That is of course the problem with the Europa League, but it’s a problem that will have to be managed if we are try and replicate what we achieved last season.
I’m not talking in terms of the result at Stamford Bridge, although another 2-0 win would be very welcome indeed, but I mean generally. The Europa League can take it’s toll on a squad over the course of a season, but with nine changes made for the match and a whole host of key players left out of the squad altogether I’m hopeful that, at least for now anyway, the impact of trip will be minimal on our squad.
I guess we haven’t got long to find out just how fatigued our squad is but at this early juncture of the season I wouldn’t be overly pleased to hear it as an excuse for an awful performance should one transpire at Stamford Bridge this afternoon. Hopefully that won’t be the case anyway…
Enough waffle. Team news, as ever will be published below as and when it becomes available, and if you happen to stumble upon any streams of the match then please feel free to accidentally post a link to it in the comments section below.
Let’s do this.
Howay the lads!
Chelsea: Petr Cech; Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Ashley Cole; John Obi Mikel, Raul Meireles; Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Ryan Bertrand; Fernando Torres
Subs: Ross Turnbull, Michael Essien, Oriol Romeu, Frank Lampard, Ramires, Oscar, Daniel Sturridge
Newcastle: Tim Krul; Danny Simpson, Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon; Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Vurnon Anita, Jonas Gutierrez; Demba Ba, Papiss Cisse
Subs: Steve Harper, Mike Williamson, James Perch, Sylvain Marveaux, Romain Amalfitano, Gabriel Obertan, Ryan Taylor.
Dowd hasn’t exactly been helpful to the away side mind 🙄
toonsy(Quote)
what a mess
M(Quote)
nasty defending that
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Missing Tiote imo and wish Benny could have a bit more freedom too., they will score another in a minute ,Hazards a right royal pain in the ****.
kimtoon(Quote)
wtf is Tayls doing ffs 😈
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
our sphincters have caved in… 🙁
Munich Mag(Quote)
Torres falls far too easy for my liking ,cheating get. 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
MM I think Benny is being made to track back etc in stead of letting him cause Chelski bother, that to me is the difference with Hazard he’s got a free role
Big Dave(Quote)
We sit too deep in our half
HBA39(Quote)
book the ****
M(Quote)
Torres what a ****** 👿 👿 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Torres AGAIN you cheating feckin get ,book him 👿
kimtoon(Quote)
it’s a pity Pardew won’t take Jonas off when he’s playing like a drain
M(Quote)
yes
😆
kimtoon(Quote)
Surely if that isn’t a foul it should be a yellow card for Torres the twatbag…
Munich Mag(Quote)
ooops we got away with that one 😳
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
😆 😆 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
waited too long Papiss lad
M(Quote)
gotta take those chances when we get em cus we wont get many
grrrr
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Benny must be freed up sooner rather than later.
kimtoon(Quote)
well done jonas 😛
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
There is no doubting we have the talent to score a goal…but our midfield seems to be struggling… strange really cos they are playing with one striker..
Munich Mag(Quote)
come on now lads
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
gash
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Benny looks pretty darn free to me, popping up wherever he wants. Playing well too
M(Quote)
dang pappis u should have scored man
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
At only 1-0 we always have a chance of nicking something these days 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Hate it when our set pieces end up being a fast counter attack.
OH so close there.
kimtoon(Quote)
oh man good chance Cisse…
Munich Mag(Quote)
4 mins extra
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
MM @ 96 – It’s because Chelsea are playing five in midfield against our four. The one striker is irrelevant to our midfield….
How was that a high foot by Cisse?
toonsy(Quote)
Yalreet Toonsy…good to see you visiting mate…
Munich Mag(Quote)
ffs torres again
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
**** u torres
M(Quote)
Simpson is getting thraped all too often today.
toonsy(Quote)
MM @ 106 – 😉
toonsy(Quote)
tell ye what I don’t think Chelski have been that good apart from their pen they haven’t really caused us that much bother,
Big Dave(Quote)
I can really see Torres getting a red here. He goes down way too easy the cheating scumbag..
Munich Mag(Quote)
and then he scores bollix 👿
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
thats us ****** then
M(Quote)
At 2-0 just before half time though it’s game over unfortunately 🙁
toonsy(Quote)
fuk take that back 👿 😈
Big Dave(Quote)
ffs ,gutted ,hate that get .
kimtoon(Quote)
Just don’t get why we’re 4-4-2 again. I don’t care if Ba doesn’t like being out on the left, he needs to deal with it.
Newkie(Quote)
someone spoke too soon 🙄 🙄
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Dave @ 111 – Was thinking that myself but oh well.
Just me or anyone else reckon Krul should have done better there?
toonsy(Quote)
agree Newkie
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Cabs injured
kimtoon(Quote)
I think both of our full backs have been battered today. Santone hasn’t put a tackle in all game, left looking stupid there again for the second goal.. 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Cabaye ******
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Toonsy it aint over tell the fat lady sings
Big Dave(Quote)
Toonsy@120, I thought that too mate… 😕
Munich Mag(Quote)
Our only chance is to give the ball to Benny more often and in a good position. And when we play in 4-4-2 its too difficult.
And CIsse and Ba are completely out of form, Anita is lost so the score is logic
HBA39(Quote)
Dont like 442 , need to change it.
kimtoon(Quote)
HT
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
“up and coming Belgian” at 35 million quid you daft *****…. 👿
Munich Mag(Quote)
Fugh.
Fans Should Own The Club(Quote)
Why are we playing 4-4-2 again its far too open, Get Ba on the left
CC(Quote)
we are missing Tiote so much in this game.
Sorry boys but Chelsea are a much better side and i think there is nothing positive at all.
We need signings, we need pace, and we need more options on the left side because guti cant go forward.
Hope to see something completely different for secoond half.
HWTL
DanishToon(Quote)
Can’t really argue with that, baptism of fire for Anita, he has done well but hope he hasn’t been signed to fill Tiote’s boots! The sad thing id Chelsea haven’t even played well. Can tell they are back to being title challengers this season and so they should the money he has spent.
DJG(Quote)
Every “big” team we played 4-4-2 beat us last season didn’t they? With the exception of the 4-4-2 win over Manure where we had Shola playing target man (which he can, unlike Ba/Cisse) and where Benny didn’t play on the right, wasn’t it Raylor and then Obertan? We just don’t function with Cisse and Ba in a 4-4-2 and Benny is essentially wasted. Add to that we’ve lost Tiote and our midfield is just getting destroyed 😕
Newkie(Quote)
Early goal second half and we’ll turn it around. Or we’ll get gubbed 5-0.
Keep The Faith(Quote)
I expect Pards to change the 4-4-2 in 2nd half
Big Dave(Quote)
I think he’s scared 4-3-3 would leave us open but I think if we had 3 sitting back deep in midfield then it would be the opposite. I think you should start a game playing you best formation and have a go at the opposition, the Spurs game taught us that. I don’t like going somewhere to ‘keep it tight’. It just never works, and here we are half time 2-0 down.
DJG(Quote)
Half want us to just get destroyed so Ashley realises we’re wafer thin 😕
Newkie(Quote)
When are the board going to realise to move to the next level we need a centre half and a right back? Jeez! We’re playing with the same defence that played in the championship!!
Pardew has every right to be fcking fuming at the way they board have handled this window. Believed their own press too much.
What happens when you have success in th transfer market an get renowned for it? Selling clubs cotton on and reliae the player they have must be decent if NUFC are in for him and up the price
Stuart79(Quote)
keep the faith
agree….
DanishToon(Quote)
I can tell you the half time change now…. Raylor for Santone…
Munich Mag(Quote)
Santon needs replacing with Raylor imo.
He hasn’t got 1 tackle in yet. **** poor
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
plus we need Raylor for his set plays and long throws.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
4-4-2 is Ok to start with but need to change to 4-2-3-1 as soon as we can see it’s not working
Premandup(Quote)
no changes
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Sorry Beardsley, unfortunately Santon is a really good dribbler and can run down the flanks and therefore is a quality defender 😉
Ah well, we’re 50/1 now on bet365 so put the mortgage on it
Newkie(Quote)
Simpson has really a problem with some simple pass in the ground
HBA39(Quote)
cisse shocking stuff AGAIN
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)