BlueLion.

King.

Wouldn't be surprised to see him leave soon. No way is he going to be first choice unless Courtois suffers another long-term injury, and he isn't going to get the free ride he thought when it comes to winning trophies.

Our new stadium is going to be the best in England for sure.

Furthermore... Only four teams have picked up more points than us in the six games since Hiddink's arrival - and all four are top five sides. Four points from six on the road (at United and Palace, not what you'd call "easy" games) since Hiddink's arrival. The only team in the top flight not to have lost in the last six - a considerable achievement considering the competition the PL can boast this season (the longest unbeaten run any side has maintained is Tottenham with 14, then Leicester with 10, and, in third, West Ham with 8 - but no other side in the division has gone more than 6 matches without a loss). For a club of our stature, and for the defending champions, this would constitute a below-par run, but, as I say, when you consider how poor we were under Mourinho, (where only once did we manage to avoid defeat in two consecutive games (Norwich at home, 1-0; Spurs at White Hart Lane, 0-0)), this is definitely progress. Hiddink has done exactly what needed to be done. We were struggling to do anything, let alone score goals. So he decided to go back to basics and work on a defensive system that would give us the confidence that we wouldn't concede too many goals in a match to undermine our chances of success. Okay, so we've had three high-scoring draws - Watford, West Brom, and Everton yesterday - but if you analyse those goals, I am pretty certain that they all were the result of individual collective errors. For Watford, it's a penalty and a deflected goal which individual players could have done better with. On Wednesday, Pedro gave the ball away and then Zouma backed off, giving Gardner the time to stride on and stroke the ball home, and their second goal came about from a poor clearance. Yesterday was an odd game, a one-in-a-hundred which shouldn't be over-analysed, but again, on all three goals, it's a case of "could have done better", especially for the Funes Mori goal where Ivanovic and Oscar essentially had a snooze. On a collective level we are defending far better as a unit, and also a lot further up the pitch. The biggest thing I've noticed is the distance between the defence and midfield isn't as big as it once was - we're more compact as an eleven and that has led to us getting three clean sheets in six games. We're also now a more potent attacking side. The average position of Azpilicueta is testament to that. I haven't seen him get so far forward ever for us. That's why he's scoring (West Brom for the 1-0) and assisting (Scunthorpe for RLC's 2-0 goal) all of a sudden. And it's all down to Hiddink's decision to play one player. John Obi Mikel. It is Matic, not Cesc, who has been the midfield liability for us this season. The proof is evident from Cesc's evident return to form in recent games. I think Hiddink made a mistake in playing Mikel and Matic yesterday - that is why we were so negative in the first half - and we improved greatly with Oscar on the pitch. Oscar didn't have a particularly outstanding game, but he kept things ticking over with some simple short passing and was relatively industrious and getting back to give Mikel a hand. Yesterday was actually Mikel's worst game ever under Hiddink, but he was still relatively competent and did what he was on the pitch for. He defended. And he did it well. Matic has been such a liability that not only does he kill our attacks, but he essentially sets them up for the opposition by dawdling on the ball. Mikel is never going to be a special player, but he is the simple, effective focal point of the side. There's a reason we've never lost under Hiddink with Mikel in the side. He sits and screens the defence, and that gives licence for Cesc for get forward and have an impact on the play. And then all of a sudden Costa is scoring goals again. It's like a chain reaction. Mikel gives the defence confidence - that allows Ivanovic and Azpilicueta to push forward - which allows Fabregas to play further forward, and generally in more space - and that brings Costa into the fold. What is it, five goals in four for Diego since Hiddink returned? There's no surprise that we're a better team when Cesc and Diego are firing, and it is down to the simplicity that Mikel offers, in my opinion. He gives us defensive solidarity which enables us to have more attacking potency. You need to think of our midfield as a giant sandwich. Mikel is the bread. Boring by itself, but he holds everything together. Players like Oscar, Willian and Ramires are the butter. They're not particularly special - Willian is having an outstanding season. Don't get me wrong. But is that down to others around him lacking in form and confidence, or because he has suddenly developed into a game changer? I ain't certain. But they keep things ticking over. They're the composite part that the team wouldn't be able to function without. You can have a sandwich without butter but it doesn't wash down well. Then you have the likes of Pedro, Costa and Hazard. The attacking threat. They're the filling - a nice juicy slice of beef. Again, you can have the bread and butter, but without the filling, it's pretty pointless. There's no substance. Then you have Fabregas, our source of inspiration. He is very much so the lick of mustard which makes everything worthwhile. You need the mustard to bring the flavour out of the beef. Otherwise the beef by itself is a little bland. But without the bread, all you've got is a slice of beef that is covered in butter and mustard. No fucking point in that, is there? Not without the bread. Mikel does such a simple role and that is the reason why Mourinho, Grant, Scolari, Hiddink, Ancelotti, Villas-Boas, di Matteo, Benitez, Mourinho again, and now Hiddink again, value his quality and the things he brings to the team. I ain't saying it is all on him, but he's certainly the fulcrum of what we've got going for us. Hiddink is doing what he needs to do, and now the onus is on the players, who're starting to build up a small amount of momentum, to start converting these draws into wins. Let's go on a real run, now. A bit of investment by the board would certainly help, as well. We have most of the tools for a top four push, which I firmly believe is still a possibility. But if top four is a possibility, then so is relegation. Hiddink is doing what he needs to do to stabilise the side. He's doing a top job.

I agree. In six league games since José has gone, we've taken ten points from a possible eighteen (1.67 points per game) In the sixteen games prior to that, we'd taken fifteen points from a possible 48 (0.94 points per game). That is a massive improvement, especially since we've gone unbeaten in six in the league. In the context of our own season and the PL in general this campaign, that isn't something to be sniffed at.

I agree, to some extent. Things were never, ever going to change immediately, were they? But to go on a run of seven unbeaten in all competitions isn't just good in the context of our season as a club, but for the PL as a whole for this year.

What he needed to do was to go back to basics - give us a strong defensive foundation from which we can go on a decent little run. Since José has been sacked, we've gone seven unbeaten, but only three of those games have resulted in wins. Now is the time to convert the draws into three points and push ourselves up the league table. We can realistically go a dozen unbeaten, but at this rate, we'd only win half of those games. Progress, for me, is moving up the table, and we're still 14th. Things have improved, marginally, but we need to kick on.

Martinez has no right to speak about the penalty they got away with on Wednesday.

John Terry’s 98th-minute backheeled finish earned Chelsea a deserved share of the spoils as they battled from 0-2, and then 2-3 down to draw with Everton at Stamford Bridge. The phrase ‘a game of two halves’ has never before been so appropriate, as, following one of the most dour halves of football Stamford Bridge has played host to in the Premier League era, the game ignited just four minutes after the restart as Terry accidentally diverted the ball beyond his own goalkeeper. And things went from bad to worse just six minutes later as Kevin Mirallas showed exceptional composure to turn and smash a vicious finish beyond international team-mate Thibaut Courtois. Guus Hiddink, Chelsea’s interim manager, had responded to going 0-1 down by taking off Nemanja Matic and introducing Oscar, and though the Blues shipped a second almost instantly after the Brazilian’s introduction, the game certainly pivoted on that moment as the Blues were finally able to rest control of the midfield away from the visitors. They replied with a quickfire salvo reminiscent of their title-winning efforts last campaign as first Diego Costa rounded Tim Howard to reduce the arrears, before, just 101 seconds later, Cesc Fabregas’ deflected drive from the edge of the box restored parity. Just moments before those two goals, Fabregas had seen a deft flick expertly tipped over by Howard, and Hiddink showed further attacking intentions with the arrival of Kenedy in place of the ineffective Pedro. Courtois had to be at his best to deny Mirallas in a one-on-one with the game evenly poised, but Chelsea seemed to lose a lot of their momentum after an injury to Costa led to the Brazilian’s withdrawal from the action. And there seemed to be an air of inevitability about the way the game went following that – a wayward Everton corner, won following a good defensive header from Branislav Ivanovic, was recycled out wide to Gerard Deulofeu, which allowed for Ramiro Funes Mori to convert what appeared to be a 92nd-minute winner for the Toffees. Ivanovic and Kurt Zouma were left flat-footed as Funes Mori acrobatically turned the ball home, but there was to be a final twist in the tale, to be supplied – quite fittingly – by Chelsea’s captain. Terry had been playing in relatively advanced positions since Everton had established their 0-2 lead, and it was he who showed terrific composure to backheel home from close range after Oscar had flicked on a free-kick won in the deep by Loic Remy. Replays indicated that Terry was quite clearly in an offside position as he converted, but that was the stroke of luck the Blues deserved and, as all Chelsea supporters will acknowledge, moments of good fortune like that have been few and far between this season. The Blues remain unbeaten since the arrival of Hiddink – with three wins and four draws to their name since José Mourinho’s dismissal – and they must take that form to the next level as they travel to Arsenal next weekend.

Anyone can look decent playing next to Messi and Iniesta.

Kill them all.

Buzzing with the three points, up the table we go!

Ruben Loftus-Cheek netted his first goal for Chelsea as the Premier League champions eased through to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. The England Under 21s star came off the bench at half-time and imposed himself by netting the security goal which saw the Blues through against a stubborn Scunthorpe side, as he added to Diego Costa's first-half opener. Chelsea were far from their fluent best, but a fourth win out of the previous six - a run where the Blues have gone unbeaten - represents a real return to form since the appointment of Guus Hiddink as interim manager. The Dutchman, who steered Chelsea to FA Cup success back in 2009, threatened to incur the wrath of Blues fans when he failed to name one youth player in a strong-looking starting eleven, but his decision to bring on Loftus-Cheek, as well as fellow potential stars-in-the-making Kenedy and Bertrand Traore ensured this was a wholly satisfactory afternoon's work. What appeared to be a slight muscular injury suffered by Costa in the final stages threatened to be the only blot of the Blues' copybook, but this was ultimately a routine victory for Chelsea that was secured with minimum effort. There will be plenty left in the tank ahead of Wednesday's visit of West Bromwich Albion as the Blues return to Premier League duty, and with Cesc Fabregas and Willian amongst those again putting in impressive shifts, there is plenty for the interim manager to feel content about. Asmir Begovic returned in the Chelsea goal for his first action since the 0-0 draw with Tottenham at the end of November, and he left unemployed for much of a first half that was played out in comprehensively comfortable fashion for the hosts. A swift start was the reward for a packed-out Stamford Bridge crowd - bolstered by the 3,000 travelling Scunthorpe fans who had made the long trip south from Lincolnshire - and there was an air of inevitability about Diego Costa's opener. Following a period of sustained possession deep in the visitor's half of the pitch, the ball was eventually played out wide to Branislav Ivanovic, who expertly picked out the Spanish international with an inch-perfect delivery. Costa, sandwiched between two defenders, showed good composure to steer the ball home beyond Luke Daniels and net his fourth goal in three matches. Daniels then played a starring role in ensuring the Irons made it through to the break without succumbing to further pressure. He first made a spectacular save to deny Fabregas after the former Barcelona man left fly with aplomb from the edge of the area, and then made an even more stupendous parry from Pedro's deflected volley, after Fabregas had turned provider to pick out his compatriot with an intelligent through-ball. Oscar then danced his way through a myriad of tackles but poked his effort just wide of the top corner as the Blues looked to add to their lead, whilst at the other end, with half-time looming, the visitors finally employed Begovic, who made a comfortable save from Luke Williams' tame attempt. The second half lacked the same attacking intent and the visibly dipping energy levels of the hosts allowed Scunthorpe to gain something of a foothold as they battled for parity. Referee Craig Pawson made a good decision not to award the away side a penalty when Kevin van Veen theatrically tumbled on the edge of penalty area following minimal contact, whilst Ramires attempted to dispel the growing unrest amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful but could only drag his drive from 25 yards well wide of Daniels' goal. But any threat of an unlikely Scunthorpe equaliser were abated when Loftus-Cheek, in trademark Frank Lampard fashion, arrived late to sweep home Cesar Azpilicueta's pull back to effectively confirm Chelsea's passage to the next round. The youngster's passionate celebration was one of a man who had waited a long time for that moment of individual glory, and Chelsea supporters will hope for more to come from this precocious talent. Loftus-Cheek was joined by Kenedy and later Betrand Traore, but it was the visitors who almost had the final word, with the impressive Jordan Clarke marauding forward from right-back to smash in a shot from fully twenty yards. Begovic did well to claw the defender's effort onto the frame of the goal, and despite the visitors trying to ensure they could at least take the comfort of a consolation goal back home with them up the A1, Begovic held firm to secure the side's third consecutive clean sheet across all competitions.

Yes all sorted bro

It isn't, and you can argue that this will be good for confidence if we get a good win with a strong team (a few Costa goals would help matters), but my gripe is couldn't RLC have played instead of Mikel or Ramires? Couldn't we have given Willian a weekend to stick his feet up while Traore gets 90 minutes? Disappointing.

If that was the case, and Jose was the cause for Eden's downturn in form and confidence, then I hope (and expect) a strong end to the season from him. I hope to god I'm wrong and just being hormonal about him (I stand by what I said as being a fair assessment/summary of my thoughts about Hazard at this particular moment in time), and I hope he does prove me wrong, because he is probably my favourite outfield player at Chelsea now Lampard and Drogba have gone. Like I say, I'm just not very confident that he will turn around and do so. However I would be quite happy for Hazard to score a hat-trick in the next game and you all give me some serious shit about it.

Thanks for your comments @Magic Lamps, but @Styles did say he was joking about the banning thing. The whole point of a forum is to debate and to discuss conflicting opinions - it is clear my assessment is an unpopular one about a popular player, and that is bound to result in some discussion. But it's all in good taste, don't worry! The whole point is we can debate and disagree with each other, but do so in an adult fashion We're all Chelsea fans, but it's good we don't all share the same opinions. Otherwise this would be one boring place to chat about things!

The only way Hiddink can turn around and say this selection is vindicated is if we win 4-0 at a canter with no injuries.

But how long can we just keep saying "he'll come good?" Don't get me wrong, I admire your optimism and hope you're correct, but in my heart of hearts all I see is a kid who doesn't appear to be happy playing his football with Chelsea.

Absolute joke. Hiddink is as bad as José with team selection. Don't get me wrong - I understand we want to win this cup. But we can't even play ONE youth player at home against Scunthorpe? We may as well close our academy down. No point.

Possibly. It's the lack of fight he's showing which worries me, more than anything. As I said at the bottom of my post, I want more than anything for him to prove me wrong, but I have a gut feeling he won't be here beyond the end of this season to do so.

Or perhaps come back with a reasoned argument? Like I said, if I get hate, I don't even give a fuck. It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it. It's time for players to stand up and be counted and not substitute themselves off.

I think I offered plenty of solid reasons, in honesty.

Reading through this topic like

Possibly the only defender in the PL that makes Villa's defence look like the Berlin Wall by comparison. He is utterly shit.