Champions League Squad

[EskWeston 696]

The squad list for the group stage of this season's Champions League has been announced.

Clubs are allowed to submit an A List and a B List, both equally eligible for selection for games. Regulations mean the A List consists of the majority of the first team squad while young players who have been at Chelsea for a period of time make up List B.

The squad lists are:

A List

Petr Cech

Branislav Ivanovich

Ashley Cole

Michael Essien

Ricardo Carvalho

Frank Lampard

Franco Di Santo

Joe Cole

Didier Drogba

Michael Ballack

Florent Malouda

José Bosingwa

Wayne Bridge

Paulo Ferreira

Deco

Salomon Kalou

Carlo Cudicini

John Terry

Alex

Juliano Belletti

Nicolas Anelka

Henrique Hilario

B List

John Mikel Obi

Rhys Taylor

Sam Hutchinson

Michael Mancienne

Miroslav Stoch

No club may have more than 25 players on List A during the season. Eight places on List A are reserved for 'locally trained players'.

A 'locally trained player' is either a 'club-trained player' or an 'association-trained player' and no club may have more than four 'association-trained players' listed among the eight.

This is an increase from last season's three-plus-three rule.

A 'club-trained player' is a player who, between the age of 15 and 21, and irrespective of his nationality and age, has been registered with his current club for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or of 36 months.

In the case of Chelsea, an 'association-trained player' is a player who, between the age of 15 and 21 and irrespective of his nationality and age, has been registered with another club affiliated to the FA for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or of 36 months.

These regulations mean Chelsea's A List will contain 22 players for this season's group stage.

A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 1987 and has been eligible to play for Chelsea for any uninterrupted period of two years since his 15th birthday.

This means John Mikel Obi is able to move from the A to the B List this season, opening up a fresh place in the A List.

Spells spent away from Chelsea on loan by Scott Sinclair make him ineligible as a club-trained player or as a B List player.

Following the submission of these lists, a club may register up to three new eligible players for the remaining matches, such registration completed by 1 February.

Source: Chelsea FC

[EskWeston 696]

We have been extremely lucky that Mikel is eligable for list B this season. Excellant news for Miroslav Stoch and also looks like Mancienne will be staying with us this season rather than out on loan.

The club really messed up somewhat with Sincair though, not planning ahead with the CL lists so that he can be included in either list A or list B!!

[Elliott 7]

I'm confused... why couldn't we include Sinclair in the A List? Alright he won't be a club trained player, but the fact is, we still have spaces with only 22 taken!

[warnie_666 1,081]

We have been extremely lucky that Mikel is eligable for list B this season. Excellant news for Miroslav Stoch and also looks like Mancienne will be staying with us this season rather than out on loan.

The club really messed up somewhat with Sincair though, not planning ahead with the CL lists so that he can be included in either list A or list B!!

Can Obi Mikel Play in the Starting 11 in Champion's League being a List B player?

[EskWeston 696]

I'm confused... why couldn't we include Sinclair in the A List? Alright he won't be a club trained player, but the fact is, we still have spaces with only 22 taken!

Because we have no space for him:

List A:

1. Petr Cech

2. Branislav Ivanovic

3. Michael Essien

4. Ricardo Carvalho

5. Franco Di Santo

6. Didier Drogba

7. Michael Ballack

8. Florent Malouda

9. Jose Bosingwa

10. Paulo Ferreira

11. Deco

12. Salomon Kalou

13. Carlo Cudicini

14. Alex

15. Juliano Belletti

16. Nicolas Anelka

17. Henrique Hilario

18. Assocoation Trained: Frank Lampard

19. Assocoation Trained: Joe Cole

20. Assocoation Trained: Ashley Cole

21. Assocoation Trained: Wayne Bridge

22. Club Trained: John Terry

23. Club Trained: None

24. Club Trained: None

25. Club Trained: None

So we lose 3 spaces because we have no Club trained players other than Terry.

Of course you could argue it may have been better to include Sinclair and not one of Ferreira or Belletti...............

i think Sinclair is eligable as a "club trained" player next season.

Edited September 2, 2008 by EskWeston

[EskWeston 696]

Can Obi Mikel Play in the Starting 11 in Champion's League being a List B player?

Yes of course. Both lists contribute to the squad. You can have as many players as you like in list B as long as they meet the requirements - basically if they are 21 or under and been with the club for 2 years solid (going on loan interrupts that period)

[Elliott 7]

Ah cheers, I misunderstood it.

[EskWeston 696]

Actually just doing the maths, Sinclair will be available as a club trained player when we submit the updated list on 1st Feb for the latter stages of the competition.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

B List

John Mikel Obi

Rhys Taylor

Sam Hutchinson

Michael Mancienne

Miroslav Stoch

Source: Chelsea FC

Great news that Mikel is part of the B List, and would be nice to see Stoch, Mancienne, Hutch and Taylor included in the subs at some stage.

[EskWeston 696]

Great news that Mikel is part of the B List, and would be nice to see Stoch, Mancienne, Hutch and Taylor included in the subs at some stage.

I would think that unless we suffer a major injury crisis then none of them are likely to see the bench in the CL!

[Elliott 7]

If I'm not mistaken our last game in the group stage is against Cluj, if we get the situation where we are already through I think Scolari could think about giving them a run out.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I was thinking along those lines, some CL experience at Stamford Bridge would do them no end of good. Just fifteen minutes would be beneficial to their development, IMO.

[EskWeston 696]

If I'm not mistaken our last game in the group stage is against Cluj, if we get the situation where we are already through I think Scolari could think about giving them a run out.

I would certainly love to see it. Especially Stoch, i think he is worth a few run outs this season for sure.

[.Cee 50]

Yeah, thankfully we got a rather easy group. Not saying we should underestimate it but at least we didn't get a group of death or something like that. @ BL

[captainmarvel 1]

what happened to paim?

[warnie_666 1,081]

YEs..What happened to Paim? btw..Does anyone knwo if he played for the reserves the other day?

[EskWeston 696]

YEs..What happened to Paim? btw..Does anyone knwo if he played for the reserves the other day?

Yes, Paim came on for the reserves on Monday in the 60th minute. Set up our second goal, which you can see on the highlights here:

http://www.talkchelsea.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2539

He looks to have good ability and judging by his past potential he could be a real find for us providing we can bring out his ability and get him playing the Chelsea way. But having just signed him on loan and him only playing 30 mins in the reserves the club have no idea how he is going to turn out yet so there is no way he would be included in the CL squad.

Besides he wouldn't count for any of the "home grown" categories so there isn't a space for him anyway.