Jase

I'm appalled if the reason Willian is not producing it in the final third is because of Schurrle and Salah.

Unfortunately, think some have been spoiled by players with silky skills and fancy footwork. Players like Schurrle with their qualities are hardly appreciated anymore these days. Won't be surprised if in the not too distant future, fans moan about us having too many similar players and not having 1-2 who are genuine goal threat with a good movement and clinical finishing.

Let's actually see if that will be the case. Too often many here have proclaimed we have the best attacking trio, plenty of pace on the counter and things like that, only to be left furious and cursing six months down the road.

It's funny how we all, have been criticizing attacking players, who can defend but has no end product and defenders, who can produce the end product but can't defend.

If we're talking about squad numbers, then yes. Selling 2 and buying only 1 is concerning. But if it's about utilizing the player, then I'm not sure if it's exactly a concern given Salah has hardly played anyway. After all, we've pretty much been operating with only 3-4 AMs this season. Mourinho could throw Ramires or even Remy out wide if needed.

That 4-4 game.....Joe Cole's best performance in a Chelsea shirt.

You can't blame that fella for having the ambition of wanting to be a first teamer in the squad, especially when he's only like 24 and not exactly a bad player. If you are in his position, you wouldn't want to be spending your best years sitting on the bench like half of the time. Moreover, if he's just going to accept being a mere squad player, somewhere down the line, somebody is gonna accuse of him having no ambition (like some did with Mikel previously IIRC). He has been poor when given the chances but it's tough to get any rhythm going when you've only been given 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, 1 game here and another one 3-4 matches later. Doesn't want to fight for his place? I don't think you can really fault him for his effort and at the same time, suggest he should be a squad player and then around to say he doesn't want to fight for a starting berth. We aren't even 100% sure what has happened behind close doors and how much that mystery illness affected him.

When exactly has he suggested that?

Even if that's the case, if Dortmund really want Schurrle, you would think they would have offered something by now to improve their squad. But so far, there's nothing concrete from them. Doesn't make much sense getting Schurrle this late when their winter break is practically over, thus giving him no chance to settle into the Dortmund side and get used to their environment, style of play etc as Klopp would have planned things out on how to improve matters from now till the end of the season.

Oh. Tottenham have to play Fiorentina away in the Europa League (last 32 second leg) on the 26th, three days before the final, while we have a free week to prepare. Probably doesn't count much but will help in some ways I guess.

The league game against Leicester (A) on 28th February has been postponed (obviously). Date and kick-off time TBC.

The final passes from Willian have been lacking since day one, not just yesterday.

Read that Vertonghen grabbed someone by the throat in that Sheffield game? Expecting to be in all over the papers tomorrow.....

Not sure about losing weight (can't remember) but he certainly wasn't his usual self in the 2010/11 season.

I don't think that "mystery illness" has helped given Mourinho mentioned that it affected his physical and mental state. Not trying to find excuses here but don't think he's been helped by not getting enough game time to get back to his best. Guess that's what happens when the team is doing so well..

Never mind Torres, people forget that Schurrle is only 24 years old and he can definitely still get better. If others like Oscar, Willian (he's 26 already for that matter) etc can be given the time and patience to improve themselves, then why not Schurrle or even Salah? Granted, Schurrle's form and performances haven't been too great this season but he showed his qualities last season and earlier this season as well. We all praised him for it. You don't just suddenly lose those qualities and become a poor player overnight.

Think the club could easily produce a book of the players who went unpunished for similar challenges if they go through the incidents. Some of them have been pointed out in the Costa thread and pretty sure United escaped a few themselves too.

What's the point of allowing Costa to respond to the charge when he/we cannot even appeal it? Like many here, the FA's consistency is truly infuriating. Takes some doing for one to reach that level. So many similar incidents happened in other matches and the players involved went unpunished. Well done to the English media's witch hunt. They have gotten what they want. Had the situation been the other way round, doubt they would have run the campaign against that player and his "crimes" all over the papers and websites.

Is he even reliable? I doubt Dortmund suddenly have that amount of money to spend.

http://www.espnfcasia.com/capital-one-cup/story/2269046/diego-costa-fate-hinges-on-chelsea-vs-liverpool-match-report

Credit to the fella who managed to capture that precise moment. Brilliant!

Time for a caption competition...

Diego Costa gives his life for Chelsea, says team-mate Eden Hazard

Better hope Ivory Coast beat Cameroon tonight so that they'll continue to be in the African Cup of Nations. Otherwise, there's a chance that Toure and Bony could feature in this game.

It's definitely Jamie Redknapp. Best moment of Mourinho last night.