OneMoSalah

Wouldn't have him anywhere near Chelsea, honestly don't think hes good enough.

Busquets positioning is definitely better, his use of the ball is better, his general football understanding is probably better (if you get what I mean, he can see what's going to happen a few passes before others and read the game very well - although that sounds like a load of crazy bullshit the way its worded haha), offensively Matic edges Busquets but I've seen Sergio play excellent passes from a deeper position, in front of the center backs, taking out maybe 3 or 4 players out at a time (he did it against Man United a lot of times in the CL final and also numerous occasions against Real Madrid IIRC, just one ball took out numerous players and turned their midfield around) that Matic hasn't really done. I don't see how everyone thinks Busquets is shit now a days (not aimed at you in particular mate just a lot of people seem to have changed their tune towards him lol), hes still one of the finest midfield players in European football. Don't get me wrong I am a big big fan of Matic but I don't think hes better than Sergio Busquets.

Really? Well thats both of your opinions but I still think Busquets is the best in that position. Barca haven't been as good as they were 2 or 3 years ago but he is a brilliant footballer, Matic is a great player too but he isn't better than Busquets in my opinion.

We all thought we were going to smash them too. I doubt they will smash them.

Yes he will. Hes the best in that position, nobody is better. Hes getting to play a bit further forward at times too as Rakitic drops deeper.

Not the worst result, obviously the circumstances of how they got the goal is a bit shit but a point is a point and they play Man City next week so they could go and beat City, who knows.

Fucking hell, we signed him and for about 3 months he was the best thing since sliced bread then one poor performance against Manchester United and people are saying he never shows up in the big games and they can see why Barca sold him and all this stuff? Lets forget how he has brought our team up to a different level yeah sure.... and that he has 8 assists in 9 games.... We also have one fucker posting Thiago Alcantara? Jesus fucking christ. Fuck Thiago Alcantara.

I'm sure I said this a while ago and now that Jose has mentioned Cesc being connected to his brain and something about the captain being connected to the managers brain, I reckon he could eventually become a Chelsea captain and quite frankly I wouldn't be disappointed. You don't captain Arsenal at 21 or 22 unless you have the necessary leadership skills, some people could argue its because he was their best player at the time but I disagree with that completely, if your best player isn't a leader why would you make him captain? Preferably I'd like to see a homegrown player as captain but I can't see Cahill being captain. Azpi also could be a potential captain in my eyes, when he plays he constantly sets an example as a very competitive football player and has only excelled after a sticky start to his Chelsea career under Di Matteo firstly where he hardly played and then after a difficult start under Jose before getting back in the team and establishing himself as the best LB in terms of performances in the Premier League for the last 4 or 5 months of the season and continuing to play very well so far this season. Will be interesting too, if Cech goes in January who will become vice captain? Branna?

Still don't see why we need to sign him. Where is he gonna play? Instead of Matic or Fabregas? No way in hell, they are both vital to this team. On the bench instead of Ramires? Can't see it happening, one Rami seems like the sort of guy who would be more content on the bench - although most players aren't keen on sitting on the bench but he doesn't strike me as someone who demands he must play every week or he will get upset about it and two why spend so much money on a bench warmer when Ramires is still one of the better box to box midfield players in the league? Pogba's not gonna get in our starting 11 if we continue with 4-2-3-1 and with Oscars performances the last few weeks if he can keep it up we won't divert away from 4-2-3-1 a lot. Makes no sense signing him...

Looks like he is getting more comfortable in possession. The boy is freakily big for a 20 year old, an absolute unit. Was only Maribor though but he looked good in aerial duels and ground duels.

After a performance like that, Felipe Luis must play more (even though he will as Azpi is suspended).

Hopefully Ramires is back. Play 4-3-3 with Matic shielding and Ramires and Cesc ahead of him. United are a different animal to Arsenal in terms of midfield, will they go for a diamond against us or what? Van Gaal will probably go for a 3 man midfield of some sort just to get Herrera, Blind and Di Maria in the team. Blind and Herrera give them quite a bit of aggressiveness to their midfield as well as Di Maria's work rate and pace giving them legs. Can't underestimate United, their defence might be poor but they will be up for it at home surely. 2-0 Chelsea though.

I've been very impressed with this lad ever since Steve Clarke gave him a run of games for West Brom a few seasons ago, for his age his starts to goals record is incredible. I think its basically a goal in every 2 games. Also he has a great record for England U21s IIRC. If we didn't have Bamford and Solanke then I'd say go for it but maybe next season when Drogba probably retires only issue is hes not gonna start ahead of Diego Costa and Remy will still be here as well as Bamford will come back from his loan spell.

What Atletico are gonna be replacing a number 8/10(also their best player) with a number 6 (good young player but hardly Koke's level)? lol

Diego's already had about 3953959 injuries in 10 weeks according to the press, fuck knows how hes gonna make it through his 5 or 6 year contract.

If we sell someone first, like Schurrle or Willian or Oscar then yes we should go for him but I can't see it.

Its fair to say Cesc Fabregas is every bit as good a footballer as Mesut Ozil if not better. What a silly bastard Wenger is. Anyway great performance (except for Cahill's awful reckless challenge). Its out of Oscar, Cesc, Ivanovic, Hazard for MOTM.

The big man always delivers in big games. People have been very critical of him this year but when it comes to the big games, the ones you call '6 pointers', he always steps up and is always rock solid. Alexis Sanchez is a very very very good player perhaps even world class and he was in Branna's back pocket all afternoon. Absolutely excellent performance.

What a run for the penalty, was Messi like, he just eliminated 3 players as if they weren't there and in general he was a threat through out the whole game.

to be honest hes just a failed winger who can't defend, utter shite.

Against the bigger teams, we usually sit compact, press them in phases and counter against them (or what you call parking the bus) and against Arsenal I think we will again. Why play into Arsenal's hands? They play best when you play openly, with lots of space in between the lines and commit men forward so they can pick you off 1 by 1. Depleted squad or not due to injury or the fact we've not lost yet doesn't mean we can go out and play with 7 or 8 men in the oppositions half against a big team without keeping a bit of defensive solidification straight away. People seem to underestimate the quality they have in Ramsey, Wilshere (although both of them injured), Cazorla, Ozil and Sanchez in midfield. We play best against them when we give them very little opportunities to play penetrating passes between the lines and press them high early on and disrupt their rhythm. I doubt a Jose Mourinho team will ever go into a big game, 11 v 11 and play without some sort of defensive aspect in his game plan like parking the bus at times while playing with a high energy midfield triangle as he called it at Real (which will be Cesc furthest forward and Ramires and Matic behind him).

If people are complaining about his 'lack of' productivity at times, look at how many chances he has created for Chelsea since moving here....

Yes 5 of the 8 goals we have conceded may have come from the right but its not always Ivanovic's fault. Some were but you can't always look to blame the right back who is normally up past the half way line as most of the time we are playing in the oppositions half. I am not Ivanovic's biggest fan some times but he has been pretty good so far this season, sometimes mistakes we are making with possession of the ball higher up the park lead to teams countering against us and exposing the right hand side because he's so advanced to support the attack. Also I think SeB said this a lot before that Cahill isn't the best at covering his full back which certainly doesn't help at times too or having certain wingers losing their man (Schurrle losing and not tracking Milner v City). I am not leaping to Branna's defense, no way, he has had some bad moments in goals we have conceded but 5 of those 8 we have conceded are not all his fault. The thing is if you make a mistake as a defender its more likely to cost the team than as a winger, central midfielder, #10 or striker.

The circumstances haven't changed. Gibbs is still an average defender who plays in a team where full backs play very high with little protection in midfield.

He played against them last year though and had no problems with Koscielny or Gibbs 'tracking his runs'. Still think he shouldn't start, Willian should in his place.