Tomo

Pedro's more a player that flows with the team's form, if or when we hit form he will be brilliant but don't expect him to be the one Ray of hope in an average side like Mata was in 11/12.

As Liverpool and us ourselves have found out, you literally only have to be in it to win it. And unlike the team of 11/12, this team on form are good enough to win/compete without epic bus park tactics. I'm not deluding myself into thinking its likely/possible but we defiently have a better chance than none if we wake up.

Some fair points made, but I was not saying he was at fault for our slump, what I was contesting was the thought that Drogba could just walk back into the dressing room and every thing will be good again. Say for argument sake he returned tommorow were probably be a brief feel good factor/honeymoon period but as soon as we have a couple of shit results were be back to square one.

It won't be harmed if anything his reputation will be enhanced. Begovic's reputation is still intact despite shipping two most games and Cassilas was regarded as the best keeper in the world by a lot of people when he was shipping 4 at Anfield and 6 at home to Barcelona. If the defense is bad,then fans will put that into account.

That is fair, personally I prefer the PL but of course not devaluing the CL as its amazing to win.A PL title is pure satisfaction of being the best team, ecstasy of it wears off then it turns to satisfaction (especially if you don't lift it the same day you secure it) but CL is unbridled joy for months. Re the CWC, that should get more exposure imo, at the end of the day calling yourself world champions is no mean feat, in fact I'm gunna create an article about it.

Champions of the world sounds even better, but I can't imagine anyone choosing CWC over PL title.

I would put money on Drogbas record in 2008 and Rooneys in 2010 being as bad if not worse, far, far too early to write him off especially with the team overall playing crap.

It's a problem no doubt but really how many teams are actually well drilled in an attacking sense? Out of the big boys in this league only really City are. Arsenal are powerless against tactically astute sides, Tottenham and United are even more clueless on the attack as we are, they just get away with it due to their defence whereas we haven't had that luxury this season. There's a reason a lot of managers build a solid foundation and let the rest take care of itself, because nine times out of ten that's the formula for success.

Who really is a long term manager these days? Klopp looked shot last season at Dortmund, Pep as good as admitted himself he isn't a long term manager and even Simeone is flaking a bit.Gone are the days of a manager having a stint at a club like Rafa/Houllier at Liverpool or Carlo at Milan, never mind a Wenger/Fergie run at it.

Ten behind Spurs and six behind Liverpool, if we don't get top four chances are one of those two will, so we need to keep them two at a relative distance. Liverpool just aren't that good (the fact they won at The Bridge says more about our current form then anything good about them) and Pochettino teams tend to burn out after February. If (and I accept that's a massive if) we can sort ourselves out, top 4 isn't as impossible a task as I thought, just need to buck our ideas up come hell or high water, beating Norwich and somehow nicking it at WHL will be a good start.

We need run away title winning form to get top 4 from here, just not happening. Our best bet is the Euro comps, we wouldn't be good enough for the CL if it was a set league, but as we know all to well, in knockout cups, any thing is possible.

Funny you mention Drogba because he was wrote off numerous times with similar posts to these, especially one/two season wonder. It's easy to remember the good times with Drogba now as he left both times via the victory parade bus, but his 8 years (plus his return) wasn't all garden and roses, far from it.

You say Cesc had faded, but Mata has been a shadow of his best self since early 2013, people assume he nosedive under Mou because he "didn't like him" but in reality he faded in the second half of the Rafa season and wasn't very good then, I think he peaked in the first half of that season. In fact he had a low assist record last season which led to United fans criticising his end product, and that was the main strength for "team Mata" in the Mara vs Oscar debate. KDB on the other hand is a completely different argument, but selling Mata was 100% the right decision.

I doubt he would learn, purists never Change their ways, plus our defense is bad enough as it Is, would only get worse under his control. The only thing that would give me the slightest bit of hope with him is maybe he could get out of Hazard what he got out of Suarez, but even then will that be enough to counter the weaknesses elsewhere his teams have? I'm not convinced.

Absolutely not, whoevers in charge this team will get top 8 minimum, there's too much quality in this squad.

Absolutely,keep switching between in and out at the moment, I feel like an Arsenal fan.

Just basic logic, Dortmund,Liverpool and Spurs last season were every bit as horrible as we are now yet all finished top 8, the former were bottom in New year yet no one thought they were seriously going down.We, like they, have too muxh individual quality in the squad to be in relegation places or close after 38 games, its not arrogance, its just fact. If we end the season relegated or within 15 points of it, I'll terminate my account here and not eat Pizza for a year.

You can't be serious?

KDB yes but Mata has been bang average since early 2013.

Taking Pedro off killed this, his best display since West Brom as we were playing to his strengths, i.e. movement and combinations.

The double win was truly a last horrah, we were always heading to a rebuilding process after that, we should have started rebuilding after Moscow because after the double we were left with an entire team to overhaul. This time however we have missed the boat, but luckily enough we have a young enough squad to rectify it, hopefully we do just that next summer at the latest.

There's no way in hell we won't finish top half.

It's common theme with Arsenal every season, few months or unstoppable form and few months of awful form, the rest somewhere in between, the only thing that varies is in wah order it all happens. Last season it was meltdown then great form, 13/14 it was the other way round.

It's what happens when you make such a huge impact at a club, Zola could return as manager, relegate us and still have the vast majority of Chelsea fans thinking he is God. Fans are emotional people and for most it will take more than this shit storm for that connection to go away.

Since March when he got injured for me. Drogba had ruts like this too, including a spell of no premier league goal for 7 months. But even so Costa has been at his best in aa couple of games, West Brim, Porto and to an extent Arsenal.