Just the one fixture this evening as the Dugout Discussion opens and the gameweek winds down to a close before the long, dark and cold days of the dreaded FA Cup. Ian Holloway’s Blackpool and playing host to Carlo Ancelotti’s men this evening.
With his talismanic captain, as well as his lead striker, absent through suspension there is a whole host of changes from the “expected” Blackpool side – most notably a front three of loanees Jason Puncheon and James Beattie alongside Andy Reid. Chelsea, meanwhile, bring in Jose Bosingwa for Branislav Ivanovic as David Luiz shakes off a knock while Didier Drogba and Yuri Zhirkov come in for Florent Malouda and Nicolas. The line-ups in full are…
Blackpool XI: Kingson; Eardley, Evatt, Baptiste, Crainey; Vaughan, Carney, Southern; Puncheon, Reid, Beattie
Chelsea XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Luiz, Tery, Cole; Ramires, Lampard, Essien, Zhirkov; Drogba, Torres
The Dugout Discussion will take us through this fixture while we ponder if Fernando Torres can get his first shot on target in the league for Chelsea or if Andy Reid can put down that sandwich for just long enough to fill his captain’s boots with something other than gravy.
