EPL: Chelsea 4 - 4 Aston Villa [26.12.2007] - TalkSoccer

**Dellas** · 26-12-2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Chelsea's third-choice goalkeeper Hilario could start, with Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini both out injured.

Cech is suffering from bruising picked up in Sunday's win at Blackburn while Cudicini is out with a rib injury.

Aston Villa midfielder Stiliyan Petrov could be in line for a recall after making his comeback from injury as a substitute against Manchester City.
Petrov's former Celtic team-mate Shaun Maloney would be the player most likely to make way.

Quote:

Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Belletti, Ferreira, A Cole, Carvalho, Alex, Ben-Haim, J Cole, Lampard, Essien, Sidwell, Kalou, Shevchenko, Mikel, Sinclair, Wright-Phillips, Pizarro.

Quote:

Cheslea manager Avram Grant on Chelsea's injury problems:
"I cannot say it will be easy if we lose Cech.
"To play with so many injured for a long time, I don't like it. "It's fact, and we need to get through it as soon as possible like we have done in the last three months."

Without Drogba, Terry, Malouda, and apparently no Ballack in the squad??

I really wanted the German Enforcer to start...he needs to get match fit and soon.

will be a tough game have been our bogey team and we need to win this game to stay in touch with the leaders.

Our defence will need to be rock solid to protect Hilario today. Fingers crossed that Cech might be ok...lets hope Hilario doesn't get injured otherwise we are screwed

I think that we can just nick a result... Lampard and Sheva scoring.

Come on boys we can do it.

**Dellas** · 26-12-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Chelsea

01 Cech
20 Ferreira
33 Alex
06 Carvalho
03 Cole
21 Kalou
05 Essien
08 Lampard
10 Cole
14 Pizarro
07 Shevchenko

Substitutes

40 Hilario, 12 Obi, 13 Ballack, 22 Ben-Haim, 24 Wright-Phillips

Aston Villa

22 Carson
04 Mellberg
05 Laursen
16 Knight
03 Bouma
28 Maloney
20 Reo-Coker
06 Barry
07 Young
10 Carew
11 Agbonlahor

Substitutes

13 Taylor, 08 Moore, 09 Harewood, 15 Davies, 26 Gardner

Ref: Phil Dowd

YESSSSS!!!! CECH IS STARTING

Anyway I assume he is resting Mikel...rare start for Pizarro----show us what you're worth!

4-4-2 with sheva and pizarro upfront and kalou and cole on the wings.

hopefully Ballack can come on during the game aswell

Aston Villa has a strong team as well lets see how it goes.

**Dellas** · 26-12-2007, 02:02 PM

I won't lie we have been SHITE... Aston Villa have dominated so much.

we lost Lampard early...but they scored very early as well...bad defending by us leaving Cech alone with Maloney who honestly couldn't miss. Aston Villa pressurised us and we made loads of mistakes.

Then as we were pressing but not really creating anything, after Lamprd got subbed off for Ballack, they scored again...a mistake by Cech from a long range shot from Maloney saw us go 2 goals behind. I personally thought that the game was lost.

BUT we got a life line...we got a pen last min of extra time...ballack won it...imo it was pen but Ballack fell a little too theatrically and Knight got a red card. Not sure if it was a red card.

Sheva scored and now it is 2-1 Aston villa and they have 10 players....game on i say

we have time to save our home record.

our attack has been piss poor so far, pizarro is trying to play in midfield and sheva keeps trying to nutmeg the defenders and failing.

we were pressing but not creating anything and villa had 11 men behind the ball.

Grant needs to wake the lads up...because we haven't done wnything to cause villa to worry.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-12-2007, 02:12 PM

What a goal by Sheva, 2-2

By the way, don't you wish you had Hilario in goal now ?

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-12-2007, 02:28 PM

Alex scores! 3-2 Chelsea

Great build up, Sheva with the assist, Alex dribbled past someone and finished it very well

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:30 PM

Damn, what a comeback!!

Hear the fans yelling Sheva's name.

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:34 PM

3-3, Villa equalise!! Laursen scored.

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:42 PM

Carvalho sent off with a straight red card.

Harsh tackle on Agbonlahor (just like Crouch to Mikel)

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-12-2007, 02:44 PM

This one was worse, definite red card.

Shame, Carvalho is usually so correct on the pitch, very rarely does tackles like that

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:49 PM

Ballaaaaaaack! 4-3.

Low shot from freekick.

This could be the winning goal.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-12-2007, 02:50 PM

The GK should have that side better covered, but credit to Ballack, nice shot

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:52 PM

Drama at Chelsea zone!! Damn!

Lucky Chelsea not to concede!

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:52 PM

Penalty for Villa, ref says. WTF?

**Trim** · 26-12-2007, 02:52 PM

Red card for Ashley Cole.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 26-12-2007, 02:53 PM

I don't know, might have been handball but it's tough to say from that camera.. Come on Cech!