Celery1989

I don't know what it is or why it happens, but we seem to start EVERY away game with no intensity whatsoever. At home we're at the opposition from the very start and that approach is what allows us to be so dominant at the Bridge. But it just seems to be a totally different side that shows up on the road. If we continue to be as sloppy as this away in the first half then we'll drop more points. It was our inconsistency away from home last year that almost jeopardised our tital hopes, and if we dont do something to rectify it soon then it may prevent us from retaining the title. Today was another great example of this, as well as Villa, Blackburn, Man City. Essien and Lampard can't come back soon enough I feel.

Right on. Where's our Messi, Ronaldo?

"My cards tell me, Yossi or no Yossi, we will not win this competition with a strike force of Drogba, Anelka, Kalou, Sturridge and Borini because, with the notable exception of Didier, it’s neither proven in the latter stages of the competition, nor likely to go the distance yellow/red/card or injury-free. " I pretty much implied the exact same thing in a different thread but no one was listening. I'm glad someone else can look at this realistically and see that we are lacking up top. I just get the sense that too many people are getting too caught up in our recent results. The CL is an entirely different competition, in which you generally don't score many goals in the big games, and that's where you need that genuine spark off the bench. I just can't see how can provide that for us on a consistent basis. I'm not saying we made a mistake in not acquiring Neymar, but its clear that we don't have the same firepower in the final third as Barca, Real, and now AC Milan have. If we'd signed Ozil and someone in the mould of an Aguero, a David Silva or a Neymar, then I'd feel much more confident about our chances. Nor am I saying that we should have kept Joe Cole: the economics made no sense whatsoever and I don't think he's that great anyway. Benayoun is better for us in terms of being a squad player. I'm not saying that we have no chance. What I am saying is that we are going to need a lot of luck to win it. Remember that injuries, suspensions etc. become almost as significant a factor as the form you're in and the opposition you're playing against, and I feel we need better cover in the front 3 positions to overcome those issues. To quote a former Newcastle manager, I woud luuve it if Kakuta and Sturridge could emerge into dangerous, viable options off the bench, but I just don't see it happening this season.

Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, Higuain, Ozil, Canales, Van Der Vaart Villa, Messi, Pedro, Iniesta, Xavi, Dani Alves, Bojan Sorry man but I just don't see how our firepower matches that.

This sums up my opinion on Drogba to the vert last iota of detail. Once Drogs is done, I'd like to think we have someone taylor-made to replace him (Let's hope we get this Lukaku and that he lives up to the billing). I've never seen any player in the world play in the way in which he does, being able to combine so many physical, skilful and intangible attributes to cripple opposition teams. Watching Drogba's development from a stumbling, cumbersome centre-forward to becoming an unrivalled, talismanic, dynamo of a striker has been pretty cool. The play-acting appears to have subsided a little tho over the last few years which is great to see (Omfg it does my head in!), and watching him emerge as a leader as well has been great.

The draw was pretty favourable to us I feel: We avoided Real Madrid, we should be able to beat all the opposition at home, and except for what will be a tricky trip to Moscow in the cold, I don't see anything here stopping us from finishing first. I can see Marseille away being difficult as well (their fans whip up a pretty good atmosphere and they will be pumped up about Didier coming back), but all in all, I don't foresee many problems. I just worry about our chances in the group stages. On our day, we are one of the best teams in World football, that is undeniable. But I just don't see how we can match the firepower of Barca and Real over 2 legs (We will definitely have to beat one of them en route to the final, if not both,). After our front 3, there isn't anyone on the bench who you can say, with a 100% confidence, can pop up when needed and produce that little bit of magic to unlock the door. This is why we should have tried harder for Ozil, and why we could really do with a Neymar type. Fingers crossed Kakuta or Sturridge can become that for us, but that possibility still remains pretty remote.

Alright lads, Whatst the new chant we were singing at Wigan? It was to the tune of "the animals went in 2 by 2", like liverpool sing for Torres...anyone know?

And to finish (sorry accidentally clicked reply before it was finished) Best Chant - The sh*t from.... What Does being a Chelsea fan mean to you? Well it means a hell of a lot. There's nothing I think about more. Having only ever lived in South West London or the Suburbs of it, being a Chelsea fan is almost a representation of my identiy. I just love the level of affiliation that goes with meticulously following my club through the various highs and lows, although I have to say I've never had to suffer that many lows, no relegations etc. I love the banter with other fans, and the buzz when I've had a few pints and walk into the seating area just before kickoff is sometimes, to me, literally sensational.

Best Moment(s) - Di Matteo's wonderstrike, the Double, beating Barca in that epic game (which i went to!) are all up there, but I'm getting chills currently thinking about when Frank rounded Jussi Jaaskelainen to win us the league for the first time in 50 years. Absolutely unforgettable. When JT equalised at Highbury with a thumping header in Jose's first year is also really poignant, it signalled to me that we were for real. Worst Moment(s) - JT's penalty of course, when UEFA scummed us out of a CL Final against Barca were terrible, i couldn't get over either for a long time, but losing to Liverpool the first time in the CL semi was heartbreaking. We'd won the league already I think, aswell as the Carling Cup, and, buoyed by the Mourinho effect all season long, I just felt so sure that we were gonna win the CL and make that season epic. Cried my eyes out. Then the following year when we lost on pens to those c*nts was as bad. Funniest Moment - From calling Wenger a voyeur to accentuating the social pressure caused by the Goose with bird-flu in Scotland, pretty much anything Jose said. Best Manager - Jose Mourinho, but if Carlo keeps going at this rate and adds the CL...I find Carlo's personality really refreshing too. Gullit was great. Worst Manager - Scolari, without a doubt. I was glad I wasn't able to watch when we limped up to Old Trafford and got well and truly beaten 3-0 in his last game. He's also the only manager that I can personally remember, having been a fan since about 1996, who took the club backwards. Favourite Player - Super Frank. One of the best central attacking midfield players to ever play the game. His goal record will back that up. Model professional. Least Favourite Player - Currently, still JOM. No-one in particular over the years, although I do remember Jokanovic, De Lucas, Bogarde, Quaresma, Petit, Kezman, Deco all for the varying, bad reasons.

Definitely get drunk!