EPL - Scolari needs to prove himself in big games
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Kalou: Chelsea cannot afford to lose against United in big Premier League showdown
Salomon Kalou scored for Chelsea against Southend in the FA Cup on Saturday
Sunday, 11 Jan 2009
Channel 27: 12:00 am "Live" (Mon Morning)Salomon Kalou admitted that Chelsea cannot afford to lose to Manchester United in next Sunday’s Premier League showdown.
United are currently four points behind second-placed Chelsea in the table with two games in hand.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team are struggling for form and have a replay with Southend
in the FA Cup three days after the Old Trafford clash.Kalou said: 'This game is crucial. It is important to keep the gap because if you
allow United to get in front it’s always difficult to catch them.'Last year we were always running after them and so far this season they have been the ones behind us, we want to keep it that way.
'We are going to show them that we are still Chelsea.'
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a draw will do nicely, thank you.
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i whacking 2-2
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Chelsea cannot draw...only a win.... =(
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4-1 either way.
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Liverpool fans will hope for a draw....
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Originally posted by sg_forum:
Liverpool fans will hope for a draw....
no no...
liverpool fans are all hoping their precious captain doesn't go to Jail...
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I personally think that man utd might pull it off. Utd players have alot more motivation to win than Chelsea
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Originally posted by iceFatboy:
no no...
liverpool fans are all hoping their precious captain doesn't go to Jail...
Gerrard won't go to jail one lah...you know lah the media always blow things one... -
1-0, either side.
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good match to watch
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either results will do liverpool good.
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January 9, 2009
Luiz Felipe Scolari needs to prove himself in big games
Scolari's Chelsea have taken just one point from home games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool
Such a scenario seemed inconceivable even a few weeks ago, but Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, will take his side to Manchester United on Sunday facing almost as many questions as his predecessor on the clubs’ previous meeting at Old Trafford. Avram Grant had the misfortune of playing the champions on their own ground in his first match in charge — not helped by the fact that he was working with a group of players he barely knew — and though Scolari is in a far stronger position, he has problems of his own.
Just past the halfway point of the season, there is a growing sense that the Brazilian’s real work starts now. Chelsea’s dreadful home form has been partially disguised by an unbalanced fixture list that has enabled them to pick up cheap points on the road, but there will be no hiding place if their excellent away form falters in the face of more difficult challenges. The inconsistent form of title rivals can offer solace for only so long.
Scolari’s curriculum vitae, which includes a World Cup win in 2002, and affable personality have bought him time, but many at Stamford Bridge are happy to admit privately that the course of his first season in England has not run as smoothly as had been expected. The heart of the problem appears to be Scolari’s struggle to adapt from seven years of international management — in which he used largely the same tactics and a similar style of play with Brazil and Portugal — to the more intense and varied demands of the Barclays Premier League.
Chelsea have struggled since Liverpool showed opponents a way of denying their attacking full backs space and width in a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge at the end of October, with Scolari failing to come up with an effective plan B. The 60-year-old cannot be too concerned because he appears determined to stand his ground, maintaining a 4-1-4-1 formation even though several players are openly calling for a move to 4-4-2. However, the main protagonists for change are Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba, one of whom will be left out on Sunday, so such complaints smack of self-interest.
Scolari is also sticking to his tried-and-trusted training practices, despite complaints regarding a perceived lack of intensity. These have been given added substance by concerns over the players’ fitness arising from the late goals Chelsea have conceded in their past two matches — draws against Fulham and Southend United. Nothing has changed at the training ground since John Terry and Frank Lampard asked for the tempo to be raised a month ago, with Scolari going the other way by organising a seven-a-side tournament between the players on Wednesday to lighten the mood.
Scolari’s substitutions have also been questioned, but his greatest problem is a disappointing record in the biggest matches that would make Grant blush, lending Sunday’s game added significance. Chelsea have taken one point from home matches against United, Liverpool and Arsenal this season, with Aston Villa the only team in the top six they have beaten.
Of greater concern is the suggestion that this is not a new phenomenon for Scolari, whose results deteriorated the longer he stayed with Portugal. In fact, other than three successive tournament victories against England, there is little evidence to suggest he has the aptitude for the biggest head-to-head confrontations, because Portugal lost the Euro 2004 final to Greece, a World Cup semi-final to France and were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals of last year’s European Championship. Chelsea did not truly start to believe in Grant until they beat Arsenal at home last March, after which they had only seven league games before the season ended.
To his credit, Scolari is determined to stand or fall by his own methods, although that does not lessen the imperative for a win over a title rival.
Chelsea will soon discover if they have recruited a genuine champion, or whether a World Cup triumph can be used to mask mediocrity.
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Chelsea IMHO should just nicks this one, probably a 2:1 victory for them.. ManU had become pretty plain as compare to previous season and unless Ronney shine else it seems like their attack is not a strong as yesteryears..
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it wont matter to Liverpool as to who will win this match, they just need to noe that they win their own next match, that's all.
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i dun think he can, when we cannot even score aganist liverpool, arsenal in SB.
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Jose boast: We'll stop Ron
Up for the fight: Chelsea full back Jose Bosingwa (left) says his team have a plan in store to stop Cristiano Ronaldo.
JOSE BOSINGWA has told his team-mates: We can stop Ronaldo and beat Manchester United. The Chelsea defender reckons his Portugal pal is the man to snuff out when they go head-to-head at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Ronaldo, who escaped unscathed from a car crash on his way to training yesterday, only played as a sub in September’s 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. He was recovering from injury at the time but Bosingwa sees him as the key player in the crucial clash this weekend.
Right-back Bosingwa said: “To stop Cristiano is not easy but at Chelsea there are people who know him well, including the manager. “We know what to do to stop him putting on a show.”
With Ronaldo’s habit of switching wings, Bosingwa can expect to go head-to-head with the European Footballer of the Year.
Having trained and played with him in the Portugal side though, Bosingwa is one of the people who knows Ronaldo and his tricks.
Chelsea chief Phil Scolari, formerly Ronaldo’s national boss, is another who is well aware of what the Portugeezer can do to teams. Sunday’s game is crucial for Chelsea. They are three points behind leaders Liverpool and only four clear of United, who have two games in hand on their rivals.
The Blues realise that people are beginning to wonder if they can keep up their title challenge and a win over the champions will silence their critics.
Chelsea have taken only 10 points from their last seven League games — including draws with West Ham and Fulham. And last Saturday they were held by League One also-rans Southend in the FA Cup.
Bosingwa said: “Some people are beginning to doubt our chances for the title, but we want to leave Manchester proving that there is a lot still be to be decided.
“This game is very important for our fight for the title. United are coming from behind and are pressing hard and the game will not be easy. “But we plan to go there and claim victory. It would be a big boost for morale if we got three points. And we know whatever happens we cannot stop fighting for our target.”
Chelsea will travel to Manchester with a fully-fit squad except for long-term injury victim Michael Essien. Scolari has returned to his 4-2-3-1 formation in training this week and is likely to start with one striker. Didier Drogba will probably get the nod ahead of Nicolas Anelka while Michael Ballack and Deco are also set to return to the team.
Bosingwa said he has already seen a change in attitude this week. He said: “All the players are with Scolari. He’s our coach and is more than qualified to lead us to success. “This week I have noticed a greater intensity in training at Chelsea. “I have seen more energy in all my colleagues because we have a big match against United on Sunday which is vital for the title and we want to win it.”
United are likely to field Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov against the Blues as they bid to bounce back from the shock Carling Cup semi-final first leg defeat at Derby.
Boss Alex Ferguson gave troubled hitman Carlos Tevez a chance to shine in Wednesday’s first-leg tie at Pride Park — and was rewarded with an abject performance as Derby won 1-0.
Fergie was fuming at the way Tevez played, especially as the Argentinian spent the previous 48 hours moaning that his loan deal has still not been turned into a permanent transfer.
United legend Lou Macari said: “Tevez up front never got going. “It is always difficult for a player when he has been in the news and put that pressure on himself. It is difficult to deliver and he certainly didn’t deliver against Derby.”
Fergie pulled no punches after Kris Commons’ wonder strike sent his side tumbling to defeat. He rapped: “We are lucky, we could have lost by four. But if we take any team back to Old Trafford with a 1-0 deficit we expect to overcome them and I’m sure we will.”
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try stopping Ronaldo and you'll get to see the full impact of Ronney.. should just concentrate on their game and do zonal marking to cut off ManU in whole if Chelsea is to have any chance of beating ManU..
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The game will be won and lost at the Chelsea defence. Right now Chelsea does'nt have the attacking threat to be able to carry the game to United. Rooney and Ronaldo have to be cut off from all support. and if Bosingwa focuses too much on Ronaldo...... these Rafael to contend with
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I don't think Rafael will play cos he is too advantageous... Chelsea, unlike Pool don't really have speedy left wingers so playing an experienced Neville would do more good... Most of Chelsea's attacking strength starts from the middle these days... But having Drogba, Terry and Carvalho back will certainly help their cause...
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still don't understand why the farking clown scolari don't play joecole.
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For United's sake, Hope Joe don't play again tonight...
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against the devils, even if j.cole play, also not much of big threat, he will be coming in from the left or right wing, which means evra or rafael marking, np =)
i've confident in both wings back of manchester united. -
maybe there'll be a big dugout clearing brawl which will leave most of the stars with lengthy bans and us viewers laughing our guts out...
and both managers getting lengthy bans too... and lots of points deducted with huge-ass fines for both teams...
then there's a riot where Old Trafford is demolished...
and Rafa laughing like a hyena the next day in the papers clearly showing he's cracked...
that'll be hilarious to watch..
well.. one can dream, right?
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Maradona, Capello, Mourinho all here to watch this match... Carlos Queiroz also...
No Rio for United... This is the biggest setback for United...