Strike

Nope. It's all about having players with aerial ability. Ba is just one player and the opposition defenders can mark him out very easily when there are a scarce few others who can challenge in the air.. Our crossing is actually good - Cole, Azpi, Oscar, Mata, Hazard are all able crossers and more often than not the crosses fall into a general area in the box but but there are no men attacking it in the box. Demba Ba is one, who else? You can make an argument for Ramires but there's no one else And, Aguero - Silva can score headers is just a childish argument. X and Y can do it is not a argument that A and B should also do it. Aguero is a striker and Silva is not good in the air. He has scored free-headers and he can head the ball but that doesn't necessarily mean he's good in the air

Looks good with the socks and everything but I kinda wished that the red line wouldn't be there

A link from Stingray?

I hope that red in the middle is not there. that would make this an awesome away kit

Stingray back in business

This talk of the Schurrle deal NOT involving de Bruyne is fantastic! http://www.weaintgotnohistory.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2013/6/5/4399838/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-2013-andre-schurrle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlLIGwKGpSQ

Alex McCarthy from Reading? good young shot-stopper, home-grown. Backup.

Oscar is the only guy who can improve the heading because the other two don't even challenge for the ball in the air . Mata is really hopeless at heading. Against United, Lampard lifted a great cross and Mata missed the ball completely. It's like he doesn't have any experience of heading - makes rookie mistakes like closing the eyes way before the ball has reached etc. Normally Mata usually waits for the ball to bounce when it's in the air rather than try and head it.

Incidentally, his run at CM coincides with Boro's only purple patch of the season - before Christmas

We do put in quality crosses. It's just that our strikers (Torres especially) don't attack the balls i.e before when the ball was crossed, Kalou, Malouda Anelka, Drogba and even Essien/Ballack would be lining up in the box to challenge in the air. In the current team, Hazard, Mata, Oscar have minimal aerial ability and Torres rarely attacks the cross - almost always preferring to drop back. That aerial component of our game is gone at the moment. Our threat is only from set-pieces

Cavani has played in a typical counter-attacking team so far. He will have to adapt a bit in that sense because there won't be so much space behind the opposition defence in England. When playing against Chelsea, usually teams defend deep

When you support, say, Norwich, you tend to enjoy the little things. Even a Carling Cup upset is a big deal but once Chelsea have elevated themselves to the top tier of European football, you expect a lot from the club every season. Chelsea go into every season expecting to challenge for the biggest trophies and more often than not end up winning one. In 10 years, trophies and success is better remembered than the little things like cup upsets, so yes, this is one of the glorious times in the club's history

"I'm starting to think next year maybe Torres' year"

Source? Because by all accounts (Yahoo, Sky) it looks like a 34million fee either way, Shakhtar must be laughing all the way to the bank. Imagine City fans If we get de Rossi for 10-15mil

He's never one to be subtle. Remember the celebration with Eva in Munich?

The players' reaction - compiled by WAGNH

The Full transcript of the interview http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10096963/Jose-Mourinho-returns-to-Chelsea-the-full-transcript-of-the-Special-Ones-interview-with-Chelsea-TV.html

Surreal interview. Felt like a toned down version of 2004.

Fascinating interview from Mourinho. Stark difference from 2004