James Perch will start at right-back for Newcastle tonight, as it seems Danny Simpson has failed a fitness test.
It was expected that Danny would have recovered form his ankle knock but it was not to be, and James Perch gets the nod over Ryan Taylor, and makes a start at right back – the position he held at the start of last season.
As expected the rest of the Newcastle side is unchanged from that which started at Wigan.
Gabby Obertan and Sylvain Marveaux are back from injury, and return to the bench for tonight’s important game, and 20 year-old Shane Ferguson keeps his place on the bench, and could even see some action tonight at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle will get a big chance to redeem themselves for the hiccup at the DW Stadium on Saturday, and anything but a defeat, will be a good result for the Magpies.
Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo starts John Terry and Fernando Torres, in what is a strong looking Chelsea side.
Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba are on the bench for the Blues.
Teams:
Chelsea: (4-2-3-1): Petr Cech; Jose Bosingwa, Branislav Ivanovic, John Terry (c), Ryan Bertrand; John Mikel Obi, Raul Meireles; Ramires, Florent Malouda, Daniel Sturridge; Fernando Torres
Subs: Ross Turnbull, Ashley Cole, Michael Essien, Frank Lampard, Juan Mata, Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba.
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul; James Perch, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon: Cheick Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba; Papiss Cisse
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Shane Ferguson, Ryan Taylor, Dan Gosling, Gabriel Obertan, Sylvain Marveaux, Shola Ameobi
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533 comments so far
Ben3arfa
May 2, 2012 at 6:50 PM
Comment #1Bertrand is starting for chelsea at LB , HBA needs to have a real go at him tonight .. can be the weak link to target .. HWTL
nden85
May 2, 2012 at 6:51 PM
Comment #2Anyone know if its on TV? Can’t seem to find it.
ROSHAN MAGPIE
May 2, 2012 at 6:52 PM
Comment #3what about chelsea s starting 11
check the toastie
May 2, 2012 at 6:52 PM
Comment #4We’ve got Perchinho, We’ve got Perchinho,
We’ve got Perchinho, We’ve got Perchinho,
We’ve got Perchinho, We’ve got Perchinho,
We’ve got Perchinho, We’ve got Perchinho,
Come on Percy Lad, Pards i love you,
toonking
May 2, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Comment #5well i am glad to see perch back into the team and i believe that he was just so unlucky when he was used as CB
ROSHAN MAGPIE
May 2, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Comment #6its live on espn in India
alip123
May 2, 2012 at 6:54 PM
Comment #7Chelsea XI: Cech – Bosingwa, Terry, Ivanovic, Bertrand – Mikel, Meireles – Ramires, Malouda, Sturridge – Torres
ROSHAN MAGPIE
May 2, 2012 at 6:56 PM
Comment #8lee_ryder #chelsea Cech, Ivanovic, Ramieres, Torres, Obi Mikel, Malouda, Meireles, Boswinga, Sturridge, Terry, Bertrand
lukes26
May 2, 2012 at 6:57 PM
Comment #9Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry (c), Bertrand; Mikel, Meireles; Ramires, Malouda, Sturridge; Torres.
Seems to be a little more defense set up than the team that played QPR….no mata or kalou..
check the toastie
May 2, 2012 at 6:58 PM
Comment #10Chelsea 1st eleven is as gud as it gets for us, 2 back up full backs, not much creativity in the middle of the park, plus no real clinical finisher, Di Matteo has given the Toon a chance for sure, Howay the Lads. Watch Santon own Sturridge, come on lad, torture him, Malouda will get nowt from Perchino. All Good.
Burkey16
May 2, 2012 at 6:58 PM
Comment #11thats a beatable chelsea team. really need to watch over torres and sturridge.
ROSHAN MAGPIE
May 2, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Comment #12its a pretty good chelsea squad
Burkey16
May 2, 2012 at 6:59 PM
Comment #13check, you beat me to the punch. totally agree with you.
Robby Bobson
May 2, 2012 at 7:00 PM
Comment #14Santon vs Sturridge….should be fun as cant see many runs up the outside by either today.
Robby Bobson
May 2, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Comment #15We need to get the ball down and get the front three moving all over the place…Demba and Cisse wont be able to bully Terry and Ivanovic, but get them moving with Benny and Yohan putting balls in behind we can get at them.
Their biggest threat is Ivanovic at corners IMO.
kevymartins
May 2, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Comment #16ben arfa on bertand is the key tonight
if he can get those sexy quality crosses in witch he will pappa will be there to make terry look bad
Charlietoon
May 2, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Comment #17Not having Mata playing means Torres is going to get much less service and Sturridge is going to be shooting at will. Ramieres and Meireles are no slouches though.
The biggest thing is we are facing a team of players who may feel they have something to prove. Most are pushing to get some time in the finals they have coming up and some like meirelese might feel he has nothing to lose as he is out already. Lets hope this is a big selection mistake from Di Matteo
Meirelese also knows he wont be playing in the Champions
Burkey16
May 2, 2012 at 7:03 PM
Comment #18ivanovic playing CB is great for us. i think hes more effective as RB since he can make more runs up the pitch. He needs to sit more defensive as CB and hopefully wont get one of those garbage goals where hes just poaching inside the 18.
Cool Hand Luke
May 2, 2012 at 7:04 PM
Comment #19Cole would have been his best chance of having a HBA proof secret weapon, surprising that he is benched. Torres form worries me though
kevymartins
May 2, 2012 at 7:05 PM
Comment #20Are you guys seriozly worrying about ivanovic when torress an sturdige is on the pitch?
lukes26
May 2, 2012 at 7:06 PM
Comment #21wonder if simpson picked up a ‘phantom’ injury after Pardew watched game tape from last Saturday
Deana
May 2, 2012 at 7:06 PM
Comment #22Anyone know of any links for the game. Also are there still no sites that you can stream onto iPad?
Come on the Toon!!!!!!!
Londtoon
May 2, 2012 at 7:06 PM
Comment #23Any recommended streaming lads?
Tsunki
May 2, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Comment #24Chelsea will always be able to field a strong team, even with a 2nd eleven, because even their bench costs more than our squad, the academy, SJP, Mike Ashleys helicopter, Sp*rts D*rectum, and all of the ice cream in Whitley Bay. But they can be beaten because sometimes they forget what stuck up toffs and nobs they can be.
kevymartins
May 2, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Comment #25Come on the toon army do us proud
lukes26
May 2, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Comment #26http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=154333&part=sports
Robby Bobson
May 2, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Comment #27kevymartins
Torres aint all that
Burkey16
May 2, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Comment #28haha not worried, just trying to skew things as much as possible to convince myself of a win. plus we all know torres and sturridge are good attackers so it would be stating the obvious.
Robby Bobson
May 2, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Comment #29^^^ famous last words ^^^^
geoff777
May 2, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Comment #30http://www.footballstreaming.info/streams/todays-links/index.html
Robby Bobson
May 2, 2012 at 7:09 PM
Comment #31Also no Guthrie…think hes careers up.
And would love to see Slyvain get off the bench!
niafron
May 2, 2012 at 7:11 PM
Comment #32Bonsoir messieurs.
What an exciting game!
kevymartins
May 2, 2012 at 7:11 PM
Comment #33whats not stating the obvious? cisse is a goal machine or we hada watch john terry going for headers he will probly bust cisse’s eye?
Whistler
May 2, 2012 at 7:12 PM
Comment #343 points tonight lads, I feel it in my bones….Benny is the key! HWTL
lukes26
May 2, 2012 at 7:12 PM
Comment #35tough game for a marveaux return…unless we’ve hammered them (or vice-versa i guess)
check the toastie
May 2, 2012 at 7:13 PM
Comment #36I Want to see Cabaye demanding the ball at times this year he has been quiet away from home, this is a game were for me all our players are under the microscope, can they do it when its needed, who brave and wants to play and who hides and puts less than 100% in, People have to offer to Ben arfa when he has the ball, Cabaye and Cisse need to get close so we can keep the ball.
People who criticise Benny for getting caught in possession neglect the fact that he has no options and will not and rightly so just boot it up the pitch, we need players offering all the time, its time to stand up and be counted.
And Pardew looks really creepy with those Austin Powers glasses.
niafron
May 2, 2012 at 7:13 PM
Comment #37So Marv is back on the bench. Wonderfull news.
check the toastie
May 2, 2012 at 7:14 PM
Comment #38Cisse is not a goal machine he is now classified as being on a goal drought. Out of form IMO.
Cool Hand Luke
May 2, 2012 at 7:16 PM
Comment #39Terrys going to have a fit when he sees the Dembas on the pitch, a little casual racism may be on the cards. Even moreso if we wear the 3rd strip.
kevymartins
May 2, 2012 at 7:16 PM
Comment #40i just become sucha troller when the team news comes out an you get that excitment buzz its like as if you drunk 10 cans of redbull at once
yyyeeoeooo come on the fu ck lets tank the rich foookers