BlueLion.

This is is a bit unnecessary, lads! I think this is a mountain-molehill scenario. Keep it friendly please!

The most positive thing about Azpi is the fact he said he is "happy to stay out on the left for the whole season". He just desires minutes on the pitch. What a refreshing attitude, in comparison to whining muppets like Gallas.

Ron, you have to understand our position. Like Manpe said, Kojo was on his last warning for some time; it was inevitable he would eventually go. Take the West Brom thread as the straw that broke the camel's back! For me, he was one of those people who is very good at causing grief but manipulating the event to portray himself as the victimised. It's a shame, because back in the day I quite liked him, but I found him too provocative. To me, he is one of those people who I'd define as a fire-starter - he'd take parting shots and post snide comments that would escalate into flame wars. He was very manipulative in the way he could spin things - for me, it is a positive thing he has gone. He became too provocative for the liking of the staff, and ultimately it is our collective decisions that hold the most sway here. As for the good old days - well, I do my best to get re-involved with TalkChelsea, but sadly I'm growing up! Gone are the days when I was the 16 year old who dominated the forum! I just don't have the time any longer, because of university commitments. I have, sadly, recently lost my job, so I am hoping I can at least partially increase my activity, but sadly I highly doubt I'll be able to match my efforts from the past! Thankfully the "old me" has been replaced by some of the magnificent new members we have on here, especially the likes of Stingray, Barbara, Choulo, BluesMaster, et al. The place will continue to thrive and grow, and I'll always be around - I just can no longer guarantee how often I can be on. I hope you understand.

The fact people think that we, the staff, who do an unpaid, voluntary job, should have to make ourselves explain our actions to a bunch of strangers on an internet forum, is pretty funny IMO. Don't get me wrong, I understand accountability and everything, but people take this place way too seriously.

It's a cumulative checklist. You can only suspend permanently by revoking creativity rights, which can only be done by permanently moderating content. So here, 1+2=3. Ergo you can't get to 3 without 1 and 2. If that makes sense.

Our home atmosphere has been poor ever since the away fans were moved to the Shed End. Stamford Bridge is a graveyard. I was in the MHL on Wednesday for the Schalke game, and everyone seemed genuinely shocked - literally, people were speechless - when about 15 people in the West Lower started singing. Even the MH Stand isn't as vocal as it once was. Too many prawn sarnie-eaters and middle-class businessmen in trenchcoats for there to be a decent atmosphere, I feel.

I'm one of Lampard's biggest fans. I saw his 1st goal, I saw his 100th goal, and I've celebrated every single time he's scored a goal for us like England had just won the World Cup. But to see him playing as he is right now, is pretty damned painful.

Haha, you guys make me laugh. You really do. Posts after the Schalke game: Cech is amazing! Posts after the West Brom game: Cech is wank, bring back Turnbull. LOL.

Wow, so many replies! My inner geek is nursing a semi-on! I'll be sure to head on here when I'm back from uni to discuss the subject with you all!

Haha, I just wanted to feel appreciated!

Lampard

What about me?

Absolutely. There are many clichéd quotes that have been derived from George Santayana. My favourites: "History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren't there"."Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it"

Everyone. Myself included. I think we assumed that, after a bad performance, we could, and would, instantly correct our wrongdoings and annihilate the next opponent we faced.

Well, we have a fair few "historians" - both professional and recreational - here on TalkChelsea, so I thought it would be prudent to have a topic where he can focus historical discussion on both present-day issues and anything we can say has been consigned to the looming void of the past, where we can attempt to recreate and manipulate historical facts into some sort of representative image of what may have occurred at any one time in a specific place. It would therefore be poignant to begin an historical debate with the confounding question of what is history? Can we, as historians, take great joy in the popular misrepresentations and misconceptions of the past, made every day by the misinformed, and particularly in correcting those assertions? Or do we, as pretenders ourselves, acknowledge the view that history is history, and that we can only guess at the past itself? Are we truly able to understand and recreate what the motives of the Christian Crusaders were, in 1095-6? Similarly, can we sympathise with the German populace, who were swept into a nebula of popular nationalism-cum-fascism in the 1930s? Can we honestly claim to say we can accurately portray Roman civilisation, and at the same time compare it with the barbarian hordes that sacked the Empire, who then founded the European motherland as we know it today? What are your thoughts - what is HISTORY?!

That's what we said about the Basel game after we lost to Everton. This will be a harder fixture than the away leg, as they will just sit back and play on the counter - they've seen Everton, Newcastle and Basel all do it to great effect, so why can't they do the same?

This season, he has been playing his best football since 2009. He's absolutely magnificent, right now.

In regards to his recent performances: In all seriousness, it's called old age. It's catching up with Ash. Nowhere near the player he once was.

De Bruyne > an onion bhajee > the way Lampard is currently performing. He's bang out of form. Well off the pace, the last couple of games actually he's been our worst player, arguably. Needs to spend a little less time on the pitch, because quite a lot of the time we're playing with 10 men.

If Luiz starts...

At fault for the second goal, as far as I'm concerned. Far too easily beaten in the tackle, and ghosted past by Vernun Anita (LOL), as if he wasn't even there. Looks seriously out of his depth right now; I believe he needs to focus on the simple aspects of the game rather than trying his current, laissez faires approach.

We lost yesterday because I changed my avatar, so I have to change it back

Obviously not a mistake. They saw how much popularity there was for the away shirt with MATA 10, so they've reduced their prices dramatically on our other kits. They bulk them in bulk and sell them on - only a small profit margin per shirt, but by selling three/four shirts they recoup the same amount of profit as selling one shirt at full price. Ergo, if they suddenly sell 600-700% more than they previously were, they are overall perhaps doubling the profits they normally would. Plus they'll get shitloads of money back through people adding personalised customisation, too. Clever marketing ploy.

Sometimes I feel I should rename this place OMFG-Overreaction.net. Posted something along these lines elsewhere, and a more in-depth analyses can be found in my match report, but essentially Mourinho was not tactically raped by Pardew. Pardew utilised some very simple-but-effective tactics (essentially smash-and-grab, as we did against Barcelona in 2011/12) of playing on the counter after soaking up pressure, before committing to the attack and overloading the midfield. Mourinho's team selection was good enough, as far as I'm concerned - that team was good enough to win yesterday. Let down by particular players (Cole, Lampard and Luiz) looking completely out of their depth, and others (Mata, Oscar, Torres, Hazard) simply having an off-day. It happens. We'll smash the Baggies next weekend and we'll put this behind us. Just one of those games, stop trying to over-analyse it.