Thor

I'd like to see RLC and Aina get some run. Anyone know the deal with Cuadrado? Are we looking to get rid of him, hence not playing him? I wouldn't mind seeing Cuadrado, Willian, Moses as the three playing behind Michy. Obviously Willian in the middle with the other two on the wings. Kante should get a rest. Chabolah needs to get some run, since Matic really does seem to be an outlier in this team. Doesn't fit. As much as I backed him, and said he was one of our best players... I'm starting to agree more with a lot on this board. Sure, he had his time, and was for me our second most important player in our most recent title run, but... not anymore. Need to find a more suitable member for the team in his role.

I can admit when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about CESC! He has a place in this team. He simply fits better with the cast of players we have, and is a necessity in this team. I think even Conte can see that now after the performance he just put on. He has so much more time and space to work with given how damn good Kante is. He is an absolute beast. An animal in the midfield. Dude doesn't let anything get by him, and if it does, he is hounding the ball like crazy. Hazard is our one offensive outlet. This needs to change. Pedro isn't anywhere near direct enough, or physical enough when he actually tries to be. I believe Moses does have a place in this team. Maybe not as a starter, but he probably would be one of the best options at the moment. Costa was terrible today, although I think his performance is largely dictated on the service he gets, and that was terrible today as well. Once Cesc came on, it was chances galore for him almost. IVANOVIC needs to go! I can't watch anymore. That was the worst game by a RB I have ever seen. I am not over-exaggerating either. He could not complete a pass, and he was constantly out of position. If you aren't doing any good in attack, at least make sure we aren't conceding. He seems incapable of either. He is past it. I say this as one of his biggest fans. I loved the guy, and thought he was one of the best RB's in the world at one point, but he cannot keep up anymore. His man has 2 or 3 meters of room at any given time to cross the ball, he is slow, he is out of position when the ball is crossed, he is terrible at crossing when going forward and he simply isn't dynamic enough anymore. He was one of the best two way FB's in the world at one point, but all that has gone now.

4-4-2... Amazing lol... I take back everything bad I ever said about Fabregas. I can realize how wrong I was about the guy. So much more vital than Matic to this team, and such a better fit.

Lets f*cking go!!!! COME ON!!!!!!

That was honestly one of the worst halves of football I've seen from a right back... Ivanovic does not deserve any time on the pitch. He is absolutely useless. I'm not one to get on here and complain, but even the girlfriend who barely watches mentioned how poor he is. Kante, Hazard and Azpi are class. Everyone else is struggling too.

Can you play in the pivot?

His passing abilities are top notch... When there is no one on him... and no pressure... and it can't be a big team... or a big game... or any physical players out there. He is far too slow, gives up the ball too easily, and struggles in physical games. As he is ageing and losing any bit of speed he has left, he is becoming easier to take out of the game. I'm sure there are as many good replacements for Cesc as there are for Matic.

Good game from us IMO. The constant complaining from the same people on here is just becoming annoying... Hard to post in here and discuss the game as it is going when certain posters are calling for our whole back 4 and 3 of our front 4 to be sold... I mean, really? I mean seriously... Calling for Costa to be sold? Are you kidding? Like anyone he is going to have a bad day sometimes, but have we watched the same player over these past 4 years? I'm hoping we sign Koulibaly already so people can quiet down on here and quit their constant moaning.

Stick him in Cesc's spot. That or Oscar's. Either way, both are extremely overrated.

Am I the only one that sees a lot of Sturridge with Traore? Good movement, good striker of the ball, technical on the ball, etc. Traore probably isn't quite as good technically at the moment, though that might be a confidence thing playing in a level above right now, though he certainly works a lot harder than Sturridge did tracking back. As I type, they score. Oh well.

Moses is really impressing... I wish our defence would do the same lol.

Nice throw from Aina there. Is he a decent option? Moses looking good. Never been a fan. Is this a one off or has he actually been providing some decent runs and play on the wing? I guess he could make up the squad. We have enough decent wingers, so it isn't an issue. Defence still looks really average.

I'm a little behind on our line ups and tactics due to a busy schedule at the moment, but what are our options at the RB and LB positions? Obviously Azpi is a surefire starter, but which side are we looking to be playing him? Are we after a bunch of FB's now that we let Baba go? Sorry to derail the game thread somewhat, but it is something I'm picking up watching this game.

Is it too much to ask for both him and Koulibaly? :/ Defense is so shaky, and really doesn't fill you with any confidence as a fan. I'm sure a lot wouldn't like the idea of bringing both in due to Zouma coming back eventually, but having all three of them there and rotating I think is a decent way to go about it. One thing about our time with Mourinho is that he absolutely ran our players into the ground.

Some of you are overly critical of him. He is a fantastic player, with a bunch of room for growth, and plays an exciting brand of football. Not to mention he is still so young. I don't know what some of you watch calling him rubbish, or average, because when I watch him, even when he isn't on the top of his game, he is a tremendous presence on the pitch.

Mustafi should be an option for us if this mess continues to go on any longer. He really is just as good, and quite a bit cheaper. I know a lot of you would be happy with Mustafi too considering it would be stepping on the toes of Arsenal and blocking a potential deal for them. I'd be happy with either of the two, but like most on here, I just want one of the better rated prospects at CB. We can't hope to do well this season without at least one major defensive signing.

I just saw this come up on my news feed on facebook. These injuries look so horrible. I feel for anyone who has to go through something like this. At the end of the day, it is just a game, and no one deserves anything like that to happen to them. Hope he recovers and recovery goes smoothly.

Is it me that is going mental, or is it 80% of this board that is? Where has this urge to sell Matic come from? Out of all the players that were terrible last season, why is it that Matic, the guy that had the workload of two players being nudged out? Fabregas was 10 times worse, but due to him being some sort of "star name" no one particularly cares to discuss him being shifted. When people say the likes of Ivanovic need to go, I get it. When people say Mikel, I get it. Oscar? I get it. But then Matic? What in the actual hell. Hazard and Matic were our most important and best players in our title winning season. Matic having an off year because everyone did, and Cesc refusing to play any defence or work at all doesn't mean he should get the full brunt of the blame. Can't believe there are people above actually saying he isn't a good enough midfielder... Ridiculous. This guy just put up a season as good as Yaya's best a season ago, and suddenly he is worth jack shit and not good enough? Even now he is a better player than Kante who some of you are all frothing over. One bad season and you all want to throw him in the trash.

Yes. You are.

lol... Are you serious? SMH

We were an offensively limited team. I want to see this guy given room to operate. The Italian league is a little bit slower and these fast wingers look a little better than most places, but he is a quality player. This myth of English football being a level above, or something special just isn't so. Cuadrado can be a successful player in this league, and with Conte in charge, I think he will be.

Agree with everything, apart from number 3. Man City are quite comfortably the best team in the league, and quite clearly the most talented. They have been now for the last 4 or 5 years. Their problem was putting it all together. Pep is pretty damn good at making a great team greater, so we'll see... We need a whole lot of grit, team work and consistency to win the league next season. We won't be the most talented, but we could still be top 3 in that regards depending on how everyone else buys.

Would be the right move too. This guy needs a chance. A proper one. People are so quick to jump on a player if he isn't immediately impactful. He has been superb at Juventus. In fact, he has been superb everywhere he has played apart from for Mourinho. Conte clearly sees something he likes in him, and I would trust his knack for it seeing what a magnificent job he has done everywhere he has been.

Me either mate. A slow, ball stopping player, with an average first touch and with a lack of strength or balance on the ball when pressured. He was decent when he was a "big fish" in a small pond type deal here when we were struggling, but he got found out, and now even Man United being the small pond with their recent performances over the years, he can't shine. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching him play when he was here the first year and a bit. He was flashy, and brought a bit of fun to the games to watch particularly when we were losing and drawing so much back then, but he isn't an effective player. I honestly don't think he is worth a roster spot.

Mata is worth half that, and no thanks. He isn't a big club player.