Chippy

Looking through this thread we have people mentioning the players they would like to see replaced, quite a few if you have a look through...seems like Mourinho's doing really well when you look at just how many replacements we need.

The thing is though, if you ignore media bullsh*t and peoples uninformed opinions on here the most likely reason he and the other main culprits who are not doing what they did last season are not doing it is poor form, he's trying to kick them and himself up the arse to help rekindle some form and show people that it has nothing to do with tactics or player discontent. Yes there's an argument for Jose picking different players if these are out of form but Jose is a better judge of the options form than us or the journo's.

Not me, I'm happy to believe Jose usually fields the strongest line up for the game, we pick players without much idea how they've been performing, what the role is the manager wants them to play or what sort of form they're in...it shows how difficult it is for a manager when he thinks he's got it by watching the opposition and highlighting there strong points just to see the payers switch off at important times. Also in y post above, I meant I wouldn't change two left side players not right

Good first post sh*ttalks, hope you stick around.

Joey Barton, a voice of wisdom from an unlikely source.

true

Like I said before to someone who asked, what side I would play depends on a couple of things, one if Hazard is fit, 2 if he was hurt in the first place or just didn't fancy it. It's difficult to select a team when I'm not watching them train as the one's I'd like to see might be training like Donkey's but without going overboard here's what I wouldn't mind seeing. Courtois (Begovic didn't deserve dropping but we need our best keeper in his best form as soon as possible). Ivanovic (looks to be getting back to some semblance of his usual self defensively) Zouma (we need his pace and he's been excellent most times) Cahill or JT (I really think Cahill is under rated and JT's inclusion in front of him for me is down to his leadership qualities, not sure he is using them like he used to) Azpilicueta (he would have been RB but I woudn't start Baba as I wouldn't change two right sided players at the same time) Mikel (safer option than Ramires for me and more sure of what we'll get) Matic (for want of an in form defensive midfielder, he has to get some proper form back) Willian (no explanation needed) Oscar (close call between him and Cesc, I thought Leicester set up well and snuffed him out Monday but he was good against Porto) Kenedy (high hopes for this boy and prefer his directness to Pedro's mazy runs and wild shots...assuming Hazard is unfit or was not up for it, if he's recovered and was hurt then he would start) Remy (deserves a start for always being willing, never getting stroppy and often doing what a striker's meant to do, not as good a fit as an in form Costa but I'd be happy to see him) If Jose doesn't pick this exact team I think he's still the best manager out there. Really struggled to not include RLC in the line up but would have him on the bench ahead of Rammi for this one, I'd give him 20/25 minutes regardless of how the game was going in place of the worst of the two in the pivot.

Spot on, in my opinion he meant that they do the right things in training and then betray themselves by getting it wrong in games, he sets them up, tells them what to expect and they handle it over and over again at Cobham, when they get under pressure in games they sometimes lose the plot. Vardy made an excellent run but getting between a young athletic, strong fast player and a wise old JT was exactly what Jose had planned against, they missed him, The Mahrez goal came because of one of our standout best and most consistent players of this and last season, I'd give both Leicesters players a lot of credit for it but it's understandable that Jose expected it and the players got caught out...I can imagine he drilled them on those sorts of things and expected better.

The way it's going we'll likely be hearing "Ramos..you're getting sacked in the morning"

Ha ha, I do crack me up...what a kidder

Ask a few people on the forum to decide which one of the kids they have never seen play would do a better job...well surely they can't be any worse .

I understand you haven't directed this at anyone in particular but I just felt I'd ask wht your opinion is of people who blame neither the players or the manager. As you've likely read it's my belief that the poor preseason left some players unfit and not sharp, this has spiraled and their performances have sapped their confidence and though they are gradually starting to play a touch better, the result yesterday hurt but it was against a team in the form of their lives at home and against the champions...what motivation do you think Claudio needed to get those boys chasing everything? we re on the other end of the scale with confidence low, even when we play well it's not quite happening and the margins have been so close that even a decision against us has had huge impact on the results. This isn't what the media want people to believe, bad form and sloppy preseason isn't half as newsworthy as manager player fall outs or player discontent. Jose is doing all he can and given time he'll sort it out. So I don't fit your stereotype of blaming players because I support the manager or blaming the manager because I support the players, I support the team and the manager without any agenda. It's my firm belief that we have the best manager there is and if he makes a few mistakes (biggest one being the soft preseason) it will be worth it to ride it out. He obviously wanted two or three new faces and deserves his choices, age has caught up with a couple of our better players and the form of the rest is making it impossible for them to still look like they can play another three seasons, it's a lot more complex than being the fault of the players or manager.

Totally agree with almost every word, I still think a few wins would change the mood of the players enough to stop the heads dropping and the feeling of impending doom as soon as a decision or a goal gos against them. It for me is a form and confidence issue, it's OK for Cesc to come out and say it isn't confidence but how can he be confident with the way he's playing?. I'll back the manager to get these boys to win enough to drag them back up and although I still think we badly need to strengthen, we'll climb up the table enough to show we'll be back.

You go for it mate, we can't all be right . I'm surprised you feel like you do, can't always agree...maybe we'll both be defending the next bloke six months down the line. Especially if these same players are here and still haven't found any form or got any younger.

Davy, can you post that again in Braille for me?

I'm still torn with Oscar, I thought he had more to offer and this would be a good season for him but it's not quite happening, I was pleased with his performance against Porto and hoped he'd get the start against Leicester but he dropped off again, I do think Leicester set up well and strangled our attacking midfield which made it difficult so maybe he will carry on as he did against Porto next time he plays but for the ability he looks to have, he has been a let down. I'd still have him in the side ahead of Cesc at the moment but he needs to take his chances and perform like he did in the Porto game every game.

The main things that have changed is our form, our league position and our ability to have a game half won before we kick a ball...those things might be why it feels different this time around but those things have only been short term, we all know its getting on for half a season but although for the Chelsea of the Abromavich era that's a long time, it really isn't and Mourinho really deserves more respect than he's getting. I won't blame the players as I think there are a lot of different factors involved but my main feeling is it's much more a form and confidence issue than it is a fall out, a clueless manager (That would have to be some sudden onset of cluelessness) or an Eva driven player revolt. Obviously some of the boys throw a strop here and there, it's natural when you lose form but for me Jose deserves the season and a crack at getting in some new faces, not because anyone betrayed him but because some of these players really are not as good as they were.

I've got to admit I liked Dorsets reply hoping it was sarcastic, not a dig at you more a flashing thought of what it must be like for supporters of clubs that never ever get to a final or a semi final and thinking about the reaction of our fans with us being Champions because of the man that so many are ready to give up on for a three month bad spell. For me, It's not a question of how long managers have lasted before its a question of how much Roman has learned from it.

If we play like we did second half at Leicester we should be OK, as I said before in my opinion if the boys wern't playing for the manager it would be heads down towards the end of the game and not a dear in the headlights start and improvement late on. Sunderland will be as up for this as Leicester so goals will be hard to come by but I doubt they'll break with the same cutting edge, if we can get an early goal I think they'll open up and we'll score again, if not this will be another must whine game for most on here. Hopefully Jose wil explain to the lads that his betrayal speech has been (surprise surprise) taken a bit out of context by the media and that he meant more along the lines of them betraying their abilities on the training field once a real match gets underway, must be confusing watching things looking good in training and then the nervy mistakes coming in in the game.

What sort of idea is that? If they want to play in the CL and you are so sure of their mindset tell me this, do they think they'll win it this year? because if they don't, they wont be playinfg CL next year. It wouldn't suit their cause (if anyone is stretching their imagination to agree with you) to not make top four if they feel they will prefer a new manager, for one they wont be playing CL and for two it will be a less attractive job for the downgrade we get in.

I've got to go and do some work, much as it's great to be almost the lone supporter of our manager so I'll see you all later. I'm just happy the owner has learned enough to see Jose might be worth a duff season in the long run, he's really surprised me as he's been too trigger happy in the past.

Over the entire season Dave has been as good as ever, why you pick him out when last night was his only under par game surprises me,if they were all as consistent as him we'd be OK. As I said one or two players is enough at any one time to ruin the whole system of a team and it will look like eight or nine because of it, sorry mate but it's the form unfortunately.

A couple of players out of form is enough to derail any team at this level, we've seen many times how the team can be average but wins games carried by one player in exceptional form, this works both ways, three or four playing at seventy per cent is too much weight to carry especially without the one or two playing out of their skins. Matic and Azpi last night had gone down a level from the last game, Hazard out early and Willian down on the seasons performances overall was enough to make things difficult, away at a team with the bit between their teeth at the top of the division (on merit) made it more so.

Three more sides they thought they would be too good to lose to, what were they seeing when they played Arsenal? they were far more up for the game and even in poor form played some reasonable football. I'm not devoted to Jose, you have me badly wrong, I am devoted to the club and see no reason to change managers when the problem is the form of the players and all a new manager is likely to be is a step down in quality. I don't even much like Jose as a person, what I do like about him is his ability as a manager and that's what I want at the club I support. He's earned a bad run of results and the time to get it fixed, he's earned more backing from the board and if we have a season of painful results he's earned that as well. I don't think relegation beckons even in the form we've been in, we lost to the top team in the country last night but if I honestly look at the overall game, we could easily still have drawn or won it, they are in the form of their lives...our boys are trying to come out of the worst run of form from a Chelsea side in the premiership.

I'll have a think about it and put it in the match thread nearer the day mate, I won't be one for saying my eleven is right though and digging Jose out for not knowing the game as well as me, he might manage to pull something out the bag without my help from what I watched tonight I'd likely play Kenedy instead of Hazard, felt he made a meal of the injury and wasn't up for the challenge of the leicester boys right in his face as soon as he got the ball with the form he's in, I'd give him a lay off...That means I wouldn't play Baba at LB though as I wouldn't have two newish faces on the same side. I might be reading a bit into Edens injury that isn't there so I'll reserve judgement and se if I can believe anything I read.