Van Butsen

Nah we'll be right, Mourinho will be giving his "This game we will never lose. Never" speech to Hazard right about now

Finding it hard to predict much these days, so much easier when you're winning. Not sure what he'll pick for midfield? Any news on Costa? Watched the first half of the LP game last night, didn't look too bad but again got no idea what I can take from it All in all, a pointless post from me but probably reflects the state of play we are in... hard to read. Anyone going to the game?

Loved that Cole penalty I also remember watching Luiz walk up to the spot and thinking wooaaaaaaahhhhhhht are ya doing son.. get away from the balll. His was also a cracker! Feeling for Hazard now

Gotta feel for Hazard.. he's tried to change things up after his last penalty this year was saved and got the same result.

Begovic - Always wonder how the pros deal with these games. Haven't heard much of him in the way of press this year, I've enjoyed his professional manor and I think he'll have a great game. Diego - I think he'll score, not sure about whether he starts? Falcao - I always think players get written about being failures at clubs.. but really were they ever given a chance? Must be hard to come on for 10 or start the cup games and be instantly a threat. Can see Falcao ending his career at Chelsea with similar headlines but I suppose deep down i wish he was the player used to be. If he could show a glimpse and get goal scoring it would relieve so much pressure on everyone (not that that is his fault). Hope he starts, hope he plays well.

You lot in here parading around saying we have to support the manager... I think you have all missed the point. I think the vast majority WOULD prefer Mourinho as manager.. but without the god dam sideshow. I don't care if we lose every game! He and the team will have my full support if they are seen to be having a crack. Jose needs suck it up and get on with the job and stop talking about the nonsense, the refs, the treated differently. I don't mind coming into every game as a battle.. but it's a terrible image to be portraying when you and your first team coach are being sent off because you are complaining to the ref. Even if that red card wasn't there (Which it was).. put that behind you, it's not important that you get your two cents in with the ref. What's important is that we fight for the rest of this game and the season for a result. I think the team held up their end of the deal on Saturday. I'm only using Saturday as an example.. as it's been an ongoing thing.

Sounds like a party to me.. but what do I know, the rubbish bin goes out more than me

You must have been the only one not singing 'we've won the league?' I wasn't there but you could hear it all game on TV...

I don't know, he certainly has his wife to think about and I have seen him mention her and the french capital previously. PSG certainly capable of winning the CL as well on a more personal level for him.

Think the PSG move is more likely than the Madrid one.. purely on the French speaking basis. Don't want him to go, just saying if he did. Hazards the type of player who needs other brilliant minds around him so they can all feed off each other. I think a lot of the reason he hasn't be as good as last year is that everyone else has been poor.. can't get the old 1-2s going if no ones firing.

Winning the league comfortably.. can't risk playing the youth Senior players in poor form.. cant risk playing the youth

I want this without the circus it comes with. Can we have both? Can we have this Mourinho back and for us just to be in bad form? Without the naming and shaming of players? Without the excuses? Without their being a campaign against us? Without the ref being naive? Without etc etc. A post match would go something like this: How do you feel you went today Jose? We were poor, I need to put in more work with the players and we will move onto the next game

Yeah I've certainly changed my mind. Even in the past when I haven't agreed with some of his decisions, he could at least explain why he did something... And I had full confidence in that. Now he is all over the shop and it knocks on to the team.. we are all over the shop

He's not safe. As a previous poster mentioned, nothing seems calculated anymore.

This is a little bit off topic, and maybe already discussed but here goes. Opening day, Oscar scores from a free kick that was meant to be a cross.. turns to celebrate the bench.. obviously sees something he doesn't like and throws his fist in that direction. Hardly seemed to celebrate. Feel like it was between him and Mourinho and ever since he's been on the outter? He's always subbed first

You could make a pretty nice team of players we have let go who have gone onto to be reasonably good at other decent clubs (not commenting on the politics of why we sold them). Just a thought. Cech Bertrand - DLuiz - CB - FelipeLuis Meireles KDB - Mata - Salah Sturridge Falcao (to join them soon) Could argue that this team needs an actual RB and I can't quite name a central defender we have let go recently.. but I think they'd qualify for Europe. Is Falcao a bigger fall from grace than Torres?

Punching bags of europe

Thought it was handled and responded to quite well in the press conference today and I don't think we'll hear another peep from it.

There's no chance he'll leave out Cesc IMO

Surely it was more of a 'one eye on the weekend game' substitution. Not sure if Mourinho will stick with Zouma at RB.. be interesting to see. Bilic softening up Mourinho mid week is a good omen, I think Mourinho will want to go out and wack this mob and say something along the lines of "It's just business Slaven"

It's those damn hamstrings again

Been walking around humming the tune and pretending I'm an operative allll week!

Seem to be relying on a lot of 1-1 brilliance lately.. I don't think it's going to get any more defined in the coming weeks/months either as we try to maintain some form. This isn't really a style, but at our best we always looked like there was a pass on.. constantly had an outlet going forward and back

I think he's starting to put his head down.. even after his goals on the weekend he wasn't content, knows we need more.

Before I say anything, I'll preface with this: I don't want to be branded negative, and I hate it when people on here brand others for being negative.. i think that is worse. Everyone just wants to see a good team perform well, and just because they still want to see improvement it doesn't mean they're being negative. With that said, I thought last night was a great improvement, showed drive, defended well.. and let's be under no illusions, that's a hard place to travel to. But this will be a dog fight of a year, some players are still a way off showing their best for 90 mins. I really thought after last year we could contend for a treble that included the CL. Not easy to sustain long periods of dominance in our league, but I really did think we were capable of a massive year. It won't be, don't get me wrong, I'm ready for the fight, I just can't believe I'm talking about improved defensive displays against Aston Villa and Dynamo Kiev.