BlueLion.

I actually agree with you there. Our performance in the league is far below expectations - not just expectations of Chelsea fans, but of football supporters of all allegiances. I think United fans are as surprised as our decline as we are - perhaps even moreso. Adopting the attitude of 'there's always next season' is not a route I would like to take, but unlike Arsenal and Liverpool, we have a genuine chance of challenging for honours again after a season of transition and rebuilding.

You can blame the tactics, you can blame the referee, you can blame the romance and celebrity of the occasion. But the fact was, the players on the pitch let us down and that cannot be overlooked. But I wish, just for once, Chelsea fans had the decency to accept defeat and give credit to a side that deserved to win, a side that showed commitment to the cause, passion, desire and togetherness - four things that seem to have deserted us in recent times. Whether that is down to the manager is irrelevant. Personally, I'm sick of the excuses. These players are trained athletes, who are paid hundreds of thousands of pounds every week to run around, chasing a spherical object. To look at excuses such as the players buckling under expectation, being affected by the Torres saga, etc... in my opinion is just a naive attempt to paper over the cracks which spell out the fact this club and its supporters have developed the same arrogance and complacency the players adopted in today's game. I'm as disappointed as the next man, but the better team won today.

I knew it would only take one more defeat for these posts to return. This is purely down to hypocritical double standards. We criticise Liverpool supporters for being fickle over the Torres transfer, but as soon as we lose a game, the doubters crawl out of the woodwork and spout nothing but the same old recycle jargon, before retreating when the results match their expectations. Frankly, its boring. Carlo is a great manager; a manager who won us the Double last season. Chelsea are an ageing team and a transitional season such as this has been inevitable for some time. It would have occurred under Scolari in 2008/09, but instead of being patient and accepting that eventually there would be a period where Chelsea would stop contesting for trophies temporarily, the club sought to postpone judgement day and bring in Hiddink. Sure, Guus did phenomenally way and restored the faith, but the cynics calling for Ancelotti's head are really beyond me. Although you might fancy yourself as a Premier League manager, citing your Football Manager and FIFA career mode credentials, the fact of the matter is that coaching is no easy job. Ancelotti is still learning and adapting to the English game. Couple that with the fact he had an ageing squad of underperforming players, and I'm sure any level-headed supporter can see how difficult it is to churn out satisfactory results as well as winning games. It is attitudes like this that make me think that success has spoilt some of this club's supporters. We do not have a right to challenge for trophies, and we cannot hope to go on without going through periods of rebuilding. Look at Manchester United. In the long-term, a bit of continuity has not hurt them in the slightest. Similarly, the rebuilding the underwent between 2004 and 2006 saw them buy and nurture young footballing talent like Rooney, Ronaldo, Evra and Vidic, and compliment it with the experience of the likes of van der Sar, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. And now they are odds-on to win the Premier League for the fourth time in seven seasons. We are in a similar phase currently at Chelsea. We have the experienced figures and we have the youthful potential in players like Joshua McEachran, Daniel Sturridge and even players like Ramires and David Luiz who are already established internationals who have yet to reach their peak potential. This period we are going through is inevitable, and it can only be postponed so much. Last year, we managed to win the title by a single point - admittedly we should have perhaps won it by a greater margin, but the players are older. More experienced, yes, but nowhere near their peak physical condition. Even Lampard, with his various injury problems, does not look the player who scored 27 goals last season and recorded 19 assists. Look at Drogba, whose bout of malaria is testament to the fact we are reliant on 32-33 year-old footballers who must be replaced - very soon. Sacking the manager will get a short-term reaction out of the players. Maybe another 6-18 months before the rot sets in again. On the other hand, sticking with Carlo and letting him build something will see us grow and develop sustainably and continue to be a force in both the Premier League and the Champions League. And as far as I'm concerned, people who cannot see that simply do not see the game of football as I do. The comparisons between Ancelotti and Mourinho need to stop, too. Mourinho was a manager who is designed to have a short-term impact. Not to build anything. Granted, the vast majority of our squad's core - the Drogbas, Cechs and Coles and so on - were brought in under his tenure, the Lampards and Terrys of this world were here before him. And they are here after him, as well. Regardless of what Mourinho did, he was a short-term option intended to come in and make an impact; not to build for the future and settle down like Wenger of Ferguson and mentor a generation or two. But to come, win everything, and leave. That is Mourinho's way. Ancelotti fits in with the Ferguson blueprint - and I guarantee, give him time, and he will deliver. So your theory is to bring in managers, sack them, hope the next one wins something and then sack them as well? That fits in brilliantly with the long-term aims of the club, you should be on our board.

Perfect match to bounce back. But its typical Fulham find form before they play us.

Chelsea FC vs Everton Saturday 19 February 2011, FA Cup - 12.30PM kick-off, Stamford Bridge Match chat here

Fulham vs Chelsea FC Monday 14 February 2011, FA Premier League - 8.00PM kick-off, Craven Cottage Match chat here

Its easy to complain and criticise right now. This defeat is a painful one, and will take time to get over. Sums it up.

Its easy to disguise anger in words.

Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool Barclay's Premier League - Sunday 6 February 2011 - Stamford Bridge Fernando Torres' Chelsea début ended in disappointing fashion as Carlo Ancelotti's side succumbed to an embarrassing defeat to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard, who signed from the Merseysiders on Monday for a British record £50 million, was left red-faced as Kenny Dalglish's men completed a stunning smash-and-grab which leaves Chelsea's title bid in tatters - as Raul Meireles' second half winner handed the visitors a fourth successive victory and completed a second Premier League double over the champions in three seasons. After Manchester United's 29-game unbeaten run was ended by a spirited Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday evening, and a four-goal lead was surrendered by Arsenal at St James' Park earlier in the afternoon as they drew 4-4, many predicted that Torres and his new club would throw the Premier League title race wide open with a fifth win in six games. But instead of building on a run of three back-to-back league victories - which included a stunning 4-2 demolition of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening - Carlo Ancelotti's charges suffered a shock defeat which has effectively ended their hopes of successfully defending their title. The champions remain ten points behind Manchester United at the top of the table - a statistic made all the more depressing by victories for third- and fifth-placed Manchester City and Tottenham. A second successive league title is now nothing more than a faded fantasy, and rather than being a mere three points behind second-placed Arsenal, Chelsea face a contest with Tottenham to secure even a top four finish as their season suffered a fatal blow - one which has put the final nail in their seemingly-failed title bid. Much like last season's 2-4 home defeat to Manchester City - which was overshadowed by the John Terry-Wayne Bridge fiasco - the Blues were unable to cope with the occasion; as the pressure heaped upon them by Manchester City and Spurs both winning, an incredible £75 million spending spree and the weight of expectation was evidently again too much for them to bear. It seems an unwritten law in football that Chelsea are unable to capitalise on their rivals' misfortunes this season - and whilst the Blues were unlucky themselves to be brought back down to earth with a resounding thud, the fact of the matter is that Kenny Dalglish's men were the better team; their determined and dogged performance shamed a sub-par Chelsea effort that was undermined by the sense of celebrity and occasion that has come as a result of their recent spending spree. Ancelotti predictably changed his line-up to include their newly-acquired forward, who partnered Didier Drogba in attack, whilst fellow new recruit David Luiz was included on the bench. Early on, Torres was presented with an opportunity to give Chelsea the lead when he seized upon a misplaced Maxi Rodriguez pass inside the first couple of minutes - but the Spain star's shot was well over Pepe Reina's crossbar. And that proved to be the closest Chelsea came to a break-through as they were frustrated by a proficient and resolute Liverpool defence - and the visitors themselves tested the gloves of Petr Cech from distance as Meireles directed a low effort straight at the Czech goalkeeper. But in great contrast to yesterday's Premier League goals fest, it was evident from a tentative start by both teams that this game would most likely be settled by a single goal. That was nearly supplied by Torres, but he saw his low shot inside the area charged down by the excellent Jamie Carragher, whose grit and defensive steel typified the performance of Dalglish's men as he supplied a crucial block to dismiss romantic thoughts of a dream début. Branislav Ivanovic then flicked a header wide of Reina's far post as Chelsea tried in vain to open the scoring before the interval. Instead the half's best chance fell to the boot of Liverpool's Maxi, who inexplicably turned the ball against the bar from two yards after Steven Gerrard had found space inside the area to cross to the far post. That let-off did little to hide Chelsea's shortcomings - a lopsided formation had been adopted to accommodate both Drogba and Torres, and the mechanical functioning of the new Chelsea system was a far-cry from the slick machine which had performed so gloriously at the Stadium of Light. With Ancelotti seeing the new formation was offering no success amidst a congested midfield, Torres' début came to an end after 66 minutes to a rousing reception from the majority of the Stamford Bridge crowd - though the ceaseless torrent of abuse aimed at him by the Reds supporters from Merseyside was still audible amongst polite applause from the home supporters. It had not been Torres' day - a frustrating afternoon had seen him come close on two occasions, but after just three days of training with his new colleagues, it was clear to see why he was replaced by the recently-impressive Kalou. And whilst the Ivorian - who had netted twice in the space of a week against Everton and Sunderland - injected Chelsea with a burst of pace that their lethargic play had craved as Chelsea switched back to a 4-3-3, both he and the man he replaced could only look on as the visitors fashioned the opening goal. Gerrard crossed into the area in front of the Shed End and after Cech and Ivanovic were undone by miscommunication, Meireles was perfectly placed to give his side the lead with his fourth goal in five matches. Essien threatened to replicate his opposite number's impact when he narrowly fired over from distance, but with Liverpool resorting to the negative tactics which had stifled Chelsea's creative play for much of the first half, Chelsea were limited to chances from distance, and only Anelka threatened as he saw a shot deflect behind for a corner. Ivanovic continued to make a nuisance of himself in an attacking sense but as Chelsea poured forward, the deeper Liverpool dropped - and the Blues found themselves playing against something resembling a ten-man defence. Chances were few and far-between, and on the one occasion that the Liverpool rearguard was breached, Chelsea substitute Florent Malouda found Rein a difficult obstacle to beat as the Spanish custodian denied him - and ultimately denied Chelsea of what would have been an undeserved leveller. Chelsea were frustratingly inept at even posing a threat to Reina's goal as the game petered out to its conclusion. The embarrassment of riches on display had, Malouda's effort apart, failed to even seriously trouble Liverpool's goalkeeper. Liverpool were looking the more likely team to score, and they nearly rubbed further salt into gaping wounds as Fabio Aurelio's curling effort was well-saved by Cech, who, like the majority of his colleagues, was simply not demonstrating the same prowess which had formed the cornerstone of Chelsea's run of four victories in five matches; a run ended by defensive hesitancy and a lack of commitment to the cause. Ultimately, a single word can sum up the Blues' performance - disappointing. Chelsea were disappointing in the way they entered the match with an apparent sense of complacency - they seemed to think that they could cruise to victory regardless of the form that Liverpool had shown already under Kenny Dalglish. They let down their supporters with a lethargic, half-hearted showing which undermined any attempts at salvaging a draw. One positive can be taken from the defeat, as débutante David Luiz showed great composure and confidence in a short cameo appearance which demonstrated his class and technique - but the disheartening reality is that Chelsea's title bid is over, and Champions League football can no longer be taken for granted because of footballers no longer interested in playing for each other, the fans, the badge, or even for pride. The fact Chelsea should perhaps have been given a penalty for a blatant barge by Glen Johnson on Ivanovic in the penalty area cannot be used as an excuse on a day where passion outfought arrogance and complacency. When you compare Chelsea's team performance to that of Liverpool, who were exceptionally committed and determined to prove a point to the defending champions after a number of trophyless seasons, you can see where this game was lost. This was not a game decided on quality or talent; it was decided by passion. Liverpool had that - and grit, and resolve, and self-belief. Chelsea simply did not. That is the real disappointment. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Cech; Bosingwa (Luiz 72), Ivanovic, Terry ©, Cole; Mikel (Malouda 68); Essien, Lampard; Anelka; Torres (Kalou 65), Drogba. Liverpool (3-4-1-1): Reina; Carragher, Skrtel , Agger; Kelly, Lucas, Rodriguez (Aurelio 74), Johnson; Gerrard ©, Meireles (Poulsen 83); Kuyt. The TalkChelsea.net man of the match was Liverpool's number 23, Jamie Carragher.

Title over. Sorry to say, but its over. United lose to Wolves, Arsenal blow a four goal lead and we can't take advantage?! Now we're ten points behind, six points behind City, and fucking Spurs are level on points with us.

Are you using big letters for attention, or to look like even of an idiot? Things were all rosy 73 minutes ago.

Malouda for Drogba hopefully.

Shocking, but nothing we didn't expect. After all the goals yesterday, it was bound to be a tight and tense affair; and with the way in which Liverpool have lined up, its no surprise this is 0-0 at half-time. A disjointed, poor attacking performance. Liverpool are an utter disgrace, even Wigan don't come to Stamford Bridge with five defenders and two holding players. The way they are frustrating us by stifling the midfield is actually quite embarrassing. But that doesn't shield the fact that there is next to no movement, and the only creative spark we have (Anelka) is being cancelled out by a woeful lack of support. Drogba's been laughably poor and his contribution has been typified by that freekick. What an utter embarrassment. Torres, on the other hand, has looked quite bright and whilst his end product hasn't been anywhere near the expected level, but his movement is very clever and he is linking with Lampard and Anelka very well which is most encouraging. I've also been pleased with Bosingwa, we certainly aren't using the width he is providing on the right anywhere near enough. I wouldn't be surprised if Drogba comes off pretty soon to be honest, his head isn't in the game. It is a complete juxtaposition to this game last season. Drogba wasn't at his best but he was still involved and eventually set up both goals in stunning fashion. Judging from what we've seen today, it is obvious he is nowhere near his best.

FFS why do I always click the wrong rep button? Consider that -1 for coming on here posting in such a drunken state, you poor role model. xD

I managed to decipher that one though

Which is why I've been saying we have to start the team that beat Sunderland.

Yup its all good now Jim. Looks top.

Wilshere could be a great footballer... shame his attitude is cuntish.

I don't see how. Torres has left the club, its not as if he's shagged their wives then done one. Or has he? xD Don't take it personally, we abuse each other on here as well. Touché! Fancy changing your sig and ava to Aguero and Hamsik?

Yeah, I've just realised that myself. Jim's changed the skin and added a few new features, I'll leave it to him as I don't want to mess around with the stylesheets if he's working on them.

Welcome!

Decidedly nervous about this game now. Make no mistake about it - this is the biggest game of the season so far for us. Win, and we're three points off second. Draw and City will have pulled away, Spurs will be right up our arses and we won't have capitalised on an Arsenal fuck up. Lose and its title over, regardless of other results elsewhere today.

Them getting fucked over by the ref today - which they did; for both Newcastle penalties AND the red card - is karma for Cesc 'Cunt' Wankerass. FUCKING HAVE IT YOU WANKER. Can't stand the little tart, he has THE most punchable face I've ever seen.

Level on points with Spurs now... but second place is in touching distance. That crisis looks so costly now...

See, he's always wanted out, he even resorted to biting his own flesh off, which the Scousers painted the colours of a Liverpool shirt after tying his ankles and hands.