Mr_President

Hazard Azpilicueta Terry

This. Plus who the fuck cares how hard our striker works if they don't score or assist any goals. Running around like a headless chicken may constitute 'hard work' but for a striker it is quite often useless (unless it is clever pressure, the type of which Eto'o often puts on opposition GKs/CBs). On a positive note: this should be a cracking game and I'm pretty confident we can go through, especially with Ibra out with injury. Does anyone know if Veratti is also injured?

Can't believe people are having a go for him swapping & wearing a PSG shirt.. it happens all the time. As for his comments RE moving to PSG if his wife tells him, it's clearly a joke and there's nothing wrong with it - no need to get one's panties in a twist.

Ideally Courtois signs a new contract and comes back here to compete with Cech, then Jose picks his #1 - I think Courtois will come out on top. Or, if it is already decided that Courtois is better then there is no point in holding such a competition, it would be a waste of a year for Cech.

I don't know how much they'll ask for him but I doubt they'll let him go at all. Their team is being dismantled by Bayern and Reus leaving this summer would be awful for the club (not just in terms of losing a great player but also a German, reportedly a Dortmund fan etc.) and it would just serve to highlight the previous departures of their star players, Sahin, Kagawa and recently Gotze and Lewandowski. I also read somewhere that his release clause kicks in from the summer of 2015, so he won't be leaving this summer at least - not sure about the veracity of that but have see it suggested a fair bit online. On top of that, have we ever really been linked with him (not that I'd give Daily Mail links any credence). What I'm hoping is that if we get a dangerous striker infront of the attacking midfielders that he creates more space/takes pressure off Hazard and the other 2 attacking players.

Oh right, thought you meant we needed to buy a first choice no. 10 rather than a player that can play in the 3. Reus would be a dream but cannot see it happening, the money can be better utilised elsewhere.

Agree on all but getting another AM, we may also need a new CB if Luiz is sold (assuming Zouma is out on loan next season). I wouldn't mind seeing Courtois back next season but would understand if he spent another season @ Atletico (provided he signs a new contract). A LB, CM and ST will be good. If we got another AM: who would/could we get and whose place will he take? Won't it will inevitably be the no 10 role, meaning oscar is either pushed out wide or (as some on here would like) sold? Just interested on your thoughts on that.

It's neither to me. Real success would have been winning the league/CL, failure would have been no progression as a team and struggling to keep our place in the top 4. Jose has done what I expected him to do in bringing us up a level as a team and has built solid foundations for the future. He will make additions in the summer (his recent striker comments confirm it really, can't help but feel strarting Schurrle instead of Torres sends a powerful message to the board that a true CF is needed). I suppose we all have different definitions of failure, some might argue that any season where we don't win silverware is automatically deemed a failure. Whilst I agree witht the sentiment that we should be striving to win titles every season, it doesn't - at least in my view - automatically mean that we must categorise a barren season as a failure. The squad needs work, it isn't complete. People on this forum know this, match going Chelsea fans know this but, most importantly, Jose and the board surely know this. The necessary addditions and amendments to the squad will be made in the summer and that, combined with our current players gaining more experience/age, will mean that next season will see even bigger improvements. I am just grateful that I can enjoy watching Chelsea again. People seem to have short memories but it was only last season when Benitez was here and the atmosphere at SB and even away games was...toxic, to say the least. No one likes losing and the mood on these boards (not just this forum, but football forums in general) is very fickle, a couple of poor results and the season is a failure, before that we were gunning for the title but now all hope is lost etc.? We are in a good place.

To be fair, the banner isn't particularly popular with most Utd fans. The idea was started and paid for by a small group from 'Red Issue', I believe. They didn't just decide 'let's fly a banner because we've had enough of Moyes', but - if the story is to be believed - a small group of hard-core Utd fans have reacted badly to Streford End Flags' refusal to remove that gift that never stops giving 'The Chosen One' banner. This is their genius plan to show Moyes (and, ultimately the Utd board) that Moyes does not have 100% of the backing of Utd fans, despite what the media report (and the media report this because the fans in the stadium refuse to boo Moyes or show any visible signs of protest). Either way it's hilarious, I just hope they don't sack him yet..

No thanks to Balotelli, would rather just give Lukaku a go than bring that clown over here as our no1 striker. I think Balotelli is more talented than Luaku (also older) but doesn't have the maturity and we cannot rely on him. We need a winner, someone we can rely on. If we're going to spunk money on a new CF we should be making sure it's the right CF. And let's be honest, we don't want City's sloppy seconds. Statswise Lukaku and Balotelli are similar this season (notwithstanding the fact that I'm sure Balotelli's record is cushioned by his penalty taking? - haven't bothered looking this up though).

Christ almighty, I hope you are a troll poster. Having read your posts that is what you must be. If you're not a troll, seek help. Finishing 2nd in the league to a much more advanced and experienced Man City will not be a failure nor will it be the end of the world. What would be a failure is if Mourinho failed to get the "evolution" in this team that he so demands. I think it is pretty clear for all to see how this team & the players have improves and developed. He has built a very strong platform from which we will mount serious challenges on all fronts next season.

It's not a bad ambition to have, it would just be good to see him show it consistently. At the end of the day, if he doesn't make it here but does still work hard he will go on to have a good career as he is undoubtedly talented, he just seems to have stalled for a few years. He cannot be solely blamed for stalling either. Perhaps he had lost sight of what's important (training hard and being committed to football) but surely there other mitigating circumstances e.g. poor loan moves and managerial instability that have affected him. No doubt, a truly top player would have overcome those issues, but he still has the talent to have a decent career in the PL, even if it isn't here.

Agree, it would be foolhardy not to buy a CM to partner Matic just because Luiz has looked good there for a few games. I actually really like him there and it seems Jose is warminig to the idea too, but we just have no way of knowing whether he can consistently play that well. If he can, great, but if not it is a major risk not going out and signing a DLP to play alongside Matic, as you suggest. Bit of a dilema actually because he's not good enough to displace CC or JT at the moment and equally we can't turn down the oppotunity to sign a good CM if one comes along. Then we are left with Luiz who is, by all intents and purposes, a valuable player who would want to be playing every week, so would he be happy with knowing that he is 3rd choice CB and also a back-up midfield option?

I am not attacking your standpoint, mate I am just trying to understand. What do you mean by 'overrate'. Do you think most Chelsea fans think Oscar is world class? I certainly don't think he's at that level yet and nor do most sane Chelsea fans I've spoken to. What I do not deny is that Oscar has great potential and, more importantly, is already a central figure in our team. His game has been more than just goal/assist stats or, as some suggest, 'running all over the place'.

Depends on the system, I doubt Mourinho expects Oscar to be the creative focal point of the team as most no. 10s are. I'd also argue you need to wait to see that side of his game develop. He's 22 ffs and it's not like he hardly creates anything now, is it. Let's just wait and see how he develops but calling for him to be sold for £38m is ridiculous unless you have a better replacement lined up for him.

Looking forward to seeing how this guy develops with us, said it earlier but can't believe he's still only 22. 29 league apps (22 of which are starts) and 8 goals isn't a bad return, hopefully he'll be able to regularly score 10+ league goals for us / season.. It's not just about stats though (I think the quote in Barbara's sig is perfectly apt here), Oscar contributes a lot to the team in terms of playing that 'fast-transition-or-whatever-you-want-to-call-it' football. It would be madness to entertain the idea of selling him unless the following conditions were met: - We have another no. 10 lined up who is as good or better than him (including being young, having great potential etc.) - We got a mega money offer - Said mega money offer was from a club that was abroad. Or: - He desparately wanted to leave and we received a mega offer. Yeah, he hasn't played well in the last two months. However, against Gala and Arsenal he showed signs of improvement and I am fully confident that he will regain and surpass his early season form soon - even if we have to wait until next season and after the WC, so be it. On a side note, I am completely looking forward to seeing how he plays with the Brazilian NT at the WC on what will inevitably be the biggest stage of them all for a Brazilian player. Baring the inconceivable possibility that England are in the final, I will be supporting Brasil. I get why Lionsden doesn't rate him as a player in that, in a lot of peoples' minds, a no. 10 should be silky and creative on the ball. Oscar doesn't fit that Mata/Silva/Iniesta type mould. However, he most certainly has a space in our XI and will only get better with age, experience and training from two of the best coaches of two of the best teams in the world (Scolari, Brasil & Mourinho, Chelsea respectively).

Well, here's to hoping Utd's players show some backbone and pride tonight and stick it to City. They have actually looked better without Van Persie for a lot of this season (with Rooney as the main striker) so I don't think that will be too big of a problem. City are still missing Aguero, aren't they?

The game is 50-50, that's why you won't see any Chelsea fan saying PSG will qualify. What kind of fan thinks another team will qualify if it's a 50/50 game? No doubt, this is going to be a close and interesting game and most Chelsea fans I know (in real life, not on this forum) don't believe we have an easy pass into the SFs. If anything, they appreciate that PSG are a good team filled with very good players whilst we are also the same (but our key offensive players are also very young + Matic is ineligible). If Matic was available I'd be more confident.

Hopefully Utd win this game, build up some momentum and then can take points of City on Tuesday. It would be win-win for us. City lose points, Moyes manages to do just enough to keep his job.

Hate to be an Arsixnil fan right now. brb going to find some more so I can text all my Arsenal supporting mates.

Almost perfect. Shame for Eto'o's injury - let's hope he can come back quickly. Oscar scored 2, generally showing signs of improvement at a vital stage.Azpi, just amazing. He's supposed to be a RB... best LB in the league easily at the moment, will be making a case for best in Europe soon enough if he can improve his productivity going forward (which will be hard given he's right footed playing on the left).Schurrle played well, so did Hazard (but wasn't near his best, didn't need to be though). Salah got his goal which was well taken. Luiz looked good in MF (made easier by Arsenal being shit).Defence looked good as usual. So did Matic.Torres was also good.On top of all of that, we got to shit all over the Arsene Wenger parade for his millennium of games. Arsenal showing they don't have the bottle for competing for the tittle, best they can hope for is beating the minnows to the FA cup.

Fantastic play from Shirley, Torres and Oscar there. Lovely stuff.

warming to Luiz in midfield too, especially when his partner is Matic. As long as he doesn't start hoofing it, that is.

lmfao. this is perfection.

Perfect