Jase

That's probably because Luiz is a ball playing CB, who makes more (risk) forward passes than Cahill. As frustrating it may be sometimes, this move with Luiz doesn't always works but other times, it has worked out just fine for us.

Every match seems to be Mata's make or break game for you...

Basel v Chelsea Match Preview by @Strike..

*bump*

6pm UK time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8hxFtqO84w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JQ0K7hRBPM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu4-5Ht0zog

Sometimes I just don't know whether to take you seriously or not given your controversial nature or at least trying to be a controversial fella here... Granted we all know Cahill has his flaws and limitations as a player, every player has theirs, but are you seriously gonna just use that one moment of slightly over-hit or inaccurate pass to sum him up as a player? You talk as though the other players, even the best ones, have never executed a pass wrongly.

No offence mate but did you really take that news and what Ancelotti said literally?

At the rate City is going at the Etihad, I'm already absolutely dreading that game at City in early February.

That Moyes reaction and this stony expression from AVB at FT is just priceless, in more ways than one.

Just remembered all of a sudden, Mourinho surely won't be making anymore egg references after what happened last time pre and post-Basel, eh?

That's only beside the point. Only used that situation as a case to back up the point of Mourinho's weird thinking of selection and in reference to De Bruyne's scenario.. Don't be naive, it can happen. But really, read my last post again.

Yes but the point is Bertrand has played well and deserves more start in Cole's absence at LB. Instead, he's seeing a RB being played in his natural position ahead of him! OR maybe it just boils down to the simple fact that Mourinho just doesn't see them as his type of player. You can bang on about Jose doesn't do this and that with players but face it, managers have their preferences in terms of who they prefer and not for their team. It happens, even with some of the other top managers. Not saying this is the exact reason for what is happening but it could well be.

Does it matter how many games has Bertrand played though? The fact is he has played well whenever called upon but yet Mourinho doesn't play him when Cole is out despite banging about all along on meritocracy. You could point to tactical or physical reasons as to why Bertrand and/or De Bruyne aren't/isn't playing OR it could be just the simple fact that Mourinho doesn't fancy/favor them. Managers, after all, have their preferences when it comes to selecting their players and Mourinho is no different either.

@The Skipper, just like I said before.

Doesn't have the workrate? Think we have seen he's got that whenever he has played. And doesn't fit in? In what ways?? Let's not just look based on yesterday's game. Look at the overall situation. Bertrand has played well whenever he's been given the chance but yet doesn't seem to be favored despite Cole's absence and him being fit himself and now, he's seeing Azpi - a RB! - starting ahead of him in his natural position.

You're drunk...

Yes but even so, how bad can or is De Bruyne really doing in training? It's not like he has a track record of being a lazy player and the more you look at the way Mourinho selects some players to play, keeping some out despite some playing better than others and even banging on about meritocracy, it just feels as though he doesn't seem to favor KDB. And that is rather similar to Bertrand's case. Not a top quality player but has been solid whenever he has played and yet doesn't seem to get used by Mourinho despite Cole's absence.

Just watched the whole thing again. Fair enough, it wasn't Lukaku's man but think he could still have done better. Coutinho ran past right in front of him and he just stood there ball watching the whole time. Moreover, not sure if he knew Henderson had ran away from him.

Oh, forgot to mention this. That calm and composed manner in which he stopped Morrison on the counter in the 1 v 1 situation was quality. Did nothing rash or silly and just cool-ly took the ball off him and the danger was over. Great!

Juventus and Atletico Madrid prepare loan moves for Chelsea's Juan Mata as playmaker fears for World Cup chances

What exactly has De Bruyne been doing wrong though? Yes, he may not have set the world alight with his two recent performances against Swindon and Arsenal but it's not like he hasn't been working hard and trying to do the right thing. If he's been getting consistent game time and playing badly, then fine but it's somewhat nonsensical to be judging him so much on these games when it's like 1-2 months apart those matches where the match fitness and sharpness is bound to affect his level of performance. It feels as though this situation has been made worse than it is.

So is Mourinho, in other words, saying that he has been organizing his team in a way that the attacking players are having constantly to defend which in turn restricting their attacking abilities?

Looks like Lukaku went AWOL on his marking yesterday...

I know Mata's future may be looking bleak and doesn't look promising here but , must there always be a reaction like this just because he didn't play 1 game immediately after an INT break and we won comfortably? There are 10 games to be played over the next month before 2014 comes about. Let's see how he is used, how much game time he gets and his performances then before we jump the gun, like completely.