CurlyHairLikeLuiz

Barkley should definitely have started the game, so should Townsend, so should Carrick While Walcott should be condemned to being never called up again.

It'd be nice if your facebook page would stop recycling stupid lists designed to get advertising money.

It's actually amazing how obvious it is though

Chellini's grapple on Kane was fucking criminal

The difference wouldn't be huge, we're talking +10 or so million on what the first placed club gets, and that'd get offset by lost shirt sales, neutral support, and no European competition if a top side really did decide to go that far about cheating the system. Most of the top 8 sides in football are owned by billionaires these days of which £10m is like losing a £10 note anyway, so I think it would balance the system. The only clubs I can see doing that are clubs like Newcastle, because they're short termist. It'd actually present itself opportunities for lower clubs like Crystal Palace who want to do better to do better in the league to get a higher league placing and therefore increase player interest in joining them.

So Sterling and Welbeck are out for the Italy match. Certain he will play a 4-4-2 then. Hart Clyne Cahill Jones Bertrand (yes, the FA website said he IS in the squad) Carrick Henders Barkley Walcott Rooney Kane

What did we go with when we played them away?

or biasing TV money towards lower placed clubs to keep them in the game.

Mou said RLC will stay, whether he replaces Ramires or Mikel is another question... I'd like to see Ake replace Mikel though. It seems that Chalo is more of a playmaker-ey player rather than a holder like Mikel is, from what I've seen of him play at Reading (not much; I might be wrong) while Ake is supposed to hold. Plus he's a utility player, he can play anywhere in the first 6 outfield positions. Btw assuming we'd use 4-3-3 next season, that's 3 CDM/CM places available, and including Cesc deep that means we're talking about 4 and 5th choice.

If he's benched for his next friendly, it means he's had some rest and that can only be good for us - he's needed it for a long time.

Anyone made a decision on what they're gonna get on their shirt next season? I'm split between Terry (might be my last chance to get a shirt with his name), Cesc, Diego, or Matic...

I agree. I think we are looking to play with more style, like we did pre Jan 1. I think this is not only due to our slow back line but because our squad is too thin in most areas to allow us to rest, say, Cesc for a week (2 matches) eg after crimbo or Matic, because either the replacements are too poor or non existent ( Mikel for Matic, Ramires for Cesc) Which is why Jose will need to make some changes. I think next season will be his defining one, whether he presses ahead and plays more tiki taka football or decides to buy players who can do ugly footy. But I think that if ugly football was his goal he would have passed on Cesc and kept Lamps for an extra year.

Wouldn't be surprised if we did. We have a lot of players in our academy who won't come through. It's hard to accept especially when there's players like Van Ginkel, Moses, Bertrand... if they're not gonna make it they're gonna go. Having said that Bertrand would have been more economical than buying Luis considering Mou would only play him for 10< games a year. Meh.

He has needed a rest for a while now. Hopefully Brazil rests him for their friendly.

Tbf, I think you guys are forgetting that throwing a youngster who hadn't played in a first team match for >2 months into our biggest game of the season so far at Wembley might have been a bit too quick. And before you bring the "Zouma's 20" argument in, he's also been played for 15 or so apps before that and not against opponents such as Watford, not the same at all imo. I do think he'll be back next season, hopefully in place of Mikel.

If there was first choice terms in his contract could he not invalidate the contract and move here anyway?

he isn't eligible, is he?

What a load of shite. Unless next season I am proven wrong, the only reason why we don't play such flowing football is because the players in some positions are inadequate for what we need, at least now. For example, we need a high line to play offensive football, and against bigger sides that press us that becomes a problem, which is why we retreat, imo. Our youngest lineup possible is passable but firstly he never plays Azpi and Luis together, and Ivanovic causes severe weaknesses on our defence, especially when it's Cahill who is exposed. (Azpi-Zouma-Terry-Luis) and to fix this we need a new fullback to act as second choice to Azpi/Luis and a fast centre back to pair with Zouma against such sides. Another is that Matic is being left with too much work to do in midfield, I noticed that only when Oscar came on in our last match in a 4-3-3 that midfield stopped getting raped... but I think that only Koke or Pogba could improve this area of midfield, but with a high line this would have the effect of taking pressure off the mid.

score?

tbh I'd rather watch club football

I'm pretty sure his ball control was the reason why we wanted him...to help Hazard on the other flank...

Who's on the bench?

please don't let me down with this lad Jose...I'm losing hope...

We'll see. Talks of surgery have been uttered to rectify his hamstrings.

Colkett?