PREVIEW: Chelsea v Portsmouth - A tale of two teams.

This afternoon Portsmouth travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in the FA Cup third round. Can you believe that just over a year and a half ago, both sides fought out a tight encounter in the FA Cup final at Wembley!?.

Since then, both sides have had their dramas. We as Chelsea fans think we've had it bad but for Portsmouth fans, they had to face the reality of their football club being wound up, court cases, liquidators and contemplating life without their club anymore!.

So after coming through all that, sticking together and keeping their heads above water, they come here with nothing to lose, expected to be defeated and will give it everything for their supporters that have had to face so much ever since that day at Wembley.

Portsmouth are a dangerous animal and we have to ensure we approach the game in the right way. I believe that AVB will select the strongest side he has available and rightly so. This is no easy game for us.

With John Terry struggling to be fit, Ivanovic out injured and Alez frozen out of the first team since his transfer request, it could be David Luiz and Sam Hutchison at the back this afternoon. Obviously and nothing against Sam, we are hoping that JT is fit and ready to play.

It would be tempting to give the likes of Ryan Bertrand and Josh McEachran a game but I just wonder if he will continue with all of our first teamers in this one. Talking of playing a strong side you would imagine he would, but if anyone does manage to come in for a game then I think it will be Josh. I would expect Josh to play next to Frank Lampard today and in front of Oriol Romeu.

Up front, I predict that Florent Malouda will come into the side on the left, Fernando Torres through the middle and Juan Mata on the right.

Chelsea need to be up for this one without question, we have the quality to win this one and if we play to our ability we should, but this is the FA Cup and we all know that anything can happen.

Just like every week in the Premier League, you have to earn the right to win the game and this is no different.

With the press watching and waiting to pounce on the slightest mistake Chelsea make, with stories of an FA Cup upset already being drafted, will the real Chelsea please step up this afternoon!

By 5pm tonight, we will have our answers!

(Check out the latest match odds here)

KTBFFH

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