Jase

Quality that.

Nah. Matic is the best. He's world class. Put him straight into the team so he can thrash United's rubbish midfield..

http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/13/juan-mata-still-a-key-member-of-chelsea-squad-insists-jose-mourinho-4261249/

No, I totally understand what you're saying. It's just that I disagreed with what you said. As I mentioned earlier, I guess it's each to their own.

Oh the irony in that statement. And as if those young players that have joined United are doing any better...

Jose Mourinho: 'I’m here to stay - I belong to Chelsea, Chelsea belong to me' An in-depth interview with Mourinho in the London Evening Standard. Good read.

Yes, I agreed with the notion there just like I already stated in the previous post. I did actually and apologies if it wasn't made clear. Whether to Arsenal and Tottenham, Ba would improve them in different ways. With Arsenal, he will give them a different option/Plan B if their initial plan isn't working and/or be a decent backup option to Giroud. As with Tottenham, he will improve them by adding to their squad depth and when I said he's closely aligned to their Plan A because of his physical and target man abilities, if you like, I meant that he can fit it in seamlessly into given he's similar to Adebayor. Say if Adebayor is rested or injured, then Ba can come in for him in almost like-for-like replacement. And moreover, with Spurs playing 2 strikers these days under Sherwood, Ba is likely to get more game time there than he has been here.

In the first part, I was basically saying that on the overall situation while the second one is on Ba's abilities specifically. And even then, it doesn't take the away the point I made. That's too typical to say that Ba will flourish at Arsenal because he will have the likes of Ozil, Cazorla etc behind him. It's like saying he will shine upfront with Mata, Oscar, Hazard, Willian etc behind him but that has hardly been the case at all. Ba will just be a Plan B or C at Arsenal while he's more closely aligned to the Plan A at Spurs. That maybe true but I would not like us to strengthen them in any way. We may be challenging for league titles but finishing in Top 4 is still a key thing and with the competition so tight now, to 'help' the other teams out is a no-no. Then again, each to their own I suppose. I only went along with that 8-10 million because you said it and as well as assuming it's a hypothetical situation...

Mourinho won't rush into talks for new deals with Lampard, Terry and Cole

Milan called for a press conference today after yesterday's game. Looks like Allegri could (finally) be sacked...

Massive upgrade? Think you're over-estimating the situation here. Agree to a certain extent that Ba improves Arsenal by providing them a different option but both Bendtner and Ba are still average players. If anything, the latter is only more consistent than the former. That might be true but you're forgetting that Spurs now play 4-4-2 and arguably a style that suits someone like Ba to a point and because of that, there's a good chance that he will get a good amount of game time. And moreover, what you have pointed out so far is only judging (or underrating) Ba because of his squad status here. Am by no means saying he's top quality but a decent player nonetheless. You're not even looking at the bigger picture and see how his strengths and quality would fit to the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and benefit them. For starters, I'm not even the one who said he's worth 8-10 million. You did. Ok, maybe Crystal Palace may not afford to pay that but teams like West Ham certainly can. They, after all, spent quite a bit on the likes of Carroll, Jarvis and Downing in recent times, didn't they?

Because it suits their style of play of being direct and physical? And does it really matter if Ba is a squad or reserve player for us? And how would letting Ba go to Arsenal make them a lot better while it won't if he let him go to Spurs? Whichever club he goes to between the two, he's likely only going to be a squad player or backup option.

More post-match interviews.. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19kdof_reaction-cech-on-hull_sport http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19kdla_reaction-cahill-on-hull_sport

Mourinho has got Hazard operating like he did Ronaldo at Real Madrid, but with one difference... he tells him where to go

It's complicated.

Just . Genuine LOL!

I have no problems with selling him but the question is to who. Don't want to see us sell him to Spurs or any of our rivals in the league as we don't need to help them boost their squad in any way. Sell him to Newcastle, West Ham, Crystal Palace or clubs that ilk or clubs abroad? No problem.

Not sure how many have realized this but Swansea are only 3 points above the drop zone. Think they only won like 5 games in their last 20 odd games or so. Would prefer us not to give Ba to Spurs, just like it was silly to loan Benayoun to Arsenal even if he's just an average player. And you never know, Ba may flourish there with Sherwood playing the old school 4-4-2 with a big target man upfront.

C'mon Ryan, this is Phil you're talking to, remember?

From what I read in Redcafe yesterday, seems the predictions or feelings are even. Some think they will lose. Some think they will win while others will be happy with a draw.

Stranger things have happened..

Think you are well over-estimating the situation and underestimating United. Why try to fix something now for a big when it ain't broke? Mikel, Luiz and Ramires have done well in recent games to get us where we are right now and they should continue to start. Even with the few days, Matic would still need time to adapt to what Mourinho wants and knowing his nature, I doubt he will take the risk to throw someone in new straight into this game. If there's a game for him to start, then it's Stoke next weekend.

Well for starters, he's English and HG and think the City squad is lacking in that. And they probably want a long term replacement for Clichy and Kolarov..

No. Even if we were to sign Matic by then, I wouldn't expect Mourinho to throw him straight into a big game as he is more likely to stick with the tried and tested formula against United that has been working for the past few games.