Joker10

I don't see much of a debate tbh. Hazard is vital to our success, and the team is playing excellent. We havent even seen the best of Hazard and the team this season, which will surely come. I am fine with Hazard current role, it is understandable to sacrifice indiviually for the team. I appreciate that from Hazard, not many star players will accept that.

I stopped taking Nike seriously when he said Chelsea popularity in the US is on the same level as Spurs. Most of his comments are obvious baiting. On Reus, he is most likely going to Bayern but this is not like the Lewa transfer. That was the worst kept secret in football and everyone knew he was going to Bayern almost 2 years before his eventual transfer.

I don't see where he was at falt in this game. I definitely would argue he should have stayed on more, press the oposition and helped in possession. He llwas wasteful in this game, but was still important piece in our strategy. If we learened anything from our 2 draws this season in Manchester is that we can't stay back and let the opposition have the ball without pressure. If Ramires is playing that is exactly what is going to happen. Its not the same when you have another passer in midfield with Oscar.

He made the same mistake against Madrid in the CL final. He changed his tactics near the end of the game and allowed Madrid to have the ball without any pressure. Mou maybe the best manager but it doesn't excuse his falt from 2 of our draws this season.

Small margins is all it take from seperating a Champion and another side in history, that is almsot every sport. That team was a Champion of Europe, an accomplishment that no Chelsea side has ever reached. No one could say they were a shit side or the worst side in 2 decades. Their accomlishment speak for it self. The CL final we were missing so many players and stil won the game, for me that was a testement of a great side. It didn't matter who it was players steped up throughout the CL and when RDM was appointed. btw Individual talent does not equal team.

He played a part in controlling the game before being subbed. Not a good performance, but i thought he was decent.

You really can't say a team that won our only CL is our worst team in 2 decade. You are also mistaking individual talent for a team. Performance is subjective matter, but result is objective. That team won a CL and FA Cup.

So you list everything that favors Messi. Messi is by far the better player on the ball, but off the ball movement is eqaully important for me. Ronaldo is one of the best i have seen without the ball and on the counter. When most see a tap in he scores, i see a player with great instinct, timing, and precision. He makes great runs from the left flank on extradionary rate. I really don't see why the amount of shots he takes is taken with so much negativity, he is player that gets in those position in the first place and for me it belongs to him. If he is not playing, those shots oppertunites would not happen. Anyway he is taking around 6.5 shots, not 10 like some have suggested. Ronaldo is a better finisher and more clinical then Messi at the moment. I don't care Ronaldo takes more shot then Messi that means nothing to me, Messi is more conservative with his shots and Ronaldo is more likely to shot from a impossible angle. Watching both play, for me i can certainly say Ronaldo is better. In fact Messi has lost a lot in this department, he is not as clincial and great finisher he was a few years ago, Prime Messi would have made that shot in the early minutes of todays game. As for your last statement, neither player is retiring any time soon they still have a lot of football ahead of him. I wouldn't make a conclusion on their career right now, because who knows what twists and turn is in store for their career. While i did consider Messi as the best player in the world a few years ago, but at the moment Ronaldo is the better player. Messi has digressed, and Ronaldo is as good as he ever was. He has surpased him, he will win his 3rd Ballon d'or award this year, and i quite frankly i don't see him slowing down. To conclude i do think Messi has had a better career overall, but it certainly can change for me.

Absloutely, considering United defense is very suspect. We should be on the intitive and attack their weakness.

Nah I would argue Matic is our most important player. I think his influence is much harder to replace, I think we can do without cesc influence for a patch of games due to players like Hazard and Oscar. But no doubt we are much better team with Cesc.

The way football going with so many inverted winger, it is hard to be effective and stretch the opposition without getting offensive production from your fullbacks.

I hope not, this team we have played since Ramires injury is our best XI and most balanced. Beside why bench arguably our best player in the last 3-4 games in Oscar in favor a player just returning from injury.

Ake played a full season and half with the youth team before making his debut with the senior side. Even after his debut he was still part of the FA youth cup team that won the thing. He has played a lot of football with our youth team, most football he has played is with us. I personally consider him a Chelsea product, and you also give credit to Feyenoord.

Meh most consider Thiago a Barca product eventhough he joined Barca the same age Ake joined Chelsea.

What is our record without Ramires over the last two seasons? I bet we have a much better record without him or starting.

Dortmund presses constantly and higher throughout the game, Mou does not maintain that but he employs similar tactic. Dortmund at their prime attackers work their ass off if you haven't notice; Mkhitaryan work rate is similar to Willian, KG and Kuba are tremendous workhorses, P-E Aub is not bad either. In fact one of the reasons for this team decline is the work rate of the team, they have lost that team pressing and their defense has declined. While there are differences between Klopp's Dortmund but their philosophy mostly are the same, when it comes to the belief of attacking and defending as a unit. Don't look at Mou Madrid as a reference because Ronaldo and Ozil were clearly players that brought little to the team in the defending aspect. But neither player were dropable due to their attacking ability.

Reminds me of the early Cesc transfer saga on this thread. I thought it was a great match for the player and the club, and he eventually signed for us. Best argument other made was that Cesc wont want to play for Mou because they hate each other, thought that was non issue for everyone since both parties had clear respect for each other professionally. I think Reus to Chelsea at the moment is great match for both parties. We desperately need regular production on the right flank, neither Schurrle, Willian, or Salah can provide that. If one of those players emerges this season then we don't need Reus, but as things stand Reus is a significant upgrade to what we have. From the player prospective, he is going to a team that plays similar to Dortmund and under a similar manager. He wouldn't miss a beat coming here. Real and Barca are already stockpiled at his position, moving to either club he would make the same mistake as former Dortmund players who have went to teams that clearly does not suit them and was not needed in the first place. I also think Bayern are the fav, but outside of them i think we have a great shot at landing him. Lots of time until the summer transfer window, a lot of things could change. What does that mean? We clearly have the money to spend big, we are very equipped to spend big if see fit. Beside in this case that is irrelevant since from a financial standpoint many clubs can purchase Reus due to his low buyout clause.

For me Costa and Matic would top my list to succeed Terry as Captain. 2-4 years from now, i think Oscar could also be another contender.

Azpi and Ivan are doing more then fine, but he was playing as good as any fullback in the world last season. He is a game changer from the left back position. I personally would go with Azpi and Luis in most scenario, we need more mobility in the back.

Some intresting choices. What differentiate Azpi from Cahill in your mind? First thing i think of both players is their passion and puting their body on the line for the team. I easily think Cahill has better social skills and presence in the locker room. Cahill comes off as a bigger presence then Azpi, i don't see Azpi as a leader. Ivanovic? too much of a hot head imo, not calm and collected for my preference. Too many bonehead occasions for Iva and don't think he is one to defuse situations when needed. t

Luis is better then Azpi and Ivanovic, under any other manager Luis would be automatic starter. Sentimental reasons is the only reason why mou prefers Azpi and Ivanovic.

Not sure why some think Reus cant play on the right, if Bale can still be effective after switching side i don't see why Reus cant do the same. Reus is by far the more complete footballer. Willian, Schurrle, and Salah have not impressed anyone to think they can be regular in our starting XI, the right attacking midfield is one of those positions that clearly needs an upgrade. Cuadrado is another intresting option tbh. Gundogan is an amazing CM, he was so good during Dortmund run to the CL final. Truely on his to becoming the best CM in the world if he kept that form. Shame about his injury, hopefully he can recover and come back.

usual Juve favorism.

What a game this Juve vs Roma has been, one of the best half of football i have seen in a while.

Honestly i would not put it past Mourinho, he did buy Coentrao for a record transfer for a left back, only to have him as a backup to Marcelo.