big team like Arsenal , A young Messi was absolutely fantastic for barca, Ronaldo lima won the WPOTY at age 20, Maldini was leading the great Milan defence alongside baresi at age 20, pele was shining domestically and at the int'l stage at age 18 and so on. on the otherhand there have been plenty of experienced players who couldn't deal with the pressure of either leading a team to glory or justifying their transfer fee. pressure is an individual thing and has absolutely no link to age. so the chances are if a youngster is mentally fragile now, he will end up being an established and experienced fragile player with more refined skill but the tendency to choke under certain situations will still be there and no amount of loans, education and training will fix that.

So wilfred zaha flopped even though some would argue that he wasn't given sufficient opportunities but even then how were you able to find out that he couldn't hack it at a top club? because he was given chances to proof it and failed now if our top rated youngsters haven't being given chances nor failed any test thrown at them then how can you oppose their selection in the first team, what are you basing their inability to rise to occassion on.?

It's a cup game huh, so which games do you suggest we select the youngsters in then giving our overly cowardly and cautious approach?. In the league the argument is we are aiming for the title and under pressure, in cup competitions "no second chances, higher potential of risk" either way the youth are never getting any real chances.

Plenty of teams have balanced success with youth integration before. again you are perpetuating a myth and using cliches that lack historical facts.

Ok so what historical facts and evidence do you have to support your 'myth' that playing youngsters is not a risk?

As far as facts go - we have only suffered one defeat this season and we are the only team in the entire English league to have an unbeaten home record.

Those are facts

What you are peddling is supposition - e.g it worked for other clubs it will work for us.

That's not how life works unfortunately. What you are describing is the Microsoft Zune vs the Apple iPod, the Betamax to the VHS - there's no empirical data to suggest it will work, it's a pure gamble.

Jose is not a gambling manager - he plays the percentage game and tries to maximise every potential chance of winning. I knew that when he came back. The young lads will get a chance if we are 3-0 up and controlling the game - that's the reality.

Jose wants to win - and if he has an unproven opportunity vs a known quantity, logic will dictate he chooses the known quantity as that is predictable, rather than the unpredictability of youth. Who would have thought Januzzai would be benched this season after appearing to be Utds best prospect last season? Why? Because LvG needs to build a platform and is choosing experience and known quality over unpredictability - and sadly it is working for them.

I get you want us to bring through youth - I do too - nothing would give me greater pleasure than not having to buy any players for 3-4 years and sticking it to those that say we 'buy not breed success' - but the reward vs risk is just too high this season unfortunately and this game in particular. Is it a perfect strategy? That can only be answered at the end of the season.

But! I understand why he is doing it this way and if it was me - in his situation - I'm not so confident I would do it differently...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Chelsea news: Gary Cahill rested for Capital One Cup tie after diving row Jose Mourinho leaves out England defender for clash with Derby after player was accused of cheating by Hull manager Steve Bruce

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/11294707/Chelsea-news-Gary-Cahill-rested-for-Capital-One-Cup-tie-after-diving-row.html

That sort of 'journalism' makes me sick.

Contrary to what the title suggests, this absolutely nothing to do with the dive as Jose said right after the match that Cahill will not travel because he played against Sporting. He even defended him and said that he doesn't "believe that that big honest guy would dive".

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

Cant see many changes for Derby tbh.

The sheer risk of playing relatively untried yoof is a gamble worth 10s or 100s of millions of pounds. This is an uncertainty no business will take. I can never get all sentimental and romantic about 'josh' or RLC. Chelsea is not some charity for lovely Barnados kids, it is now a ruthless business with a brand followed by accolytes all over the world. It will only employ the proven for almost every match.

Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan Chase are not going to give their Senior Investment Analyst positions to young blokes fresh out of college with economics degrees. They have to be seasoned brokers. Same with our club, the board would never risk silverware and millions of pounds on unproven staff.

[thehappyone 140]

the cinema in fullham broadway is the best cinema ive ever been too, its absolutely huge, and its got a nightclub next door, get wasted, and oh yh, its all inside a train station so you just hop on the underground to go home! random i know

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Where your argument regarding pressure fails is that it assumes the ability to deal with pressure comes with age, i disagree. It's an individual thing same with confidence, self esteem etc which are character traits that's embedded in ones DNA, you either have it or you don't hence the phrase winners are born not made.

It only appears as though older players/people deal with pressure better because typically older players/people are put in pressurised situation and asisgned greater level of responsibility far more often than teenagers due to social engineering but there's absolutely no proof that establish senior players deal with pressure better as there are plenty of evidence to the contrary that disporves this myth.

A teenager in Fabregas could deal with the pressure of being the main man and controlling the midfield of a big team like Arsenal , A young Messi was absolutely fantastic for barca, Ronaldo lima won the WPOTY at age 20, Maldini was leading the great Milan defence alongside baresi at age 20, pele was shining domestically and at the int'l stage at age 18 and so on. on the otherhand there have been plenty of experienced players who couldn't deal with the pressure of either leading a team to glory or justifying their transfer fee. pressure is an individual thing and has absolutely no link to age. so the chances are if a youngster is mentally fragile now, he will end up being an established and experienced fragile player with more refined skill but the tendency to choke under certain situations will still be there and no amount of loans, education and training will fix that.

So wilfred zaha flopped even though some would argue that he wasn't given sufficient opportunities but even then how were you able to find out that he couldn't hack it at a top club? because he was given chances to proof it and failed now if our top rated youngsters haven't being given chances nor failed any test thrown at them then how can you oppose their selection in the first team, what are you basing their inability to rise to occassion on.?

It's a cup game huh, so which games do you suggest we select the youngsters in then giving our overly cowardly and cautious approach?. In the league the argument is we are aiming for the title and under pressure, in cup competitions "no second chances, higher potential of risk" either way the youth are never getting any real chances.

Plenty of teams have balanced success with youth integration before. again you are perpetuating a myth and using cliches that lack historical facts.

Arsenal have ALWAYS given their youth players chances with varying levels of success. You sight Fabregas, a player of unrivalled pedigree who left La Masia to seek out first team football.

I have no problem with giving youth players a chance and I don't think Jose does either but in the right situation like Zouma is getting. We have a young team as it is and many players not just youth teamers are fighting to get into a squad that performs at a high level. Who do you propose of our squad players is less deserving of a Q-finals knockout game than some of our youth players? Mikel, who likely won't even make the bench? Ramires, still looking for full fitness? Salah, who hasn't been given much of an opportunity?

Yes its a cup game in the q-finals, youth players should get look-ins during meaningless games like 6-0 vs maribor or sporting lisbon matchday 6. I would also give them look ins at the early stages of the cup competitions which a few of them did get. Lets face it opportunities are scarce when your aim is to win everything, you have to climb above players who are in the eyes of the manager day after day earning his trust, its not exactly the easiest feat. We aren't Arsenal, we are in competitions with the goal of winning them not to give youth a chance to play.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Plenty of teams have balanced success with youth integration before. again you are perpetuating a myth and using cliches that lack historical facts.

GK 30 Costel Pantilimon RB 5 Pablo Zabaleta CB 4 Vincent Kompany (c) CB 26 Martín Demichelis LB 13 Aleksandar Kolarov RM 8 Samir Nasri CM 42 Yaya Touré CM 25 Fernandinho LM 21 David Silva CF 10 Edin Džeko CF 16 Sergio Agüero

GK 25 Gerhard Tremmel RB 22 Àngel Rangel CB 24 Ki Sung-Yueng ' CB 6 Ashley Williams (c) LB 33 Ben Davies ' CM 7 Leon Britton CM 20 Jonathan de Guzmán RW 12 Nathan Dyer AM 11 Pablo Hernández LW 15 Wayne Routledge CF 9 Michu

GK 25 Pepe Reina RB 2 Glen Johnson CB 37 Martin Škrtel CB 5 Daniel Agger 86' LB 3 José Enrique CM 8 Steven Gerrard (c) CM 26 Charlie Adam RW 14 Jordan Henderson 52' 58' AM 7 Luis Suárez LW 19 Stewart Downing CF 9 Andy Carroll 103

The rosters of the last 3 cup winners.

[zolayes 14,489]

What happened to the Mail crusade to stop Defenders wrestling attackers at corners ,,, Well we dont do that much so not a good

crusade

[CHOULO19 24,332]

What happened to the Mail crusade to stop Defenders wrestling attackers at corners ,,, Well we dont do that much so not a good

crusade

They've moved to diving, now...

[DerbyRam 21]

Derby fan here, Chelsea are my second side (believe it or not), so I thought I'd try and clear somethings up - explain a few things.

We're a very good footballing side and when we're on our game: we move the ball quick, have a lot movement and try to cut teams open. The downside is that when we're feeling under the cosh and up against it, we look jaded but try and play the same way. This leads to mistakes, however, Buxton will be back in the team and he's very assured and calm on the ball. Shotton and Keogh are too similar for me, look to try and force the ball into midfield when it perhaps doesn't need to. It lead to Bamford's goal on Saturday, for example. Also, We've had our two worst performances in our last three games which is worrying.

As for the game, I expect the loan players - Ibe and Mascarell - to be desperate to do well, but with the league in the way it is, I expect the majority to be focused on Saturday.

You will throw us off our game, we haven't had less possession than the opposition in any game this season, but I don't expect that to be the case on Tuesday. It will be a good learning curve. I also read that with Hughes we lack creativity, but that is certainly not the case. Bryson and Hendrick are dynamic players that like having a shot, arriving late into the box, and will get more goals. But, Hughes will start most of our better attacking plays off - a secondary assist player, if you will.

The only position inexperience may be a problem for you is at centre-back. Martin is a very intelligent forward, perfect fodder for Terry to mark, but a less experienced player may come undone by his gravitational pull. If anyone makes it difficult for him, he'll hit the floor and win the free-kick.

I'm not expecting much, I just hope it's not a draw (extra-time, penalties), I'd sooner lose and keep fresh for the Norwich game on Saturday.

Good luck for the rest of the season.