BlueLyon

The season started very well. We scored almost twice more goals then City at some point and it didnt matter if opponent parked bus or not. Then we become half less productive in attack and thats it. Opponent will always play their best against us, but its on us to break them. Sure there can be gifts here and there, but we cant rely on that. With attacking form from september/october we would crush Sunderland and newcastle. Another problem is that we dont have plan B. Opponent sits back and we should use wingers and fullbacks to give width, but Mou says NO.

Hope for the best until we sign Messi in january.

Aguero out is positive for us, but city win % with Kun is 69, without him 63, not that much of a difference but still. However if we wont rotate, we will have many cockups ala sunderland or nufc in next weeks and city will take advantage on that, with Aguero or without. As for soton game, how more lucky can teams get nowdays? That RVp goal was pure gift, but I can already see soton defense and their gk play game of their lives against us, changing into world class team for those 90mins...

But Matic played against sunderland and we still couldnt break them. It was partly fatigue, but still. It was attack that failed, not defense.

We were also average in attack and even worse against sunland because they parked the bus and here Reus would suit more.

Sources be like 'I dont even know what Im doing'

It all depends how will he evolve.For example, Vidic was athletic beast too. He played in russia! for quite some time before came to england. Obbiously he had decent ball control and top brains to read the game, but Zouma could reach that too in few years. He is realy young and I think Mou is best coach to teach CBs and if those two work together, Zouma will learn alot. Maybe not as technical player, but he can be fantastic reader of game and that combined with his size would make him old school CB who I think would improve Mou Chelsea alot. And Terry will help him too. We can always buy another CB who is more of a ball player to partner Zouma eventualy (for example Laporte). That said, Zouma has all the potential if he can keep focus in game. He wont be controling the ball like Varane but he should take advantage of his size and he could be most athletic CB in futre, could throw himself into any challange and win it. If you remember Vidic and Pique (i mention them because of their size) in their best years they were unbelievable in challanges. They played proactive or reactive, thrown whole body on the ball with perfect timing, let opponent no chance to get through. Either they won ball or commited faul (rarely) and only most physical CBs can do it. All that can be reached by Zouma if he will have mentality to learn and improve his timing on challanges, but most importantly wont be scared to go in challanges. When comes to pure ability to defend, he has more options than Terry for example ever had. Zouma is stronger, has amazing jump and top speed. But its up to his development. He might look the dumbest player when on ball, but he wont let anyone get past him and isnt that the ultimate point of CB? Sure he wouldnt fit in tiki taka shit, but we are Chelsea and we play more direct football. Also Koscielny, Varane, Laporte might get ahead of him, but I highly doubt about Mangala. He makes terrible challenges and unconsistent as fuck.

Call me crazy but I still have some doubts that me might be our biggest weak link due to his mentality. He has been amazing so far in most games, assisting and playmaking games, but he can completely dissapear in some big games and that worries me most. To win things you need players who work equaly good against any side, small or big, possession team, pressing team or counter attacking team. And when its time to step up, you step up. Lamps, Ballack, Iniesta, Koke, Modric, Matic are such players. It doesnt matter who play against, they do their job. On other hand Cesc is absolutely unplayable in some games, but invisible in others. I dont want to criticise Cesc or anything, but if he wont gain winners mentality and perform consistently through whole season, I think we wont win titles. In big games, our midfield is weak and when we should set tempo, Cesc dissapears and we get overrun or rely on setpieces and counters. Thats one and only reason Im still sceptic about Cesc ever since he came here and until we play big teams (and he plays like he does in small games) and until we win some trophies, I dont think I will change that opinion. Probably you dont agree, but one thing is quality and other is to keep that quality on every level against any opponent. I generaly prefer 'old school' midfielders like Lamps or Ballack were. We are doing fine but I wait till we clash with Madrid or Bayern and see if Cesc can handle things like Modric or Schweini do against big teams. Only then we will be top side. But I fear Cesc will simply hide in such games. He will make one or two good passes, but there will be no sign of him dictating our play, throwing himself after every ball and not giving up. Cesc just isnt such player IMO and that could be problem for us. Chelsea under Mou was never team that dominated opponents or played realy attractive football, but we always had winners in team, players that would literaly die for win and do anyting they could. We overpowered opponents with speed, strength and efficiency, something we seriously lack in curent team against big sides. Lets hope I wrong.

I think he might come in two years on bosman if he wont extend contract. Could have Ballack effect here, add experience etc. But in two years, things will change and Oscar could develop in quite some player and Schweini wouldnt be even the better player of the two...

While its difficult, he might come here, I think its all between Bayern, us and City. Unless he is stupid to sit on real bench or play in small french league for psg. And as for Mou comments, even the most stupid manager would offer 25m for him if he had them. Even if we dont need him, Mou would be a fool not to at least try to get him for this cheap fee. That means Real, barca etc all will probably offer but I hope he is smart enough not to go there.

I have been largely impressed with Jetro Willems from Psv. Its the guy who played for holland in euro 2012 at age 18 and then got injured for last season and didnt play in wc. But he is back this season and he was amazing so far IMO. Racks assists all the time and kinda reminds me on Cole in certain aspects. Dont know what Mou plans for future with Azpi, now we are stacked in this position, but if Azpi eventualy gets moved to right, Willems will be seriously on my top list for next LB. Been watching the kid for two years now, he is progressing very well.

Laporte and Varane are very different. Similar age, but Varane has plenty of Cl experience and used to play for giant club, while Laporte is just a prospect. While Varane would be imediately trusted starter here, Laporte would come as one for future and would have to prove himself first.

Yeah but once he wont get away with it and it will be bad for us all. Hopefuly it wont happen but I think once in his 5+ years here it will happen eventualy.

No. I would take Khedira for free, Psg reject Cabaye or several other cms before this guy. He is inconsistent and no ending product whatsoever, we have too many players like that already.

I worry that one day when things wont go right for us, he will snap and punch or kick someone. Today, he was quite close to it, the way he screamed towards ref could be red too. And when someone will provoke him ala materazzi, no one will be quick enough to stop him do something stupid.

Well Mangala is probably biggest idiot in PL. Havent seen CB that would go on air ball with leg like he did and instead kungfu kick Etoo. He is also lucky bastard not to get red and that would be second straight red for him too. Fucker. But conveniently he had game of his life against us.

Yes because we are playing 4:3:3 and Mou will simply drop Oscar... If we ever do that, I would sign Pogba and play Pogba-Matic-Cesc but whatever it wont happen and we dont realy need either. Would invest in Reus and CB next summer who IMO we should target. That said, probably we will need backup for Cesc and Matic too should Mikel leave the club. But its out of my power to realy do anything here so I wont bother and let Mou bring players he thinks we need.

If we plan to get a backup, just get Cabaye. Always liked him at newcastle and for a backup he is more than good. Scored goals, quality from fks and hard worker. No need to splash 20m on Moutinho who IMO is good but simply never made the step forward that he should.

Why people even compare Matic and Mikel? Matic is our starter and Mikel is his backup. Quality is reflected by their roles. And Mikel is decent Matic backup, but obviously not as good. I ask you something; do you want Javi Maritinez to be Matic backup or what? Because that wont happen. Maybe a more dynamic DM could be bought and Mikel sold, but that new DM will have flaws too. Unless we will buy someone like Tiago Mendes, Motta or somebody who is before retirement. And still while they are more creative, they aint faster. Each DM who will be our backup will not be as good as Matic simple as that.

Though I realised one thing has to be said. Costa form=Chelsea form. He was dragging us in first months and we did fine. Small team, big team, home or away it didnt matter. Because he scored and we won. Now, he is off form and we dont score. The bad thing is that Oscar, Cesc, Willian and most importantly Hazard cant realy step up and score when we need to. Its partly fatigue, but I have questions if we have single player in team who can score crucial goals in few games when others wont be able to do it. There I point at Hazard, who will slowly need to take that role. City have Aguero and Toure (last year even Dzeko) who are scoring goals when THEY NEED THEM (at least in PL). Then they have Silva who is also quite consistent and crucial player. We have Costa who scores goals (but off form atm), then there are Drogba (who is 36) and Remy but they apart from finishing cant realy drag team forward. For his age, Didi is doing best he can, but he lacks that energy and you simply cant count on him scoring goals every game like Aguero. This is where Hazard needs to step up. Finishing is not his best, but he always makes double figures anyway and he needs to be more important in games where we need goals. Last season, he was more effective when we needed to score. This year with Costa arrival, he improved his dribbling and attacking play, but decreased in finishing. Oscar scores goals here and there, but Cesc is another one who I expected few more goals from. I know he wont be Lamps 2.0, but he is not even close to look like man who can score. I know he plays deep, but if he could have better finish, it would add another option to our attack. We dont have any player who can strike from distance regulary, Costa is average outside penalty area, Cesc, Hazard dont try and Willian, Schurrle were quite shit in most attempts. Matic has other key roles to work in midfield and I dont even expect him to be responsible for goals, while our AMs and Cesc should be. There, I feel Willian will have to be cut off. We need players who can score regulary, not just Costa. Hazard still has potential, but he isnt natural scorer. This is where a player ala Reus would be appreciated because Im tired of watching Willian waste every third ball, despite his hard work. We need goals, goals goals. Costa alone cant do it all by himself.

Hm, I may not be clear enough, but that comment was towards today game. Overall, he was quite team player, but not against Castle. --- About comments above, I have no words...he may not be Messi with the ball, but I always thought he has good control for a striker. Not exactly Drogba or Aguero, but still good. His goal against Everton for example...people need to calm down because Torres comparisons are embarassing. Two games without goal and people would replace him...He was shit today, has to be said, but he is our top striker and will get back on track sooner or later. Support our players please. And I could swear same people who were calling him best striker in the world few months ago are now calling him average. I would even go find older posts and compare them, but I wont waste time for such ''fans''.

He did well picking the team for today, but made mistakes for not rotating in previous weeks. As for missed chances goes, Willian is the kind of player I dont know why is so wanted here. He is fantastic runner and hard worker, but he is also a winger and he doesnt do his job. He fucks up attacks with his bad shots or wrong decisions. Yet he is appreciated for his hard work. But everyone forgets he is winger, and you have two kinds of wingers; a direct one who dribbles and scores goals and sets them up with good passes i.e. Sanchez or Di Maria. And then you have passive wingers who run run run wide and create width, make space and finish of with a good cross like Candreva. Willian is neither. He works his ass off but if we had efficient winger instead of him, we would have 5/10 more goals. And how come Mou say that we were team who wanted to win but got unlucky? Did Newcastle wanted to lose and still scored 2 goals or what? He should say its our fault. Nufc were bit lucky with goals, but we were not efficient because we were tired. As for sunderland game goes, it was completely Mou fault because we didnt play wide enough.

Pique is probably more mistake prone than any of our CBs including Cahill. He was good few years ago, but he is not that defender anymore. And hoping that he might become good again with Terry as partner is risk. Terry wont be here forever and even if he was, there is no guaranty that Pique would play any better. Theoreticaly, he is almost perfect. Age, experience, size. But he is a mental bomb and I feel he would cost us in big games. We need winners with good mentality. And he is slow as fuck, him and Terry would be slowest pair in europe. I would much rather try to get Godin or Chiellini if we will even target another CB anytime soon. Varane is impossible dream though. Maybe Laporte but he is quite inexperienced. Could work well if Terry stays for two more years and then gets replaced by Zouma.

He was too selfish and agressive. Needs to work it for the team and goals will come.

-------Cech-------- Azpi-Iva-Zouma-Luis ----Ake-Mikel------ Ramires-Salah-Schurrle -------Remy-------- Maybe Christansen, Solanke or Baker too. I hope Mou plays this team for sporting and Derby. I dont realy care if we lose as long as we test our alternatives and give younger players a chance. We are already first in CL and I dont care about Carling, so from my point we can lose both games if thats the price to test youngsters. But most probably Mou will want to keep his results clean and keep clean sheets and will maybe make change or two while playing reserved for both games...I hope Im wrong and he actualy does something to see how alternatives function and not just look at his results all the time... Its weird team I know, but I fucking demand that Mou rests as many starters as possible and plays as many subs as possible. Some need rest and others need chance to prove. That said, I am sure Mou will play Matic, at least one of Hazard/Oscar, Iva on Rb again, maybe even Cesc. Shit.