The Chels

Costa and Ivanovic should both be dropped but they won't be. They are Jose's untouchables.

This is the type of game where we need someone to carry us like Aguero/Toure regularly do with City. Hazard and Costa were both piss poor. 36-year-old Drogba, though, tried his best and we could well have equalised. Too bad Ivanovic thinks taking pot shots is a better idea than playing in Schurrle who is in so much bloody space.

Oscar goes off. As if we weren't defensively unstable enough.

Another goal conceded from Ivanovic's side. Sigh.

He looked ok defensively to me but I do think it'd be better if he played higher up in games like this.

Cesc has been better than any of the AMs.

Hmm that's the thing though. In these types of games the longer we go on without scoring, the more risks Jose takes, the more confident the opposition become and the more likely we are to lose points. Really hoping for an early goal in the second half.

Mikel has been fine. More stable than Matic in this type of game who tends to leave big gaps by pressing so high.

Our counter attacking has been so poor.

I'll agree on the first part. Though I'm not sure how you can't see the correlation.

Speaks VOLUMES calm down. And how have you drawn the conclusion that not being confident for Newcastle away leads to complaining about the colour of the kit? You certainly do like to be dramatic.

What's more alarming is your comprehension skills (or lack thereof). Firstly away to a smaller side does not mean Leicester, QPR, West Brom, etc. at home. Secondly smallER side does not mean small. It's relative. And Sunderland hardly parked the bus. They defended resolutely and had enough good chances on the break to win it. Parking the bus is what we did against City. Anyway it's hard to be optimistic when we failed one of our first real tests away to a smaller side. Burnley are exceptionally poor and we were perhaps rather fortunate with the way the Palace game played out. If we win tomorrow I'll be a lot more positive but I'd be lying if I said I'm confident for tomorrow's game.

City's tactics and gameplan in the Sunderland game were much better than ours, although they did have the benefit of watching our mistakes. If we manage to (convincingly) beat Newcastle tomorrow then my fears will be allayed but otherwise I expect we will drop a lot of points away to the smaller sides again.

It's easier for Jose to say Sunderland played the game of their lives against us than it is to accept the truth City know how to play against parked buses a lot better than we do.

Ah right. Please refer me to my aggressive, rude and holier-than-thou 'How long have you been a Chelsea fan?' post.

Thanks for the mature and sensible debate. Ta-ta.

why are you getting so defensive? I've only been a fan for a couple of days so I don't know Lampard's history at the club. Did he score goals or something? Please forgive me and the rest of the fans who don't love Lampard so much anymore.

You're 1-0 up to 10 men and concede. If that's not dropping points then I don't know what is. And it's simply your opinion that his reputation hasn't been tainted. For many fans it has - we'll see if the Chelsea supporters are singing Lampard's name if he scores the winner at the Bridge and what Jose's 'eyes' are like then.

Oh I didn't think Chelstransfer just rehashed old quotes but you're right, fair enough. How exactly does showing the original source help your point though?

Haha well that's a very literal interpretation.

That's from September mate. The quote I linked is from a recent press conference.

There's a difference between being pissed that he left Chelsea (nobody is) and being pissed that he joined City (plenty of people). You do realise he's helping them mount a serious title challenge (including by taking points off us)? I don't think it will matter too much in the end if we win the league but if City do then it will be partly down to Lampard. And what Chelsea fan/employee would be happy with that? Not Jose, that's for sure.

Wouldn't expect anything less. I think we (Chelsea) will have to win the league ourselves with a high points tally than just rely on our rivals (basically just City) slipping up like they did with their 2 titles. Still hopeful you can get something from the away fixture against them though!

You really think there are no bitter feelings towards Lampard? Jose is a very emotional person and if Frank helps City to the title, I doubt his relationship with the club or Mourinho will ever be the same.

I hate every game away to a smaller side Newcastle, Stoke, Villa, West Ham, etc. Will all be very difficult games.