Monday, February 21, 2011

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22-02-2011 20:45 FC Kobenhavn - Chelsea

Finding Fitness

Copenhagen welcome Chelsea to the Parken Stadium having not played since December 7 due to the winter break, meaning they will be fresher than their glamorous opponents.

However, this can backfire as it always takes time to get up to match speed and with Chelsea having played two matches in the last eight days, match fitness could play a key role in the first leg.

The Danes have been in unstoppable form all season, they are undefeated in 19 games and have a 19 point lead at the top of the table.

Domestic domination, which has seen them take the title seven of the last nine years, has not always shown in European competition, but this year the Parken side look a different proposition.

They were undefeated at home in the group stages, which included a 1-1 draw with Barcelona on their way to finishing second behind the Spanish giants with 10 points.

Carlo's Opportunity

Chelsea have had a terrible season by their standards, with the pressure ever increasing on boss Carlo Ancelotti. Saturdays FA Cup defeat means the Champions League is the Blues' only real hope of silverware and may be the manager's only hope of keeping his job.

But Chelsea look a side on a slippery slope, with players off form and ageing, while the teams around them are constantly investing in youth.

Ancelotti can work knowing that Roman Abramovich backed him with £70 million in January. But the Italian is still waiting for Fernando Torres to find his form and the boss will have his fingers crossed that the Spaniard is not another Andrei Shevchenko.

Ancelotti’s men have shown good form in the Champions League so far with five wins from six games and if they can find that form again, the Stamford Bridge outfit may turn one of their worst seasons into one of their best.

TEAM NEWS

FC Copenhagen

Copenhagen manager Stale Solbakken has a fully fit squad to choose from, meaning his only selection headache will be who to leave out from his squad.

The Danes prefer a 4-4-2 system but may opt for five in midfield, with ex-Chelsea man Jesper Gronkjaer expected to start behind Dame N’Doye. Cesar Santin, who is joint top scorer with N’Doye in the Danish Superliga, is expected to start on the bench.

William Kvist is should play in defensive midfield, while Christian Bolanos is expected to play out wide.

Goalkeeper Johan Wiland will be a key figure in goal after conceding just 15 goals in 19 matches.

Possible starting XI: Wiland; Jorgensen, Antonsson, Wendt, Pospech; Claudemir, Bolanos, Kvist, Vingaard; Gronkjaer; N’Doye.

Chelsea

The Blues will hand striker Fernando Torres his Champions League debut with the club after being cup-tied for Saturdays FA Cup defeat to Everton.

This means Didier Drogba will again start on the bench with Nicolas Anelka replacing Salomon Kalou in another attacking change.

Fellow new man David Luiz is cup-tied after playing for Benfica in the competition, which means Branislav Ivanovic will continue at centre-back in the absence of Alex.
Jose Bosingwa is expected to replace Paulo Ferreira at right-back while Yuri Zhirkov and Yossi Benayoun miss out through injury.

Possible starting XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Anelka, Torres, Malouda.

Prediction
Despite their poor form Chelsea are still the favourites, but you simply cannot ignore Copenhagen’s record this season. The Danes will attack a vulnerable Chelsea backline but expect the Blues to make chances on the counter-attack and to be more ruthless than their hosts.

Copenhagen 1-2 Chelsea

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22-02-2011 21:00 Blackpool - Tottenham Hotspur

Seasiders Desperate For A Win

Blackpool’s current form can be summarised in one word - awful. They have lost four of the last five and are without a league win since they beat Liverpool back on January 12, some seven games ago. They certainly have come close, losing by a single goal against West Brom, Sunderland and Manchester United.

The Seasiders sit two points above the relegation zone and do have a game in hand on the teams around them, which makes every home game a valuable commodity in the quest to stay in the top flight for another year.

The meetings between these teams are rare in recent years, with the last meeting being in the League Cup in October 2007. The last time they met in the league was in the old Second Division in 1977-78 when Spurs won at Bloomfield Road and drew in London.

The Tangerines last beat Tottenham in October 1966 when they took all three points after a 3-1 victory from their trip to the capital. The last victory at home is even further back when Blackpool won 4-1 in September 1956, with Jimmy Armfield and Sir Stanley Matthews among the players wearing the Tangerine shirt.

Spurs On The March

Tottenham’s form has been the mirror image of Blackpool’s, having won their last four and kept two clean sheets in the process. Their last defeat was a heavy one when Fulham put four past them at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup. Spurs hold the overall record between the two with 30 wins to Blackpool’s 13.

Spurs' away record in the league has been patchy with excellent wins over fierce rivals Arsenal in November, but slipped up against Bolton and Everton. With Blackpool struggling, Harry Redknapp will be aiming to heap more strife on Ian Holloway. Spurs can jump ahead of Manchester City into third with a win as the Sky Blues are not in league action this week, instead facing Aris Salonika in the Europa League on Thursday night.

TEAM NEWS

Blackpool

Seasiders boss Ian Holloway will still be without first choice ‘keeper Matthew Gilks and fellow Scot Stephen Crainey as both are still a few weeks away from returning to action. Richard Kingson will continue to deputise in goal for Gilks.

Jason Euell has been sent out on loan to Championship side Doncaster Rovers after he was omitted from the 25-man Premier League squad and his long-term future on the Fylde coast could now be in jeopardy.

Seasiders fans are still awaiting the debut of Belarus striker Sergei Kornilenko who arrived in the January transfer window but has yet to feature for the first XI. Speaking after the reserve game against Blackburn last week in which he scored one and setup another two, he told the official club website that he’s itching to get stuck into England’s top flight.

“I've been wanting to play in the Premier League for an awful long time now so I was absolutely delighted when I heard that I was going to play here.”

Possible starting XI: Kingson; Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt, Sylvestre; Taylor-Fletcher, Adam, Vaughan; Phillips, Campbell, Beattie.

Tottenham

Tottenham are back in domestic action seven days after their memorable victory in the San Siro over Milan in the Champions League last week, and the club is still on a high after such a momentous result. But it’s the Premier League on the menu on Tuesday night and Harry Redknapp will be without Vedran Corluka who has had a protective boot fitted to protect his ankle injury. The Croat was the recipient of a vicious tackle from Mathieu Flamini and will be out for at least a fortnight.

Welsh winger Gareth Bale could make a return to action after recovering from a back injury but it will be touch and go right up to kick-off. Younes Kaboul and Tom Huddlestone will definitely be out as the forecast for their respective returns is March.

Possible starting XI: Gomes; Gallas, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Palacios, Sandro, Bale; Defoe, Crouch.


Blackpool Tottenham
16Ranking4

Last 8 matches
12 FebBlackpool - Aston Villa 1 - 11 - 2Sunderland - Tottenham12 Feb
5 FebEverton - Blackpool 5 - 32 - 1Tottenham - Bolton5 Feb
2 FebBlackpool - West Ham Utd 1 - 30 - 1Blackburn - Tottenham2 Feb
25 JanBlackpool - Manchester U. 2 - 31 - 1Newcastle Ut. - Tottenham22 Jan
22 JanBlackpool - Sunderland 1 - 20 - 0Tottenham - Manchester U.16 Jan
15 JanWest Bromwic. - Blackpool 3 - 22 - 1Everton - Tottenham5 Jan
12 JanBlackpool - Liverpool 2 - 11 - 0Tottenham - Fulham1 Jan
4 JanBlackpool - Birmingham C. 1 - 22 - 0Tottenham - Newcastle Ut.28 Dec

Last 4 matches (Home)Last 4 matches (Away)
12 FebBlackpool - Aston Villa 1 - 11 - 2Sunderland - Tottenham12 Feb
2 FebBlackpool - West Ham Utd 1 - 30 - 1Blackburn - Tottenham2 Feb
25 JanBlackpool - Manchester U. 2 - 31 - 1Newcastle Ut. - Tottenham22 Jan
22 JanBlackpool - Sunderland 1 - 22 - 1Everton - Tottenham5 Jan


Prediction
The form book has this down as a clear Spurs victory. The bookies agree, a price of 4/6 is being offered on Spurs whilst you can get 3/1 on Blackpool - long odds indeed. It is hard to see anything other than another Blackpool loss and this should go as forecast, although Blackpool will not give in easily.

Blackpool 1-2 Tottenham