Tomo

True, i would hope that if or when he returns that the other keeper is good enough for Jose to do what Pellegrini did to Hart i he has a wobble.

Competition in goal is different from outfield, you can't make a tactical sub from the goalkeeper in the match, like you can with say attacking midfield to make sure Mata is still getting a decent amount of minutes. Im not saying give them a free pass, yes have a good keeper like Schwarzer, Pantilimon, Lindegaard, Tremmell that would keep whoever out of Cech and Courtois on their toes, but having two world class keeper's just isn't practical.

There seems to be some general consensus to over-rate City full stop, they haven't ran away with one title yet they are "by far" the best team in the league We were full value for our lead at half time against City, if anything it should have been more, the suggestion we got outplayed that game is laughable.

I remember when we won back to back title's under Jose first time and comfortably, it was amazing but i always knew in the back to my mind that United had the young pair Rooney and Ronaldo and it was only a matter of time before they fully exploded and because of that United started challenging us hard for titles, it actually started in the second half of 05/06, but luckily we were well away at the top by then that season. Now with Hazard and Oscar we have exactly the same luxury.

Your own opinion of the way you like the game to be played is fine, but Xavi is showing clear arrogance and contempt to teams that don't play a certain way and by the way he spoke seems to think there's only one way of playing football and they have some sort of moral victory every time they lose, it's pathetic.

Didn't Cole's have a couple of lay off's last season which accounted for about 10 of his appearances? Then there was the Europa and games like QPR and Southampton where Rafa pretty much rested the whole first Xl because of another game shortly after. Also he had a fair few game at LW, especially at the start of the season, also a few of them were off the bench to protect a lead late on (for example, both matches against Arsenal). I think the Cole was the best LB in the world still being used past it's sell by date was mainly people who didn't watch Chelsea and hang on to the same cliche's, Ferdinand's name was still in the worlds best defender's debate's up until about a year ago, even tho he hasn't been at that level since 2008. Back to Ryan, he should have made more appearances without question, but some players just seem made to be dependable squad players, and, imo, Ryan's one of them. There's no shame in that, infact i would much rather we use the academy for squad depth than buy tripe like Marko Marin for the same purpose.

Haven't you heard? if you play more than 10 neat triangles by half time you get awarded the win.

He has played under 5 manager's at Chelsea and despite Cole being in a steady decline since he (Ryan) got promoted to the squad, none off them have made the change but at the same time have kept him around, that suggest's they think similar to what i do, good squad player, but not much more than that. And like you said he gained lots of experience out on loan, we are not talking about Aziz Deen-Conteh.

Toure is lazy defensively, infact when we go to The Ethiad i wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Jose specifically targets the space he would leave on the counter attack. Man.City under Pellegrini are being heavily over-rated, people just look at their squad man for man and assume they will run away with the league (they might, but so might us and Arsenal), Manuel has given players freedom to express themself's and at times it's great to watch, but tactically they are like Arsenal of 2009-2010 with superior players, i can't see them winning many big games away from home under that blueprint and for that reason alone i think we stand a decent enough chance of getting something in Eastland's. Watch their game against Liverpool compared to our's and the difference tactically is night and day.

Nobody could have took on Barcelona then, played them at an open game and beat them (unless your keeper had the game off his live or they had extremely wasteful finishing, like they did that night at The Emirates, but rectified that quickly in the second game). You could spend a billion, but you still wouldn't have a CM as good as Xavi and Iniesta, a player as good as Messi, or a bunch off players that could keep the ball for 5 minutes then get it straight back within 10 seconds of losing it. Arsenal tried to beat them at their own game, got hammered twice, no shots on target in one. Tika Taka is the most effective form of football if you can get it right, but it needs to be spot on for it to work, Arsenal tried it to a point, and they were the most easiest team to tactically set up against for a good number of years.

Against Arsenal he was, but against Cardiff and Swindon he wasn't excellent, a decent performance yes and enough to have earned more chances than he has defiantly, but he was a standard 6-7/10 in those two games.

I know it's the Hazard thread but because he is in discussion here im going to give my 2 penny's worth. This is Lukaku ready or not is a bit off a grey area, is he ready to be a member of the squad and play a fair amount of minutes but get gradually eased into the club? absolutely. Whether Lukaku is ready for Chelsea is not the debate because he is, where the 'is he ready' debate comes in is about being the number 1 forward playing every match and holding the club's expectations on his shoulders? Is he ready for all that (yet)? Im not so sure. He wanted to go to a club who will give him the number one role in a WC year, although in hindsight looking at Benteke's form he could have played for us and still made it as #1 for Belgium in Brazil.

Just thinking how relieved must he be he didn't go to United? The mental image of him taking instruction's from Moyes is disturbing. Happy Birthday.

No one is trying to blame Mata for the last two season's, in the first one he single handedly prevented us from fighting for 8th place with Liverpool and Fulham. But when the reasoning to play him and build the team around him is "he was the best players in those two season's", then people will bring up just how poor we were as a team in 11/12 and inconsistent in 12/13. I mean Demba Ba was the best player in the Newcastle team that finished above us in Mata's first season, does that mean Demba has to be part of our new spine too?

I don't get the embarrassment thing either. For one Matic, there will be a group like Sinclair, Borini, Stoch, Tore and Mancienne, who's career's haven't amounted to much.

Just got a ticket for the West Ham game

There is financial benefit's, but United are such a big club (some would say stubborn), that they won't want the physiological shift it will bring. The Torres transfer (despite being a disaster) signaled something similar. I have just have a feeling United will take the Dortmund approach to this, to the point they will offer him abroad for a bargain price.

That may be a point if it started with Eto'o but it's been going on since he came here, Torres gets praised for thing's Sturridge and even Drogba got slaughtered for. You mention the Eto'o-Lukaku thing (which is a fair point) but we practically lost Sturridge due to a last ditch attempt to save face with the Torres deal. Torres may put in good shifts at times but he also has his lazy days, and when he does he's at Berbatov level. Eto'o has also put in shifts aswell (to the point he has been harassing and pressing goalkeepers) and has also scored vital goals (Cardiff to make it 2-1, Liverpool). But at the end of the day, neither are good enough and Eto'o will be gone in the summer, hopefully he can take Torres to MLS with him.

My favorite part of the match was some point in the second half Willian was one on one with Eustace, and he just took the ball around him like he was a pillar in a shopping centre.

United will not sell to us, at best we will get him on a bosman in 2015. Them selling their star player will send out a significant statement of inferiority on their behalf, and they just won't let it happen.

Im dreading the West Brom away game, the ref will have a 2 wrong's make a right mentality for sure, we will get denied a stonewaller or have a soft one given against us, possibly both.

There could still be a chance he will back a our #6 next season with KDB likely left. Aslong as it ain't Marin im not too bothered who it is.

That is what he said in public, he is probably telling the team we are winning it at Anfield.

-------------------Cech---------------------- Azpi----Cahill/Luiz------JT----------Cole ----------Mikel------------Rami------------ Willian-----------Oscar-------------Hazard -------------------Eto'o----------------------- Hull are a percentage team, which is why Eto'o is the better option to start as his turnover count is pretty low compared to our other two forwards, then if they game get's stretched late on, we can make the late change with Torres. Rest of the team pick's itself apart from Cahill or Luiz. Just need a win, last minute winner of Azpilicueta's backside when his back is turned from an failed Hull clearance will do.

I like the way Jose has dealt with the attacking midfield situation on the pitch. Most standard-good manager would have probably stuck to the Mazacar, with De Bruyne immediate back up filling in when one needed a rest, with Moses and Schurrle (who was coming in regardless of who our manager was) playing the squad role. Willian would be a Tottenham. I like that Jose pretty much sussed straight away that the Mazacar leaves us unbalanced, exposed and well to narrow, and it seems like the way forward is Willian and Schurrle in one spot, with Mazacar fighting in the other two, and the AM has a lot more of a balanced look for it. Pro-activeness like that, is what separates the good from the great. Also i like that he seems to have sussed that Cahill-Luiz partnership is not a good one, hench the fact it hasn't been used since Basle at home, outside of domestic cups.