Tomo

The thing is, it's not just the problem at Chelsea, it's a serious problem at the top level of football full stop. how many players in say the last 7 years have broke into Chelsea, United, Liverpool or Arsenal first team squad's without a PL or top level loan? Their isn't many. Rodgers used Sterling and Wisdom at the start when the supporters and owners were giving him time, he is expected to deliver this season so Sterling is back on the fringes and Wisdom is on loan to Derby. Even Ferguson, who's job security was higher than mine on fifa has hesitated blooding young players in the modern era, says a lot about the pressure's at the top level of football, doesn't it?

Get absoutely drunk and do something stupid, you will be amazed how much time you spend cringing/worrying about your actions the next day when you can't remember a thing

What i wonder is are we judging him on how good he is now or his potential when he joined? He was the hottest young property at Lillie and getting hype beyond all means and hasn't quite reached his obvious potential, but despite it being widely regarded he has been under par this season, hasn't he created the most chances out of anyone this season?

And Eto'o doesn't? we opened the scoring in the last two games because of his pressing of the goalkeeper/defender.

Tough decision next summer it really is, Cech is still very good, but the club have to consider the long term aswell as the short. What if we sell Courtois and within 2 years Cech declines and Courtois is the undisputed no1 in the world? A lot of people refer to Van Der Sar going until he was 40, but he was the exception rather than the rule, Shay Given for example is 37 and currently Villa's 3rd choice keeper, Jens Lehmann started to decline after 35, David Seaman had a dodgy end to his career too. Not many clubs get a chance to jump from one world class keeper to another, we have a chance to do just that, and when you think with your head instead of your heart, we have to atleast seriously consider the idea of bringing Courtois in next season. It's not like Courtois is still raw, he is one of the best in the world.

The truth is there is always going to be a problem while posh businessman are telling people to sit down (when i went to the Birmingham match in 10/11, someone a few rows across was actually conducting a businessmen during the match). They should be told in no uncertain terms that if people want to shout and sing, then they have to suck it.

We should have gone for Dejan Lovren, oh well.

I wish people would stop quoting him so much, it practically renders the ignore system irrelevant.

Lampard's playing time needs to be considerably reduced, no question about that, but he has not been completely useless this season. 10/11 and 11/12 was when he was on the main anonymous outside of the goals.

Luiz is a under-rated asset when it comes to teams that park the bus, we struggle to break those teams down as it is, but when David doesn't play it becomes even harder than it should be.

Am i the only one who still think's he could make it? He is far too naturally gifted for us to not do everything possible to make it happen.

Get by till January then go all out for Witsel. I don't want us to try square pegs in round holes before then either (ie, putting Oscar or Luiz in the pivot). I think its underestimated the job Jose has got on, he has basically inherited a cup team who have been getting by on moments off individual brilliance since 2010, he has inherited a group of talented individuals and has to mould a formidable team, i think we can win the league this season purely because the competition aren't all that (City are on paper, but they don't seem motivated enough) and Jose's tactics will win us more points than Moyes, Wenger's and Pellegrini's will at our rivals but we won't be getting 95 points with only 15 goals allowed for the foreseeable future. It was clear from the interview after Fulham that Jose eventually wants a high pressing game (which is why Oscar is going preferred to Mata, Mata is a great player but if our aim is to have a high pressing game then Oscar is the superior option, sorry but it's true) and you can quite clearly see to see now there is a long term plan going forward now. It's easy to say we have benefited from mistakes from the opposition (which yes it's true) but if you don't buy the ticket you don't win the raffle, would Hildebrand or Ridgewell have made the error's they did if Eto'o didn't press them? (yes basically doing what Jose WANTS from us pressing high up the pitch) no they would have cleared quite comfortably, so in a way, the high pressing tactic is already working to an extent. Basically to summarize, we do have the issue with the pivot that needs sorting and hopefully that will be sorted in January, but Jose has a clear plan and will stop at nothing to make it work, he is the best manager in the world, loves us and want to stay for the long haul, we are in safe hands, reckon Pompey would say no to our 'crisis'?

They have two top strikers on the form off their lives, if those two go through a bad patch they are back down to 7th quicker than you can say 23 years.

Lol, apart from yesterday and West Brom, Liverpool have been grinding out results all season, they certainly haven't been playing "amazing attacking football".

Is your Arsenal poster next to your poster of X-Rated?

Funny watching Arsenal play the percentage game more often these days considering how much Wenger use to whinge when Chelsea and United did it against them

In terms of entertainment i agree, but in the mid 00's was when the PL peaked at a tactical level imo.

I think it's more to do with the fact the top teams aren't that good more than the bottom teams are good. The prem was stronger in the mid 00's when United and Chelsea were dominating and winning most games with ease.

Courtois is well past the raw developing stage now.

Watching the Northampton game on ITV, not the upset they were hoping for, one of the most one sided games i have ever seen.

I reckon that would suit United in this game. Rooney up top and a packed midfield to contain Arsenal.

Remember the fuss being made about West Brom this time last season? and how people were going on about how they were top 4 dark horses? Southampton could well finish best of the rest (8th) and will almost certainly make a mug out my prediction for them, but i will be amazed if they finish top 7.

As much as i was one of the fans that supported Benitez while he was here, i find it hilarious how all off a sudden thing's were great under Rafa. The way people go on about Benitez right now you would think we were winning every game playing like Brazil under the Spaniard

Just win, by hook or by crook, just win. Last minute winner of Ashley Cole's back (due to a failed WHU clearance from a corner) when he's not looking, 1-0.

Torres would have made no difference because WBA played with a low block.