OhForAGreavsie

It didn't sound like we totally out sung them on the telly but it did sound great. In fact the atmosphere produced by both sets of fans seemed brilliant on TV.

Well to me he looks extremely impressive in that video. It certainly makes me want to see more of him to discover if that vid represents his true level. Love his appreciation of momentum; the way he calmly touches the ball into an area where the opponent's movement can't get to. Reminds me of Nathan Ake who also does that. Whether Silva is worth spending money on however needs a lot more information.

Doubt anyone could have guessed he'd turn out to be the best football analyst in the country but I never understood the hate which was aimed at him during his playing days. I always said that if you could put Gary Neville's brain into Glen Johnson's body you'd have the best right-back who ever lived. I also felt that he made a major contribution to United's success beyond just being a reasonable player. In my opinion United had not one, but two, of the best captain's who ever lived in Neville and Keane. I think that played a big part in them staying calm and pulling out so many results with late goals. When it comes to Gary Neville I am, and always have been, a huge fan.

Spot on in every respect. Not least about Remy. One of his contributions was the turn and run, using strength and good control to maintain possession, before laying off a simple but effective pass which ultimately caused to the second goal. I had expressed doubts about whether Remy would add enough to the squad. His goals record is acceptable but what else would he offer? Well, I'm delighted to say that, based on today's evidence, my doubts were misplaced. Badly misplaced. Remy linked well, his touch was good, his turns were sharp and he drew fouls, including both yellows that caused the sending off. I'm pretty optimistic about what he might do for us.

At time of posting Matic has just four MoM votes. Can't believe it; absolutely fantastic today.

William Gallas has announced his retirement. Irrespective of the way in which his time here came to an end, Gallas was a brilliant player and a major contributor to the success we had while he was with us. It's water under the bridge but I'd dearly love to hear both sides of the story regarding the breakdown of the relationship between 'Billy' and CFC. * I visually checked for a William Gallas thread and also used the search facility before starting this one. Apologies if I've somehow managed to miss a pre-existing version.

£6? You must be a youngster. It was 50p when I started.

That's really interesting. I get a bit of a buzz, I can't deny it but nowhere near what it used to be back in the old 'Shed' days. The total thrill I used to get walking up the big steps at the Britannia gate entrance was amazing. Reaching the top and taking your first glimpse of the grass, or more often the mud, seeing the corner flags fluttering and the floodlights warming up was intoxicating. The highlight of the week was about to begin. It also took longer in the old days. You queued to get in and, if it was a big game, you queued a long time. That all meant you spent longer in the ground before kick-off, getting into the atmosphere of the day. By the time I used to arrive in The Shed back then, I wouldn't even have left home these days. I still love it but it's a very different experience nowadays. I certainly don't get the same excitement from just entering the ground that once I did. Maybe it's to do with age.

I guess my post does read like I'm sticking the knife in and I apologise for that. That wasn't the intention. I wish him well. My view was, and is, that Rom's attributes WILL allow him to carve out a career but his lack of technical ability is permanent and this will restrict the level of club which will see him as a first choice option.

I was never a fan of Romelu's and nor did I ever think he had any hope of becoming a top player. Once before someone told me that trying to predict Romelu's future would make me look foolish. In the end, we all see the same evidence, it's just that each of us assesses that evidence in our own way. My assessment leads me to stick to the opinion I formed the very first time I saw him play; Rom can make a contribution but he will never reach the level of a first-choice Chelsea player. So far that prediction has not made me look foolish. If this changes I'll be pleased for the lad but, sadly, I don't expect it to. As I say, I agree with the view ParNolio7 expresses above. Rom can be a competent striker if he structures his game around his strengths and minimises the exposure of his weaknesses. I don't know if the kid is yet ready to accept that he's stuck with his weaknesses but he's bright so, if he hasn't done so yet, he will get there soon enough. It seems likely to take some members of this board a little longer however.

Accepted but I wonder if you agree that Germany's worst atmosphere is better than the Premier League's best? Certainly better than Arsenal's and, come to that, ours.

Yes but mainly no. We are currently in daylight saving. We revert to GMT, a few hours after the ManU game.

I don't have anything against bowls. The Allianz is beautiful and the Emirates ain't bad either. While Arsenal's ground is dead, Bayern's rocks. Atmosphere has more to do with fan attitude than with the style of the ground. Granted 'safe standing' may play a part in Munich but it's still mainly down to the way fans support their team.

Not at all frustrating. Any more.

As a Chelsea fan said before the World Cup, we should sell him ahead of the tournament because his value could only fall as potential buyers saw more of him. Someone also said, during the tournament, that Lukaku spent the summer transforming himself from Belgium's second choice striker into Belgium's third choice striker. The only surprise would be if anyone was surprised about that. Many congratulations to CFC for cashing-out so well because there is no such thing as a top quality striker who lacks top level technique. Adequate ones maybe, but top ones no. Rom lacks technique in a big way and anyone waiting for that to change will be disappointed. It isn't going to happen.

^^Sounds to me like Petr's agent doing his work.

Got to say this sounds pretty ill-informed to me. "No specific system in place?" We have a fantastic system in place, one which has drawn plaudits from all quarters. People like Gareth Southgate, Stuart Robson and even 'Der Neue Kaiser', Michael Ballack, speak gushingly about Cobham. Hardly a month goes by without someone or other citing our development structure as THE model to follow. Ten years ago JM condemned the youth squad, now it's stuffed with high quality players in every position. Of course our academy, which is in its tenth year, has not yet produced a first team regular but ten years is no time at all in youth development. Lads recruited at 8 years of age in 2004/05 are still A FEW YEARS short of being first-team ready. Will any of the current U21s or U18s make it? Who knows. Chelsea need a high class squad and the only way any academy is going to turn out high class professionals is if the lads were high class prospects in the first place. All that can be asked of a youth system is that it identifies the best talent available to it and then teaches them to become the best footballers they possibly can. Whether the academy is doing that, and whether the young men turn out to be good enough for Chelsea, are massive questions. Over the next three or four years we'll BEGIN to be able to answer them as regards the first wave of true Cobham graduates. If the players fail the test then the focus shifts to the next age group and we move on. If however the judgement is that the system has failed, and that the players have not been coached to fulfil their potential, then the spotlight will be turned on Cobham itself. Good luck to all the young men who are studying there and trying to establish themselves in professional football. I hope as many of them as possible make it, and that some of them manage to do so with Chelsea.

It's interesting to read the varying opinions but I'm definitely with those who see Reus as 'must buy if available'. I'll be very surprised if every coach/manager/director of football, at all candidate clubs, does not see it that way too.

I'm not really up on how the rules on temporary transfers work. With Omeruo and Kalas having gone out for the whole season are we allowed to recall them or are they 'lost' to us for the season come what may? Is there even a rule about this or is it subject only to agreement between the clubs? If we can recall one of those two for emergency cover, I don't think we'll feel the need to buy a CB in January.

Ake is not a Chelsea class LB in my opinion. DM is his best shot at our first team, again imo. I also think we need to address CM/RW as soon as we can. We are undoubtedly a better side now than we were this time last year but we still blew the chance for a season defining victory at the Etihad. That happened because our passing broke down. Badly, and not for the first time this season. In fact we've suffered spells of poor passing in the majority of our games so far and that, imo, is not surprising. Remember it only takes one bad pass to destroy an attack and put your own team under pressure. Had we passed better at City we'd have controlled the ball against 10 men and seen the game out. As it was City could have won because we repeatedly gave up possession. Oscar, Ramires, Schurrle and Willian all struggle with their passing too often. They are very good players but we need great ones and we need them asap.

This lot? Cudicini Percassi Panucci Casiaraghi Dorigo* Zola Di Matteo DaLa Bonna Ambrosetti Vialli Borini

No the two I have in mind are not brothers. One is another left back and the other a striker. They are: - Left Back: Striker:

It was us and it was 2005 but it was Jose's second season i.e. 2005-2006.

Le Saux was not one of the two I thought of so I'd say that's (at least) 2 defenders and 1 striker.

When I started this post I only had the one who played for England but the other one came to me as I was typing. A defender and a striker. Correct?