Remodez

Good midfield unit and a few good strikers but I would hardly say it's anything to worry about if we played a full strength team.

Isn't this the guy who just won the young player of the season in Brazil?

How unlucky is Romeu

I highly doubt the well respected academy coaches of Sao Paulo and Vitoria took a look at Luiz and went "He's very good technically but you know what, we could use his height in our defence." "Yeah, you're right, Rodrigo Paulo Gustavo De Ramos Rodriguez, my shoelaces can defend better than him but you know what? They don't have his height."

http://imgur.com/a/0olFJ#4lVVK Four Four Twos top 100 players. Makes for a good laugh. Bale at 11 Kompany better than Thago Silva Rooney 10th They missed out Vidal Lucas at 77 despite proving nothing wheres James Rodriguez is at 99th, make senses. Gerrard is just baffling Vermaelen even making the list at all is just wrong Lampard ahead of Mouthino, Kroos and Pastore makes no sense. Not even sure Vidic should be on there Torres making the list is just them taking the piss quite frankly Can't do anymore, I'm sure there are others though.

Toss up between Ivan, Cahill and Luiz. Wouldn't mind any of them getting it.

This.

Wouldn't say we rely on them to score, we have some of the best, if not the best, headers of the ball in our CB's so it's only natural to take advantage of it.

At first I thought it was just semantics and you meant CM, which is still quite far-fetched to call him world class in that position but it's not that bad because stripping Mikel of any defensive responsibilities seems to be the best way to play him but then you said "true DMs". If I sat here and gave you a list of DM's that are better than Mikel I would be here for quite some time. It's so easy that you can actually can pick a DM from almost every team in the EPL that is better than Mikel. Never mind him being mentioned in the same breath as Busquets, I don't even think he's better than Romeu. Romeu does everything Mikel does but at a higher level (Although Mikel does have great strength, which makes it even more frustrating that he doesn't always use it as a DM should), given time, cause he's not played regularly for like a year before Rafa, I can see him becoming far better than Mikel (That is in the eyes of the rest of the Chelsea fans, I already think he is) And it's very easy why he isn't good as a DM, it's been mentioned time and time after; he doesn't protection the back four. He doesn't have the same desire and awareness as a DM to break down moves, win tackles/headers, track back, etc. I wouldn't even mind if he was the anchoring in front of the defence and players still got past him, at least it shows he's trying, playing his role and offering an extra body to defend. He's done it in the past now and then but not enough to be playing as a DM. Lost count the amount of times he's further up the pitch than Ramires and forced Ramires into difficult situations by doing that. Doesn't matter if he's was/is instructed to get forward, he's an experienced player and he should know by now what is required in the role he plays considering how long he's been playing there, should also sure as hell know that leaving Ramires as the last man is just asking for trouble. He's a DM in the same sense that Scholes and Carrick are DM's, they will put in a decent shift, sometimes woeful, other times okay but rarely anything outstanding. Move them forward a bit more and then they start to perform. I can accept his qualities and can see what he brings to the team, it's just with the way we play he is sometimes detrimental to the cause. I don't think he's to blame per say, I mean after all it's the managers job to recognise things like that and work on them or completely change it (Like AVB and Rafa have done with Romeu) but there are times when he doesn't help himself.

Luiz.

Porto. Like the look of Malaga though, I want them to do well.

Happened so fast I didn't even see who got caught out.

He's not that special, wouldn't be happy if we spent anywhere near that much on him. Better midfielders, or at least just as good, out there for less.

He's forgotten what to do after you score a goal.

Being Portuguese I echo this statement.

I wouldn't mind really, gives us a second chance to go on to another Super Cup final and hopefully win it this time.

Come on now, I know he's getting a bit of stick in this thread but there's absolutely no need for that. No need at all. I would be interested in seeing what wages he's on now.

Azpi yet again.

Could be worse, could be Liverpool.

Nice to see Romeu finally starting games.

No way would I be happy with Bent. There are better strikers aboard for half the price he would command, Negredo and Huntelaar for starts. Even Hooper would be better.

Not sure if people have seen this;

That but I would have Cech instead of Hazard.

I certainly found it a lot easier to understand than when he speaks in scouse.

I fully expect that was the case with the players brought in, however what I don't believe is that it was expense of basic defending. It's more than possible to have both and given time he probably would have got the balance right, though his selections and tactics at times didn't help matters either. Already explained what I meant with the defending, it's not just getting players back it's pressing. If you think we've done that equally as well under Robbie then I will have to ask you what game you are referring to so I can watch it again cause I really don't recall it. Fair enough, I think we all know how you feel about Rafa and it's understandable why you feel that way. And I'm not trying to come across as if i'm saying Rafa is better than Robbie or anything like that, just giving praise when I feel it's due. Could he have been more attacking? Sure, but the reason why I'm not upset is because under the circumstances a draw is a good result for us. You say lesser teams but it's these teams that will be able to exploit City's weaknesses a lot more easier than we can.