Start of the New Season!

[Steve 10,227]

So the start of the new season is less than 1 week away and looking at the squad that we have i still think we can do big things. Even though we have not added a lot of players to our squad i think we can still do a lot with what we have.

What starting line up and formation would you like to see in the first few games of the season?

For me i am hoping to see this. Very similar to what we finished with last year.

----------------------------------------------Cech----------------------------------------------

-------Bosingwa------------Carvalho---------------Terry-------------------A.Cole-------

---------------------------------------------Mikel----------------------------------------------

---------Essien-------------------------------------------------------------Malouda---------

------------------------------------------Lampard---------------------------------------------

-----------------------------Anelka---------------------Drogba-------------------------------

[Alee. 182]

Yuri Zhirkov?

[Steve 10,227]

Im sure ancelotti said he is not fit, i could be mistaken?

[James 5,139]

I think Ivanovic might get in over Bosingwa, Italians like there defenders to defend rather than keep running up and down the pitch. I'm not sure about Essien playing out wide right, didn't really work against Coventry but we'll see.

[Alee. 182]

Agree with Jim, i dont like Essien on the sides.. Just Narrows us down in my opinion ..

I'd rather have Bosingwa and A.Cole terrorizing the opposing defenses though

[Steve 10,227]

I think Ivanovic might get in over Bosingwa, Italians like there defenders to defend rather than keep running up and down the pitch. I'm not sure about Essien playing out wide right, didn't really work against Coventry but we'll see.

I do agree with you but until joe cole comes back who else would you think can play there. Once joe is back in the squad i think Ess and Mikel may have a rotation plan maybe?

[Alee. 182]

Yeah probs.. But we can play Malouda on one side and Kalou on the other? .. What else is there?

[Steve 10,227]

Now that Jim mentioned maybe the possibility of bossingwa not playing right back what would you guys think of him playing on the right of the diamond for a few games?

Edited August 9, 2009 by STEV3O

[Shane 2,275]

Think if we play Essien on the right it would make us more narrow and make us turn to Bosingwa more for attack on that side.

[Steve 10,227]

looks like where playing a similar formation to that today for the friendly, besides ivanovic over bosingwa.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Ivanovic shouldn't be our right back, he offers next-to-nothing going forward. As much as I like him and as solid a defender he can be, Bosingwa is better.

[Steve 10,227]

Totally agree with you 100%, but as Jim said Ancelotti likes his Defenders to defend. But at the end of the day when Ivan come off for Boss we looked a totally new team. We where breaking down the wings and putting pressure on the defense. Thats the main reason why i think he should be in the squad over Ivan.

[warnie_666 1,081]

I think we should stop slagging Ivanovic for one bad performance. He played RB last seasons in a number of games specially against the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona and Arsenal and gave top quality performances there. One terrible performance on the right in a pre season competitive game doesnt make him a back RB. I still like Iva and more faith should be shown in him....But, I do agree that Bosingwa is a better RB because he has more pace.

Edited August 10, 2009 by warnie_666

[Cameron 30]

Yeah probs.. But we can play Malouda on one side and Kalou on the other? .. What else is there?

He's here, he's there, he's everything fucking where...

[The Big Drog 1,110]

I like Ivanovic but a starting right back at Chelsea he certainly shoud not be , the difference in performance between him and Bosingwa was eye opening. Once the team is fully fit Id like it to look like this.

Cech

Bosingwa , Carvalho , Terry , Cole

Essien

Cole , Zhirkov

Lampard

Drogba , Anelka

I dont think having Essien out on the right really works , also in the second half I thought Lampards role at the top of the diamond looked much better as he was allowed to drop a little deeper when we were in possession and thus he was able to playmaker a bit more and make some late runs in.

[Steve 10,227]

I think we should stop slagging Ivanovic for one bad performance. He played RB last seasons in a number of games specially against the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona and Arsenal and gave top quality performances there. One terrible performance on the right in a pre season competitive game doesnt make him a back RB. I still like Iva and more faith should be shown in him....But, I do agree that Bosingwa is a better RB because he has more pace.

No one ever said Ivan was a bad right back! and no one was slagging him off...

We said for the season we would prefer to see Bossingwa because he gets forward more often and creates those opertunites which you dont see Ivan doing. Which is something we need to go forward with if we are going to play the Diamond formation!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I think we should stop slagging Ivanovic for one bad performance. He played RB last seasons in a number of games specially against the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona and Arsenal and gave top quality performances there. One terrible performance on the right in a pre season competitive game doesnt make him a back RB. I still like Iva and more faith should be shown in him....But, I do agree that Bosingwa is a better RB because he has more pace.

I'm not slagging him off at all, I'm saying he is simply not as good as Jose Bosingwa.

[NattyBlue 44]

Going forward I prefer Bossingwa and Ivanovic defensively, however Boss has way more pace which benefits him against teams like united with pacey wingers AND LB's.

my formation would be

----------------------------------------------Cech----------------------------------------------

-------Bosingwa / Ivanfield------------Alex---------------Terry-------------------A.Cole-------

---------------------------------------------Essien / Mikel----------------------------------------------

---------J.Cole / Ballack-------------------------------------------------------------Malouda / Zhirkov---------

------------------------------------------Lampard / Deco---------------------------------------------

-----------------------------Anelka---------------------Drogba-------------------------------

Bolded players are the starters always

Mikel and Essien to rotate

Alex over Carv...I'll have to wait to see what happens but Alex / JT was solid in the 2nd half of the season

I'll surely welcome Carv / JT to become the best partnership in the world again though