Henrique

Every time Mourinho's popularity is not 100% in this forum, someone change the name of the topic. Probably someone from the staff who is huge Mouinho fan and dicovered a cool way to delegitimize anyone who don't believe Mourinho is God.

Reminds me of 2007...

He is the king of memes and hyperboles.

care to explain the gesture you are talking about?

Oscar was the best player during the moments of good football in the 1st half. Curtouis made a big mistake giving away a penalty and a getting a red. Hazard was nowhere to been seeing for 80 minutes, only appeared in last 10 minutes. Willian the best player during the 2nd half. Diego Costa must undertstand that being angry is different from playing good football. Months since the last time he played a decent match. Defense is a joke. Its easy to say those 4 guys are world class when Williand and Hazard are playing as 2nd full backs. Its a joke that in 2015 the team is starting with Azpi playing as a LB, Ivanovic as a rigth back and Cahill+Terry as undisputed CB partnership. Ivanovic is finished as a RB. 88th minute, he makes a superb interception in the defensive field, only to make a horrendous pass and kill a counter-attack opportunity. Its exactly what he is: a CB with few attacking abilities, someone who should never be playing as RB at this moment. I don't know if I'm watching different games, but as time goes, I don't understand why some people believe Matic is a great DM player. He is very limited and unidimensional in my books. He needs more competition. He is not good enough to be the undisputed staring XI.

Nothing wrong with his tactics yesterday. His first mistake was when he decided the defense was amazing and this kind of bullshit. The teams defensives problems were bigger than David Luiz,and I remember in his first season he was saying the team only lacked a proper CF and everyone bought that idea. I still cant believe some people still believe Cahill was world class one day and that Terry is still as good as 10 years ago. If he still is the best CB in PL, then it speaks loud about PL qulity at the moment. His biggest signings during transfer window were Matic, Fabregas, Cuadrado and Diego Costa. Zouma and Luis were the only defenders bought during the period, and the latter was sould, despite being better than Azpi in everybody's books but Jose.

Its unbelievable how 9 out of 10 people writing in UK press is saying we are favorites to win the PL this season. I'm getting the feeling those people barely know what's really going on with teams, because the amount of problems with this squad is really worrying. It won't be a surprise if the team struggle during this season but if that happen I imagine many "10 reasons why" articles everywhere. In some predictions some guys only point to "Mourinho factor" as the reason the team will win the league.

Nothing negative in his post. Saying Mourinho is not a god is not a negative thing.

I really don't know what you mean. Your 2012 line-up was not the main team of that season. Cech; Cole, Luis, Terry/Cahill, Ivanovic; Mikel, Lampard, Meirelles, Mata, Kalou, Drogba. That squad was still not as good as the current one, I agree, but and I'm not sure what you mean by comparing squads, since it completely kill your argument: squad from 3 years ago was not even close of being good as the current one, so its natural that in 2012 the team finished 6th while the current one is supposed to win the PL. So, I really don't know why you are comparing squads to prove the new deal was not premature. I can also say the current squad has huge problems specially in the defense. I dont understand why you mentioned results from 2012 season (easily the weakest squad of Abramovich years). Before Mourinho signed, the team finished 3rd in PL and 3 points behind City, who finished 2nd. In his first season Mourinho also finished 3rd. You might say "before Mourinho signed the team was an Europa League side". Lets face the facts. 2012/13 UCL season the team faced a tough group with Juventus and Shaktar and got 10 points, same as Shaktar but could not get into the knockout stage because of one more goal conceded at home. The team scored 16 goals in the group stage, more than any other team. Juventus topped the group with 12 points. That team was good enough to reach the knockout-stage and was way better than an Europa League side. The failure during that season could easily have happened under Mourinho, just remember the 13/14 group stage performance and results were very similar to the 12/13 season and the group was not as tough (Shaktar and Basel and the most strongest opponents). His made an overall good job since his return, but that was far from massive. Roberto Mancini and Pellegrini also won PL trophies in last 5 years. One last word: he might be by far the ideal manager at the moment, but I'm not sure if that means he will be ideal manager in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

I'm sure it won't be a popular opinion, but I'm not happy with his contract extension. His contract was a 3 years deal. After two years he gets a extension. One average season and a PL trophy. No doubt the overall result was good, but was it good enough to justify a new 4 years deal? In my opinion the answer is no, specially after two disastrous eliminations in UCL for two season in a row, both at Stamford Bridge. Football is really dynamic, and the best time to discuss any kind of new deal was at the end of this season. If the team don't win PL or UCL this season, I really doubt this new deal will prevent a 4th season under pressure. At the end of the day, this new deal might become no more than some more millions spent with compensation...

He can. To be honest a team that rely on a CF to win big things is not a team that is good enough.

We need fullbacks and DM. Attacking player not needed at all. I don't know when people will realize our attacking problems are more related with tactics than the quality of players.

Not the result, but some things are worrying: 1- You just can't accept that in his 3rd season Mourinho doesn't have a proper left back. More worrying: we are starting the season with no left back at all. Azi is not a left back, he was used there as a quick fix to Ashley Cole bad performances. If Mourinho thought Luis was not good enough, then a new LB was a priority. You don't left priority signings for the end of the window. Azi performance today was so poor, Mourinho needed to use Zouma in that position. 2- You have a team with Fabregas, Hazard and Oscar, but for some reason the players are using long throw ins like Stoke City. 3- Again Ivanovic as an undisputed RB. Not sure how many of his crosses could not even pass the first defender. He offers 0 when the team is attacking. Full backs are usually under-looked, but easily one of the most important roles of the game. This team is far from superb in that aspect. About the game today: .Bad performance from Hazard. Disappeared for the whole game, and missed what was supposed to be an easy goal. .Oscar was easily the best player. Created chances and really improved the team in the final third. .Too early to judge Falcao, but looked exactly that same United player who spend most of his playing time committing attacking fouls. Nothing wrong with his ball control as some people were saying. Weeks ago I said Arsenal were my favorites to win the PL this season. They were the best team for 2nd leg of season, scored mored points than any other team and made some important moves in the market. Our squad lacks depth and playing style became really predictable. Its not a good sign when Zouma and Moses is your answer when things are not really well.

Not sure if the club will sign Kenedy thinking about using him in the first team, or using him as a Chelsea player at all. The club's strategy is pretty clear: they just buy any player from low economically football that has a nice market in Europe. Players from Brazil, Africa and Mid/East Europe are really cheap. After some years playing for another club, they just sell the player for a good profit. If the player is good enough and attract the current manager's attentions, they can even play for the club. Thats a pretty decent strategy if you ask me. Thats why in recent years the club is buying lots of young players who will never make it here. Actually what the club is doing is pretty clear: the club is acting like those investments funds. I guess what, no one can say its illegal, but its not. Now I'm certain the club bought players like Piazon, Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, Wallace, Kenedy and others just because they were cheap at some point, and they could mean a nice profit in the future. But of course the club will come up with the official version: they need experience. That's nonsensical. Oscar was a young player coming from Brazil a he was starting UCL games in his first season. Same to Hazard. To be honest I don't expect Kenedy to even play any official game for Chelsea, same to the other Brazilian guy, Nathan. Piazon was not sold yet because he failed to make attract attention of other teams willing to pay a nice amount of money.

Not sure if there is any kind os misinterpretation, because I'm not sure if you really believe no one knows that no organisation ever owns a player, and actually what is owned is player's economic rights, and I'm not sure if you don't understand that, when people say someone "owns a player" they mean "someone owns the players economic rights". In the link I just posted above (http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/30/why-premier-league-banned-third-party-ownership-players) you can just read: "In December, Platini said: "We cannot accept that players are owned by an agent or an entity, or financial institutions. It is hard to understand that footballers, who have battled so much to be independent of clubs, ending the old contract situation [with the 1995 Bosman ruling], are now controlled by third-party funds. I do not accept that. I am going to fight with all my strength against that." I hope you understand he just said "we cannot accept that players economic rights are owned by an agent...". About Kenedy, believe me, Fluminense does not own economic rights or any kind of Kenedy's registration. He is an ex-Fluminense player, he was sold about one month ago to an investment fund. A player doesn't need to be registered to any club before signing for another, thats why we have free agents. This authorization thing is something to no create problems in Premier League. Selling players for investment funds is pretty common in SA. Since 3 months ago, Brazilian press was reporting Fluminense would sell Kenedy for an investment funds, who then was going to "give" Kenedy's rights to Chelsea. About one month ago, Fluminense confirmed Kenedy was sold. He is not under contract with Fluminense, so, if Chelsea did not registered him yet, then he is a free agent, but definitely not a Fluminense player. The whole thing is weird. It reminds me of Traore situation. He joined Chelsea academy in 2010, even joined the squad in pre season in 2013, 3 months before signing any official contract with Chelsea. I'm pretty sure it was the same situation: talented player coming from low economically developed football, 100% he was owned by investments funds who let he play for Chelsea, before finally selling for the club for the right price. Kenedy is the same. Perhaps he will never play an official match for Chelsea, but he definitely will sign a contract with Chelsea at some point.

To be honest this twit does not make any sense. Kennedy is not a Fluminense's player anymore. Actually he was sold about one month ago. The problem is: he was sold to a investment fund, and If I can remember, Premier League banned "third-party ownership of players". http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/30/why-premier-league-banned-third-party-ownership-players

After watching some moments, nothing to take note here. Typical friendly game to lose extra fat.

Found full match. Still alive as I write: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5d5YxIiNm0

Goals and PK please?!

Im no watching the game, but I think Falcao must replace Costa.

So, is Kennedy really playing well?

Is this Kennedy any good? To be honest never heard of him before he joined.

Didn't even know it was a tournament.

Anyone got videos?

WTF is that?