Bir_CFC

Pretty cool that we have two Chelsea academy graduates at Southampton.

I wish he was left foot bed. There are very few top class left footed wingers. Bale, Di Maria, Robben. That's it really.

Do it when we have a relatively easy schedule and an international break. Or at the end of the season.

You guys are overrating Kross imo. He's great at controlling play in a possession team but he's never looked good when the pace of the game increases or when he's pressed. He's been part of teams that always have 60% possession or more. Easy to ping balls around when you're always dominating and have loads of space and time. Modric is the real beast. Him and Rakitic are probably the best complete CMs in the world on current form.

I don't think he's been marked out of any game except yesterday. City he wasn't as influential simply because we played for a draw. Arsenal I thought he was good offensively and great defensively. Crystal Palace first half he was man marked first half and was poor but turned it around in the 2nd half.

That's a play you'd see clearly while playing Fifa, a nice easy through ball resulting in a goal. But in real life, it looked like he was still getting complete control of the ball and by the time he did, the passing lane closed down.

I don't think you can get away with having a CB that can't win headers in the PL. I'm guessing that's partly the reason Jose is trying to develop Zouma since Christensen and Kalas are both lightweight compared to your typical EPL centre-back. We need guys like Varane, Benatia, Boateng etc. Tbh, there is a huge dearth of top class CBs nowadays.

Off topic from the current discussion: I think to go the next level we need to prioritize buying or bringing through CBs who are reasonably quick and good on the ball. This is a controversial opinion but I think our CBs are holding back the full potential of this team. I'm not saying they are bad, Terry and Cahill have been fantastic and Zouma is a great talent but I don't think they fit the playing style Jose really wants. Our CBs don't complement our defensive philosophy of high pressing. It's honestly a huge testament to the players and the coaching staff how good they've made it work. A more competent CB pairing will help considerably in controlling games and further improve our pressing because it's almost stupid to be pressing high with a medium to low defensive block. You're forced to ask the midfielders to cover a lot of ground. A quicker and CB pairing better on the ball will improve our pressing considerably considering we'd be able to play a high line and it would improve our ball possession considerably as well. We severely lack a CB that could bring the ball out of defence, especially when teams try to congest the midfield and man mark Cesc.

I would agree with everyone saying to continue attacking and kill the game off, but I don't agree with that at all in this case. We were better than them in the second half but it's not like we were opening them up continuously and creating lots of chances. Even before any defensive subs, we had good control but we didn't really look like scoring. So to try and attack more when we didn't really look like scoring is just asking for trouble. Furthermore, this is the first time in a long time United were actually playing on the counter at home, so attacking them would be playing right in their hands. I think it was a good idea to play cautious towards the end because it seemed like we weren't really going to get a second and United didn't like they would even manufacture a chance (they didn't do shit in the 2nd half). What I didn't like was the substitutions, not the tactics. Substituting Willian and Hazard considering they both are probably top 3 (along with Matic) at actually holding onto the ball in our entire team was the mistake imo.

People will try to mark him out of the game. That's when either one of the attackers has to drop (Oscar tried but didn't do a good job this game) or one of the CBs should bring the ball out of defense (Cahill tries a couple times, but he's not that good on the ball). I'm not heavily criticizing any of the players mentioned above or the team or Jose. It was a below par performance relative to the high expectations we've set so far but even so it wasn't so poor. Although, I would say one area we need to improve. Zouma is highly rated but we need to also get (or promote) a proper quick ball playing CB for the future. Our CBs don't complement our defensive philosophy of high pressing. It's honestly a huge testament to the players and the coaching staff how good it's working. A more competent CB pairing will help considerably in controlling games too. This is a controversial opinion but I think our CBs are holding back the full potential of this team. I'm not saying they are bad, Terry and Cahill have been fantastic but I don't think they fit the playing style Jose really wants. Ugh I really wanted Benatia here.

Dude is the most clutch big game footballer I've ever seen.

He threw Weidenfeller under the bus too after their defeat yesterday.

Smh at the reaction of you guys. Almost every single player has been thrown under the bus. Drogba being criticized so heavily, when he's been good, probbably one of our better performers.

We should just go for it now, considering City lost yesterday. Worst case, we're still 5 points ahead of them. I don't expect Drogba to play like the old Drogba, all I ask is that if the ball comes to you, just make it stick. Basically, just hold the ball up, the midfielders can take care of the rest.

Someone posted a link to the full show in the Fabregas thread.

They are almost always posted here in the highlights sub-forum. I forget who does it. But whoever it is, does a great job. Sometimes even MOTD links are posted.

Courtois Azpi - Varane - Pepe - Luis Modric - Matic Bale - James - Ronaldo Costa I think Hazard is a better player but James is a better fit because he's a better playmaker. You can't have your entire attacking 3 whose first instinct is to dribble.

I want the classico to be a super boring and shitty match with all Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Ronaldo and Bale having poor games. The next day Chelsea destroys United thanks to Hazard's best performance in a Chelsea shirt with a hat-trick. That right there will create enough hype around Hazard and put him in every football fan's top 5 and consequently on the Ballon D'Or shortlist. Perfect dream scenario for me.

Daniel Wass Evian laugh. Lol sorry.

Wow!! From the edge of the box no less.

Which teenager is better than Sterling? I can't think of any.

Good luck to Ron. Marina is beast though. We'll be fine. Btw love the female representation in the club. Eva and Marina, both in key roles and performing exceptionally.

Everyone misplaces a pass. He had a good performance overall. Held the ball up very well and on the whole did link up very well imo. Did feel his work rate was a bit lacking though. Made very few runs in behind or in the channels.

No there isn't. Ref gave him a yellow, so he's acknowledged that he saw it.

Costa INJURY NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jose Mourinho: “The Spanish team played in Luxembourg on Sunday, I gave them Diego, Fabregas and Azpilicueta. I gave them two days off," Mourinho said. “I gave them Monday and Tuesday off, so they have to report to train on Wednesday at 3pm. And Diego was here on Monday at 9am. “So you can imagine how strong he was to be here on Monday.” Source - http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/diego-costa-shuns-chelsea-managers-7953396