I don't feel they will under estimate us, but as we showed recently, after a relatively easy run of games it is hard to raise your performance levels. It will be hard but I am confident we get the win this weekend.
Chelsea vs. Manchester United
- Thread starter Damien
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I don't feel they will under estimate us, but as we showed recently, after a relatively easy run of games it is hard to raise your performance levels. It will be hard but I am confident we get the win this weekend.
Mourinho has never lost a home game at Chelsea, we were shite in most big games this season, we haven't had decent results at the bridge in years (bar the 1-0 in 2011 and the stroke of luck last year) despite having much better teams and Fergie in the dug-out, we're missing our two best players... ahm, I think most on here are just being realistic, 'being United' isn't enough anymore as Fergie has left. It may sound defeatist, but I would be delighted with a point (except the case Chelsea equalize in injury time), though realistically we can't afford to drop anymore points at all.
I understand all those factors. But I pay very little attention to those records (Mourinho never losing at home), that has to come to an end some time and when it happens I think we have a better chance than most of being the ones doing it. We are a much better team than our recent performances and results suggest and playing Chelsea away, where they have this record, is for me exactly the kind of fixture that will inspire a great performance from us. Or that is what I am telling myself. Obviously the naysayers have odds on their side, I havent been to the bookies but I can imagine what they are expecting to happen. But I am just surprised by the sheer scale of the defeatism, I guess. A few people to think we'll get spanked, a majority to expect the draw, fair enough. But most people are going into it thinking we'll do well to keep it from being a cricket score, which I think underestimates the character of our players. That is the essence of it: Ive been waiting for a response from the players and Im expecting one this weekend, this is where they will say enough is enough and we'll start to see some of the old "us" again.
Or maybe Im just hopelessly optimistic to the point of being naive. But feck it if I am, Ill enjoy the time between now and then in blissful cluelessness.
I have a good feeling about this game, I think we will win, It's never easy but lets hope we can turn into game raisers 
Exactly. Let's face it, this is like a cup final.
Jose said in the press conference that he won't start Matic. Also, Lampard is back in training and may feature, Ivanovic is still out.
Give us your Chelsea line up then. Duffer and the boys could do the same.
Relatively easy run of fixtures? In our last 5 league games we've went to Southampton, Hull and Arsenal and played Swansea and Liverpool at home. I'm not sure how that's easy games.
You are quite right, I don't know where I had read you'd had an easy go of it recently. I will fact check more stringently in future.
Game raising cnuts is what we need to be on Sunday.
We're going to beat them 3-0.
Cech, Cole, Azpilicueta, Terry, Cahill, Mikel, Ramires, Oscar, Willian, Hazard, Torres.
There's a chance of Luiz starting in midfield in place of Mikel, but I think Jose will go with a safer approach against United.
4231 with the bank of 3 roaming make it a hard side to defend against.
I really hope we play 3 in the middle with 2 sitting players otherwise we could be spanked.
Away at Stamford Bridge? Ha we have no chance here.
2-0
2-0
Negative ninnies.
I don't have much expectation at the Bridge but hoping the lads put in a good performance. I would like to see Chicharito start against a very slow Chelsea back line or come on as an impact sub with 30 or so mins to go in the game. He normally does well against the rent boys. I can see us causing them problems, they are not a very good team at present imo and who knows, maybe we can take all 3 here. Got to keep the faith
I don't have much expectation at the Bridge but hoping the lads put in a good performance. I would like to see Chicharito start against a very slow Chelsea back line or come on as an impact sub with 30 or so mins to go in the game. He normally does well against the rent boys. I can see us causing them problems, they are not a very good team at present imo and who knows, maybe we can take all 3 here. Got to keep the faith
Who would be the 'Very slow backline' for Chelsea? ..
Cahill, Terry, Mikel, Cole. No pace there at all. Chelsea's defence is very weak and it will cost them this season. Has been for a season or two now tbh.
Cahill ain't sluw, neither is Cole. Ramires is also rapid as feck.
I suppose we'll have to disagree to agree in this instance, only Terry there is fairly slow and I still wouldn't describe him as very slow, especially not Cahill, moreover Mikel is a holding midfielder?
fair enough. Maybe very slow was not the right words used by me. I believe its an ageing backline that can be exploited.
That's a very long sentence.
Are the two strikers definitely confirmed as being out for us then?
0-1 to us, a heroic backs against the wall, blood n guts performance
Moyes said Rooney not ready and that RVP will hopefully resume training at the start of next week
I was all for settling for a draw in this game before we played Spurs and while I think we need a win pretty badly here, I'd probably still settle for a draw. I know there isn't that much difference in a draw and loss, especially in a big game, but I think a defeat would be the final nail in the coffin. I fully expect Liverpool to win this weekend, while I could see Everton and Spurs maybe drawing too. I just think actually losing will dampen the confidence so much that we never recover enough to overtake Liverpool.
I know it's a weird thing to say, and what's the difference between being 7 or 8 points behind? The same results could see us overtake them or not? Well, their goal difference is much better, if we were to beat them at Old Trafford, and they lost another game, drew one and we managed to keep winning.. This would either end up with us on level points but behind on goal difference, or a single point ahead. It could be big..
What are people's real opinions on whether or not we will overtake Liverpool? I know they have just as many difficult games as us, but their games against Chelsea, City, Spurs, Everton, and Arsenal are all at Home. While we have to go away to Chelsea, Everton, and Arsenal yet. They also have no European football to distract them. I still fully expect us to make it past Everton and Tottenham, even though our results against those teams haven't been favourable. But now is the time when I'm starting to question if we can really finish fourth... Most of the season I expected at least that no matter how poor we were, but the realisation is there now. Lose to Chelsea and Liverpool will likely be 8 points ahead of us. We'd have 16 games to make that up (which is basically 9 points due to goal difference which I don't expect us to make up). Barring a long-term injury to Suarez or something, how are we going to finish 4th?
I know it's a weird thing to say, and what's the difference between being 7 or 8 points behind? The same results could see us overtake them or not? Well, their goal difference is much better, if we were to beat them at Old Trafford, and they lost another game, drew one and we managed to keep winning.. This would either end up with us on level points but behind on goal difference, or a single point ahead. It could be big..
What are people's real opinions on whether or not we will overtake Liverpool? I know they have just as many difficult games as us, but their games against Chelsea, City, Spurs, Everton, and Arsenal are all at Home. While we have to go away to Chelsea, Everton, and Arsenal yet. They also have no European football to distract them. I still fully expect us to make it past Everton and Tottenham, even though our results against those teams haven't been favourable. But now is the time when I'm starting to question if we can really finish fourth... Most of the season I expected at least that no matter how poor we were, but the realisation is there now. Lose to Chelsea and Liverpool will likely be 8 points ahead of us. We'd have 16 games to make that up (which is basically 9 points due to goal difference which I don't expect us to make up). Barring a long-term injury to Suarez or something, how are we going to finish 4th?
Did he mention Jones or anyone else in the press conference?
Really hate to say this but I dont see our current team beating Chelsea at the bridge this time around.
We were highly fortunate to beat them last time around. In fact, they nearly scored when they went down to 9 men.
Reckon it'l be a 0-0 or a plucky 1-0 to them. Dont fancy us to score against them without Rooney and RVP and dont see them scoring against us either as I see Moyes going for a more solid team, same with Jose.
Moyes said Jones and Fellaini have been back training this week so Phil could be an option. This line up is a bit negative but would be hard to beat:
---------------DDG
Rafael-----Vidic---Evans------Evra
--------------Jones
----------Carrick--Fletcher
Valencia--------------------Januzaj
--------------Welbeck
I think we'll get beat easily if we setup defensively, so my hope is that we at least show some attacking intent. Welbeck and Januzaj are a must.
Two sides well be set up to not lose rather than to win. Still see Chelsea nicking a one goal win.
Chelsea will be set up to win. Away from home they can go cautious against the top sides, at home at this stage of season they know well they have to win if they are to have any chance of winning the league. It's not a 6-pointer anyway because we won't catch them.
They'll murder us I fear. 4-0 isn't out of question.
Well that is something at least.
This is likely to be an energy sapping match and Jones would be an ideal replacement for one of Carrick or Fletch if they are tiring in the second half.
How long do we have to have the joint best or the best defence this season before this myth ends? You can get at us, much more so than Jose in 04-07 but 'very weak' is a massive overstatement. One goal conceded in the last 5 games vs Arsenal, Liverpool,Soton, Hull and Swansea isnt bad.
At home we play to win. Away from home against the top teams, we've set up for a draw as it benefits us a lot more than the home team.
no one is giving us a chance...just like when we played Arsenal.....
A midfield 3 of Jones, Fletcher and Carrick would be very combatative... I think that actually would give Chelsea quite a tough time.
I want to have faith in Kagawa, but I don't think we can rely on him to deliver at Stamford Bridge... so yeah, that's what I'd go with (bar Smalling for Evans) if Jones is fit... if not, it has to be the same as Swansea.
Loads of people, including myself gave you a big chance. Theres a chasm of difference between playing Arsenal at home and Chelsea away.
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