we wont beat

On current form I would say we are as far from beating Utd at Old Trafford as we have been for many a season

We will score...but we will concede more

Mouseburger, did you see Terry at all last year? Was our best defender.
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and that means?? the best of a bad bunch is not great praise at all. I appreciate Terry is a talismanic figure for Chelsea, he sums up loyalty and commitment, but hasn't it really dawned yet that from the moment Carvalho left you started getting breached more often?!
Is that a coincidence? i don't think so.

As for Ivanovic. I probably need to rephrase what i mean. I am not saying he is rubbish, but also he is not a resilient right back when the top teams start probing him. He is physical rather than skillful in my opinion. Will be interesting to see if United will focus their attacks down that side (i think they will).

Honestly, i would say that United are going to pose Chelsea more problems than Chelsea will cause United.

*However* the great unknown is Drogba - if he is fit and up for it, i think he could give our younger CBs (if selected) a hell of a tough time, and i would be a bit more concerned at his quality of shooting from distance.

So long as we give ourselves a chance (unlike the league game at OT last season) I won't be as disappointed. That game at OT was as disappointing a game as I've seen for years domestically.

Mouse

Carvahlo was becoming a Liability to be honest

Class defender in 04/05 05/06 - probably the best in the prem, - not good enough when we sold him on

Carvahlo was becoming a Liability to be honest
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But any more so than Terry though??

look at your goals against column for the past 2 seasons compared to the previous 4 Carvalho's time at SB).

Then look at Real Madrids goals against column for the last two seasons Carvalho has been there and compared that to the previous season when he wasn't.

Mouse. I agree to an extent with much of what you say. But I wouldn't swap our group of CBs for any other in the prem. despite having a poor year last year we still had the joint best defence in the league and Ivanovic always does well against Nani. Utd don't look to strong at the back. They look great going forward but De Gea has made the most saves in the league. Better finishing and the WBA would have been a draw or defeat.

Saying all that, you guys have to be heavy favourites for Sunday, the front 4 are looking impressive. We need to starve the wide players by controlling Anderson and Carrick in the middle.

Terry is not a laibility & never has been

he doesn't possess the footballing talent of others - but more than makes up in other departments

We also had midfielders that were busy attacking & taking teams apart - possibly rendering our back four unemployed for a lot of games in Riccy's time too (slight exaggeration)

As for Real Madrid - they have four world class players at the back & another six in midfield & upfront - whilst playing also ran teams any other week than when Barca aren't in town

Spain is like a vastly better version of the Scottish league in that there's two proper teams & a bunch of 'others'

Not comparable really

Drogba should not be playing for the united game, when he has come on, he has looked even worse than Torres, and that is very hard to do, it would have to be either Torres or Anelka as the central striker.

Carvalho wasn't suited to the PL but is suited to La Liga.

*wasn't suited to the PL anymore. I'm happy with Luiz instead. The better player