Mon, 26th Nov 2007
Michael Ballack will make a welcome return to playing action tonight when he starts for Chelsea's reserve side in a game at Brentford FC's Griffin Park.
The match, which can be seen live for free by Sky subscribers on Chelsea TV, will be the German international captain's first competitive football for seven months.
He left the field due to injury during the first team game at St. James' Park last April and has since undergone two operations on his ankle.
Birmingham City are tonight's visitors in what is the first home game for the reserves in seven weeks. Ballack will provide experience in what is otherwise a very youthful Chelsea line-up.
Frank Nouble, a schoolboy who has started three games and made four substitute appearances for the youth team this season, scoring twice, will lead the attack and there is also a place in midfield for Gaël Kakuta, a France Under 17 international who will be making his first start at this level.
Goalkeeper Rhys Taylor, defender Patrick van Aanholt, midfielder Lee Sawyer and winger Miroslav Stoch have all been away with their countries at junior international level in recent weeks. Stoch scored four goals in three matches for Slovakia Under 19s.
Goalkeeper Rhys Taylor, defender Patrick van Aanholt, midfielder Lee Sawyer and winger Miroslav Stoch have all been away with their countries at junior international level in recent weeks. Stoch scored four goals in three matches for Slovakia Under 19s.
Chelsea's reserve team manager Brendan Rodgers will be keen to see his players respond to the challenge with a good display, the second string having lost the last four games.
The full Chelsea team is:
Rhys Taylor; Shaun Cummings, Adrian Pettigrew, Harry Worley, Patrick van Aanholt; Liam Bridcutt (c), Gael Kakuta, Michael Ballack, Lee Sawyer; Frank Nouble, Miroslav Stoch.
Subs: Stuart Searle, Carl Magnay, Jeffrey Bruma, Jacob Mellis, James Simmonds.
Birmingham:
Colin Doyle; Olivier Tebily, Mat Sadler, Sebastian Larsson, Radhi Jaidi; Franck Queudrue, Stuart Parnaby, Damien Johnson, Jamie Sheldon; Robert Gradwell, Jordon Mutch.
Subs: Artur Krysiak, Stefan Milojevic, Asa Hall, David Howland, Jake Jervis.
Kick-off is 7pm and admission is £5 for adults, £3 for oaps/juvs, free to season ticket holders.
No comments:
Post a Comment