The Chels

We have within our squad the ability to change the defence such that we are capable of playing a more proactive defensive game (as you say: Azpi, Zouma, Terry, Luis) but Jose hasn't suggested that he is interested in making these changes. If he did then we'd be lining up with more mobile defenders who are more compatible with a high-intensity pressing game but ultimately he has shown clear preference to the current defence even though it is very limiting in the big games especially, perhaps because it gives him an excuse to play the reactive, passive football he craves. Sure Barcelona are a team with technically excellent players all-round but you don't need that to play a pressing game successfully as the likes of Leverkusen and Atletico have shown.

Wonder how Mourinho felt about Ivanovic doing the usual losing track of his man for Portugal's first goal. Matic scored an excellent equaliser in an otherwise pretty boring game. Tiago/Moutinho MOTM - both very intelligent and effective midfielders.

It's just the team he wants to see. I think we all know what the actual starting 11 will be.

Well Courtois could in theory but we don't know if he has an answer so it's pointless including him in the discussion. In contrast Luis and Costa actively chose to move here and I would think it's pretty obviously due to money and likelihood of winning trophies. It's easier for us to win the league and domestic cups than it is for Atleti. The fans/atmosphere, country's culture/weather and the manager's trust/playing style would all probably favour Atleti but a combination of money and trophies is very difficult to turn down. Koke is different in the sense that he properly belongs to Atleti having joined the youth academy at 8 years old, and he has other more appealing suitors (i.e. Barca) whereas we were likely the highest rated club in for Luis and Costa. It will definitely be a lot more difficult to buy him and I highly doubt this signing will happen (although I'd love it if it did).

We'd probably have to meet his release clause given that Valencia don't need to sell. I imagine it'd be a very expensive signing, no?

Cahill, Ivanovic and Cesc would likely be dropped but I don't think there'd be too much change in personnel.

I haven't been following him but assume he can't be any worse than the defensive dross we've seen of late! Jose's apparently been interested in him for a while now so it wouldn't be such a surprising signing but doubt he'd want to come just to rot on the bench.

The Guardian recently reported that we might go for Micah Richards in the summer. Not Maicon level but better than Ivanovic (although he'd probably just be signed as a back-up). http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/05/chelsea-micah-richards-free-move-summer-manchester-city

Azpi/Luis can't fix all our defensives woes on their own. Together though, collectively making up half of the defence, that would be a different story.

Half the players are good-great pressers (Azpi/Luis, Willian, Oscar, Costa, Matic) and the other half are average-poor (Terry, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cesc). I don't really know what kind of team Jose is trying to mould but if it is a more proactive and aggressive one, which I think is what a lot of us would like to see, then the latter set of players aren't really compatible especially when there's so many of them in the same region of the pitch. 3-4 of that group are Jose's 'untouchables' though.

So it's acceptable for them to lose to Bilbao because they are a 'really good team' but not to Valencia/Sevilla? Right... Sigh I know you never said the rumours were likely. I asked you to point out where I said they were likely (since that's what you suggested). If you're going to be sarcastic and patronising in your replies then you should probably at least keep up with what's being said.

The quote is meant to show how highly Luis was rated by people who regularly watched and analysed Atletico. Sure there was not much hype around him before last season or even before Atleti had won La Liga but neither was there about the likes of Simeone, Courtois, Godin and Koke. It takes a season like their last for a defender in particular (especially one who isn't the flashiest) to become truly noticed and widely rated when at a club like Atletico. Courtois, Godin, Luis, Costa.

Point me to where I said these rumours were ever likely? I didn't. Please learn to read. Luis showed that he is incredibly calm on the ball and technically very good. His positioning was off at times, there's no doubt but that's something that he never had issues with last season and is therefore likely an adjustment/system issue. We shouldn't talk about things we know nothing about but you're still talking about La Liga... Ok mate Forgotten this genius insight already?

You clearly don't rate Luis very highly but that doesn't mean others don't. Simeone clearly did and so did Real Madrid's assistant head coach: The 'best player' in the team that so nearly won both La Liga and the CL was (according to you) maybe in the 'top 10 or something' of best FBs in the world and is now not even in contention? You say no non-Chelsea fan would put him in that top bracket, well rival staff did and you should read the Atleti forum because they (still) do.

Assuming these incredibly unlikely rumours were to ever come to fruition then Ivanovic would be signed as a decent, experienced (and free) squad option but that's about it. Do you really think the likes of Guardiola and Simeone would make Ivanovic an 'untouchable'? They're not personally infatuated with him the way Jose is so no chance. The truth is that Ivanovic is neither intelligent nor technical nor athletic so he wouldn't fit either of those two managers' philosophies anyway. Oh and I'm interested in hearing your excuse for his first half performance yesterday or that against Southampton or that against PSG (or every game pretty much). Willian's fault for not doing all his defending for him? Damn you Willian!

Haha could you imagine? Mourinho's untouchable and beloved Ivanovic leaving him for Guardiola. That would be hilarious (and very good for our defence too).

I wonder how many players would have survived a first-half like that without being subbed off by Jose.

Pretty boring ties. Atletico/Barca to go all the way.

And if we were actually 6th or 7th then he'd want to "trust the more experienced players now we are chasing a CL position. If we were top of the league then he would be playing for sure."

Fully expect one of the Spanish sides to win the CL again.

The second Sunday in April.

Credit to Leverkusen. They didn't create much in this game but they defended resolutely (especially from set-pieces). For Atleti it's the kind of the luck all CL winners need.

Captain for tonight's game.

Monaco parking the bus?

Yeah I will be. I love how both sides play with such intensity and it was strange to see Atleti get 'out-pressed' in the first leg. An away goal for Leverkusen may just clinch them the tie but I expect Simeone's men to perform a lot better than they have of late and to put up a fight. Whatever the result I am sure it will be a great game to watch.