CHOULO19

No one is much better than Torres, atm, but it seems Jose believes Eto'o ca become better if he is given a run of run of games. We didn't sell mata because Jose thinks he can adapt to a new role on the wing and be vital for the team. Jose wants to play Oscar and Mata together if Mata can prove that is possible. Jose has explained what he wants publically and in more detail than we would have imagined. No that's really NOT what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that you can't start Mata in our current system just because he was our best player in our old system last season. What Jose wants from that number ten role Oscar is doing way much better and thus is rightfully starting. When Mata shows he is capable of doing the job in our current system on the wing or in the center better than the other players he will start. Simple as.

I wouldn't trust transfer 'reports' during a transfer window, let alone when it's closed. How would some unknown website know what we're planning to do 4 months from now?!

But is there someone in Torres' position playing much better than him? Torres, on any account, has been just as "benched" as Mata and has gotten almost the same amount of minutes. It comes down to who is playing best in the current system and, atm, Mata is not. You can't keep starting a player for what he has done in the past.

That's pretty much it, but Jose already confirmed that Essien will play (plus I think Mikel will be rested for Spurs) and I think/hope that Kalas will be the one partnering Luiz.

The fight was way before Lopez was bought and Cassillas benched, in fact that is why Lopez was bought, because Jose had issues with Iker. The issues started with Ramos the year before. Being beneficial to the team or "hitting the road" is kind of how all player-club relations work. Yeah, of course you can make a case of why he should not have said that, but Jose is the ultimate motivator, half his "game" is the psychological war. It has worked miracles in the past so I trust his judgement here. Sometimes the war has it's causalities, but it is for the good of the team in the long run.

I don't think it's about listening but about what sells and what gets high ratings. They need drama to get viewers so they create it.

I think we're lucky that Jose has been this transparent about everything since he arrived. I mean what other manager would come out and spend so much time trying to explain in great detail what he is trying to do and what is the philosophy he is trying to implement. He spent 12 minutes on Sky alone after the match on Saturday.

The situations can't be compared. In Madrid there was huge issues and fighting in the dressing room and you have no idea how much politics there is there, even among players. And, tbf for Jose, neither of the was good enough to be in the Madrid starting XI. Mata is a professional, there is nothing personal between him and Jose. He will either step-up and prove that he can be a vital part of Jose's system or he will leave, it's that simple.

I am confident he will get at least 10-15 starts and about as much appearances off the bench and that is if (hopefully) Oscar manages to stay fit all season. Kevin is quality, and you don't fear for players that have quality because eventually it will show.

LOL, he then went on and owned Guilet a few minutes later in his post-match PC I really liked his interview with CTV after the match. It really tells you along which lines Jose is thinking. He said that our problem in the offense that the three behind the striker are still not good at creating spaces with their movement and that that needs time to come so for now what we should work on is exploit the spaces the opposition has directly after they lose the ball. He also said "Of course, I don't know, of course" when asked if he knows what his best team is at the moment. Several members have said that but it's good to hear that that is the case from Jose himself. He also touched on a matter that has been overlooked when the "crisis" was being discussed and that is the ability of our mostly young players to deal with defeat and how they react to pressure. When asked what he said at half that the game changed so much, he answered that he made sure that he was very calm and pragmatic with the players because the squad is not ready for offensive speech and criticism when they are losing. EDIT: Here's the interview I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Md-n_1HUs

Jose has clearly stated that Mata will be played on the wing henceforth, which probably means that Kevin will be Oscar's replacement when we need to rest and rotate him.

To motivate Mata to work harder?

Well, tbf, Duff looked better than both Schurrle and Hazard at the weekend, so what does Jose know?!

Robbie has been linked with the job all week, but for some reason I can't see it happening.

Well if we're talking about the best form ever, then I would say Petr, Lamps, or even JT would be our best players, by far. But we're moving off topic here.

He certainly seems content at Juve. From the first game, he looks like he has been playing there his whole life. Instantaneously fit in with the team. His movement is top class. He keeps the whole back four occupied by himself. Would have been a hundred times better than Eto'o, imho.

Should work now.

Watching Juve today, why the f*** didn't we even try to go for Tevez? Absolute steal for Juve and what a player he is. Has the work-rate of three players!

Hasn't even made the bench in two games since that disastrous game last weekend. Not looking good for him.

That is self-contradictory. You need to get your tactics right to dominate a game. You can't do it by just sending your players out and telling them "Go dominate the match". Even if the match is against Swindon.

Lucky, lucky Terminator, scored in the 93rd minute!

Pellegrini just owned Moyes tactically in the first half

It's even weirder that that's what you thought I was saying... Yeah I guess it is his age, but as you know, it does not necessarily mean that he will develop more. If we're talking about bringing one of them to Chelsea. I would honestly rather Cyle right now as he is more mature while Shaw, imo, needs at least one more season with Southamton, imo.

Yeah, I know mate, but since he said that he should substitute with a+bi, I figured that's what he has learned in class I was just surprised I still remember calculus!

He was very good yesterday, but it's weird how he is getting all the hype and attention when Nathanial Clyne, who is also very young, was just as good if not even better.