Viper22

Yes Andre!!!! Now try and do that in a game that matters xD.

Who put what in Mikel's drink today? Trying to copy Fabregas with his long balls over the top .

Looking forward to seeing how William Carvalho does tonight. Love the kid and really think he'll be great in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp3bcGs-TWU#t=32 30secs in. Fabregas did the same but he's not a DM. You can't tell me Matic would've dived in like that. Just sums up how Mikel plays unfortunately, and making it out to be a random witchhunt for the guy isn't going to make it go away. The reason that him, Malouda and Kalou often get blamed is because they have cost us games in the past with their poor play. And not the odd one like some other players do, it's a regular occurrence. It's not a coincidence that before Matic signed we conceded 20 league goals and after Matic signed we conceded only 7.

I expected at least 1 youth teamer in the 18, we have 2. I expected at least 3 youngsters (U21s) in the 18, we have 3. And if you're very happy with the season so far please show it?

Happy with the line up. Would've liked to have seen RLC start over Mikel but that might put a bit too much pressure on the lad to expect him to perform from the start of the match. Happily surprised to see Beeney on the bench (makes me wonder why on earth we kept Schwarzer unless Mou was expecting Cech to leave) and especially looking forward to the Azpi/Luis combo. I, like a lot of others, believe this is our best FB partnership and want to see how it goes. Also excited to see Zouma get another start, really feel like he could steal Gary's place if he gets much better! Happy days! KTBFFH!

Congratulations! You officially win the award for the whiniest person of the forum. Jesus Christ. Top of the table, qualified from Europe top of the group with a game to spare, undefeated in all comps til December, Ake, Zouma, Christensen and Solanke have got minutes already, RLC is set to get some, Beeney, Brown and Baker all training with the first team squad and have been on the bench at some time or another and you're still moaning. I genuinely give up. You're unbelievable.

Well I hope you're right. I want him to play well tonight too .

Exactly! You get given chances, and if you impress then you retain your place in the team (unless your name is Torres unfortunately...). Courtois got the chance to be first choice GK from Cech with both his performances last season and this pre-season. He's played really well, and so keeps his place. Just like Cech got the chance from Carlo back in the day. Players will get their chances, Ake has got a few with more looking imminent. If he continues impressing I have no doubt that he will become the 4th choice CM/DM in our team. Salah and Schurrle have been getting chances and butchering them badly. But there is no reason to lose faith in them yet, look at how good Salah is for Egypt and how good he was for Basel, how good Schurrle was for Germany in the summer and for us in patches. They will get more chances, they need to start taking them.

Nah you don't. Unless he does something stupid like kissing the badge. I still love Aguero even though he's at a rival, Schweinsteiger even though he's at Pep the arsehole's Bayern and Modric even though he played for the scum in white (that's not Real).

Just burst out laughing at my TV!!! Fuck you, bindippers!

All true, but don't be underestimating Dortmund because of their league form. They've won 4/5 CL games and now they have some of their injured players back they've won 3 of their last 3 at home. By the time the knockout rounds swing around they could be back near the top of the league and in top form, an when they're in top form they're deadly. Not saying we wouldn't still beat them, because we could, and should. But just a note of caution. Everyone else we should beat pretty easily though I agree. EDIT: Just realised that Dortmund are going to win their group. So... forget everything I just said. You need to replace Dortmund in your list for Juve. Although they're just as dangerous when on form .

Looks like it'll be something along the lines of: --------------Cech-------------- -Azpi--Zouma--Cahill--Luis- ------Matic-----Ramires------ -Salah-Fabregas-Schurrle- -------------Costa-------------- Bench: Courtois, Christensen, Mikel, RLC, Oscar, Remy, Solanke. I'll take that, a strong experienced core in Cech/Cahill/Matic/Fabregas/Costa and especially if RLC and Solanke get minutes regardless of the score.

Excellent news!!! Not one of the ones I was expecting but this is great! I'm more excited about the prospect of him training with the first team for the rest of the season, will give him great experience and set him up well to come into the first team soonish.

I honestly don't think so, we might have drawn but not won. I don't think we had enough of the ball in attacking areas to be able to give it to him to do his magic. Reus is at his best running at pace at defenders, he wouldn't have had that many opportunities without us winning the ball back in their midfield.

Ummm, I think you're wrong there about him not being a DM. In the times i've watched him (mostly during his time at Porto admittedly) he's split his time between playing like a DM and playing like a DLP CM. And while I think he is better as a DLP, he definitely can play DM and has done so before to a very good standard. We can only play 7 men on our bench and we need back up for numerous positions from each player, so Moutinho could theoretically replace either one of Matic or Fabregas as he can play both styles without us losing that much in terms of quality. It's why Essien was such a good player, could play in so many positions on the pitch to such a high standard that he became one of our most important players. I think Ake could be good enough to be our back up DM too, but until he's given a proper chance there it's hard to know. You can't say he is on the back of the meagre minutes we've seen this season yet.

Are you really asking how United could be THAT lucky? Have you not been watching them in the PL era? They've always been this lucky. Bastards the lot of them.

If we'd kept a clean sheet (like we did against Sunderland) we would have won the game. Defence is the most important part of the game, if you don't concede then you don't lose. A draw against Newcastle would've been bearable, but a loss is not on. We lost because we conceded twice, and we conceded twice due to Cahill having an epic brain fart and the lack of cover for our back 4 which allowed their good players to run at our back 4, which is never going to end well. We need both Reus/a top RW and a backup for Matic, but for the title it is more vital that we get the backup for Matic first.

From what I saw our major issue was having no cover for the back 4. Having a solid defence allows you to go forward much more confidently and with the ball on your own terms. We were getting owned in midfield and needed to see more of the ball, that's what Matic gives us and Mikel is a hindrance more than a help, stupidly diving into challenges all over the shop.

Reus is the better player yeah, but did you watch us vs Newcastle? We weren't missing a world class RW, we were missing a competent back up for Matic, and Moutinho is that and more!

Will take this. We're very good at home and i'm mates with a mouthy Watford fan so should be fun!!

You know my thoughts on this man. I'd give my left kidney if it meant he'd sign for Chelsea. But is there any reason we can't have both? .

FA Cup 3rd round draw is starting imminently. BBC2 for anyone that can get that. We're going to get Blyth Spartans, watch .

Didn't know that. What a useless loan :/. Well we have to choose 6 players from 7 then (Ivan, Azpi, Luis, JT, Cahill, Zouma, Christensen). JT definitely needs a rest and I think Ivan does too. But we'll just have to wait and see.

Moutinho would be a fantastic signing, absolutely fantastic. He's not better than either Fabregas or Matic but he'd be a great replacement for either (he's equally as proficient as a playmaker or as a DM). Only problem would be, would he be ok not playing every week and (assuming no injuries) being a rotation/bench player. Also, coming from Monaco with the lack of tax, the wages he'll want might be pretty huge... Would love him to come here for £20M, with Mikel leaving to make way, have lost faith in Mikel entirely to help the team and he summed up his performances for Chelsea with the dive into the tackle against Newcastle before their 2nd.