What a difference a January makes.

Nemanja Matic looks like the most important buy of the season, the guy looks SOLID. Big, imposing and forward thinking, so happy we have him. Only a couple of months ago we looked so very flaky and lightweight against the likes of Stoke, now with one big fella in the middle we are virtually transformed into a much tougher unit. It was incredible to see Matic deal with Toure last night. I LOVED seeing the pair of them battle it out, Matic got the better of him for most of the game, who else in the league can come anywhere close to dealing with Toure? He takes the piss out of people every week. We have our muscle and it really, really shows.

There's a growing belief and fight in this team. Jose is going about his work, he loves to be perceived as the underdog. He's putting us off to next year, but we are going to stand toe to toe right to the bitter end. Provided we don't get held up against the likes of West Ham again, we can absolutely do this.

Here are the remaining fixtures between the top 3.

Chelsea

Chelsea v Newcastle

West Brom v Chelsea

Chelsea v Everton

Fulham v Chelsea

Chelsea v Tottenham

Aston Villa v Chelsea

Chelsea v Arsenal

Crystal Palace v Chelsea

Chelsea v Stoke

Swansea v Chelsea

Chelsea v Sunderland

Liverpool v Chelsea

Chelsea v Norwich

Cardiff v Chelsea

Arsenal

Liverpool v Arsenal

Arsenal v Man Utd

Arsenal v Sunderland

Stoke v Arsenal

Arsenal v Swansea

Tottenham v Arsenal

Chelsea v Arsenal

Arsenal v Man City

Everton v Arsenal

Arsenal v West Ham

Hull v Arsenal

Arsenal v Newcastle

Arsenal v West Brom

Norwich v Arsenal

City

Norwich v Man City

Man City v Sunderland

Man City v Stoke

Man City v Aston Villa

Hull v Man City

Man City v Fulham

Man Utd v Man City

Arsenal v Man City

Man City v Southampton

Liverpool v Man City

Man City v West Brom

Crystal Palace v Man City

Everton v Man City

Man City v West Ham

Edited February 4, 201412 yr by Zola

Probably our hardest remaining game out of the way so we should be able to make a very strong end to the season hopefully.

Lets just say, thank god we dont have Arsenals run in.

Jose's constant assurances that we're not contenders while he takes pot shots at Arsenal and City is hilarious.  I don't know how he keeps a straight face in his press conferences.  He's just schooling his rivals, heaping all the pressure on them and playing the uppity underdog.  Contrast with say, AVB when he was here.  The pressure he was under to perform was immense, even at Spurs, and any poor result was a sh*tstorm.  You could see him sweating in the conferences and slowly cracking as it all came apart.  Jose however is having a grand old time.  What's more, he always makes himself the centre of attention after a disappointing result with some outrageous or hypocritical remarks so our team isn't under the spotlight.  I just can't believe he's getting away with this all over again.  Thank f**k he's on our side.

 

We seem to have the best run-in.  If we can keep up with City until they play Arsenal, United and Liverpool we'll win the league IMO.  One concern is we'll go the furthest in Europe.  We're the best of the English sides at beating the European giants and City and Arsenal both have tough draws.  The hangovers could cost us if they both go out in the next round while we go through.

If we adopt our high pressing game against Liverpool, I reckon we'll win. Arsenal at home will be a close game but Jose has Wengers number all day long.

 

If we really nail down and beat the teams we're supposed to, we should run it close. 

 

Really need Man United to raise their game too. If they can take points from Arsenal and City, we'll be better off. 

Edited February 4, 201412 yr by JoeyN

City's next six games are quite simple but then the run of four after that should see them drop points

Apart from the Liverpool and Arsenal games, the others should be winnable. Everton is the hardest match after that and they'll be without Lukaku.

Haven't been so happy about a result for a long time. With a prolific striker we're going to be scary next season.

 

Teams are built from the defence and we're firmly going in the right direction. 

What a difference a January makes.

Nemanja Matic looks like the most important buy of the season, the guy looks SOLID. Big, imposing and forward thinking, so happy we have him. Only a couple of months ago we looked so very flaky and lightweight against the likes of Stoke, now with one big fella in the middle we are virtually transformed into a much tougher unit. It was incredible to see Matic deal with Toure last night. I LOVED seeing the pair of them battle it out, Matic got the better of him for most of the game, who else in the league can come anywhere close to dealing with Toure? He takes the piss out of people every week. We have our muscle and it really, really shows.

There's a growing belief and fight in this team. Jose is going about his work, he loves to be perceived as the underdog. He's putting us off to next year, but we are going to stand toe to toe right to the bitter end. Provided we don't get held up against the likes of West Ham again, we can absolutely do this.

Here are the remaining fixtures between the top 3.

Chelsea

Chelsea v Newcastle W

West Brom v Chelsea W

Chelsea v Everton D

Fulham v Chelsea W

Chelsea v Tottenham W

Aston Villa v Chelsea W

Chelsea v Arsenal D

Crystal Palace v Chelsea W

Chelsea v Stoke W

Swansea v Chelsea W

Chelsea v Sunderland W

Liverpool v Chelsea D

Chelsea v Norwich W

Cardiff v Chelsea W

Arsenal

Liverpool v Arsenal L

Arsenal v Man Utd D

Arsenal v Sunderland W

Stoke v Arsenal W

Arsenal v Swansea W

Tottenham v Arsenal D

Chelsea v Arsenal D

Arsenal v Man City L

Everton v Arsenal D

Arsenal v West Ham W

Hull v Arsenal W

Arsenal v Newcastle W

Arsenal v West Brom W

Norwich v Arsenal W

City

Norwich v Man City W

Man City v Sunderland W

Man City v Stoke W

Man City v Aston Villa W

Hull v Man City W

Man City v Fulham W

Man Utd v Man City W

Arsenal v Man City W

Man City v Southampton W

Liverpool v Man City D

Man City v West Brom W

Crystal Palace v Man City W

Everton v Man City D

Man City v West Ham W

city away to liverpool arsenal and everton, plus a manc derby at OT... certainly going to drop some points in there somewhere! we're not out of this at all. arsenal will probably collapse in feb with their monster run of big games including the champs league games vs bayern

One cant dismiss the Champions League as a potential detrimental force in any teams quest for EPL glory...

 

Ars and Manc both have something to prove on the European stage, hence i must believe they are going to go 'all out' to get as far as possible (somewhat knowing top 3/4 is secure...and i say that sheepishly!) That will bring tired legs and potential injuries into play, playing on squads which really don't have the depth to handle that (we noticed that last night with ManC and before with Le Ars!)... 

 

What do we think is more important/realistic, for The Chels this season in terms of silverware (yes i mean that!) I know Jose keeps saying our target is top 4, however we know him well enough by now, his cloak of misdirection doesn't work with us True Blues! ;)

 

Top 4: for sure **the man' a poet**

Champions league: Unrealistic but NOT impossible judging on last nights performance

EPL title!?!? Why the f**k not.... 

 

We focus on domestic performance (whilst maintaining our already validated European pedigree in the CL), let the others worry about the European stage ...

 

Imagine the feeling of seeing JM lifting the EPL trophy THIS year!!! 

 

Warm and fuzzy all over!

 

That said... Seeing last nights games... f**k it! Lets grab the treble and 'build' on that! :D

I think Arsenal will throw the CL away this year to try and win the league. This is the closest they have been in years and i think Wenger will go all out for that. I fully expect them to be well beaten when the next round of the CL starts.

I think Arsenal will throw the CL away this year to try and win the league. This is the closest they have been in years and i think Wenger will go all out for that. I fully expect them to be well beaten when the next round of the CL starts.

 

They're up against Bayern, I don't think they have a say in it.  Wenger will try to outpass Pep.  It's never going to end well. 

I think Arsenal will throw the CL away this year to try and win the league. This is the closest they have been in years and i think Wenger will go all out for that. I fully expect them to be well beaten when the next round of the CL starts.

 

2 legs against Bayern will take its toll on their squad... be it victory or defeat it will impact their domestic performances..

The CL will take its toll on all of us but what I do like is the way we are almost forced to play widely different systems due to available personnel, it could work against us but could also be a big help.

 

We are going to see a lot of Matic in league games well rested after CL nights and the same hopefully with Salah, add that to the amazing (for me) knowledge that we can play a very good pressing game with or without Oscar and that gives us the opportunity to have him fit and raring to go whenever Jose feels like freshening things up.

Then we have Luiz, a player that when Just first pointed out on here that he would be good in our midfield I thought "yeah I can see that, but not in the big games, he's not got the discipline" we know now that he might even be more disciplined in the big games and is a real option there now against anyone.

 

Hopefully Ash will get a few games and Azpi can alternate with Ivan hence keeping all three fresh.

 

It's really only in the main striker department we are a little lacking but Eto'o is linking up well and with Ba and Torres our shots coming from all over the team I think we are looking at an exciting time.

Impossible to say at this stage, particularly at the end of the season when those bottom teams are fighting for their survival they can end up being the hardest games of all, just look at what QPR nearly did to City 2 years ago.

Iv'e been confident all season we would win the league,City and Arsenals remaining fixtures just gives me more confidence.

Here are the remaining fixtures between the top 3.

Chelsea

Chelsea v Newcastle 3- 0 Win

West Brom v Chelsea

Chelsea v Everton

Fulham v Chelsea

Chelsea v Tottenham

Aston Villa v Chelsea

Chelsea v Arsenal

Crystal Palace v Chelsea

Chelsea v Stoke

Swansea v Chelsea

Chelsea v Sunderland

Liverpool v Chelsea

Chelsea v Norwich

Cardiff v Chelsea

Arsenal

Liverpool v Arsenal 5 - 1 Dippers

Arsenal v Man Utd

Arsenal v Sunderland

Stoke v Arsenal

Arsenal v Swansea

Tottenham v Arsenal

Chelsea v Arsenal

Arsenal v Man City

Everton v Arsenal

Arsenal v West Ham

Hull v Arsenal

Arsenal v Newcastle

Arsenal v West Brom

Norwich v Arsenal

City

Norwich v Man City 0-0

Man City v Sunderland

Man City v Stoke

Man City v Aston Villa

Hull v Man City

Man City v Fulham

Man Utd v Man City

Arsenal v Man City

Man City v Southampton

Liverpool v Man City

Man City v West Brom

Crystal Palace v Man City

Everton v Man City

Man City v West Ham

Top of the league, lets keep it up

Current Top 4

1 -- Chelsea --- 25 - 27 - 56

2 -- Arsenal --- 25 - 22 - 55

3 -- Man City -- 25 - 41 - 54

4 -- Liverpool - 25 - 33 - 50

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by Zola

We need to win the title this year... for Torres!

It's the only medal he's missing.

 

I reckon we'll get around 85 - 90 points.

 

Will that be enough? No idea.

Realistically I think we could end on 85 points this season which in the past has been enough to win it.

 

I think it's just going to depend on how many points City drop, we are looking to United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton to get results off of them as they are the home team in all those games.

 

City have been solid at home (with one exception) but have lost 4 away games already and obviously have some big games still to come on the road. 

If we keep improving. We'll win the league. Simple as that

Will be stunned if we win the league without a good striker. When was the last time that happen? Suppose back in 04/05 with Chelsea then...? Even then I wouldn't say our strikers weren't that bad. 

Edited February 10, 201412 yr by MANoWAR

Will be stunned if we win the league without a good striker. When was the last time that happen? Suppose back in 04/05 with Chelsea then...? Even then I wouldn't say our strikers weren't that bad. 

 

Our strikers weren't scoring much, pretty comparable to now.  Arsenal meanwhile had a rampant Henry.  We can do it with our strike force if our defence remains imperious, just like we did then.  If Hazard starts scoring regularly now we're laughing.

We need to win the title this year... for Torres!

It's the only medal he's missing.

 

 

Has he won the League Cup ?