coolhead23

Very optimistic! LIke i said, one possibility is that it could be the other way round. I m just not getting my hopes up with all these rumors, better to be grounded now then fall later

i believe Mourinho might end up at PSG with Carlo moving to Madrid. One of the reason behind this logic is the entire Schurrle saga, Mourinho likes to be full control for everything to which ever club he goes and here we r trying to strike a deal for Schurrle without the consent of a manager or waiting for Jose. Doesnt really point at Mourinho. It can be argued the other way round as well. The anxiety is gonna kill us.....

Now what is the point in not wanting to go for it ... Either way we have to play the 2 games (home and away) and Rafa has given the cups more priority so lets go out and get this one ATLEAST!

TBH everyone is to be blamed, when we are in together the credits and blames has to be taken collectively. Owner and Board: No one knows if Roman is the one who approves everything or is it the board/advisors making the call. When everyone was aware that we would be playing 7 competitions this season when didnt the board get in enough players or send out players, clearly a thin squad today. U had the holy grail delivered by the manager who was make shift manager, why cant have faith in him? Did u give him the job just because he won it. The board could have taken the tough decision of opting a new manager at the start to have the built up process going rather than sacking him 2-3 months in the job and then be clueless. Were they afraid that everyone would talk bad about them if RDM was not appointed the manager after the cup win if that was case why sack him and become a laughing stock. And why Rafa after sacking RDM? Total chaos at times. Managers: RDM had the world at his feet after the Champions league victory and i expected him to be smart to do something different when he was appointed the manager. But he did what everyone does when appointed the manager, impress the boss! Playing attacking football and try to become Barca, there was no plan B in that strategy plus we were no Barca. I dont completely blame him for doing that but he should had a plan B and should have rotated the squad accordingly. The less said about Rafa is better i believe. Players: There are so many times during the season the players have given the feeling that they just dont want to play out there or dont give it a damn (i m earning my wages who the h*** cares). Are u in a state of mourning? When you wear the jersey and take the field u are expected to give more 100% day in day out thats the reason u have been hired. I dont buy the theory that they are tried and cant perform at the highest level. These are super athletics who are payed hell lot of money and nurtured & trained to keep going at the highest level. And it hurt when they dont even try. Fans: Lots and lots of expectation specially from a team who were suppose to be in transition. Right at the start of the season, fans were looking at a repeat for champion league success along with the premier league title.

guess that about it for the day.... nice run boys now let's concentrate for top 4

I doubt he would come over, he mite go to Bayern. But he is the kind of player Chelsea should target if we are to adapt the current system rather than chasing the Falcaos and Cavanis who are way to costly plus Falcao mite not even be that successful in our system. Lewandowski would be a better and cheaper option for us plus as suggested by Pacquiao he would not only thrive in our setup but would be beneficial to the others. I really hope that we really get him.

... i have waiting for Arsenal to drop off the top 4 so that i could laugh some more on Arsenal fans ... not that we dont do it now but then the top 4 is the only trophy they keep winning ... would had be great if they miss that one too ...

Seriously! Got to be kidding, right

Stats wouldn't mean a thing if we put a similar team like at Southampton.... we need to field a strong side and get those 3 points

Good read, mate! I do agree that Chalobah is a talent which can be the new poster boy for our academy but as much as i m excited by the prospect, I don’t want to get my hopes too high because over the years our so called talents have not turned up the way we expected. Having said that I m pinning my hopes yet again on Chalobah and I would want him to be on loan for another season atleast. He has already demonstrated that he good at the championship level … now if possible the management should think of raising that level or if Watford gets into PL next season we should extend his loan as he is bound to get more game time. More over performing at the next level would only help his cause in terms of confidences, development, adaptability and a smooth passage into the first team (meaning more game time) And at the same time, if the management has learned for our past mistakes we might have a steady manager who would be taking interest in our youth which means it might be much easier for Chalobah to blend into the first team with game time. Everything at this moment is hope, hope and hope …. P.S: I would have wanted him in the team next season if we had a manager who was there for some time and was in total control.

Great fixtures up ahead plus toss in the FAs and Europas, gonna be a tough ask to get 4th. With the kind of team that was pitched for the Saints game, we mite barely get a win. I guess our top 4 finish now is directly proportionally to the priorities that our interim manager has in his mind. Yes we had a decent game yest and there is nothing more enjoyable than winning against United but then that victory came on the expenses of the more valuable 3 points. ..... It really looks like a bumpy ride up ahead, a real tough one!

I dont understand one thing here ... when we can sack managers for non performances, get in players who ever we want without the consent of the managers, make it so obvious that Champions League has been so damn important, get in a manager who is of no good .... why cant the management tell Rafa what are the f****** priority for next season ... why is the strongest team not being played in the PL games. Winning the Champions league gave us a shot at the CL again, is the management thinking that winning Europa will help us play in CL again? Fucking bunch of Jokers!

decent team selected....however i believe it also underlines the fact that Rafa is giving more priority to the FA cup and Europa not top 4.

A look at the key players from both sides who would be involved on Friday... Courtesy: We aint got no history http://www.weaintgotnohistory.com/2013/3/28/4157346/nextgen-semifinal-preview-chelsea-vs-arsenal-march-29-2013 Jeremie Boga, midfielder Anyone who watched the Barcelona game is certainly familiar with Boga at this point. The young Frenchman turned 16 years old in January, and actually debuted for the reserve side in 2012 before ever playing for the U18 team. He's been one of the standout players in the U21 league this season, and could easily find himself in the discussion for a first team bench role before the end of the season if we see some meaningless games. Lamin broke down a goal that almost was yesterday, and like most things Chelsea do at that level, Boga was a huge part of it. Lewis Baker, midfielder Baker will be turning 18 years old in about a month, and has been in sensational form for the U21 side this season. He has been with the academy since 2005, and has been an England regular at every appropriate age group. His decision making is excellent, and he's one of the few players at that age that I've seen that is truly equally capable with the ball on either foot. He'll take the majority of the set pieces for the Blues while likely playing a central midfield role. He's also capable of playing on the wings, and has done so occasionally this season. Andreas Christensen, center back, right back Christensen joined the club this season, and has been very impressive thus far. The 16-year old has been a regular in the U21 setup, and easily had his best game of the season against Juventus. He's a big, strong kid with good pace, and he's known for excellent passing and composure. He has also moved into a defensive midfield role several times this season, but with Todd Kane on loan at Blackburn, I'd expect 90 minutes at right back from him tomorrow. Ironically, Arsenal were also chasing Christensen very heavily before he decided to join Chelsea. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, midfielder Loftus-Cheek will likely pair with Lewis Baker to anchor the Chelsea midfield, and has been featuring regularly for the U18 side this year. Ruben just turned 17 and is a bit more raw than Baker, but he's got the sort of size, speed, and strength combination that is awfully hard to find. He was called up for the England U17 game of Thursday, but was not used in the game. Alex Kiwomya, wing, striker Kiwomya is one of the more interesting players in the Chelsea system. The 16-year old is raw, but he's an elite level athlete with absolutely limitless upside. He was among the best sprinters in the world at younger age groups (and holds several British age-group records), despite often being very young for the group he was competing against. He played 23 minutes on Thursday for the England U17 side, so there's a very good chance that he will not be involved on Friday. Nathan Ake, center back, fullback, midfield I'm sure most of us are now familiar with Ake, as he has now made his senior debut for Chelsea. The Dutchman turned 18 in February, and didn't look out of place in his first start for Chelsea against Middlesbrough. He seems unlikely to make the trip though, as he was training with the Chelsea first team on Thursday. I wouldn't rule it out entirely, but I'd be surprised if he was in Italy. Islam Feruz, striker Feruz has caught a lot of eyes this season, as he has been scoring goals in bunches. The 17-year old lacks size, but he is pacy, explosive, and generally a clinical finisher with either foot. He's another that could be in line for a first team bench at some point this season, and will almost certainly be considered for a Scotland callup at some point now that the team cannot qualify for the World Cup. He generally starts up front alone, and will be a real test for the Arsenal center backs. As for our opponents on Friday, Aidan Gibson from The Short Fuse was kind enough to fill us in on some of Arsenal's key players: Hector Bellerin, right back Bellerin recently turned 18, celebrating his birthday with a fabulous winning goal against Manchester United's U-21s. Bellerin has been a mainstay of the U-21 side and the NextGen team and has been on Arsenal's bench for the 3rd round of the League Cup. Bellerin joined as a right winger from Barcelona in the summer of 2011, but has played right back for the entirety of his time at the club. Like all Barcelona educated players, he's an excellent passer, but his driving runs are what stands out; one of those runs assisted the winning goal against CSKA Moscow. He can sometimes be defensively suspect, but he's a good tackler and has lots of pace. One of the favourites to progress to the full team. Isaac Hayden, centre back/midfielder Hayden, the U-18 captain, has cemented himself as a prospect this season. Like Bellerin, he just turned 18; he's a physically strong player, with good pace for a centre back. His positioning was exemplary against CSKA Moscow, and he's showed his versatility this season, having played a lot as a holding midfielder and even as a #10 in the recent match with United. He's got a good passing range, and, for an 18 year old, he's got excellent positional intelligence; he's rarely caught out. Versatility is a plus. Nico Yennaris Yennaris will captain the side, and propelled the team into the quarter final with his winning long-range strike against defending champions Inter Milan. He's played on multiple occasions for the first team, making his Premier League debut as a right back against Manchester United. Holding midfield is his favoured position, and he's a physical force; he's a strong tackler, good interceptor and a decent passer. He makes good forward runs, as emphasised by his goal against Inter and his play in the 6-0 victory over Coventry City in the League Cup. One of the older players on the team, which makes him a natural choice for captain, but it's unlikely he'll make the grade as a first team player. Serge Gnabry, winger/playmaker Gnabry is one of the highest rated youngsters at the club, with first team experience this season. A decent comparison is with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; like Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gnabry is a strong player, but has explosive pace--he could've run long distance track for Germany, but decided on football. He's a wonderfully direct player, who has a bag of tricks. He's usually played in the wide areas, but against CSKA he played behind Chuba Akpom, and scored the winning goal, after receiving the ball in midfield, turned past his marker, played a one-two with Bellerin and then finish calmly. He's just 18, and is a standout at U-21 level; will probably feature more for Arsenal in next season's League Cup. Thomas Eisfeld, winger/playmaker One of the more well-known Arsenal youngsters, mainly because of his goal-scoring rate. He's a bit like Andrei Arshavin; he can do absolutely nothing, and then turn up and score, or make a decisive pass. He's got excellent shooting technique, with little backlift, but he does have a worrying tendency to drift out of the game, which might not translate well to first team level. He made his debut in *that* League Cup game with Reading, and was a crucial part of the turn-around. He'll be one to watch, but he could turn out like Sanchez Watt or Jay Emmanuel-Thomas: great at reserve level but lacking for the Premier League. Chuba Akpom A powerful striker with great feet. Akpom has dominated the U-21 league despite being 16 and 17 for the majority of the season. He's a good finisher, and very quick, but like some past Arsenal standouts at this level, it's unclear whether it's down to his own ability or to being stronger and quicker than everyone else in the league. He's a prototypical Arsenal striker, though; able to hold play up, link up and play one-twos, and likes to drift to the left and drive in. There's a lot of hope for him at the club; next season will be crucial for him. He's been a key man in the NextGen series, and did an excellent job against Inter on a waterlogged pitch which wasn't conducive to passing, or any, footbal

It doesnt makes sense to u, thats fine. I may have not been able to put my thoughts properly in words. U think Jose is good with youth, so be it. It is your opinion and i hope thats how it happens. I believe he is not and i want to be proven wrong when and if he comes to the bridge. Simple and sweet, win-win situation.

There is a difference between developing a raw talent/potential into something and getting someone who is already described as a upcoming potential. Just by giving Hutchinson a start doesnt mean anything (we all thought that Sam was one of the next known thing), Ozil and Khedira were already known (United were after Ozil it was just that Jose got him first), Huth is doing pretty decent in a team like Stoke. I agree he has a great eye for talent but then the one he selects are already up there. Jose is not known as someone who would develop a young player because he doesnt stick around for long. However he once had mentioned that a Manager has to keep evolving every now and then to be at the top and i hope he comes up with something different if he is returns to the Bridge.

My only worry with Mourinho is that integration of youth into the first team would go for a toss. He prefers players who are already in an class of their own and creates a team around that, very seldom has he worked towards the youth development. He would get us loads of trophies goes without saying as we have a team plus the additions that he would get but then youth mite not get that many opportunities. It would be a case where we win some lose some ... P.S: I m not against the idea of him coming back, i would be dancing with joy and celebrating it but a part of me feel it is high time that Chelsea moves out of the Mourinho shadow (which we managed to do this season) rather than going back to it.

Great article, someone making complete sense with good analysis. Had to add this quote to the main one because this is bang on! Enough said! Mail this to the board/owner/or whoever is in charge of transfers stating that big name strikers would prosper the way they are suppose to with our current system. Invest in the right place and look at the resources we have on hand before jumping into the transfer pool

With someone like this, who have doubts that the FFP would be an issues

Whether Mata is world class or yet to be one, one thing that i started admiring about him is his commitment, its just top draw, cant doubt it. That's the kind of players u want in your side who can keep pushing and inspire everyone around. I just so glad that we took him before Arsenal could take him. Hats off to u, Juan Mata :tophat:

I m more than happy that we scored 2 goals against a pathetic United side .... Atleast we tried to show some urgency in the second half.

Whats plan A?

I m not hoping anything from this tie specially after our last outing plus United would be out with their strongest team as they are left with only 2 competition. I would love to something like this though -------------Ba------------- Hazard--Mata--Moses -------------Oscar------------- --------Luiz--------------- Cole---------------Azpilicueta ------Terry----Ivanovic---- ----------Cech---------------- Very fantasy like

It is very important that we look at the resources at hand before making buys and based on that we shape out the future. When we have spend so much money in building our infrastructure, it is important that we start putting our faith into the product. Let's not go after insane signing just because Roman has the money, rather we need to do some smart buy along with the integration of the deserving youths into the first team. However first and foremost get in a manager who is given the power to run things because everything is based on his philosophy.