quickpassnmove

I have a bad feeling about this match but the wisest thing that could be done is just what DidierForever suggests above: play Ba with Mata and Hazard, same as last match. Willian or Schuerrle can start on the right side. I just wish Chelsea had another center midfielder. Seriously troubled by the thought of Ramires getting injured during December. Why not use Loftus-Cheek at little? Maybe we will see Essien again for the Stoke match. I'm guessing Ivanovic is starting this game too, just to mark on set-pieces.

good win, some good passing and movement in this match by Chelsea. keep moving, keep improving the pattern of play, keep going, keep pushing. can we get someone in January for centre midfield to give Ramires a break, please?

<exhale>

I like this lineup in a 4-3-3.

I like this lineup in a 4-3-3.

...and that's how support for Hazard from midfield works. gnashing my teeth over the double-team, then Frankie arrives and does that. beautiful. need more of that for the rest of the season!!!! DON'T LEAVE HAZARD HANGING TOO LONG!

"Torres" is back

I missed some of that half but I'm guessing that if Hazard is "ripping them apart" it also means that the midfielder isn't doubling up on Hazard quickly enough for Sunderland or that Hazard is getting good support. What do you say?

crossing my fingers that Chelsea finally begin playing some good midfielders aside from Ramires before his knee cartilage runs down to the bone.

I see they're playing 451 or 4411. Hope we can break them down in the first half and at least create some good chances, but most of all: not concede.... yeah, what am I saying? let's win this.

does your Star Sports HD give you clear HD from England, or is there a lot of digital noise/distortion showing up, especially in the sunlight or (players standing) in front of advertising boards? we have, of course, NTSC here in N. America, so I'm curious if there's a difference in quality. I know you have PAL

Robbie Savage on Mourinho's Chelsea and the Southampton match. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25179761

Hazard needs options because he's very frequently doubled, but also he needs to lay it off more often when he can. I think he's not getting enough options, getting isolated on the flank so often. It's unusual to see Eden laying the ball off and cutting inside the right back before the centre back or CM can close him down. Something needs to change there.

Really happy we got that win. nice work, Blues. only disappointment for me was not being able to create more attack from the left side with Hazard, Essien, and Azpi. would have been nice to see some quick support to prevent the double defenders on Hazard. happens all the time.

Centre midfield will be the reason why Chelsea don't qualify for Champions League next season. It all started with re-signing Lampard and continued with not signing another experienced player in the summer, then over-using Lampard as a starter. The fact is, Chelsea's attack has been slowed in previous seasons by its centre midfield --and NOT because of Ramires. I was hoping that Roy Hodgson would give Fabian Delph a chance in center midfield because it might mean that Lampard doesn't go to Brazil and that he's not coming into training with bright eyes ready to be Jose's starter this season--but I guess that's a dream. Third season running where Chelsea are desperate to make the top four and I don't think the Blues will cut it this season.

Essien - Cahill/other - Terry - Azpi Ramires--Mikel--deBruyne Willian Eto'o Schuerrle or: Azpi - CB Terry - Bertrand Ramires------Essien------deBruyne Willian Eto'o Schuerrle subs: Lampard, Torres, def, def, Mikel, GK, Hazard

I would like to know what some of you think about the topic center midfield at Chelsea. Specifically, I look at the prospect of Chelsea buying a top center midfielder in the January window and I cannot understand why any top center midfielder would want to come to Chelsea during a World Cup year given Chelsea's reputation or recent history of playing Frank Lampard in center midfield. Why would anyone WANT to come to Chelsea this January? Chelsea are stumbling, still slow in attack and I suspect that something is at play between Lampard and Mourinho (and the World Cup year). Something stinks (and has been stinking for x-number of seasons now). I would like to know what top player is foolish enough to come to Chelsea in January during a WC year given what has occurred so far this season. Chelsea can promise something, but who would believe a representative of CFC at this point? How about this prediction? Either get another center midfielder in or forget about qualifying for next season's Champions League. Or: Did re-signing Frank Lampard last summer portend the 3rd straight season wherein Chelsea struggle to qualify for the Champions League? Third time is a charm? Needed to fail terribly before moving onward?

Would be nice to also keep Kevin de Bruyne at Chelsea for the future even if he gets loaned-out in January. In the meantime, someone at Chelsea could be thinking that Rakitic could become Chelsea's Pirlo. That's a nice thought anyway.

Chelsea playing more 4-3-3 in the future with Rakitic joining CM and taking the free-kicks and corners. Not a bad idea but Rakitic is most comfortable on the right side where Ramires tends to be. I think Ramires will be the one to slide over toward the left or center. I'm still finding it difficult to understand why Chelsea kept both Lampard and Mikel last summer while someone like L. Gustavo was ready to move or Paulinho was considered. Maybe Mata will become the pawn to get a better center midfielder, but I don't see why PSG would want Mata given Pastore, Lavezzi, Moura, Rabiot, & Cavani, can all play Mata's position behind Ibra. Rakitic is somewhat of an all-around midfield player--which is good, but Chelsea will still be missing a ballwinner and long-passer. As someone mentioned before, that player might not be easy to find for the moment.

Matic, Pogba, De Rossi, Witsel, Imbula, Paulinho, Schneiderlin, etc. etc. It would be nice to get someone in January. It would have been nice last summer. It would have great two summers ago, three summers... and I've been repeating myself on various web forums for over 3 years now while Ramires runs his ass off for this club and people like Mikel still can't figure out how to play well enough, Lampard slows down and is asked to play where he should not, Oscar is played as an "attacking midfielder" (but was a flourishing center midfielder in Porto Alegre). At this point, I would be very happy to see Loftus-Cheek or some reserve player in matches if Essien isn't about to start in the league. It's odd the Essien hasn't been given a start for Ivanovic. It's strange we've seen Lampard start so much. Every year something is not right at Chelsea but things don't change. Is this the club with tonnes of money and no answers? Surely someone has a clue and will get it done before we're all dead.

no one needs to get worked-up at this point. I mean why does this or any other performance that displays the typical Chelsea of the past 5 years get ANYONE worked-up? point is, there have been inadequate players and lack of quality and speed in certain areas for quite some time--all of this, mind you, long before Torres arrived for 50 million. What club in Europe has spent so much money as Chelsea and still have only one standout player in centre midfield (I love Ramires and think it's criminal Chelsea don't have someone of equal quality to play with him) and have taken so long to find wingers that their best-ever striker has already ended his career at the club (after winning the club the Champions League Final no less)? I've been irritated by Chelsea decisions for over 5 years; today is just another day. Here's my final word: Chelsea need to get coherent, get quality in all positions by the time Lukaku is ready to play again in Chelsea blue next season. Even if Chelsea blow their top four finish this season, the club need to get it right before next season or just continue this endless inept style of play, aka. the Big Blue Constipated Roman Machine. How Chelsea continue to look bad in the future? dumping another manager while having Lukaku return to carry another slow, inept Chelsea squad just like Drogba did. If Chelsea completely fall out of it this season, last summer's obvious mistake of re-signing Frank and not getting more quality for CM might FINALLY become apparent after how many seasons of this horrible Chelsea attack.

I missed the match but heard on the radio that Chelsea played horribly. Now, I've come home and seen that LAMPARD started away at Basel. 2+2=4? anyway, Chelsea were nowhere near confident coming into the match and the lineup was not correct. no surprise with this club.

good to win but that's the side with no striker, plus the benefit of our PK. next.

I like Rabiot, but my first priority a transfer in at CM would be someone with more experience in the top tier. Chelsea just bought vanGinkel; Rabiot is at a similar level of experience albeit with a bigger club. Rabiot is not really underrated in Paris by fans, but he doesn't get playtime because of Matuidi, Motta, Carlo's urge to play Verratti last season, Lucas, and--could be argued--Pastore (depending on how he is used). admittedly, I have not seen Rabiot play enough and it was only pre-season 2012 when I first watched him. I'm surprised to find out that he used to play with Manchester City reserves/youth. if I were to guess why he doesn't get more opportunities at PSG, I would say it's that Rabiot doesn't have the attacking prowess nor speed of play (or trickery) that makes a difference in the manager's eye. BTW, I know the Rabiot is an interesting prospect for the future but someone running a story with Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea connected with Rabiot sounds like more like a story of "watching him" as his contract runs down. Rabiot isn't going to make a huge difference now for Chelsea and probably wouldn't get any playtime at Arsenal nor Tottenham anytime soon.

Letting Matic go to Benfica is looking worse by the hour. anyone think a reserves player will get a chance soon?