Head coach Andre Villas-Boas confirmed that Aaron Lennon and Moussa Dembele would be in the squad that travels to Stamford Bridge for tonight’s vital game. AVB was unclear as to their current fitness levels but his words suggested that both men are less than 100%.

“Moussa and Aaron will be selected, whether or not they will be available is something we prefer to hold onto and let people know when we get there,” said Andre.

“They had discomfort and tightness against Southampton and we decided not to risk them.

“As we took that decision, it means they are still in the frame for making this game.”

AVB also confirmed that Jake Livermore was fit again but there was no word on Scott Parker who sat out Saturday’s win.

There is however some confusion over Dembele who may not be travelling with the squad after all and that leaves the biggest questions in central midfield. Tom Huddlestone’s return to form makes him a likely starter anyway but will he now switch to the left with Parker coming back into the frame?

It’s a tough one to call – it could line up like this from the start but what’s your opinion?

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20 COMMENTS

  1. Lloris
    Walker Dawson Vertonghen BAE
    Parker Huddlestone
    Lennon Bale Gylfi
    Defoe

    Subs: Carroll, Caulker, Ade, Naughton, Friedel, Holtby and Dempsey

  2. Youve gotta have Holtby in there!!

    The very thought of livermore and parker running around together terrifies the shit out of me.

  3. lets not play like we have in our last too games we need to show a bit more pride and passion tonight give the fans something to hope for we,ve been second best to arsenal for too long ???

  4. As for the line-up:

    Lloris
    BAE
    Vertonghen
    Dawson
    Walker
    Parker – These 3 will provide energy, we’ll be chasing a lot!
    Holtby
    Sigurdson
    Bale
    Lennon
    Adebeyor – I feel we have no choice but to give this bloke one last go to be the bloke up top that he can be, defoe is infinitely better as an impact player :-/

  5. if you play huddlestone you need hard workers around him. look at the game last week, as soon as sig + holtby came on the dynamic of our midfield changed. parker has had an awful season.

  6. ________Loris__________
    Walker_ Dawson Vert_ BAE
    ___Parker_____Hudd_____
    ________Siggy__________
    Bale _____________Lennon
    ________Defoe__________

    Siggy and Hudd to pick the passes, Parker to provide the steel and just give it to Hudd and Siggy. Bale and Lennon to cut in, Siggy to watch for their runs and if not working they can switch flanks.

    • This is the same as my team, but replace Lennon with Dempsey. Save (unfit) Lennon to come on later, with maybe Ade and Holtby…

  8. Agreed parker and hudd should not play toghther…

    ……..lloris………

    Walker……Dawson……vert……benny

    …………..hudd…………….
    ….holtby…………siggy…

    Lennon…….ade…..bale

    If dembele is fit swap for siggy and bring Defoe on at 60mins. Siggy should come on for hudd when he is too tired to run.

  9. The only way we’ll get a result tonight is to attack them from the start and get a quick goal. This won’t be the kind of game where we try to get through the first 15 minutes and build from there, so we need to be out of the block early. My team would be:
    Lloris
    Walker, Dawson, Vertonghen, Benni
    Holtby, Parker, Dembele
    Lennon, Adebayor, Bale

    Defoe, Siggi & Huddlestone to be the potential game changers on the bench.
    Whatever will be will be on the night, but I just want to put in one more big performance, win lose or draw. A win tonight gives us the chance to build a 4 point lead over Arsenal on Sunday before they play again midweek and even a draw will firmly put the pressure on them if we follow up with a win at Stoke. COYS!!!

  10. OK heres one from left field. In order to nullify Mata a little,who is definitely Chelseas main man…I would play:
    Lloris,BAE,Dawson,Caulker,Walker,Vertongen,Holtby,Huddlestone, Bale,Lennon,Adebayor in a 4-1-4-1 set up. Vertongen sitting in front of the back four giving them protection and man marking Mata. Ade needs to start ahead of Defoe and retain possession or it will be one way traffic. Defoe and Siggy for impact, Parker on if we go ahead and need to sure things up a little. Dempsey has scored some crucial goals but offers little else, Id leave him out but AVB seems to be a fan. All of this asuming Lennon is fit and Dembele isnt. We’ve beaten Man U at home, City and Arsenal this season, we can beat CHelsea too!! COYS!!

  11. Tom Carroll has to be picked in midfield. Without him playing Spurs have little chance of winning. Look how badly Spurs have played in the last two games.

    Unfortunately AVB like Redknapp seems reluctant to pick young players unless they have gained a lot of experience. Carroll should have been given far more games by now.

    …………………..Lloris…………………

    Walker……Dawson……Vertonghen……B.A.E.

    ………………………Holtby………………………..

    ………Huddlestone……….Carroll…………….

    Lennon………………ade………………..bale

  12. This has to be one hell of a disciplined performance, so that wipes out BAE. Assuming Dembele is out, I’d only use Parker if, and its a big if, we get ourselves in front with 20 mins to go. We have to match their work off the ball and hope to retain it when we get it.

    Lloris
    Walker. Caulker, Dawson, Vertonghen
    Siggy, Hudd, Holtby
    Lennon/Dempsey, Adebayor, Bale

    Subs Friedel, Dempsey/Lennon, Carroll, Parker, Defoe, Naughton, Ceballos

  13. KJ I like your team if Dembele is fit, but doesnt sound too promising. Need to pick our quickest and most mobile team against Chelseas strong midfield, and Holtby,Dembele and Parker is it. Lets just hope AVB realises what so many SPurs fans see so clearly, Hudd and Parker cannot play in the same starting side. Football suicide if they do IMO.

  14. Lloris

    Walker Dawson Kaboul Disco Benny

    Huddlestone Vertonghen

    Lennon Bale

    Adebayor Defoe

    JUST GO FOR IT S**T OR BUST

  15. If Dempsey is in the lineup, all hope is gone. We havent played well in a single game he has started. I’m serius – work it out. The closest we came to decent performances with him in the side were the first half away to Utd and the second half of the home game against them. And even then, the other 2 halves were fking dismal. Its not that he is that bad, more that he stodges up the middle and just generally gets in the way.

    Assuming fit players i would go with
    Lloris
    Walker Daws Calks Vertonghen
    Hudd
    Lennon Parker Dembs (Holtby if injured) Bale
    Defoe

  16. Lloris
    Walker. Dawson. Vertonghen. Bae

    Siggy. Huddelstone.

    Lennon. Bale. Holtby.

    Defoe

    And at about the 60th minute I would put carrol on for siggy and and if huddelstone is tired put on ade and move into a 4-1 – 3-2

  18. Lloris,

    Walker,Dawson,Caulker, Vertonghen,

    Lennon, Huddlestone, Parker, Dembele, Bale

    Adebayor

    Defoe on 2nd half as impact sub, what he does best..

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