Blue Armour

Terry was clearly not fully focused in this game. Might be fair to drop him in favor of Alex till he regains his composure, but will AVB drop his captain especially under the glare of the media? It worked for Lampard though, so never say never...

The line-up was fine and almost worked actually. Malouda and Drogba came quite close to putting us in front..but once again, as has been the case several times this season, its taken the team an opposition goal (while in other games a red card) to get really fired up... And there are these defensive errors..The high line leaves them exposed yes, but most of the goals have come from situations which you would otherwise consider harmless...like today when Cech takes a goal kick, or when Johnson comes up against JT and Cole all alone...

Can't take any risks in this match, definitely a must-win game...

I did criticize AVB in the Arsenal game, but in this game I can't find any real fault with him. Who would have expected to Glen Johnson to dribble his way past Terry and Cole? Its not like he's Tevez, or Suarez (who ironically did no harm)... I would however suggest that he sticks with one CB pairing (and another one as backup) as well as one CF as players in these positions need more consistency. Its also clear that more than Terry and Lampard, Cole is the one who needs to be rested more often, as he's struggling to track back a lot after spending so much time higher up the pitch.

I keep saying this a lot but, winning the Carling Cup is an excellent target for the team at this moment. And no I'm not being sarcastic or pessimistic. I think the lads should keep their heads low, concentrate on winning all the upcoming EPL fixtures till Jan (and at least drawing the ones with City and Newcastle), getting through the CL group stages, and do their absolute best in the Carling Cup. Winning this Cup would send a strong message to the other teams, as we would have had to get past virtually the best of the top 4 to do so! More importantly it gives us the label of being the first team to win any real silverware this season, and also reminds the players that they are still in the hunt for trophies. This will give us the drive needed just like in the end of 2009-2010, and of the 2008-2009 season... Say all you want about it being a transition period, but its better to finish a season brightly even if it doesn't necessarily mean finishing as English or Euro champions. It will also set the tone for the next season..

He's being practical...nothing surprising about it. Concentrate on making the most of what's left, and try extra hard to get the Carling Cup and/or FA cup. Majority of the fans may not think much of them right now, but silverware IS silverware, and is something the team and the club admin will like..

Considering that our top 4 place is at risk..AVB has got to make sure the teams settles down in matches quickly enough... A lingering question is why it takes a second half/opposition goal/red card to get the team fired up.... Also choose a fixed first 11 with whatever combination of veterans and youngsters seems useful...Its not a good idea to keep changing the main striker, and the centre back every game because these positions require players in consistent form, and the only way they can get that form is if they play regularly...

AVB's first season here is starting to become a lot similar to Scolari's with defeats to Arse and Liverpool at home... Only difference here is that the defence is letting him down again and again...Glen J should never had skipped past Cole AND Terry..

Fucking unfair...

Thought the starting line up was meant to be more solid and defensive...irritating to concede like that..

Lol...this could be potential for another thread in the posting games forum, methinks...

Agreed.

Irregardless of what he's done in the past, I feel that this one incident is perhaps taking things too far... If he did say it (which most likely seems the outcome) I would say he was just tactless, and a bit of an idiot (not the first time JT has blurted out something) to risk losing his armband. There absolutely no chance in the blue hell that this incident would make his stature diminish in my eyes, because from what I've seen in the past JT doesn't come close to being a racist.

Lol..yeah fully agree with you.. Just said that your post could be interpreted in more than one way..

I think you just lent weight to his argument there...Its like saying Marseille for Drogba is like Liverpool for Torres...

I can't believe people today are treating the whole racism issue in such a frivolous manner. This was such a serious issue in the past century, that bringing trivial incidents like this to the fore is an insult to to people in the past who had to actually suffer mental and physical trauma when trying to stamp out racism from society. I bet if Martin Luther King were alive and heard of this incident and the uproar it has generated, he would just shake his head.... This really has nothing to do with the cause..its just plain sensationalism..

BTW is it true that the Met Police has a lot of Spuds in them?

He may or may not have said anything, at least not with racist intent, but that won't prevent him being branded.... I just hope his own team-mates continue to stand by him despite this nonsense. Yeah, but you'll never know what the club might do if its own image was at risk... Its so ridiculous that this situation was ever allowed to escalate like this. I just hope JT has some damn good lawyers to counter these charges, or at least give the court a reason to go easy with the penalties...

I think he was referring to the likes of preferential treatment and classification of people into different groups based on race... History has taught us that's a bad thing and shouldn't have any place today...Its true the oppressed groups deserve special care from the rest of society to atone for what they've suffered in the past, but even that has to stop at some point, right?...

True, but unfortunately that's not how large sections of society see it...

Its also funny how the press chooses which fellow players to question about JT's nature... Instead of Frank Lampard, I wish they had asked the same question to Drogba, Essien or Malouda...That would shut A LOT of people up....

Scott Carson comes in...Sturridge doesn't WTF???

Don't think so...AVB thinks he should be back in time for the Liverpool game..

Thats because most of the opponents attack comes down the right. On the left they'd have to contend with Mata+Lampard+Cole+Terry