I'll take a stab... (Given that there are no players injured, transferred, or incarcerated) Code: Jimbo Guddy Zenden Lampard Petit Gronkjaer LeSaux Terry Desailly Melchiot Cudicini
Couple things Terry lacks match fitness so he won't play, Guddy has yet to participate in a preseason game so he won't play, while Gallas and Petit are doubtful. Plus Ranners has been giving first choice to De Lucas and Baba not Gronks and Soxy. (which I agree with) So it might look more like this Zola/Cole Jimbo Zenden Petit Lampard De Lucas Baba Desailly Gallas Melchiot Cudicini But keep in mind that could easily change as Petit and Gallas have pretty big question marks hanging around em. Plus I would go with Cole instead of Zola personally, but don't know if Ranners will.
Injured Eidur to miss start of season Eidur Gudjohnsen is set to miss the start of the season after failing to appear for Chelsea's reserves against Woking last night... This is London Gudjohnsen, Petit, and Le Saux are all expected to miss the Charlton match.
considering the injuries... Zola Jimbo Zenden Lampard De Lucas Oliviera Baba Desailly Gallas Melchiot Cudicini Is Gallas fit? Huth to play if the lad is out, already looks like we need more cover CB/CM. Did I mention Dino Baggio?
I think Petit will be ready come Saturday and Gallas as well. ----------------------Carlo------------- Melchiot--------Gallas---------Desailly-------Baba De Lucas-------Lampard--------Petit------Zenden -----------------Jimmy-----------Zola----------- If Gallas can't go, then Melchiot slips into CB and Ferrer plays RB. If Petit can't go, then either Keenan fills in or De Lucas goes to CM with Gronks at RW. Those aren't my choices, just what I think the gaffer will do.
Agreed MST That would be the team as i see it MST. Pity about the injuries though as i can't see him giving Baba the nod over Le Saux.He seems to have taken a shine to the lad since that 3-3 draw at crapford. There can of course be no doubt that he would have Guddy and Jimbo up the front. Taking a stab in the Dark here i will go out on a limb..ridicule me if you wish ...and say that when/if Terry comes back that Desailly will lose out. Why? Because he is the most dispensible of the lot at the CB position. We need to keep Gallas and Terry here for a few years to come.Pretty obvious why. Dessa is on the downside of a fantastic career and hopefully he will accept it with class the way Zola has. If De lucas proves himself against quality opposition that at least will sort out 2/3 of the middle as it probably will be Lumpy and (ex)Pony when fit.Bolo on the right?Perhaps.Definitly when Le saux is playing, perhaps not when Baba gets the nod as he tend to eff nup a bit on geting back to do his primary job IE defend. There ye have it in a perfect day at the Bridge.
Perfect day at the Bridge I can't wait to get back this fall, this 100+ degree heat is killing me. They said the heat index was 121 here today. F*ing ridiculous. Looking to get back in the early fall, maybe Sept 28th v the Hammers. Can't wait for a crisp, cool windy afternoon, sausage baguettes and a few pints outdoors at the White Horse, and then the traditional post-victory binge somewhere on the Fulham Road while laughing at the sad eastenders hopping back on the tube. I don't think I've found an afternoon here that quite compares...
Lucky you. I hope to get back net summer of the summer after myself..but not for a game though. The consequences of marrying a yank.. She won't have any of it.Wants to go "in the summer when it's nice" Still, it would be interesting to see first hand how things have changed. Some of the lads on the Priemiership site are saying that real soon we will have to pay to listen on the internet as all the top flight clubs are going to charge to listen to their broadcasts? Hear anything about that?