Shane

No, I doubt anything will ever make up for the way i felt that night.

Great performance. We played some lovely stuff and its great to see Mata, Hazard and Torres linking up well. Magic second goal.

Oh fuck off.

Lampard is 34 and played two games already this week. Time to face the reality of it.

Was just about to find out on youtube, you legend!

Woke up to this and literally shouted "WHAT!" Another great signing, only 22 aswell. Welcome to the European Champions Cesar!

We really dominated most parts of the game. For the first 25 minutes, we were sublime. We held the ball and had an urgency and created chances. It looked like it could have been 3 or 4 by half time tbf. Their two goals rattled us and until half time we looked shocked. After half time, it was all us. We kept the ball really well, and created chances. They got back well in numbers and try to pack us out whenever we were around the box. When they brought on another striker, and played two up top, it wasn't an attacking move, it was a defensive one. They knew that Pobregnak wasn't winning the ball when it was cleared, but with two men up there they were able to get more of the ball and stop our attacks. Mata, Hazard and Lampard were excellent attacking. Ashley Cole was also fantastic on the left flank. Mikel, well when we were on top he was fantastic, but when they were coming into it he was non-exsistent. All in all, a good performance and result. We showed great character to come back, and Hazard was a different class. What a signing he has been. Player of the year, you heard it here.

I know how Barcelona fans feel when we played them. We're all over them.

Fuck sake Nando

Fuck sake Cech

We're pressing really well atm, we seem to win the ball back quickly. Only a matter of time before our second.

Fucking hell what a header

Lampard scores, what a performance so far.

Hazard wins the penalty.

I could watch us all day when we're playing like this, who said we can't play sexy football.

Great play by Nando there, more of the same please.

We're playing some cracking stuff atm

Happy with that, Close the rest of the game out now and come back with three points. 3 games in 6 days, We need to keep gas in the tank.

Without a doubt the worst post I have ever seen on TalkChelsea, how can you compare midtable/lowertable teams playing in the first game of the season to us not scoring in a preseason friendly? Crazy. Last season we lacked wingers. Our attack was stale, predictable and found out. People say that Van Persie carried Arsenal, but for the first half of ours, Juan Mata carried our attack. We brought Hazard and Oscar, who will solve our creativity problems. You can't ignore the fact that this was our weakness last year, and now its our strength. Alex Song would have been a perfect player for us to buy in fairness, but we've got to give the lads there a chance at the minute. Mikel isn't that bad, someone said in the thread he was poor under Scolari, When Essien got injured and we were under Scolari/Hiddink, Mikel was one of our best players. I'd like to see Oriol Romeu been given more of a chance aswell, as when he got a run of games last season he looked very decent. We can't just go out and buy a whole new team lads.

Kakuta didn't get the chance he deserved. CARLO RUINED HIM

Your attempt at a troll there was terrible.

Put on a t-shirt mate!

Thats a ridiclouis point of view, with very little evidence to back it up. With Newcastle, Spurs, Liverpool and others all far better then they have been for the past few seasons, If anything the league got stronger, which is why we saw top teams losing to the lower ones. United are a great side, still are. Valencia is a world class right winger, and they have Nani and Young on the other. Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Fletcher (before his illness) and others gave them great balance in the middle, and a solid pairing. Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Jones and Smalling are all good defenders, and De Gea came up with the goods after Christmas. Not to mention Rooney and Hernandez upfront, with the latter having a quiet season. Quote me on this now, It'll be either City, United or maybe both contesting the Champions League final this year, without a doubt.