Jase

Galatasaray...Drogba...Of course. That was so freaking inevitable!

Full Last 16 Ties: Manchester City vs Barcelona Olympiakos vs Manchester United AC Milan vs Atletico Madrid Bayer Leverkusen vs PSG Galatasaray vs Chelsea Schalke vs Real Madrid Zenit St. Petersburg vs Borussia Dortmund Arsenal vs Bayern Munich

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/club-agrees-departure-of-andre-villas-boas-161213/ AVB has been sacked!

http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/club-agrees-departure-of-andre-villas-boas-161213/ AVB has been sacked!

Ooops. Fair enough then. Would still expect them to at least get that right though. That would also explain the 'Sankt' rather than 'Saint' in Zenit's name there.

Another dodgy thing about that image is we and Arsenal are not named 'FC Chelsea' or 'FC Arsenal'. We are not a German club! Our proper naming by UEFA is at it is - 'Chelsea FC'!

AC Mailand? Mailand?!

He was. Mata rotated positions with Oscar in that game.

Ignore him. He's drunk...

So, did you edit those minor things you pointed out?

It isn't just about the results this season but also the last. Look at their results since the start of 2013. WBA have played 34 league games this year and won only 7 of them, drawing 10 and lost 17. Didn't expect Steve Clarke to get the sack just yet at this moment but then again looking at the results, it's probably one that has been coming perhaps. They have a good squad and should be doing better but aren't.

Happy that Hazard seems to have improved on his consistency of late but still a bit annoyed at some of his play. Take yesterday's game as an example. He has a tendency to hog on the ball for a tad too long when a forward pass is available to be made to keep our attack flowing but instead, he dribbles with the ball too much before passing it and by then, our attacks would slowed down with opponents getting back into defensive positions already. Another point is that he keeps on coming inside and making our play so narrow. There were numerous occasions against Palace, when he was playing and attacking down on the right side, he should be going on the outside/get to the byline/go behind the defence rather than coming in and make everything so congested in that central area.

Perhaps a little bit of research on West Brom's results will help to answer your logic there..

Agree with the notion but then again, our investment in recent seasons have hardly been utilized rightly in strenghtening all areas of the squad properly like a DM, ST and central midfield playmaker. Instead, we spent millions after millions buying this AM, that AM, overstocking the area when we already have enough players in there.

Bertrand has been injured for 2 weeks, according to Mourinho yesterday in his press conference. Will be out for another week at least. And Mourinho has also confirmed then that Cole will start this game.

Sunderland vs Chelsea PRE-MATCH DISCUSSION AND LIVE CHAT Capital One Cup Quarter Final 17th December, Tuesday, 2013 Stadium of Light 19:45 Kick Off (UK time)

Sunderland vs Chelsea POST-MATCH DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS Capital One Cup Quarter Final 17th December, Tuesday, 2013 Stadium of Light 19:45 Kick Off (UK time)

Wouldn't be wrong to say this team is rather fragmented right now. Despite having all these talents and a reasonably good squad, sometimes you just watch us and think "WHAT THE HELL ARE WE PLAYING?!". Cannot say all the blame is on Mourinho as some should be laid on the board for not investing properly in the squad and only interested in buying 175 946 847 AMs every season. However even though the squad is far perfect, questions need to be asked of Mourinho as well because some of his decisions this season have been somewhat baffling and why we are not doing better than we have been. If it happens a game here and a game there, then you can arguably excuse it a bit but this has been consistently happening far too often. P.S. Before anyone jumps the gun, no. I'm not asking for Mourinho to be sacked. Just questioning the situation at the moment.

Chelsea team vs Palace: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Azpilicueta, Essien, Ramires, Willian, Mata, Hazard, Torres.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace Match Preview

*bump*

Chelsea v Crystal Palace Match Preview Here's one (damning) stat: Marouane Chamakh has scored 3 Premier League goals this season. Demba Ba, Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto'o combined has scored only 4.

The Match Chelsea go head-to-head against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Stamford Bridge – game to kick off at 3pm UK time - in their first of two successive Premier League London derbies with Arsenal to come next week. This will be the 9th Premier League meeting between the two sides and the first since 2004/05 season and the side from West London have the upper hand coming into this game with 6 wins in the previous 8 fixtures without a defeat. After suffering a shock 3-2 defeat to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium last weekend, the Blues will be desperate to get back to winning ways when they face against the side second from bottom in the Premier League and they are certainly in a right track to do so after beating Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League on Wednesday, even if the performance was unconvincing. Despite having qualified for the Last 16 of the Champions League, sitting third in the Premier League – five points behind league leaders Arsenal – and in the quarter finals of the Capital One Cup, Chelsea’s performances this season have not been consistent. As pointed out in the Steaua match preview, the past month and a half have been topsy-turvy for Jose Mourinho’s side and Chelsea fans alike as they watched the team performed well in one game before putting in a lacklustre performance and the results have certainly reflected that – LWDWLWWLW. Much of the spotlight in the past week has been on the goals conceded particularly after shipping in 6 against relegation strugglers Sunderland and Stoke. The 1-0 win recorded against Steaua was Chelsea’s first clean sheet in five matches and only their third in last nine matches in all competitions. Many were also keen to point out that the Blues conceded 7 goals from 7 shots on target in their last three Premier League and while no doubt the defence have to tighten especially with four of those conceded came from set pieces, there is not enough positive focus on Mourinho’s team that only 7 shots on target were actually allowed in those three games. Equally in the spotlight, if not more, have been the well documented problems of the lack of goals scored by strikers Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto’o with only 4 goals netted in 26 Premier League appearances combined between them this season. Mourinho, however, was quick to defend them in his press conference earlier today in praising their other qualities though one suspects the Portuguese would definitely want a new striker or two soon. For now, the trio must repay the trust and faith shown by the manager and helped the team to achieve the objectives this season. With rivals Manchester City and Tottenham facing Arsenal and Liverpool respectively this weekend and a showdown against Arsenal at the Emirates next week, acquiring the 3 points here is a must and if the Blues are able to put in a convincing performance, it would help boost the confidence further in the challenge for the league title. About the Opposition Crystal Palace head into this game rejuvenated under new manager Tony Pulis having picked up 10 points – fourth in the form table - in their last 6 Premier League matches including 3 wins – against Hull, Cardiff and West Ham - compared to just 1 in the previous that saw Ian Holloway resigned from the job. The wins gained in the run have took the Eagles up one spot to 19th with 13 points – levelled with West Ham in 17th - and only a poorer goal difference are placing them in the relegation zone. Moreover, Pulis’s side have also kept 4 clean sheets in their last 5 Premier League games including a goalless draw against Everton prior to the appointment of the Welshman. Crystal Palace will no doubt be in confident mood for this game and are likely to setup defensively – a common approach of Tony Pulis away from home – looking for the point that will boost their Premier League survival cause. The Blues must be patient in breaking the Eagles without making it too comfortable for them to defend against and must also avoid conceding more soft goals as Pulis is likely to target goals from set pieces given the host recent troubles at defending them. Past 5 Premier League Meetings (P5 W4 D1 F15 A3 CS3) 19th March 2005 – Chelsea 4-1 Crystal Palace 24th August 2004 – Crystal Palace 0-2 Chelsea 11th March 1998 – Chelsea 6-2 Crystal Palace 13th September 1997 – Crystal Palace 0-3 Chelsea 5th March 1995 – Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace Team News Chelsea Jose Mourinho is likely to rotate the starting XI once again having made seven changes to the lineup against Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday. Gary Cahill, despite not being injured, will be rested tomorrow as Mourinho do not want to take any risks with the defender having a pain in his quadriceps. Cesar Azpilicueta will once again feature at left back as he will replace Ashley Cole with the manager claiming the latter will play against Sunderland in midweek in the Capital One Cup. Other news include Ryan Bertrand has been injured for two weeks and will still be out for another week at least. The squad for tomorrow can be seen below: Provisional squad: Cech, Schwarzer, Blackman, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Terry, Azpilicueta, Mikel, Ramires, Lampard, Essien, Mata, Oscar, Willian, Schurrle, De Bruyne, Hazard, Ba, Torres and Eto'o. Crystal Palace Defender Dean Moxey is rated doubtful for this game with a hamstring injury having been substituted in the first half against Cardiff last weekend with a grade one tear. Winger Yannick Bolasie will be available again for the Eagles following a suspension while Jack Hunt, Glenn Murray, Jerome Thomas and Adlene Guedioura will miss the game at Stamford Bridge. The squad for tomorrow can be seen below: Provisional squad: Speroni, Price, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Mariappa, Moxey, Puncheon, Kebe, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Bannan, O'Keefe, Williams, Gayle, Chamakh, Jerome, Phillips, Bolasie. Stats and Facts 1. Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches against Crystal Palace (dating back to the old English Division One) - W8 D3. Their last defeat to the Eagles came in August 1990, going down 2-1. 2. Chelsea are undefeated in their last 7 Premier League London derbies - W5 D2. 3. Chelsea are undefeated in their last 16 Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge - W13 D3. All the 3 draws have been 2-2. 4. Chelsea have scored at least 2 goals in their last 12 home matches in the Premier League. 5. Chelsea have gained more ponts from losing positions than any other team in Premier League this season - 11. (via Sky Sports) 6. There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 8 of Chelsea's last 9 games in the Premier League. (via Whoscored) 7. Chelsea have kept the same amount of clean sheets in the Premier League as Crystal Palace after 15 games - 4. 8. Crystal Palace have won 1 and lost 3 of their 4 Premier League London derbies this season. Their only win came in the 1-0 success over West Ham in Tony Pulis's first home game in charge of the Eagles. 9. Crystal Palace have averaged just 0.93 points per game in Premier League London derbies, only Fulham (0.91) have a lower return of clubs from the capital. (via Sky Sports) 10. Eden Hazard is Chelsea's top goalscorer and provider in the Premier League after 15 games - 6 goals and 3 assists. 11. Marouane Chamakh has scored in back-to-back Premier League appearances for the first time since November 2010. He has never scored in 3 successive appearances. (via Sky Sports) 12. Marouane Chamakh has scored 3 Premier League goals this season. Demba Ba, Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto'o combined has scored only 4. 13. Mile Jedinak has made more interceptions than any other Premier League player this season - 50. (via Sky Sports) 14. Branislav Ivanovic is one yellow card away from serving a one game domestic suspension. Match Odds (Final Result/Full Time) Chelsea WIN - 1/6 DRAW - 6/1 Crystal Palace WIN - 14/1 *Odds obtained from SkyBet* TV Depending on where you are from, you can watch the match in the following channels: United Kingdom: BBC One United States: NBC Sports Network, NBC Sports Live Extra Middle East: Al Jazeera Sports Belgium: Sporting 2 India: Star Sports 4 India, Star Sports HD 2 India For additional regions, you can check out the TV schedule for the match here. There should be many match streams that can be found online if your local sports channels are not broadcasting the game or if you happen to be busy and cannot catch the game live, follow TalkChelsea on Twitter as it would provide live match commentary on the action. Click here to view the article

I deleted it on purpose. It's a rather needless one..