The Champions League Discussion Thread

[CJACKO11]

Some news from the Chelsea camp as we prepare to take on Marseille Wednesday night. Ashley Cole and Nicholas Anelka are both given a rest and will stay in London. Lampard will stay at Cobham to work on his fitness so he can hopefully make the squad for the game on Sunday against Spurs. Captain John Terry is 100% fit and travels with the squad as the only other player to stay at home is Yuri Zhirkov who is still struggling with a calf injury

18 year old Italian youngster Jacopo Sala makes the bench in the Champions League for the first time as Chelsea take some of their youngster again to give them some massive first team expirence. 18 year old Billy Clifford joins the likes of Bruma, Van Aanholt and McEachran as Chelsea look to take maximum points from this group.

 

[ravenie]

FC Kobenhavn 3-0 Panathinaikos

Jesper Gronkjaer (pen), Martin Vingaard and Djibril Cisse OG

Come on the Copenhagen!

 

[CJACKO11]

Appart from pride surely it dosen't matter if you finish top or not. Both Chelsea and Utd have guarrenteed to finish top yet we could get Inter Milan, AC Milan, Lyon or Marseille (Chelsea cant).

I guarentee we get AC Milan and Utd get Rafa's Inter and thats a "fact".

 

[Billy]

 

[DMF]

Wonder what the odds are that Arsenal get the easy draw again and get Copenhagen (if they win their group!)

 

[CJACKO11]

Tonight is John Terrys 350th game as Chelsea captain.

---------- Post added at 11:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:38 PM ----------

Chelsea Squad to play Marseille:
Petr Cech
Jose Bosingwa
Branislav Ivanovic
John Terry
Paulo Ferreira
Ramires
Josh McEachran
Michael Essien
Salomon Kalou
Didier Drogba
Florent Malouda

Subs:
Ross Turnbull
Obi Mikel
Daniel Sturridge
Patrick Van Aanholt
Jeffrey Bruma
Gael Kakuta
Jacopo Sala

 

[DMF]

Tonight is John Terrys 350th game as Chelsea captain.

---------- Post added at 11:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:38 PM ----------

Chelsea Squad to play Marseille:
Petr Cech
Jose Bosingwa
Branislav Ivanovic
John Terry
Paulo Ferreira
Ramires
Josh McEachran
Michael Essien
Salomon Kalou
Didier Drogba
Florent Malouda

Subs:
Ross Turnbull
Obi Mikel
Daniel Sturridge
Patrick Van Aanholt
Jeffrey Bruma
Gael Kakuta
Jacopo Sala

Very strong Chelsea team considering it's a game with no importace and with Spurs/United/Arsenal coming up...

 

[CJACKO11]

Marseille side:
Steve Mandanda
Taye Taiwo
Benoit Cheyrou
Brandao
Loic Remy
Charles Kabore
Leyti N'Diaye
Fabrice Abriel
Gabriel Heinze
Soleymane Diawara
Mathieu Valbuena

Subs:
Elinton Andrade
Edouard Cisse
Lucho Gonzalez
Jordan Ayew
Andre Ayew
Jean-Phillipe Sabo

---------- Post added at 12:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 AM ----------

Very strong Chelsea team considering it's a game with no importace and with Spurs/United/Arsenal coming up...

We need to build some momentum.

 

[Nick.]

not sure why's there's no Chelsea thread, but still, strongest team out there, Ancelotti is clearly worried, this is our best team, hope Doggy doesn't get injured :S

 

[CJACKO11]

Not worth a thread really, we are guarenteed top so its all about the performance mate.

 

[markodragojevic]

1-0 Marseille Brandao

 

[cfc12345]

its just getting worse and worse

 

[Clarky.]

We need to build some momentum.

And thats not the way to do it. Dont know whats happening to Chelsea but there sinking without a trace recently. Need to get a run of form going soon to avoid being to far behind in premiership that when they ineveibtly pick form up again, there still in with a shout.

 

[CJACKO11]

Are we not allowed a penalty then nah??? 2 of the most blaitent penaltys ever and the ref even signaled for the 1st one then changed his mind??? Biggest possitive is that McEachran stole the show today, he was absolutely sensational and miles above anyone else in a Chelsea shirt, so much for him possibly being a flash in the pan.

This game just backs what i have been saying about the importance of Lampard and Terry really, we lacked that killer ball in the final 3rd and Lampard gives us that and we lack leadership and a genuine world class centre half when Terry is not playing. Before people pipe me up on this i know Terry played i did watch the game and im not an invalid (although some may argue) but its funny that minutes after Terry came off we go and concede coincedence??? I think not.

Bigger tests lie ahead and i think a game like Spurs is what we need at the moment because we can't get any worse and we will have no choice to up our game other wise we will get absolutely battered. UTC!!!

 

[Scott]

Are we not allowed a penalty then nah??? 2 of the most blaitent penaltys ever and the ref even signaled for the 1st one then changed his mind??? Biggest possitive is that McEachran stole the show today, he was absolutely sensational and miles above anyone else in a Chelsea shirt, so much for him possibly being a flash in the pan.

This game just backs what i have been saying about the importance of Lampard and Terry really, we lacked that killer ball in the final 3rd and Lampard gives us that and we lack leadership and a genuine world class centre half when Terry is not playing. Before people pipe me up on this i know Terry played i did watch the game and im not an invalid (although some may argue) but its funny that minutes after Terry came off we go and concede coincedence??? I think not.

Bigger tests lie ahead and i think a game like Spurs is what we need at the moment because we can't get any worse and we will have no choice to up our game other wise we will get absolutely battered. UTC!!!

Carl i am going to say this once and once only, One good games, doesnt make him awesome, okay? He needs to do it for a few good seasons, for him not to be considered a flash in the pan, it is going to get very boring if you say "So much for him possinly being a flash in the pan" every 5 or 6 weeks when he finally plays well


on the lampard and Terry point, we are all bored of repeating the same thing so i bring you to this:

So how come every other top club has managed it? How come Arsenal, Spurs, United, City have all managed it? Arsenal have Wilshere or Ramsey to slot right in. Spurs have Kranjcar. United have Anderson, Carrick etc. City have Milner. How come Chelsea, the Champions of England let me remind you, how come they have no backup for an ageing midfielder?

I'm not saying the backup has to be almost equal, I'm saying they have to be similar in terms of play and competent enough to fill their role. Ramsey isn't as good as Fabregas, but he's definitely Prem standard. Likewise Kranjcar, etc. The closest Chelsea have come to having a backup for Lampard is McEachran, who yes has talent, but is inexperienced and is being rather thrown in at the deep end, for all his talent. Add to that the fact that, for me and others, the jury is still out on how good McEachran actually is, and you have a problem, a big Lampard-shaped problem.

Same applys for Terry.

 

[CtPauley]

started watching the chelsea game from about the 65th minute and thought they looked clueless going forward and that they looked weaked at the back. One of the only positives they can take is the superb performance from mceachren (can see why cjacko has been raving on about him now)After terry went off chelsea seemed to lack any real leadership and that showed when they conceded and i thought that the crossing today was pretty poor. With boswingwa going off injured, bale is going to have fun against chelsea on sunday. Having said that, it could have been different if chelsea got the two pens.

Ramires was shocking tonight, especially his passing and certainly isn't showing that he is worth 20m. Chelsea need lampard back asap or this situation is going to get worse

 

[CJACKO11]

Carl i am going to say this once and once only, One good games, doesnt make him awesome, okay? He needs to do it for a few good seasons, for him not to be considered a flash in the pan, it is going to get very boring if you say "So much for him possinly being a flash in the pan" every 5 or 6 weeks when he finally plays well


on the lampard and Terry point, we are all bored of repeating the same thing so i bring you to this:


Same applys for Terry.

Thats not true McEachran isen't the closest replacement we have to Lampard, the closest is Ramires, McEachran is a totally different player. And he played well tonight and has played well every time he has featured for Chelsea so why shouldn't we be signing his praises and confident this lad could be somthing special. If it was a young Utd or Arsenal player you lot would be drooling all over him.

 

[Scott]

Thats not true McEachran isen't the closest replacement we have to Lampard, the closest is Ramires, McEachran is a totally different player. And he played well tonight and has played well every time he has featured for Chelsea so why shouldn't we be signing his praises and confident this lad could be somthing special. If it was a young Utd or Arsenal player you lot would be drooling all over him.

No we wouldnt, if he played 10 consceutive games, i be droooling over him. Ramires is more of an essien type player, and simpleton can see that.

 

[CJACKO11]

started watching the chelsea game from about the 65th minute and thought they looked clueless going forward and that they looked weaked at the back. One of the only positives they can take is the superb performance from mceachren (can see why cjacko has been raving on about him now)After terry went off chelsea seemed to lack any real leadership and that showed when they conceded and i thought that the crossing today was pretty poor. With boswingwa going off injured, bale is going to have fun against chelsea on sunday. Having said that, it could have been different if chelsea got the two pens

Im glad you saw the side i have been seeing in McEachran. Im more worried now as you say with Bosingwa going off with a hammy. Maybe we could even see Ivanovic at right back with Bruma partnering JT at the back? Crossing was poor but il tell you what was poorer... Kalou

---------- Post added at 03:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:12 AM ----------

No we wouldnt, if he played 10 consceutive games, i be droooling over him. Ramires is more of an essien type player, and simpleton can see that.

Ramires is and always has been a box to box midfielder, Essien is an enforcer they are different. Essien can tackle, Ramires can't Essien is strong and powerful Ramires isen't. Ramires has been bought in to try and fill a viod when Lampard desides to retire and because it wont happen for a few years it gives Ramires time to adjust to the PL and the way the side play.

 

[DMF]

How is Ramires the closest player you have to Lampard? :$

Ramires is a defensive box-to-box midfielder without a doubt. He did it for Brazil at the World Cup, he did it for Benfica last year (we won the league), he's much much stronger defensively than offensively.

The closest player you have fit right now that is like Lampard is McEachran. Taking all your midfielders it's Benayoun, but he's out for 6 months I believe.