Chelsea v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[devilla]

Is the match being shown live tomorrow? (in this country before anyone says yes in Dubai etc)

No, it isn't. It's Fenerbache and Arse.

[eastie]

Is the match being shown live tomorrow? (in this country before anyone says yes in Dubai etc)

No, it isn't. It's Fenerbache and Arse.

Sky soccer special showing extended highlights at 10-30

[supertom]

Just put a tenner on Benteke scoring a hattrick. Thought it'd be worth a flutter at 80-1

[PGW]

Let me just say that you can register free with NBC Sports......i neednt say more.

[eastie]

Nathan Baker is set to miss out on Villa's trip to Chelsea - although Yacouba Sylla is back in contention.

Baker came off injured during the first half of Villa's win over Arsenal on Saturday.

The central defender looks set to be out for another week after suffering a twisted ankle at the Emirates.

It means Ciaran Clark - who replaced Baker against the Gunners - or summer signing Jores Okore will come into the line-up at Stamford Bridge.

But Sylla is back in training after injuring his ankle while playing for the U21s against West Ham eight days ago.

"It will maybe take Nathan another week or so to get back," said manager Paul Lambert.

"He is a doubt anyway, so it would be a big ask [for him to be fit]."

Lambert is happy with the competition in his defensive ranks with Clark and Okore vying for the opportunity to partner Ron Vlaar tomorrow night.

"It was something we never really had last year and the competition is important for everybody," added Lambert.

"I thought Ciaran did great for us, coming into a game of that magnitude for Nathan.

"I am delighted with Ciaran and the way he played.

[eastie]

Paul Lambert admits he's delighted to see Jose Mourinho back in the Barclays Premier League.

Mourinho rejoined the Blues in the summer after spells at Inter Milan and Real Madrid following his departure from Stamford Bridge in 2007.

And Villa boss Lambert says the Barclays Premier League is a better place for having the self-appointed 'Happy One' in the top-flight dugout.

He said: "I think he's a brilliant manager. He's done it in every country he's been in. You don't do that unless you know what you're doing.

"So he must be a brilliant football manager. He seems to get people to play for him. He's been fabulous for the game here.

"The Premier League is better for Jose being here, absolutely no doubt.

"He has won everything in more or less every country he's been in.

"He has won the Champions League twice with two different teams, which is not an easy thing to do.

"There's no two ways about it, to get him back in this country is great for the league."

Mourinho, meanwhile, has praised Villa in his pre-match press conference.

The Portuguese hailed Lambert's Lions as a team of quality and said that the win at Arsenal wasn't too big a shock to him.

He added: "It was not such a big surprise to see them win because Villa can do that to any one of the contenders.

"If you see the stats on last season they had more points away from home than at Villa Park so they are a team with quality to play away, to play the counter-attack game they played at The Emirates."

[olaftab]

Is the match being shown live tomorrow? (in this country before anyone says yes in Dubai etc)

No, it isn't. It's Fenerbache and Arse.

Sky soccer special showing extended highlights at 10-30

Thanks both.

[Matt Collins]

Let me just say that you can register free with NBC Sports......i neednt say more.

And watch in the UK?

[PGW]

Let me just say that you can register free with NBC Sports......i neednt say more.

And watch in the UK?

I'm not allowed to say am i.....but register - you know it makes sense.

[eastie]

Let me just say that you can register free with NBC Sports......i neednt say more.

And watch in the UK?

I'm not allowed to say am i.....but register - you know it makes sense.

Had a look at it and says not available in the uk

[Matt Collins]

That's what I assumed

[pauliewalnuts]

Let me just say that you can register free with NBC Sports......i neednt say more.

And watch in the UK?

I thought you had to have a certain cable package to get the coverage for free, as well, not just register for an account.

[Smoke]

Just watching the Pre-Match press conference with Lambo on AVTV.

This made me laugh, I may be paraphrasing :

Reporter : Paul, what do you make of Arsene's claims that his side were bullied out of game on Saturday?

Paul : *disgusted look* Have you seen my midfield? *Pauses* They're 5ft 4! They're Footballers, I don't think I've got a dirty player in my side.  honestly, I don't have the players to play that way even if I wanted to. But these guys are footballers and we play.

[Joe S]

226-4 61.5
Kieswetter 100
Barrow 16
Kieswetter dropped on 1,22,74

I originally thought this was a clever suggestion of a cricket score.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Just watching the Pre-Match press conference with Lambo on AVTV.

This made me laugh, I may be paraphrasing :

Reporter : Paul, what do you make of Arsene's claims that his side were bullied out of game on Saturday?

Paul : *disgusted look* Have you seen my midfield? *Pauses* They're 5ft 4! They're Footballers, I don't think I've got a dirty player in my side.  honestly, I don't have the players to play that way even if I wanted to. But these guys are footballers and we play.

lol. Yeah I loved that.