axman2526

We are in a strong position against Basel, not finished but strong, no reason to rest people here.

The Spurs result is a massive bonus. Win here and we go 3 points ahead of them with 4 games left, including the match against them at the bridge. A draw there would mean that we could afford to lose one of the other 3 games (United and Villa away, Everton at home) so long as we won the other 2 our superior goal difference would keep us above them. Of course should we beat Spurs then we would only need 1 win from the above 3 games. So once again winning this game is of massive importance.

Well if it ends up being true and we decided to sell to Dortmund then that is really disappointing. Also means an end to the Schurrle deal as well given Voller is quoted as saying that unless KdB goes to them on at least a years loan they will not sell to us.

Ahh a new background option for the forum main page.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/8671062/Manchester-United-boss-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-will-rotate-squad-against-Arsenal Oh dear is Fergie going to play a weakened side and help out his old buddy Arsene? Well I never...

It could be that but I do not think so, as we were said to be chasing him after getting Hazard and long since knowing we were in the CL last season. Honestly think the sticking point is around KdB. I can see why Bayer would fight hard to get him, he is a talented young player. But I can see why he would rather be at Dortmund and, tbh, if he is not going to be with us and Dortmund will give him the role Gortze left open, then I would rather loan him there he would come back a better player. And if Schurrle really wants to join us then he will not go to another side and Bayer will have to sell to us in the end.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/8670710/Falcao-backed-for-Chelsea-move Might all be be BS but the bookies seem worried... We can but hope Jose is pulling the strings already, and given Falcao has spent his recent seasons in the Europa, I doubt if we end up in it again next season that would put him off wanting to team with Hazard, Mata et al.

Credit where credit is due, he did get it right. And he very much looked up for it on the touchline. Lets see if both apply on Sunday.

Yup just as Sturridge should have been off and not assisted the should of been off Saurez so should Luiz not have been able to score our free kick. What goes around I guess, though Basel's pen was never a pen so again...

Hopefully the first leg result against Basel means Rafa will rotate against them rather than Swansea and United...we can but hope. For this game I would like to see: Cech Brana, Cahill, JT, Cole Ramires, Luiz (can replace both with Mikel and Lampard against Basel to avoid them getting second yellows) Hazard, Mata, Moses Ba

Cannot say I saw Yossi come on in this game...

Second half mainly a crap performance until Basel scored their pen, panicked and we decided to play a bit. Nice to be on the end of the last minute goal rather than going against us! How the heck are we not already in the final though? I know Basel hit the post and had that chance that Strellar messed up but aside from that nothing, big Pete had such little to do. But our finish, what garbage. What a joke decision the pen was...again. Ref was doing a good job till he decided to give the home side a gimmie. Torres hitting the post when in a great position, Oscar missing the goal completely when just outside the 6 yard box and JT hitting the keeper when he had the open goal right in front of his face from inside the 6 yard box. Add that with the first half chances and we should, at worst, be going to the bridge with a 2-4 lead if not more. Frustrating to watch but great to see a win!

First half thoughts of the first game I have caught live in a long, long time. Seems like we are under instruction to let Basel have as much of the ball as they want until around 10 yards of our penalty area, then try to counter them. So far it is working as Basel have not produced any clear cut chances and have come closest through lucky deflections that nearly fell their way. Had we been more clinical we could be 3 up by now. Had Ramires made better contact on his chance, had Torres done better having dummied on to his left peg and had Hazard not missed his sitter right at the end of the half. I guess could be 4 then lol. Keep at it though and be more clinical and we can take a decent score back to the Bridge.

Good start

Rumors have it the deal may have gone cold for a few reasons. One is around the future of KdB, some rumors say we would rather have him in our squad next year, others that he does not want to go to Bayern on loan when Dortmund are in the frame. Another is that Dortmund now want Schurrle to replace Gortze.

I agree with you but just saying what the general thinking otherwise is to it and why.

Not to worry, if Basel do not beat us either Benfica or Fener will, had enough trophies in the bag this season messed up by Rafa already.

As has been pointed out why would he want to leave? Who would play him what he is getting paid AND provided him a city like London to play in? Hopefully Roman forces him out.

The refs have an agenda against us since Clattenburg gate, we knew it was coming and will suffer for a long time because of it. Part of the reason I see no top 4 for us. If we do not screw ourselves out of it the refs will do it for us, like Sunday.

Great job by the FA again...so what are they saying? Saurez SHOULD have been sent off at the weekend and ref just HAPPENED to miss it along with both his Linesmen...I mean ASSISTANTS? Been a lot of that bad vision since the Clattenburg incident where Chelsea matches are concerned. Seems like the FA and the refs getting their pie and eating it, screwing us out of 2 points and once again Hammering Suarez harder than others have been hit. Want to send a right message FA? Retrospective red card Suarez. He is not on the pitch to make it 2-2 so the game ends 1-2 and apply the standard 3 match ban that comes with a violent conduct dismissal rather than this 10 game bollocks. After all that is what should have happened had the ref done his job, his professional paid job, properly right? But why would you do that when you can screw Chelsea and Liverpool at the same time and help out Arsenal and Spurs.

Moreover am more interested in who we keep. Cech/New experience backup GK (preferably home grown rule applicable)/Blackman Azpi/Wallace, Luiz/Cahill, JT/A new CB, Cole/Bertrand. Ramires/Oscar/Chalobah/KdB/New DM (maybe Fellaini) Moses/Hazard/Mata/Oscar/Schurrle New CF/Lukaku/Schurrle I would keep Lamps if I had the choice but that seems unlikely now. Squad would be 22 in size, so options to add to it for the right quality player. It gives us 4 players I believe would quality for our club trained rules (JT, Bertrand, Chalobah and Blackman) and well as 4 players trained in the UK (New back up GK, Cahill, Cole and Moses) so hopefully meets those rules. Anyone missing from that list I would see loaned out (such as Courtois, Josh etc) or sold. May seem a bit harsh in some cases, such as with Essien, Mikel and Brana, but would like to see some youth get a chance to come through while giving us more options than we seem to have this season, as well as freshening up the squad.

Think most see it as screwing over Rafa since he is screwing over us. Should he fail to win this his reputation is firmly in the toliet. League cup in the bag? No screwed up against Swansea. World Club Cup in the bag? Nope screwed up against Corinthians. FA cup on course to be retained? Nope inept first 60 mins against a City side torn apart by Spurs a week later. Top 4 in the bag? Nope took us from a comfortable second to? Europa League???? Negative end to the last two and Rafa has a hard time talking anyone other than Liverpool fans in to giving him another job.

Bang on right. No one to blame but ourselves for where we are now. Roman from to the top down.

Thinking about it more it all adds up to Rafa focusing on the Europa. Resting Hazard, a key player for us at the mo with Mata's loss of form, trying to keep Torres form going rather than leaving him out and risk knocking the small rhythm he has found etc. Europa League winner looks good on Rafas CV, top 4 does not really make a difference to him, just a bonus it screws us over for next year if we fail to make it.

Nothing. They did not like us so much before, but after the Clattenberg flareup it is even worse and they will punish us some time for it too imo.