[sbu_large_image] Dugout Discussion
24 March 2012 3780 comments
Akers Akers
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A pivotal Premier League game kicks off Gameweek 30, with Champions League qualification on the line. The Dugout Discussion opens as 5th placed Chelsea host 4th placed Tottenham. A rare win for the visitors today (no win at Stamford Bridge since 1990) would not only stop the rot, but also go a long way to sealing their berth in Europe’s elite competition. The team sheets from Stamford Bridge are in, and are as follows…

Chelsea XI: Cech, Bosingwa, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Essien, Lampard, Ramires, Mata, Sturridge, Drogba.

Spurs XI: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto, Modric, Parker, Sandro, Bale, Van der Vaart, Adebayor.

A host of changes for Chelsea sees Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz, Raul Meireles and Fernando Torres all dropped to the bench. In come Jose Bosingwa, captain John Terry, Daniel Sturridge and Didier Drogba.

Harry Redknapp is boosted by the return of Emmanuel Adebayor, who starts with Rafael Van der Vaart at the expense of Louis Saha. Elsewhere, William Gallas and Sandro replace Ledley King (not in squad) and Niko Kranjcar.

Following that we’ve got another seven games to pour over, finishing at the Britannia Stadium where Manchester City will be looking to go back to the summit of the league, if only for one night.

The Dugout Discussion chatroom will stay open throughout the day, and can be accessed right here.

Akers Richard or Akers, as he is known, has been regularly haunting this site since July 2008. He is young and foolish, take what he says with a pinch of salt. Follow them on Twitter

  1. Viper
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Last chance, free kick Spurs..

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    1. Viper
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Good save..

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  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Fk spurs great position

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  3. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Flippin Surman on the bench. He better get a good run if he comes on, and not just a few mins off the bench, or not play at all!

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  4. Podge
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Last chance saloon

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  5. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Bae cleanie is such a bonus!

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    1. boc610
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      yeah cant believe it...wasnt expecting it at all

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  6. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Wow. Almost Bale assist.

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  7. Manilaman
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Drenthe dropped?

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  8. disparate dan - a reasonabl…
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    bale

    jesus

    been so threatening

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  9. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    OMG bale!

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  10. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    mate played cahill and bae, i hate him right now

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    1. RetroGamer - Do a Barrel Ro…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Thats lucky as hell.

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  11. celtic10000
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Hon Cahill !! 🙂

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  12. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    FT. Thank you Benoit 😀

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  13. Locarno
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Two weeks ago, decided I needed some fresh blood in my team. Narrowed it down to Bale or Cahill.

    Feck.

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  14. Cooper123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    How did Spurs play? Who should I get in first between Adebayor and Friedel?

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    1. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Neither.

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    2. chinmusic
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Spurs haven't been free scoring for a while, so Friedel.

      They played alright and had the game's best two chances (VDV and Bale)

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  15. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    I can't recall seeing Bale ever take free kicks before today. Is this a new thing or have I just been oblivious to it in the past?

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    1. Hate that rotation
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      What!? Have you not seen his Southampton free kicks!

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      1. Hate that rotation
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        He is a dead ball specialist. Youtube it if you must

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        1. Mílanista
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          14 years, 26 days ago

          Just did. Some nice goals there.

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          1. Hate that rotation
            • 14 Years
            14 years, 26 days ago

            I dont know why VDV has free kicks. Okay I do know but he doesnt deserve them.

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      2. Mílanista
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        No

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    2. Bøwstring The Carp
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Probably because it was in a position that was suited for a left-footed player. Modric probably wasnt comfortable with the angle, and with VDV off Bale was the next lefty

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    3. McDog
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      He takes the odd one. VDV and Modric are ahead of him in the pecking order.

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  16. gledy
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    BPS:

    3 - Cahill
    2 - Cahill
    1 - Cahill

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  17. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    We could've won that 2nd halve. 3 or 4 great chances. Would've taken a draw before hand though

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    1. chinmusic
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Spurs had the game's best two chances

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  18. King Eric, in America
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Draw = kissing your sister.

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    1. Locarno
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Post a pic of your sister and we can judge for ourselves.

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      1. King Eric, in America
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        I've been burned posting pics of my sister before ... not going to fool me again.

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  19. udit
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Chelsea are 5 points behind now, surely they'll be 5th and miss out

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    1. gledy
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Yeah, they looked terrible in last 30 minutes. Can't see them making up 5 points.

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    2. Viper
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Plenty of points to play for, look how quickly it turned around with Arsenal & Spurs!

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      1. udit
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        Still have ful, ars and liv to play though and Spurs schedule is EASY

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  20. The Finnisher
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Hmm, Cahill a rotation risk given Chelseas fixtures ?

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    1. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      He was their best player today.

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      1. rohan
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        +1.. I dont think Cahill will feature too much in the Champs league.. He will feature in the league though, with JT getting the odd rest if needed..

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      2. The Finnisher
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        Which is exactly why he would be rotated?

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  21. pukey
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Bp predictions?

    3 - Cahill
    2- Bale/cole
    3 - Cole/bale

    ??

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    1. pukey
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      3,2,1*

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    2. Viper
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Bale had more efforts off target than he had on..

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    3. McDog
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Bale has absolutely no chance.

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  22. Drogba "Unstoppable, U…
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Bale gonna get BPs u think ?

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    1. rohan
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      no chance

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      1. pukey
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        possibly 1 - but cahill/cole for 3/2 i reckon

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    2. Locarno
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Yeah, the PPI guys just love those long-range shots that miss the goal by four yards...

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  23. rohan
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    I'm on -1 from 1.. Is that good???

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  24. blind faith
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    thinkin after today may do kelly (ful) out and cahill in.

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  25. Captain Berbarossa - arrrrr…
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Arggh...two cleanies sitting on the bench with little chance of either coming off it. Not a good start to this GW.

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  26. RetroGamer - Do a Barrel Ro…
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Can't believe you lot got clean sheets from that game, very annoying start 🙁 hope the 3:00 games go well.

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    1. Drogba "Unstoppable, U…
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      indeed

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  27. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Am I the only one that thinks bonus will be like: Walker 3, Cahill 2, Kaboul 1.

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    1. Hate that rotation
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      My rival has walker. 🙁

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      1. Drogba "Unstoppable, U…
        • 14 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        Mine has Walker and BAE

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    2. gledy
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      I think Spurs defenders might be involved, but Cahill not getting 3 would really shock me (even with the new system).

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  28. Only1KunAgüero
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    3 bonus points for Cahill - that's for sure!

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    1. rasher
      • 16 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      hopefully! he defended well today

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    2. Captain Berbarossa - arrrrr…
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      That would totally suck as he's on my bench 🙁

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      1. gledy
        • 16 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        Ba over Cahill? Why? :O

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        1. Captain Berbarossa - arrrrr…
          • 15 Years
          14 years, 26 days ago

          Brain fart I guess 😀

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  29. Demí
    • 15 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    AVFC's official Twitter account says Koscielny has been injured in the warm up, and replaced by Johan Djourou. Awaiting confirmation.

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    1. Demí
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Confirmed now

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    2. Bad Pen
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Oh dear...

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    3. The Finnisher
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      FFS.

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      1. Locarno
        • 15 Years
        14 years, 26 days ago

        Arsenal's CS odds just moved out to 10/1.

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    4. rohan
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Not too good news for Verm but ML leader has him...

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    5. udit
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Dammit, knew I should not have gone for Verm 🙁

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    6. Josh
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      already on bbc

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    7. Phaze 1
      • 14 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Ugh there goes my Verm CS. SOAB

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    8. McDog
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Oh well, Djourou is ...erm... OK....

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    9. The3rdTurd
      • 15 Years
      14 years, 26 days ago

      Not looking good for your Chesney clean sheet, Demi 😉

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  30. Drogba "Unstoppable, U…
    • 14 Years
    14 years, 26 days ago

    Who are already trailing in PP cup?

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