BlueLion.

Hello there, welcome to TC! Hope to see you stick around.

Mikel's too good for the bench. I think people are getting carried away by this 4-1-2-1-2 we're playing at the minute. The wider players we're using AREN'T wingers, we're relying on Cole and Bosingwa to provide the width from full back. Therefore normal central midfielders can be played there - this is the same formation we used in 06/07, under Mourinho, when we didn't use wingers as out and out widemen, but tucked-in attacking players.

Yeah I agree with you. I think the comment has been twisted to mean something else by a bored journalist, I think Essien is simply saying the players will improve their game as they evolve into a new position.

I'm gonna close this since they've been changed, but BlueLion for the win, btw

Agree with you there, Greg, it looks absolutely fantastic.

Sneijder to come in. Please.

Should have Essien/Cole on the right, Lampard/Ballack attacking, Mikel/Essien holding and Malouda/Zhirkov on the left.

I'm liking the blue lions, Jim... naturally I should get reputation points each time one of them loads

You people have no imagination.

But he's not involved with a club making history

Hope we win by a good few goals, would be nice to remind Brendan what he's missing.

And so all the Cole rumours begin. They've done with DD11 and JT26, so now it's Joe's turn.

I'm not going, still gonna boo the cunt though. I'm not sure how many people are aware, but Cech's injury was a depressed fracture of the skull. This occurs only when significant pressure is applied to a part of te skull, fracturing the bone into many pieces. When the injury is a depressed fracture, parts of the bone point downwards towards the soft tissue of the brain, and in some extreme cases, the bone can pierce the dura matter of the brain, which is a layer of tissue that forms part of the brain itself and acts as a protective cover. This happened with Cech, but fortunately the injury "only" left him with pressure on the brain, and this means the bone can be removed and be allowed to grow back. In simple terms, Hunt caused Cech what turns out to be mild brain damage. Cech was taken to Reading General immediately and went through an emergency operation. I've studied this in Biology, and from what I can remember, a depressed skull fracture can cause so much pressure that it can kill as soon as 8 hours after the injury. He's very lucky to be alive. Hunt almost killed him. Whether it was an accident or not, Cech was knocking on Death's door, and that's something I and no other Chelsea fan will forgive him for.

I can see him going there, and doing well. Don't think United fans would be happy with the "boring" football though.

Brendan Rodgers seems happy to take players on loan at Reading, and he knows them inside out. A move there or to a team that has a habit of playing youngsters would be ideal for Sam.

@SeanO - I always get my shirts from the megastore mate, because at some point there is an offer where you can get free shirt printing which effectively makes it cheaper than buying from JJB, or somewhere. But as there are no deals on at the moment, your best bet is somewhere like eBay or JJB. @GZ - Not sure mate, sometime soon, however, as they are wearing it against Reading.

Let's keep it friendly please, people.

Looks fantastic mate. Really well done.

I'm still expecting to see stories saying "City to test Chelsea's resolve... £60 million bid." if I'm honest.

I'm all for Sheva staying, I think he's still got a touch of class about him. He isn't going to score 20 goals in a season for us, but maybe 5 or 6 very important ones.

I think that's an obscure reason if I'm honest mate. You'd support the club less if we signed him? Even if he brought us another 30 goals a season?

Yeah but he's a big fucker as well

I'd love to see someone try and kick the shit out of Alex to see what happens

John's always been a bit vocal but thats just taking it too far.