v. Chelsea 9-2-1, 29 PTS, 2nd Place (-1) Southampton 4-5-3, 17 PTS, 9th Place (-13) 3:00 PM Local Time 10:00 AM EST US TV: 2 Hour Delay on Fow Sports World Live on Big Blue ChelseaFC.com News on Soccernet TEAMtalk-Chelsea BBC-Chelsea Other Round 13 Fixtures (Times ET) US TV Saturday, November 22nd 7:30 Man Utd v Blackburn Live FSW-2PM Delay 10:00 Birmingham v Arsenal Live PPV 10:00 Everton v Wolverhampton 10:00 Leeds v Bolton 10:00 Leicester v Charlton 10:00 Middlesbrough v Liverpool 10:00 Newcastle v Man City Sunday, November 23rd 11:00 Tottenham v Aston Villa Live PPV Monday, November 24th 3:00 Fulham v Portsmouth Live FSW
Changes to the first eleven? With the break for international matches going on between now till matchday, I am only worried about injuries (touch wood!). It would sicken me if Lamps gets to start but comes home using a crutch..... the same goes for the rest of the lads too (touch wood again). Therefore I repeat again that international matches in the midst of the EPL season sukks real bad.
International matches Saturday Germany v France Gallas and Makelele in the France squad Argentina v Bolivia Veron is suspended, Crespo available Scotland v Holland Only on loan Zenden is in the Dutch squad and listed by the Dutch team as a defender Russia v Wales On loan Smertin is expected to return from injury Sunday England v Denmark Johnson, Terry, Bridge, Lampard and Cole v Gronkjaer Italy v Romania Mutu Honduras v Finland Forssell Tuesday Ireland v Canada Duff Wednesday Columbia v Argentina Veron and Crespo available Japan v Cameroon Played in Japan Mexico v Iceland Played in San Francisco, USA Costa Rica v Finland Holland v Scotland Wales v Russia Juan Sebastian Veron, Hernan Crespo, Geremi and Eidur Gudjohnsen will all have to beat jet lag to play at Southampton.
All this talk of Freddy Adu has me woozy! Chelsea need to keep the results coming, and this could be a tricky match after the international break.
Isn't it nice how these players, who'd form the nucleus of a great team, aren't even necessary for us to put out a great side? We can easily go with Mutu and JFH up front, and plug in Gronks for Veron on the right. I would imagine that's what we'll do - Veron has a history of being mediocre at best after long flights. I am a tad worried about how we're going to do after such a long layoff, but hopefully we'll be fine. Then again, this is the sort of game on which we've traditionally been a bit flat - inferior opponent, distracting week, etc. This year's squad is showing a tendency against that, so lets hope it continues. Unfortunately, I think I might have to miss this game to watch the Ohio State - Michigan football (of the American variety ) game. My alma mater's bitter rival, chance for a national championship potentially on the line........can't realy miss that.
Good for you. One should stick to ones roots, and, if yours are with pointy ball then so be it. Gudjohnson didn't travel with the Icelanders so i would think he may start this game.Certainly i think Mutu will. God, what a long and boring break. Had to resort to posting on the world rivalries board (yuk)...and taking the mick out of the yanks about Donovan and Reyna.All in fun, pity some don't realise that! Man Yoo lost at the new dell...or St marys or whatever it's called now.Didn't we inflict their first ever home defeat at this new gaff?, i'm pretty sure we did. Tough game coming no doubt, the quality is with us, this can't be denied.However, this is one of those places where quality wont always get the result.Hard work, or graft as the old time managers like to call it, will be needed here.Wouldn't be surprised to see a team not unlike one we had for most of last season for this one. Is Babayaro fit yet? I see that Desailly hopes to make the bench for this one. I'll bet LeSaux is up for this though, i'll bet he is also going to be sheer hell going down the wing and perhaps, just perhaps, could be the most difficult opponent that young Johnson has had to try and contain to date, if he plays that is. Beattie will be out to impress, especially if Eriksson keeps up his "i must go and watch the Blues" tradition. How will Bridge be received eh? Hope he isn't a bundle of nerves as any slip up will cost us.We are far from unbeatable, and i don't mean that in light of the Arsenal result, (why not? you ask, easy says i, they didn't beat us that day, we beat ourselves), i mean it in light of the multi fuck ups at the Besiktas game. Make no mistake, we could lose. I just don't think we will Saints 1-3 Chelsea.
Keeping it Round Those pointy balls are popular at the moment aren’t they? That other pointy ball game is having their World Cup and England even beat the French and make it to the final (what a shocker). I think even the yanks took part in that pointy ball tournament, as I guess no one else in the world was interested in their pointy ball game I digress. Keeping it round. A potentially tough game against the Saints. Long lay off, players with little tired legs, totally forgotten the names of their teammates, etc. But I reckon we might just get the 3 points, although Sarf’ampton defend well as a team and they have a good manager (a Scot surprisingly) and a good team spirit, so I don’t see a lot of goals in this one. You can’t win 5-0 every week apparently. Sarf ‘Ampton 0 Chelsea 1 – maybe Mutu. So, is it much Adu about nothing? Seems like the lad wants to play for the team that he’s supported since he was a nipper – Man U.
Ranieri should give Bridge a pass on this one and spare him the (cold) reception he might get. As for strikers..... this tough nut calls for JFH partnering Guddy to take a crack at it. Southampton ain't that difficult..... we'll just have to show ManUre the correct way to do the job. Lucky for us..... Gronks and Duff are ready to rumble! We should have both of them on the flanks and play a straight 4-4-2 with Makalele and Lampard making up the midfield. That should be enough to get us 3-0.
Re: Keeping it Round Gordon Strachan will seriously consider leaving Southampton to take over at Leeds, provided he's guaranteed some BIG money to spend on players. The Saints dressing room might be under strain this week maybe? why would he want the Leeds job? why do the Saints never hold on to their managers? will former Chelsea lad Mark Hughes leave the international scene to take the Saints job?
I read on the Chelsea chat page that Beattie is out this weekend through injury. Don't know if its confirmed, but that's the word going around.
Honestly, I just usually listen on bigblue, haven't gotten into the pub scene really since i'm young (20) and don't really have anyone to go with. 21 in Feb. though, so mabye i'll get to see some non-ppv games then.
Come on, Chelsea! Come on, Birmingham! Let's go the Blues! Looking forward to this one. Does anyone have any news on Beattie? What's the story? Is he in or out?
Beattie still a doubt amen to that!!! from the saints website, beattie still a doubt... http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=173479&Title=Beattie+injury+doubt
personnel from the bbc website... looks like beatties's out, cmon chelsea!!! Southampton v Chelsea Southampton: Niemi, Telfer, Higginbotham, Lundekvam, Le Saux, Fernandes, Delap, Griffit, Marsden, Ormerod, Phillips. Subs: Jones, Hall, Prutton, Anders Svensson, Delgado. Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Bridge, Cole, Makelele, Lampard, Duff, Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Ambrosio, Johnson, Gronkjaer, Mutu, Stanic. Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)