Predict our starting XI for the cup

not the XI you want to see, but the XI you think we will see

really not sure whose going to be at RB, but im sure ill get an idea from the rest of you

I think Mereiles would be given a rest after starting 3 games.

I hope Lukaku starts but I doubt AVB would risk a complete change hence the inclusion of Anelka who played well the past few games

Soul wrote:I think Mereiles would be given a rest after starting 3 games.

good point, didnt think of that

Fulhams not a shit team so i doubt to many player will get rested

Kalou and drogba to be subbed on.

Andre Villas-Boas announces that he is adopting a policy of playing young players in the Carling Cup this season.

The manager lists Josh McEachran, Ryan Bertrand, Romelu Lukaku and Oriol Romeu as some of players who will play in Carling Cup match versus Fulham on Wednesday evening.

Didier Drogba, recovered from concussion, will be available for selection.

Link to sauce

Bring on the youngsters! I'm struggling to find what time this is for me locally, any of you Aussie guys know?

its 7:45pm GMT (UK time)

So 4:45am for you??


and youngsters yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Yeah I managed to convert the times(my computer was acting up with timezones).

Really awkward time, dunno if I should go to bed or stay up

Go to bed early and wake up, staying up is a ballache especially if you'll be up til like 7am being said I've done that wayyyyy too much :king:

Yeah but I finish work/get home after midnight so I might just stay up, I'll probably just see how I feel. Very excited to see McEachran

Yeah him and Romeu in midfield lets see some Barca style football

I will be waking up for it.

Cannot wait to see Oriol, Josh and Romelu in action together.

Haha mars you are hardcore

Should have seen me before manchesters game, I was falling asleep waiting for it to start, as soon as it started I woke right up.

This was after a long day of walking lots too.

True dedication this is totally a random question but how is the weather during november - december - jan time in the aussie land?

Luiz avatar anyone?

Ade wrote:True dedication this is totally a random question but how is the weather during november - december - jan time in the aussie land?

Luiz avatar anyone?

Warm in Nov, about 25-35c

Hotter in dec 30+ and even hotter in Jan and feb where is gets 40+ a lot.

Chelsea will line-up in the following 4-3-3 formation:

1 Petr Cech
19 Paulo Ferreira
33 Alex
4 David Luiz
34 Ryan Bertrand
20 Josh McEachran
6 Oriol Romeu
15 Florent Malouda
23 Daniel Sturridge
18 Romelu Lukaku
21 Salomon Kalou

Subs: 22 Ross Turnbull,17 Jose Bosingwa, 26 John Terry, 12 John Mikel Obi, 8 Frank Lampard, 10 Juan Mata, 11 Didier Drogba.

Sturridge given yet another start! Hope he doesn't get too tired. This side should be enough to beat them, if not then we have Mata, Lampard and Drogba to call of the bench.

Great. I decided to stay awake and the match ain't on TV.

Apparently, yet understandably, they are showing a Real Madrid match since its played at the same time

Yeah, I got up. They played liverpool v brighton and no other match

Ahh damn guys I should have posted some streams here heh

Romeu was beast this game really impressed with him, Turnbull made some epic saves too lol.

Lukaku was really average/poor he did ok sometimes but then sometimes it was hard to watch especially his crossing although as a CF you don't expect him to be a great crosser. Best commentary bit went something along the lines of this when JT dribbled passed someone "Great work from JT now can he cross it like a winger?......... No he crosses it like Lukaku" made me laugh anyways.

Luiz proper had Zamora in his pocket tonight when he came on so that was good to watch, Alex shouldn't have been sent off think it was more a yellow tbh.

Ade wrote:Ahh damn guys I should have posted some streams here heh

Romeu was beast this game really impressed with him, Turnbull made some epic saves too lol.

Lukaku was really average/poor he did ok sometimes but then sometimes it was hard to watch especially his crossing although as a CF you don't expect him to be a great crosser. Best commentary bit went something along the lines of this when JT dribbled passed someone "Great work from JT now can he cross it like a winger?......... No he crosses it like Lukaku" made me laugh anyways.

Luiz proper had Zamora in his pocket tonight when he came on so that was good to watch, Alex shouldn't have been sent off think it was more a yellow tbh.

Pretty much this, I still feel we suffer from a lack of support for strikers i.e Lukaku, but he is a very unfinished product and showed the occasional spark tonight.

Kalou once again showed us how rubbish he is and how he does not deserve any sort of appearance in first team football, should have at least had 1-2 goals, also does not know how to pass.

Kinda wish McEachran wasn't taken off, but he looked fairly good and came close to scoring with a nice run, was good to see him play.

And seriously Luiz this guy is so good, made some freak passes

Romeu was good, decent passing and mostly intelligent play(I thought) I can definitely see him growing into or even overtaking Mikel in his role in the distant future.

That said I feel asleep during extra time so some of my thoughts may be inaccurate

Also props to Bertrand! Did a really good job I thought and looked very comfortable. Truth be told I haven't seen PvA play in a bit but I'm wondering who is better between them as Ryan looked top tonight.

Kinda goes without saying Kalou was turd haha I don't get him when you see 3 people around why DON'T DRIBBLE INTO THEM

Ryan did well I liked it, although he kinda lacked support from Malouda/Kalou who ever was supposed to be on the left with him didn't see much of that sexy attacking link up play that Cole does when he gets up, although we did see Ryan up the field a bit.

Paolo for me had a great game I really enjoyed his performance, I wish he was the captain (would have been good to see it cos then Cech wouldn't have gotten injured and we would have had 1 more sub to use aka swap Drogba on for Lukaku).

We have a good problem with Ryan and PVA because they are both good, I saw highlights of Wigan on the weekend he looked really decent.

Ade wrote:Kinda goes without saying Kalou was turd haha I don't get him when you see 3 people around why DON'T DRIBBLE INTO THEM

Ryan did well I liked it, although he kinda lacked support from Malouda/Kalou who ever was supposed to be on the left with him didn't see much of that sexy attacking link up play that Cole does when he gets up, although we did see Ryan up the field a bit.

Paolo for me had a great game I really enjoyed his performance, I wish he was the captain (would have been good to see it cos then Cech wouldn't have gotten injured and we would have had 1 more sub to use aka swap Drogba on for Lukaku).

We have a good problem with Ryan and PVA because they are both good, I saw highlights of Wigan on the weekend he looked really decent.

Yeah I really don't understand how his mind works, maybe he thinks his abilities are many times greater than they actually are, so he just gets surprised when they manage to get the ball off of him.