Van Butsen

I wouldn't be so quick to write us off against Spurs.

Not sure why Fabregas gets so much stick from Chelsea fans. I see it a little bit on here but I see a lot in the comments section of news articles around the web. Still seems a lot of people hold him responsible for Mourinho getting the sack, not sure if those people will ever see the light really. I think it's been proven that despite his demeanor he actually runs the furthest each game for us and I think it's been the poor form of others that have forced him into playing positions that don't totally fit his skillet. Not many others standing out as an obvious choice for captain next season, i certainly don't think Cahill or Ivanovic are good enough to start and it's always weird when the club captain can't get in the side.

Palmers scored 2-1 Space through the middle of the park and a through ball through the central defenders, decent finish

PSG scored, mint goal.. have looked the better but have probably been forcing the issue more. 1-1 60 played

Following the twitter account but seems like a frantic opening, shots shots shots, goal, penalty (saved). 1-0 to Chelsea atm

Can't see a transfer thread anywhere but I'm really liking this Rodriguez bloke at Left Back for Wolfsburg.. Looks like Bayern+Real might be interested in him but I really like his style and we've never really replaced Ash. All the transfer talk at the moment seems to be Italian based players because of the obvious Conte arrival, but do we have a chance for Rodriguez? Have other people noticed him? This would leave either Baba or Ake as the backup, but I think Watford have been the only team to really use Ake at LB? Could we not keep his as middfielder/extra defensive cover, have Baba as the backup LB? Also Conte's well documented 3 at the back may mean he's probably not worth paying for if he has a price tag, as we could get away with having a Kenedy as a wingback of sorts. Basically just want your thoughts on Rodriguez

Zouma?

Unless it's John Terry right?

http://www.football-italia.net/82361/conte-risks-six-months Really can't afford another sideshow

It's been a while splishsplosh.. how are you?

I also rate Van Ginkel and thought it was a little bit of a cop-out to move to Ajax mid season? He was being used most weeks by Stoke, took penalties in their cup game and they're vying for Europe. Was there any particular reason? I don't mind Oscar as a sub, he certainly doesn't bring any speed to break the game up but his skillset is probably best suited when other players are fatigued... gets a few one-two's going and has scored free-kicks before which is good if it's Willian or Cesc that comes off and we have a dead ball situation late.

On one hand I think we should be trying to keep all of our players this summer no matter how poor they have been... I like the idea of strengthening the squad rather than replacing some players with a like for like. On the other hand, that would push some players down the pecking order, depreciate their market value with less game time and stagger youth development. Not sure how the money will be handled but if recent history is to go by we would need to generate any money to be used in the market from the sale of current players.. I'd look at some of the better performing loaned players first though. It's time we got some money for the likes of Moses, Marin, Vank Ginkel etc if they are not going to be considered.

As a side note, looked up Juventus on wikipedia and it looks like they have 59 players out on loan... What a bunch of pussies we are only having 30 odd

Bad. Our lack of mobility back there is a real worry considering Zouma will be out for some time.

To be honest I'm freaking out about playing 3 at the back

Yep, sign me some players with a bit of mungral c*nt in them and set a good example for the young fellas coming through.

There is a reason I voted you most disliked user on TSH Coxy. Your post just typifies the response I (and others) get in this particular thread. You defend Mourinho so blindly and use so much information that points favorably to him and totally neglect everything else. You also just presume I was/am not a fan of him. What do you think I was saying in my original post? I actually never misquoted anyone, I was pointing out he general trend of conversation in this thread that just goes over and over and over and there are a fair share of posters who give endless consideration to the Mourinho situation and zero consideration to the players/club while also talking about progressing competitive league and so on.

Yawn yawn yawn. Jezz, you did the same thing again and I feel you're a contradicting yourself, but I've gone round and round on here about this sh*t so i really don't care to keep going. Youlots, I've got about as much time for you as words I understood in your post.

I'll be entering if I find the time.. been a while since I've done architectural stuff but as I read the brief I had a few ideas popping

The guy is a jet! A proper keeper and easily in the top 5 in the world, has won a English + Spanish title. How people could question is playing credentials I don't know. His loyalty credentials I'm not sure about, I remember at Atletico he used to say (paraphrasing) "I have no affiliation with Chelsea, no love for them as I have never played for them". Hopefully he is fully invested in the club now as they are him

This kind of post just annoys the sh*t out of me. You talk about Mourinho being almost assured of success but then talk about the current climate of football makes it harder for success with better mid table teams? So which is it? Is Mourinho immune to the evolution of the game? Then you talk about winning the league last year and supporters being ungrateful for the fact.. like Mourinho pulled together some sort of money-ball team of has-beens and Jamie Vardys into a championship winning side?

I like your post and don't think necessarily think you're wrong but I do question some of it. 10.9 mil isn't pocket change for a keeper, that's the 6th highest transfer for a keeper ever, so i think that's good business for someone who is 32 and certainly not getting better. We're getting hit at the moment for not treating our legends right so the club basically can't win here, sell a player to where he wants to go to be fair to him (treating legend correctly but with fan backlash), sell a player to somewhere he doesn't want to go for less (poor business, poor treatment of legend, happier fans ) keep a player who doesn't want to be number 2 (unrest, potentially negative impact on squad, poor treatment of legend, happier fans). I think selling Cech also sent a strong message to Teebo as well, you're our number 1 mate.

yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn! This argument is beginning to annoy me. So many clubs sell so many players for so many reasons. Man U - Van Persi, Di Maria, Nani, Evra, Kagawa, Wellbeck, Fletcher, Pogba, Berbatov, Barca - Pedro, Sanchez, Fabregas, Villa, Abidal, Bayern - Schweisteiger, Mandzukic, Kroos, Gomez, L Gustavo Think how good all those teams benches would have been if they all kept those players

See, I like him playing in a deeper role because he then has the whole field ahead of him to pick out a pass, but then you lose having someone there to break up play. However when he's in a more advanced role, i think he is too short sited and can't get his range passing happening. I'm starting to come around to the idea of him partnering Mikel/Matic if the wingers are working back to chop up some play every now and then, Pedro has been doing it well lately.

Props to Shane Long, he's always up for a fight