LDN Blue

I miss Bosingwa.

And there lies the problem in making a lack of any major signings. Big clubs, they continue to put pressure on their established stars so they can continue pushing themselves. PSG just bought Di Maria, they probably don't need him but he puts pressure on guys like Lucas Moura for example. As someone said previously, our stars are starting to get comfortable, Cesc's complacency was highlighted a lot today. We're in the Premier League's elite, but we're slowly creeping out of Europe's.

Depends what you mean. Do we play better football, no of course not. Do we play more efficiently and look more solid in the back? Yeah, we do. Whether it's labelled 'parking the bus' or not, we play much more organised and rigid in such games.

What's tragic about this signing, or any left-back, is that they'll only come to play backup to Azpili. I don't buy into this fallacy that Mourinho will move Azpi back to right-back, as far as the gaffer is concerned.. Azpi is now a certi left-back.

I'm actually not worried about this game lol. Chelsea generally step up to the plate when we're facing the top 4, it's usually the mid/bottom tier clubs we struggle with.. Costa put in a great shift v Swansea and he'll be one of the big differences. I'm more positive for this than I was for Swansea.

Agreed, made the point earlier. There are teams, where when a red card produced, who can handle one less man and still be an organised composed team. Then there's Chelsea, if anything we like to dig a bigger whole than we're usually in. I'm surprised we didn't have second. In previous games where we've had a man sent off, QPR & City we've ended up with 9 men.

"we win comfortably"? I mean the s/o and penalty made a huge difference, but it didn't by any means make Ivanovic play awful at right-back for 90 minutes. Nor did it make Fabregas & Hazard (the latter for 80 minutes) disappear from their duties.

& cue the TalkChelsea meltdown

True. But hopefully this time, it's the benefit of not being involved in the Copa America that will have a better long-term effect on his season. Fatigue is no longer an excuse for the kid now, it's time to step up.

If Gomis had a bit more intelligence and confidence in front of goal, the Swans could easily be 3-1 up in this game. Bottling it.

It was more of a joke at Ivan's expense haha. I hope he won't be forced to be deployed there for us though (should he sign).

Yeah I don't blame him tbh (though a bit of awareness would be nice), it ultimately falls back on the team selection. Mourinho is a genius, but he's got to wake up a bit here.

Meh it's not important what he's saying. He's not disrespecting Chelsea and that's important, if we're really phased by him praising Wenger what does that say about our own insecurities?

Can he play right-back?

Ivanovic is getting worse and worse in that right back position. Montero has him in his backpocket and it's incredibly frustrating. Their equaliser came from his side of the play and it continues to do so. Mou once said "If I had a team of 11 Azpilicueta's I'd win the CL", well he only needs on at right-back and buy an able left-back!

Yeah, much improved from Oscar. Consistency is key, if he continues to replicate and not disappear then he still has a very good chance to reach his potential.

Hope you didn't mind my corrections there

as Fergie once said "he was born offside" I'm inclined to agree with you however. Falcao looks more up for it, he's been making good runs in the string of games he's featured in. Psychologically, he gets a good start today and his season & career can really begin to take off.

Hopefully this is finally the season Sunderland go down. Following the Wigan mould, do fuck all for 7/9 months of the season then string together enough to scrape by

To be honest, things are happening behind closed doors that we're unaware of. For all we know, negotiations to sign Rahman are going well and it's just a matter of timing. The facts of the matter is though, that this isn't the biggest priority. Mou isn't replacing Azpilicueta anytime soon at LB, so he's happy to wait for the signing of his understudy.

Yet if we sign him and he's a success then no-one's going to care. Do you care we tapped up Ashley Cole?

John should get his 700th Chelsea appearance this season! He's on 671 in all competitions, lets hope he stays injury free. But with about 50ish games this season, lets hope he keep the consistency of last season up.

Lmao, was gonna say.. Anyone really surprised?

To be honest, whoever United would have got it's really a win-win for them. I don't doubt they'll progress to the Champions League, but they also have the additional positive in the fact its another matchday in it for them at Old Trafford. Not our concern to be honest, whoever they would've got they would've gone through.

You can't ban people?! I declare a vote of no confidence!