robsblubot

Might as well get Maxi Lopez too for the free soup opera drama...

They are shit. The only way for us not to trash them is if we play like shit. And even then, we would still pull a 1x0 win. Defending against them is real easy: mark Ki and Adam Johnson in the middle/wide and then tight mark Borini, who can turn and shoot. That's pretty much it. Don't see anything in Jozy - yeah power and strength are nice qualities spec in the BPL, but you gotta know how to play footy and he doesn't. This is the perfect time to rest a couple/few players - whoever needs a rest (the coaching staff should have that information). I'd rest Terry and Azpi regardless though - just too many games in a row.

Well, Liverpool have been performing very well lately and we haven't. They've got one world class striker and a good one, while we've got nothing. Thought Sturridge did not have the best of matches, but Suarez was unplayable. City lost, but played a hell lot better in the second half; reckon they deserved to even win that match, had it not been for Kompany's miskick and they'd have goten at least 1 point. Aguero is coming back at the right time as well. He's prob not 100% yet, but he doesn't need to be. Our best player is out for another couple of games, and reckon he too won't come back at 100%. Tourse is a big loss, but they got cover there. We are not favorites and can't think of any reasons why we should be. Would love if we won it anyway, but realistically, we must accept our opponents are better poised to take it.

I meant the team and I agree Shalah did well. Although I'd not play Salah so often at this moment... yes because he's so young and I believe composure/experience is more important in the final games of the season. Pressure should not be put on young players at thsi time. Again, I thought Andre's long shooting was more important then than any ability to get into positions. Agree to disagree then (on the performance). The commentator on TV said, and rightfully so, that although Chelsea would prob end up winning the match, we are not a side that can take this type of advantage (in numbers) and really hurt the opponent. Yes, the strikers are very poor, but it's not just that. It's the system and some players. People who are expecting to win the league easy next season with (far) better striker options are going to get a reality check. I personally think Mourinho's system (Scolari's and a number of other head-coaches) of low defense line, high pressure to cause opponent's mistake is best suited for cup competitions. The defensive solidity of these type of systems don't help you so much in long championships. Case in point: Liverpool... Discussion for a different thread though.

@CHOULO, yeah maybe that was it. Right, but I don't rate any of our strikers, so having a player like Andre, who can score from distance (as he has), could've been important in a game where the opponent was defending in their own half. It was a horrible performance against a very poor opponent. We were very fortunate to have gotten the 3 points. Swansea only got like 3 good players and that's pretty much it. What a terrible defender Williams is: so poor on the ball... Swansea want to play possession, but you can't do that with defenders like that.

Although I understand why Salah started the match, I don't understand why he was left on the pitch in the second half. The idea was obviously that Salah would be able to exploit any spaces left behind Swansea's defense line. That was not going to happen after they were a man down so early on. At that point on, composure was far more important than anything else. Andre would have been far more of a threat than Salah at this stage. He wasn't bad or anything. He did miss a open net chance, but both Ba and especially Eto missed them too. Eto was absolutely ridiculous and sad esp for those like me who watched Liverpool and City's match few minutes before.

I'm also very confused.... If he does have a release clause, all Chelsea need to do is bid 35m and then there is no need to speak with Atletico whatsoever. Costa would be the only one to talk to, and reckon he'd have agreed terms by then. really strange story if true.

Kompany is strong and composed, but lacks technique and that was what costed city appoint today.

You've just described how every other deal is done in football. When the seller is not very keen on selling, the buyer needs to trigger the release clause - or get very close to.

The bad and the ugly... Actually the other way around. If Ba is happy with being the 3rd option striker, then I'd call it a luxury and try to keep him even on somewhat high wages. He has shown commendable professionalism and dedication to the club. He has also scored important goals for the club, which makes the above numbers misleading. However, if he demands to be, or for other reasons becomes, the 2nd or even first option for the striker position, then I'd be very worried indeed. For no other reason than that our opponents have far better options there. Ba is just not good enough to play regularly for a top side. As an option, he can certainly score goals as a physical poacher. Same way say Andy Carrol can do it, but as a target man.

Jose said they thought PSG couldn't handle a direct style because they weren't used to playing against sides who play like that. I wonder whether we are going to attempt the same against atletico. Of all sides, Atletico *is* the one with least experience in terms of facing different styles in different competitions, but I tend to agree with most here: at this level they are all as tough as they get.

^^ I couldn't disagree more @Abakan. Mistakes aren't avoided by sheer will... What if he has a stinker?! Against Chelsea, his parent club, of all clubs?! Then suspicion would definitely arise and rightfully so, because of the obvious conflict of interests he'd be facing. Do people understand that going to the CL final or not involves a huge amount of money and prestige? What if your own player prevents your team and HIS OWN future teammates from attaining that prestige? And the money attached to it... WOuld he come in the summer all smiles and say, "hey sorry about the millions I took away from you all..." This is a clear case where avoiding the appearance of any foul play, which can be as damaging as the foul play itself, is a win win situation for all.

Right, we paid 50m for Torres and now we cannot let him go, even if for free, because we'd still need to pay some of his wages. We paid 21m+Matic (1-3m?) for Luiz, and got a 21m offer last summer and there are rumors (nothing more) of a 30m valuation - really nothing to do with Torres. why in defense? Why the caveat? Playing well in the middle will only raise his price as midfielders are far more expensive and rightly so, because they are far more influential in a match. I for one think that, in our current system with deep defense line, DL should definitely play in the middle. But then again, we've been through all this before. I was just replying to an interesting point made by "Rubber Bullets."

That's being disingenuous, as you know very well that Torres valuation is not 50m. The value of an asset, any asset, is what others may be willing to pay for it - not more not less. BTW, where did I write 30m?! You came up with it. What he is considered at chelsea right now is of no importance because it pertains the current system, with a particular manager. With a different one, not long ago, he was indeed a defender. Same way he is right now a defender for Scolari (who has always a system very similar to Mourinho's). BTW, midfielders are more valuable...

You are absolutely right and I reckon we don’t even perceive all the difference you speak of. At some point, against Stoke, Cahill made a run forward and lost control of the football on his own, by the time he regained it, an opponent had closed him down. Not a peep from the announcer/commentator. In Brazil the announcer would have yelled, “Gary, did you forget something?! The football, perhaps?!” all in jest, but as a critique too, because ball control is the most valued trait there for any player in any position (except GK of course). In England, the announcers praise well-timed tackles all the time, which would never happen elsewhere, at least not as vehemently nor as often. Gary is an excellent tackler, btw. I have no problems with it and this is actually one of the reasons of why I follow the PL. This is also one of the reasons England have a hard time internationally, because the direct style is not always as effective; that’s a very different discussion though. Despite of what some may think, I’m not a loyal David Luiz fan. I merely consider him (right now) a player who can give an edge to any top side, in his own way; opinion corroborated by the interest shown in him. How to use him? That’s a problem for the manager, not mine. The moment he’s gone, he’s gone (‘gone’ has many meanings here). Has happened many times before, but most people here are too young to realize this: footballers are a fickle bunch and fans ought to feel the same way about them.

Regardless of contract clauses, he shouldn't because it would be a major conflict of interests.

because he is unflushable.

more likely "Sky was in mourning"... Don't think they really hate Mourinho, but rather some of the new money from PSG spilled over a few places (including news) and they are "feeling" "poorer" I mean "bad" because PSG is out. To be fair, the gray-haired guy from bein sports (barca fan forget his name) said he thought Chelsea would still pull it off prior to the match (on monday night).

If you take seriously what ppl say in football, one would conclude it's all about whoever is stronger with the 'force'. It's a simplification, it's actually a cop-out by saying that all we need to do to win is to believe. Bullocks (like we say in America:)! They can believe all they want, but they are not good enough, because Wenger is terrible in the transfer window. He has historically neglected the holding mid position; goes into decisive games, away from home, leaving his only, cheap and quite average, holding mid sitting on the bench (Flamini). Arteta isn't and will never be a holding mid because he's physically too weak. Again, he might want to win 50/50 duels, but he can't. How about the Hull Tiger request?! FA response: Denied Reason: bad taste

We can't say we were good and Cavani was bad. We have to say we made Cavani, and the whole PSG team, look like a bad side by applying pressure all the time, pushing men forward, and winning the 50/50 duels! After all we've done the same against City, Liverpool, and Arsenal - all good sides. Goal scoring alone isn't what we need up front. Yes, we need someone who can score goals, but he must also know how to play footy and do so in tight spaces. That's what top teams look for. Otherwise Ba would do just fine as he can certainly score goals. It's a toss up between Costa and Cavani... though Costa is younger, more powerful (PL likes powa!), and presumably cheaper. I also like Dzeko, who might no longer be available after latest streak, but completely different type of player (slower/taller). Trust Jose and the professionals at chelsea to do the right thing in the summer.

for the poor losers like me who are sitting at work and did not get to watch this... what the fuck happened?! Who played well, who didnt? Were PSG dangerous? info please!

Spurs are the strangest side in the PL IMO. Their tactics are so odd that maybe it only really worked when they had a special wide player in Bale. They play with so much width that their center is exposed. To play them, one ought to defend wide and attack through the middle, while it is typically done the other way around. Their defenders are also pretty bad. Dawson is poor (slow and limited skill) - same with Kaboul. Vertonghen is good, but a Luiz with not as much technique - suffers from the same lack of concentration. Considering how slow their defenders are, except Vertonghen, it's absolutely incredible they play one of the highest defense line in football.

It's a simplistic view to say players lack motivation/desire when they don't perform. Sometimes they just don't have the quality to do it. Some other times they lack physically. Otherwise we'd have to say Lampard hasn't been motivated lately, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Wanting something doesn't mean you are capable of executing it. Lampard of 5 years ago would've have scored at least one in open play last match. He knows it too as he was really upset after his feeble attempt on goal. Would it be fair to say whoever does not run like Ramires is not motivated enough? There is little he can do at 35 though. He's on his last legs and should either take a backup role or leave to a lesser league. That's life for footballers no matter how good you are/were. Best option in my mind would be a backup to coaching role, but if he wants to leave and then come back as a coach, that'd be fine too.

Sure Just think Ramires ought to be used in those really tough away matches like barca, bayern, city where his work rate really pays off. Barkley is far more attacking minded.Squad balance is different now with Matic and luiz as viable defensive cm options though. We need to see if luiz and mikel leave then we will need Ramires still. Interesting summer window coming with lots of big decisions to be made. Btw Ramires would never go to Everton. He's an established top player. He'd only go to another top club.

Sure in terms of quality alone but completely diff type of players. Ramires is a defense minded player but we tend to forget that and expect more from him. Reckon he's a valuable rotation player but should not be a sure starter like he is now.Barkley is the best English prospect since Rooney.... Need to sign him soon if at all.