ChelseasMessiah

.That's great news. Who else?

That's what I think as well. Liverpool will be back in 10th once he goes.

He's the best player in the league really, as he was last season. He'll be gone in the summer for Spain.

I'd give him a game tomorrow. He did well recently.

Match facts: Cahill failed to make a tackled over 90 minutes against Stoke. That's no surprise really, how can one tackle whilst running backwards & ball watching?

The only reason Lampard wasn't behind him was because he was getting benched. We played 4-3-3 in one half of that West Ham game.

I meant Imbula, sorry. It's everything to do with ego, see how be reacted to being benched by Villas Boas. My problem isn't with Lampard himself, all top players are somewhat selfish, look at Ibrah for example. My problem is he should be nowhere near the pivot, and the starting 11. Of course he's going to want to play every minute, that is not gonna change even at 45 let alone 36. My problem is Mourinho making concessions that are hurting our performances so he can unfurl a red carpet for Lampard to play on every week, regardless of his inability to perform that pivot role and form. I go back to my original point, he pulled the plug on that top class signing for Lampard, and we're paying for it.

Well, ask Villas Boas, Benitez, Di Matteo... Here is what Lampard said after our game against the Hammers: "If I can keep contributing here... I don't want to be a passenger, sitting on the bench and not doing much, even in my older years. So, as I said, I will take it year by year." Now, doesn't that quote explain why Mourinho, who I repeat told journalists in the summer he wanted Lampard in the team every week, did not sign a top player to play alongside Ramires? How would that work with Lampard, who said it himself he's not here to be on the bench "not doing much", if we had a player who, unlike Frank, fit the position like a Mangala, Pogba, Witsel, etc?

Exactly. Let us use a bit of logic here. We had 18 million to spend on Andre, 32 million to spend on Willian but not enough money to buy a top class CM/DM? We're in the Champions League and competing for every trophy, most - if not all - players would love to play for us, why do you think we didn't bring any player for that position given how scarce our talent pool is in there? It might have a little something to do with the return of Mourinho and his ideology of giving Lampard that one year extension, and telling journalists during the summer that Lampard was gonna be a first 11 player in the upcoming season. The reports mentioned Lampard and Ramires along with other names, meaning the signing of a top class player for that role would be redundant as that would result in Lampard being benched. Whether people like it or not, that's the truth.

Yes because Lampard's persona is so perfect he'll be canonised right? It's not like his ego toppled 2 or 3 managers or anything when they tried to move him on...

Well, Lampard has been playing every game. We ended up not signing a senior player in that position and bought a young lad who wasn't brought in to be in the first 11. Basically everything he - along with others - said came true on the evidence so far. I can't be bothered really, people can always google it themselves. They can go on youtube and look for Press Pass FC videos where the subject was discussed as well...

That's what you tell yourself... Gab Marcotti wrote an article and spoke about it back in the summer on ESPN. Along with many others.

Assumptions or axioms? We were very close to signing one of Luis Gustavo / De Rossi / Etc. but Mourinho pulled the plug on it because, as many reports during the summer stated, he wanted Lampard in his first 11 week in week out. And he knew if he signed one of those players that wouldn't be possible. Hence he signed Van Ginkel.

He bought a young, inexperienced player to keep Lampard's ego tamed. He's playing the price for that. Our midfield has been a disaster.

That would be my two CB choices if Luiz isn't fancied and Mourinho retains his antiquated deep back 4 approach. I'd sooner play Kalas or Omeruo than Cahill. There should be no place for mediocrity at this club.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, Mourinho is desperate to bring in a centre half in January. We've got two talents who are getting close to first team football at CB, and there's talks of us signing a top top class CB in the summer. Mourinho wasted no time in benching him for Luiz before that mistake, everything suggests he doesn't fancy him here. My guess is that he'll be gone in June. And be sure he'll be back at a midtable club where his talent belongs.

It's a lot by his standards obviously. 9 out of 23 was an absolute utopia at Bolton - which is still just about his level really.

Different players really. I like them both.

The points were in the bag though, the way we're giving goals away is very worrying.

We're a mess. Mourinho knows what he needs to do to fix our problems. He just hasn't shown the balls to do it. Fuck Cahill off in January, don't play Lampard in the pivot as he can't move and spends 90% of the game further up than the actual striker leaving acres of space behind - See our Sunderland game - etc, etc. We can pretend all we want, our centre midfield is weak and Cahill is a joke of a centre half, if they both play, that's 2 out of 9 players who don't cut it in their positions. It's more than enough to give top clubs an edge, and even midtable sides given our results of late..

Great assist by Mikel. As I said before, Andre was excellent, but yet again our inexistent defence ruined us.

Cahill cost 6 million for a reason. He's a disaster of a centre half.

I think he'll start midweek. His batteries should be fully recharged by now and as long as his 100% fit he'll do well again.

Just checked his stats so far this season he's got 8 goals and 7 assists in 14 games. Not bad at all. Apparently Tottenham are monitoring Lucas with an eye for a bid, how much do we think he's worth at this point? Would we ever sell to them?