Chelsea - the 2nd leg

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

It's bad. It could be worse, but it's bad. I put our chances at 30% - I know there are sweeping generalizations to get to that fig, but that's how I feel.

 

This time yesterday, we said we'd not be unhappy with 0-0 - the worst of the best scores. We got the best of the worst. Obviously a defeat would have been worse, as would a higher scoring draw. So now we look forward & try to look for the upsides.

 

We play Brum this w/e - do we rest key players, or try to keep them rolling? At least Chelsea have a huge game against the Mancs - although maybe that'll keep them more focussed? Hopefully it'll knack them & the game will resemble recent Man U - Arsenal games, or merseyside derbies.

 

Basically, it's a cup final, it's the 1st min & we're a goal down.....

 

If Chelsea score first, it doesn't change a great deal in as much as we still need to score, it doesn't make the need for that goal more urgent, so no need to panic. Essien's back, but Terry's on a yellow tightrope. We should squeeze him all game, see whether th gives less than 100% with his mind on that.

 

So we haven;'t scored there forever nor has anyone won there forever. Merely incidentals, they're stats. Yes, it means it's a difficult place to go, but one-day we WILL score there; one-day we WILL win there. Now's a good time to start.

 

Do we start with Crouch or keep the same setup? Babel on the bench, so he can run at a tiring defence later? Sami & the Scrote in the middle with Carra at RB & Arbeloa at LB, or Finnan in at RB?

 

And Gerrard needs to turn-up this time as he was anonymous last night.

 

Let's take it to these c***s. Tear into them early, scare the s*** out of them & we're on a roll all the way to Moscow

[Woodsyla]

Rest EVERYONE

 

Team for Brum

 

Charlie

Finnan Sami Riise Insua

Pennant Lucas Plessis Benayoun

Crouch Voronin

 

Bench some kids.

[floyd the barber]

we keep the same line up....the score from last night doesnt tell the real story

 

We were excellent at times and pretty much dominated the 2nd half...i wouldnt change a thing except for starting the game like we started the 2nd half

[Old red eyes]

we keep the same line up....the score from last night doesnt tell the real story

 

We were excellent at times and pretty much dominated the 2nd half...i wouldnt change a thing except for starting the game like we started the 2nd half

 

We have to change it, Aurelio is knackered in he ?

 

Sami back in the middle for me and Carra at RB, Arby at LB.

[MFletcher]

I don't want anyone who is going to play next Wednesday even travelling to Birmingham on Saturday.

[Hassony]

I don't want anyone who is going to play next Wednesday even travelling to Birmingham on Saturday.

 

Except Riise who should start the game as captain

[sutty]

There's a chance Finnan plays against Chelsea next week given Aurelio is out.

 

If Brum win, Wigan may have to get something against the mancs as well.

[Guz]

Cant wait for the usual no mark suspects to come out on Thursday and friday to talk about the "integrity of the league".

 

f*** em. All 11 should be rested and hope Crouch and Pennant don't get injured

[ManxRed]

Colin has probably called a press conference already.

[johngibo YPC]

I don't want anyone who is going to play next Wednesday even travelling to Birmingham on Saturday.

 

i don't even want them watching it on tv

[sutty]

i don't even want them watching it on tv

 

Because it'll be s***e?

 

At least the brum fans will be able to legitimately shout "WHO?!?" at our players when their names are called out

[surf]

think we need to keep our players sharp, the rest before the arsenal game seemed to have done more harm than good, with our team loking out of it in the beginning

 

i'd play torres vs brum, for at least a half hour

i'd give gerrard an hour

i'd play alonso (and tell him to take it easy)

[fred milne]

There's a chance Finnan plays against Chelsea next week given Aurelio is out.

and Arbeloa wasn't particularly convincing.

[Guz]

think we need to keep our players sharp, the rest before the arsenal game seemed to have done more harm than good, with our team loking out of it in the beginning

 

i'd play torres vs brum, for at least a half hour

i'd give gerrard an hour

i'd play alonso (and tell him to take it easy)

 

I hope you're f***ing joking

 

Torres, Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt, Mascherano, Alonso, Carragher, Skrtel, Reina should stay at home

[fred milne]

I hope you're f***ing joking

 

Torres, Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt, Mascherano, Alonso, Carragher, Skrtel, Reina should stay at home

Reina and one of the CBs can play, the others should be wrapped up in cotton wool.

[surf]

it's a case of fitness vs sharpness, the rested players didn't look sharp vs Arsenal, i'm hoping some time on the pitch versus birmingham stops that happening again

[sutty]

and Arbeloa wasn't particularly convincing.

 

Aye. His passing was s*** on a stick.

 

I'd stick him at left back next week and Finnan at right back

[MFletcher]

They didn't play one game and suddenly they're not sharp?

 

I don't buy that at all.

[Guz]

it's a case of fitness vs sharpness, the rested players didn't look sharp vs Arsenal, i'm hoping some time on the pitch versus birmingham stops that happening again

 

How can you lose sharpness because of being rested for one game???

[Knox_Harrington]

and Arbeloa wasn't particularly convincing.

Thought he was poor. The bigger the game the more we miss Finnan's steadiness.

[fred milne]

The bigger the game the more we miss Finnan's steadiness.

Unfortunately, I think Rafa will go with the same defence that finished the 1st leg.

Edited April 23, 2008 by fred milne

[surf]

How can you lose sharpness because of being rested for one game???

 

Don't think it's going to be too big a deal if they play part of the game vs Birmingham, can't see them not being fit because of it.

[psl]

I'd even like Rafa to be rested for the Birmingham game. Send Ablett away with the 'B' team and let him work on tactics. Get Rafa working on the Stamford Bridge masterplan with the first team immediately.

[Hassony]

Don't think it's going to be too big a deal if they play part of the game vs Birmingham, can't see them not being fit because of it.

 

a risk of getting injured that we can live without

[Tyler]

bring next weeks squad away to spain for some sun and karaoke

 

kids can play birmingham

 

seriously - rest the 13/14 we expect to play next wednesday

they shouldn't even travel

 

we are going to have to work and run and work and run some more next wednesday

i think we can still go through and always thought we would need to score down there

difference og makes is that if we scored one down there game was as good as over but now we will probably have to score two

 

still - we're in with a good shout of third european cup final in four years so its not all too bad

at least we have a chance to make up for yesterday

would have been galling to concede a goal like last night and not have a chance of redemption