1/15/06 Matchday 22: Sunderland AFC v. Chelsea FC [R]

[GPK]

http://www.premierleague.com/en/images/club_normallogos_180x160/sunderland_crest.jpg http://www.tom.sfc.keio.ac.jp/~chiko/images/chelsea_centenario.png

Chelsea FC 19-1-1, 58 PTS, 1st Place (+13)
Sunderland 1-3-16, 6 PTS, 20th Place (-52)

4:00 PM GMT
11:00 AM EST

US TV: Live PPV
UK TV: Live Sky Sports 1
CN TV: Live The Score

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ChelseaFC.com (http://www.chelseafc.com/index.asp)

News on Soccernet (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team?id=363&cc=5901)

TEAMtalk-Chelsea (http://www.teamtalk.com/teamtalk/News/Story_Listing/0,7759,1773,00.html)

BBC-Chelsea (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/default.stm)

Latest Chelsea News From Google (http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&ie=UTF-8&q=Chelsea+)

Other Fixtures - EST US TV

Saturday, January 14, 2006

07:45 ET Man City v Man Utd Live & SDD 8PM FSC
10:00 ET Arsenal v Middlesbrough SDD 3PM FSC
10:00 ET Aston Villa v West Ham
10:00 ET Charlton v Birmingham
10:00 ET Fulham v Newcastle 2DD 3PM & 8PM FSC
10:00 ET Liverpool v Tottenham Live PPV
10:00 ET Portsmouth v Everton
12:15 ET Blackburn v Bolton Live FSC

Sunday, January 15, 2006

08:30 ET Wigan v West Brom SDD 1PM FSC

[blackjack]

Perhaps we'll see Maniche in this match. I hope so. Sunderland will be in a good mood coming off their FA Cup victory, but we will simply outclass them. 3-0 to us, with Maniche scoring on his debut.

[nicephoras]

No wonder Jose said Diarra would make the squad for this one - we're playing Sunderland. :p :p

[yasik19]

McCarthy said his Black Cats will surprise and shock Chelsea. He must have taken classes from Rafa on how to beat us. "Don't make any mistakes."

[Clan]

Anyone that thinks this will be an easy game, will probably be in for a surprise.

They have nothing to lose, will play their hearts out still, they haven't yet had that feeling of "we're going down" sink in.They will have some decent performances in them yet - I would much rather play them later in the season, when they are officially relegated.
We'll need all the tough men for this one and it's a great pity Drogba and Essien can't play.
Young Johnson should get the start at right full, he's big and strong and put Del Horno on the left - nothing aginst Bridge, but he doesn't have the physical presense of the Del boy.

Terry and Gallas in the center - carvalho is too hot headed and will give away a penalty for sure.

Robben will probably get a right good kicking - might be better to leave him out and put in Duff (a real tough Irishman, a side he's never given enough credit for) and let SWP prove himself by coming on later in the game as J Cole should start.

If we come away with 1-2 win I'll be happy, but won't be at all surprised if we drop two points.

[okocha1]

Why so much negativity Clan? :p

I think with all the chances we've created in the past 4 games, Sunderland are in for a real wholloping. However, while my heart says 4-0, but my head says 2-0. Onward and upward Chelsea.:)

[Clan]

Why so much negativity Clan? :p

I think with all the chances we've created in the past 4 games, Sunderland are in for a real wholloping. However, while my heart says 4-0, but my head says 2-0. Onward and upward Chelsea.:)

Not being negative at all, just realistic.

[fernb8]

Not being negative at all, just realistic.


Well said Clan. We actually have a shyte record up at Sunlun. I believe in something like 60 matches up there that the Makems have won 35 odd matches against 10 draws and 15 wins!

[leftwing]

I don't know, this team is really bad. We're rested, I see us cruising to a win. 2-0

[sydneymuganzi]

shud go Gudicini
Ferreira Terry Gallas Del Boy
Maka Maniche Lampard
Robben Cole
crespo

[fernb8]

I don't know, this team is really bad. We're rested, I see us cruising to a win. 2-0

Its that line of thinkiing that put us in a precaurious situation in the FA Cup. Dont forget the last time we played a team that was bottom of the League and had nothing to lose away from home...

it was Everton.

[schafer]

With all due respect to Sunderland, they really have the least quality (on paper) of any of the three promoted sides. They can get a result, but they really are a side built for the Championship. Hardworking, limited technique, and when compared to West Ham or Wigan, nobody that gives them that extra spark, no real matchwinners, at least not at this level. Honestly, I'd be happy with 2-0 and no injuries. They'll play hard, but that's not always enough.

As for the Everton reference, they actually have some quality in that side (Arteta, Cahill), whereas Sunderland, IMO, do not have enough Premiership quality players.

[leftwing]

Its that line of thinkiing that put us in a precaurious situation in the FA Cup. Dont forget the last time we played a team that was bottom of the League and had nothing to lose away from home...

it was Everton.

It wasn't that line of thought that got us in trouble last weekend, it was playing a bunch of subs. I would imagine Sunderland will get the full first team treatment (minus African players). I watched Sunderland play for about 10 minutes and had to turn it off. They're really one dimensional. I will be surprised if they get 3 shots, let alone a goal. If that's overconfidence, so be it.

As we've seen, since we played them Everton have been quite a bit better. I do hope we don't launch a similar revival for Sunderland, but I've got a feeling the boys are going to come out firing for this one. Joe Cole is gonna be a handful after having to sit.

[fernb8]

It wasn't that line of thought that got us in trouble last weekend, it was playing a bunch of subs. I would imagine Sunderland will get the full first team treatment (minus African players). I watched Sunderland play for about 10 minutes and had to turn it off. They're really one dimensional. I will be surprised if they get 3 shots, let alone a goal. If that's overconfidence, so be it.

As we've seen, since we played them Everton have been quite a bit better. I do hope we don't launch a similar revival for Sunderland, but I've got a feeling the boys are going to come out firing for this one. Joe Cole is gonna be a handful after having to sit.


Fair enough. I believe that Clan (sorry to speak for you mate) and myself are from the generation where Chelsea would lose at game like this when things were going well. I cant tell you how many times we would get a good run of results going and then draw Leicester, lose to Blackburn, etc

[Clan]

Fair enough. I believe that Clan (sorry to speak for you mate) and myself are from the generation where Chelsea would lose at game like this when things were going well. I cant tell you how many times we would get a good run of results going and then draw Leicester, lose to Blackburn, etc


We never had it so good eh?

Must be kind of what Dr I expierenced all through the 60's and most of the 70's.

Oh wait a sec....we only became good when Abramovich bought us..:rolleyes:

[nicephoras]

It was the same under Claudio too. Losing to a relegated West Ham when a freaking draw would have guaranteed us the last CL spot was unconscionable, and forced us to get a result against Liverpool. Against whom, as I recall, we promptly fell behind.
One thing I'll say about Mourinho, is that few non-Chelsea fans understand just what a drastic turnaround he's made in this regard in just a year and a half. We're now expected to win those games by EVERYONE, including some of the more pessimistic fans. Before, we'd have been waiting sourly for that 2-1 lead to result in a last minute 2-2 draw.

[Dr_Intoxicated]

It was the same under Claudio too. Losing to a relegated West Ham when a freaking draw would have guaranteed us the last CL spot was unconscionable, and forced us to get a result against Liverpool. Against whom, as I recall, we promptly fell behind.
One thing I'll say about Mourinho, is that few non-Chelsea fans understand just what a drastic turnaround he's made in this regard in just a year and a half. We're now expected to win those games by EVERYONE, including some of the more pessimistic fans. Before, we'd have been waiting sourly for that 2-1 lead to result in a last minute 2-2 draw.

I think this is what is conributing to the atmosphere problems at Stamford Bridge, in days of yore with us 1-0 up everyone would have been very nervous and noisy waiting for the opposition to score. These days we sit there thinking game over.

[the101er]

I hate to see the Chelsea forum predictions turning into the Arsenal forum predictions of a few years back.

"We'll win 5-0."

That's why I love seeing Arsenal getting stuffed now. And maybe that's why I don't post as much as I used to.

PS. Chelsea haven't had a single blow out win this season, so I don't know where all the over confidence comes from. Sunderland have their backs to the wall (already in January) and this is a game where any points would be a bonus.

[slipereypete]

I hate to see the Chelsea forum predictions turning into the Arsenal forum predictions of a few years back.

"We'll win 5-0."

That's why I love seeing Arsenal getting stuffed now. And maybe that's why I don't post as much as I used to.

PS. Chelsea haven't had a single blow out win this season, so I don't know where all the over confidence comes from. Sunderland have their backs to the wall (already in January) and this is a game where any points would be a bonus.
4-1 liverpool? 5-1 bolton?

[yasik19]

4-1 liverpool? 5-1 bolton?

4-0 West Brom