By dixon9
January 10 2009

There is an air of doom and gloom amongst some Chelsea fans. Doubts on Scolari, tactics, players and how the club is being run. Fuelled by a combination of recent results, media hysterical claims that Abramovich´s fortune is gone and that he wants to sell us, our backs are apparently against the wall - but an older Chelsea fan might tell you, this could be the perfect time to play Man Utd.

I might as well briefly run through some of the points in the list of woe; we have only taken 10 points from our last seven League games.  We have drawn against West Ham at home and Fulham away due to last minute defensive co.ck ups (as we did away to Bordeaux in the Champions League).

We lost our home record to Liverpool and then doubled our home defeats this season by losing to Arsenal.  We have repeatedly refused the opportunity to wrestle back our place at the pinnacle of the league from Liverpool, and to cap it all, last Saturday we were held to a draw by League One Southend in the FA Cup (Yes! Again through a last-minute Keystone Cop moment in defence!).

On the plus side, we are 2^nd in the league and currently are the Premier's highest scorers with 40 goals and the best defence with only nine goals conceded. We also have a phenomenal away record with 26 points from a possible 30.

Still, there are “Lies, damn lies and statistics” and the doom-mongers do have a point with regard to recent form.  The feeling is that Chelsea are on the cusp of an irreversible downward spiral whilst the spectre of Man Utd looms in the ascendancy. 

However, with my anorak still on, I still don’t quite see how Manchester United are that menacing.  They have not beaten a top seven side in five attempts so far and their goal difference at 19 pales to our 31.  True, they are unbeaten at home this season but they also haven’t scored more than one goal in a league game since they beat Stoke City in mid-November.

Anyway, enough of stats for the moment…

With regard to players returning we have Carvalho who should be almost at full fitness and Terry and Ballack back from suspension. The prospect of both Terry and Carvalho at last forming the centre of our defence is more than encouraging.

Players out for us are Malouda with a hamstring, possibly Alex and obviously Essien.

For Manchester United, captain Rio Ferdinand has trained for the last few days and looks to have overcome his back problem in time for Sunday’s clash.

Patrice Evra also returns from his four-match ban after the “Battle of Stamford Bridge” leaving only Owen Hargreaves and Wes Brown in the treatment room.

Tactically, Ferguson will probably use Dimitar Berbatov as a spearhead with Rooney and Ronaldo drifting in as and when required from wider positions.  Tevez isn’t flavour of the month with Ferguson at the moment so he should be on the bench (As I write, news is coming in that The Times have just run a story that Ronaldo has reached an agreement with Real Madrid´s ex-president, Florentino Perez to join them next season.  Perez now works for the Spanish club as a business director).

Scolari has been hinting at trying something new and has apparently been rehearsing a 4-2-3-1 formation.  Drogba will probably be preferred to Anelka in the middle of attack.

The doom merchant’s position is understandable to a degree – expectations are rightly elevated in recent times but I’m not as gloomy as some with regard to our prospects at Old Trafford.  We have an old tradition of playing at our best when nobody – not even some of our own fans – expects us to perform. 

Personally I’d be more than happy if I see that old Chelsea fight and vigour in our play and the determination to win that we have become used to on many occasions over the years.  Give us back a bit of the old new Chelsea (and in the process, brighten up the place a bit more!)

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, Rafael, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Nani, Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Park, Berbatov, Rooney, Welbeck, Gibson, Possebon.

Referee: Howard Webb

QUOTES & STATS:

Quotes:

Ferguson:

"If we can get within a couple of points of Chelsea and we've games in hand, then we're in a great position,"

"It's been later - in the last two or three games - for the last two seasons. It doesn't matter when you play Chelsea, though; it's always going to be a massive game,"

"That will be a big game. It's unusual to have it in January; it's usually towards the end of the season."

Scolari:

"We need to win because they are four points behind us and have two games in hand,"

"Those two games are not against us. It is not in our hands and we need to think about winning this game.

"If we win, we are in front of Manchester United and we have 18 games to play. If you lose one game or three points against a direct opponent like United, you are in trouble. But all the games are a test for our players; we need to win all the games."

"It is the perfect game to lift them all.  It is a fantastic game. I think half of the world will be watching this game. I have lost many games with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but we have done well away from home.

"Sometimes when you play at home it is more difficult than playing away. Maybe now it is more difficult at Stamford Bridge than away from home."

Lampard:

"The errors have been very frustrating for everyone involved because we do work on them in training anyway.

"Sometimes it has been an individual error or a collective one, but it has been very important because we have dominated the last two games and we lost out on a set-piece in the final minute each time.

"We can't afford to let that happen against a team of Manchester United's calibre."

Bosingwa:

“To stop Cristiano is not easy but at Chelsea there are people who know him well, including the manager.

“We know what to do to stop him putting on a show.”

“Some people are beginning to doubt our chances for the title, but we want to leave Manchester proving that there is a lot still be to be decided.

“This game is very important for our fight for the title. United are coming from behind and are pressing hard and the game will not be easy. But we plan to go there and claim victory. It would be a big boost for morale if we got three points. And we know whatever happens we cannot stop fighting for our target.”  

“All the players are with Scolari. He’s our coach and is more than qualified to lead us to success.

“This week I have noticed a greater intensity in training at Chelsea. I have seen more energy in all my colleagues because we have a big match against United on Sunday which is vital for the title and we want to win it.”

Mourinho:

'It is not a surprise to see them there (Liverpool) - they are three points ahead of Chelsea after 20 matches. For me it was a surprise when I was manager of Chelsea that they were 20 or 30 points behind us all the time and were out of the title race by December.

'They have a good manager, they have good players, they have good traditions and a good crowd.

'They have every possible chance of doing it. Arsenal have some great moments, they have some great matches, but they are always heading in the same direction.'

'It looks like the same thing will happen to them again in the Premier League that happened when I was at Chelsea. It will be a Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester United title race.

'It is not my team any more - Anelka, Deco, Ivanovic and Bosingwa are not my players - but Chelsea are in a great position still. They are in the last 16 of the Champions League and anyone can win it in the last 16.

'They are second in the Premier League but it was not such a good result in the FA Cup against Southend. They have to play a second game but they still have the chance to go through.  

'Yes, they lost to Burnley in the Carling Cup but they cannot win it every year - they won it twice in the last four years. It is not a drama.'

Stats (purloined from the official site):

Our visit to Old Trafford on Sunday will be the first of any of the top seven clubs this season. 

So far this season, Man Utd are unbeaten at home.

During the last 20 years of encounters at Old Trafford since 1989, we have won five and lost five with nine draws.  Our last win was in the 2004/05 season.

Michael Ballack and John Mikel Obi could both make their 50th Premier League start and Didier Drogba his 150th for the Blues in all competitions.

John Terry should equal Peter Osgood's appearance record of 380 games.

Mikel is on four bookings – one more and he will receive an automatic one-match suspension.

We first met Man Utd on Christmas Day 1905, a 0-0 draw at Bank Street, Clayton, in front of 12,000 fans (the Good Friday encounter at the Bridge, a 1-1 draw on Good Friday, was watched by an amazing 67,000).

Biggest league win at Man Utd for each team

26/12/1960 Man Utd 6-0 Chelsea

24/08/1968 Man Utd 0-4 Chelsea

In total over the 29 games played, there have been 127 instances where various players have been unavailable for selection.

Games missed due to injury and illness - 118: Essien 27, Carvalho 17, J Cole 11, Ballack 10, Di Santo 9, Drogba 9, A Cole 6, Belletti 5, Deco 5, Alex 4, Bridge 4, Cech 3, Cudicini 3, Malouda 3, Mikel 2.

Suspended - 9: Drogba 4, Terry 3, Deco 1, Lampard 1.

Man Utd v Chelsea Preview: We´re Doomed!!!

Discussion started by 50 Years Over 100 Years , 10/01/2009 06:41

50 Years Over 100 Years
10/01/2009 06:41

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dixon9
11/01/2009 13:45

Sky Sports have announced that the fire alarm went off in he team hotel at 5am in the morning. The same thing happened in the 2006/7 Season when we played at Old Trafford.





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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.

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guest
11/01/2009 15:28

(Sm127)come on u reds,,,,,should be a cracker this,,,gl

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Since 66
11/01/2009 18:29

What time is the next flight back to Florida?

Wonderful time, wonderful weather, wonderful house we rented, great car and I came back to this rubbish





Don't Gamble, Bet Risk Free

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