Going for a 3-1 win for us. Agree with most of you, that this final will not have any impact on the League run in. Lets do this for Matic and for the loss at 3pt lane. Hope Jose picks one youngster atleast as a sub on. Courtois Ivan Zouma JT Luis Rambo Fab Cuadrado Willian Hazard Costa Subs: Cech, Ake (Loftus-Cheek), Drog, Remy, Dave, Cahill
Think it'll be a cracker and I'm going 2-1 just not sure which way! Missing Matic is a concern. I think Zouma may be a good shout given the torrid time Kane gave Cahill. The longer this goes on the better we should fare with our extra rest so we need to keep the intensity high and try and really take control in the final 20-30 mins. Spurs are a fit side but they've played a competitive derby game and an away game in Europe since our last fixture. We should be a lot fresher. This will be a nice fillip to lead into the next few weeks of the season if we can take off some pressure with an early trophy much like 2005. COYB
Zouma has started recent home games, so he should start this home game as well Oscar - no place with his form.
Didn't Oscar just win player of the month? Or at least get a nom??? If he plays 2 enforcers Fabregas will probably play 10 and Oscar benched. Not sure he'll start Cuadrado in a game like this just yet so if Fab plays in the middle, Oscar may play 10. .
We can all dream.Would love if one of our youth team get 1 or 2 important senior games. If Jose cannot give confidence to these young chaps, who can?
Ake ramieres and oscar at no 10. If we play Fabregas in the pivot we've lost this game. if we put rami and fab togheter in the pivot we may as well not turn up imo
Agreed with Fab & Rambo pairing. No defensive discipline. But don't think Jose will go with a youngster.
Probably a ridiculous idea but would love to see if Ivan could play holding role. Can do most of the jobs needed in there (pass, tackle, head, and even shoot)
I won't mind sticking Ivan up instead of Costa tbh. So your idea should be good for us. Jose needs to invent something and give us a new impetus for the run - in. Cup is just a preview.
This is just another match - don't want to attach lot of importance. Jose should use the opportunity to try something different.
This kind of demonstrates the difference between us...just another match to you is a big thing for us. Here's hoping that the match is decided by the players not by the officials
personally, im very excited for this one. we havent won anything in a good few years i'm right up for it and im sure the players are too! massive game!!
Finally Jose agrees with most of us that our DM is our weakness. When Matic plays - on many occassions we are 3 at the back with Ivan & Dave as wing backs. Should be similar.
no matic. Cahill looks like he's shielding along side fabregas (we could play a 3 though). He's played there for 5 mins here and there, most notably against man city, and to be fair he's got decent feet and the defensive side is not really in question. we'll lose invention bu i think we 'll try and grind this one out.
Chelsea starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Cahill, Fabregas, Willian, Diego Costa, Hazard CFC subs: Luis, Ake, Drogba, Remy, Cuadrado, Courtois, Oscar Tottenham Hotspur starting XI: Lloris, Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Bentaleb, Mason, Chadli, Eriksen, Townsend, Kane Spurs subs: Soldado, Lamela, Vorm, Dembele, Fazio, Stambouli, Davies
