Strike

Scenes when Giroud comes on and scores against Barcelona

I like Giroud. He is more than just a big man. He can control a ball in tight spaces, bounce it off to Hazard/Willian. Morata/Giroud/Tammy Abraham next season? I'm down.

Someone with the profile of Tolisso. Think we should still sign a creative midfielder in the summer. Pjanic?

Losing a game is not the issue but after a decent performance in the first half, the team completely caved in the second. At no point did they look like they are playing for a Wembley final and that infuriates me.

The weakest was 2012

they are exceptional cases. Malouda, Ivanovic, Bosingwa, even Cole, plenty of players at the club regressed dramatically around their early 30s With that said, I think Dzeko is the best fit for the club for the type of striker the club is looking for. Gives Conte an option to change the game. May even add him on top of Morata if the team is trailing

After Roma game, the Luiz in midfield experiment is over

Dzeko is not better than Morata. For all of Morata's faults this season, he is comfortably the better striker of the two. He works tirelessly, is better on the ball and is on par with Dzeko in the air, Dzeko has the edge in hold-up play and finishing and is a fantastic option to bring on to change games but first choice? No, it's a wrong move.

Start Musonda and Barkley

He's looking for the target man mould for the second striker role. Dzeko, Llorente, Carroll. Of the three, I prefer Llorente but he seems happy to warm the Spurs bench instead

Sorry. Thought he was below average. Could not carry the ball past the midfield area and if this is what we expect from him now then might as well ship him in January itself

I think he is being honest. Says a lot about who takes transfer decisions, if we didn't know it already

Alexis Sanchez, trying to sign him? I don’t know, I don’t think so. - Conte at presser today

Lot of questions to the board if he joins Arsenal, Sanchez joins United and Chelsea don't sign an attacker.

People saying Man City have been exposed, they did make a spirited comeback to make the final score 4-3. It is an admirable trait about this City team that even when they are not having a good game, they've managed to keep their heads till the final whistle and play with composure in attack. Bailed them out many times. They arent even like United years ago when they would put the opposition under a lot of pressure late on in games by crossing the ball into the box or hoofing it. The goals they've scored late have been patiently built and coolly finished under pressure like the Bernardo Silva goal today.

Mahrez is not just a dribbler and a runner, he also creates. Plus he has the confidence and ability to take the ball in tight situaitons and hold it under pressure - something only Hazard is capable of in Chelsea's attack.

Horrific performance.Home to under-strength Arsenal in a League Cup Semifinal. Did not create one decent opening. Several players look like they are just mailing it in this season.

That's the Champions League game against Barcelona in a month for me. I wouldn't worry much if the team didn't make the finals here

I'd love to see a surprise or two today. Barkley in midfield or Musonda maybe? It is an important game but not absolutely vital that we can't field one or two young talents in it

and he is English. Where would he play in this team though? We have an Oscar problem with him

Okay. Forget the fee. Do we need him?

Reading this a lot that the 15m fee is good, low-risk Barkley is out of contract at the end of the season. Is it really necessary to spend 15 million on him now?

Not sure if this has been posted here. Decent round-up of transfer rumour sources

They're gonna both sign on!

Something that might go under the radar is Hazard's substitution. I know Chelsea scored immediately after that but Hazard is the only player in the team who was holding the ball going forward. All that defensive pressure in the end that lead to Bellerin's goal, Hazard on the pitch would draw Arsenal back and he should have stayed on imo. Conte is too protective of Hazard. 1-1 away at the Emirates with 80 minutes gone. What was the need to sub him?