Rafael Benitez will take charge of his first game as Chelsea’s interim coach against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and it could see Spanish forward Fernando Torres return to the starting line-up after he was left out against Juventus in the week.
Both John Terry and Frank Lampard will miss the game against the reigning Premier League champions, whilst Daniel Sturridge remains doubtful.
The team I’d pick:
P. Cech (c)
C. Azpilicueta – B. Ivanovic – G. Cahill – A. Cole
J. Mikel – Ramires
Oscar – E. Hazard – J. Mata
F. Torres
Benitez is seen as a disciplinarian and if he’s going to leave someone out or give them a bollocking, it should be none other than David Luiz, who has been woeful in recent matches and when he’s not losing his man, he’s watching them score whilst he’s jogging back slowly from a position he shouldn’t have found himself in the first place. The other lads haven’t shone either, but a bit of organisation, as well as help from those further up the park is what we need and Branislav Ivanovic and Gary Cahill are far more disciplined than the Brazilian.
I enjoy seeing John Obi Mikel move further up the park from time to time, threading a few passes through and getting more involved with attacks, but he’s at his best when he’s barely noticed. Mikel’s primary job should be to control the midfield area and protect the defence. Ramires also has a responsibility to pull his weight defensively and also to press when he is in advanced positions and we loss possession.
Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar have all looked brilliant when going forward this season and they are amongst the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League but when we don’t have the ball, it’s often only Hazard and the forward that are pressing the opposition in their own half. Oscar has shown that he can do his fair share of defensive work when he had Pirlo in his pocket for most of Juventus’ trip to Stamford Bridge, but didn’t do anything of the sort in Turin. Mata hasn’t done enough recently to help track back and defend high up the pitch either, so it’s something that we’ll have to work on as it’s a little unfair to criticise the defence all the time when they’re being overloaded.
There’s still no alternative and his mate has arrived, so I cannot see an eventuality in which Torres doesn’t start the game unless he suffers an injury. I’m hoping that Benitez can get something out of the forward…I won’t hold my breath, but I’ll hope nonetheless.
Try and tink b4 u tok pls mikel is a great player. Luiz is a fantastic player no his day bt dropin mikel for luiz is a very very bad idea.
Mikel is most surely the weak link in this Chelsea team. Too lazy, lacks vision, and is very uninspiring. We need a defensive midfielder in the mould of Yaya Toure, who contributes more to the team with his all round play . Mikel just isn’t it .
mikel is very strong and gud also..but he sudnt b sleeping 2day
i thnk cech is da problem
hes nt da peter cech he used to b
Strange things happening at Chelsea…….. Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard , and John Terry, won’t have their contracts extended beyond one(1) year because they’re all 30 years and above. Mikel is older than the trio(forget his falsified age of 25), yet RDM wanted to give him an additional 5 year contract extension , by which time he would be well over 40 years old.
And who are you to know his real age, his father perhaps? Get a life.
U shd used invnovic cahill luise A cole pls dont use cesar to play 2 against man city becos they are very strong the only broblem chelsea have is torres we need striker dat can break any defence such as Falcao , Cavanni
Mikel is a gud DF.he knws wt he’s doing guy.our problem is luiz.he so much likes 2 go overlaping.nd it causes havoc 2 mikel nd ramires.
Mikel is terrible. He’s an eyesore to watch. I hate to see deluded Chelsea fans actually stand up for that useless waste of space. He’s terribly slow, very languid, never runs anywhere, very low work rate, doesnt close down anything, he just drops back without tackling which puts the team under a lot of pressure so even the attacking players have to be always dropping deep to defend and to start a decent attacks. He doesnt move on purpose or into good positions and offers absolutely no link between attack and defense. He pretty much just does the bare minimum. He is the obvious weak link in the Chelsea team. Take him out so Chelsea can play a fast paced pressing game especially with the players we have, without having Mikel to slow down things.
Well, I guess I wont have to rant much longer about how useless he is now that RDM got fired (about fucking time) so his insistence on always playing Mikel is a thing of the past. Under Rafa, I doubt Mikel will get much playing time.
African people, your opinions dont matter, especially when it comes on to defending your countryman or when your responses are phrased like your keyboard is having a seizure.
U said luiz instead of mikel??
We won’t value mikel now but don’t worry in january when he will be leaving us for african cup of nation we will know him better
Have a look at both the Shaktar goals, and second Juventus goal and see we’re Mikel is. He is outside the area walking leisurely towards the box, whilst the opposition players are on the penalty spot unmarked. Luiz is in his position defending the goal line. Ramirez is also back… Perhaps a bit to further back. If Luiz plays in that role he can go forward more and if he looses the ball there will still be cover behind him.
dat was 1 of our bad days
cech
iva-cahil-mikel-a.cole
mata-ramires-oscar
hazard-torres-malouda
wat a joke
Cech
Cesar-Cahill-Iva-Cole
Oscar-Mikel(because essin is in Madrid)-Marin
Mata-Torres-Hazard
lets c who plays 2day..i thnk dis team will b da best
cech
ivanovic,cahil,luiz,cole
mikel/ramires,oscar
marin/moses,mata,hazard
torres