Pizy

Unlike the Simeone links last week it seems all the reliable he English media are running with this one.

Have the feeling Barca are going to come in to this underestimating Arse and thinking this will be easy. Wouldn't shock me if Arse win and make the tie very interesting.

I guess I just don't think it's a huge deal. Are we better or worse as a team if Cesc is the captain? Don't think so. Are better or worse if Ivanovic is next season? Well, yes, because that means he'd still be starting every match. Same with Cahill. If he's playing every match next season we'll be hamstringing ourselves. No to him as well for me. Azpi doesn't strike me as captain material at all.

Don't think it's outrageous at all. You often see him displaying leadership qualities in the pitch. Clapping on teammates and encouraging them. Telling players where to be in certain situations. Since José left he's been leading with his play as well. Ideally you want your captain to be the heartbeat of the team in the middle of the park which he is. If JT does indeed leave I wouldn't be against Cesc as captain at all. If Ivanovic is the choice then he's 100% nailed on to start every match which we cannot afford to have. Cesc is really the only alternative.

The Goonettes would riot if they went from the pretty, silky football of Wenger to Simeone. That's one we don't have to worry about.

Hopefully when JT is back fit it doesn't mean Baba goes to the bench again. Back 4 should be Baba, JT, Azpi, and Ivanovic/Cahill rotating at CB.

Like I said in the post match thread, Pedro should now have locked down a starting place. Similarly to Willian he pops up all over the pitch and puts in one hell of a shift. He's got the same kind of energy and stamina. If he can be more consistent with his finishing and have the same killer instinct that he di against Newcastle he'd be a beast for us. He seems to always get into great positions to score and misses by inches.

Cesc and Pedro were superb, Willian was great, and Hazard rounding back into form. I think Pedro has 100% locked down a place as a first XI player over Oscar. He should be nailed on. Mikel is now nearly integral as well. He's brilliant with the ball in tight areas. Maybe even one of the best in our team in those circumstances. Now can we PLEASE take a steaming dump down Roberto Martinez's throat next round!?

Our defense continues to embarrass themselves. Against inexperienced kids. Dominant when in possession and in the final third but a shambles at the back. This is why we must score at least two more.

Seems like I get about 5 different Fox sports channels but not FS2. *Sigh*

You can already see how it would play out. Our players are "tired" after the PSG game and the Citty youngsters are hungry to prove themselves and steal a 90th minute winner. Kidding aside, the only way we should lose this is if our boys approach this with like 40% effort thinking that it'll be a pushover. The likes of Hazard, Willian, and Pedro should be carving that midfield apart.

If we don't batter that City team...

For some ridiculous reason they're showing fucking NASCAR on the channel that usually broadcasts all of the FA Cup matches here. Hopefully I can find a good stream or I won't be able to watch...

Think the Mikel comparison is valid. Oscar will continue to do just enough to be kept around but I doubt he'll ever do anything that makes him a crucial, must be in the first XI player. Maybe if he has a great remainder of the season we can use him as some sort of bargaining piece for a better player. Possibly with Atleti if we can prize Simeone away.

Ibra for one season as a stop gap would be brilliant, though. If you want to make a big push at the league in his first season then he'd be a nice short term signing. Hell, I'd have him here on a free for a season if we had CL football. No chance he'd come here without it unless we still had José.

I think we'll all be jealous in the coming years of their back 4 in particular once they've worked under José. When they get proper coaching and are set out tactically in a way that works in the modern game unlike the suicidal defending LvG teaches. A back line featuring Darmian who has been very impressive this season, Smalling who has improved greatly, Luke Shaw who was very good before getting injured, and inevitably John Stones. Two CB's who are brilliant on the ball and highly mobile along with 2 modern fullbacks who are excellent going forward and more than adequate defensively. Not to mention he'd have 3/4ths of what should be England's back line for the next decade. He's always said he wants lots of English players in his team so I think Stones is a foregone conclusion. Rewroking their attack is what may prove tricky initially. Not for long I'd imagine, though with their budget. Ibrahimovic for a season or two with Rooney as their #10 in behind him wouldn't surprise me and I think it would be highly effective. Front 4 of Ibra, Rooney, Martial, and Depay. Loads of pace on the flanks and goals from all over. Has the look of a prototypical Mourinho team and quite scary. -----------------Ibra--------------- Martial------Rooney-------Depay -------Herrera-------Schneiderlin------- Shaw---Smalling---Stones---Darmian ----------------De Gea---------------- Certainly a side capable of winning the PL under Mourinho's management.

Unless he scores the winner that sends us through against PSG and smacks Ibra upside the head then he'll have been a waste.

The bantz has nothing to do with it. I just don't trust our team at the moment and wouldn't put it past them embarrassing themselves against City's B team.

I'd rather Man City play their real team than play their kids as is being suggested. Imagine if we lose to the pier youth team whilst we're playing our best XI...

He's a nice player for sure but I feel like our big midfield buy should be a super talented younger guy with loads of potential to improve even further. We already have a central midfielder nearing 30 in Cesc who will likely only decline from here on. Nainggolan isn't there yet but is getting to that age as well and has probably peaked. Don't get me wrong, I'd have him here, but I personally still have dreams of Simeone coming and bringing Koké with him. Probably unrealistic but that's the sort of player I want. Someone who's 24-25 and still has their best years in front of them.

Hilarious, yes, but again I don't want them to sack him yet and have Mourinho lift them to a CL place. Hopefully their board is dumb enough to stick with that clueless buffoon until the summer.

I don't trust our board to do what's necessary if Hiddink were kept on. Even though City's board knew all along that Pellegeno wasn't their long term manager they still went out and spent millions and millions on top players. I have a feeling that if we let him stay we'd have a repeat of last summer where we tell him to work with what's already here with maybe make a few bargain bin signings for depth. Plus Hazard would surely go if we did that.

It'll probably make him want out even more, hahaha

Yep. Pretty envious of their football to tell the truth. Dominate possession, every player they had on the pitch from the CB's to Maxwell the fullback, and every midfielder and attacker was comfortable on the ball. They passed absolute rings around us for much of that match. Used width like crazy which is always effective against us. When you look at just the starting XI's from last night there isn't much between them. They're way better in midfield and their approach to the game tactically are what makes the difference. PSG are set out with loads of confidence and play attacking football. This is how Chelsea should be playing with the talent we have. Of course it helps when FFP isn't an issue and you can afford a near world class player or at least a top one in every position plus be able to bring in Cavani off the bench.

Besides the prospect of actually losing him, this is my biggest worry. Or that we'll buy a couple of decent players with potential to replace him rather than a superstar.