Maniche Debut?


I Got Two Babe

By 40 Years A Blue
January 21 2006

Charlton Athletic are the next 'obstacle' for Chelsea to overcome in their search for back-to-back titles when the two teams meet at Stamford Bridge tomorrow lunchtime.

Already played each other twice this season - Chelsea winning at The Valley 2-0 - and Charlton achieving Carling Cup success after a penalty shoot-out - Chelsea look to consolidate their sixteen point lead or better it at the top of the Premiership table. With Man Utd and Liverpool playing at Old Trafford afterwards a victory for either side would surely end the slim hopes of a title win once and for all for the losers.

Who can forget that memorable moment last season (the day when Chelsea were presented with the Premiership title) when when after a scuffed penalty, Claude Makelele scored from the rebound to register his first ever Chelsea goal.

With Drogba and Geremi on African Cup of Nations duty, Robben suspended after his ridiculous sending off at Sunderland last week, Essien still out injured, Bridge now on-loan at Fulham expect the following starting eleven.

Cech, Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, Del Horno, Makelele, J Cole, Lampard, Gudjohnsen, Crespo, Duff.

Maniche is expected to make an appearance at some time, also on the bench should be SWP, C Cole, Cudinci (who has just signed a year's extension to his current contract) and Huth.

At some point Charlton could showcase their new January signing in Marcus Bent.

Both Didier Drogba and Geremi's African Cup of Nations campaign's got off to winning start today. The 'Drogs' Ivory Coast beat Morocco 1-0 with the 'Drog' scoring the only goal from a first-half penalty. Geremi's Cameroon beat Angola 3-1, Samuel Eto'o scoring a hat-trick.

Drogba was substituted after 65mins with an injury.

Next games: Ivory Coast v Libya, next Tuesday and Cameroon v Togo, next Wednesday.

40 YEARS A BLUE!

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