OneMoSalah

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.

Yes but that doesn't count for anything this season.

Same as at the Bridge last year hopefully. Sit compact, press them and then exploit them on the counter. Hopefully Willian or even Salah starts ahead of Schurrle, his finishing was woeful tonight.

Creating good chances, just not taking them. Costa should have scored. Schurrle should have scored. Salah should have scored. Sporting gave it a real go in the second half and credit to them they put us under a bit of pressure at times. How Cedric stayed on the park I don't know, he must of fouled Eden at least 10 times.

To be honest last year when teams played against Chelsea they very much set up firstly to stop Chelsea playing but they also went about nullifying the threat of Hazard more than any player by doubling up on him and preventing him from playing 1v1 in dangerous areas. Now that we have Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, I think that gives him a bit more freedom knowing that hes not always gonna be the only player teams really worry about when they face us so he should have a better season than last year, as he doesn't have to carry the team by himself.

Na I can't see it now to be honest. Salah signing was the nail in his Chelsea career.

Who knows what he could have gotten last season if we had him instead of someone like Schurrle or Salah or whoever. He had an impressive pre-season before going on loan as well if you remember.

To be honest I am generally surprised van Gaal dropped him to play Rooney as a number 10.... I think Rooney's better as a striker than a number 10 but I suppose van Gaal has to get Falcao and (an under performing) RvP in his team. Still don't think United will get rid of him that easily either, Rooneys got a 3 game ban, van Persie's legs are going and there's constant talk of injuries/surgeries so he will get plenty of games. Still he made his decision and to be honest he could have still been a part of the team here but he chose not to and now hes perhaps having a bit of deja vu although I think van Gaal is stupid not dropping van Persie who has been terrible since the start of last season. Anyway... I suppose going back to Valencia could be interesting for him, they have a new owner who seems to be spending money but I doubt they will ever become a force like Atletico, Real and Barca.