GlasgowBlue

He started quiet for us but he's been great the last few months. Workrate is always 100% and he covers every blade of grass. He's been caught in possession a few times tonight but that's more down to Atletico's high tempo closing down.

As part of the keepers union I would like to state that I never moaned about Mr Schwarzer! lol

Great take from Mark right on the whistle there. 0-0 HT Well played Chels.

Schwarzer has been solid since coming on, great shift.

Doesn't matter. I'd take 0-0 tonight right now. Go back to the Bridge and watch Jose set us up for a 1-0 win at home to make the final. People seem to underestimate who we're up against. This lot are top of La Liga, they're no mugs.

Looks like the greasy bar steward from Bad Boys 2!

Crunch time, let's get to half time at 0-0 and it's been a successful first half.

The main aim of this game is to have the tie in our hands when we go back to the Bridge. Defensively we are solid, that's the most important thing coming to places like this. No complaints from me so far on how Jose's set us up.

Rami?!? What the hell was that?!

David Luiz terrifies me. And Barcelona want him?!?

Can we get Courtois back at half time?

Ah sh*t , Cech immediate saying he's coming off. Looks like he done his knee.

And soon he'll be our w**ker :D

JT and Costa will have a big handshake at full time, but the big man is one intimidating looking sod! Really hope we sign him in the summer.

He'd have been more effective going forward but our overall team play would have suffered because Mata simply does not want to track back and regain possession. He's the kind of player who won't come back into his own half when the team lose possession and waits on the play coming to him. Now under previous managers, such as Robbie, he was immense but under Jose we are a more solid and workmanlike unit. Is it "attractive"? Not particularly. Is it effective? Evidence seems to suggest so. Anyway, I don't want to start the whole Mata debate all over again, I just know I'd rather have Jose in the dugout than Mata on the pitch and if that means no more Mata then so be it.

Positivity is one thing, reality is another. You currently have no manager, the best man for the job has quickly said his agreement is "not breakable", and Van Gaal is a bandaid. You are not "back". And people who break out the term "war chest" when referring to transfers make me want to rip my eyeballs out via my arse.

Exactly. He's been as effective for them as he was for us this season.

Where is this mate? Nothing on SSN yet.

They were the only club interested and the only serious bidders. If anything I think we played on their desperation. Mata wasn't part of our plans going forward and let's be honest, have we missed him this season? Ok when we've been hit with injuries there are times that he could have come in useful, but he simply didn't fit into the style of football Jose wants us to play.As others have said, had the likes of Real come along with a bid then we'd have allowed the player to decide unless one bid was substantially lower than the other. I also think Jose played a blinder in that he knew Mata was cup tied for the Champions League and Utd still had to play against all our title rivals, so I'm sure his thinking was that he'd assist Utd in essentially and ultimately assisting us.

Well it is Easter ...

Really? The writing was on the wall for Mata from day one under Jose. He told Mata what he wanted from him and Mata simply couldn't adapt to become the kind of midfielder Jose prefers. Look at the transformation in Hazard since Jose returned, he's as lethal going forward as ever but now tracks back and wins the ball back, he works for the team. Same goes for Willian, a guy who for me optimises a "Jose midfielder". There was nothing surprising about us selling Mata, especially after he spend most of the season on the bench.

While I don't believe for a second he'll leave us I agree about it being slightly unsettling. There's always that little niggle of doubt in the back of your mind, that's the modern game unfortunately.

Completely off topic, but sitting here watching SSN and has it struck anyone else how much Bryan Swanson looks like the real life version of Buzz Lightyear?

But ... didn't you hear? It's a MASTERPLAN! Jose sold Mata to them knowing he would be reunited with him in the summer. Genius! Genius I tell you!

They seem to believe that Mourinho WANTS the Man Utd job and he's been waiting on the first real chance to take it. I got the feeling when he returned that Jose wanted to stay with us long term and build a "Sir Alex style" dynasty now he's done his jumping around from country to country and won titles in what, he believes, are the 3 best leagues in the world. To United fans all I can say is, "Welcome to the modern game".