BlueLion.

I have no idea, when we have Ferreira in the squad, he is playing all those games.

^ newsflash - we're not top class anymore. Until we re-assert ourselves as a superpower on the European stage (and win another UCL/win the title again), the calibre of Moses is probably the best we're going to get as a squad player.

In that, I do agree with you. But only time will tell if he does indeed re-hire Mourinho. Abramovich swings the axe as the club owner, but short-termism has worked well in the first part of his ownership. I think now he realises he needs to switch his eye from the short-term, having seen Chelsea established as a current English footballing superpower, and look to the bigger picture. About bloody time as well. Let's just hope he shows the necessary patience and allows the next manager a minimum of three seasons. Anything else will be a disaster, this club needs time to start again.

But that infers the player's decision to stay, and as Florent Malouda's case study has shown, it is the players who are the ultimate authority at this football club. He doesn't have to go anywhere, he can quite happily play out his contract and apart from terminating it at extreme expense, there is nothing the club can do if he doesn't want to go.

Agreed. Someone with Oscar's dynamism in the pivot is exactly what we need. He's no Essien (at his peak) as he is a totally different breed of player, but he could certainly be moulded into a Xabi Alonso-type if he is played there on a consistent basis. Just the shame the coaches don't recognise it.

He had a bad game yesterday, but his image was further tarnished by how well Toure played, which doesn't make for a very fair reflection in my opinion. Let's not get ahead of ourselves though - he signed a new five year deal this season, and it's very unlikely he's going anywhere.

It's a sad state of affairs (and shows how badly we have declined from the quality we had in 09/10 under Ancelotti - Alex, and a still-good Terry and Carvalho) when our best defender is David Luiz... Ivanovic has to go, sadly.

Someone more direct, who will run at a tired, clearly under-the-cosh City defence - someone like Victor Moses.

Well Kompany's wasn't great in my opinion as it was a shirt-pull rather than him merely trying to shoulder Torres off the ball! But I 100% see your point, if you prevent a player from scoring by fair means or foul, it is brilliant play.

You make a good argument, but one entirely based on paper speculation. Are you sure Roman wanted Guardiola? Did you ask him yourself, or did the tabloids tell you?

No he doesn't. Football is still a contact sport. I don't agree he should be barging onto players as he did against Brentford, but if you're a centre-back and you're not kicking out and elbowing the guy you're marking, you're not doing your job correctly.

Anyone who says Roman, for my money, is an idiot. He doesn't personally swing the axe. Its those "advisers" of his. Roman has invested a lot of money in this club and continues to do so. How anyone can therefore label him as the main problem is beyond me. Yes, he does make the ultimate decisions and some small degree of the trouble has been caused by his own ruthlessness, but the real issue here lies with those aforesaid "advisers" and the board in general. We entered a season fighting for seven trophies with the smallest squad we've had since 2006/07. Imagine how bad this season would have been with a long-term injury to Luiz, Cech or Mata, for instance. We've been underprepared for this season from the word go thanks to the inability of the board to keep a consistent, competitive core to the team. Look at all the loans we've had - you're telling me Essien, Lukaku, de Bruyne, Courtois et al. couldn't have been of any help this season? And by the same token, whose idea was it to sell Meireles, loan out KDB, Benayoun and Essien and then, with Romeu out for the season, decide not to bring in a replacement in January? Nevermind #RafaOut - #BOARDOUTNOW.

Can't get over how bad that Aguero challenge was. Hope the FA throw the book at him. Preferably a really large book, like a dictionary.

Looks a totally different player right now; full of confidence and determination. He's even shooting from distance - I don't think I've seen him do that once. I know it is a trivial connection, but since he put on the mask he's just played like a lionheart, absolutely fearless.. He just fucking wants it at the minute. Definitely because he's playing for his Chelsea career, but credit where it is due, he's doing well at the minute.

Can't believe no-one's voted Cech MOTM. The only player who showed up for us in the first half. It was because of his numerous saves we even had a chance. Could do nothing about either goal.

I don't think we need another striker this summer. Seriously - Ba, Torres and Lukaku will be a good enough trio.

I think it's going to be blue and nothing else. No white trim or even three stripes. Reckon adidas might be hitting us with an originals label this time.

Something of a cliché, wouldn't you say? Carlos Tevez is a brilliant player but I don't think he'd do too well in goal.

17th best team in Europe, and still better than Spurs.

The Premier League state you are allowed to wear a new kit in either a) the final of the FA Cup or the final home game of the season. Hence why in 2007/08 we were also allowed to wear the new kit in the UCL Final in Moscow. If you recall in 2008/09 when beat Blackburn 2-0 in the final home game of the season in the 09/10 home kit, then played Sunderland 3-2 away in the 08/09 blue shirt with collar, before beating Everton wearing the gold and blue shirt in the FA Cup final. You can mix and match at will, moreorless!

Lamps wasn't happy with Luiz' defending for the shot they had right at the end of the half (Gokdenhiz?) that Cech brilliantly saved. Cech and Benayoun had to usher them down the tunnel because things were quite heated. Just two big personalities clashing. I wouldn't worry about it. I'd be more worried about their apathy to the Europa League in general.

So she goes to every Chelsea game, big fucking whoopty do. I don't go to every game - in fact I only go to about 8-10 a season these days - but in four years time I'll most probably have a fucking doctorate. What else has she done with her life, except get fat and incredibly rude? There's being a fan and then there's being a sad cunt. If she was getting all high and mighty because she fought in World War Two and shot down a dozen German Messerschmits then fucking fair play; all she's done is follow a football team and at ridiculously stupid expense.

She even lays into British fans who don't go to every game. Scrap that, she lays into every Chelsea fan who isn't from South West London. She's a sanctimonious, fascist, arrogant bigot, and that's where the good points end.

Well we have plenty of games left. A minimum of eleven; a figure that could rise to 13 if we reach both finals. He is certain to start at least half of the PL games (due to Rafa's hard-on for necessary rotation) and probably both legs against Basel. He can do it, but it wouldn't break my heart if he didn't. I was foremostly concerned with him reaching 200.

I did... there were too many capital letters, and saying "Basel next in Europa League semi-final" seemed a bit like tautology to me! Just me being anal, but I changed the thread to match the title of the article I posted on the forum homepage, as I posted a "discuss here" link!