MrExcalibur100

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I'm reading the Diego Torres book on Mourinho right now. Of course I'm taking everything with a pinch of salt

I just realized Jorge Mendes was his agent. This deal is done as far as I'm concerned.

Right now they don't even play with an AM in their 4-3-3 formation right now. Isco has now fully established himself in the team playing in a deeper role and is seen as the future of Madrid and Spain. He is a fan favourite among the Madridistas. They don't need Rakitic at all but we do.

There really is no space for him in either the midfield of Barcelona or Madrid.

Having said that, imagine a Serbian and Croatian in our pivot ..................

This guy just continues to amaze me with his performances. He ticks all the boxes we want in a midfielder. He has played quite a bit as an attacking midfielder for Sevilla this season but has also impressed playing a deeper role as a central midfielder. I'm also sure he can play on the right side of the midfield, so he can cover many positions we lack quality in. He is a great passer, goal-scorer and set-piece taker (his free-kicks are world-class). I've watched him quite a bit this season and he is a world-class midfielder though he doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He is one of the best players in La liga. Man United, Inter, Arsenal and Liverpool are interested alongside Madrid. I suggest we put in a bid for him in the summer.

I think you misunderstood my point. Of course he shouldn't start against Atletico, but I'm saying if things are going badly in the pivot (i.e Ramires misplacing passes like a madman) then perhaps Jose could be flexible and go to a 4-3-3 with a trio of Ramires, van Ginkel and Luiz. It's a possibility since Lamps is suspended. As for the Liverpool match, Matic, Lamps and Mikel seems the most practical option, but I will like to see van Ginkel start ahead of Mikel, a player who will most likely be sold in the summer. The Pool game is a throw away after we fucked up vs Sunderland. Even if we beat them, our chances of winning the league are still almost non-existent. We might as well give van Ginkel a chance to show us what he can do and to show if he could be a realistic option to come off the bench vs Atletico. The kid is young but he has already played 200+ games already in his short career. Might as well give the future of our club a chance instead of going for tried and (not so)trusted Mikel.

I won't mind seeing him start from the first minute against Liverpool. With Lamps and Mikel out and with Matic suspended, we need a fit CM for the Atletico game that can at least pass a football. I'm not too enthused by the pivot duo of Ramires-Luiz for Atletico Madrid. Last time they played together, they got completely overrun. van Ginkel might be a viable option to bring off the bench against Atletico Madrid to supplement the midfield.

We need our Leader back! Brilliant news really. JT missing is a bigger blow than even Cech missing.

Hopefully nothing serious. The defense looked clearly weaker without JT

We should have attacked! Especially without our 2 best attackers from the start and our best midfielder cup tied. And when our keeper and best CB went off injured we should have poured forward! Then we could have attacked more in the second leg, to try and turn the 3-0 defeat around. Mourinho clearly doesn't have a Scooby-Doo's what he's doing. He's completely clueless and must be sacked for gross incompetence!!

So sad for Petr. On the plus side, the season is almost over and Schwarzer is a very experienced keeper. Apart from that blooper against Sunderland, he's always looked very solid. Imagine if we didn't have him and had to play Hiliario(us)..

Got this off twitter: "Mourinho is entitled to play like that to reach finals; neutrals are entitled to jeer; more ambitious teams than Atletico must find a way through. Simple." The fact is most managers are not tactically good enough to set up their team to go away and get draws on demand like we've done today, At Arsenal and at Man United. It was ugly but brilliant. A goalless draw is still dangerous, but even with suspensions and injuries, I will think we are favourites in the 2nd leg. So, I'm guessing Ivanovic plays at CB, with Ramires and Luiz in the pivot with Eden, Eto'o Schurrle and Oscar to come in for the 2nd leg then we will show our power. Don't be down-trodden by the rival fans who will surely mock our performance as they watch to be entertained while we watch to see CFC win football matches and trophies. Beautiful football is irrelevant in such games. The onus was on Atletico to break us and they failed to do so

No doubt some ignorant people (mostly non-Chelsea haters) will say the game was boring, blah, blah, but we've come here and got a positive result. All we need now is a win at the Bridge and we are more than capable of that hopefully with Hazard back .

Now time to smash these fucks at The Bridge.

BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE!! HEROIC!!! :blue scalf:

And for people saying Cole is past it? Came on and played like a boss tonight. Ash, lad.

Oscar would have done better with that free-kick.

Torres has been epic, fuck it.

Impressed with Torres today.

Oscar for Lampard with him playing deeper as a CM

With Terry out, all of a sudden we are losing header in our box.

With Schurrle on, is there a change of formation?

Strong ref this guy. Very impressed.