lionsden

I'm confident we will go through as long as we don't sit back too much and take whatever chances we are able to create well as teams do get severely punished for profligacy in this competition. I'm saying because I feel PSG will leave some space in behind for us to exploit on the counter. But I fear Jose may try to sit back on our away goal advantage which is a very risky tactics in a game and competition of fine margins.

this policy is good in theory but like every policy has its flaws. It should only apply to certain types of players like those who rely heavily on pace and physical ability/conditioning see ramires and players whose ability and reliability doesn't justify it. JT is still one of the finest defenders around and his game doesn't rely on pace which he never had. Players of his ilk can play at a high level well into their late 30s.

Explain? Performance wise he's been terrible in the big games he's played in this season bar COC final and against Liverpool in the league. When majority of your absolute worst performances has come in the big games i,e PSG,City,spurs at WHL (bar the goal he was anonymous throughout) Liverpool COC away. You can't be called a "big game player" definitely not in the context of this season. Haven't said that He's a very important player for us and we wouldn't be in the position we are in without his goals.

Im used to it. They will cry and scream like a petulant kid because they can't handle a difference of opinion but that has never stopped me from expressing my views and im not about to stop now either I just ignore those who counter my post with insult and emotional gargon as I always do. That's why I absolutely respect posters like skipper, Tomo et al. they always present their views without ever resorting to insults.

Bas dost isn't getting the same recognition because he's just essentially a poacher in top form(he was the same in the dutch league, so his goal scoring form this season shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone). Kane on the otherhand is getting the recognition because his overall performance (not just goal scoring) is and has been excellent in what has been a remarkable breakthrough season. Its the same way I don't rate strikers like old darren bent,huntelar,chicharito, papiss cisse (back when he couldnt stop scoring) et al even when they are in top goal scoring form because they have no other qualities to their game unlike kane who even if he stops scoring would still be able to contribute.

If you believe his overall play is top class then we have different definition and recognition of what a top class general play is. One or two examples means absolutely nothing as even old washed up version of torres and chicharito have had moments or a few games where their overall play was really good but it's the consistency that separates the agueros from the costas in this regard. He has a great off the ball movement but so do poachers like chicharito.And this has nothing to do with his game not "being easy on the eyes" prime drogba wasn't necessarily easy on the eye either but had a top class all round game.

So let me get this straight, kane is not for the big games because he failed to score in the COC final despite actually running our defence rag in the first half and held the ball up well against our parked defence but costa who not only has failed to score against psg,cityx2,liverpool COC but also performed woefully in those games is a better big game player in the context of this season. Just so we are clear, is that what you are really saying?

I worry more about his abysmal technique and all round play more than his little goal drought tbh. He offers nothing when he doesn't score.

It's hilarious how some are trying so so hard to downplay him. The denial or should I say bitterness is strong with this one.

Costa has flopped in majority of the big games this season. He isn't exactly a "big game " player.

Costa is extremely overrated. To me he's a physical version of Falcao i.e quality and efficient finisher, technically deficient and awful outside the 18 yard box most of the time. Harry cane on the otherhand is actually a proper footballer first and foremost. he can hold the ball up brilliantly, bring others into play, link up play well, superior technical ability and He's not only having one of the best breakthrough season ever in top flight football but also outscoring and definitely outperforming Costa, this despite being 5 years younger. Harry has a significantly better all round game and would be a much better fit for this team as he's a lot more tactically versatile. technically gifted enough to excel in a possession based team and tactically smart enough to play in a counter attacking set up. We have lacked someone that can hold the ball up and bring others into play in difficult games this season. And no doubt there will be plenty of "you are embarrassing", "I can't believe what I'm reading" "spoilt" "trolling" and other predictable and overused rhetorics but when one actually sits back, watch and analyse both players closely, look at the numbers without any blue tinted glasses. . . . . . . . So to answer the OP question yes I would swap Costa for kane

So the mods are just going to ignore this?

Your analysis would be great if it wasn't completely irrelevant to the point and misleading. Every single one of those players you mentioned were promoted from the Munich academy and none of them were experienced and fairly established youngsters bought for decent money like Salah and Zouma. The likes of Hojbjerg and Weiser are essentially the Chelsea equivalent of John swift and RLC and in this case, they were still giving more playing time overall than our youngsters. This despite the fact that Bayern have the deepest and strongest squad in Europe over the last 3 years. And to the most important point, Guardiola was used as a benchmark for managers who are pioneers of promoting and developing youngsters due to his body of work at Barca were he turned players like Busquets (he basically sold Toure to accomodate him) Pique,Pedro, from mere la masia youth players to world class or very good players in Pedro's case and also gave players like Thiago,Bojan, tello,Cuenca et al plenty of game time. Using fairly experienced players that were bought for decent money like zouma,Salah et al to illustrate Jose's tendency or lackthereof to promote and develop youth is very daft indeed. if that;s the case you will also have to include the likes of Gotze,Alcantara,Shaqiri et al in your analysis but then it wouldn't suit your agenda/argument, would it.

Worst case scenario:is value increases significantly and sold for good profit. Best case scenario:he returns to chelsea and defies the odds by replicating his fiorentina form or something close to it. win win situation. In a perfect world, I had hope the latter scenario is the case.

i can't stand that little shit, veratti. I hope the ref don't let him get away with the fouls this time around.

Why?. i can't think of a worse combination. Everyone hates Liverpool and spurs are just bitter scums For me I hope Southampton and Utd (I hate United less out of the other options) In reality I think it will be Arsenal and Liverpool

I just love his attitude and passion for the game. even if he was shit, I had still like him. The fact that he's very good is just the icing on the cake.

But that's the thing. there's always pressure to win trophies at big clubs. if we win the league this season, we will also be expected to defend our title the next season and that pressure isn't any less. Man city are already seeking a replacement for Pellegrini despite being the reigning champions. It's a vicious cycle this youngsters are caught in, unfortunately. Ultimately though, it's the manager's mentality, trust and philosophy that determines whether a talented youngster is given playing time or not. regardless of pressure, I believe a manager like Guardiola is more likely to give youngsters opportunities than a mourinho.

He also said this about Chalobah in 2013. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8836629/jose-mourinho-to-send-chelsea-teenager-nathaniel-chalobah-out-on-loan "He is a very, very good player. I like him very much - very, very much. I am very impressed. For sure, a Chelsea player (in future), for sure. We think he is there". I'm just saying Jose isn't neccessarily a man of his words and I will only believe it when I see it.

He was my MOTM

His performance tonight came as a pleasant surprise to me tbh as he's always had terrible games on the right. It was quite refreshing.

Pathetic performance again tonight. He's far far from undroppable AFAIC. Jose needs to grow some balls and start playing him based on merit.

Im one of his biggest critic but He actually had a really good game especially in the first half. This was a much better performance than what he's been producing in the last few weeks

We need to regain control here

Costa should be the one coming off. he's been useless