The build up - Chelsea 1st Aug 2009

[Royalwaster]

Cheers vicky quality feed.

+1.

+2

[SteveRoyal]

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-4-2 diamond formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech
2 Branislav Ivanovic
6 Ricardo Carvalho
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
12 John Mikel Obi
5 Michael Essien
20 Deco
8 Frank Lampard
39 Nicolas Anelka
11 Didier Drogba

Substitutes: Ross Turnbull, Alex, José Bosingwa, Juliano Belletti, Florent Malouda, Yuri Zhirkov, Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge

Please note that Chelsea squad numbers used in this game are for pre-season only and may change for the season proper.

Reading: Federici; Rosenior, Cisse, Pearce, Bertrand, Gunnarsson, Tabb, Davies, Long, Kebe, Robson-Kanu

Subs: Armstrong, Hunt, Mooney, Harper, Henry, Church, Karacan, Hamer, Bikey, Sigurdsson.

The referee is Peter Walton.

Surprised to see Cisse in defense instead of Bikey.
Also surprised to see Davies instead of Harper. Still, hard-tackling and energetic midfield. I want to see another Davies rocket.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Surprised to see Cisse in defense instead of Bikey.
Also surprised to see Davies instead of Harper. Still, hard-tackling and energetic midfield. I want to see another Davies rocket.

Do you follow the club at all Steve?

Why the f* would we play Bikey in the last warm up game before the season when he isnt available for the start of the season

Harper isnt fit either, he only played a short period of one game on the tour

[Ian Royal]

No Matejovsky at all?

be surprised by Gunnarsson, Tabb and Davies as the ones starting at Forest

[PEARCEY]

No Matejovsky at all?

be surprised by Gunnarsson, Tabb and Davies as the ones starting at Forest

He must be injured Ian as I cannot believe he would not make the squad if fit.

[Wycombe Royal]

No Matejovsky at all?

be surprised by Gunnarsson, Tabb and Davies as the ones starting at Forest

He must be injured Ian as I cannot believe he would not make the squad if fit.

Or the more cynical would say he is being sold.

[Ian Royal]

Well it's looking pretty arse for us so far. Loads of loose passes and unforced errors. Long's one touch so far awful.

[Ian Royal]

2 crosses worthy of Paul Holsgrove, first Kebe and second Davies.

[Royalwaster]

Playing 4 5 1 you'd expect us to be able to hold the ball a bit better .... is Marek even on the bench?

[Southbank Old Boy]

You have to remember who we are playing. This is a side whos 3rd or 4th choice left back has walked into our starting eleven ahead of our player of the season

This will be a great test of how BR has got us organised, but you have to expect us to get pulled apart quite a bit

We do looked a bit under cooked though, and, unsurprisingly considering the line up, we wont be seeing a lot of the ball

[Royalwaster]

Fed doesn't look any more confident on crosses ... not good.

[Gordons Cumming]

Long's one touch so far awful.

First touch don't you mean?

[Royalwaster]

Kebe our best player so far ... Davies looks good and Robson-Kanu.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Long's one touch so far awful.

First touch don't you mean?

First and last if its his one touch surely

[Royalwaster]

Long's one touch so far awful.

First touch don't you mean?

First and last if its his one touch surely

Not looking good so far Long although it's a tough ask vs Chelsea ...

[paultheroyal]

good stream for those wanting to watch

http://www.justin.tv/vip_euro_2/old

No picture for me.....chat room thing works - what am i doing wrong?

[Ian Royal]

Long - worked hard against Mikel, he'll work and fight and fight and work, but on this showing his poor touch has returned
Kebe - same old same old. Looks quite good, but often screws up his crosses or runs into one too many defenders
Rosenior - awful ball to Federici that was worthy of a firing squad


On the plus side:

Davies looks like a talent, probably not quite ready for this season. Robson-Kanu looks excellent and not afraid to have a go. Will be a big player for us by the end of the season. Would happily see him on the left and Henry on the right.

Cisse looking pretty good at the back and looks like he'll compliment Pearce quite well for the first few games.

[Deathy]

Well it's looking pretty arse for us so far. Loads of loose passes and unforced errors. Long's one touch so far awful.

He's awful. Might have a decent shot on him, but the boy needs 3-4 touches and is easily dispossed. Just hope he either comes good this year or he's sent on his way this season.

[Wycombe Royal]

Well done Jimmy.

[PremAddict]

cool headed finish for Kebe. That was lucky but nice...

Thanks for the feed btw - nice.