laura90

I can't believe there are people on here who think he doesn't deserve ban. Be happy if he doesn't get Suarez treatment afterwards. He is on the verge of getting it. Rightly so. People should watch football when they watch Chelsea, not his antics, slappings in the face and pushovers.

The worst thing about Mourinho is his favouritism of certain players. That's why he loses dressing room sooner or later. Second is his lack of imagination regarding to team selections and attacking style combined with solid defense. I'm not among disappointed on here. I saw this coming and went trough disappointment long time ago, precisely when he sold Mata and replaced him with Salah. I don't think this situation is entirely his fault. Lack of transfer budget and 'ignoring' Jose's wishes and getting 'second rate' players instead is big part of the problem. This transfer 'inactivity' may be reacton to Jose's transfer failures (he sold better players to get worse ones in 80% cases) which left our squad weakened instead of stronger. Or maybe it is result of limited funds. We are about to build new stadium, we are likely to face restricted transfer budgets which may lead to underwhelming results in the near future. I'm not sure we will be better of without him. He is more than capable to avoid relegation. Maybe even get top four because Man Utd, Liverpool and Tottenham are still shit. I don't think we would be looking like winning trophies with someone else. Just far less dramatic.

It seems to me Jose only comes with two-year guarantee policy... what can you do?

Sorry, but even Mourinho knows that winning the PL these days is nothing special. It won't reinforce his believes. Only winning CL will. That , and only that will make him fill special again. And rant about refs a bit less.

Peace wonderful post. I agree with you completely. I sincerely believe that Mourinho is able and will win at least back to back PL titles, but imo his "cure" is CL title. He needs to improve his approach and tactics in big games for that, which may be the hardest thing for him.

This really made me laugh. Great post.

That's what Henrique said. This season Premier League is one horse race. We were dominant from the beginning to the end just like Bayern is dominant in Bundesliga. Which club was our biggest competitor? Man City - don't make me laugh - they are shit ant it doesn't have nothing to do with us being too dominant, their time passed. Unless they invest cleverly and get decent coach, they will be in the top for race next season. Wait a minute, there are in the top four race now. Arsenal - LOOOL Liverpool - don't make me laugh Man Utd - LOOOL PSG dominated us with eleven and ten men. Monaco dominated Arsenal ( the club that will probably finish second in PL) big time. Probably none of this clubs will have a chance to meet the clubs you mentioned, and if they do, they will be crashed. Bayern can beat anyone. Same goes for Barcelona. The same can't be said for Chelsea, even though we dominate the Premier League. Premier League regressed big time and there is no point denying it. It's easier for us now than it was for us in 2010 or United in 2009 / 2013 or City in 2012.

If our excellent football doesn't transfer to big games ( at least 80% of them - Cl semi finals and finals excluded) I fully expect Mourinho's job to be in jeopardy. That doesn't mean I want him sacked, I don't, as I expect him to dominate in Premier League for the next couple of years. But if we continue to be ' the biggest cowards among big clubs' I can't see him lasting that long. I didn't called us that, but these days I heard that expression many times .

After Ferguson retired, winning Premier League is not about being the best it's about being the least bad of the bunch. City was that team last year, and Pellegrini capitalised . Now it's Mourinho's turn. Top five English clubs are in such a bad shape, it's unbelievable. Mou can dominate for the years to come if City enters in our post 2010 transition, as it seems. Nevermind, kudous to David Luiz for telling that Mourinho is not special, and proving it on the pitch afterwards.

DDG is excellent keeper. But when he came to United he often had mares in defending and was conceding silly goals. He costed them points more than once. It was a matter of adapting. Premier League is the fastest league up there, and it's not easy for ex La Liga keepers to adapt here and keep clean sheets instantly. Tibo doesn't keep clean sheets but he is not costing us points. He handles this league transition much better than I expected him to, to be honest. He is great and with time he will become exceptional, maybe only second to Neuer. When he starts to keep those clean sheets ( it will take time, mind you) he will be doing that in 7 games out of 10 or something like that. In a nutshell, he will be amazing.

I can't think of any Chelsea player that has been more overrated than Oscar. I don't think I'll ever see great attacking player in him despite some glorious free kicks, goals and assists now and then. He shouldn't be near the final three/ four in the team aspiring to achieve something in Europa against Real, Barca, Bayern, in particular. To be fair, the same can be said about Willian, Schurrle ( maybe even Ramires) but none of these players are nearly as appreciated as Oscar is. He will come handy against smaller teams, when he can do what he does best, hustling opposition while he has Hazard, Fabregas and Costa to do attacking work and score goals. But top teams, who find the way to mark Fabregas, will probably expose the real Oscar - the one almost ineffective in attacking sense. That is if he plays.

Wrong. People should congratulate Chelsea on the title, we are winning it and there is no point in questioning it. Mouirnho knows it, and that's why he wont bother to attack tougher opponents, like Manchester clubs or maybe Arsenal if they somehow improve in their race for the fourth place, like they usually do. It's not even about our quality( depth) or the lack of it, we are good enough as it is, simply because our competition is average at best. Our only real competition are City, and they suffer from their usual post title hangover. Pelle is being found out and he doesn't stand chance against Mou. Even if we suffer few injuries they are more injury prone. They won't challenge us. If we lose points, they will lose more. And no, Man Utd is not contender. So why would Mourinho risk loses against top dogs? He really doesn't need to and we know him and his methods long enough not to be suprised .

If he just went there and became/becomes liability for them like he was for us, starts quite e few games, slows down their midfield and causes a few bad results, people wouldn't be hurt, in fact they would probably joke about it and called him our secret agent. The problem begins with him scoring. That's when it starts to hurt. But take it easy folks. At the end of the day, you will have the last laugh when Terry lifts that trophy. And please ask yourself again would Mourinho realy like to have Lampard and Fabregas in the same team. I think not.

Precisely. This forum has become unreadable for me . Whenever I click on view new posts and this thread appear I just sign out. Haven't spend much time here since United game and if my predictions are true about Mata and United I won't. I can't help it, barely look here, but couldn't help it now and this is the post I completely agree with. This is the truth. Plain and simple. It doesn't matter that this is the first time since I joined that we have complete team, proper central midfielder, proper defensive midfielder, solid wingers on both sides and striker. I used to be unhappy about central midfield situation and that turned out well. And now when we finally have all rights to believe that we have chance to win everything, some people are not completely satisfied. They feel need to trash ex players. Fair enough. If that pleases you lot. Never take into consideration how pathethic team have United and how their game was never about number 10, just wingers and strikers. Believe that with Oscar, Willian, Shurrle or Salah in their team they would have turned into Premier League force. And when we finally win Premier League, say that's because we got rid of Mata, not because we finally have proper central midfield, solid wingers and proper striker. Whatever. It's my fault your trashing spoils my mood. Not the other way around.

Juan Mata is a player who pretty much screwed his career by making wrong decisions. He would be better off if he had chosen Arsenal in 2011. He is perfect Arsene type of player: give him to play and he is happy. If trophy comes, good, if not, nevermind. He just wants to feel accepted, successful and important and that can only be achieved by playing. It would be much easier if players took their capabilities and style of play into consideration before opting for the next club. In his case anyway. Since he left it has become hit to talk about his flaws and limitations. Some in order to explain what we wont miss, other to highlight how superior option Oscar is. And I don't have problems with highliting his limitations, I'm aware of them myself, however I do have a problem with explaning how poor player he was without taking into consideration how hard it was for him to play his best football here. Yes he was given free role which helped him score more goals or make more assists, but he also is attacking midfielder who played entire two seasons with us without a striker to pass the ball to. He was under poor managers when it comes to the League( although fabulous manager in CL) almost entire two seasons . In the second part of the first season our players only cared about CL, it was so visible on the field but ended up in heroic triumph. That season was about CL not the League and who says otherwise is wrong. And our team wasn't good enough for both fronts. Juan Mata is about end product, but it's not like he had all the conditions to make the best impact in terms of end product here as some suggest. His limitations are to blame but lack of reliable striker/winger isn't ? Man United is another terrible decision . He won't fit under Van Gaal. I certainly hope he will be sold as soon as possible. It won't be easy for him to be benched again. It will be another fail for him, new blow to the player who thrives for recognition.I won't be coming here either and read all those mean posts 'ha, he's benched again! ' type. I will be gratefull to him for everithing he's done and I will keep my fingers crossed for him to somwhere along the line find a club where he will feel like important part of the team and where he will get recognition he craves for again. Meanwhile I will watch Hazard and Oscar playing with striker. Luxury that Mata never had here.

Peace really made championship player out of Mata and it probably suits his argument that Mata went to Man Utd, club that relies on wingers and has his 300 000 a week attacking midfielder in Rooney and has zero chance to excell there, especially under Van Gaal . Eitherway, that to me that is the most cringeworthy post I have ever read on here.

I remember those days when we signed Torres. I was so sad, on the verge of tears for entire time we were linked with him. I was sad and angry at the same time. Sad because of Torres, I didn't want him to finish his career here as I thought he would, and angry at our board for signing him. I read news like lunatic expecting to read that deal collapsed. I was hopeful he wont pass medical and the deal would be off. In fact I was sure in that outcome until the deal was announced. After that happen I was pissed for weeks. I was so angry that I wasn't able to concentrate on learning for weeks. It was madness. After that signing I developed very critical and bitter attitude towards board. Not so much anymore, now I'm just critical when I think we lack some kind of players and overspending on others. And our style of play. Jose went for CM after all therefore criticism is even less. Nevermind, I'm not nearly as negative towards Costa signing. I just don't think he will be or is world class striker like Suarez, Aguero or RVP are. Therefore I will never expect him to win the game on his own if service is shit and we play bad. If we sign him I don't see point in keeping Lukaku. Let him go somewhere where he can play more and offer something different from his competition. He surely needs further developing. And I would prefer Benzema and Lukaku combination over Costa, but Costa isn't bad at all and Jose can make him even better if he feels he fits in his system better than anyone else available.

I love excuse he is not getting service. Like I've never heard it before. Just joking. Well that's the difference between top strikers and the ones that need team to create for them otherwise they look useless. Top strikers create for themselves when team plays bad and nothing goes their way. We are not getting one in Costa and I didn't have to watch Spain to know that. He is a striker who thrives playing counterattacking football. Eto played decent counterattacking football for us. If only he could have played it in more matches... People say we play like Atletico... Yes, when we have the opportunity to play like them. Not when we are facing West Hams of Premier League. Even Atletico won't play their counterattacking style as much as they used to next season. It wont be long before they face many parked buses. Like Jose did during his time in Primera Liga...

You know, I'm completely with you on this. Rodriguez is better footballer than Shaw, and better value for money.But if you ask me is Shaw worth twice as much, I would say yes. Let me elaborate. While Rodriguez would be more appropriate for our left back position, Shaw would be more appropriate for left back position and filling the void left by Cole's departure and possible Frank's departure and inevitable and imminent Terry's departure. Those players with Drogba weren't important just because of their skill, they provided much more, sense of unity, commitment, loyalty, love and fight for this club. You need players who love club and care for the club little more than other players, who transfer their enthusiasm on other players, who motivate and push other players when it's tough ( I know it's mainly coach's job but still). And let's not fool ourselves Chelsea is the English club in the English League and needs as much English players as possible who also have skill. Shaw fits the bill. While Rodriguez is better going forward, more skillful in set pieces Shaw is solid left back who, even if never match Rodriguez's attacking skill, can give to this team something that can't be measured but it's more valuable than assists and goals. Of course, Shaw alone isn't enough. We would also need Terry to be replaced with Kalas or someone else from the academy and at least another player promoted from the academy to the first team like RLC. But he would make a good start.

How could we be a transition next season ? Our team is almost set up after we get striker. Our rivals next season: Man City, who won the title by default, will be worse next year. Aguero and Kompany are injury prone, Yaya too , their coach is still naive and all that without taking into account their mentality. Reducing their CL squad can hurt them too. And they will practically be our main opposition. Liverpool won't be in the race next year. The will play in Europe and their league form will suffer because of it. Their squad is very thin for two games per week regime, they will need to buy, and when they do, new players will need time to integrate. They will be in mess next season. Arsenal , well they paid off their stadium, so I expect better performances during transfer window. But regardless, the only chance for Arsene and Arsenal to celebrate is another cup. The league is out of reach for them. And finally Man Utd. They will struggle to sign players this season, never mind to win the League. No chance in hell for them. I really can't see anyone who can stop us from winning the league. Our transition period will finally be done and dusted. We will play good football too. I hope so, anyway.

I'm curious.. I tend to agree with Rom, as I did last night.In fact I wanted to translate it (not as good as you and Barbara of course) but he was faster.I also have a friend who is learning Portugese and he told me that translation is 'he was complaining'.So, can you tell me how is said in Portugese - by using the same words (expressions) -He was complainingHe wasn't complainingIn words, I'll figure out pronunciation.

I just saw your quote and you completely misunderstood what I said. Nowhere in that post I was saying that everything wrong this season is Mouirinho's fault. In fact I didn't even mention him.In the post you quoted I was refering to claims that this season was success, which I disagree with , simply because:1. we didn't improve our play ( we improved defence but in the same time our attacking play - attacking players regressed - even Hazard in the last two months or so).Reasons for that are irrelevant (very often I used to say that we need CM and striker to play better, together with attacking fullback and blaming manager for all our flaws in play would be incredibly short minded. I didn't do it with any past manager, and I didn't do it with Mourinho).The bottom line is we miss some players so our play suffers - story from the last season - very modest improvement, if any. Certainly not enough to call season success.Success would be if we got the players we needed already and mastered some blueprint in both attack and defence without winning anything.. Or if we overachieved with what we had er won a trophy. But we didn't and that certainly isn't problem for me, I literally never expected it precisely because of what we have and how we play. Which leads to second point:2. we did not overachieve. Many say we overachieved in the League. Well, looking in the League table through season suggested so. But if you take look away from the numbers you see Manchester United dropping to the new lows and that's the team that used to knock us out of the tittle race. Then you see Man City, other favourite, who suffes series of injuries of key players during season, with new, very naive coach without experience in premier league whatsoever. In fact this season was kind of anomaly compared to seasons before which enable Arsenal, of all the clubs, to spend the most weeks on the top and Liverpool to get closer to the trophy than in the last 20 + years.We , on the other hand, had less problems of the pitch than before, better manager than before, almost fantastic injury record untill the second half of april so I don't get this surprise about us being so better than before.Decent season - yes. Success - no.Way lot of work remains to be done to say so.

Tactical masterclass from Neil Adams.

What Hazard said or didn't say is not the question here. How many of you honestly believe that Mourinho didn't double check Hazard's words and their meaning before he came out and said what he said. Do you honestly find him that naive? No, you probably don't. Whatever Hazard said or meant to say wasn't well received from Mourinho, hence those words in public, which I don't approve. Anyway, what's all the fuss about? It's not like this is the first time Hazard was critized in public from Mourinho. I don't read papers that much, but wasn't Hazard among those players who don't perform on high level as often as other players (mainly defenders)? How was it, perform good in some games disappear in another? Anyway Hazard might be little frustrated with lack of support he receives in attack. He doesn't score as often as he used to, could be lack of quality creative midfielders to supply him. It looks like there is some kind misunderstanding between those two, but it's nothing that can't be repaired. Technically gifted players sometimes find it hard to play under Mourinho. Nothing new there. It will all improve next season when we get Diego Costa. These words will be forgotten.

No one should blame Hazard for yesterday's result. It's so easy to blame players for individual mistakes without taking into consideration how big their roles are. Every single of our eleven players has to defend. Every single. And only Hazard and Willian and maybe Torres needed to attack, with Hazard and Willian doing far more. So, is it easy for Hazard to carry every our attack against very organized and quality side while concetrating 100% on defefense at the same time? He had to do enormous job yesterday, he made mistake, it happens when people are under pressure. We had perfect defense against Liverpool because players could carry out their game plan whatever it was. We had less than perfect defense yesterday because I suppose we couldn't carry out our game plan as we wanted to. Simeone set up his team to prevent us to play our game and made us pretty uncomfortable. They defended deep, we had possession and attacked and this was the situation where our players didn't feel, let's say comfortable and overly confident. Our midfield of two defenders and Ramires couldn't do the job either. We missed some players. They were mistakes prone almost entire game, and reason for that goes beyond individual mistakes, something went wrong in the system.