g3.7

I think you need to be able to draw the line between football and personal stuff. I find benitez quite a decent bloke and he's a good manager too. I'm pleased he is at a club where he's close to his family after years apart after leaving Liverpool and where he's got a good relationship with his fans. I don't wish him any personal ill and I don't think anyone should really. But he was never right for Chelsea given the rivalry his side had with Jose's , given comments he made when he was Liverpool manager and given his decision not yo retract some of them . It was a terrible move by the club and a nakedly cateerist (though more understable) move by him. It still annoys me that the club thought it was acceptable and is a great example of the gap between corporate ownership mentality and a football fanbase.

Just because you can't see a change change in doesn't mean that people who can are wrong surely? Bizarre assertion.

so far so good since the switch to a back 3. his weaknesses are masked and his strengths are well utilised. still think you could make a case for any of the back 3 (or 5 including the wingbacks) being short term solutions in their positions, mind. but it does show that good coaching (or the right kind of coach) can squeeze more out of a player even in their late twenties than one might think. in a flat back 4 he was exactly as expected IMO, but this is already the best run of performances he's had in a blue shirt. I said before that he's had a lot of great defensive minds work with him so I doubted that conte would be the one to suddenly get a tune out of him but it appears that needs reconsidering. I'm unsure what is being done differently because I don't think it can be just the shape, there is a hitherto unseen conservatism in his game at the moment. perhaps it is because conte is talking the players through the game as it happens? being ultra critical there are still mistakes in his game, and they remain evident even in this run just like there still are in cahill's. but I don't expect them to be cannavaro or nesta. I'm pleased with how he's playing for the most part and I have to say he is adding value to the team at the moment which I severely doubted he could.

started in the mddle with luiz on the right (which for me is the only place he can occupy in this system) and was okay, but beaten for the header. luiz shifted out of the middle saw his performance level drop as a consequence. then after half time he went into a wider position and luiz went back into the center, and it was very clear he wasn't suited to it. I think it was understandable that he looked rusty, like it was for the others who hadn't featured much, but it is clear he should only be fighting with luiz for that place in the middle of the three. I wouldn't write him off just yet, before his injury he was clearly the best defender we had and out of the context of the system that remains the case.

curious half for us. jt and luiz are at sixes and sevens, oscar looks as rusty as jt and batshuayi especially has had a bit of a shocker- nothing has stuck at all and he's missed a sitter. despite all that we've moved the ball quite well at times and played some decent stuff. can't see costa and possibly hazard staying on the bench all game.

paraphrasing but "young players will play if they deserve it rather than be gifted anything".

confirmation there that conte's not happy with loftus cheek after veiled references in the pre match conference IMO.

that was fantastic. everything we could possibly ask for- players who have been off form looking good, a back three with big question marks about them individually working like a unit to answer them, good football and, probably most importantly, the nature of the win and the fact it was over jose. I think if we lost this one then the club would continue to exist under his shadow. when his inter side did a number on us I feel it damaged us, as a fanbase, quite severely. jose is a legend and he always will be. I think he remains a great manager but in finally, six years later, getting a win over him, we can now think of him as a part of our past rather than a cloud that hovers over us. arguably the greatest part of our past, but past nonetheless. he was never coming back for a third time, but psychologically this feels like a watershed moment for us. it does for me anyway. it is also huge for conte, as gary neville touched on, because especially after the liverpool and arsenal games, a big win in a big game should go some way to convincing the players in regards to the managers' ideas.

the thing is even when he was playing poorly, when did he ever give less than everything? I always thought that type of player should be beyond the kind of attacks gary and branislav have been on the end of. he's been very good- playing very wide on the left as the position demands, high up and potentially very exposed- these are all things that don't suit him naturally so I think he deserves special credit for his performances so far. Its an odd one because long term I don't think any of the back 3 should really be starting there (unless azpilicueta buys some springs and as many videos of fabio cannavaro as he can afford). so far, though each of them have their flaws, between them they're managing to cover their deficiencies. that is a sign of good management and receptive players.

interesting to see him average as the furthest forward player yesterday. you'd expect two consequences if that becomes the norm- more goals but fewer instances of him passing or running with the ball. it is certainly going to be a good thing for him to not have to pick up the ball from the back four as often as he has in his chelsea career anyway.

what do people think of him in this back 3? technically and physically I think he's the only player, aside from maybe chalobah (if he were retrained) who is completely suited to playing in the middle of the three. I think he's been as I expected and feared playing in a flat back four (although I accept many people feel he's been good there- then again that is perhaps what they expected too!)- I simply don't think he is overall a positive addition to the team in that set up. having said that, in a back three we can make use of his ability on the ball, he has more cover when he tries to go into midfield to win the ball (i.e. the risk he takes there is mitigated somewhat) and in open play man marking is less of a persistent requirement. in these last two games he, and the other central defenders, haven't had much defending to do, but what they have done has been largely performed without fuss or question marks. the test will come when we are under more pressure, from better sides, but in these last two games I think he's done well. it is a good start for him in this system (and the other two, both of whom also have issues to solve of their own). p.s. I would add that I can't see how JT can play out in the wider areas as that requires a lot of turning and moving, so my reading is in a back three he plays in the middle or not at all. for me I think he's the first pick there of all our defenders, which would put him in direct competition with luiz. and I'm unsure about whether he can be mitigated as well playing in the wider positions- maybe he can be.

well on the back of the last two games I think there are a couple of positive things to comment about: -he can cross a ball. -he's a natural wingback. in fact to me he looks more of a midfield player who can play in defence rather than the other way around. the way he defends makes me think he isn't really an out and out fullback, and when we play with a flat back four I think I'd prefer azpilcueta there. but as a wingback, it looks like he's very comfortable. and it now appears he isn't destined to be merely a backup. that is good news, as we needed someone capable of starting regularly. signs are that he may well be capable of that.

I take your point, but I don't think so. I think it is purely down to conservatism on the part of the managers combined with a fear of not delivering immediate results. I don't think it is a grand design to protect the kids. What I think is maybe chalobah not being totally new to what adult top level competitive football is emboldens conte to use /rely on him more than he would for an aina or a loftus cheek.

funny you say that. I think I read quotes from emenalo (or possibly another DOF type) who said you would expect players to come through and properly establish themselves in the first team around the age of 23 which to me felt very late (and possibly a way of buying himself and his programme more time), but maybe there's something in it. personally I felt chalobah could've been put in the squad after his watford loan but nonetheless it was heartening to see him being the first player off the bench today.

For all the criticism of the loan policy, he's a 21 year old with 100 professional games of experience and he looks it. I know you could argue training and staying close to the first team has its own benefits but maybe regular football would be better for Ruben at this point in his career?

Would be out of character for abramovich to rashly sack a manager with little pretext.

the second goal is particularly good. his marker nearly ended up in another postcode! the test for our youngsters is to prove they can do it in proper football and tammy is showing he's got the mentality and the attitude to go far. as per usual though, every time I see him doing well I have to ask what on earth we're doing with solanke. he trains with the first team but never plays with the u21s so is he being punished or rewarded?

during the game perhaps we shouldn't, but before it and after it I don't see why not. far lesser figures from our history have got that treatment, so I don't see why he shouldn't. he won 3 of the 5 titles in our 111 year existence! I'm not saying banners or chants need to be designated, arranged or required, but if it happens, it happens. I think it would be odd not to acknowledge one of the most important figures the club has ever had. p.s. I've rated conte for a long time and absolutely still do, but offending his sensibilities isn't a concern of mine. until he or someone else changes it, jose is the yardstick against whom all other chelsea managers must be measured IMO.

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line two 18cm/7in cake tins with baking parchment Cream the butter and the sugar together until pale. Use an electric hand mixer if you have one. Beat in the eggs. Sift over the flour and fold in using a large metal spoon. The mixture should be of a dropping consistency; if it is not, add a little milk. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool. Sandwich the cakes together with jam, lemon curd or whipped cream and berries or just enjoy on its own. Whilst having your cake, simultaneously eat it and then post "lol", muttering something about prejudices. next week, seeing wood for the trees. and concluding that the trees are prejudiced.

Look mate, if I can't be allowed to drone on about stuff no-one cares about for thousands of words at a time saying "on the one hand this, but on the other hand that" before concluding that I don't know, then I don't know what I have to offer this place.

I had a look and it depends, I think, on the age of the player and whether the loan is classed as a short term or emergency loan or not. Arsenal took back coquelin outside of the usual window periods that season he broke into their first team but it was originally a short term loan. I don't think we can get Bamford back before January. In summary - I'm still not 100% sure.

none are springing to my mind. maybe you're thinking of clubs sending players back for treatment when they are injured (which isn't really a termination of a loan) or maybe players have been recalled from the lower leagues when the premier league window is closed but the lower league window remains open (which obviously wouldn't apply in bamford's case)?

I don't think you can recall players in non transfer window periods.

You've caught us on a good day.

Strange when according to the Lee Johnson we have a long list of clubs / people we won't loan to. Having said that, if he doesn't break into the side I think it becomes instructive about how good he actually is- this could be 3 unremarkable sides with unremarkable attacking options where he's failed to make an impact.