CHOULO19

So nervous about this game. But I still believe we will get a 2-1 win. Any team news yet?

Because AVB said so to chelseafc.com a few days ago.

Even if he returns at the end of Jan. He'll need at least a month with the reserves to get used to playing competitive matches again. So I don't think he'll be in AVB's plans any time soon.

Did not watch that particular game, but in all fairness to Courtois, Athletico have some seriously messed up defense.

I can't remember what he did wrong against scumpool. Though I totally agree about his performance against Arsenal.

Good point!

Agreed. The last thing we need is a big-money that puts pressure on the team and coach to make the player fit and work with the team. Personally I'd be delighted with a couple of under-rated players coming in.

Trying to influence our team spirit before the city match, obviously. This is just getting ridiculous. Thanks for the heads-up. I will definitely avoid The Sun tomorrow.

PS: I think an admin should pin this thread in the Football Banter section just like the Serie A and La Liga threads.

Drotmund again threw away a lead in this round, meaning Gomez brace that took Bayern to a 2-1 victory over Stuggart put them 3 points clear at the top. Full results (from livescore.com): Hertha BSC1 - 2Schalke FC Cologne4 - 0Freiburg Augsburg1 - 0Monchengladbach Mainz0 - 0Hamburger SV Nurnberg0 - 2Hoffenheim Werder Bremen4 - 1Wolfsburg Hannover0 - 0Bayer Leverkusen Borussia Dortmund1 - 1Kaiserslautern Stuttgart1 - 2Bayern Munich

Good to know we could get him back. I was absolutely gutted when he left in the summer especially after his impressive performances in pre-season.

Hoilet would be a great signing in my book. We do not need another expensive player with a huge wage especially FFP rules around the corner.

I think we will get a winger/attacker in Jan with Nico and Kalou both leaving, but we are not even linked with this guy. Looks descent though.

AVB said that we have not yet made any inquiries about Garry so far ruling out the possibility that we may sign him in Jan.

How much are we paying PSG to take him?!

I'd sign him just for the look on wenger's face when he scored the 4th goal in Newcastle comeback last year.

Pato would do good as long as he can play more than 5 games without getting injured. Robinho? I would rather have my testicles nailed to my coffee table!

This could really help us climb above them in the table especially that they usually get around 30points each season from lucky 1-0 wins. If they draw half of those matches they would probably finish outside the top 4.

I think Mou totally f*cked up yesterday. Ramos at center half? Lass instead of Khdeira? And Ronaldo on the left versus Alves and Puyol? Not that Ronaldo would have done any good yesterday even he was marked by a 5yo; totally rubish, Mourinho shouldn't have kept him more than 20mins on the field let alone keep him for 90. The substitutions made no sense to me as well. I mean, why take off Ozil real's best player in the first half and the only one in the team who could make a pass. Then taking off Di maria meant that real lost any hope of keeping the ball in the middle and of the two strikers getting any service.

Congrats RZA. Well Deserved.

That is indeed very good news, but I think we are all forgetting the will of the player here. If barca came knocking and Oriol wants to go back I don't think the club will force him to stay, we are not Arsenal.

Anyone else think we have a huge advantage coming into this one as the underdogs?

I'm not talking just talking about the Johnson goal. I've noticed at least a few defensive mistakes in each of the last few matches we played. In the newcastle match he was beaten by obertan too easily each time. Even in the valencia match, if romeu hadn't covered for ash on a number of occasions we probably wouldn't have kept a clean sheet.

Okay I'm all for the cocky confident attitude, but he needs to calm down now.

It's pretty tight this month, that's good to see. My vote went to RZA.