Hutcho

Video footage of @Stingray, whilst posting in this thread...

I think that from my experience they are "nicer", (not the best use of nice tbh) simply because everyone other of our bug rivals, i.e. Tottenham and Arsenal and to some extent Liverpool, hate us because of what abramovic has done and the money he has invested, which is always their go to argument whenever they want to chat shit about us. Yet City can't do that for obvious reasons. Ofc as the teams become a lot closer we will become bigger rivals, but i can't see us ever getting to the same level as Tottenham, Arsenal, Utd, Liverpool and co.

Yeah i pretty much agree with that tbh. Especially with some of the quality loanees we can bring back. If we do a comparison with the current united team, how many of their players would get on to our team, (ofc different formations), but realistically, RVP, rooney, maybe one of thier Cm's and maybe vidic if he is on form.

I want to give him the benefit of the doubt and he is just having a bad spell, but it isn't looking too good atm. He was better yesterday than in previous games, but he still wasn't up to a standard we would want. He just looks so uncomfortable on the ball and even worse just looks very lethargic when doing his primary job of DM.

I reckon the way this season has gone it will come down to us leading against everton with 15 mins remaining and us having to hold on...

Stop Vandalising the pub:

It returns!!! Are those the actual kits... Like seriously... If so then that is just too funny.

No it didn't directly cost us top 4, but it didn't help things either. He should get at least 10 games, they won't give him a ban though... If he had taken a chunk out of his arm then maybe they would, but i can't see the FA doing it.

yeah he has for spain. I know this because someone else asked a similar question at some point last year and mata was going crazy at the referee... Might have been in the olympics now thinking about it.

If we beat liverpool, we could lose to spurs and still be ahead of them. But we didn't. Bale didn't play last time we played them, and they want to beat us as much as we want to beat them so doing that will not be easy. Hopefully we get in a position where a draw is enough, as we will have a cushion, but we will see.

Don't think i disagree with any of that... Pretty accurate account. Hazard especially with the flicks, they are great to see when thet come off, but he is so effective when he gets his head up and runs at people and faints in and out. Perfectly fine with him trying them in the final third in safe areas, but today he was trying some flicks etc, at the half way line which isn't good at all. And lol at the "anti ball magnet". Might have to get that on my shirt next season if he stays here.

Yep... When you have coaching badges though you can't do simple things. In fact i would bet some money the reason he didn't take torres off was because he didn't want him to face the abuse from the crowd. Funny thing is he has failed to do that on numerous occasions. 2-0 up vs reading. And he still leaves JT on the bench. Even someone with no football knowledge could tell that we are better off defending a lead with JT than Torres.

A win today just gives us a safety cusion, if something goes wrong... Now one bad game and we could be sitting in 5th and being the ones playing catchup.

Seems logical, though arsenal playing wigan at home is just an arsenal win like always. But football isn't always logical. Lose to tottenham and unless we win every other game, it is goodbye top 4.

I'm not saying anything about that. Just a simple point that we were not helped by stupid managerial decisions... Can you tell me otherwise? Substituations are pretty easy for anyone who has a half decent knowledge of the game. How the players play in a specific moment is not something that cannot be easily controlled. Thats my point. If you want to say that you think Rafa had a great game and made great decisions, then fair enough thats your opinion and we can agree to disagree. If not then my point is still valid.

Ok we are going round in circles. I am not saying our defending was great but my point is simply that he can control certain things, through making certain decisions and they didn't make sense. Keeping players fresher in their positions makes sense, especially early on in the second half. So take off torres for BA. Give ourselves an out ball, extra height when defending corners, someone who can hold the ball up and fresh legs. Add to that the Europa league factor on thursday. I am not gonna speak for everyone, because some may disagree, but for me that is such an obvious change, it doesn't even take much thinking about.

Did rafa say that? And ok, Rafa isn't the one the blame lies squarely on at all. But surely everyone can see that he made some stupid subs... Unless you want to argue that rafa's subs were beneficial to the team, and understandable decisions to make then of course some he gets some blame. If not for the draw but for the fact he can't do his job propely. He goes on and on about rotation etc, yet torres plays all 97 mins when he has to play on thursday. 2 mates of mine who are tottenham fans both text me LOL Rafa, or words to that affect when he took hazard off for Benayoun. What is he doing there? Why make it harder for us. Its the time of the season where results are the crucial thing. 3 points anywhichway. We know we are shaky defensively and struggle to see games out as we have been like it all season. Now isn't the time to be worrying about the performances, we just have to get the job done, and draw a line under this season. Why handicap ourselves.

FA will probably excuse him now becuse of his apology. What makes you think, "I know i'll bite him". Not punch him or push him or whatever but Bite him?

The facts are we didn't deal with it but I was just responding to you saying it wouldn't have made a difference... We don't know either way. Serious Question though. If you are the Chelsea Manager. You have 1 sub left... The game is in the 90th min with a 2-1 lead 6 mins of added time. What do you do?

You even just said, its all out offensive or defensive. Theres 5 mins left on the clock they are throwing everything at you. Your best creative players are off the pitch... Of Course you want a defender on, let alone, the Captain, who is eaisly the best leader. If you want to be like that, you might as well say, that if we put JT on we have 5 defenders meaning everyone moves along. Or JT shouts at them to close him down, or they don't cross it in because of the heavily packed midfield... Or even that it would have set off a completely different set of events. Its not as easy as incerting a imaginery picture of JT on the penalty spot and saying that it wouldn't have made a difference.

Yeah ok, so then why are we taking mata off for Lampard. JT should be on the pitch. Not one guy you want more on the pitch than him, to do everything he can to get rid of it and organise everyone rather than flying around like headless chickens.

4 mins. But even if its 5 the game is over by then. 3 points thanks very much, a nice cushion on both the other teams.

Maybe so, but 95% of the time the game is over by then. Yeah its minimum. But you think that the injury time alotted to 6 mins? Should have been able to defend for 2 more mins or whatever, but was it 6 mins?

I don't think Jose would come without champions league football, but maybe he will, he does love the club... And Eden and Juan leaving is a bit extreme because of one season...