The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Colly]

Amdy Faye. I am actually better than Amdy Faye.

[stokeriño]

I can't envisage those Chelsea players in a 4-2-3-1, unless something bizarre happens like Studge playing in the centre behind Torres... In which case it would have to be a 4-3-3 with Malouda in central midfield, which is never a good thing.

[Colly]

Quiet thread, quiet game?

[Lineker]

Pretty much. Feels more like the Emirates Cup.

Although Koscielny just thundered a header against the crossbar.

[Katsuya]

Massimo Taibi.

Oh, Taibi.

[DavidMarrio]

I can't get into this game

[stokeriño]

I can't get into this game

That's okay, neither can most of the players.

[MDK]

Now I'm just hoping it stays like this because I put a bet on no 1st goal at the start of the game.

[stokeriño]

Congrats on your bet.

Meh. Glad I stayed home to watch that on TV rather than pay whatever a ticket cost.

Can't really hope for fourth now but at least we didn't get a demotivating loss, and Drogba/Lampard/Ramires/etc. all got full rests... [/silver lining]

[Lineker]

Glad I switched over to the GP2 race.

[MDK]

I'd say that was a good result for Chelsea considering the players they rested.

[Marcos]

Kalou and Malouda were both dire today. I presume both of them will be getting moved on in the summer cause they just aren't good enough for Chelsea. Bertrand looks a decent prospect at left back and Essien started to show something of his previous best, which is always good as at his best he is one of the best in the Premier League.

[stokeriño]

So now I am placed in a position where tomorrow I have to support QPR? Really? :/

Kalou and Malouda were are both dire today...always.

Fixed.

[Thrilla]

You may also have already had a gander at chief football writer Phil McNulty's thoughts on the best Premier League XI as we approach the 20th anniversary of the top flight's rebranding. I'm going to dodge the inevitable Steven Gerrard/Frank Lampard slurstorm and opening the bidding on a worst Premier League XI. Any advances on former West Ham hatchet man Marco Boogers, Nottingham Forest flop Andrea Silenzi and painfuly slow Liverpool defender Mauricio Pellegrino?

Probably go for a front three of Andrea Silenzi, Corlando Grabbi and Adi Akinbyi.

[Lineker]

Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse.

Subs: Elliot, Perch, Gosling, Ryan Taylor, Best, Shola Ameobi, Ferguson.

Stoke: Begovic, Shotton, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Wilkinson, Palacios, Whelan, Etherington, Walters, Crouch.

Subs: Sorensen, Jones, Fuller, Pennant, Whitehead, Upson, Jerome.

Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)

One change for Champions League-chasing Newcastle as influential midfielder Cheick Tiote returns from a hamstring injury to replace James Perch. Dutch keeper Tim Krul lines up in goal, despite jarring his back during training this week, while Leon Best could make his first appearance in almost three months. The striker, who has been sidelined with a knee injury, is named on the bench. Stoke boss Tony Pulis drafts top scorer Peter Crouch back into his side as one of three switches from their 1-1 draw at Aston Villa. Glenn Whelan and Andy Wilkinson also return, with Kenwyne Jones, Rory Delap and Dean Whitehead dropping out.

Blackburn: Robinson, Orr, Dann, Givet, Marcus Olsson, Formica, Dunn, Lowe, Pedersen, Hoilett, Yakubu.

Subs: Kean, Martin Olsson, Modeste, Petrovic, Nzonzi, Rochina, Goodwillie.

Norwich: Ruddy, Martin, Ryan Bennett, Ward, Drury, Elliott Bennett, Howson, Surman, Hoolahan, Vaughan, Holt.

Subs: Steer, Johnson, Morison, Pilkington, Fox, Wilbraham, Naughton.

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

Water under the bridge, it seems, between Blackburn boss Steve Kean and Gael Givet after their row, as the French defender comes in for the injured Grant Hanley. Mauro Formica replaces Steven Nzonzi, who drops to the bench. With the pressure off Norwich, Paul Lambert shuffles the pack and gives James Vaughan his first start of the season after knee and hamstring injuries. Andrew Surman and Wes Hoolahan come in for Anthony Pilkington and Bradley Johnson.

Aston Villa: Given, Cuellar, Collins, Baker, Lichaj, Albrighton, Herd, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor, Weimann.

Subs: Guzan, Hutton, Warnock, Heskey, Bannan, Gardner, Carruthers.

Sunderland: Mignolet, O'Shea, Turner, Kilgallon, Bardsley, Larsson, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon, Bendtner.

Subs: Westwood, Bridge, Campbell, Vaughan, Ji, Meyler, Kyrgiakos.

Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish makes four changes for the vital home clash against Sunderland with Marc Albrighton, Charles N'Zogbia, Chris Herd and Carlos Cuellar returning to the starting line-up. Ex-Villa boss Martin O'Neill makes just one change to his Black Cats side, with John O'Shea replacing Kieran Richardson at left-back. The Gardner brothers, Craig and Gary, could face each other if Villa's Gary makes it off the bench today.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Hughes, Senderos, Hangeland, John Arne Riise, Diarra, Murphy, Duff, Dembele, Dempsey, Pogrebnyak.

Subs: Stockdale, Baird, Johnson, Kasami, Etuhu, Frei, Briggs.

Wigan: al-Habsi, Boyce, Alcaraz, Caldwell, Figueroa, Beausejour, McArthur, McCarthy, Gomez, di Santo, Moses.

Subs: Pollitt, Gohouri, Ben Watson, Maloney, Sammon, Jones, Diame.

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Fulham make two changes from the side that drew with Chelsea in their last outing on Easter Monday. Up front, Pavel Pogrebnyak returns after missing the Cottagers' last two games with an ankle injury, replacing Kerim Frei, and, at the back, Stephen Kelly is absent because of a wrist injury sustained against the Blues so Philippe Senderos comes in. Andy Johnson is among their substitutes after recovering from a thigh injury. Wigan name the same side that started Monday's impressive win over Arsenal, with Latics striker Hugo Rodallega still short of fitness after six weeks out with a knee injury and failing to make the bench.

Bolton: Bogdan, Steinsson, Ream, Wheater, Ricketts, Eagles, Mark Davies, Miyaichi, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Kevin Davies.

Subs: Jaaskelainen, Alonso, Knight, Klasnic, N'Gog, Sordell, Vela.

Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Caulker, Williams, Taylor, Sigurdsson, Britton, Allen, Dyer, Graham, Sinclair.

Subs: Tremmel, Routledge, Monk, McEachran, Lita, Moore, Bessone.

Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)

No changes for Swansea, while Bolton make only one change with on-loan Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi replacing former Swan Darren Pratley.

[Lineker]

Scott Sinclair gives Swansea an early lead at Bolton. Great curler.

[Lineker]

Chris Eagles draws Bolton level straight away; and Yohan Cabaye has given the lead to Newcastle.

[Matt]

You may also have already had a gander at chief football writer Phil McNulty's thoughts on the best Premier League XI as we approach the 20th anniversary of the top flight's rebranding. I'm going to dodge the inevitable Steven Gerrard/Frank Lampard slurstorm and opening the bidding on a worst Premier League XI. Any advances on former West Ham hatchet man Marco Boogers, Nottingham Forest flop Andrea Silenzi and painfuly slow Liverpool defender Mauricio Pellegrino?

Probably go for a front three of Andrea Silenzi, Corlando Grabbi and Adi Akinbyi.

Zoumana Camara

Roque Junior

Michael Duberry

Didier Domi

Seth Johnson

Jody Morris

Solomon Olembe

Jason Wilcox

Cyril Chapuis

Paul Okon

Lamine Sakho

All those have to be in with a shout and they were all part of the same team.

Cisse does it again, 2-0!

[Starvinho]

Newcastle looking very good for a CL spot, Cisse is unreal.

[Berober]

Bosko Balaban.