Blue_Fox_

And of course the usual suspect with the biased folk tales appears This forum sometimes. A manager wins two trophies with this starting XI - with the admission from many that this endeavour is in fact nearly impossible - and gets demonized. SMFH. I agree with SJ though, let's throw Aina in, it could be a winning move.

Who plays left?

All right, he benches him. In favour of whom?

I definitely think it's not Conte's "fault" it's beyond me how can anyone think that, borderline ridiculous. Nor any other manager we previously had.

This forum is gonna send me insane. Obviously Ivanovic is shite and the defence is an utter joke. But are you seriously blaming Conte for it?

Seriously? I hope you're joking. Do you seriously believe an Italian manager, whose previous defence comprised the likes of Bonucci, Chiellini and Barzagli can't see Chelsea's defence is a utter joke? No doubt, as soon as results start going the wrong way, the all-knowing crowd will, once again, blame the manager for being set up to fail.

Would you really put it beyond us? I'm not so confident as of now. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong quite soon.

I would be quite sad should he leave. Was one of my favourite players in the league winning campaign, and I'm certain he can find again his form. Shame.

rofl

http://twentyminutereads.com/2016/08/09/the-hammer/

If the descriptions I've read about him are truthful, then I'm hyped. Hopefully he's good enough to slot in our team right away, either as a sub or first XI. We need the player that I've read about.

Pellegrino managed him, of course he was shit defensively. There is a good defender somewhere in this lad.

Wonder how that works out, having his wife as agent. His life must be a living hell.

Hope Inter and Milan can get back on their feet after these changes, the Serie A seriously needs it. Hope they will start developing Italian players as well, that's massively needed, come on let's work all together for the NT shall we?

Ridiculous amount of money though. That team needs to be feared. Let's get a CB and LB and I'd fancy our chances against them. It could've been us 1 year ago. *sigh*

That says more about the quality of our starting XI

Thank you for the civilized, well thought response. That's indeed rare to see. (and rather laughable to read the other posts, that cheered me right up.) Just to be clear, I'm on board with Conte 100%, how could I not be? When the time will come that Chelsea face (and please pay attention to my wording here) Mourinho, then yes he will become public enemy #1, we'll have to win no matter what. However normally, in any other match, I would like to see José win, which, should that happen, will cause me to cheer for him. World is not so black and white as people believe it to be.

Call me crazy all you want, but I prefer him to start instead of Fabregas with this starting XI.

I cheered at the final whistle. He has put together a very nice team, he deserved it. It could've been us, we're too blind for that. Hope he wins the league if we (more likely than not) can't. Oh and the Europa League as well.

I hope he knows he has until december or so to work with this team Hope he doesn't go to france next. And all that staff he brought with him

I want to be optimistic and say we can win this game. It's simply a matter of outscoring them, because for sure they're going to score once or twice. Please let Fabregas be in his rightful place, just like today sitting on the bench.

I don't think both me and you can say with certainty what caused the substitution, which is why I wrote "probably" Few minutes before he (Mata) went down holding his knee, could be that or just time wasting sub. Or José was being a "prick" as it is popular opinion, but what fruit that behaviour would bring exactly?

Probably injured

Mata was probably injured. First "trophy" he got. Hope he gets a few more if Chelsea don't manage to win anything.