Ruh Buh Juh

He's not even on the bench! You're safe!

Excited to see Hutch and Lukaku start, the latter looked very bright in his stint v Liverpool. Piazon will surely get some minutes and play in Mata's place at some point. Love seeing youth get a run out on the final day.

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I love next the new kit, although there hasn't been a home kit I haven't loved for a long time! Away shirts usually spark more of a reaction from me, but I'll no doubt be getting this shirt at some point. This season I was undecided for the longest time what player to get on the back, but I went to the Norwich home game at the end of August and when Mata came on and scored, I decided there and then to get Mata, and it turns out he was POTY. My away kit for this year had Ramires on the back and he won Goal and Players' Player! Will have to choose wisely!

There was an interview with him in the London Evening Standard I think saying that this has been one of his favourite seasons, implementing his place as Ashley's understudy, and the fact he has a chance to just be on the bench for the Champions League final is a dream for him.

Watching videos of that game at the Nou Camp. For the umpteenth time, whether it's highlights, Gary Neville losing it, or footage of a pub on Fulham Broadway going absolutely mental when Torres scores, I'm getting goosebumps. A week tomorrow lads.

Get in Ramires for Goal and Players' Player and get in Mata for Player of the year! Without him I dread to think where we'd be in the table, absolutely unbelievable signing.

Considering the lack of decent right midfielders available to play in place of Ramires, would be out of the question to play Paulo at RB and play Boss on the right of the 3? -----------------------Cech --Paulo----Cahill-----------Luiz---Ash -------------Mikel----------Lampard --Boss-------------Mata-----------Kalou -------------------Drogba Bosingwa's no slouch, we could use his pace up and down the right in a more advanced position, could be something to experiment with on Sunday v Blackburn.

That Daily Mail article is hilarious. The fact he'll be wearing blue next year means he's going to City. He could be going to Everton, or god forbid US, for all they know!

I've heard he's a Striker-come-left winger, he plays up front for Laverkusen doesn't he? I'd love him to come here, in whatever role he has. Given he's left footed, do you think he would be comfortable playing on the right to cut inside? I can see Marin being the main man on the left side next year.

I remembered Hutch when I was looking through the Todd Kane thread, he'll be very good cover for RB and CB.

Agreed, for a man plagued by injury his appearance record is absolutely phenomenal, I was just thinking he could do with a summer off, but remembered he's got the Euro's to go to, where he should be a starter but given Ferdinand and Lescott's recent form I wouldn't be surprised if JT was on the bench.

I was stuck on whether to have Cahill and JT partnering and Luiz on the bench or Luiz playing and JT on the bench, I think Cahill should be a starter next year no question. JT will probably still be starting, I just think Luiz and Cahill could form a seriously cracking partnership in the future (JT/Carvalho?), and with JT not getting any younger next year could be the season.

Fair enough, I like Ramires on the right myself, I don't think he would suit playing in the 2 of the 4-2-3-1 formation so putting him on the right would be the best place for him, given his energy. And obviously I'm not expecting us to be challenging for the title next year, to go from 6th this year to 1st next year would be an absolute miracle, it's a start though isn't it, with players like Mata, Marin, Ramires, Luiz all being roughly 23 years old it's a team that could last a very long time to build upon.

Hazard would be an incredible signing but I doubt it. I'd rather get a cheaper winger, like Adam Johnson who I've always rated and think I could do a good job for us.

Before his appearance against QPR the last appearance he made was at RIGHT BACK against Stoke when we won 7-0 and made this assist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMsiWZ3MG7I I think he'll be fine at right back.

Torres for me, Bertrand deserves a mention. Torres made something out of nothing when no one else could be arsed to help him and nearly scored a screamer.

Can you imagine how much Lukaku would be bricking it though, hardly played at all all season then suddenly "Romelu, you're starting the Champions League Final!"

I realised that as I was typing, McEachran isn't an ideal substitute for the beast Mikel, so I quickly added in the "new centre mid?" part! Romeu has a lot of potential, if he can find his feet like he did under AVB when he was a mainstay for about 8 games, then I'll be more than happy to keep him around.

That was a stinker last night, there's no two bones about it. Torres and Bertrand were the only two who showed any sort of promise, Bertrand was still making cracking runs down the left it's just Malouda/Sturridge didn't ever give him a decent pass, and with the miniscule service Torres received he created something out of absolutely nothing and crashed the woodwork. Even Ramires had a poor game, but he was better than nearly everyone else in our XI. Turnbull should never play for us again, and Ferreira's lack of match time showed against Maxi last night. The likes of Malouda, Sturridge, Essien will more than likely be heading for the door in the summer, I would like to keep Sturridge as he's clearly talented, but his form in recent weeks has been abysmal and if he won't get first team football next season with Marin coming and Ramires presumably dominating the right flank, he won't enjoy being a permanent sub/Torres' replacement. Although saying that, given his age we could get double figures for him, which wouldn't go amiss. Malouda will be shipped out and Essien is just past it sadly, a huge shame as he could have been one of the best in the world but injuries have ruined him. Even with his miss, Lukaku did surprisingly show some promise, he's quicker than I originally thought and he won a lot of the high balls played towards him, he needs to go out on loan next year and get some vital first team experience. Same with Romeu, when he was playing consistently earlier in the season he was excellent but as since dropped way off the pace, send him out on loan where he's guaranteed regular football. The likes of Marin and De Bruyne coming in in the summer do show promise of our team next year, but we need to buy more players. The rumours of Schurrle coming in are exciting, the likes of Piazon (cover for Lamps/Mata), Chalobah (cover for our CDMs and CBs) and Josh (CM) should be in the first team squad next year, and we need to buy a young right back, Ivanovic will be first choice but Bosingwa isn't good enough cover. Ideally our team next year should be: Cech/Courtois/Delac? Ivan/Boss/new young right back JT/Cahill/Ivan(when needed) Luiz/Chalobah/Ivan(when needed) Ash/Bertrand Mikel/Chalobah/new centre mid? Lampard/Piazon/McEachran Ramires/De Bruyne/new right winger Mata/Piazon Marin/Kalou/Schurrle(?) Torres/Drogba/Schurrle(?) My first team would be: ---------------------Cech (capt) --Ivan---Cahill------------Luiz-----Ash ----------Mikel------------Lampard --Ramires--------Mata------------Marin --------------------Torres Subs: Courtois, Bertrand, JT, McEachran, Piazon, De Bruyne, Drogba/Schurrle(?)

David I'm more confident about, Cahill when he was interviewed before the FA Cup Final seemed a bit unsure.

I'm all for resting Mata, but we just don't score when he isn't playing. I'd play something like this: -------------------Turnbull --Ferreira---Ivan---------JT-----Bertrand --------------Essien------Romeu --Ramires-------Lampard-------Sturridge ----------------------Torres I'm not sure if Lamps will be as effective in that position as he has been alongside Mikel, but his passing has been unreal in the last few weeks, it would give Torres some chance at getting some opportunities.

John Champion's commentary was less than impressive though, Rambo and Drogs' goal he barely bat an eyelid, Carrol's goal he was louder than our two goals combined and when Cech performed the save of the season you could almost hear his disappointment when it was disallowed.

West Ham winning 2-0 against Cardiff in the 2nd leg, 4-0 on aggregate. West Ham off to Wembley unless Cardiff pull of the greatest comeback in football history.

Kalou may have been a bit useless yesterday against Liverpool, but the stint he put in defensively at the Nou Camp was impressive, so he will most likely start. I would't mind RDM putting Torres on a wing with Drogba through the middle, but I can't see that happening. Malouda will more than likely play, he has far more defensive qualities than Sturridge, even though Sturridge is 10x quicker than Malouda. We have to hope Cahill and Luiz are fit in 13 days or we will be screwed.