BlueLion.

Agreed. At our current rate, we won't even reach the 40-point "safety line" for relegation.

Oscar was fucking brilliant. P.S.:

Sell Oscar.

Agreed mate. I think the topic about him reached 10 or 11 pages in the end. Madness.

Mikel is a great squad player, but I agree he is a short-term fix. We need another CDM in January - but maybe Guus will stop the José policy of playing square pegs in round holes. Cesc is a CAM and needs to play in that position to be effective.

I liked Ron but the amount of complaints we had about him when I was a staff member was ridiculous. Was always walking a tight-rope back then and now, as I look at the forum as a member again, it's clear he was quite confrontational and would often try and provoke responses from people. But anyways people, it used to really bug me when people discussed things like this publicly, so if anyone has any comments on this matter, they should PM the boss to discuss it! But fair play to Raphael for explaining the staff's rationale.

Merry Christmas to everyone, but especially the staff, who I thought would have run this place into the ground after I stepped down! You all do a great job keeping this place running, kudos!

Guus Hiddink has identified a top four finish as a possibility for Chelsea, after he told his players to be “ultra-critical” of themselves following their disastrous start to the season. The Blues currently sit in 15th place in the Premier League table, eleven points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham and a further nine behind leaders Leicester City. Yet the Dutchman, who has previously been successful in resurrecting seemingly dead Chelsea campaigns, has called on the squad to show they still have the fight to succeed for the club. Whilst a top four finish may – mathematically, at least – seem a possibility, in 2008/09 during Hiddink’s previous spell as caretaker boss, he was able to lead the Blues to FA Cup success and the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. And with those two trophies still available, hope remains in SW6 that Chelsea may be able to achieve a degree of solace by ending the season with silverware – and with this Ladbrokes Christmas free bet promotion, why not opt for a festive flutter and back the Blues in 2016? Nevertheless, with several members of the Blues’ squad still underperforming, here we identify a number of star players who considerably need to up their game after an individually sub-par start to the club’s title defence. Oscar The Brazilian was excellent in last weekend’s defeat of Sunderland, but that sort of display has sadly been too rare in 2015/16. Despite his own inconsistencies – Oscar is the archetypal blows-hot-and-cold player – there is no doubting that when Oscar plays well, Chelsea tend to do the same. His dynamic approach to the game brings a great degree of energy to the Blues’ midfield, and, when playing released of his defensive shackles, the Brazilian offers a creative threat that combines inventiveness and incisive forward passing. But with just two Premier League goals to his name this season – and with both of those being from the spot, it is clear his attacking output is somewhat limited at present. If Hiddink is to bring trophies back to Stamford Bridge this season, he’ll need his best players to perform. Eden Hazard Probably the biggest surprise that has come with Chelsea’s downfall this season is the complete slump in form and confidence that Eden Hazard is currently suffering from. Without a goal all season and currently on the treatment table after picking up an injury in the defeat at Leicester last week, Hazard is unrecognisable from the player who won the Premier League’s Player of the Year accolade in 2014/15. Even in the formative years of his Stamford Bridge career, Hazard remained a potent attacking threat, but despite creating the second-most chances in the Premier League this season, the young Belgian looks a long way off his best. His development will not have been helped by former Blues boss José Mourinho’s comments declaring Hazard is as good as Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, but his quite obvious regression is cause for major concern for Chelsea supporters. Hazard has played more than 220 games for club and country combined since his move to the Blues in 2012 – his lethargy, then, perhaps down him being completely burned-out? With fellow Chelsea stars Oscar, Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic, and Gary Cahill also having played near 200 games in the same period, can Chelsea’s reversal in fortunes be down to players simply being exhausted? Whatever the reason, it is clear Hazard’s efforts must double, and soon. Nemanja Matic Whilst a convincing argument can be presented over the dramatic decline in form that Matic’s Serbia team-mate Branislav Ivanovic has experienced in the past twelve months, it is clear that the cause of much of Chelsea’s defensive woes are down to a lack of protection from the midfield pair of Matic and Cesc Fabregas. Whilst it is Fabregas who has, somewhat unfairly, in my opinion, taken the brunt of the discontent of the Chelsea supporters, it is currently Matic who is the weak link. There is a reason Fabregas isn’t even half of the attacking threat he was last season – it’s because he is having to work overtime in a less-preferred defensive capacity to cover for Matic, who is another player who looks leggy and continuously tired through overuse. Matic was the lynchpin of the team last season, but since Chelsea’s 5-3 reverse at White Hart Lane on New Year’s Day where Mauricio Pochettino doubled up on Matic to limit the time he had on the ball, other teams have followed suit and been able to nullify the Serbian completely. Without that link between the midfield and back four missing, the Blues’ defence has been overly exposed, which goes some way to explaining why they have shipped such a vast quantity of goals when, last season, they boasted the meanest rearguard in the top division. I have already expressed that a return to the side for John Mikel Obi – who Hiddink worked with the last time he was in the Stamford Bridge hotseat – could reduce the strain on Matic, who has been an ever-present since his switch from Benfica in January 2014. Chelsea need to go back to basics, and that means building from a strong defensive foundation which, at present, they simply do not have.

Is Peter Kenyon still around?

^ if we bring back Aké, who has been brilliant for Watford, in January, that could become a reality.

Hazard would have grown to the same degree, or even more, under a coach who doesn't place massive shackles on him, in my honest opinion. Talent is talent, whichever way you look at it.

How? Will Willian and Own Goal be donating goals to him?

Swap him for Sergi Roberto.

Better than Roberto Carlos tbf.

In the wake of Guus Hiddink's arrival as Chelsea manager, a number of potential superstar signings are allegedly being targeted by the Chelsea hierarchy. The Dutchman has most likely been tasked with bridging the eleven-point gap between the Blues and a top four berth, and with the FA Cup and Champions League still left to fight for in what has been a quite frankly crazy season for English football where, of all teams, it is Leicester City currently leading the top division, anything remains possible at this stage. Hiddink will have his own hopes and ambitions, but it is possible that he will look to utilise next month's transfer window to bolster the Chelsea squad. It is abundantly clear that the Blues' squad has stagnated somewhat, with the arrival of Pedro from Barcelona the only marquee signing of the summer. Here, we take a look at some of the names that have been linked with the club in recent weeks, and with this TitanBet promo code for Christmas, a small flutter on Hiddink's potential January transfer activity could prove as worthwhile a venture as investing in the Chelsea squad would be. The most eyebrow-raising name to be mentioned is Liverpool's Christian Benteke. The stand-in Dutch boss has already identified a lack of goals as a major problem for the struggling Premier League champions - and Benteke is seen as a potential solution. With Diego Costa struggling to fire and Radamel Falcao struggling for both form and fitness, the fact both The Mirror and The Daily Star are reporting that the Belgian could be set to link up with compatriots Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois suggests there may be something more than just mere speculation in this rumour. Benteke would not come cheap, having cost Liverpool in excess of £32 million in the summer, but Jurgen Klopp has preferred to use Divock Origi and Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino since taking the reins at Anfield. The Belgian would be a prudent signing as he would be available to play in the Champions League, having only played in the Europa League with the Reds this season. A move that looks to have suffered a set-back in recent days is one involving Porto midfielder Ruben Neves, with the Evening Standard claiming the youngster has his heart set on staying with his boyhood club. The 18 year-old, who has impressed many and earned plaudits for the composure of his play which belies his tender years, has been a fixture in the starting eleven at the Dragao and is inevitably attracting attention from many of Europe's big guns. An undoubted star of the future who is already performing at an impressive level, both Arsenal and Liverpool are also reportedly interested in Neves, who won his first senior international caps with the Portugal side during November. Chelsea and Manchester City are keeping tabs on Karim Benzema’s situation at Real Madrid, with him indicating a willingness to leave the Bernabeu next month. Supposedly, Benzema is a favourite of Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, which is one of the main reasons Arsenal’s interest in the £23m striker was rebuffed in the summer, and the Real president is keen that he stays put despite his alleged involvement in a sextape scandal. The Frenchman, who has been banned from playing for his country indefinitely, is a superbly talented footballer, and equally adept at playing as a central striker or in a more withdrawn role in support of another. That kind of versatility is similar to the skillset possessed by another of Hiddink's former Chelsea favourites in Nicolas Anelka, though Benzema is arguably even more talented and would command a hefty price. A more reasonable expense would be Javier Hernandez, who has, in the past, been a thorn in the side for Chelsea. The Blues have joined the race to land the Mexican attacker who has scored 19 goals for Bayer Leverkusen this season, and The Metro are reporting that Hiddink will rival Arsenal's interest in a player who has proven Premier League experience.

He's cursed. Just can't keep a clean sheet, can he?

Or D) his inconsistency is to be expected. He's still adapting, after all. He has been pretty substandard, but I'm willing to give him time to settle into a new culture (both in footballing and societal terms).

I did it when Mata left using the tip of a hot iron to peel away the lettering.

Why would she want to come back after the way the Club went along with José's ridiculous treatment of her?

You don't need to mate, we all know you're one of the most eloquent users on the forum!

With Hiddink in charge, we have a chance of winning something. And that's what counts, isn't it? Finishing 10th and winning the FA Cup is better than finishing 7th without any silverware, for example.

The sacking of José Mourinho has come as a shock to the footballing world, though it was not to be unexpected. When the news broke on Thursday that the Special One had been dismissed as manager of Chelsea Football Club for the second time, pundits and fans alike recoiled in horror as the greatest coach in the clubs history said his farewells. Yet there was an air of inevitability about the Portugueses dismissal following a torrid run of results which underlines the Blues unwanted status as the worst defending champions in Premier League history. A paltry return of fifteen points four wins and three draws from the Blues opening sixteen Premier League fixtures is nothing short of disastrous, and Chelsea have a fight now to secure their top division status, let alone European football for next season. Fears of relegation have been laughed off until now, but being perilously positioned a mere point above the drop zone, Chelsea who are struggling on the goalscoring front as well as at the back should certainly not fall into the trap of complacency regarding their Premier League status. A kickstart to their season is badly needed, and with 22 league matches remaining, plus the FA Cup and Champions League up for grabs, there is a minute possibility that something could be salvaged from this nightmare of a campaign. In order to achieve that, an under-performing Blues squad requires fresh ideas and new leadership, with prominent betting sites offering odds on who could replace Mourinho in the Stamford Bridge hotseat. One man reportedly in line to take over as interim coach is Guus Hiddink. The Dutchman, whose domestic record cannot be argued with, despite recent failings in charge of a number of international line-ups, led the Blues to the FA Cup in 2009 after the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Londoners were also cruelly denied in the Champions League against Barcelona, and finished a respectable third in the league. Hiddink undeniably did a fantastic job the first time round at Chelsea, but he would only ever be a short-term option. Someone perhaps more interested in a long-term project would be Diego Simeone. The Atletico Madrid manager has led Los Rojiblancos to La Liga success in recent seasons, despite a limited budget and the competition from superpower rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona. A man who rules over his squad with an iron first, Simeone opts for a functional form of football which prioritises defensive solidarity over attacking flair, though his Atletico side, currently on a nine-match winning run, are hardly short on the goals front, and sit joint-top of La Liga alongside defending champions Barcelona. And it is former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola who is currently third-favourite to be in charge of the Blues. Having already stated he aims to see out the remainder of his contract at Bayern Munich to take up a new challenge, Chelsea may have competition from both Manchester clubs to secure the Spaniards signature, but Roman Abramovichs desire to see his side successful by playing attractive football may encourage the Russian to offer an irresistible package to the current Bayern chief. There is also an outside bet in the shape of former Tottenham and Sevilla boss Juande Ramos, who is currently out of work after a period of great success with Ukrainian side Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. Ramos, who has a proven cup-winning managerial record (his Spurs side beat Chelsea in the 2008 League Cup final), could, like Hiddink, be another short-term option for the hotseat. Click here to view the article

Agreed, second-best writer I've ever seen on this place.

Who can replace him though? Another short-term fix who we get rid of in 18 months?