Excalibur KTBFFH

Was god tonight, what else can I say. The only winger that can match him is Ronaldo. INSANE player. Love him, no homo. Love him

Also, just got my Hazard Jersey delivered to my dorm right now, WOW. FUCK YESSSSSS!!!!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!

(NOTE: Assuming we play 4-2-3-1 {which is, IMO the best line-up to get a result} and City play 4-4-2 (which is Pellegrini's preferred system, with or without Aguero} Ok, back to what I was typing a couple of days ago. I have to say, City without Aguero is a big bonus for us. It's not just about how prolific he is in front of goal, but mostly about his low-centre of gravity build, pace, dribbling skills and ability to maraude almost at will in the opponent's box. These characteristics in a striker will prove absolutely difficult for Cahill and Terry especially to handle. We all saw the threat he posed us at The Bridge, and that was in a game were he played uptop on his own for a majority of mins. Imagine him with a partner. Negredo and Dzeko are different animals. Even though they are top quality, they are not built like Aguero and are nowhere as mobile. This could potentially play into the hands of Terry and Cahill. They are also likely to not want to drop deep (again, unlike Aguero) because of their style of play. This will further emphasize the extra-man advantage we have in midfield, (in this case, Oscar, Matic and Ramires). If Terry and Cahill come with their A-game, then they can handle them. Jovetic is different to those two. More of Totti/Del Piero type player. But he's been injured for most of his time in English football, so he wouldn't start and we should be able to take care of him if he comes off the bench. Midfield as usual is a key-area. Their CM's are fantastic, Toure and Fernandinho. They supplement the attack so well. While not a pure defensive midfielder, Fernandinho is playing a more cautious role than he did at Shakhtar Donetsk, where he was more of a Ramires-style player, bursting forward regularly. Besides, against top sides, City have appeared vulnerable between the lines -- they were outgunned by Bayern Munich with the midfield looking overrun and very flat and have generally looked most troubled when sides attack quickly behind Fernandinho and Toure. Remember Yaya being caught out against Arsenal? If Oscar can press their double-pivot and put pressure on both of them, we can gain possession higher up the pitch and cause them damage. Also, on counter-attacks, there is a space to be exploited there by Hazard, Eto'o and Oscar if Toure and Fernandinho get too enthusiastic going forward. We need Matic to be defensively solid and also to play his natural game. Driving forward when a space appears and trying to pick out clever, forward thinking passes. He is incredibly important in this game, even more so than Oscar. On the wings, there's no doubt we have the better players. Hazard, Willian, Ivanovic, Azpi and Cole are better than Navas, Silva, Milner, Clichy/Kolarov and Zaba. We NEED to stop Silva from drifting in and trying to influence the flow of their attacks. He and Aguero were their most dangerous players at The Bridge. We need to put Ramires on his ass. Put him under pressure and force him out-wide. Navas is not to be under-estimated at all. The width he gives them is dangerous. It will be interesting to see who Jose starts, Azpi or Cole. I will personally go for Cole. He's been impressive recently and Jose needs to let players play their natural position. Willian will play with his usual intensity, pace and flair. Just needs to add a finishing product to his game. Hazard will expect to be our match-winner again. I just want a good game from him, nothing else. Jose needs to get him in 1 v 1 situations where he is running at their players. We don't want him to be double-marked or play to his back to goal. Cole/Azpi need to support him. Upfront, Eto'o no brainer. Needs to play a good game. Control the football in tight spaces like he always does and put the ball behind the net when he gets his chance. Don't be fooled by the goals and the media hype. City are not invincible, no one is. Demichilles as a defender is nothing special. Same with Clichy and Kolarov. They are pretty average defending set-pieces as well. Cardiff scored a couple of goals there, Watford scored 2, Arsenal scored 3 and so on. And unlike those teams, we are unlikely to concede, 4,5,6, and so on. So, summary. Balance : attack and defend. Press their double pivot, maximize set-pieces. My line-up goes as follows: Cech Iva, Cahill, Terry, Cole Ramires, Matic Willian, Oscar, Hazard Eto'o

Big game for him today against City. Jose HAS to start him from the beginning.

"Parking the bus" It seems even Chelsea fans have bought into the stupidity

We can't bring in young players when we change manager every season. No stability whatsoever at the club. It's really that simple. 

Eto'o deserves more credit than he actually gets. People are quick to bash our strikers for not being good enough, but the fact still remains that Eto'o has 6 goals in 9 starts in the PL and 8 goals in 16 games (7 from the bench). That's impressive for a non-English speaking, 32 year old in his first season in Engish football. It's not his fault that he is usually painted with the same brush of mediocrity that Torres rightfully is. And when Eto'o has an average performance, it's just that, an average performance. None of those disappearing, anonymous, Houdini acts of Mr Torres, where he doesn't get involved and contributes next to fuck all.

Are you fucking high?

4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1? Jose has a decision to make. Later on this thread, I'll give my opinion on why 4-2-3-1 is the way we should set up in this match. We can't go for containment like we did at OT and the Emirates, if we do we will lose. City are a different animal and score goals almost at will. They WILL score at least one against us. We HAVE to take the game to them and we need Oscar to press their two CM's Fernandinho and Toure. Toure especially can be careless with possession in his own half sometimes and I'm not convinced by the defensive cover they give their back four. Oscar has to be at his best on Monday and our intensity and pressing game is key to a positive result. We beat them through an intelligent approach, not being too gung-ho, but absolutely going for it. Their defense is suspect and it's clear they don't like it when the opposition stick it to them.

I was surprised not to see him start against West Ham. We need him to be adapting to his teammates in anticipation of games like City away.

EXACFUCKINGACTLY

Just take a sigh of relief and remember that we could have been in a worse position in the league. The trick now is NOT to lose to City. Six points behind may just as well end our title chances. Pellegrini has turned Man City into an absolute monstrous team, but on the brighter side, Aguero is OUT of the game on Monday due to a hamstring injury.

Exactly. While it's upsetting to drop points in that manner, fact is we are only 3 points behind the leader. The trick now is NOT to lose that game. Offer me a draw against City now and I'll bite your hands off.

And I say that as a Nigerian too. You just have to be honest and call out players that aren't good enough.

Yeah, as if not losing the ball is all that's required for a Chelsea player. Stop making excuses for him, he's unimaginative, negative and unambitious in his play and his inclusion today was beyond baffling and a major blunder from the manager.

Launch a 30 million pound bid fucking instantly. The game against West Ham just proves we need this sort of player next to Matic.

Another player who is not as good as some people think he is. And people think he is a dead cert in the future Chelsea? Bull. Gundogan, Kroos.... That's the way to go. Midfield controllers, not headless chickens who can't pass a football and lack composure in the 18 yard box.

It's not about the striker. It's not about Mata. The manager has to help the team and be positive in his approach. Azpi AGAIN played out of position when Ashley Cole had an awesome attacking performance against Stoke. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FROM FULLBACKS!! And Mikel starting defies all words really. AGAIN, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FROM MIKEL OR RAMIRES TO SUPPLEMENT THE FRONT FOUR! Just two changes can reallly fuck up the teams balance. We are not that strong yet to make 2-3 changes and expect a comfortable win. Mourinho seems to be incredible in making in game subs, but his starting line-ups have cost us sometimes this season. Matic, Lampard and Cole should have started. Man City game is not till monday. No excuses. And FUCK Sam Allardyce. That negative, gum-chewing bastard.

http://forum.talkchelsea.net/topic/17517-chelsea-v-west-ham/page-23 Basically the team that started against Stoke should have played today. That's our strongest line-up IMO. It's also the line-up that increases our attacking quality. Don't know what he thinks sometimes. Maybe that champagne is still having its intoxicating effect.

Once I saw the line-up and the weather conditions, I knew we were in trouble. Poor line-up. All they had to do is shut down the attacking trio behind the striker, and they shut down our attacks. No full-back attacking play, no quality/urgency from Mikel (what's his point) or Ramires (can't pass a ball, quelle surprise) . Matic, Cole and Lampard should all have started.

Bad line-up cost us point. Azpi at left back is pointless from an attacking perspective. Zero attacking threat from full-backs, no creative impetus from Mikel and Ramires. All these = 2 points lost to an awful side.

Should have been sold last summer. Offers fuck all to our play.

Not really. There's arguably more space to play in the wings.

In another match, he could easily have had like 3 assists in one game. Those were REALLY clear-cut chances he fashioned too. I hope his teammates do him more favours in the next game. We need that 10+ goals, 10+ assists. Imagine what Eden's stats will look like playing in the mediocre La Liga? Compared to the oft overhyped Neymar, they will be out of this world. Once we get that striker and new LB, Hazard will even go to another level. He is already hands down the best winger in the league anyway.