CHOULO19

And Pogba is far from Makalele.

Alert the police, a crime has been committed! This is football, and Jose is paid to do what's best for the team. He doesn't have to, actually scratch that, he should not make any decisions just because they suit and certain player unless they happen to be in the best interest in the team. I'm not at all saying that what suits Mata is mutually excplusive with the team's best interest, I'm not even talking about Mata specifically, but the team that the manager picks, and the system that he chooses and the philosophy that he tries to implement is always what matters the most, not individual players.

No I think that's Lollichon next to Holland. Cahill looks sad and disappointed. They must not had orange juice in the hotel

Anyone who saw our matches against City last season and still wants Lampard in the same stadium on Sunday needs his head checked!

Does he have to be either back or still shit? I mean is there no grey area in between? Fernando has been playing mostly very good this season and has performed, imo, the best among our strikers so far. Can't we all just hope that he continues this well? We finally have three strikers on some sort of good form which is a near miracle. We will be needing all three of them to perform well this season if we want to win trophies. Even Torres understands that. After the game when he was asked about Eto'o scoring at the weekend he said he was happy about it and hopes that he continues to do so so that we continue to get results.

Hold the phone. Jay jay. I wasn't trying to justify his selection, I was telling you what Jose himself said about it after the match. I even questioned his reasoning by saying that I always thought that Ryan was the fitter between the two. Is this what I get for trying to help you out here!

That's irrelevant and I frankly couldn't care less about those petty comparissons. Jose's counterattacking football has won us trophies in the past, and if they could do so again, I'd be on top of the world.

And what exactly is "our game". You could argue that defensive discipline and quick counter attacks has always been Jose's game.

Yeah...brilliant acting to get Chiellini sent off. Pepe would be proud of him..

Not the first time this season we went with a 4-4-2 defensive shape, though. I think the reason why Jose went to 4-3-3 in the second half is that both pivot players had a forgettable first 45. Ramires was bypassed way too easily in midfield and and missed a lot of tackle while Lampard was way too easily drawn out of position and took ages to get back to position. Both had very much better individual performances in the second half, but that was helped by Oscar playing deeper (and later by Mikel coming on). Another minor point is about Schurrle's tactical role to help out Azpi. Jose exploited his incredible pace and work-rate to have him playing almost like a LB when Schalke got into the final third while still being to join the counterattack.

Except it's not 100 matches for Torres, but 100 starts. It's 38 goals in 141 matches including 100 starts and 41 sub appearances. While DD had 41 goals in his 100 appearances between starts and sub appearances. On any account, what Didier offered for Chelsea beside goals, as a target man, as the center of attack and often center of the whole team, as a leader and big game player, can never be compared to what Torres does.

Even if they qualify, they don't have the slightest chance of winning the CL. I hate Arsenal as well, that's why I want their chances of finishing above us as low as possible.

Not talking about whatever you were debating about, in fact, I didn't read the initial post. But that sentence that I quoted made me literally "LOL" in real life

LMAO Sums up some threads around here lately..

Secondly: Can he do it in a cold rainy night in Stoke?

Said this in the Schalke match thread but thought it belonged here more: I love seeing Arsenal loose like the next Chelsea fan, but I don't get why everyone want them out of the CL. First, them losing does no favors what so ever for the EUFA index of the EPL. Despite us winning it two back to back European trophies, English teams have been doing too well in Europe lately. In 11-12, both Manchester clubs went out from the group stages and we were the only English team in the quarter finals. Last season both we and City exited from the groups stages and no English team made it to the semis. A couple of seasons with no one making it past the quarter finals and the EPL could lose a CL place to Italy or even France. Secondly, and more importantly, the more Arsenal are occupied in the CL the more chance they'll have of dropping points in the league. We don't want them to have much less midweek games than us towards the business end of the season. We all know if they end up in Europa, Wenger would most likely play his U21s and get knocked out from the first or second round. The longer they go in the CL, the better for us. Plus, I would honestly rather play Arsenal in the quarter finals or semis (if we reach them) than Dortmund or Napoli.

I love seeing Arsenal loose like the next Chelsea fan, but I don't get why everyone want them out of the CL. First, them losing does no favors what so ever for the EUFA index of the EPL. Despite us winning it two back to back European trophies, English teams have been doing too well in Europe lately. In 11-12, both Manchester clubs went out from the group stages and we were the only English team in the quarter finals. Last season both we and City exited from the groups stages and no English team made it to the semis. A couple of seasons with no one making it past the quarter finals and the EPL could lose a CL place to Italy or even France. Secondly, and more importantly, the more Arsenal are occupied in the CL the more chance they'll have of dropping points in the league. We don't want them to have much less midweek games than us towards the business end of the season. We all know if they end up in Europa, Wenger would most likely play his U21s and get knocked out from the first or second round. The longer they go in the CL, the better for us. Plus, I would honestly rather play Arsenal in the quarter finals or semis (if we reach them) than Dortmund or Napoli.

That explains a lot...

That is one of the most narrow minded, self-absorbed opinions I've ever read a profession coach say!

I would to, but Jose said it in a manner to imply that Azpi is more physically fit. I'm not disagreeing with him because he obviously watches the training and knows best who's physically better, it's just that I would have thought it to be Ryan, not Cesar.

Friday night or Sat morning.

In the spirit of the clash between Juve and Madrid tonight, one of the best individual performances of all time by a footballing god: http://videobam.com/rsfVj EDIT: Remembering that tie, I can't believe Juve won at the Bernabau with Molinar, Marchioni, Amauri and Manninger in the starting XI!

That run he made for Hazard's goal was better than both of the goals he scored, imo. Brilliant run to create the shooting space for Eden.

Well that's what Autumn and most of the winter is like here in Lebanon!