Team against Chelsea in the Carling Cup

[RichC]

There's something quite Laurel & Hardy-esque about that mate

I know!!!

Trying to fit in as many nights out before the kid turns up & watching a football match is a lot easier to explain than "I'm off out to get spannered, see you later!"

[Nicey]

Why cant we do both?

Its a tough one for me I hear you and on the face of it agree but my Head tells me we need to be pragmatic, one of our advantages over our competitors this season is our Squad and hopefully how fresh they will be,

I certainly would not play Suarez, Kuyt or Agger in this game

[Craig_H]

Its a tough one for me I hear you and on the face of it agree but my Head tells me we need to be pragmatic, one of our advantages over our competitors this season is our Squad and hopefully how fresh they will be,

I certainly would not play Suarez, Kuyt or Agger in this game

Just to clarify my viewpoint, i'm not saying play the strongest side we have, man for man, regardless of fitness, tiredness etc etc - obviously play City with the best we've got, then evaluate for Chelsea. But if people like Suarez are fine, no knocks, no fatigue etc, i'd play them. Any remote hint of doubt and i'd rest them.

[Exiled_red]

I would expect Agger, Johnson, Adam, Maxi and Bellamy to all be rested if they play against City, as all have fitness or recent injury concerns.

I expect something like:

--------------Reina--------------

Kelly---Carragher Coates---Enrique

Henderson Lucas Spearing Downing

-----------Suarez Carroll----------

Which despite having only 4 of the players that started on Sunday is still quite a strong team.

[BringbackBiscan]

Impossible to say until we see the line up against City. I expect most of the guys that plays against them won't be starting in the cup.

That's not to say it won't be very strong line up still. The bench yesterday was stronger then I've seen in years.

Really hope we can win this this year. I expect Chelsea will be putting out a similar type of team too, even though they have a little more rest then us.

[Rabiosa]

Hey guys, first post here, looks like a great forum

Reina
Kelly Carragher Skrtel Johnson
Maxi Spearing Lucas Adam Downing
Carroll

That would be my team for the chavs in the CC, with Suarez coming off the bench at around 60 minutes.

Who do Chelsea play on the weekend before the game?

[BringbackBiscan]

They're at home to Wolves on the Saturday.

[Arn]

Hey guys, first post here, looks like a great forum

Reina
Kelly Carragher Skrtel Johnson
Maxi Spearing Lucas Adam Downing
Carroll

That would be my team for the chavs in the CC, with Suarez coming off the bench at around 60 minutes.

Who do Chelsea play on the weekend before the game?

Welcome

Looks like the eleven I would play, maybe Henderson instead of Maxi because I would play Maxi against City. Coates instead of Skrtel could also be an option.

[Exiled_red]

Hey guys, first post here, looks like a great forum

Reina
Kelly Carragher Skrtel Johnson
Maxi Spearing Lucas Adam Downing
Carroll

That would be my team for the chavs in the CC, with Suarez coming off the bench at around 60 minutes.

Who do Chelsea play on the weekend before the game?

Welcome to the forum

[BigChief]

Well that loss to Leverkusen will certainly help focus AVB’s priorities now, along with the injury to Drogba.

I’m guessing the Carling Cup will feature very low down. I don’t think Roman had this cup in mind when they paid whatever millions to prise AVB away from Porto.

Expecting to see Sturridge, McEachran, Alex, etc, play. We can play our fringe players with more confidence now, two days after our Man City match.

[PTP]

Kenny has virtually said he's going to field a weakened side and told the fans to not bother going. All out of disgust with the fa and lack of co-operation to move the game

I reckon we'll see virtually a completley different starting XI to the City game two days before.

for city i think we will go unchanged from the Chelsea win, which would give us the below against Chelsea in the cup....

----------------------doni--------------------

kelly------------carra-------coates--------aurelio (if alive or robinson)

henderson-------spearing----gerrard(if fit)------downing

---------------------carroll-------???

not sure on the other - it'd prob be kuyt as he just runs non-stop every game anyway

[Craig_H]

The other side of the coin might be that he is just gagging to get any kind of win to take the pressure off a bit.

[Corndog]

You would rather the Carling Cup than Champions Lg Football and playing in the Nou Camp next season, Yeah look what good the Carling cup has done some of its recent winners

We are bigger than the Carling Cup in my opinion, we have a strong squad, lets fecking use them, you cant just keep putting your strongest 11 out for every single game, they will all be off to the knackers yard come Feb if you do that

I'd rather we do both of course, we aren't even playing in europe this year so with respect i don't think we are bigger than any competition we play in. Chelsea will want to win this cup and you can bet your bottom dollar will united will.

i think its also rather futile to say you can do one or the other because we could field a strong team against city and a 2nd string against chelsea and lose both and go on to not qualify for the champions league next season, or on the flip side we could win both and still go on to not qualify for the CL.

Whatever happens im sure the strongest side availible will play against chelsea, obviously those who haven't recovered wouldn't be put in that side because they wouldnt be ready. Kenny has shown respect to the smaller teams in this competition so i can't see him suddenly throwing on the youngsters against a top club like chelsea. If that happened i think it would show a lack of winning mentality.

[Craig_H]

This is a great time to be playing Chelsea - we can go and smash them again.

[The Birdman]

Considering we haven't won a thing since 2006 and have hardly competed at all since 2007 I don't think we're too big for any competition.