Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea side will hope to strengthen their position as Premier League leaders by picking up three points against Norwich at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and if the Canaries defend anything like they did against Liverpool, hopefully we’ll see a rout.
Daniel Sturridge remains the only injury concern for Chelsea, so we’re in decent shape but I expect there will be a few changes from the team that started midweek as the fixtures become congested.
The team I’d pick to play Norwich:
P. Cech
C. Azpilicueta – G. Cahill – J. Terry (c) – R. Bertrand
J. Mikel – Ramires
Oscar – E. Hazard – J. Mata
F. Torres
Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole and David Luiz all started the games against FC Nordsjælland and could do with a rest, or for one or two of them to play 45 minutes. It’s not as if Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta or Ryan Bertrand are inexperienced, so I have no concerns over them starting and would like to see Azpilicueta given more game time in particular.
John Obi Mikel and Ramires have been the best and most consistent central midfield partnership we’ve played all season. It was an area of concern earlier in the campaign but it looks as though we’ve solved the issue by simply playing Ramires in his rightful position, and his tireless work as a box-to-box midfielder has proved invaluable.
Oscar, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata will be on hand to provide the magic whilst the likes of Mikel and Ramires keep things solid and simple in the middle of the park. The trio can only get better and better the more they play together.
Fernando Torres is the default choice at centre forward so there’s not much to say here, just hope he takes his chances as he wasted a fair few golden opportunities in the week and needs to match his work-rate with an end product.
Cech
Azplicueta……..Cahil………Terry (c)…….Bertrand
……………Mikel…………….Romeu……………………
Oscar………………..Mata…………….Harzard
…………………………..Torres…………………………….
Subs; Marin, Ramires, Lamps, Moses, luiz, Cole.
Torres, Luiz and Ivanovic have played more minutes than anyone, so I agree, they need a rest. Unfortunately, Torres can’t be rested. Don’t know why people are so insistent on naming Ivanovic & Luiz in their teams, one has been poor and it would be nice to have a game without the Luiz hoof ball.
As for people calling for Mikel’s omission, why? He’s had a rest and has been part of the best central midfield partnership we’ve enjoyed for some time, surely it is a platform to build on.
Also, everyone often forgets that Mikel allows the likes of Mata, Hazard and Oscar to do what they do best. No other midfielder in the squad can offer them that sort of cover. Before you say ‘Romeu’ he’s still unfinished as an article, there’s a reason Mikel will be playing his 250th game tomorrow at only 25.
lets play like this
Cech, cesar, cahil, terry, cole, ramirez, mikel, mata, oscar. Marin, torres bt if you start bertrand at left back den u can play hazard….reason bcus marin cnt win back a ball 4 u like hazard wuld, so u give him a perfect cover which wil b cole, den if bertrand starts, hazard wll be rollim d costa a da left flank….oscar shld be playin week in week out cos he is close to bein a striker himself
Mine would be
Cech
Azplicueta, Cahil, Terry, Cole
Ramires, Mikel
Mata, Hazard, Marin
Torres
Piazon should enter later frm bench, along with luiz and “moses or lampard”