Jase

Glad you actually admitted that...

Thanks for jinxing it mate...Basel have taken the lead against Steaua. :banghead:

For starters, we should stop playing ball into space so much for Torres. Won't get there first and we have needlessly gave the ball back to Schalke just like that, easily!

Funnily enough, what we are doing now is no different to what Benitez did last season defensively. Defend with 2 banks of four and leave the CAM and ST upfront alone and as a result of that, we are getting overrun and somewhat outpassed, in midfield especially. 2 v 3 in that area with Schalke's wide player joining inside creating 4 v 2. Our FB(s) is getting drawn inside, leaving us exposed on the flanks.

Playing Azpi at LB has really rendered out attack...non-existent. Because he's playing there, Schurrle is used on the LW to help protect him defensively and as a result of that, Hazard is having a rather quiet half on the RW and being subdued to just defending work. When we do get forward, we couldn't even keep the ball long enough to save our lives. Too many decent counter attack chances all being wasted and that is rather pathetic when they are gaps and spaces to be exploited in this vulnerable looking Schalke side.

Time to fire some stats away... 1. Jose Mourinho has lost all 6 of his European matches against German oppositions in Germany. 2. Chelsea have only faced Schalke twice in Europe, in 2007/08 season - drawing 0-0 in Germany and winning 2-0 in London. 3. Chelsea have only won 1 of their 6 European away matches against German teams - W1 D1 L4. Last win came in 2004 vs Stuttgart. 4. Schalke have not won their last 4 European home matches against English teams - D2 L2. Overall record - W3 D2 L2. 5. Chelsea have only failed to scored once in their last 22 Champions League matches - 3-0 loss to Juventus last November. 6. Schalke have scored in each of their last 11 Champions League games. 7. Schalke's 4 Champions League goals this season have came on the second half. 8. Julian Draxler has scored two and assisted one of Schalke's 4 goals in the CL this season. 9. Eden Hazard has never scored in the Champions League in 13 games. 10. Schalke have yet to concede in the CL this season but have conceded 19 goals in 9 Bundesliga matches & only kept 1 clean sheet. From Squawka... 1. Juan Mata has created 7 chances for teammates in the Champions League this season, no player has created more. 2. André Schürrle has completed 10 take ons in the Champions League this season, only Giannelli Imbula (12) & Alex Sandro (13) have made more. 3. Branislav Ivanovic has won 12 aerial duels in the Champions League this season, more than Howedes, Neustadter and Uchida combined (11). 4. David Luiz has made 11 interceptions in the Champions League this season, only AC Milan's Nigel De Jong has made more (13). 5. Chelsea have carved out 29 chances in the Champions League this season. Only Juventus have created more (37).

Nope.

Schalke XI vs Chelsea - Hildebrand; Uchida; Höwedes, Matip, Aogo; Neustädter, Jones; Clemens, Meyer, Draxler; Boateng

Azpi at LB!!!

Fergie on choosing between Mourinho and Benitez.. http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1590570/sir-alex-ferguson-slams-rafael-benitez-making-rivalry-personal?cc=4716

Fergie's autobiography has been released today. And apparently, there's a 17-page chapter on Mourinho in it..

My point was had Guardiola came here, I don't think the fans would be as calm and just believe everything he does is right, like Mourinho now, despite his track record at Barcelona.

I'm not exactly disputing Ivanovic's form, which has been alright, but think it will benefit the team more if Azpi is in the team. Defensively solid as Ivanovic and offer more going forward. Nah. Azpi is a specialist RB and has shown his qualities in that position to operate better than Ivanovic will ever be. Again, not disputing that as a possible reason but is it really all that important to have 3 CBs in a back 3 in situations where we only change to that when chasing after a game? After all, we have ended up having makeshifts wide player or CM playing in the FB position when that happens anyway... That is arguably the main reason why Ivanovic has been preferred over Azpi so far, because of the height and aerial presence the former provides. No. It's a general thing happening across the board, not just this one alone.

Maybe. Maybe not. Some have taken it a tad too far just because it's Mourinho.. And not sure about Guardiola there really. May have won the lot at Barcelona but still has his doubters around.

Each to their own I suppose but Ivanovic has definitely shown his deficiencies when playing at RB. Just that it hasn't really got exposed yet this season.. That indeed does seem to be consensus these days. Because it's Mourinho, people are like excusing and trying to justifying everything he does, even if it's not right, and yet if any other manager had made the decisions he had done, people would be lambasting him.

No, we don't care.. Yet to see any news suggesting otherwise. So, yeah.

Yes, Ivanovic was good back then but just because it was so, that doesn't mean he has been at this time. I don't think anyone has exactly over-exaggerate his capabilities as a RB but rather judged on him merit and Azpi has shown last season that he can match Ivanovic at RB and in fact, better him in the role. That's rather tragic. It's like as long as Mourinho remains our manager, we will see makeshift CB playing in a FB position...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxUznm_KM4

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2470531/Jose-Mourinho-charged-improper-conduct-sent-stands-Cardiff.html According to the article, the punishment could just be a fine and nothing else. No ban involved.

What a surprise......

Apologies for the late response. You could use information from the match press kits by UEFA below when you are previewing our Champions League games next time. http://www.uefa.org/mediaservices/presskits/index.html

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3504806/title/germany-bound Cole didn't travel with the squad to Germany. Still out injured. Bertrand to start at LB then. But Schurrle is part of the 21-man squad that has gone to Germany. Otherwise, no fresh injury concerns apart from the obvious absentee in MvG.

Schalke's manager Jens Keller confirms Jermaine Jones and Kevin Prince Boateng will be in their squad to face us tomorrow. The former was ruled out injured and latter doubtful by the Mirror at the weekend.