7 hours ago, Ernie_blue said:

I only mentioned about this weekend because that's where the quote came from. I have been reminded quite a lot about what Mourinho has said and how everything is jibe in the Mourinho thread  I do agree something's are jibes but it goes abit far when some people who think everything that comes out of his mouth is a jibe, even things which are true. It's people perceptions really and even if Mourinho said only positives they would still find negatives so the man can't win. This isn't me defending me but me just giving a different perspective. Like I said I didn't really understand the different kind of football comment.

I'm not being negative by saying Mourinho is 100% right by saying Chelsea are very good defensively. I do feel Chelsea have the best defence in the country, after the start Conte has done a great job working with them. Do I feel Chelsea are an attacking team who play brilliant football, that's a no. Doesn't make me negative. When Mourinho was manager specially in his first spell I loved how strong, ruthless, machine like his team was. People in football recognise it's a football art just as much as playing the Wenger way and getting all the plaudits. Opposition fans find a fault it in but the simple answer is put your trophies on the table. I also love how Contes team does the same, it's an art and there's nothing wrong in being a defensively great counter attacking team. Mourinho is jealous because he loves his teams set up just like that, next season I do feel there be a very dangerous side though.

I definitely respect your opinion. Sorry for calling you a mourinho fan boy.. guess you are not. I understand the different football comment just as i understand all his sideways jibes to chelsea. He means we want attacking football which he claims his man u play even though all they do is draw matches. I know we are not an all out attacking team like spurs. But we are defintely more attracting and enjoyable to watch than MOURINHO 2.0, I also prefer Contes aura. We have no contoversies like the eva caniero case. And we are gracious in defeat , just go back and see Contes postmatch quotes after the liverpool and Arsenal losses. I guess i am in the wrong thread.. gotta find the mourinho thread 

17 minutes ago, Don Conte said:

I definitely respect your opinion. Sorry for calling you a mourinho fan boy.. guess you are not. I understand the different football comment just as i understand all his sideways jibes to chelsea. He means we want attacking football which he claims his man u play even though all they do is draw matches. I know we are not an all out attacking team like spurs. But we are defintely more attracting and enjoyable to watch than MOURINHO 2.0, I also prefer Contes aura. We have no contoversies like the eva caniero case. And we are gracious in defeat , just go back and see Contes postmatch quotes after the liverpool and Arsenal losses. I guess i am in the wrong thread.. gotta find the mourinho thread 

Thanks for apologising, i don't mean to be so forthright with my opinion but when the word c*** is used in general and not just against Mourinho I call people out for it, in the Mourinho thread it's been the common theme for about 2 months now lol. I normally get called an a** licker 

What happened with Eva was so cringe worthy. Being on the other side now I find all what Mourinho says boring, over 10 years of the same stuff I actually don't think has much effect in football anymore. I understand he is sometimes trying to take the pressure off his players but when I see interviews I just think same old Mourinho. I know what your saying about Conte, I think we all enjoy that and it deffiantly makes a nice change.

Regarding parking the bus all I meant was he only really did that in the big games against the big teams and it normally worked. I did think his team played well the first half of the title winning season on his return.

Moving on from all that he will deffiantly set up defensive tonight lol. Utd will be trying to get as many set pieces as possible. 

1 hour ago, undertow said:

Look who's back with the hate infused rant. Did you forget to take your happy pills this morning? You really should calm down, I fear for your health, mental and otherwise.

Loool hate infused rant? Where? All im doing is warning a fellow poster of guess what?......a hate infused rant. 

Im very happy by the way, are you?  I can imagine your mouth frothing and eager to reply witb some 'hate infused rant' the moment you read one of my posts. Worry about your own mental health mate, thats clearly more important right now.

4 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

Thanks for apologising, i don't mean to be so forthright with my opinion but when the word c*** is used in general and not just against Mourinho I call people out for it, in the Mourinho thread it's been the common theme for about 2 months now lol. I normally get called an a** licker 

What happened with Eva was so cringe worthy. Being on the other side now I find all what Mourinho says boring, over 10 years of the same stuff I actually don't think has much effect in football anymore. I understand he is sometimes trying to take the pressure off his players but when I see interviews I just think same old Mourinho. I know what your saying about Conte, I think we all enjoy that and it deffiantly makes a nice change.

Regarding parking the bus all I meant was he only really did that in the big games against the big teams and it normally worked. I did think his team played well the first half of the title winning season on his return.

Moving on from all that he will deffiantly set up defensive tonight lol. Utd will be trying to get as many set pieces as possible. 

You are def right .. i enjoyed the first half off the title winning season but once spurs beat us 5-3 we went back to a negative team . i didnt like it but at that point all i cud think about was the title so i let it slide. It is funny how jose has his strikers claim they have injuries so he can park the bus.I am sure one of the strikers will be on the bench. I have no problem with them parking the bus. we will eventually break that bus.

We might see Mick-teer-ian up front tonight, since Rashford, Rooney and Martial are all out. Or perhaps Fellaini hoof-ball tactics.

Its going to be an unpredictable match! We must be prepared. 

On 3/10/2017 at 17:41, PloKoon13 said:

That Bayern side included Boateng, Lahm, Thiago Alcantara, Renato Sanches, Douglas Costa, Ribéry and Lewandowski. Hummels and Muller also came off the bench. It's not as if they played their under-18 side...

Rostov are not just some clueless backwater hicks who qualified for Europe by virtue of being the best of a bad bunch; they are a competent and resilient side, especially at home.

Ulreich, Bernat, Badstuber, Rafinha, D. Costa and Renato Sanches aren't first teamers though. If we made 6 changes to a starting 11 we'd struggle against teams, hence why our starting 11 has barely changed throughout the season. Utd went with a full strength team worth 100's of millions of pounds against a team that would struggle to be worth £10m. Regardless of how you look at it Utd should be winning that.

13 minutes ago, Don Conte said:

You are def right .. i enjoyed the first half off the title winning season but once spurs beat us 5-3 we went back to a negative team . i didnt like it but at that point all i cud think about was the title so i let it slide. It is funny how jose has his strikers claim they have injuries so he can park the bus.I am sure one of the strikers will be on the bench. I have no problem with them parking the bus. we will eventually break that bus.

When I first read the news I questioned how bad the injuries was but then I did think Rashford and Rooney would be desperate to play. I would of started Rooney myself because he puts in a guaranteed shift, has drive and still has the ability. He would probably do a better job than Pogba in midfield.

Mourinho does love an excuse and i think it's more for his own self satisfaction, most managers are the same though specially Wenger. Well we had injuries so it's not too bad, like when they lost to Hull I think and he wouldn't accept it. I know for sure if Utd win then Mourinho will be the first to mention injuries and if they lose he will mention injuries. How does it normally go "we had 4 strikers out today but I'm not one for talking about missing players" lol. Even I know what Mourinho is like 

My actual biggest problem with Mourinho was not giving enough players a chance. I can't remember a Moses situation under Mourinho but overall this season Moses has been class and that's down to Conte.

I really hope we get Arsenal in the semis, I hate them and I want them to remember what playing a class team feels like again. Watching Arsenal fan tv and seeing them all say I hope we get Millwall, they are desperate.

15 hours ago, Ernie_blue said:

Tbh the trophy could be the fa cup or league Cup at this stage of the season and all three teams would of of put there best teams out. All 3 managers are desperate for a trophy, Arsenal needed the confidence boost and it's the only trophy I feel any of those clubs can realistically win now. I don't think that means the fa cup is a big competition but more the status of those clubs.

The FA cup lost its prestigue a long time ago. It's a back up competition for the league and champions league now. It's like the league Cup where it's great if you win it but slag it off when you don't. 

It is the 3rd most important trophy after the Champs League and Premiership. It has always been that way. 

However the prestige of winning the double has not changed. Title winners get forgotten quite easily but a double winning team is memorable. 

My only point is we should not sacrifice the FA Cup in order to cement the league. If we were 1 or 2 points clear I could understand the argument. However even then I contend that a team going deep in the FA Cup encourages a winning mindset. There are a few teams this year that have thrown away the FA Cup (Liverpool, Leicester) and then seen their league form suffer. 
 

7 hours ago, didierforever said:

Those 3 are desperate for a trophy. We are not.

Replacing Zouma with azpi and GC with ake is a matter of disrespect? I am sorry if that is the case then i find our lack of depth and quality as more disgraceful. Seriously a front 3 of hazard, costa and willian is disrespectful? Azpi and alonso as WBs. zouma, JT, ake as CBs? I find the over-reaction to be quite funny honestly.

I agree that it isnt disrespectful but your entire mindset is crazy. 

No we aren't desperate to win the FA Cup. But if Man City come 2nd, win the FA Cup and get to the Semis of the Champs League, Man United come 4th and win the Europa League + League Cup. Then can we really proclaim we are the best team in England so confidently? With United looking so weak tonight we need to capitalise. Changing things up and then losing ? That would be a travesty. 

I would rather we rotate a bit for the league game this weekend - have Ake play instead of Cahill for example. Then Zouma have a game the week after. Willian start maybe at some stage. But not tonight, not against United. 

Edited March 13, 20179 yr by benjsross

Score early and it could be a cake walk but the longer it goes and we are not ahead the more frustrating it will be.

Jose has no choice but to sit back and soak us up, he will play to frustrate as we saw so many times when we were up against it.

This will be close I think.

Redcafe

feck off Chelsea, for once they get a tough draw and we have all our CFs out injured  :

 

-----------------------------------

 

Tough draw ? We stuffed them 4-0 already with all their CFs available.

I'd expect some of their 'injured' players to be fine and start the game. 

How can they get anything from this game ?

 

Jose knows their best chance of scoring is from dead balls. Probably involving Fellanni and Pobga targeting Dave at the back post, like Spuds did. It's the only slight weakness we have shown all season, so you can expect Jose to try and concentrate on that.

They will need to frustrate the Chelsea players by keeping it tight and compressed. The trouble for them is that Hazard and Pedro are so dammed hot to mark that they can turn your whole defence on one pivot. So i expect Jose to try and get his team to stop this happening by getting tight and if needed bringing them down.

In short i expect a bit of a dirty and frustrating match, 2-0 to us.

6 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I'd expect some of their 'injured' players to be fine and start the game. 

I don't think they have been included in the squad to travel.

 

Edited March 13, 20179 yr by Chelsbear

Will be there tonight and will take any sort of victory but ideally I would love us to humiliate them.

 

Come On The Chels!!!

 

6 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I'd expect some of their 'injured' players to be fine and start the game. 

Not if they have totally given up on fourth and are putting everything into Europe. Which does make a lot of sense.

------------------Tibo-------------

----------Azpi-----Cahill-------Luiz------

Moses-------------------------------------Alonso

--------------Cesc-------Kante-------------

Pedro--------------Costa---------------Hazard

 

Only change from that I can see is Matic in for Cesc but I think with Cesc we could really hurt them but then with the physicality of Fellaini then maybe we will go with Matic.

44 minutes ago, benjsross said:

It is the 3rd most important trophy after the Champs League and Premiership. It has always been that way. 

However the prestige of winning the double has not changed. Title winners get forgotten quite easily but a double winning team is memorable. 

My only point is we should not sacrifice the FA Cup in order to cement the league. If we were 1 or 2 points clear I could understand the argument. However even then I contend that a team going deep in the FA Cup encourages a winning mindset. There are a few teams this year that have thrown away the FA Cup (Liverpool, Leicester) and then seen their league form suffer. 
 

I fully agree, the position Chelsea have awarded themselves they can easily put there best team out tonight and I don't see any reason not too. There in the quarters and can easily win the FA cup. If the league was closer between 2 or 3 teams there probably would of been more changes this weekend but it just happens to be the other top clubs only chance of a trophy.

One thing that has really bothered me about the fa cup is the semis being at Wembley. Playing at Wembley should be a privilege in itself and a reward for any club who has worked hard to get to the final. I like the two leg semis in the league cup and playing at a neutral ground in the fa cup semis is brilliant. That's the FA for you though, got half a brain cell and just think about the money.

12 hours ago, Don Conte said:

“I think Jose Mourinho wrote a good part of the history of Chelsea,” he said. “He won a lot with the players. He did a great job here in Chelsea. It’s important, always, not to forget this.

“I have great respect for him because he’s a winner. I like his mentality. He has a winning mentality. For sure, he’s one of the best in the world and, here, he did a great job. I think every single fan must respect him.

I guess i have to tone down my jose rhetoric since the GREAT ANTONIO says soo..... BUT   WHY DID YOU HAVE TO JOIN MAN U of all teams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Antonio is a classy guy and will never ever engage in public spats with that man. 

0-0. Mourinho to try and take this to penalties. 

5 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

0-0. Mourinho to try and take this to penalties. 

exactly what i have been thinking, except i thought for a replay, forgot there was not one !!

I think we'll win 2-0 now that they have there striker issue. They'll play Fellaini upfront and punt long balls. I reckon we'll lead 1-0 for a while then we'll grab a second late on.

We will win by atleast two Goals

40 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

I fully agree, the position Chelsea have awarded themselves they can easily put there best team out tonight and I don't see any reason not too. There in the quarters and can easily win the FA cup. If the league was closer between 2 or 3 teams there probably would of been more changes this weekend but it just happens to be the other top clubs only chance of a trophy.

One thing that has really bothered me about the fa cup is the semis being at Wembley. Playing at Wembley should be a privilege in itself and a reward for any club who has worked hard to get to the final. I like the two leg semis in the league cup and playing at a neutral ground in the fa cup semis is brilliant. That's the FA for you though, got half a brain cell and just think about the money.

Hopefully with Wembley being used for the next 3-4 years by Tottenham + Chelsea we will see the Semis go back to neutral grounds. I doubt that will be the case though. 

You just know that now Man U have no strikers they will park 11 men plus the bus and the driver.