After defeating the likes of City and Arsenal in a row, Chelsea stumbled to a 2-0 loss against Alan Pardew’s Newcastle side on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho was disappointed by his team’s performance and will be looking to bounce back against German side Schalke.
Torres has been in blistering form lately but was nowhere to be found against the magpies. However, his confidence cannot be shattered by keeping him on the bench after one bad performance.
Notably, since the turn of the year, Torres has been playing his best football mainly in European competitions.
In the last game against Schalke, Blues dismantled the home side and El Nino was arguably the man of the match as he netted a brace.
Expect Torres to start again against the German side.
Mata and Hazard may move out to make way for Willian and Schurrle. Moreover, Mikel may as well return to the starting XI in place of Frank Lampard.
A win for Chelsea will make them clear favorites to qualify for knock out rounds of the champions league. Here is Chelsea’s possible XI vs Schalke.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Schalke
El Nino to Start – Chelsea’s Possible XI vs Schalke
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Torres is alwys good for cups and lampard need rest mikel need some more playing time check out on Oscar he was tired against newcastle me prefer schurrel and willian to start
It is very disapointing the way we play against newcastle, the whole team look so tired,they don’t look like a team that is ready 2 challenge for truphy. If this is the team that is going play against schalke is okay but I will prefer Hazard 2 start let oscar make way for William.
Chelsea 4 life
Torres is the man we rest our hope on. Ride on mr elnino
Is like Oscar is tired. Pls special one shuld start Hazard,mata n willian or schurrle.
He will always use his bias selection of lampard.
The problem chelsea is facing is we don’t have a quality deep playing midfield, ramirez is trying and working hard but lampard for me should be out of that team, he may be chelsea legend but is playing time and his age can not match the quality we have in the attack, he is not distributing the ball to our attaching players and mourinho is not given ramirez the freedom to move forward because he is using ramirez as 4, we all know that ramirez is never a 4 and our best 4 so far is mikel,even though he is slow but he hold the ball and possession very well and he shield and distribute ball very well and it will allow ramirez to have the freedom to attack.
Pls special one where is d meritocracy u talk about when u where coming and more u said lampard is no longer 25 so he can not be play all matches and not even 90mins but now u even play him 4 120mins Jose i put it to u dat u ar bias 4 playing lampard instead of mikel well if u are to gamble lampard for d love we fans have 4 u lets watch out and see! Up blues …. 4 life pls Jose lets keep d flag flying ………
To all chelsea fans just remember that we cant win them all, and further more we have a young team in transition not yet at their full potential. But they will become better eventually with the guidance of the special one. CHELSEA 4 life.
Mourinho is going to learn the hard way what previous managers did.
No future with Terry and Lampard.
I will explain:
Terry has an almost static position forcing all the other players run more space to get the ball. Different situation with the couple Luis-Cahill who traverse the field reducing the field size.
This means more time for talented players with the ball.
Against Newcastle Terry did a hundred boring stupid passes to the next defender wasting time, and this happens every game.
For sure in Terry’s mind He never loses a ball, but this is ridiculous for the manager, later he is crying not having enough time to make goals.
By the other way Lampard Hazard Mata and Oscar never worked. The 3 amigos need a contention midfielder to provide them the ball ASAP.
Mikel did very well in the game with Manchester United with Benitez at Old Traford. Here the same reason of reducing the field so the talented have more time the ball and don’t have to be worried traversing long distances in th field.
Terry and Lampard’s friendship is going to pass the bill to Mourinho.
Some of genius and some of inexpert, He is blinded by the fortune of last minute wins as with City and cant see the same errors are repeating again and again.
With Newcastle Mourinho replaced everyone in the front and still don’t have a clue that the problems are in the back with his two static friends.
Ay! Mourinho……Ay! Mourinho….
i agree with abrahim, we need to sacrifice lampard for mikel. Granted hazard had a torrid match against newcastle but i prefer him to start this match in place of schurrle. Oscar is the only consistent performer for chelsea alongside ramires and i expect them to start. I forgot mourinho should start on the bench as well. For me we made three mistakes in the newcastle game; mourinho, lampard and hazard.
Why?can’t buy Hulk put him on the right, buy Liwandoski or Diego Costa put him in the middle and buy Paul Pogba and put him in the deffensive midfield . The attackersare too smallish and nobody is afraid of them.
yes we know that Mikel is not attacking minded player, but do protect d back four and hold dmidfield more than anyone in d squad, that will give Ramires chance to go front. We really need him in that middle, if not for anything at least for his passes
The truth be said, Chelsea players are fond of much en unnecesary talks when they win a match instead of concentrating on the next match. They should style up. Mourhino is clever but at the moment he’s not. He concentrate too much on Lampard that the team. Honestly Ramirez is comfortable playing alongside Mikel than Lampard. Torres is the be striker we hav now. Despite everything I prefer Luiz in central defence than Cahil or Old Terry. Mata is everything 4 me than any other attacker at Chelsea. I trust Mou but not Lamps, Terry . I want my Mata en Luiz fully in the squad.
From the team that played Newcastle,bring in Cahill for Terry…Willian for matter coz hes more of a threat within the box than mata,n Mikel definately 4 Lampard.My lineup;Cech..ivanovich.Cahill.Luiz.Cole..Mikel.Ramires..hazard.Oscar.Willian..Torres.
Lampard should be replaced by mikel. No more feverish here we need 3points…
Lampard is tired drop him for willian .
We need mikel in the mid-field and williams instead of mata. Luis and cahil @ the back.
While for me lampard should nt support to b in the line up against schkter bcos he totaly nt contributing anything to the team, let mikel and ramires b in the midfield oscar shrule and mata. tores up front.
I really dont know why Mourinho think Terry and Lampard should not wait. They are no more in that pick as u think of them, allow the young bloods to play Jose’. If u are not bias no team in this world will beat us. But maybe u are not good as before, because u dont like our good players.
Jose’ we need young talented players at the blues
I don’t know if morinho as at least time to read all those comments,
as long as he’s focused on his old boys (lamp & terry) we’ll always get a mixed results week in week out which may lead to a disappointed season ever for chelsea,
in my own point of view : ramires + mikel is better pattern ship in our mid field than ramires + lampard
or lamp + any!
so lampard must be dropped for “MIKEL” terry for “luiz or cahill”
Ivanovic can play center back alongside cahill or luiz to give “AZPILCUETA”chance to play,……
Morinho pls pls and please, Give those young players their chance to improve!!
Special One the life of chelsea is in your hands. Don’t forget chelsea have a good quality players if u fail on your side to them to expectations, you equally know d outcome. To be on a safer side Lampard’s time has gone. Is time for Mikel to showcase himself. How can you buy a player for 30m and still be on d bench?