Date: 22nd January 2013 at 6:30pm
Written by:

Chelsea will have their work cut out if their to overturn their 2-0 deficit against Swansea when the sides meet tomorrow night to play the second leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final at the Liberty Stadium.

Rafael Benitez has no fresh injury concerns but David Luiz, who missed out at the weekend against Arsenal having picked up an ankle knock, is unlikely to play whilst Nigerian duo John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses are away at the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa.

Swansea have concerns of their own as Chico, Remy Agustien and Neil Taylor have all been suffering injuries.

The XI I’d play:

P. Cech

C. Azpilicueta – B. Ivanovic – J. Terry (c) – R. Bertrand

Ramires – F. Lampard

Marin – J. Mata – E. Hazard

D. Ba

Considering we’re 2-0 down going into tomorrow night’s game it’ll be a match in which we need big characters and I’d bring John Terry back into action for this one and pair him with Branislav Ivanovic, who was excellent alongside Gary Cahill against Arsenal and I’d give him the chance to atone for his errors in the first leg.

We don’t have the luxury to rotate the midfield and attack in the same way we can in defence, so the rest of the team pretty much picks itself unless Rafael Benitez decides that he wants to give Marko Marin another chance in the hope that we can utilise his pace, especially on the counter attack, although I expect he will play Oscar in that role who did ok at the weekend.

Our lack of depth in the squad compared to our rivals is worrying and we’ve even less options now that Lucas Piazon has been loaned out and Marin could yet go too, so I’d like to think we’d recruit at least one more player this window, but that’s a debate for another day.

One area in which we do have choice is upfront and although Fernando Torres put a shift in against Arsenal at the weekend, it’s ultimately your goal-scoring abilities that matter in that position and we need to score at least two to keep us in the tie and the minimum of three to win it so Demba Ba must start as he’s the man in form.

Who’d be in your Chelsea XI at the Liberty Stadium?

 

11 responses to “Who’d be in your Chelsea XI at the Liberty Stadium?”

  1. please says:

    Cech
    Azpillicueta.terry betrand

    Remires lampard
    Hazard Oscar. Marin
    Mata
    Ba

    • Sam says:

      I think torres can still creat impact remember UCL it is through jessy 9 that we got that corner

  2. Egypt moe says:

    azpi cahill terry cole
    rami lamp
    marin mata hazard
    ba

  3. Sam says:

    Why cant rafa use 4.4.2 i want to see Torres and Ba pair

  4. agentyax says:

    Anybody who ever suggest torres should be arrested

    • slim fit says:

      Lol…..Agreed!!!! Suggest torres and Receive a military slap

    • Zami says:

      I think ba should start and later introduce torres cos we are gonna need him at later hour…thumbs up el nino

  5. OOAH says:

    _______________Cech____________

    Azpilicueta__Cahill__Luiz____Cole

    ______________Ramires____________

    ________Oscar________Mata________

    Marin________________________Hazard

    ________________BA_______________

    Really wish Oscar would be given a chance in the deep lying playmaker role or in the centre SIMULTANEOUSLY with Mata. He uses the ball much better than Lampard and does more to help keep possession and create space for other players with his intelligent movement, plus I would even venture to say that his workrate is up there with Ramires (well maybe a little less) but still he adds qualities that Lampard does not. (Really irritating the way how people overrates Lampard)

    Rafa’s rotation policy where he alternates between either using Mata or Oscar as the sole middle man in the centre is a total waste. Oscar can play deeper and he has done so before where he played really well.

    Dont get butthurt Lampard fans. Chelsea has other other players who can take penalties and pop up randomly as the number 9 when they need to.

  6. cech
    azpilicueta,ivanovic,cahill,cole
    ramires,lampard (c)
    marin,mata,hazard
    ba

  7. Cech invan cahil luiz cole rami lamp marin mata hazard ba

  8. Fysh says:

    Cech
    Azp ivan cahill cole
    Ramires luiz
    Ma za car
    BA