BlueLion.

Let's see how he plays against a team of Champions, a team he could have been part of.

A very much belated welcome from myself, the local muppet, posting guru and match previewer/reporter

I'm sure Gary Lewin would have checked for concussion, if there was any chance of it being serious he would have gone to hospital, not sat on the bench at the end.

Don't forget to submit your predictions for the game! http://www.talkchelsea.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2346

Yeah, would be perfect.

He does spray a wayward pass here and there.

Yeah I do agree, it is a sign of inexperience from Scolari, but I'm sure he knows what he is doing. I'm sure there will be heavy recruitment in January.

Best of luck to Franco, just a bit of EPL experience for him before he becomes Chelsea manager I guess

I love the way these injuries occur days after the window closes We're going to miss him badly

I'd go as far as saying Jules was our best player against the Spuds. Had a very solid game, actually.

I agree, but I think Barton got off INCREDIBLY lightly. Should have been given a lifetime ban from playing in the Premier League and Football League competitions for life, IMO. Spitting at the ref is worth 6 games on the sidelines if you ask me.

Essien said to SkySports.com he expects to be back 'soon,' I reckon all he has done is aggravate the injury that made him a doubt for the last few games.

Agreed. Although he is quite hot-headed, and picks up silly yellow cards - you can tell Maka has given him advice on that front I think without Mikel there is less balance to the midfield, Mikel is the anchor that allowed Balley, Super Frank and Deco to go forward against Portsmouth, and we missed that against Wigan and Tottenham. If we can get him and Drogba back for the Citeh game, its three points IMO.

I don't see how by Robinho going to another team means that we're not going to be the biggest team in the world by 2014. I think we're almost there already anyway.

I just think Lampard should quit to show England how much they'll miss him. He was the only midfielder adding anything in an attacking sense last night and played very well, very solid performance from Frank. He should take a leaf out of Scholes' book and concentrate on club only.

I slag off Joe Cole, then he scores two goals after being on the pitch for nine minutes for England.

I'm sure he would have been taken off as a precaution more than anything, but with Balley out as well we are looking short on CMs.

Spot on, the reason why he wasn't performing consistently is because he never really got a clean run in the side with Makelele and Essien also playing there under JM and Grant. This season he'll play far more often.

If beating the shit out of someone is worth a 12 game ban, of which six are suspended, then spitting at the ref is worth around the same IMO.

Spot on. Most of last season he was shite, just had a few excellent games and a fair amount of outstanding moments of genius which covered over 89 minutes of doing fuck all in a match. As great as Joe is technically, he has those games where he just fades away and we're just carrying him through the match and its frustrating. Mourinho used him as an impact player from the bench, which is his best role IMO.

I'm pretty sure we'll win, we always seem to do against City.

Too expensive? If we have the resources, fucking use them!

Andre Bikey pushed someone over at the Cup of Nations and had a much lighter punishment than that, only a month I think. Ridiculous.

Damn right. Didier to get a goal, as he always seems to do against City.

I was thinking along those lines, some CL experience at Stamford Bridge would do them no end of good. Just fifteen minutes would be beneficial to their development, IMO.