Kojo

No, i don't think we can win it, i think it will be the same usual champions league for the last 2 years, out in the quarters. We havent beat any big teams so far, and what makes you think we can do it in Champions League, luck is required, but we also need a good squad most of all, perhaps if we spend on new squad players i would of been confident but we didn't.

Terminator X, Henrique or Tomo-91 for me, Terminator X speaks his mind, knows what he's talking about and has had a good opinion on our club. Henrique controversial but he does speak the truth and is usually right, Tomo-91 clever, some opinions i don't agree on, but he usually makes good debates and possibly makes the best threads on this forum.

Finally i can comment on the game, the day the game was on, it wouldn't let me on the forum at all, and i was in leeds at the example concert so didn't get chance then. This was our best performance all season, i have never been so confident when the oppesition is running at us, Soldado is a brilliant striker, and i forgot he was on the pitch, we blanked the hell out of him. Romeu is quality, and he will be a quality player he can only get better, good game from Ramires and Meireles also, esepcially Ramires, he played like he did earlier in the season, very good, and i said he will do that, but players like him only seem to play well when the team does, he can't drag the team for some reason. Luiz solid as hell, and no silly challenges, Terry, back to last seasons Terry, Ivanovic very good, he had the hardest side and he dealt with it well with Sturridge helping him also. And Cole also solid, also a very good performance for Cech, but i bet he now underperforms in the City game, it seems to happen when he has one good game leading up to a big one. Mata is just pure quality, i'd like to see liverpool convince themselves now stuart downing was a better buy than Mata. Drogba the only good performance he's put in all season, he put in a decent one against Liverpool but still not good. And Sturridge was once again a huge threat and gave us good pace on the counter attack, but the huge problem he has is not squaring the ball, the keeper knows he wont square it so they will now save it easily, i don't know if he's just pure greedy, doesn't see the right chance, or can't use his right foot, what ever it is this needs sorting out, especially now we have City coming up. Still though this game was brilliant, enjoyed so much of it, i expected us to be very panicking and get a lucky victory, but we sorted them out, they only had one real chance, and it was a chance what nothing could do about, brilliant cross, and good header, but brilliant save by Cech. So no defensive errors, great game, i now hope AVB will stop with the highline defending this season, till he gets his own players, or in January.

I think we will get Napoli or CSKA.

Henrique, AVB has signed 5 players, Mata, brilliant player and has been world class so far, Oriol Romeu, brilliant talented DM, problems that he might not be here for very long he could go back to Barca, but he fits perfectly into our system at such a young age too, Lukaku, not enough games, his movement is good, his strength, needs a bit more technical play to add to his game and he could be a very good striker but who knows, he's untested, and Lukaku for me is a poacher, he has the same problem Torres has, no assistance from the team, Lukaku wont score if given the ball with his back facing the goal, infact he's the very oppesite to Drogba, don't know why people compare them. Courtois, who looks very promising so far at Attletico Madrid, i think he will be a world class keeper in 5 years. Meireles, good squad player, very good technically, adds a lot to the game, but he shouldn't be used as a first team player, however i think he's a good buy for 13 million. Now AVB for me has made very good buys so far, Mata and Oriol pretty much proven, (except Oriol still has to play more so we are certain), Lukaku unproven, but with every reason why, Courtois looking very promising. Meireles, experienced, brings something to the squad, good signing. You have many problems with AVB, but don't you think that if we let AVB build his team, with his money, who knows what he could do?, Porto was a very good team, at the moment he's got bad players. Now i don't know what went on in the background between the chairman, the board and AVB in the summer, if AVB had full control over transfers and a lot of money to spend, then to be fair it's his own fault he's in this position, but no one on this forum knows what he situation was, so we can't blame him at the moment. I think AVB can build a great team, that's what i think i could be wrong, but we bought him, we took a gamble, like we did with Mourinho, perhaps Mourinho was better and will always be better. But i want a long term manager, and if we are to have long term we must offer him time and less pressure. It might not work it might not, but we must take a gamble, otherwise what's the point. You may think it's more worth it sacking him then getting other managers to replace him and looking for instant success, but it's not, and i think that's even less likely of a gamble in it's own way. I say we give him another season, even if this one doesn't work out, even if we lose to Valencia, and don't finish top 4, because in my honest opinion you have to be a miracle worker to get our team in top 4, when you have City, United, Spurs, and Arsenal look much better.

I don't believe that, it maybe the belgium league, but when he played against us, he was special, he put 2 amazing throughballs in, his trickery and passing where top notch, he did really well against us, he even got back and defended well.

*facepalm*, totally forgot about that... jesus christ, i've been talking about us having a chance at europa league too, i'm such a fool. Infact your right Europa league is more stressfull, with the days you play, pressure will be less though.

We beat Newcastle yes, but there's still some work to do, lets not get over confident, i still think we have issues defending. Going out the Champions League will benefit us, gives us more resting time and less pressure on our squad, we must focus on the league this year, winning the Champions League with our squad?, sorry it's not possible. And i also think we will get some good fucking team what will kick our arse, because we can only come 2nd now, i don't want to see a huge thumping off Real Madrid or Barcelona. But the main reason i think we could do with it, however i'm being unrealistic, because AVB will definitely get sacked if we don't qualify for next round. I want to see a few games from Chelsea first before i get confident, starting after the man city game. As for now there's still work to do, we got through one challenge, that was against Newcastle, we now have to beat Valencia, and try and survive against CIty.

Well look like it's finally happened, good news though. He's shown no developement when he's been here, and it's about time he went. However i wish him the best at his new club, and even though i found him a very annoying footballer to watch, he was a good bloke, and did score those vital goals now and again.

Romeu has to play, i can remember Mikel in the last game we were against these, worst game of the season he has had so far, he didn't track players, he didn't track any movement, infact he was that slow he couldn't keep up with any of the players, Sergio Canales was causing havoc and Mikel gave him so much freedom, it was actually a disgrace for a Defensive Midfield for that to happen. As where Romeu would of made a huge difference, only thing is he's played too much games, he will probably sit out for this one. Cech Bosingwa-Luiz-Terry-Cole Romeu Meireles-Lampard Sturridge-Torres-Mata Should think about giving Ivanovic a rest, got a big game against City, we could do with subbing Terry off later too.

JT will never be able to put in good games in the highline, he just wont adapt to it, perhaps if we got a much better midfield with pressure on the ball then yes. But he's not a finished centre back, if you cut out the highline and play like we did against Newcastle.

I'm not bothered if we lose or win this one to be honest, going out of Champions league early will be a big benefit imo, only thing is AVB will get sacked.

Ah you know what i mean, just saying it was different till then, but i do agree i would never turn down that amount of money.

Everyone agrees with Blue Ultra, and then soon as WHS says that everyone turns lmao.

Bastard!, it's going to be a very difficult game then.

If we don't get a playmaker in midfield, we are fucked. Our midfield is shocking in my opinion. And it makes no difference we can get a good player in the summer, and let that be it.

Could of gone either way?, are you serious, in my opinion we were a much better team and should of scored at least 6, they hit the post 3 times, and one of the time was produced out of nothing from Ameobi, good long shot, but a lucky ball from a clearence by Simpson, then the other time Drogba almost scoring an own goal. Then Demba Ba hit the post, but if it was going in Cech would of saved it, because he almost saved it off the post. The only unlucky thing for Newcastle was the David Luiz incident, where it was a sending off. Though how come no ones brought up Demba Ba's offside?.

To be honest he played well, made some good passes to put Sturridge through, but still he was losing the ball a bit to much for me, even played a very stupid pass to Romeu when they were link up playing, and we lost the ball in our own half.

Ivanovic-Luiz-Terry-Cole This should be our line up. To be honest this is going to be the most scary game of the season, i fear for the worst. Unfortuantely i can see a really hard beating, City are just invincible and we still have problems defensivly, Boas like in the newcastle mtach, quit this highdefence line, and keep it like that, we played like it in the Newcastle match and were no where near as bad as we have been defensivly in past games.

I agree, he will never be able to get into our team, we may aswell sell him to another league, i think we can definitely get a good price for him. I think we will definitely be making profit either way. He's just too slow, doesn't track back and struggles breaking up play in the premier league, Romeu was putting in very good tackles against Newcastle, he was onto Guthrie and Cabaye constantly and winning it back, if you watch a lot of the chances where Lampard was putting the through ball to Sturridge, was because of Romeu's tackles, he was stopping the Newcastle play and then making them pay the price for all going forward. If Mikel was in that match he wouldn't of done any of that, and i personally think it would of been a different game with Mikel in it, and probably a much worse result for us.

The most we would ever do in January would be to sign 3 players, and even that would be a surprise. But if that's the case, then get a playmaker, centre back and a right winger, those three are the most important ones.

two of my favourite players, great tribute. Alex was worth the money and so was Anelka, they both did well and scored in times of need, Anelka equalised this season against West Brom, which was a vital goal. I wish the best of luck for both of them.

Agreed, it's also why blackburn should play Yakubu in goal.

In a way i do agree there, i actually don't know what player would fit it perfectly. All i know is that we need 2 wingers, one starter, and another a fresh young winger who can come on and do damage someone like De Bruyne for example. And a playmaker in midfield, i don't know who, and a centre back, i would like that Gary Cahill.

lmao i noticed that too. Sturridge's finishing was dreadful, his chance just before the goal was pretty bad, he should of curled it bottom left corner, he was going to, but then thought no wait ill try and put it through his legs, even though ramires and i myself have failed to do it, but i'll go for it anyway. And bam another chance missed. Still though happy he got his goal, 7 goals for him, that's brilliant.