Chippy

Bad day at the office, credit to WBA they threw everything at us and gave our defenders problems, we missed JT tonight but off days from a few players and a cold wet night has let us down. There will be a lot more twists and turns before the end of the season.

I wonder if Jose will be getting an apologetic call?

Wasn't thinking about an argument, just slightly different opinions...I think tonight Et'o'o should be getting to the six yard box more when the ball is looking like coming across, lucky Ivan has the instincts . I thought Eto'o had a good game against City but mainly because the little passing moves don't break down as much with him in the team, I just think he's always confident and more likely to make a decent contribution than the other two.

Bets for tonights game, any winnings half gos to the site. exact team I had in my BPL so I'll stick with my prediction. WBA VS Chelsea 11/02/2014 Chelsea 2-0 @ 6/1 £6 Estimated Returns : £42.00 And 11 Feb 2014 - West Brom v Chelsea - First Goal Scorecast Samuel Eto'o / Chelsea 2-0 @ 16/1 Stake : £4.00 Estimated Returns : £68.00 And 11 Feb 2014 - West Brom v Chelsea - Last Goal Scorecast David Luiz / Chelsea 2-0 @ 75/1 Stake : £3.00 Estimated Returns : £228.00 Come on boys

I'm not letting him off...just saying it wasn't in my opinion a "sitter" and it wasn't a bad effort, had that gone just inside the post in the top corner we'd have called it a great strike...it was probably four inches off of being exactly that. I don't think Ba or Torres would have done any better, my guess would be one of those two would have fallen over and the other wouldn't have been on the end of it anyway.

Don't worry mate, Jose can multitask . I'm pretty sure all managers have little digs at each other but when Jose says something, the press make sure everyone knows about it.

Didn't look a sitter to me, not a terrible effort by our strikers standards, any of them. http://youtu.be/xKNRzthIf0I

No course not, I think Arsenal are the bestest team in all the world and although they fancied making Liverpool look like Brazil 1970 last time out, they will get their big game heads on in time to batter the little underdogs by about eight goals. If you have huge doubts about my prediction, you either have a lot too much respect for Arsenal or your hatred of UTD (understandable) is blinding you to the fact that they still have some good players regardless of the Manager not getting to grips with how to use them. I'm looking forward to the excuses when the team that was held at home by Fulham, nick something off the team battling for third.

Stats don't always weigh up in football, that's what makes the game so exciting...I'm of the opinion that UTD will be better against Arsenal than they have been against teams they are expected to beat, the pressure is slightly off them after another bad result because of Arsenals league position and the way UTD have struggled. Getting a result away at the Emirates would have the ingredient that Moyes is so far unable to put into his players heads...motivation, they will want to prove themselves and I'm sure the players and Wenger are not looking at this as a likely chance for a battering, I'd go so far as to say they are not the team Wenger would want next up after Liverpool especialy with the added expectations because of UTDs poor form.

Battter? Arsenal have been on the end of a couple of batterings themselves and either of these sides can fall to pieces on any given day, if UTD score first and Arsenal carry on in their normal style it won't take a master tactician to open them up, Liverpool may be in better form but player for player are not much different to UTD, love seeing UTD struggle though I do, I can see this being the right game for them to show why they still managed to win the league last year with an inferior squad. I will bet on the game as I do like a bet but if the game ends with three points for the home team, you can be sure I'll have lost a few quid.

I never expected great things from him, as a season long help to our striking problem and coming from a two year stint in a league that requires such different fitness levels and strength, I think he has been well worth Jose's punt. He is linking up well and not just the stand out Hazard goal yesterday, he has shown he wants to win things here and has a level head that must be important when he does his best to get the boys up for it, he's done it all and will be/has been a valuable player this season. I still think he's the best option we have and his being here has likely helped us to get a bit more from Torres.

I'm not sure Arsenals fragile confidence will let them go into this game with their normal attacking with no plan B gameplan, I think they'll park the bus and UTD after the practice they just got from breaking down a team htat set out to defend will give them all sorts of problems, this is a game where Mata will show although he's not exactly what they needed, he is still able to give the Arsenal defenders a few nightmares. Really couldn't care less about the end result but expect it to be close enough to have the scousers breathing down your necks for that third place.

Luckily we have players in our team showing more than one moment of brilliance, didn't see your take on the last couple of our games...did you enjoy any of our players performances?

Hazard, he is stepping up and I think Jose is pushing him to take more responsibility, which he is doing with maturity beyond his years. Good performance from Eto'o again I thought, he isn't the prolific striker we'd like but he fits into our passing game really well. The boys who come on and wildly take on shots are showing how much they want to play here so I have no worries about them.

Bets for today, half any winnings to the site. 08 Feb 2014 - Chelsea v Newcastle - Correct Score Chelsea 3-0 @ 11/2 Stake : £5.00 Estimated Returns : £32.50 And 08 Feb 2014 - Chelsea v Newcastle - First Goal Scorecast Oscar / Chelsea 3-0 @ 22/1 Stake : £3.00 Estimated Returns : £69.00 Come on boys.

Exactly That Gem, I knew who it was pretty quickly and even knew the old Pontiac in the garden was hiding a secret...maybe we should apply for jobs in CSI?

I'm not sure if it works like this, Star would be better at answering but I'd imagine the bookmakers take account of all the bets up to this point and what they would have to pay out, City have likely had some big money on them over the course of the season due to the knee jerk reaction of punters impressed by big wins against decent opposition and the bookmakers can't afford to let City's odd lengthen because so much is already at stake for them if City were to win it. Arsenal are still better odds than us with a two point advantage and I'm of the opinion these odds are there as a tasty treat with the Bookies being of the opinion that City or ourselves will likely win it so the more money that comes in on attractively priced bets on Arsenal, the less it costs them when they pay out on one of the other two. That would be my reasoning if I was a bookmaker.

Fully agree Just, his work rate is tremendous and his eye for a quick ball even when seemingly off balance and at speed are impressive and his ability to play those balls when off balance at speed add to us all noticing his final ball is not always as good as it should be. I love his appetite for the game, he always looks like he wants to be a massive influence on events and never drifts out of a game, he seems the same for the entire game.

I've been trying not to make too many comparisons between this time and last time under Jose but last night showed that with a totally different group of players, he can get the same belief and work ethic that will bring rewards. I liked that game Matty mentioned and remember when Maniche was sent of thinking I'd lost my bet on 4-1...so surprised that with ten men Jose let them keep at it enough for me to collect. Not much gets near that Barca game though.

Thought we'd have another look at Billy as Jose trusted him with the team talk yesterday . How do you make a Chicken roll?

The CL will take its toll on all of us but what I do like is the way we are almost forced to play widely different systems due to available personnel, it could work against us but could also be a big help. We are going to see a lot of Matic in league games well rested after CL nights and the same hopefully with Salah, add that to the amazing (for me) knowledge that we can play a very good pressing game with or without Oscar and that gives us the opportunity to have him fit and raring to go whenever Jose feels like freshening things up. Then we have Luiz, a player that when Just first pointed out on here that he would be good in our midfield I thought "yeah I can see that, but not in the big games, he's not got the discipline" we know now that he might even be more disciplined in the big games and is a real option there now against anyone. Hopefully Ash will get a few games and Azpi can alternate with Ivan hence keeping all three fresh. It's really only in the main striker department we are a little lacking but Eto'o is linking up well and with Ba and Torres our shots coming from all over the team I think we are looking at an exciting time.

I don't know if that was your first post mate but if it was...it was a good one . Still love Robbie and Carlo but have to say that after the kick in the nuts Roman gave us by installing the FSW he has made amends by admitting his first and biggest mistake and putting it right.

Really tough decision and almost unfair to the rest of the team to pick a stand out, got to say Matic was superb and I can fully understand the pundits giving him the vote. I just have to side with Cahill though, thought he was superb.

Matic is settling in so fast that there must be a lot of performances like that in his locker, I thought he looked rusty against West Ham and hoped he could up his game tonight, what I saw was a player that improved about twenty fold from what should have been a much easier run out. No ordinary performers tonight as they all worked so hard and played so well, Luiz best game in the midfield for me, I knew he could play there but didn't have the faith he could be that disiplined. Cahill? not Chelsea quality some have said, bloody superb. Hazard, watch out Ronnie and Messi, those suits you wear to pick up the ballon dor might have some runners up medals hanging on them soon. Jose, he has changed since he left...he's got better. Petr Cech...he's staying as no1.

We have one man to thank for that and anyone who ever doubted his ability, noticed he'd lost his edge or whinged about his methods needs to have a proper long look at themselves. Best feeling after a game for a long long time.