Didier Drogba is back in the Chelsea squad for the Barclays Premier League match at home to Stoke.
The Ivory Coast striker was axed for the midweek FA Cup third-round replay against Southend.
Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is boosted by the return of Florent Malouda after a hamstring injury but looks set to lose Joe Cole to a knee problem. Midfielder Deco misses out with a calf strain, but Ricardo Carvalho is fit after a calf problem.
Scolari has denied Drogba was victimised for their defeat against Manchester United.
The Brazilian coach refused to say whether Nicolas Anelka or Drogba would start as the main striker but insisted that the Ivory Coast international, who did not even travel with the squad for the cup tie, was not being made a scapegoat for the United debacle.
Instead, Scolari claimed that he had been the biggest victim of their Old Trafford mauling, not his players.
"Didier is not being made a scapegoat,'' declared Scolari. "The reason he was left out was because it was an option for me. I put this player or that player in the team.
His reaction was normal. When you sign a contract at a club, you are first or second choice, the coach chooses.
"My job here is to choose 11 players and the job for the players is to play. Finish.''
Chelsea have again been concentrating on set-pieces after conceding another simple goal against Southend.
Their defensive lapses have been criticised by Scolari in recent weeks and the side will return to a combination of zonal and man-to-man marking against City.
Stoke possess a unique threat in long-throws from Rory Delap and such was Scolari's concern that he described relegation-haunted Stoke, in his customary Brazilian humour, as 'the most dangerous side in the world'.
"Stoke are more dangerous than all the teams in England and the world.
"If you look at their statistics, they've scored 18 goals and 11 have been from corners, free-kicks or throw-ins. It will be a very good test for us.
"We have been thinking about our problems and we have some solutions.''
Striker James Beattie is expected to make his debut for Stoke.
Beattie was drafted in from Sheffield United in midweek, after scoring 12 goals this season for the Coca-Cola Championship club.
Midfielder Salif Diao could be available, after suffering a back spasm, but Ricardo Fuller remains suspended.
Midfielder Liam Lawrence is desperate to restart his top-flight career.
Lawrence, 27, has been on the bench for the last four matches after recovering from an ankle injury.
He spent three months on the sidelines after falling over his dog and down a flight of stairs.
Now he is keen to show his pedigree, starting at Chelsea, after helping Stoke win promotion from the Coca-Cola Championship.
0 comments:
Post a Comment