bhundley

For Liverpool start: Ba Schürrle - MVG - Salah Matic - Mikel Cole - Ake - Iva - Kalas Blackman Give Cole a chance to get back up to speed for Atleti, give rest to most starters. Then field this team against Atleti: Eto'o* Hazard* - Oscar - Willian Luiz - Rami Cole© - Cahill - Iva - Dave Schwarzer * - if match fit

For Liverpool start: Ba Schürrle - MVG - Salah Matic - Mikel Cole - Ake - Iva - Kalas Blackman Give Cole a chance to get back up to speed, give rest to most starters who are eligible for Atleti. Then field this team against Atleti: Eto'o* Hazard* - Oscar - Willian Luiz - Rami Cole© - Cahill - Iva - Dave Schwarzer * - if match fit

Well Dwonder, it appears as if the board agrees with going after Xabi Alonso. "Xabi Alonso's proposed summer move to Chelsea now looks even likelier as the club privately confirmed to ESPN they have concrete interest in the player." Well now that it is looking more and more imminent that Alonso will be coming to Chelsea, Thoughts? Source: http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/205375.html

Can this please catch on haha? lets just permanately call him "Marvin"

It is the only way "Marvin" will see the pitch...he finally got a start and then was shown up by Hazard. Poor little German can't even get his name spelled correctly in the program, let alone frequently start...

If we signed Falcao, I wouldn't be opposed to a 4-2-2-2 every now and then when fitness needed a boost? This would only work if we added another holding mid. It would allow us to rotate the midfield maestros by only playing 2 and resting the other. The old 'magic rectangle' is sketchy at times but it would allow us to occassionally rest. By no means would I want to see this formation game in and game out. Something like this: Cech, Azpi, Iva, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Luiz, Mata, Hazard, Torres, Falcao (Basing this off of if we played a match during the African Cup so we'd be missing a few)

Don't worry, in 10 years I'll be filthy rich and I'll buy the club. And then before each match I'll tell my manager he has to check this forum to decide who starts and who doesnt

I think this will be an interesting match. Benteke has been in good form as of late and I expect to see more of it against our woeful back 4. My only concern would be FSW committing too much to the defence and in his attempt to shut down Benteke and the Villa attack we end up pulling a 0-0 draw...these 3 points are crucial if we are to have ANY chance at catching united. With that said though I'm expecting a positive result for us, 2-1 or 3-2. Will be a huge morale boost should we see them again in the finals of the league cup.

In 10 years time Chelsea will have invested in a new stadium. I forsee 4 managers over the next 10 years. The only things I'd really like to see: GK: Courtious Def: Chalobah(Captain) Mids: The Hazard brothers with Oscar (I REALLY WANT TO SEE THORGAN AND EDEN play on the pitch at the same lol) ST: Lukaku This will be the "Old Guard" and the other positions will be filled with youngsters. *1 SUPER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CUP (Once they do away with Europa League) *4 League Titles *7 Domestic Cups *1 Club World Cup --- *1 FIFA Ballon d'Or Winner

Awh...what happened to Mata?!

Leeds spellcheck took the evening off or it has been so long since he played everyone forgot his name...Marin listed as "Marvin" in the program tonight haha.

That is exactly what he means Omnidroid, NO ONE IS SAYING IT. I haven't seen a single Torres supporter say the words "he is back" on this thread since atleast page like 80 something? Where are all these "imaginary" he is back posts coming from?? Apparently, thanks to the largely aggresive anti-Torres movement, the phrase "he played decent tonight" now means "HE IS BACK"

I can sum up this entire match with two videos in under 30seconds. 1. 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=9V3OFAqaENg&NR=1

I think the question we have to ask ourselves is that if it was Chelsea instead of Man U last weekend during the derby, would Torres have scored a winner like RVP ended up doing against city. Obviously Torres is no FK specialist but its the question, can Torres put away a winner against a team we are competing against for the top spot in the table? He has yet to show that and I'll agree with you on that premise.

So if we are basing his performances off of only playing "good sides", then we will have awhile until we can see the "real" Torres. Corinthians next. Then Leeds. Then Villa. Then Norwich...AND then finally a good Everton side. We should not struggle against any of those squads up until the Everton match. I'll be expecting Torres to start all of them and at this rate I expect him to continue picking up goals as well as confidence. If it carries over into the Everton match it would be a huge boost. No knock on Corinthians of course, they aren't to be taken lightly in a finals match but you would expect us to win. Plus lets not forget that we play QPhaha to start the new year and there is nothing that would make me happier than a Torres hat-trick on them...

-----------------------------------------------------Cech------------------------------------------------ Ivanovic-------------------------Cahill-----------------------Luiz------------------------------Cole ----------------------------------------------Ramires---------Romeu--------------------------------- Moses---------------------------------------------Mata--------------------------------------Hazard -----------------------------------------------------Torres---------------------------------------------- I don't see Rafa changing much after getting that win...he NEEDS a win in the league now.

Torres is not back. Torres will never be "back." BUT, Torres has unfortunately with that performance pulled on Roman's heartstrings enough to make sure Torres stays past January...Everyone says Roman is the puppet master, but in reality we all know it is Torres. On a positive side his movement was a million times better: He made runs, had crisp passes in the final third and had no problem shooting the ball for once. Now we just need him to be that confident when we are playing the likes of city or united...

To be fair we have a better chance at winning Europa than CL again...BUT if we want to turn a profit on our season again the CL is a must for us. EVEN IF we won all of the below competitions, Premier League - £9.7m Capital One - £100,000 Europa - £8.5 m FA Cup - £1.8 m We would still not even make half of what we made for winning the Champions League...AND since Roman is all about the numbers and money, people wonder why he has always fancied winning the Champions League over the league or any English cup...

Our reserves are every much a part of this team as any other player. They are often the future. Whether that future be with us, abroad or even if we train them only to sell them for monetary gain. Reasons why Europa League is still worth winning: 1) We've never won it. 2) Last I checked, winning £8.5 million is better than giving up and exiting the competition early 3) Keeping the Spuds out of the champions league, then dropping down to Europa and blocking them from any chance at that trophy as well? If this doesn't make you all warm and fuzzy inside I don't know what will.

Wores case scenario right now: Pep to Man U Jose to Man City And we are left with...? But then again anything would be better than what we have.

With how we've looked lately, we barely have a chance at qualifying let alone being crowned champions of Europe again...But I think I could rest happy if we qualified and saw Barca next and knocked em out two years in a row. I'd be content with that...or maybe my hatred towards uefalona is just abnormally strong...

By no means am I "throwing" more attacking players onto the field, with the exception of Moses for Oscar there are NO other new faces. Just because I rearrange doesn't mean I'm throwing new players on the field. There is a reason why in my first post I suggested that he take a look at the formation, not so much the squad selection. Mikel and Ramires both are playing similar roles to what they have for the entirety of the season, defensive mids (should you read my last post in which I suggested you view it as more of a 4-2-1-3.) Marin, which I left out on the last post for your convenience, would be out of position as he is more of a winger so I opted to just use Mikel. Mata would play whatever role asked of him in the midfield and succeed at it. Mata has thrived in the middle of our team and I was not about to suggest throw him out on the wing when Hazard & Moses are more than capable of accomplishing those roles. This formation allows the ball to flow either down the wings with pace or through the middle with Mata, who is the life and blood of this team this year. Although I do agree fully with you on how little Marin has played and how his existance is rather questionable until as of late. Poor fella.

I fail to see how this is a difficult concept to grasp, ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK. If it helps you grasp the concept...think of it more as a 4-2-1-3. Torres leading the attack Hazard on the LW Moses on the RW Mata CM (more of a distribution role sitting slightly behind the front 3) Ramires LM (defensive role) Mikel RM (defensive role) Cole LB Luiz CB Cahill CB Azpi RB Is that easier for you to read? Obviously the "/" between Marin & Mikel means EITHER could start. Not both. Last I checked you can't start 12 men....but hey what do I know..

If Rafa actually is attemtping to change the look of the team...perhaps he will take a look at our formation. I'd like to see us running an offensive 4-3-3 against Nords honestly. It is time for our boys to start banging in the goals again. Hazard - Torres - Moses Ramires - Mata - Marin/Mikel Cole - Cahill - Luiz - Azpi Cech

Is it January yet...