OneMoSalah

Well my point is he was called, given some game time. Obviously Brazil lack a CF of a certain standard as Pato never developed into the player he was meant to be and others like Damiao and Fred are struggling with injury problems at times so Costa probably was thinking I might get selected here if I keep playing well... he didn't end up getting called for the Confed Cup after a successful season so I'd say that was probably in the back of his mind when he was deciding about playing for one of the two countries. Obviously hes said that Spain has given him everything as well so but Brazil are Brazil and you'd expect him to want to play for them, just he was never really called more than the two games he played whenever they were, when you could argue that he should have been... if he was then who knows? He'd probably have ended up being Brazil's main CF for the World Cup. It will be interesting when the world cup comes around, if he is picked for Spain and scores some goals and say Fred/Pato/Damiao/whoever don't score as much then Scolari will get some criticizm, in fact a lot I'd imagine.

I am saying that all the comments I've seen calling him a cunt for choosing Spain over Brazil is wrong. Sure they could have gotten him earlier but still, Brazil played him twice in 2011 then never used him again and they basically expected him to come back to them as if nothing had happened, even though he was arguably the best Brazilian striker last year. It may have double standards with Spain but still to criticize him because he's choosing Spain after Brazil never particularly showed much of an interest when he was scoring goals last year. Brazil only re-registered interest in him after the Spaniards did, its Scolari's fault for him playing for Spain I feel, not showing much of an interest in him despite him being one of the best players he could have called up in the CF position. Based on who else Scolari has picked I'd say not selecting him for the Confederations Cup was wrong, even though Fred did well enough and Brazil ultimately won but lets say Fred was terrible then there would be big question marks as of why Costa wasn't picked.

"Disgrace to drop him like that" and "recieved the worse treatment from Jose"? What about dropping your best player who has carried your team for 2 years and telling him he doesn't do enough? Calling him selfish also? You just seem annoyed because hes a Belgian international and he might not get games for Belgium since Jose isn't playing him over better players than him as opposed to his Chelsea career by the sounds of it. I'm not saying thats true but thats what it looks like. Jose is a better coach than anyone Kevin has had in his career, he will make him a better player, no doubt about it. Trust him, like he did with Mata at the start. Ultimately hes becoming better, contributing defensively as well as offensively. Will be the same with Kevin, also a bit of competition should be pushing the player to better themselves.

I've seen him play before for Belgium, Genk and Werder but I'm not judging his Chelsea career on what hes done for those teams. He played piss poor against United and Swindon imo and was quite average vs Arsenal. He has a lot of work to do.

If Spain included him in there Confederations cup squad there is a chance they would have to wait for international clearance like they are now. They wanted to use him in the last international break but FIFA hadn't cleared him to do so yet.

Buzzing that we've signed him up, looked a very good talent.

I'd say he probably is right now the least talented one but thats not a bad thing given that players like Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle and Willian are in the squad. I used to think De Bruyne was better than Schurrle but looking at the situation and how Schurrle has done he edges it for me. You go on about how we base him on the few minutes he's played for Chelsea, ultimately that is what we are judging the players on, how well they do for Chelsea.

Personally Willian and Schurrle have done much more than Hazard so far this season. Both should start until Eden ups his game. Or Mata could play on the right after a great game vs Arsenal. Schurrle - Oscar - Willian/Mata

What were you lot thinking, that after a good loan spell in Germany where he is basically given a free role he was going to waltz into the Chelsea team? Fucking hell. 'De Bruyne should go he's wasting his talent' if he is to go, where will he go? Barca/Madrid/Bayern won't sign him, going to any other club is a step down in his career. He was always going to be a back up this year. Please don't say I am aiming this at every Belgian member on this forum but it seems some of yous would rather see him play for Chelsea even though he isn't as good as his competition so he can be in good form and good shape for the national team. I won't name names and it certainly isn't a lot of you Belgian members saying it, just a few.

What I loved about Riccy was he wasn't particularly a really tall player or really strong but he was quick for a CB, excellent at reading the game and despite being physically smaller than most CBs in the PL at the time would throw himself into tackles. Was a brilliant player for us, hes still kicking ass in France too. Think he was better than JT tbh, both exceptional CBs though.

double post

Its hardly killing the momentum of our offensive play, you don't always attack in football, nobody attacks, attacks and attacks constantly for 90 minutes. You need to control the game at times, like defending with the ball, keeping it so the opposition don't get it, limiting the chances they have to score. Mikel is exceptional at helping the team do this. Safe passes aren't bad passes, they are no risk passes, help the team retain possession, means the opposition has to either press and leave spaces for us to expose or stay compact and we run the clock down if we are winning 1-0 or 2-0 for instance.

I think Khedira as well was a major downfall in the Madrid game, Alonso received the ball and was pressed instantly, Khedira was too high up to provide an option at times. But yeah I agree he'd be a short term option but a very very very good short term option. A 2 year deal would be ideal for me.

Solid but not so spectacular 2 or 3-0 win here would do. Obviously Ben Arfa, Cabaye and Remy are the obvious threats but we have too much for them. Still the PL is a difficult and surprising league so we cannot afford to slip up.

Ramires - Mikel vs Newcastle anybody?

He turned his national down because they effectively turned him down by snubbing him for the Confederations Cup despite him being better than anything they had.

I am not saying fuck his nation, I am saying that if his nation refuse to pick him when he feels he should be picked then why should he pledge his allegiance to that nation? Diego Costa is a good player who should have been playing for Brazil regularly for the last 2 years when you look at his performances and the strikers ahead of him. They wouldn't pick him for a year so hes been put off playing for them obviously because he doesn't feel like they want him. Its his choice, I agree with his decision, why should he say no to Spain if he has a better chance of playing for them? FIFA rules are there for a reason, if the rule says he can change his allegiance then he can change his allegiance, he won't be the last player to do this and he certainly isn't the first. Well I'm not gonna lie but I find it extremely stupid that a manager has to pick certain players to keep the fans happy. Really strange. Fans are really important in footballl but fans don't pick the teams, fans don't train players to go and win world cups or confederation cups. Mate your english is fine, don't worry we are just arguing about a specific topic. Diego Costa is good, hes better than most of the strikers that Scolari will have the chance to call up for the world cup so its only obvious that he should have called him up for the last 2 years or whatever. I've seen a few Brazilians call him a cunt or a traitor, he is just doing what he feels he needs to do, which is play international football and compete against the best in the world. He was really only called by Brazil when Spain started to look at him a while back despite having scored 20 goals last season so its logical why hes turned Brazil down.

So Brazil is the only nation in the world where there is pressure on the manager, that is fucking bullshit and you know that. There is pressure on the managers in most international teams, not at the same level due to their targets but the fans want to be happy but when it goes to the fact a player shouldn't be picked up due to the fact the fans won't know him then I'm sorry but that is the stupidest reason I've ever read for a player not to be called up.

I don't agree with any of that at all. How is he a traitor to both teams? He was tossed aside without being given the same chance the likes of Jo or Fred was who are inferior players in an inferior league (no offence to the players or league). He wasn't called up for about a year, he was called back up because Spain only started putting in an interest in him so he declines Brazil because Spain want him and have spoke to him about this for a few months. He is choosing to play for Spain as he feels it is the best for his career and he feels more appreciated by Del Bosque. If you're angry because he's already played for Brazil before blame FIFA's rules and not the actual player who is doing what he thinks if best for his career and if Del Bosque picks him frequently then it is completely understandable.

Wtf? Alonso has never had power or pace.... he is certainly still mobile enough and throws himself about still like he used to but he was never in particular very powerful or very pacey. On a free, this would be an exquisite transfer. No other words for it. Always has been a world class player.

I understand what you're saying but I strongly disagree. You made out that because the people don't know who he is, that he shouldn't be picked on that basis because people can't see him but they can see Jo and Fred. Since when was it that people who aren't the Brazil coach need to see a player for him to be picked? Its never worked like that so why do you keep implying that?

Couldn't agree more. I still feel Spain will edge Brazil as favourites despite it being in Brazil. If Brazil don't win the World Cup there will be extreme consequences I think, they will be branded as failures because looking at that comment you quoted it seems that a lot of Brazilians have the feeling that Brazil are already champions too. Don't want to call who will win the World Cup, I feel there will be a surprise winner which means Spain or Brazil won't win it.

His two best performances for Chelsea have came against Arsenal at the Emirates. Was joint MOTM with Willian in my eyes.

What so the almighty 5 times world champions Brazil cannot send someone to watch Diego Costa in Spain? Or Scolari can't go there himself? Jesus fucking christ. Other national team coaches go to watch players they are interested in play in other countries..... Also since when did the Brazilian people pick the Brazil squad? Recently Scotland picked a lad who plays for Watford that nobody had ever fucking heard of, hes played 3 games for Scotland but hes been brilliant. Its not upto the Scottish public to pick the team is it, same with Brazil, same with England, same with Tunisia, same with fucking anybody. Yous are all posting stuff about Diego Costa being a cunt but Scolari refused to pick him so when Costa declines to play for Brazil how does he become a cunt or whatever? Would also like to know that, how is someone a cunt for exercising his right to chose between 2 top national teams?

I totally agree.