ethicalstrategy

I gather Ash was taunting them with cries of "channel 5" (and I don't think he was giving out tips for Xmas perfume gifts!)

He is being killed by the fact that he isn't playing well enough to justify a place in the team. That's what we did do. Torres was clearly first choice for pre-season and the start of the season. There were some glimpses of decent form but nothing to get really excited about. Losing his place was due to his own stupidity in getting sent off. When he came back after his suspension it was as if he had gone right back to square one. Why exactly does he deserve it? He hasn't done anything to earn it as yet. I'm glad you are confident he will run his balls off. Again, I've not seen any evidence of that. He has had his opportunity and he didn't take it. We can't afford to piss about hoping that he'll come good some day. He needs to work hard in training and show he deserves to start. The bit about being set up to fail is just bollocks.

Would certainly be worth considering. Given he got stuck out on the left for Barca his goalscoring record was pretty good.

It's obvious that the whole story is rubbish - I mean who'd seriously pay £20m for him?!

Haha

That was right in front of me in the west stand. A thing of beauty.

Not sure if this will work but... henrywinter I've been to about 60 games this season but not many grounds shook at the final whistle as the Bridge did tonight. Amazing noise #cfc 12/12/2011 22:21 https://twitter.com/henrywinter/statuses/146354019265298432

OK. Having watched those goals, I'll have to amend my previous comments. Played centrally he was pretty classy.

Nights like last night don't come along too often and it was fantastic. Great support. I think I read Henry Winter say that he'd been to 60 odd games this season and hadn't heard a ground rock as much as the Bridge last night at the final whistle.

Great team performance. It's no coincidence that the back four and Romeu all looked a lot better after we dropped deeper mid way through the first half. Up to then we were very shaky and were being passed around by City. Once we made that change though we started to take control and they all looked much more comfortable. MoTM has to be Sturridge. He was the man who made things happen. Ramires was also outstanding and Romeu certainly looks to be a great prospect. A word for Frank too - the man has some big balls. How many important penalties have we seen him put in that net? Last night doesn't fall in the same bracket as his CL semi final goal just after his mum died, but in its own way it was just as impressive.

Thought Madrid were a bit unlucky on Saturday, but it is tough when your best player just doesn't turn up. Messi should have been off just before half time - a penny for Mourinho's thoughts after all the red cards they got in the classics last season. The Barca second was a complete fluke and put Madrid on the back foot. Even so, Ronaldo missed an absolute sitter to equalise. Barca then went down the other end and scored and that was that.

Have to say I feel pretty ambivalent about him. His attitude in the CL final over penalties was something that I'll not forget. Somehow he escaped the blame even though he should have been taking one of the first 5 penalties and he missed when he did eventually step up. Not a man for the big occasion. A good player but never a great one - at least not for us. Good luck to him in China though.

You did? I saw us playing a man light. When he got the ball he tried to do too much and lost it. He created nothing for the team of himself. He ought to be embarrassed by the fact that he was out played by an 18 year old who at least had a go and tried to make something happen.

We saw some positives last night - not many, but some. Bertrand looks to me like a very good left back - it's a real pity that he isn't a right back Lukaku did a lot better than Torres. I gather he was the one who lost Kelly for the second goal, which is a shame as he showed some promise. Mata had an immediate impact in terms of our passing and overall play. He has to play in behind the main striker though. Sticking him wide causes us a problem down our left and doesn't get him on the ball enough. I won't dwell on all the negatives.

At first I thought Sturridge was at fault, but on subsequent viewings I'd have to say that Ivanovic was the one who was really sleeping. It would have been nice if Sturridge had been more aware but it was definitely Ivanovic's man.

You make a fair point Charlie. Josh maybe should be starting more games or maybe not but he isn't the answer to the problems we have at the moment. It may help to have someone who can retain possession and to provide some extra creativity but I think his presence or otherwise at the moment is neither here nor there in terms of sorting out our defensive issues.

Luiz is a very talented player and he can defend perfectly well. He was player of the year in Portugal and is close to being first choice centre back for Brazil. By all accounts, his performances for the national team have been excellent. He, like the rest of our defence, are suffering from not being settled and trying to adapt to new tactics. You can't expect to change your centre halves and fullbacks even game and for them to be a cohesive unit. There has to be some stability and continuity. If that means some players are unhappy, well it's the managers job to deal with that. The above argument applies across the team as well. We need to players to play regularly together which will help instill the jobs they have in the new system. For me, 4-2-3-1 looks most suited to what we have and what we are trying to do. It gives a decent amount of cover for the defence and allows a degree of freedom to the players in behind the striker. I'd start with Cech in goal Fullbacks would be Cole and Ivanovic Centre halves, Luiz and Alex Deep lying midfielders Romeu and Ramires Further forward I'd have Mata centrally with Lamps on his left and Sturridge on the right Upfront I'd play Torres. I'd have Meireles available to cover the deeper midfielders and Malouda and Josh for the more advanced positions. For now I'd keep Drogba on the bench to be used as needed. Based on performances against Arsenal and Liverpool, particularly, I'd be telling JT to go and sort himself out.

In general I'd agree with that. But mostly this season we haven't had too much of a problem retaining possession. Most matches we have dominated it. It's what happens when we do turn it over with both fullbacks committed up the field that has been a major issue. We haven't been good at pressing to win it back quickly on a consistent basis. We do it for a bit but then seem to lose concentration. The second half yesterday is a good example. We came out and put Liverpool under huge pressure and they couldn't cope with it. but by the end we'd started to drop off again and that allowed Adam time and space to pick his pass for the goal. I really do think that the defensive problems stem from the forwards and midfielders not doing their jobs properly. Any defence that is left exposed will struggle - even Barca. It's just that you can't get the ball to take advantage. When you do get it then Inter showed that you can cause all sorts of problems for them.

JT is slower than the Barca centre backs. And I don't agree that Malouda, Drogba or Mikel don't give a f**k. Whether they are the right players or are good enough is a different matter.

I think Josh's chances of starting were killed off when we bought Mata. It's pretty clear that a 4-2-3-1 formation will serve us best and that leaves Mata playing behind the striker. I don't think you can shoehorn Josh in to that three,although it's possible. I also don't think he is the answer in the two either. We need more strength and defensive ability and that's not his game. The candidates for the two are Romeu, Ramires, Frank, Miereles The candidates for the three are Malouda, Mata, Sturridge, Josh, Kalou, Miereles, Frank, Anelka The candidates for the one are Drogba, Torres, Anelka, Sturridge, Kalou (My preferences highlighted)

An excellent post and it addresses the biggest issue (by which I mean problem) facing us - how to deal with JT.

No-one was particularly outstanding and most weren't especially bad. The exceptions to that were Mikel who added nothing to the team at all and most worryingly, JT who was dire. If we are going to continue to play with this high back line then I really don't think we can play JT. He is totally lost. He gets dragged out wide and hasn't got the pace. His composure on the ball seems to have disappeared and he has the turning circle of the QEII. What I did like was the switch to 4-2-3-1. We looked a lot more dangerous and in control. Mata was able to get on the ball, which is crucial. Stuck out wide he was anonymous. Most of all though we have to stop making stupid mistakes and gifting the opposition soft goals. I voted Mata for MoTM but it was a very half hearted vote.

95 points, 15 goals conceded. JT, Gallas, Carvalho and Maka. Robben, Duff, Frankie, Cech at his peak. Best Premier League side ever.

I've moved this to rumours - but only because we haven't got a forum for f**king stupid posts!

Hmmm.