Chelsea 2-1 Man United

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

They've got loads of injuries as far as I know.. does anyone know who and for how long are injured? They played without Rafael, Rio Ferdinand etc on Wednesday.. doubt it's tactical because you don't mess about in CL away games. especially knock out phase, can't underestimate Marseille either though they both were poor.

Red card for Vidic anyone?

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

United are shit away from home. As long as our defenders are on top of their game getting a draw is possible even with our current form.

I do believe we underestimate ourselves. As long as we don't give up and don't do a major error we've got a good shot WINNING them at home. Come on, show some support

Sorry for the double post, usually it merges and I can't find the delete button, off to bed anyhow and I bet I'll find the delete button first thing in the morning. It's like looking for the remote control when it is in your hand

[Kojo 4,676]

I don't think Defence is the key, i think our defence is capable for a clean sheet only if our Midfield can keep possession much more, if it's anything Midfield is the key, our Midfield hasn't been it's best lately, but we need to find out some way to stop United, Bosingwa and Luiz are perfect for this because of there pace, United have been doing long balls this whole season to there wingers, need to handle that. United will soon break through our defence, they always find away, that's why we need to give the defenders little trouble and keep possesion upwards, just like Arsenal do. Midfield is important against United, i liked the build up formation some people are using the 4-2-2-2, it could be a good idea, but it has a back fire to. It's a bit of a guessy game this one for United, gotta do our home work on them then pick the suitable formation. Ramires would be a great idea to handle Nani for midfield i agree with that, he's got much more pace than Nani has, much more balance, where Nani doesn't. Ramires has got some good tackles. It looks like Ramires will be giving him more trouble than a right back haha.

Have Essien playing with Ramires would be a good idea, Lampard though, i really do not know, switching with Malouda and Zhirkov could be a good choice, Zhrikovs still recovering so i don't know if he can play a full game. Drogba and Torres upfront, Drogba still doesn't open up by second half, get Anelka on. The only risky thing is with Drogba he's trying to prove himself to much, he could get a little greedy and not pass to Torres. Best hope not.

[Rambo 1,729]

Torres loves playing against the mancs

[True_Blue 469]

Cech

Ivanovic - Luiz - Terry - Cole

Ramires - Essien - Lampard - Malouda

Torres - Anelka

That would be my only change

[ZanSnake 1,211]

Cech

Ivanovic -- David Luiz -- Terry © -- Cole

Mikel

Ramires -- Essien -- Lampard

Sturridge

Torres

Wait a minute.....

Anelka

Torres

[BLionheart 516]

Patience is the key .

i have no doubt about united's approach in that game , they are likely to defend from deep and keep spaces very tight and things very hard for us using a lot of pressure in their own half .... they will try to punish us on the counter using nani's skills , rooney's pace and berbatov's finishing ....

i think SAF will probably start with a 4-5-1 line up with rooney alone upfront , he will try to let us have a lot of possession , drag us to his half and use counters to score a goal if he wasn't able to then he will happily settle for a draw .

he is the best manager in the EPL atm , and he knows that his players are not a match for ours even if we are having a bad patch so he won't come to our faces .... that was his approach in all big games in 2010 and 2011.

we must have patience , make sure we don't throw many players upfront or back .... we have to try and let them have the ball sometimes for us to be able to get the ball back and find spaces between their defenses ..

i expect this game to be a very boring game , without a lot of chances ... if any team has a real chance to win then it will be the one who can make the most of their chances .

[Kojo 4,676]

Patience is the key .

i have no doubt about united's approach in that game , they are likely to defend from deep and keep spaces very tight and things very hard for us using a lot of pressure in their own half .... they will try to punish us on the counter using nani's skills , rooney's pace and berbatov's finishing ....

i think SAF will probably start with a 4-5-1 line up with rooney alone upfront , he will try to let us have a lot of possession , drag us to his half and use counters to score a goal if he wasn't able to then he will happily settle for a draw .

he is the best manager in the EPL atm , and he knows that his players are not a match for ours even if we are having a bad patch so he won't come to our faces .... that was his approach in all big games in 2010 and 2011.

we must have patience , make sure we don't throw many players upfront or back .... we have to try and let them have the ball sometimes for us to be able to get the ball back and find spaces between their defenses ..

i expect this game to be a very boring game , without a lot of chances ... if any team has a real chance to win then it will be the one who can make the most of their chances .

Well even if we lose, as long as Ancelotti wears that funny hat again, that will make me laugh at least. But spoken well, but i think United won't let us push like that, to be honest i can imagine them trying to dominate the game first and rule posession. They have made long balls this whole season to Nani, we want to be able to cut that off.

[Ollie 4,400]

Malouda should be with Zhirkov on either side. Play Lampard with Ramires and drop Essien for a change. Maybe even drop Lampard but it might be too chancy to do that.

What's our best 11?... Fuck knows tbh.

Edited February 25, 2011 by OllieCFC

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Čech

Ivanović-Luiz-Terry-A.Cole

Lampard-Essien-Ramires-Malouda

Anelka

Torres

Defense is the key!

Switch Ramires with Lampard, and include Mikel for Essien, we need Mikel to stay back and help the defence. You could tell that was a problem against Coppenhagen.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

Malouda should be with Zhirkov on either side. Play Lampard with Ramires and drop Essien for a change. Maybe even drop Lampard but it might be too chancy to do that.

What's our best 11?... Fuck knows tbh.

Why'd you drop Essien? He's showing good games again recently, I'd rather drop Malouda and Drogba without a blink..both are out of form and sulky, as if they couldn't understand why they're left out

[steve5221 91]

Our games against them are always decided in midfield......Essien Mikel and Ramires have to play in this game......the way Anelka and Torres combined in Denmark mean they should be the front 2. The back 5 picks itself. The only question for me is do we drop Malouda for Zhikov on the left??. Personally I would stick with Malouda for this one and I think Carlo will to.

Why'd you drop Essien? He's showing good games again recently, I'd rather drop Malouda and Drogba without a blink..both are out of form and sulky, as if they couldn't understand why they're left out

[steve5221 91]

Scrap that, i forgot Lamps!!!!....unchanged side from that in Denmark - Mikel could get sent off in this game.

Our games against them are always decided in midfield......Essien Mikel and Ramires have to play in this game......the way Anelka and Torres combined in Denmark mean they should be the front 2. The back 5 picks itself. The only question for me is do we drop Malouda for Zhikov on the left??. Personally I would stick with Malouda for this one and I think Carlo will to.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Malouda should be with Zhirkov on either side. Play Lampard with Ramires and drop Essien for a change. Maybe even drop Lampard but it might be too chancy to do that.

What's our best 11?... Fuck knows tbh.

clone Ivanovic where necessary... so...

Cech; Real Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Ivanovic Clone; Ivanovic Clone, Lampard, Ramires, Ivanovic Clone; Torres, Ivanovic Clone.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

clone Ivanovic where necessary... so...

Cech; Real Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Ivanovic Clone; Ivanovic Clone, Lampard, Ramires, Ivanovic Clone; Torres, Ivanovic Clone.

You're hyping him up too much. He has been phenomenal this season but to be fair his first touch, speed and dribble isn't nowhere near whats needed to be a forward player. He's best at CB and at right back he is the best we've got

[Krypt 241]

Looks like Ferdinand is out of the game tuesday which is hardly a bad thing link

I think as long as we dont lose its a good result. but if we do somehow beat them i think its arsenal's title all the way and im for one dont care as long as we finnish in the top 4. the downside is we will never here the end of it...... and if they where to some how win the CL as well the whole world will implode.

[steve5221 91]

Definately Anelka and Torres up front then, Smalling would have been able to handle Drogba at the minute comfortably

Looks like Ferdinand is out of the game tuesday which is hardly a bad thing link

I think as long as we dont lose its a good result. but if we do somehow beat them i think its arsenal's title all the way and im for one dont care as long as we finnish in the top 4. the downside is we will never here the end of it...... and if they where to some how win the CL as well the whole world will implode.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Smalling has been very good for United recently. Not like that thug Johnny Evans, who's only way to stop Drogba is by kicking him in the chest