http://www.london24.com/sport/chelsea/hangeland_leads_foursome_missing_for_chelsea_clash_1_1712007 Fulham missing a couple of key players
Think this match will be more indicative of how Rafa will set out his stall than the City one. Against the champions, the fear factor was high so would expect a more open approach to the derby match. But I'm not holding my breath until I see otherwise. I hope the mindset of "a win does me a little good, a loss does me a lot of damage" doesn't permeate the tactics or the mindset of a team better equipped to play flowing football in the final third. Should be a spicy one!
I'm going into a "reverse wormhole" ala Wenger, if you will - and imagining that Rafa is Eva. It's strange, i know. Win one for Eva.
bindippers played dull drab static football inter year after treble played dull drab static football valencia played dull drab static football against City we played dull drab static football and so it goes....
They looked fairly poor at the Brit, and if you keep things tight at the back it shouldn't be too difficult to come away with the points. Berbatov seemed to be their main outlet on the offence, at times having to drop fairly deep, so if your defensive mids have a good game it should keep things fairly secure. The problem, given the issues up front, will be scoring, so you'll want to have a couple of players in the attacking midfield 3 who can threaten the goal. Alternately, you can wait until their tendency to spontaneously fall down in random positions on the field kicks in, and try taking advantage of it to get a straight run to the goal.
thought it was interesting that Rafa is pairing torres with Oscer in training and making them build up some fusion. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out on the field.
It seems not too many are confident for this match. They are without Ruiz and Kacaniklic. I think we'll win a comfortable 1-0 or 2-0 (Moses, Torres).
Sorry dude. I'm on Williams Street now and staying on Mulberry. Going to Samovar tonight, so stop by. P.S. What's a good place for dinner around midtown? Nothing too fancy.
Depends where you are in Midtown, but for casual I'd go to Beacon. Midtown is a bit of a dining wasteland these days, which is too bad, since I work there. You're just going to Russian Samovar as part of the Sex in the City tour, aren't you! (I haven't been to that place in years..........)
Chelsea are expected to line up in the following 4-2-3-1 formation: 1 Petr Cech (c) 28 Cesar Azpilicueta 2 Branislav Ivanovic 4 David Luiz 3 Ashley Cole 7 Ramires 6 Oriol Romeu 17 Eden Hazard 11 Oscar 34 Ryan Bertrand 9 Fernando Torres Substitutes: 22 Ross Turnbull, 19 Paulo Ferreira, 24 Gary Cahill, 12 John Mikel Obi, 10 Juan Mata, 21 Marko Marin, 13 Victor Moses. Fulham are expected to line up in the following 4-4-2 formation: Schwarzer; Riether, Senderos, Hughes, Riise; Diarra, Sidwell, Karagounis; Duff, Berbatov, Rodallega. Subs: Etheridge, Kelly, Kasami, Dejagah, Baird, Frei, Petrić The referee is Anthony Taylor.
Haha. I'm going to Samovar (got an American co-worker) so want to show him some Russian style cuisine. Heard Maria Ivanovna wasn't good and Russian Tea room is just not Russian enough. It doesn't have to be Midtown as I mentioned that due to Samovar's location. If you got a favorite, I'm cool with anywhere. I bought the unlimited weekly subway pass. P.S. Sorry all to go OT.
I did notice Mata take a knock from Kolarov and it took him quite awhile to shake it, for anyone freaking over Mata on the bench.
i'm not freaking that mata is benched, necessarily. i'm just disappointed that marin or moses couldn't be the one to step up. i get the argument that bertrand has been playing more and has gotten some decent experience in the last few months. still, i think either one of moses or marin would be a stronger pick. no mikel either is weird. it's not like he's been in particularly bad form then again, if rafa wants to shake things up, he has every right to. i imagine he'd be getting criticized if he simply picked the same starting 11 RDM would have picked.
Mari Vanna is an overpriced Russian hooker trawl spot, in my opinion. Decent food but ludicrously expensive. Russian Tea room is garish, not Russian. You could also do Pushkin in midtown, but it's classically "New Russian". For a non-Russian, might be a fun night out though - Samovar is far and away the most traditional of the places, though I don't love Russian cuisine anyway. How long you in town for?
HOPEFULLY, we won't need him today. as it's a decent match for him to get some rest anyway. also could be a good match to see Marin get some minutes. and i would have prefered Moses over Bertrand as Moses provides a good work ethic as well, and is willing to track back and stay on his side of the pitch. the rest i'm fine with really.