Chelsea V Wolves: Three points a must!!
This afternoon Chelsea take on Wolves away in what will be no easy game as Carlo Ancelotti had to contend with a squad to choose from with S...
https://www.chelseadaft.org/2010/02/chelsea-v-wolves-three-points-must.html
This afternoon Chelsea take on Wolves away in what will be no easy game as Carlo Ancelotti had to contend with a squad to choose from with Seven players out. With one eye on Inter Milan in the week Carlo has a decision to make. Does he field his best available eleven or does he hold back and play a weakened side that he still believes will get the job done and three points?.
To me he has to play the strongest side available. With United playing Everton in what is another potential banana skin we have to capitalise once more and make sure we get the points. When you are top of the league all we need to do is concentrate on how we play and make sure we win our games and let the others worry about us. So today whatever team plays, we need to be professional, determined and show the rest of the League even though we have some injuries to contend with, we are still the force to contend with this season.
Today out of contention for the game is Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Alex, Deco, Belletti, Essien and Bosingwa.
The good news is that JT is back and will partner Riccy Carvalho at the back. With both Frank and Deco out Joe Cole surely will have another chance in midfield and this time needs to prove his worth to Ancelotti. Malouda has to play too and I would like to see Carlo revert to the 4-Diamond-2 for today and play both Anelka and Drogba through the middle. I am saying this as its more of a balanced side with Anelka in the middle as I keep banging on about how ineffective he his out wide.
I predict (and have of course am known to of been wrong) that we will line up today with the following side in a 4-Diamond-2 formation:
Cech,
Ivanovic
Carvalho,
Terry,
Zhirkov,
Mikel
Ballack,
Malouda,
Joe Cole,
Anelka,
Drogba.
The main problem/concern I have at the moment is our left back position. We are really going to miss Ashley Cole down that left hand side. Zhirkov to me seems to want to get forward all the time and does ok defensively. For me, I would still play Ferreira every week. You never know Carlo may deploy Paulo there today as we all know he plays that role for the Portuguese national side, and being an away game he may opt for the more solid Ferriera.
Despite the players missing its still a strong side of quality and should get the job done. Marcus Hahnemann has aready stated ahead of today that he is fearing a backlash after our defeat at Everton, added to that we have the recent events at Chelsea. I wouldn't be surprised to be honest. The team will be together for sure and I hope have a new togetherness after the meeting with the club. JT will want to put on a performance today after somewhat of a weird one against Everton.
Carlo Ancelotti said ahead of the game:
'It will be a very difficult match because Wolves improved their performance in the last games, they did fantastic against Liverpool and Tottenham and we have to pay attention and do our best, 'I think nothing else, we have to stay focused on this game. We will arrive in very difficult matches, starting tomorrow against Wolves and every game is very important, so to the end of the season we have 90 days. It depends [on] us what will happen at the end of the season. If we do very well we can have a good result at the end of the season"
Mick McCarthy said:
"We got slapped at Stamford Bridge, we never scratched the surface with our performance, We had a good chance after five or six minutes but once they scored it was game over. It won't be like that this time. We have done o-k against the bigger sides even if we ended up getting beat by them. But the chances we had against Arsenal, if we had managed to take our chance it was a different game. Manchester City at home - again, score when we were playing well and it's a different game. Against Liverpool we played really well, Spurs we played well. So if we can play in that manner and as well as that, but take an opportunity when it presents itself, then who knows? There may be an upset."
Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Foley, Henry, Guedioura, Jones, Jarvis, Doyle. Substitutes (from): Elokobi, Milijas, Hennessey, Vokes, Ebanks-Blake, Mujangi, Maierhofer, Castillo.
Injured/unavailable: Edwards, Keogh, Kightly (all ankle), Mancienne (ineligible under loan rules), Ward (knee)
Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Ballack, J Cole, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Sturridge, Kalou, Borini, Ferreira, Zhirkov, Kakuta, Mikel, Bruma, Matic.
Injured: Alex, Belletti, Bosingwa, Deco & Essien (all knee), A Cole (ankle), Lampard (virus)
I am biased of course but can't see us letting this slip today after everything that has happened. I can see us winning the game and of course would like to see us score a few, but with Chelsea being Chelsea you never know. So I am going for a Joe Cole 1-0 win!.
CAREFREE & KTBFFH EVERYONE! COME ON THE CHELS!
To me he has to play the strongest side available. With United playing Everton in what is another potential banana skin we have to capitalise once more and make sure we get the points. When you are top of the league all we need to do is concentrate on how we play and make sure we win our games and let the others worry about us. So today whatever team plays, we need to be professional, determined and show the rest of the League even though we have some injuries to contend with, we are still the force to contend with this season.
Today out of contention for the game is Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Alex, Deco, Belletti, Essien and Bosingwa.
The good news is that JT is back and will partner Riccy Carvalho at the back. With both Frank and Deco out Joe Cole surely will have another chance in midfield and this time needs to prove his worth to Ancelotti. Malouda has to play too and I would like to see Carlo revert to the 4-Diamond-2 for today and play both Anelka and Drogba through the middle. I am saying this as its more of a balanced side with Anelka in the middle as I keep banging on about how ineffective he his out wide.
I predict (and have of course am known to of been wrong) that we will line up today with the following side in a 4-Diamond-2 formation:
Cech,
Ivanovic
Carvalho,
Terry,
Zhirkov,
Mikel
Ballack,
Malouda,
Joe Cole,
Anelka,
Drogba.
The main problem/concern I have at the moment is our left back position. We are really going to miss Ashley Cole down that left hand side. Zhirkov to me seems to want to get forward all the time and does ok defensively. For me, I would still play Ferreira every week. You never know Carlo may deploy Paulo there today as we all know he plays that role for the Portuguese national side, and being an away game he may opt for the more solid Ferriera.
Despite the players missing its still a strong side of quality and should get the job done. Marcus Hahnemann has aready stated ahead of today that he is fearing a backlash after our defeat at Everton, added to that we have the recent events at Chelsea. I wouldn't be surprised to be honest. The team will be together for sure and I hope have a new togetherness after the meeting with the club. JT will want to put on a performance today after somewhat of a weird one against Everton.
Carlo Ancelotti said ahead of the game:
'It will be a very difficult match because Wolves improved their performance in the last games, they did fantastic against Liverpool and Tottenham and we have to pay attention and do our best, 'I think nothing else, we have to stay focused on this game. We will arrive in very difficult matches, starting tomorrow against Wolves and every game is very important, so to the end of the season we have 90 days. It depends [on] us what will happen at the end of the season. If we do very well we can have a good result at the end of the season"
Mick McCarthy said:
"We got slapped at Stamford Bridge, we never scratched the surface with our performance, We had a good chance after five or six minutes but once they scored it was game over. It won't be like that this time. We have done o-k against the bigger sides even if we ended up getting beat by them. But the chances we had against Arsenal, if we had managed to take our chance it was a different game. Manchester City at home - again, score when we were playing well and it's a different game. Against Liverpool we played really well, Spurs we played well. So if we can play in that manner and as well as that, but take an opportunity when it presents itself, then who knows? There may be an upset."
Wolves: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Foley, Henry, Guedioura, Jones, Jarvis, Doyle. Substitutes (from): Elokobi, Milijas, Hennessey, Vokes, Ebanks-Blake, Mujangi, Maierhofer, Castillo.
Injured/unavailable: Edwards, Keogh, Kightly (all ankle), Mancienne (ineligible under loan rules), Ward (knee)
Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, Ballack, J Cole, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Sturridge, Kalou, Borini, Ferreira, Zhirkov, Kakuta, Mikel, Bruma, Matic.
Injured: Alex, Belletti, Bosingwa, Deco & Essien (all knee), A Cole (ankle), Lampard (virus)
I am biased of course but can't see us letting this slip today after everything that has happened. I can see us winning the game and of course would like to see us score a few, but with Chelsea being Chelsea you never know. So I am going for a Joe Cole 1-0 win!.
CAREFREE & KTBFFH EVERYONE! COME ON THE CHELS!
