Team for Chelsea

[winchester_royal]

It will be interesting to see how we choose to play this one. Personally I think we need a bit of presence in midfield, so don't particularly want to see 3 wingers on the pitch at the start of the match. I'm sure McDermott knows his team already, and the fact that Karacan, McCleary and Alf played the full 90 suggests to me that they won't be starting. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Akpan start in the middle, and I'd probably go that way if it was up to me.

Fed
Kelly
Mariappa
Pearce
Harte
Kebe
Ledge
Akpan
Guthrie
McAnuff
Pog

Keep it tight for 65 minutes and then release our super-subs.

[Simon's Church]

Yep +1

[tomrfcurz]

----------------------- Federici -----------------------
Kelly ------- Mariappa ------- Pearce ------- Shorey
McCleary --- Karacan --- Leigertwood --- McAnuff
----------------------- Guthrie -----------------------
--------------------- Pogrebnyak ---------------------

Can't be dealing with McAnuff in the middle against this lot, and personally i'd rather have McCleary in there than Kebe but i'm not sure i can see it happening

[Royal Ginger]

It's a tough one, this game is far too close to the arguably much more important Sunderland game. That in mind I think we'll see Pog & Kebe off relatively early (assuming we're chasing the game). Legs saved for the weekend?

[royaldownunder]

Backbone of the team that did well at Newcastle & V WBA

Federici
Pearce
Mariappa
Harte
Kelly
Leigertwood
Karacan
McAnuff
Kebe
Guthrie
Pogrebnyak

Subs (60+)
ALF
McCleary or Akpan
Then maybe bring on Carrico for a few mins of game time depending on how things are going...

[SCIAG]

I'd play our usual team.

Federici; Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Harte; Kebe, Karacan, Guthrie, Leigertwood, McAnuff; Pogrebnyak

[CavershamRoyal]

----------------------Federici-----------------------

--- Kelly ---- Pearce --- Mariappa --- Shorey ---

----------------------Guthrie-----------------------

Kebe ---- Karacan ---- Leigertwood ---- McAnuff

----------------------Pogrebnyak--------------------

[royaldownunder]

I'm pretty hopeful for the wednesday given Chelsea's performance at Brentford!
2-1 come on the Bss!

[Ian Royal]

Not convinced by Akpan yet, so I wouldn't pick him because I haven't seen enough of him. Might be different if I got to see him in training. Agree that three wingers is likely to be a bit lightweight and I thought we missed Karacan / Tabb's energy and running against Newcastle in the first half.

Federici
Kelly
Shorey (personal preference Harte is in pole position, but I'd rather have our better passers and slightly quicker players on the pitch)
Pearce
Mariappa
Leigertwood
Tabb (personal preference, realise Karacan is ahead of him and Tabb's done here - either is ok really)
Guthrie
Kebe
McAnuff
Pogrebnyak

Taylor, Cummings, Morrison, Akpan, McCleary, ALF, Hunt

This one's a pretty tough choice really. We've got a lot of players all of about the same quality.

[SCIAG]

I would prefer Shorey to Harte, but I think having a settled back line is doing us good.

[royaldownunder]

I would prefer Shorey to Harte, but I think having a settled back line is doing us good.

Yep, Pearce Mapps & Harte were all involved the Newcastle, WH and WBA games, Kelly looked v Newcastle so something seems to be working back there

[SydenhamRoyal]

Backbone of the team that did well at Newcastle & V WBA

Federici
Pearce
Mariappa
Harte
Kelly
Leigertwood
Karacan
McAnuff
Kebe
Guthrie
Pogrebnyak

Subs (60+)
ALF
McCleary or Akpan
Then maybe bring on Carrico for a few mins of game time depending on how things are going...

Cant call the subs unless we know the game situation; if we're 2-0 up with 60 played more likely Hunt than ALF.
I remember the first game, and McCleary absolutely terrorised Ashley Cole; I'd start him and Kebe, with McAnuff in the middle alongside Guthrie and Legs

[royaldownunder]

if we're 2-0 up with 60 played more likely Hunt than ALF.

If we're 2-0 up at 60 mins I'd bring on the swansea ball boy! (I heard he's looking for a new challenge)

[paultheroyal]

----------------------- Federici -----------------------
Kelly ------- Mariappa ------- Pearce ------- Shorey
McCleary --- Karacan --- Leigertwood --- McAnuff
----------------------- Guthrie -----------------------
--------------------- Pogrebnyak ---------------------

Can't be dealing with McAnuff in the middle against this lot, and personally i'd rather have McCleary in there than Kebe but i'm not sure i can see it happening

One day, fans will understand players and their roles!!!!!

Barring injury it will be the team that faced Newcastle and rightly so.

[winchester_royal]

----------------------- Federici -----------------------
Kelly ------- Mariappa ------- Pearce ------- Shorey
McCleary --- Karacan --- Leigertwood --- McAnuff
----------------------- Guthrie -----------------------
--------------------- Pogrebnyak ---------------------

Can't be dealing with McAnuff in the middle against this lot, and personally i'd rather have McCleary in there than Kebe but i'm not sure i can see it happening

One day, fans will understand players and their roles!!!!!

Barring injury it will be the team that faced Newcastle and rightly so.

'Rightly so'?

We were poor until the substitutions.

[RFCSPACE]

I worry that given our recent good form and Chelsea's poor form, Brian will go 4-4-2 thinking we can outplay them, only problem being that we'd get smashed 3-0 in the first half for going back to our old ways.

Same team as Newcastle I hope, and the same substitutions with the same result.

[royaldownunder]

I worry that given our recent good form and Chelsea's poor form, Brian will go 4-4-2 thinking we can outplay them, only problem being that we'd get smashed 3-0 in the first half for going back to our old ways.

Same team as Newcastle I hope, and the same substitutions with the same result.

Yep, park the bus, then if it's still level at 60 mins change it up and bring on the subs… seems to be working so far, just hope we're not starting to get too predictable!

[Ian Royal]

This game can be looked at as a write off in our bid for survival, so we should play for a point from the off and see what we can sneak in the last 10 - 20 minutes. Any points are very much bargain bonuses. We do need a bit more pace and hassle than the side showed in the first half against Newcastle - I think it's going to need Jem or Tabby in for one of the wingers. Newcastle were there for the taking. Chelsea are certainly not.

[royaldownunder]

This game can be looked at as a write off in our bid for survival, so we should play for a point from the off and see what we can sneak in the last 10 - 20 minutes. Any points are very much bargain bonuses. We do need a bit more pace and hassle than the side showed in the first half against Newcastle - I think it's going to need Jem or Tabby in for one of the wingers. Newcastle were there for the taking. Chelsea are certainly not.

Yep agree, any points we can take from the Chelsea game are a bonus, their recent form has been a little erratic so I do hold out a little hope we can nick something out of this, especially after watching the Brentford game today and If QPR can, so can we! Would rather see Karacan in instead of Tabb, mainly as he's heading for the exit and we need to focus on optimising the team setup

[loyalroyal4life]

Same team as newcastle then mcleary and alf on 2nd half depending on scoreline