CHOULO19

In the case of Ronaldo, he was clearly the best player, but 99% of the time it's not that black or white though. Players move to a club because they believe that they are good enough to be playing at the club and go there to prove it. And that's true to all players. All players have to go there and show the manager that they deserve to play. Even if you begin as a starter, you'll always have someone who is challenging for your position regardless of how well you've done in the past; the Mata situation this season highlights that. No player keeps getting selected despite playing badly (except for Torres of course!) We currently have 22 players fighting for a starting spot. None of them was guaranteed a starting spot before they came here even though they're all excellent players. The notion that a player refuses to fight for a starting spot and just wants to be given one is highly unprofessional and just ridiculous at this level of football. (Just to clarify, I don't that that's what Thibaut has been saying, it's just what some people are interpreting it as).

Would he start if there was someone performing better than him in the same spot?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSogBZbuMpQ

He might not be creative on the ball, but Mario's movement off it creates a lot of space for his teammates. Anyway, that's another prime example of managers preferring complete strikers over ones who just score. Mario's scoring record is phenomenal, yet Mandzukic has won the starting spot off him last season because of what he brings to the team.

I think it's interesting to note that his best performance with us in a while came when Bertrand was playing behind him instead of Ash. Ryan, for 60 mins, made forward runs in every single attack, often making overlapping runs to stretch the Cardiff defense. He kept at least one of those two defenders on the right (our left) occupied and gave Eden more room to work with while when Cole plays and rarely makes supporting runs, Eden is left double-marked most of the time. Not saying that it was all down to that, just that it might have been big factor.

I thought he was lacking chemistry with the teammates in front of him, especially Hazard, which is expected given that he hasn't played with them this season. But I thought his mere presence in the final third through constant forward runs gave Eden more space than he usually has when Cole plays because he rare goes forward and make that overlapping run next to him leaving him double-marked.

No player in the world can be guaranteed a starting spot at a top team before he has played a single match for that club. You don't just "get" a starting spot at this level, you fight for it. Even if Cech is sold, Thibaut will have to come here and battel with Mark for the starting spot.

And now PVA has scored in the dying seconds of added time to complete the turn around! I didn't watch it but it sounds like it was a great match.

Scored to when his team was 2-0 down. 2-2 now with 10 minutes remaining.

Just win! Expect to see Oscar, Hazard and Schurrle if fit because he know Schalke and German football the best.

Very very good today. Excellent passing; linked the defense to attack very well. His best performance so far this season.

The best thing about Petr, is that he seems to come up with the biggest saves when we need them the most. The amount of times each season that he comes up with incredible saves to change the outcome of the game is just ridiculous.

No, not necessarily. Take Fulham for example, Jol picks Berbatove for his overall game play rather than Bent who is a much more prolific goal scorer. Same with Long over Oddemwingie at WBA last season. Welbeck over Chicharito at united. Walters over Jones at Stoke....etc

Probably on the same level in terms of acceleration, but when it comes to pace Willian is clearly faster. It's not just that he's fast, but that he seems to do it effortlessly. Just glides on the pitch.

In 1990 maybe, but today strikers are first and foremost players in the team. They have defensive duties. Their offensive duties are not limited to scoring but to linking up with other attacking players and creating chancing for others. All managers prefer a complete striker than a poacher. Of course there are exceptions where the striker's ability to score by far out weighs anything else like Falcao at Athletico, but those are just examples. Most strikers that are just poachers find themselves on the bench and get brought on when the team is chasing a game.

People are still expecting him to live up to the performances of last season when his role in the team is different. I thought he was decent today. Juan is still our best passer in the final third, imo. His vision to find someone with a bit of space in tight areas is second to none in our squad.

Very bad game, yeah, but it's his first bad game for us since last December! And now everyone on social media and even some of the experts are saying that he's had an "awful start to the season" after ONE bad game

Solid as ever. Just what you'd expect from Ryan.

It's not just about the goals, his movement was top class throughout the game. He always managed to create some space for himself which is arguably the biggest issue our strikers have had this season. His passing and link-up play was also very good. He created several chances like the one that Mata mishit early on and the brilliant pass that put hazard through behind the defense at the start of the second half. So, yeah, I think he was excellent today. It's great that all three of our striker have hit some form lately.

Eto'o MOTM for me. Hazard and Terry close second. Willian was very good as well. Rami and Frank were pretty good as well. David and Iva were very poor though. Good performance overall. "Ritwittato" sounds sooo funny!

Excellent today throughout the game. Still don't get why he did not slot in the empty in the first..

The touch from Eto'o was not intentional. It's Hazard's goal.

We can't win headers. We can't cross in the first place. But cardiff have 10 players in and around the box. We need some width to create anything.

It's official: Our strikers are not scoring because they don't want to! There is absolutely no other explanation as to how Eto'o didn't score there!

That bloke who sits in row z. I think he's figured that he's got a better chance winning a header than Eto'o..