bcarroll

Latest odds: http://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials/chelsea-specials/next-permanent-manager Harry 8/13 with paddy power!

don't rule us out yet!

Fantastic pics!

The story seems to be that Aguero has handed in a transfer request to Atletico and Real Madrid have made a bid which triggers his contract get out clause. There is no deal in place as of yet and there is still time for us, City, Juve, Inter to also make a bid if they see fit.

we're only half way so!

This thread will surely hold the record number of pages by the time this saga is put to bed one way or another particularly when the rags go into overdrive when the copa america kicks off. What did the torres one in jan finish up at again?

Ya the arshavin debate got merged into this. Would like to see us taking a chance on n'zogbia.

He only cost arsenal around 15M when he was at the peak of his powers after the euros when if we were ever going to sign him it was then. Complete rubbish.

I dont think age will be a factor for what we do in the summer. We have been badly in need of a reshuffle for a season or two now and the shortcomings of the squad and the impending financial constraints will more than likely force Romans hand. There are two or three issues which need to be addressed regardless. The primary issue is with regard to the manager. Im all for Ancelotti but i just get the feeling that his laid back approach has rubbed off on the players this season. For me for so many players to be so off form (Essien, Lamps, Malouda, Didier, even Ash) is more than coincidental despite the various other factors which have hindered their season e.g Essiens return from serious injuries, Didiers malaria etc. Fair enough earlier in the season our squad was to thin to threaten the players with a stint on the sidelines but even since January Carlo has been reluctant to cull any of the under performers or give them a kick up the backside. This laid back style and lack of drive and urgency has typified our performances this season where we have started sluggishly in most games and been over turned by alot of the top sides. Even when we've played well its often only been for 20 mins patches here and there. Against mediocre opposition we've gotten away with it but we've paid the price in the big games such Liverpool at home, home leg of Champs Lg. and today. The first change i would like to see is a change of attitude amongst the players and if this means either a changing of playing staff or the coach then so be it. Another change drastically needed is how to get Torres involved in the game and scoring goals for us. Be it a change of system, players, mentality thats not my decision but the way we've been using him needs to change. In terms of players we badly need a ball playing midfield player, a Right back and one if not two pacy winger type players that can run at players and make things happen.

Could be very shrewd business at £10M or less seen as he's only 12 months to run on his contract.

hopefully as his national team coach guus can make sure he sees sense!

Positives Benayoun got a good run out and should be available to start at OT. He almost created a goal for Torres. Great save from Al Habsi. Drogba played the 90 mins and actually linked up with Torres for a change. We created chances. Torres had chances. Only a matter of time before one goes in. Alex returned although will be unlikely to feature on Tues. Wigan were always going to be stubborn opposition after being humiliated last season and also at the DW this season. Negatives Press still on Torres' back. Malouda aside from the goal was poor. Hopefully the goal will do something to rekindle the form he showed for joes goal at OT last season. Anelka was disappointing.

Hope to see Didier start up front with Torres. They were all over the shop at the back yesterday and hopefully we can take advantage of that.

ya same!

Chelsea 01 Cech 03 A Cole 04 David Luiz 17 Bosingwa 26 Terry 05 Essien 07 Ramires 08 Lampard 15 Malouda 11 Drogba 39 Anelka Substitutes 22 Turnbull, 02 Ivanovic, 19 Ferreira, 12 Mikel, 18 Zhirkov, 09 Torres, 21 Kalou Stoke 01 Begovic 03 Higginbotham 04 Huth 17 Shawcross 06 Whelan 12 Wilson 16 Pennant 24 Delap 26 Etherington 09 Jones 19 Walters Substitutes 27 Nash, 05 Collins, 28 Wilkinson, 14 Pugh, 15 Diao, 18 Whitehead, 10 Fuller

If i remember rightly i think Menezes came out and encouraged Neymar to stay at Santos for another year to develop further. He now seems to have changed his tune.. I read somewhere on the internet today (cant remember where) that we would be willing to offer Santos money plus the first refusals we acquired from Fluimenese on a number of their young players which we got as part of the Deco deal.

Watched the game in pub last night surrounded by Utd fans last nite! They were absolutely sickened.. Some roarin and jumping around done for the goals surrounded by about 20 utd c#nts! I was well boozed! All i hear from them today is we should have had two penalties and Luiz should a been sent off! Still buzzin today!

i think carlo deserves credit for changin things even if its taken him long enough

Jose was only playin the 'i could leave at the end of the season card' a month or so ago because A. Perez and Valdano weren't willing to bring in another striker however following this strop they brought in Adebayor and B. The invincible Barcelona dont look as bulletproof as they were after stuttering in recent weeks and winning the league may now be a realistic target again.

Carlos future lies in Rome i'd say..

Even the biggest carlo fan( i'd like to think of myself of being somewhere in between) has to recognise that his days are numbered. The reasons are evident to most i.e lack of ability to change a game, failing to instill confidence and/or motivation in certain squad members. The million dollar question is what to do next? Back Carlo with more funds in the summer and help him rebuild the squad and ship out those who are underachieving, Sack carlo and bring in someone else? If so when? Now or in the summer (do we risk not finishing in top 4)? Who do we bring in? The only manager who could rejuvenate this side and guarentee immediate success is JM.. Anyone else will need another 100M easily to even compete so unless JM is an option I see no point in changing Carlo.

Looks like the hype and the occasion completely got the better of us. Makes our title challenge look extremely difficult now.. On a slightly positive note david Luiz looks a class act..

Thought Ramires would start but other than that no complaints...

If drogba had a bit of luck last night he could have had two or three.. He's going to be vital to our efforts for silverware particularly in Europe. Can't wait to see him take Puyol and Pique to the cleaners at Wembley in May..