Champions League - Round of 16 - February 21, 2007 - FC Porto v. Chelsea FC [R]

[GPK]

http://tygodnik.igol.pl/numer/14/pliki/photos/logos/logo_porto.gif http://www.premierleague.com/en/images/club_normallogos_180x160/chelsea_crest.jpg

7:45 PM GMT
2:45 PM EST

US TV: Live ESPN2
UK TV: Live Sky Sports 2
CN TV: None
AU TV: From 8:45AM Thursday on ESPN

Chelsea FC - 2nd Place, Premiership
FC Porto - 1st Place, Portuguese Liga

Live on Big Blue & 102.2 FM London (tv.chelseafc.com)

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

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 - US TV

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

14:45 ET Celtic v AC Milan Live Setanta CC (PPV Pubs Only)
14:45 ET Lille v Man Utd Live Setanta
14:45 ET PSV Eindhoven v Arsenal Live ESPN2
14:45 ET Real Madrid v Bayern Live ESPND & SDD 5PM ESPNC

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

14:45 ET Barcelona v Liverpool Live Setanta & ESPND;SDD 5PM ESPNC
14:45 ET Inter Milan v Valencia SDD 4:45 ESPND & 9PM Setanta
14:45 ET Roma v Lyon

[cooldude]

ten sports aren't gonna have it live here. damn them.espn-star did a fine job. can somebody tell me if i can watch online?

[GPK]

For a fee of $9.95 US you can watch through Uefa.com & ESPN

http://video.uefa.com/Video/Live/Competitions/UCL/Country=US/MatchList.html?B=008

[cooldude]

ah..thanks for the info bro...but i'm still a minor.....u know any another options?

[GPK]

I'm sure other people will help you out with streaming information. I'd rather watch on TV even if taped. I have a nice TV ;)

[cooldude]

right thanks... what irritates me is that they chose to show scousers-bartha ahead of our match...

[srd....]

I'm sure other people will help you out with streaming information.

stream info (http://www.football4less.com/schedules/schedules_21022007.html)

[cooldude]

thanks a lot mate

[Dear_Claudio]

I am nervous about this game for some reason. We SHOULD beat Porto with out squad, form, and manager but... it's the Champions League where something has always gone wrong.

[slipereypete]

no doubt we will stick the Big 4 in the midfield, i think the only real question about the starting XI is the right back, and for my money, i see Paulo in there to handle Quaresma...


---------------Cech--------------
Paulo-----Ricky----JT-------Bridge
--------------Maka---------------
----Essien----Ballack----Lampard--
-------Sheva------Drogba---------

[mikebarr]

no doubt we will stick the Big 4 in the midfield, i think the only real question about the starting XI is the right back, and for my money, i see Paulo in there to handle Quaresma...


---------------Cech--------------
Paulo-----Ricky----JT-------Bridge
--------------Maka---------------
----Essien----Ballack----Lampard--
-------Sheva------Drogba---------

My guess is:

---------------Cech--------------
Paulo-----Ricky----JT-------Bridge
--------------Maka---------------
----Essien----Lampard----Robben--
-------Sheva------Drogba---------

or

---------------Cech--------------
Paulo-----Ricky----JT-------Bridge
--------------Essien--------------
----Mikel----Lampard----Robben--
-------Sheva------Drogba---------

I see no way JM can not start Robben. As for Ballack, he doesn't deserve it, imo.

My bench is H, Maka or Mikel, Geremi, Kalou, Diarra.

[Walter3000]

Is Ballack fit?

[bluemen groupee]

no doubt we will stick the Big 4 in the midfield, i think the only real question about the starting XI is the right back, and for my money, i see Paulo in there to handle Quaresma...


---------------Cech--------------
Paulo-----Ricky----JT-------Bridge
--------------Maka---------------
----Essien----Ballack----Lampard--
-------Sheva------Drogba---------

You're probably rights; that's the conservative lineup that Jose usually goes with in the CL. BUT Robben on the left side with Essien taking the RB is not out of the questions. It'd be pretty ballsy on Jose's part, but he's been known to throw a curveball now and then.

[slipereypete]

I see no way JM can not start Robben. As for Ballack, he doesn't deserve it, imo.

My bench is H, Maka or Mikel, Geremi, Kalou, Diarra.

there is no way Mikel is in the starting XI in an away leg, knockout stage CL Match... with regards to ballack, he does what he needs to do to impress Jose, and it is better to start out more defensive and then bring Robben on later in the match.

Is Ballack fit?

Chelsea TV says he is.

[yasik19]

Is Ballack fit?

i hope not, but it appears he is. Man, i wish we play Robben, Sheva and Drogba.

[mikebarr]

there is no way Mikel is in the starting XI in an away leg, knockout stage CL Match... with regards to ballack, he does what he needs to do to impress Jose, and it is better to start out more defensive and then bring Robben on later in the match.

They are a different team with Robben in the lineup. Why not have that threat all game? We are talking about one of the top wingers in football and he must play when healthy, imo. Take it to them right out of the gate.

[slipereypete]

They are a different team with Robben in the lineup. Why not have that threat all game? We are talking about one of the top wingers in football and he must play when healthy, imo. Take it to them right out of the gate.

when does speed matter the most? at the end of the game when everyone is getting tired. there are valid arguments for either choice, Jose is the type who likes to crescendo from defensive to more attacking, especially in the 1st leg of a CL match away.

[Clan]

They are a different team with Robben in the lineup. Why not have that threat all game? We are talking about one of the top wingers in football and he must play when healthy, imo. Take it to them right out of the gate.

Thats the thing about European football though, innit?

I very much doubt we'll be trying to take it to them right out of the gate, nobody does that in the away leg - and we especially won't with Mourinho in charge.

I suspect we'll have a very pragmatic approach and team line up, with a very strong, albeit rigid, midfield.
The key to these games, is to try and not make mistakes and put out the players yo uare sure can accomplish that at this level of football.

Now, that doesn't mean your best players by any shot, but, by no means are the mutually exclusive.
This is the way European games have been played for decades, it's tried and tested and proven to be quite effective.

Mistake free football in the away leg is first and foremost, then you see how the game plays out, player against player.

Robben, fantastic player and all as he is, is a defensive liability.
This could lead to mistakes on the field and thus I highly doubt he'll start in the away leg.

I never do these predicted line up things, but I would be stunned if we don't have a midfield of Makelele, Lampard, Ballack and Essien.

The back line will pick itself in three positions and Ferriera will most likely get a very tight nod for the final spot.

I would imagine the only position that will give Mourinho pause for thought, will be in who to partner Drogba with.
Shevchenko, with a record in Europe that is stellar, should get the nod, especially as you look at the lack of options - keeping in mind the away keg mantra of "don't make a mistake here, and cost us the tie in the first leg".

[slipereypete]

could've saved myself 3 posts and quoted you! :D

[manichefan]

i see Paulo in there to handle Quaresma

Yeah.. good luck with that..