Chelsea v Newcastle

[ShearerTheLegend]

Saturday 25th August 2012
Kick-off: 18.30
(live @ Sky Calcio 2)
Stamford Bridge



Chelsea FC
(1st)
v
Newcastle
United
(6th)

Chelsea currently sit on top of the Premier League for the first time since November 2010 after a faultless start to the 2012/13 campaign, with two wins from two. The Blues had to come from behind to beat Reading in midweek and Di Matteo will be looking for his team to tighten up at the back, especially against top strikers Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba. Cisse's wonder goal last season helped to give Newcastle a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge but they face a tough task to repeat that feat. Alan Pardew's side on Thursday made a gruelling trip to Greece in a sweltering Europa League 1-1 draw against Atromitos. The Magpies rested nine first-team players but Pardew will still be concerned about how his squad will cope with the fixture congestion of Europe, which is something they did not have to deal with when finishing above Chelsea in last season's table.





• Eden Hazard has won more penalties in the top five European Leagues than any other player since the start of last season (8).
• Papiss Demba Cisse has scored 13 goals in 15 Premier League games for Newcastle, but he has gone three games without a goal since netting a brace against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.



John Terry is a doubt for Saturday's match with the neck injury he sustained in Wednesday's victory against Reading. Roberto Di Matteo could therefore name David Luiz, who faces a late fitness test on his knee injury, and Gary Cahill in the centre of defence. Marko Marin is again ruled out with his hamstring injury.

P Cech • B Ivanovic, G Cahill, D Luiz, A Cole • J Obi Mikel, F Lampard • Ramires, E Hazard, JM Mata • F Torres

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew will make late checks on skipper Fabricio Coloccini and striker Demba Ba. The pair were among nine men who missed or were rested for the 1-1 Europa League play-off draw at Atromitos last night, the Argentinian with a thigh problem and the Senegal international with a sore shin. Pardew is hoping both will be fit after training in London this evening, although Cheick Tiote and Shola Ameobi remain doubts.

T Krul • D Simpson, S Taylor, F Coloccini, D Santon • C Tiotè, Y Cabaye • H Ben Arfa, J Gutierrez, D Ba • P Cissè

[antshearer]

formazione tipo

[tuit24]

Spero di non perdermela

[antshearer]

dovrebbe non esserci tiotè con anita in mezzo al suo posto

[Cooney]

Vogliono dare ancora qualche altro rigore al Chelsea in quest'avvio di stagione?

[lukered]

il fantasma si è tolto il velo
occhio che se quello di oggi è il torres che vedremo tutto l'anno il chelsea può puntare davvero altissimo

[antshearer]

rigore un pelino dubbio, cmq poco da dire per ora, forse il 2-0 è un po' troppo severo

[leoforest1865]

Una sola squadra in campo.
Torres scatenato.
E che classe Hazard
Sul rigore non saprei, qualche dubbio ce l'ho anch'io. Non c'era il giallo per Torres.

[Gerrard]

Per adesso ho visto una squadra ben messa in campo, solida, quadrata, e con ottime individualità.
Hazard fa spesso la cosa giusta, Frank lo vedo inquadrato benissimo da di Matteo come ruolo, Torres è indubbiamente in crescita costante, e bisogna anche valutare il rientro di Marin.
E' un Chelsea che sembra poter puntare su proprio su niente da dire.
VA detto che alla lunga la disponibilità di soli 2 attaccanti in rosa potrebbe rivelarsi una debolezza.

[antshearer]

hanno preso moses e se sturridge non va via...