Chippy

Lovely turn from Eto'o thee...easily could have been 1-0

Two players with massive work rate out of the starting line up today, interesting to see if Shurrle does a bit more pressing without Willian running everywhere. So nice to get back to the football, hope we all think that after the game.

Here's my bet on the game for today, half of any winnings go's to the site...I got the team totally wrong in my BPL but I'll stay with the score as if I don't, I know what will happen. 26 Jan 2014 - Chelsea v Stoke - Correct Score Chelsea 3-0 @ 11/2 Stake : £5.00 Estimated Returns : £32.50 and 26 Jan 2014 - Chelsea v Stoke - First Goal Scorecast Andre Schurrle / Chelsea 3-0 @ 33/1 Stake : £3.00 Estimated Returns : £102.00 Come on boys

He's certainly got a case although if Matic stats too many changes could be disruptive, I'm also in a bit of a dilemma at CB, Luiz has had a couple of games in midfield but is unlikely to play there today, will Cahill get a rest ans Luiz drop back? The nice thing is whoever plays you no longer get the feeling its a big risk. Edit: Cheers Adam your post just answered both my questions...I really thought Ba would start though.

I wonder if Shurrle will start today being as he was our best player last time we played Stoke, I'd guess he'll put in an appearance second half but wouldn't be shocked if he started.

Good to have you here Juan, I can't understand Mourinho not playing you...I've been looking for a holding midfielder like you and think you could have done a better job there than Mikel.

There should be no question about it, his form should be the only pointer the club needs to consider where contract talks are concerned but throw into the mix that his leadership qualities, the fact that whoever plays beside him at CB looks a better player than when he plays beside anyone else and his never say die attitude and we would be making a huge mistake to let him go too early. Thirty three or four isn't old for a CB whose game has never been based on having any pace and his reading of the game either defending or starting an attack is superb., he's always a goal threat at set pieces and has a great touch for a defender. This is a player in a position we could do with strengthening not one in a position where he can't get a run of games. I'd be gutted if he wasn't a Chelsea player next season.

That was down to Chelsea as well though...if we'd have kept the Drogs they might have been able to beat Gala in their little home tournament

Maybe the lack of CL football next season will give you a lift as well

Just about made the Arsenal game watchable by sticking a paltry two quid on 4-0 at 17-2...still wanting Coventry to score to the 94th minute.

It's just got even more boring watching the gooners.

In his prime with us I think he was every opposition fans choice if they could have any player from our team, I still held out hope even after his last outing that he was getting some form back and to be honest I still think he can do a job. Jose is looking to the future though and as he basically said, if Essien can go somewhere where he can play a bit longer at a high level then good luck to him.

I'm not sure about Salah and equally not sure about letting Mata go but I think Mourinho deserves the benefit of the doubt, If it's his decision to go after Salah as back up, he obviously sees something in the player...until we see him under Mourinhos instructions, until we see if he can offer something, it will be hard to judge and as a straight comparison to letting go of a player who has shown how good he is it will be a big ask and unfair to be critical before he even got here. He looked ok against us and pretty quick but his game would have to be a lot more than that to get a look in here so perhaps Jose thinks it can be.

I thought the same with the arrival of Matic but comparing what happened at Real is for me not of much relevance in the reasons behind Mata's departure. Agreed Mourinho has worked with less defensive minded players but this is a different project and only Mourinho knows what he wants from the boys and what Mata obviously wasn't giving him, I'll stick with my assumption that whatever it was/is Jose feels he can get it out of other players we have or will have and has tried to get it from Juan without the result he was looking for. I don't see any other possible reason for selluing a player that he has come out many times and said is a top player.

I try to look at what go's on here as logically as possible, trying not to let sentiment cloud my view (admittedly when RDM left and Benitez arrived that philosephy went out the window) and even though I think Mata has a great talent I still feel that Jose has found him wanting in what his vision is for the team and if he feels that no amount of coaching can get the change he wants then I am behind the manager all the way. Mata is becoming a legend for his two good seasons where our league challenge wasn't up to much, because he's going he will be compared to our boys with every good game he has and indifferent game that they do, its nature but its unfair to keep saying we're giving United our best player when this season he has been far from that and thirty seven million is not giving him away. If Hazard can improve under Jose attacking wise (which I feel he has) while adding what Jose wants to other areas of his game then who really is our best player? for me this season Hazard has been superb, as has Oscar and we are starting to see undroppable performances from Willian. Ok Juan hasn't had the chances but he has trained in front of the manager and good training where he adopts the style Jose is looking for would have brought more starts. A player as good as Mata will never be able to be kept around for back up and I just don't think in Joses set up he would get too many starts in front of the competition, not on footballing ability but on fit for the style of play...the style of play we have to be trusting in on past and even present performances under Mourinho. Its horrible to think of him at UTD but also good to see his sort of skills in the prem, If UTD didn't buy him and he languished on our bench with a game here and there, his ambition with Spain would be done for and UTD might have to wait until the summer to buy a comparable talent, maybe for a position they would be more desperate in which would give Moyes less of a headache. I wish him well and have faith that although I expect UTD to be a force again next season, the improvement they make with Juan this season will help us more than hinder and whatever they do next season we have the right man in charge to make sure we are happy that our squad is every bit as good or better. The money from the sale is obviously a huge factor and we have to face the probability that we have to sell some players if we want to buy the players that fit the team (even if they don't look to us as good as some we sell).

I'm not convinced that an injury to one of our attacking mids would be devastating if we didn't have Mata to fall back on...I'd even go so far as to say that with him still here, an injury to Oscar would likely see Frank brought in further forward now we have Matic to sure things up, there is also Willian going to the number ten while Shurrle comes in and any number of variations. I'm sure our manager has thought about whatever situation could arise and the possibility of the transfer happening and the price tag will depend on how he sees the risks.

I hope this doesn't happen but I won't be holding it against Jose if it does, from my settee I feel integrating Mata into this team would be easy...good players adapt don't they? thats from my settee though and without the experience and know how of the best manager in the world so who am I to sit here thinking I know better?. If (and it's still a big if for me) Jose feels he can't get Mata playing exactly the way he wants and he feels he either has his sights on someone who can or we already have the players that do and he feels we have the back up for those players then if we are to ever fully see what a Jose team can do this second time around we have to have faith in him. We have seen the way Jose wants his players to play and we have seen the players in competition for Matas place all doing it the way Jose wants them to, there is no doubting we have one of our best players sitting out most games but is that player one of the best fits for this team and the way Jose wants it to play?. I hate the thought of him lining up for UTD and hope if he is to leave, it isn't to any premiership team but if he does and its for good money, I'm confident it will be spent to strengthen us in a way that Jose feels is more important. Still hoping it's not going to happen but I feel less and less convinced Juan will be a Chelsea player next season.

I'll give spud his due, he never joined here because his lot were top of the league and he wouldn't disappear if they were relegated, our new found gooners have both joined while they feel they can be taken seriously as a threat I would wager I know which of the opposition fans will be here past April.

A player so influential that he replaced the player at Real that has given Arsenal the shot in the arm thats made them flatter to deceive a bit longer this year.

It's a strange turn of events when you come on a Chelsea forum and have Arsenal fans boasting their superiority to Spurs fans, its a bit like the novelty act that always gets to the last three in X Factor giving large to the chubby one with the sympathy votes on strictly come dancing...

Here's my prediction from October the second in the league predictions thread, I'll stick with this, although City are in small letters because I'm still hopeful we can pull off a near miracle. 1. Man City 2. Chelsea 3. Arsenal 4. Liverpool 5. Spurs 6. Man UTD 7. Everton

Today was the first time I felt he gave the ball away a few times, that said he played well and still was a thorn in UTDs side. I think he and Oscar have the talent to be better offensively but are sticking to Jose's way and working hard defensively...its working well and I'm certainly pleased with his performance in his first half a season, he'll only get better.

Good to have both games against UTD out of the way with four points from them, I can see them taking points from our rivals and hope from here on they get themselves into a bit of form. Fighting for fourth will make them a handful when they have the likes of Rooney/Van Persie to call on. I for one don't care where they end up as long as they play well against our rivals, be nice if they leave it until after the game with Sunderland to hit some form though.

Eto'o, good to see him get his hat trick, we can play better than today and we just beat the Champions 3-1, onwards and upwards.

Seems Eto'o is preferred at Home and Torres away, both are gradually picking up form so lets hope that carries on.