I think most of our main rivals will have been asked to give up key players for this tournament, but Droba and Kalou are in an Ivory Coast side made up mostly of key PL players! It looks as if they could be potential winners, and means our boys will be away longest! Kalou wont have a lot of impact , but this could give Torres a long unbroken run in the starting XI's. Might this be the making of him?
I certainly hope so Blue It is a prime chance for AVB to shape the team around his style of play and for him to show his class...with Drogba and his massive personality out of the camp he may start to shine... The signs are good so far as his alround play has been excellent, now he just needs a goal or two in the coming fixtures to get him going.
It's going to have a brilliant impact, wish it was a 10 year tournament, we wont have to play mikel or kalou while their away so its great plus we wont have drogba in the dressing room so we can hopefully have peace and harmony and one less big ego
It wont affect us like previous tournaments may have (though I think if you check stats, ACON rarely seems to have effected our form). Mikel and Kalou are both out of favour anyway and Drogba isn't the force he once was. And with Essien coming back to fitness we might even be in a stronger position than previously.
I'd give Lukaku a punt on his own! Love to see Lalkovic get his chance aswell, he deserves it and he's been playing well with Luakaku
Cheers Drogs keep us in the know, and i remember reading when we bought him he'd join in the summer but wouldn't be available untill january due to he can't get a work permit untill his 18 or it's the fact we can't apply for one untill his 18
Ok, I've looked up the stats on Chelsea during the ACON (I have a lot of free time) 2010: 5 games (2 FA cup), w5, d0, l0, f19, a3 2008: 6 games (1 FA cup, 1 league cup), w4, d2, l0, f6, a2 2006: 6 games (2 FA cup), w2, d3, l1, f9, a7 2004 I think we only lost Geremi so it didn't seem worth it and 2002 I don't think we lost anyone. I know there is some flaws to this depending on nations performances and call up and release dates but I think it does show Chelsea have generally not done too badly during ACON period (particularly last time around).
Well would love to see a team like this just for pure pace and youth Hutchinson , Chalobah , Terry , Bertrand Luiz, Romeu, Mceachran Sturridge , Lukaku , Piazon Bench: Mata, Lalkovic, Bosingwa, Lampard, GK, Ramires, Cole Would make an interesting line up for sure!
Torres not on the bench? Lukaku will be our main man in a few years, still too raw at the moment needs a season long loan next season then he'll be ready, for now and next season though el nino will be the one leading us to glory
Ooops completely forgot about Torres would have him on the bench instead of Bosingwa, Torres has had plenty of starts to try justify himself but has failed time after time, but I havent given up on him yet, let Romelu have a start the guy has been playing well enough. He can be loaned out in this window I believe just not the last one when he was registered with us, hopefully we send out Lukaku, Mceachran, Kakuta and PVA in pairs so that they get some experience playing with future team mates Swansea and WBA could be good places where the football is attacking
You know, I wouldn't be too surprised if we loaned out Bertrand rather than PVA in this window. I just have this feeling a decision hasn't quite been made on which one we want to keep yet and AVB might want PVA close by in training so he can see how he copes.
