Tomo

@KonohasOrangeFlash, The difference between Torres and Luiz is Luiz is still having good games in the poor form, Torres isn't. Luiz completely took Falcao out of the game for Brazil in midweek from what i heard. If Luiz goes a year without having a top game then we will rightfully give up on him. Luiz is the sort of defender that needs a no nonsense partner, his truly bad games have only started occurring since Cahill has been partnering him. His form lately tho has been unacceptable and if Alex was still around he would probably have been dropped by now, the reason he hasn't is Cahill isn't that good where as Alex was.

It started when he moaned about not playing in the CL final, then acted like the number 1 forward role was his right, the straw that truly broke the camels back was the he didn't care comments.

I have actually grown to seriously dislike him, and that has never happened to me with a Chelsea player before in nearly 2 decades.

When it comes to fans attitude Cahill is the new Torres If he has a bad game it's covered up and the blame shifted on some else (Man.Utd, Athletico) if he has a good game (Barca at home) he's the second coming of Christ. He has been just as unconvincing as Luiz in recent weeks yet gets no slack, im not defending Luiz his performances have been shite too, but it bemuses me how Gary is getting wrapped up in cotton wool.

TBH it was pretty clear from day one that this was a tragic partnership, it was there to be seen in Naples. Isn't it ironic that the worst CB partnership in the last two decades (could be longer) was the one that played the final when we won that elusive CL.

I will still never work out how Luiz gets so much stick yet Cahill get's away scot free without any flak whatsoever even tho he has been just as bad if not worse. If we are going to base our CB partnership on current form then it's Ivanovic then heads and tails out of those two.

That's worse than losing the ball and destroying our attacks?

Is Ivanovic-Cahill partnership the new flavor of the month or something? they have played together twice, both times we conceded and i keep hearing about how this is some new invincible solid partnership. Terry and Luiz is still our best partnership, especially with Ivan and Cole either side of them. We are clean sheet machine's when we play that back four.

The Hawthorns is turning into Villa Park for us.

2, he was actually pretty good in 2009/2010.

Because despite his flaws he is still better than Cahill.

Because we are well and truly a work in progress, they are not. 25 points is to big a gap to rectify in 12 months, it will not only require us improving by 12-13 points, it will require both of them to do the same in the other direction, It just won't happen. We just finished 6th last term and we are making a radical change of our playing style, which will bring inconsistent results. Our only major changes to the first team so far are bringing in two 21 year old's, while in the future that should set up up pretty well, the idea they will close the huge gap between the Manc's club at such a young age is pure fantasy. The future looks as good as it ever has been, but as the far as the title race goes, this season we will have to bite the bullet watch it from the distance again.

I am fully behind RDM, but as far as his long term future is concerned i am going to trust Roman to make that decision. Jose aside he hasn't got any wrong so far. I was up in arms when Carlo and AVB got the chop, both turned out to be the right decision's so i have learned to trust Roman, after all he loves the club just like we do.

It was actually refreshing watching our forward shoot, getting involved and making himself available. Is he the long term number one forward? i doubt it but right now he is the best (well only) striker we have.

I said from the summer that best we can get is 3rd this term and so far we are on the right path. Next season or at the very latest the season after is when should be bang in the mix in terms of the title race.

Only if you believed we were involved in one in the first place.

Finally rotating the squad, better late than never i suppose.

AVB has a complete polar opposite record against Arsenal than what Mourinho has.

Torres played in the Europa for Liverpool then the CL for us in the same season, so that won't be the reason.

After the mess of Carlo's second season, i never want to see us throw away experience for unproven youth ever again.

I really do believe the board need to swallow their pride and get on their knees to Malouda. To think Meireles, Essien and Benayoun would have come in really handy this season.

Why all the blame on Luiz? it's the partnership him and Cahill have that's the major problem, not either of them individually.

That was a lack of communication from both centre back's. And for your last line we look generally solid with any centre back partnership, apart from the Cahill and Luiz one.

@Sheva., I can name many games where we have been good with Luiz and a shambles without ie the respective matches against Arsenal. TBF he has been below par in recent weeks and if Alex was still here he would probably be on the bench by now.

Ivanovic might need to play three games in the next 9 days. We must not under any circumstances play Luiz and Cahill as a partnership, especially in Turin.