BlueLion.

Wishing all of our members a very Merry Christmas, and all the best for 2015!

We need to clone him. Now.

I've never seen a goalkeeper so fired up to come and deal with crosses, most keepers I train are usually shit scared and won't leave their six yard box, and when they do it's never to try and catch a ball. That being said, he is 6'6" and I guess it's a lot easier when you've got such a high ape index with arms the size of his!

John Terry is like a fine bottle of vintage single malt whiskey. Better and better with every passing year.

Well Hughes was trying to put the pressure on us before the game. It didn't work. I haven't seen such a professional away performance by us since Slippy G hit the deck in April at Anfield.

It's a good one isn't it!

You've misread my post. I can't be arsed explaining. But that isn't what I said.

Cesc Fabregas played a starring role as Chelsea beat Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. After Manchester City's recent run of good form continued against a hapless Crystal Palace on Saturday, Chelsea found their Premier League lead reduced merely to goal difference ahead of a potential banana skin away trip to the Midlands. But Fabregas' corner in just the second minute allowed John Terry to settle Chelsea nerves with his 60th goal for the club, before the Spanish magician himself struck twelve minutes from time. José Mourinho will fool very few people with his consistent selection policy, though one surprise saw Fabregas remain in a more advanced role behind Diego Costa - leaving John Mikel Obi to sit alongside Nemanja Matic at the heart of the midfield. Oscar made way for the Nigerian. And it was a decision that paid dividends for Mourinho, as the former Arsenal and Barcelona man orchestrated an efficient away performance that sees the Blues top the pile at Christmas. The previous three times Chelsea have been top of the Premier League on 25 December they have gone on to lift the trophy come May, and in this gutsy performance they demonstrated that their ability to dig deep when under the cosh has not diminished. But this was not the type of game where the Blues sat deep and looked to contain the long-ball threat of their opponents - instead they attacked from the off and in the first attack of the match, Branislav Ivanovic saw a shot deflect out for a corner. The resultant set-piece saw Fabregas tease in the perfect ball for Terry to rise highest and guide a header past the exposed Asmir Begovic. That was followed by some lovely movement deep inside the Stoke half between Eden Hazard and Costa, which ended with the latter firing tamely wide of the upright, but the gauntlet had well and truly been thrown down by Mourinho's charges with an effervescent start. Stoke rallied - but only after a horror-tackle by their full-back Phil Bardsley, who scythed down Hazard after the Belgian had skipped past him. The former Sunderland man was lucky to escape without any more punishment than just a yellow card, and that set the tone for a bad-tempered affair where Stoke showed that old habits die hard. They nearly equalised when Steven Nzonzi's low long-range strike went through Terry and forced a brilliant one-handed low save by Thibault Courtois down to his left on his return from injury. In having already taken a number of crosses confidently, the Belgian was certainly showing no ill effects. Costa then wasted a great chance to apply the proverbial sucker punch when he uncharacteristically wasted a glorious opportunity. Played in by Hazard having lived on the verge of offside, the Spaniard rolled his shot wide of the upright by a matter of inches. The first chance of the second half saw Fabregas tamely flick the ball into Begovic's hands after super ball manipulation by Hazard, before Willian saw an on-target free-kick denied the opportunity to test the Bosnian, as it took a flick off the wall and went behind for a corner. Chelsea were turning the screw and hoping to close the game off, but Stoke were able to draw confidence from the fact that despite their clear inferiority on the night, the Potters were only one goal down and never truly out of this contest - that was until Fabregas fittingly applied the coup de grâce. Charlie Adam, a Stoke substitute, saw a volley curl the wrong side of the post from his perspective before Chelsea punished him for his inaccuracy as Fabregas scuffed home a rather unsightly goal - but he, and the 2,871 travelling Chelsea supporters couldn't have cared less. Costa then saw just his second - and last - opportunity of the game well saved by Begovic before he was hauled off to a hero's reception from the Chelsea faithful. Costa's role away from home is not that of goalscorer; it is that of cheerleader supreme - he infuriates the supporters and riles the opposing centre-backs, and he did that with aplomb here. Andre Schurrle and Didier Drogba entered the fray as late substitues and both had half-chances; the Ivorian trying his luck and firing not too far over from fully 40 yards, whilst Schurrle saw an effort well fielded by Begovic as the game petered out. The only concern for the Blues was Hazard's forced withdrawal after suffering what appeared to be an Achilles injury, and he was replaced by Kurt Zouma, making his first appearance since suffering a nasty head injury in a collision with Petr Cech in last week's win at Derby.

Yes.

Go and develop a vocabulary that exceeds 30 words you peasant.

Stop being so recalcitrant.

Anyone who says we have a shit atmosphere can fuck right off, our atmosphere is incredible compared to the embarrassment that is the Emptyhad Stadium. City "fans" are a joke.

Possibly the only midfielder in world football in that position that would be an improvement on a Matic-Fabregas pivot would be if we signed Paul Pogba. I like Witsel but is he better than Matic? Frankly, there isn't a DM in world football better than he is.

FFS no-one is saying that. But when you're the GK for the best defence in world football life is considerably easier than it is playing for a defensively shit team such as Spurs.

Granted. But look at the teams they were playing for... Casillas playing for Madrid and Buffon playing for Parma, who in the late 1990s were easily one of the best teams in Italy. Courtois played at Genk, yes, but then playing for arguably the best defensive side in world football. So whilst Buffon and Casillas have incredible records, they played for excellent sides at the time. Neuer's record is very impressive, though, as Schalke have never been the tightest team defensively. Courtois' record is amazing, though, already 112 clean sheets (I think?) and still another five months before he's 23.

I don't know how adidas keep topping each kit they produce...

Did Stingray send you them? FFS. Mock-ups look sick.

Because Falcao is a half-fit enigma?

The only reason the likes of LvG and Wenger promote youth is because either the rest of their squad is injured, or the rest of their squad is shit. Would Wilson, McNair, Blackett and company play if all of their regular first-teamers were fit? Not a chance in hell. Wilson possibly, but that kid has a big future ahead of him.

My best mate is a huge Derby fan so I sent him this this morning: "If you're looking for bargain deals this Christmas, look no further than this! We have a special offer on Derby getting dumped out of the Cup for a SECOND TIME by Chelsea in 2014 - you can buy one, get 1-3!"

He was magical last night. A cut above.

Or alternatively: Rampant Remy Regrettably Records Ritualistical Rams' Rectal Ravaging

If anything it was a good old-fashioned tussle, no way was it deserving of a red.

It's so it sounds less shit

He just rolled his ankle, the fact it is so swollen is a good thing as it suggests a twist rather than damaged ligaments. With the medical assistance he gets from our physios he'll probably be fit enough for West Ham on Boxing Day.