corduroystrafe

Good news, but given that this club has a way of somewhat treating it's heroes rather poorly, I hope it doesn't end in disaster. However, having said that, I think we will be the front runners for the title next season, and hopefully will continue to build a strong core, based around our younger players. Also hope the Luiz rumours turn out to be false.

Oh sorry I couldn't find the older thread. I was just struck by how much of a pillock he appeared to be, and how little coverage this appeared to get. Agree that it seemed to be a huge waste of a talent.

So I was overseas when this happened, does anyone know anything more about? Other than he seems like the world's biggest twunt? http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/media/2012/09/leon-knight-ex-footballer-and-noted-misogynist-suspended-twitter

I think Ba has a role to play if he can accept he won't be starting a lot of games. Started his career at Chelsea brilliantly but tailed off. Similarly can't understand everyone here slagging off Bertrand, think he looks like a natural successor to Cole in all honesty.

Sutton would certainly captain a pre-Abramovich era team, at least until older Chelsea fans come and tell me about earlier, less successful times that I didn't witness.

Ambrosetti was awful. I think it was because I was about 10 at the time we signed him (Casiraghi), and was tremendously excited and then tremendously disappointed.

So it's just for the Abramovich era? Because a pre one could be so, so awful, I may need some help but I have worthy candidates. Bosnich Bogarde Casiraghi Sutton Deschamps Jokanovic

Seems pointless but might get to see some of our young guns play, which would be good. Sadly, we'll be obliged to play some big players due to it being an exhibition match, but I honestly don't know who would want to go to this kind of game? Yeah, you might be an American Chelsea or City fan, but as someone who has watched several of these "matches" in Australia, they are really, really depressing to watch, and even more depressing to be present at.

Paulo!

Let's say its still a reasonable possibility then?

playoff is still on.

Now that i've got my stream to work i'd have to say he is playing a VERY defensive midfield role, basically just covering for Luiz whenever he decides to go wandering down the field. For his first game I think he is doing ok.

Can someone explain the formation to me? I missed the beginning and my stream is shocking.

Gets my respect, never particularly warmed to him but felt that the vitriol for the appointment was just covering for the fact that we were angry at Abramovich and the board, thought he did well to create the current unity in the squad. We'll surely get pasted today because Terry was in full kit again etc, but the fact that he, Mikel and Hazard as well as others like Ake who only played a small role took part in the celebrations shows the unity in the squad, and I think Rafa deserves some credit for it.

Where did the other 60% go?

Being out and about in Amsterdam today, Chelsea are out in force all over Dam square and Leidsplein, really good atmosphere and relations between the fans (apart from a few Ajax knobs).

I would play Mikel too, but I can't see him being risked in this given he hasn't featured for a while and is likely to be not quite fit. I live in Amsterdam and so far its been pretty quiet, although I suspect it's building up now, I'll have to go check on my lunch break. To be honest i've seen more Benfica supporters!

And he made it right? We were the better side in the 2nd half, due in part to Luiz controlling the game in the middle. So it was obvious, but it still happened, and changed the game after a useless first half.

Cos up to that point Ba was having a screamer right? Torres has gotten us crucial goals on the break before, give him 10 minutes and he's fresh. Oh and we then won as well?

Probably get slaughtered for this, but Rafa deserves some credit, made the changes at half time when his players conspired to play absolute sh*te (Ramires), got a bit lucky with a red card but in the end we did it!

Not over the line, but looked like a handball?

Here we f**king go

Doesn't really give him an excuse to not track back and do what he supposed to do.

Still in with a chance. How many times have we seen Villa implode, especially at the back? They're a good side but they're a young one too, if we come out firing we could still salvage something. Positivity people!

That was stupid, he was lucky to get away with doing once, the idiot.