stroey

Don't like it too much this year, we play 3 teams from the top 7 (2 away games) and City plays 3 teams from the bottom 7 (2 home games).

WTF, these players always the best game of their lives against us and against City they suddenly turn into shit

We need a quick second goal to kill the match ASAP. Another tough match on Sunday waiting for us!

West Ham XI to face Chelsea: Adrian, Jenkinson, Cresswell, Collins, Reid, Noble, Kouyate, Nolan, Downing, Carroll, Valencia.

He hasn't played a lot this season, mainly because of his injuries.Think he's still a keyplayer when fit, just look at all the big games we've played with him. Everton away, City away, Liverpool away even when he wasn't 100% fit. Mikel is filling his role right now, but normally Ramires would be the one who is partnering Matic.

Merry X-mas everyone! Enjoy your time with your family [emoji319][emoji319][emoji319][emoji318]

Rotation, I'll leave that to Jose.

Witsel would be another top quality signing, Witsel+Matic with Cesc in front of them=one of the best midfields in Europe.

Ok since you're already doing it, make a right footed Matic to partner him.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/jose-mourinho-qa-full-transcript-4869757 Great read indeed

Loved the Luiz-Matic pivot last season but Mikel-Matic isn't bad either. Hope to see more of Mikel or Ramires partnering Matic in tough games. Cesc at the final third is also a joy to watch.

Ake was on the bench as the back up for DM's, so I think Ramires is still injured. Weird to be so long without Ramires, hope he recovers soon.

Nice! Do you also have the stats of Mikel?

No that's salah. Remy is a good squad player and has been used many times as 2nd striker or winger.

Great line up, very strong in midfield and with Cesc at 10 we'll see many killer passes!

https://vine.co/v/OXm9wLIHWij Lol

Think Hazard actually improved a lot in terms of consistency. Sometimes he didn't play good but still scored or assisted a goal. Can't remember more than 1-2 games this season where Hazard hasn't been important or decisive. Cesc-Hazard-Matic-JT-Costa Think these 5 are currently the most important players in the right order.

Happy with the 6 nights of rest for the players, including 2 day offs. So that's enough time to recover a little bit for the players to face the coming mini marathon. And Mou could analayze the problems versus Sunderland and Newcastle. We must win this game, if we want to become champions we shouldn't be struggling every time we face these kind of teams. I'm pretty confident for this game, let's do it.

Perfect scenario for this: 0-0 HT 2nd half Lampard IN 1-0 FT Lampard

Managing a club is like managing a business: you set major goals and after that you have secondary, tertiary goals etc. For the club, winning trophies are major goals and we should complete as many sub targets as possible to support that. Integrating/giving minutes to youth players belongs to secondary/tertiary goals and should only be completed when the situation allows it. We need to win trophies because we are a big club, and Mou needs to win trophies to remain at Chelsea (we all know Abramovic), losing Mourinho would derail the whole project and we would have to start all over again which is bad for the stability of the club. At the start of the season the squad was formed (including some youngsters), and for that reason the squad players are above the U21 players unless you've situations like KDB (pushing to leave in Jan). Keeping the squad happy and (match) fit is one of the most important and difficult sub-targets you should accomplish to support your major goal: winning trophies. Mou used the Sporting game to complete sub-targets to support his main goal: winning trophies: - Giving Diego a game instead of Solanke, because Diego was desperately looking to score again. - Giving time to Salah, Ramires Mikel and Schurrle to let them be as fit as possible because we will need them in the busy Christmas-January period. - Mou gave RLC his debut because the situation allowed it, we could rest key players (Wil, Hazard, Courtois, JT) by playing him and give the kid a fantastic experience. (and probably promote the club a little bit) For the Derby game, Mou again looked at the situation: Would it be more profitable for the season and the major goal (winning trophies) to give Boga, Baker, RLC game time who won't contribute to the rest of the season, or give game time to important squad players to prepare them for the busy Christmas-January Period? Easy decision. For the major goal (winning trophies): We needed to play a strong side against Derby, as that has the biggest chance of going through the next round. And after this we should complete some sub targets which supports this major goal in the long term. sub targets: - Ramires needed match fitness for the coming period, so Mou played him in the final part of the game instead of randomly playing a youth player. - Schurrle was back from illness and we need him in top top condition for the Christmas period, so that's why he played instead of a youth player. - Playing Mikel with Matic in the pivot and Cesc at 10, to create understanding for the rest of the season, and test this set up as Mou will probably play something like this in big games. - Resting key players. (Iva, Oscar, Cahill) Besides this, Mou actually has already integrated two young players in the squad this season: Ake and Zouma, both played more than Salah. So I'm more than fine with that. Christensen, Solanke and RLC also made their debuts. You can't just play youth players just to play them, the situation has to allow it and it has to be profitable for your major goals during the season.

Yes but they were rivals (Barca-Real), so it was normal. Ramos and Mourinho have both publicly criticized each other while working together and also when they parted. Recently, after Mou left Real: Jose:''Madrid players used to line up before the mirror prior to the games'' Ramos:''Ancelotti is a good coach, he manages the dressing room very well and he really understands us because HE PLAYED football'' Ramos:''Cesc and Diego Costa should show the same ambition for the country like for their club'' (would not have said this if Jose wasn't the Chelsea coach) Jose''Ramos is no doctor'' Ramos''I don't want to discuss about Celta president Mourinho'' Don't think this could easily be fixed but I would like to see Ramos here too, prefer Varane over him though.

Seems to have a bad relationship with Mou (many war of words with Mou in the media) so I don't think this will happen.

The ties are set to be played on January 20 and 21 and January 27 and 28. Liverpool Chelsea Tottenham Sheffield United http://www.espnfc.com/capital-one-cup/story/2204228/liverpool-meet-chelsea-in-capital-one-cup-semifinals

Probably Mata in 2012-13 season, we are a team full of right-footed players so this was really nice to see.

Lvg recently said Falcao can only play 20 minutes per game (not sure if he's fully recovered), maybe that's why he started Wilson.