ethicalstrategy

Can't agree that we are a physical box to box CM short. Kante, Matic, Oscar, Chalobah. That seems pretty strong. If anything we're lacking creative midfielders. Basically just Fabregas and Oscar, at a stretch.

I think Hazard's performance emphasised what the major difference between this season and last has been. Playing like that he is unstoppable. On the other hand, I can sympathise with him wanting to go somewhere where he won't get hacked to pieces. Clattenberg was a disgrace and Spurs were a disgrace.

Loz!!!! Yay!!!

I agree we should show our support for José tomorrow. However, if the team turn in a sparkling display I will find it hard to swallow. I wouldn't aim too much at Roman. He probably didn't really have much choice in the end. I just hope he remembers those players who downed tools and ships them out as well.

I hear he's being doing well at Zenit and will be available! [emoji1]

Won the league - successWon the league and cup - success We should have supported him, not sacked him. Very disappointed in Roman.

Great team performance. Not a single weak link in the side. All of the subs were excellent too. Matic was immense again. Played intelligently too after getting booked. Oscar is an unbelievable player. You get work rate and commitment and yet he is so good on the ball. MOTM It's got to be Didier. Costa missing, need someone to step up. He's your man.

I like Schurrle and think he has a lot to offer. He is a really effective player when there is space in behind the opposition defence. He makes a lot of good runs and his finishing is excellent. Where he has struggled this season is when the play is in front of him. He has a tendency to shoot from distance rather too much and somewhat erratically. Having said that, any sort of swap involving Reus would be well worth taking.

I can understand why you don't like the way he takes penalties but I can't agree that it's about ego. He's shown that he has cool head and has scored consistently from the spot. Yesterday he missed. What he got wrong was not putting the ball in the other corner. His style means that he has to do that to score. So basically he made mistake. But everyone missed penalties occasionally, whatever their technique. So criticise him for f**king up but not for the style itself.

It wan't too bad for the PSG match or the Athletico Madrid game.

I am totally in agreement with the title of this topic, but even so, I have to say that it seems remarkably over the top for a nothing remark. Someone is winding him up and so he has dig back about their mum. Childish? Yes. but nothing more. Having said that, it is perhaps poetic justice for the times he should have had the book thrown at him and didn't. They say decisions even themselves out over the season :)

I think the issue with both Schurrle and Salah is that they are players who like to run in behind, especially Schurrle. The opportunity to do that for Chelsea is often quite limited by teams who defend deep and don't give us that space. I think both players have a role for us but that it is more likely to be coming off the bench later in the game. As far as the game overall is concerned, I felt the same as Jose. I expected it to be difficult. We had 2 of our first choice team playing, 3 youngsters and then other fringe players (albeit very good ones). The combination of wet conditions, a pitch which cut up and opposition who were trying out of their skins is what cup football is all about. I'll take the win.

Seems to me that the biggest benefits will come from iOS8. There are some nice features which would be quite useful, especially the integration across the iPad, iPhone and Mac ecosystem. for instance, being able to answer calls or send texts on your computer or iPad. The larger screen seems essential to me. The iPhone 5 screen is like a postage stamp.

Sigh... [emoji2]

but you still call it soccer...

Courtois Azpi Terry Brana Luis That would be my choice.

I think you can blame Roy for leaving Ash out. We've seen in recent weeks that he is still the best left back in England. Baines is the big mistake. Vastly over rated at the highest level and will be found wanting against top teams. Shaw is a great prospect but not ready to play in a world cup yet. I agree that defensively we look very weak. Ball retention is a big issue and neither Cahill nor Jagielka is going to help that. Not that there are a lot of options. Midfield looks weak too. Gerrard in the Pirlo role will be a disaster. Defensively, Liverpool were shocking with him holding. Upfront we have one proper striker and I'm still not absolutely sure about him. So, overall, I'm not too optimistic!! lol. For what it's worth I'd line up as follows - selecting from the predicted squad Hart Johnson Cahill Jagielka Baines Gerrard Wilshire Sterling Rooney Lallana Sturridge

To be fair, you don't have a great track record with your "boys for the future" Nibs Too easily seduced by a bit of flair!

There is a big difference between the squad that Jose inherited this time and the one that he took over from Ranieri. That squad had the personnel but not the winning mentality. This time there are some glaring holes in the squad as well. If we can patch these in the summer then I'm sure Jose can provide the motivation.

A large number of journalists really dislike us, either because of Abramovich or Mourinho. They will take every opportunity to gloat over our misfortunes and put the boot in where they can. I'd like to give more than few a good slap. I'd piss myself if we somehow nicked the league. If not, then come on City.

It's no so much grammar as spelling to be honest! But it was quite amusing.

True he didn't pick up his man but the cross was a mish*t and JT, Ashley and Ivan(?) should all have cleared it before it reached their man. Ash was almost certainly not expecting JT to miss it completely.

Stats don't really tell the story. From what I've seen, Courtois's advantage is that he commands his box better than Cech does. They are both great shot stoppers but Cech's ability to come for crosses has dipped following his shoulder problems and that means he is reluctant to come out and catch the ball. Courtois looks more comfortable. I'd bite the bullet and make the change.

I like Dzeko too. He's done really well for City this year. Costa worries me. He must be good. He's scored a hatful of goals this year. But whenever I've seen him I haven't been impressed.

JT may well have been upset. It was probably his last chance to play in a CL final. Having said that, he could have helped himself a bit by clearing the f**king ball for the first goal. Ivanovic was even more distraught than JT. He stood in a catatonic state on the halfway line after the game and was the last person off the pitch. He was consoled by a number of Chelsea and Atleti players but it made no difference. As far as the match goes, I thought I would be ok about it. Atleti are a very good team and we weren't shafted by the referee. But actually, I feel terrible about it. The game was there for us when we scored and we practically gifted them a way back in to the match. I wouldn't have minded if they'd piled on the pressure and scored a couple of good goals. But the first goal was some of the worst defending I've seen for a long time and Eto'o's challenge for the penalty was verging on the criminal. He had no need to make it at all. Pure stupidity.