Jase

Such a random GIF...

Mourinho certainly deserves credit for putting us in a position to challenge for the league title right now but as Rmpr said, it's too early to say we have exceeded expectations. Different people would have different expectations from the team this season of course but if we are to go along with the exceeding expectations, best to do it at the end of the season where it will give us a better picture. At the moment, this 'exceeding expectation' evaluation could easily become 'failure to meet expectation' within a month or two if things suddenly go wrong. You could also say that the simple reason that we are in 3rd and only 2 points behind first place right now is because we have a competent manager who knows how to challenge and win league titles as well as handling the pressure of being there, as compared to the managers we had in last 2 season - AVB, RDM and Benitez. And I don't disagree with Choulo's point that we were a cup team last season (and arguably before that too) but the average squad depth - besides having an incompetent manager - certainly played a part of us being that and inconsistent in the league. Would have been interesting to see how we would have fared had Mourinho managed us last season and with the exact same squad.

Not exactly the most creative of midfield trio. Would probably place Matic in Mikel's position and have Lampard in there. We need a midfielder passer and Lampard is the only one in our current squad that fits the bill (and Luiz too).

Right. Should have known that!

He threw Eto'o on against City but replaced Hazard and still stuck with the 4-2-3-1 rather than say 4-4-2. If anything, it was just almost a like-for-like replacement attacking wise and hardly anything changed. As for against Arsenal back then, it was arguably the momentum that carried us through rather than any (significant) risk being taken (the changes only happened when it was still 0-0 with Robben and SWP brought on to stretch the play).

It's nearly 11pm in UK soon. The medical could have been done anytime between then.

Never mind a defeat, even a draw would be a disappointment. United are certainly there for the taking.

Mourinho's 'inside information' tells him United are not happy - but he expects Moyes to be given time to turn things around Inside information? Mind games??

Signing 2 defenders in this transfer window? Seems rather unlikely for that to happen.

Can't wait for this thread to be archived the day he's gone from this club...

Merged...

He hasn't got on here yet today. Shall I ring him for you?

That maybe true but think when he said that, he was referring to games against the lesser sides. Not sure how much of a risk he would take against the bigger sides, even at home. He didn't exactly take any risk to beat Man City back in October, did he?

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho: Eden Hazard can become one of the best players in the world if he stays in the Premier League

Think The Skipper meant to say Sturridge and Rodgers has talked up Liverpool while at the same time almost belittling us. Cole may have said they are a big club but don't think he has once said anything bad about us when he was there.

Understandable given I'm like that myself at times but reading your posts, seems like you are almost negative every time..

Chelsea winger Marko Marin wants to remain at Sevilla beyond the end of his loan spell at the Spanish club.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/360385/EXCLUSIVE-Frank-Lampard-set-for-Chelsea-return Lampard is back in training apparently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcEnvQFSptw

Latest reports from Portugal paper O'Jogo said Benfica want cash + 2 players for Matic.

Your points may not be wrong but seriously, if there was a 'Most Negative Member' award in the forum, you would be right up there to win it alongside Lionsden...

Two big games were left out there... Crystal Palace (H) Liverpool (A) Man United (H) Bayern Munich (H) Sunderland (H) Stoke (A) Swansea (H) Bayern Munich (A) Tottenham (A) Chelsea (A) Man City (H) Everton (A)

Have just tried changing it but can't. Must be shorter than 20 characters.

Seriously?!

Watching Villa these days and I just wonder, what the heck are they doing in the Premier League?! Offers almost next to nothing. Decent at times, absolutely appalling at others. And one of the worse things of watching Villa is that they never seem to improve from their mistakes. Almost every game, you see them keep on making the same mistakes, especially defensively, again and again and again.