Diarra Set for Makelele Role

By 40 Years A Blue
November 23 2005

With Claude Makelele out for about three weeks following his high collision with Newcastle's and ex-Chelsea old boy Scott Parker last Saturday, Lassana Diarra who has been nicknamed 'Mini-Makelele' by the great man himself,

 looks set to step into the great man's shoes tonight as Chelsea look to end their barren Champions League away form in Brussels tonight.

Yes its Anderlecht v Chelsea and with Anderlecht's atrocious Champions League record - No wins in the competition since competing and Chelsea's poor CL away form - its all looking like a night of GLORIOUS UNPREDICTABILITY. LOL. No seriously if Chelsea don't win tonight, then there will be many many open forums and discussions. With the greatest respect to Anderlecht, I expect Chelsea to win comfortably and even though Chelsea won 1-0 at The Bridge in the first game, it WAS a comfortable win nonetheless.

Chelsea travelled to Belgium with a nineteen man squad and in a low-key press conference which included Eider Gudjohnsen as well as Jose, Eider was allowed to look back on the days when his Father was a player with Anderlecht.

Eider said ""Just driving up here brought a few memories back, I used to come here every week to watch my father play. It’s the team I supported as a boy. I remember my parents saying I wouldn’t go to bed without my Anderlecht shirt. I’ve never played here, except for after my Dad’s games when I stole a few minutes with the ball."

"Anderlecht have always been a top team and will continue to be a great team in Belgium for years to come. I think Belgian TV want to get my old man over but I think he’d prefer to sit at home and watch it on TV." Eider continued.

Back in the team at the weekend even before Makelele’s injury, the Eider dismissed the idea that Chelsea are under extra pressure because we lie only second in the Group.

"We have to win, simple, but we have to win every game." Looking back to the Stamford Bridge meeting, he recalled: "They were very organised, they had a lot of players behind the ball, they made life difficult for us but I don’t think they threatened our goal too much. I think it was a comfortable game in the end even though it was only 1-0."

And he also dismissed the relevance of Chelsea’s run of no away wins in the Champions League for over a year.

"Two of the games — we lost in Porto when we were already qualified, in Munich we conceded two late goals in the 91st and 92nd minute and we still qualified. The only two defeats are Betis and Liverpool which are significant. I don't see it as a problem. We have to win tomorrow."

Finally, he dismissed the idea that Saturday’s win over Newcastle was a relief and a return to good form. "I don’t think we’ve been off our best apart from the game in Seville. I thought we played well in the game at Manchester, especially in the second-half."

The squad that travelled is: Cech, Cudicini, Gallas, Ferreira, Gérémi, Carvalho, Terry, Huth, Del Horno, Bridge, Gudjohnsen, Essien, Diarra, Lampard, J Cole, Crespo, Drogba, C Cole and Duff.

From the squad I reckon the starting Eleven will be:

Cech, Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Del Horno, Diarra, Essien, Lampard, Gudjohnsen, Drogba and Duff

Updates available on the message board.

COME ON CHELSEA!!

 

40 YEARS A BLUE!