LDN Blue

I go to Aston University

I've adopted Villa as a second team, so go on Villa! 1-1

Yesterday was the best day ever on Twitter.. Arsenal corning Chelsea for our first loss of the season while they suffered their 4th Yeah true, I mean even with a fit Aguero I think it's in our hands anyway. They always seem to make the title race harder for themselves and require others to slip up.

It's something I don't really understand about Mourinho. Arguably our best defender is Azpilicueta, who plays on the same flank as Hazard, but Hazard's defensive burden still remains high for some reason. I get that he wants to make Eden a more all-rounded player, but this seems a bit excessive..

I guess we should be happy they're writing something in our favour for once. But they're fools if they believe City are out of it with Aguero out.. This is the reason they've got Jovetic & Dzeko. Yaya has looked up for it lately too, David Silva still has to come back. Not to mention there's still another bloody 5 months to go!

You can't be serious? Goal #1: There's 3 other players running with that player. He actually stayed goal-side of the player so he couldn't shoot, why don't the defenders ahead get any players for making the challenge? It's not a party trick at all, any one of those defenders could have made that challenge, I'd give Mikel stick if he just stood there and let the player go past but he stayed goal side. Goal #2: You say he should take the man, well whoever it was who put the challenge in after (I think it's Oscar) does take the man out. What did the referee do? Play on. So either way the man was out of the attack and guess what? There is a gap in defence. So if Mikel stayed would you have argued that he should've gone ahead of the halfway line and set us up for a counter attack? It was a poor attempt of a tackle from Mikel, I do agree, but could you not at least acknowledge the positive intent to press? Something which people criticise a lot when he doesn't.

Isn't he? Just because he does what you expect from a defender doesn't make him anything more than average. Making a tackle in defence and simple marking doesn't make you extraordinary or world-class.. That label comes from reading the game better than others, not making school boy errors by almost panicking when a defender is running at you. He's not shit, not by any stretch of the imagination, but for a club like Chelsea there's better. People have been blinded for a while by his 'last minute' tackles. What most fail to see is that he's often the reason he has to make those tackles, when he tries to walk it out he's dispossessed far too quickly. He's very good at making ground when he has to run back, but he wouldn't have to if he kept his concentration up.

I think it's all rubbish to be honest. They know Reus is hot property to usual suspects come out as "favourites". Us, Bayern, United, Arsenal, City & Real Madrid. It would be the same with any other players..

It does amaze me how Terry has kept going. I know our defence is offered a lot of protection by Matic, but he doesn't make the mistakes Cahill does. His judgement is still more accurate than most and he's adapted his game to accommodate for his age. It helps he was never blessed with pace, it means he can keep going how he always has done without age being too much of a factor.. Not only that, but his fitness is incredible. Other fans note it too, a die-hard United fan who goes to my university says it and respects it.

I'd definitely freshen the squad up. Not at Sporting though, if he drops players in that match they'll think it's a rest because it's a dead-rubber. I'd drop players for our next PL game. Zouma in for Cahill Luis in for Ivanovic (switch flanks) Drogba & Costa up front (drop Willian)

I still think Brendan Rogers is a good manager lol. He's been let down in the transfers department, and if they were his transfers then he should consider getting in a DoF. I'd find it hilarious if they got in AvB (but less so if he's a success there).. I find it more plausible they'll target Klopp tbh. Btw, Zenit this season have only lost 2 games under André Villas-Boas, albeit it's the Russian league but it's still worth noting.

Wouldn't be surprised if the 'New York' move wasn't a PR ploy to soften the blow when he eventually continues there in 2015-16..

I wouldn't go far as to celebrate Aguero being injured, but I do like City's weakness without him in the picture.

Oh really? Didn't know that!

Definitely agree. That's why I think Hazard 'disappears' sometimes. Because he doesn't have the stamina to do short-speed bursts when he's running around the whole game. The burden on him continues to grow as well because as more and more teams start to sit deep in numbers, the team will look to Hazard to do it himself.

But overall they were quite relaxed going forward. Everton did have moments where City did have to scramble around, but they looked relatively comfortable. Lampard coming on signalled that too because after that Everton's possession and even attempts didn't send many alarms.

Yeah, that's why I don't blame people too much for not being happy with Mourinho. I do see their point. I think he's been unlucky too, Ramires has been injured, Salah isn't developing like he'd hoped.. Schurrle too.

I think Fabregas-Mikel is a combination that won't work, I mentioned it in Fab's thread because of his positioning. If Mikel was in a midfield trio with Fabregas and Ramires, then I think it works (while Matic is out). Ramires - Mikel - Fabregas Oscar - Hazard For the pace we'd lose with Willian, we'd regain with Ramires. He's got the stamina and pace to do it.

Really? Bar today, because I think he was frustrated, I think he's been a good team player. Does his defensive duty and while he doesn't get the 'assist' last pass he does do his duty in starting an attack.

Which is what confused me about us today more than anything! Even if fatigue is creeping into our squad, most these guys know they'll have a rest against Sporting.

I don't think that's being disputed by anyone here though. Every fan left, right and centre knows that Matic is much more of a better player than Mikel. What is being said though, is that Mikel wasn't as negative as he usually is by nature. Yes, he did make those needless sideways passes he's accustomed to.. But he did make a lot more positive strides forward than I've seen him do when he was a regular starter. He's learning, albeit very slowly, from Matic's play.

Barkley made a difference when he came on, but even he quickly realised that there was no point in chasing. It seemed like Martinez & Pellegrini were content with the score being what it was. I bet when we play Everton next, they'll be well up for it

I don't understand Everton at all... Only 1-0 down and there was 5 minutes left. Yet instead of getting the ball up the pitch as much as they could, they decided to pass it in their own half?! Damage limitation at 1-0 down?..

When people suggested this over summer, I thought they were crazy to be honest. But seeing Oscar this season, the defensive contributions he's making and such, I think it's now a good shout. He's clearly taken on board what Mourinho's been telling him, and he's implemented it. With Hazard coming good properly, the burden on our number 10 is reduced. We've seen Mou push Fabregas up when Oscar does come off, so it's not out the question we could see him do the opposite with Cesc.

I noticed it last season to be honest, but I guess to say 'decline' wouldn't be a total exaggeration. Yeah I get what you mean and in the market I guess Pique is the option that is the most open. Then there's guys like Hummels and Subotic that may become available in the summer window too.. So there are possibilities. For this season I think we can make do with Cahill, Zouma, Terry & Ivanovic. They've all got a mistake in them, but we don't concede nearly as much, from them, than we should. For all we know, Jose did want a new defensive outlook this season, But with the club trying to comply with FFP, hands become tied.