Chippy

We'd need to win 0-8 to do that now...second on goal difference would still be nice though.

When I saw you'd posted I expected you to advise him to start rehearsing the Edddie Murphy role in the next Shrek film .

Todays game was far worse than the defeat to City, today they looked beaten as soon as they went behind, they started well but the goal seemed to suck all the confidence out of them, that happened in the City game as well but it was a lucky goal for City and they pulled themselves together much better than the scoreline would suggest. Today they didn't look up for it and the Red card added insult to injury, I think though they are two very poor results they have been a bit like us this season in that their strikers are just not doing the Job, for some reason the best one they have is usually on the bench (ok he doesn't fit the way AVB wants the team to play) and today the early injury and the red card made a difference. I think at least one more stay of execution should have been earned by AVB, even in this age of throwaway managers, going behind to a team on form early with players heads dropping can happen to anyone in this league...twice really could be enough though.

Lol? Robbie's too good for Spurs and the WBA choice would just be the lesser of two evils.

I thought the ref was a bit harsh and the red card was no more than a yellow for me, that said and the obvious ridicule of our ex manager aside, the players in your team should hang there heads in shame, they looked totally outclassed until they went 0-2 down and then woke up a bit for a short time but really looked short of any belief. Some of that can be down to the manager but I would think there own pride should have been enough to at least get a foot in in the midfield where they (on paper) looked superior. I think you missed Vertonghen but the scousers had a few players out as well so excuses are hard to come by.

I'm actually hoping Robbie signs for WBA quick before Levy gives him a call .

I think Ess should stay as he seems perfectly happy as back up and is sharpening up even though his appearances are few and far between, I wouldn't go so far as the bloke that wrote this article but if its correct you can't really knock him. Despite missing out on the Man of the Match award, Michael Essien produced a fruitful performance that proves that he still has plenty left in the tank! Chelsea were made to sweat for their win against relegation candidates Crystal Palace in the game at Stamford Bridge yesterday. Goals from scrutinised striker Fernando Torres and Brazilian work-horse Ramires was enough to see off Marouane Chamakh's first half strike in a 2-1 win. Although the result looks unconvincing, the statistics paint the picture that the West London side were the most dominant Premier League side on the day. Mourinho's men retained 70% possession, notched up 638 passes and had 16 shots on goal, whilst Palace could manage 279 passes and 10 opportunities. The talk at the end of the match was aimed towards the Brazilian Willian, who produced a fine performance and showed real personal growth within his role at Chelsea. As each game goes by, he looks more and more likely to become a big signing for them, and I expect to see more of him in the second half of the season. My particular interest was in Chelsea oldboy Michael Essien. He produced a brilliantly energetic performance, and amazingly had 109 touches of the ball. To put that into perspective, the two Palace players to make the most touches through-out the game were Joel Ward and Jason Puncheon, both with 55. So unbelievably, Essien managed to be as busy on the ball as the two highest Palace players put together. A great credit, to a great player. He showed that even in his old-age he still uses the ball well, and passed everyone else off the park with a total of 87, again in perspective Palace highest recorded player notched 32, so he nearly tripled it and had a pass accuracy of 93%. He attempted 10 long-balls, with nine finding their target and also managed five successful dribbles, the most out of any player, which is remarkable for a player in the same team as Willian, Hazard and Mata. It's no secret that Mourinho still has a lot of faith in the 31-year-old that masterminded a lot of Chelsea's success that won them Premier League titles and even had him on loan at Madrid last season, when his career all but looked over at Chelsea. It will be good to see more of Essien, in my eyes he is a true Premier League great! http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2013/12/15/sp-109-touches-87-passes-plenty-of-fight-in-chelseas-old-boy/

Much as I like to see Spurs humiliated I'm not so happy when its at the hands of that mob, I feel sorry for Spud and although the ref added to their woes a thrashing was on the cards from the off today, only one team looked really up for it. I was dopey enough to have 1-1 Suarez first scorer and as soon as it went 1-0 I said to the missus it would be three or four.

Whatever has happened to Benteke? he looked great early on but he looks about as likely to be chosen ahead of Lukaku for Belgium as I do...and I'm not Belgian.

If I looked for problems yesterday I wouldn't be looking at defense especially, I think Cahill Terry is still a good CB pairing and Luiz is ok back up along with Ivan, obviously a top striker would help us and being as we're sitting second I think an in form striker from the off would have had us top at this stage. The main area that would make the biggest difference for me though is the DM position, Ramires needs a better player beside him if we really are to win games more convincingly, what we have are good enough on their day but we need better to really control games for close to the full ninety minutes when possible. This is Joses first season and I think January is unlikely to bring in what we need, he will know exactly the type of players he'll want and the type he wants to let go at the end of the season which will make next season a lot less nervy I'd imagine.

I wasn't that worried watching the stream but I was more able to see some good things when I saw the game without all the stop starts and poxy pop-ups. I won't say I'm expecting us to go top next week but I will say I'm well happy that at this stage of the season its a possibility, a draw for me would be a good result but whatever the outcome I won't be as depressed as many on here after our win yesterday.

I think it was a bit unfair on Clarkey and like Henry on match of the day, I blame Ramires for that blatant dive , I must say though that our fans bemoaning the decision when we have plenty questioning our own manager for everything from team selection to his body language when a player gets substituted is a bit glass houses. I would imagine if we were languishing mid table there would be plenty calling for his head in his first season. I know the clubs have spent different amounts of money and have different expectations but two points off top and six points off bottom makes it easier to point fingers at their lack of patience.

Not for me mate, I think he was the best of our CB pairing today as he was in the last game, its between Gary and David for the second spot in my opinion on form and more so when you take the leadership qualities into account. We have these problems in patches most seasons, it'll iron out ok.

I just watched the game again on Sky as the stream I had was breaking up all over the place, I expected to see us looking worse than it did as most on here are pretty dissatisfied with the performance but I was pleasantly surprised. Palace played their part in a decent game and Pulis has got them well drilled, not surprised they've done so much better since he arrived. Willian is looking better and better which is a plus and Jose trusted him where Oscar or Mata usually play where he done well and gives the manager another option/headache. Essien played ninety minutes and although not the Essien we'd all like to see is still a viable option in there and with a long season ahead its great to get him match sharp. I think there's some work to be done in training on set piece defending and with Terry Ivan and Luiz it was a bit disconcerting to see the number of times they got beaten to the ball in the air, still Sunderland will no doubt give us some more practice in that department although Ivan will have to look on and take note. All in all for me a good three points and a big three after the early game result, people moaning we don't capitalise on the early results have been quiet about that. I see people getting together in a "right to moan" stance, being one of the main culprits for looking for good rather than bad I'd like to just say that moaning for me is perfectly understandable, its the slagging of the players and the comments aimed at the manager as if everyone can see things he can't that irritate me, not that I can expect to have any impact on weather or not people do it, just that I for one will always share my differing and much more glass half full viewpoint.

I really like Ancelotti but like I said when he was here and every bad result he got compared to Jose, lets get behind the man who's here now. I see nothing wrong with Mourinho becoming a hero again, he's still a hero for what he achieved last time for me and its great to have a manager you can have a proper affinity with.

I've said for years we need to let a manager stay for the longterm and I'm hoping Roman, after his full circle realises the same and that he isn't going to do better than the man he's brought back. This isn't Jose's team, he will take time and adjustments of personnel to get it right, I think he's doing well but if it came to the bold part of your post I think this forum would light up for a couple of months and then we'd look around and find only twenty or thirty posters. I like the thought of bringing youngsters through but its unrealistic with the owner and the money he's invested, we have to let him and the manager get on with the plan and just go along for the ride, I'm sure it'll have its ups and downs but compared to last seasons events, for me everything is an up.

Not sure I agree with that part, sitting second in a tough league...the toughest league with three ordinary strikers and a manager in his first season while topping our group in the CL and in the lsat sixteen of the league cup says different. We're not setting the world on fire but this is a marathon, every game we play the manager is learning more about his players and managing a bit of rotation (hence people crying out for different names on the team sheet) while getting the crucial results. I'm happy enough with the way its going and expected less to be honest, don't understand all the anxiety.

Looking at a lot of the posts maybe thats a handy reminder. In some context first half we looked pretty good, second half a few missed chances added to our nervy defending and the echos of set piece cock ups made it a bit scarier than it should have been. Jose knew he hadn't started his best team and he rode it out for the three points, palace have been on a bit of a roll and the pressure was on us, its really not all doom and gloom.

Eight minutes to eat your breakfast? wouldn't it have been more constructive to have spent that time on here slagging off our team

Stop being sensible on here Lane...its going right against the grain.

I just went and looked at the table...someone must have turned it upside down, to be fair I didn't expect to see the gooners bottom though.

I'm always positive and Jose will be learning all the time, he's not setting out showing all his cards and still getting the job done, all we can ask in his first season back is that we have a go and keep challenging as long as possible, that we're doing and with three poor strikers and some off form defenders that must take some doing. It could click into place at any time and I'm certainly enjoying this season more than last, if all people want to do is moan about the team, the support and god knows what else I wonder what enjoyment they get out of it at all.

I think I'll get off here and go and look at the Table...used to be too depressing here after loss, then a draw, now even a win.

Dave!

Great three points, Palace played well but at this stage of the season the points are what matters, well done boys.