Well its that time of the season when injuries and suspensions strat to bite and we have seven big games in the next 5 weeks. Luke and Adam both picked up or aggravated knocks on Saturday and Cork and Guly are both out injured. Victor is just one yellow away from a ban. It's now that having a big squad begins to pay dividends. So assuming Dejan, Luke and Adam are all fit who should start at Chelsea? I'll go with Boruc Clyne Fonte Lovren Shaw Victor Morgan Jrod JWP Adam Osvaldo Subs KD, Chambers, Maya, Davis, Gaston, Reed and Rickie I'm going with Osvaldo to start as I feel we need to have some additional pace up front away from home and Jrod and Dani can provide that. Thoughts?
Bearing mind that Victor is probably only one game away from suspension then Corky needs to be at least on the bench and get 20 minutes or so on the pitch ready for his anticipated start against either Villa or Man City I believe he was missing on Saturday due to the happy event of the birth of his baby not an injury
Cork may have been absent anyway because of the birth of Arlo, but not sure Mauricio would have lied about it. Suspect he has a foot injury as well. Giving Osvaldo a start as the loan striker is a good call as Rickie can be a supersub.
Boruc Clyne Fonte Lovren Shaw Schneiderlin Wanyama JWP Davis Lallana Rodriguez Subs: Davis, Chambers, Jos, Cork, Ramirez, Osvaldo, Lambert. Need strength on the bench to give us options later on in the game and to remain solid in the first half.
That's leaving us light up top from the start though. I think you need to have one of Lambert or Osvaldo in the starting line up. Which still leaves a strong attacking option on the bench should we need them. I'd probably go for Osvaldo with Lambert on the bench for this one.
Yep, I'm with the people thinking Dani ahead of Rickie. Not just because of the game, but I just think he needs a chance to show what he's about and I just feel that he could stake a claim with a start.
With Rickie the problem for me was not just that he didn't look at the top of his game technically but he just looked seriously unfit, I can't remember seeing him break into a run after about 10 minutes and he barely got off the ground when going up for headers. I still have reservations about Dani but considering we have a mid-week game I'd be fairly happy to see Rickie rested against Chelsea to be fit and firing for a practically must-win Villa fixture.
Came to express the unpopular opinion that it might be a good game to start Osvaldo over Rickie, only to discover that everyone agrees. My team would be the same as Lamballana's, save for Lallana/Rodriguez swapping sides.
