I don't agree with Terry being twice the player Cahill is. He's certainly a bigger influence on the park and the way he reads the game is unmatched, but I think you're doing Cahill a disservice saying he's that far behind JT.

The reality is, whether it be this season or not, Terry is likely to be phased out of the team. Much like Cech, who I still think is a superior goalkeeper to Courtois, there comes a point where it makes sense to give the younger players the opportunity and the responsibility.

Cahill is likely to be at the club for more seasons to come than JT. He won't grow into the role we'll need him to fill if he's being the man sacrificed.

Unpopular opinion, maybe, but that's how I see it. And if JT is on the bench on Sunday, I suspect that this may be part of Jose's logic.

Terry was by far the best centre half in the toughest league to be a defender in Europe last season. To say Cahill is even close to the level of JT is deluded, as is comparing it to the Courtois/Cech situation. Courtois is world class; as much as I like Cahill, he is not even close to world class. Sentiment completely aside, John Terry should be the first name on Sunday's teamsheet. f**k phasing him out; we need our best players now, and JT undoubtedly is that.

Cahill is likely to be at the club for more seasons to come than JT. He won't grow into the role we'll need him to fill if he's being the man sacrificed.

 

May sound harsh but I don't think Cahill will go on until 34 like JT has (i'd be surprised if he's still in the starting XI at 31). That's why I think we're making such a big deal about signing Stones (could be wrong of course).

Edited August 21, 201510 yr by the special one

We will be wearing our black kit Sunday

lol could be black armbands by the end of the match

holly sh*t, this is at WBA? I thought the match was at the Bridge. WTF? The Hawthorns are death grounds for CFC. If a gaffer loses a match, he get sacks on the Monday. Wasn't AVB the last CFC gaffer to win @ The Hawthorns?

Edited August 21, 201510 yr by robdog

lol could be black armbands by the end of the match

Lol hope not

holly sh*t, this is at WBA? I thought the match was at the Bridge. WTF? The Hawthorns are death grounds for CFC. If a gaffer loses a match, he get sacks on the Monday. Wasn't AVB the last CFC gaffer to win @ The Hawthorns?

Ancelotti.

Ancelotti.

 

ugh!!!! We are cursed in that damn ground

ugh!!!! We are cursed in that damn ground

Time to break the curse then. 

Time to break the curse then.

That's the thing, nothing lasts forever...even a hoodoo like that.

That's the thing, nothing lasts forever...even a hoodoo like that.

Let's sure hope so. That ground is the the CFC gaffer graveyard. How many CFC gaffers got the sack after losing there?

Let's sure hope so. That ground is the the CFC gaffer graveyard. How many CFC gaffers got the sack after losing there?

José ain't just some gaffer. He's the chosen one! He's a different type of gravy.

Edited August 22, 201510 yr by MissouriBlue

They are a different class right now, you're right, but the best attacking players in the world, Messi and Ronaldo, then in the bracket below, Suarez, Aguero, Robben, Hazard, Costa, Bale, Reus, Falcao (on form), Naymar then third bracket people like Silva, Sanchez, Greizman, Pedro, I don't rate naymar as better than anyone in that second bracket, their stand out is Messi

 

No offense but have you watched any of these players play this and last season?

Pedro and Baba starts highly unlikely. I suspect Pedro will probably come off the bench regardless of whether we are in trouble or on top of the game.

I'd be a big fan of playing with Zouma at the back and Mikel beside Matic. This should allow Fabregas a bit more freedom and limit the damage on the counter attack. As I've said in another thread I think his mobility and fitness are worse than ever and therefore I think Mikel in beside Matic would make sense.

I think so too. Mikel and Matic would be more suited to controlling the game which WBA are likely to let us have. Same for Cesc, even if Oscar wasnt injured Id rather see him as the 10 in this type of game. Hopefully Moses starts on the wing as well

No offense but have you watched any of these players play this and last season?

Yes

Hmmm. Personally if we had fewer injuries I'd bench Cesc as he's been awful. I'd rather bring Zouma into CM than Mikel. Mikel doesn't control or calm anything these days, because it's not 2009.

Also this will be an ugly 1-0 either way. Can't remember the last time we played good football without Oscar.

Edited August 22, 201510 yr by Nichollz

Hmmm. Personally if we had fewer injuries I'd bench Cesc as he's been awful. I'd rather bring Zouma into CM than Mikel. Mikel doesn't control or calm anything these days, because it's not 2009.

Also this will be an ugly 1-0 either way. Can't remember the last time we played good football without Oscar.

Can Zouma control or calm anything just like he did against Man City?

Jose named 7 underperforming players and i would expect them all to start. I think we will see Pedro at some stage and depending on how the game goes we might try Costa and Falcao as a striking partnership.

Cant wait.

Jose Mourinho has given further explanation as to why he thinks training this week has been better than ever.

In his pre-match press conference yesterday, the manager told reporters he and his players were determined to improve on recent results and, aided by a sense of calm, that had led to an excellent week’s work on our Cobham training pitches.

Mourinho has expanded on one area in particular that has been addressed, and why that might help make his team more unpredictable, an asset he prioritised in pre-season.

‘We are working on different formations,’ he said. ‘It’s something we need to have as an alternative.

‘When you have strikers like we have, why not play with two strikers. When you have fast people likeZouma and Azpilicueta, why not play with three defenders. Now we have some time to do that because we have one week [between games] to work.

‘It doesn’t mean we cannot start from the base, and the base was what we did last season in terms of philosophy and model of play. To have other alternatives is also important.’

Looking in closer detail at what methods he employed to get the best out of his squad in training this week, one bolstered by the additions of Baba Rahman and Pedro, Mourinho stressed the significance of work done on and off the field of play.

‘What can we do better? What we have been trying to do this week: watching more videos, trying to find better training exercises, being more active in training, and looking for the adequate feedback at the right moment.

‘Even I go to the gym every day to get fitter - maybe I need to have more action on the touchlines and I need to be fitter!’

Jose Mourinho has given further explanation as to why he thinks training this week has been better than ever.

In his pre-match press conference yesterday, the manager told reporters he and his players were determined to improve on recent results and, aided by a sense of calm, that had led to an excellent week’s work on our Cobham training pitches.

Mourinho has expanded on one area in particular that has been addressed, and why that might help make his team more unpredictable, an asset he prioritised in pre-season.

‘We are working on different formations,’ he said. ‘It’s something we need to have as an alternative.

‘When you have strikers like we have, why not play with two strikers. When you have fast people likeZouma and Azpilicueta, why not play with three defenders. Now we have some time to do that because we have one week [between games] to work.

‘It doesn’t mean we cannot start from the base, and the base was what we did last season in terms of philosophy and model of play. To have other alternatives is also important.’

Looking in closer detail at what methods he employed to get the best out of his squad in training this week, one bolstered by the additions of Baba Rahman and Pedro, Mourinho stressed the significance of work done on and off the field of play.

‘What can we do better? What we have been trying to do this week: watching more videos, trying to find better training exercises, being more active in training, and looking for the adequate feedback at the right moment.

‘Even I go to the gym every day to get fitter - maybe I need to have more action on the touchlines and I need to be fitter!’

Looks like Jose is planning to adopt Van Gaal's 3-5-2 formation. I will love it but its unfortunate we dont have a left winger that can thrive in that formation like G Bale. Plus our best player Hazard cant fit into that formation due to his reluctance to drop back to defend

Edited August 22, 201510 yr by wallosh

3 at the back? 

Jose in the gym

Changing formation because we lost 2 games makes a compete mockery of pre season really. Seems to me that it's all a bit of over reaction again from our club. You can't change a formation that is tried and tested coz we took a bashing at city and got a draw at home on the opening day. Look at when van gaal changed uniteds formation that they had used for years!!! We've played 180 minutes of football and got 1 point. It's obviously not good but according to people on here we have to drop most of the defence (the same defence that won the lge easily last year) and completely change our formation!! It's madness!!!

Why? Jose is the best at adapting to situation so a formation change is a simple thing to do. He is not changing it for good but to open wba defence if needed.