kellzfresh

The only reason I'm okay with him leaving is because, I have a feeling his head isn't with Chelsea anymore since China came in january. That's why he was world class in the first half of the season and now is playing like a mid-table striker. But it will be very difficult to find one who can replicate his first half of the season instantly. We might have to gamble on upcoming strikers.

I think he was just okay. Nothing like a great performance from what I was watching. A good performance is what wayanma did against arsenal today, not giving away easy passes and looking slow on the ball.

The only player who we need to play well is costa. Hazard has been on form and carrying our attack for months now but if Costa puts in a performance too,we'll score enough goals to win even if we concede.

Maybe I should have said we don't value technique when we get strikers... We place so much emphasis on physicality but we should target both energetic and very technical players. Which is what mbappe is. You said he's not technically great or his ballcontrol isn't all that, but you will find it hard to get a striker that always runs, energetic and still is as technical as mbappe. (Maybe lewandoski) Energetic strikers like costa are mostly clumsy on the ball but people still use them anyway because their energy and intensity is a nightmare for defenders. But mbappe is as energetic and still puts in crosses like a winger, still dribbles any defender one on one and has a cold blood finish under pressure. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm going to make this prediction, mbappe is born to be a top 5 world player just like we saw Neymar and hazard at his age.

I keep mentioning it on this forum that Mbappe is one of a kind. Not even Griezmann has the ball control of mbappe and I'm sure of it. Since Thierry Henry retired there hasn't been any similar talent till I saw mbappe. Speed, ballcontrol and absolute killer finishing at his young age. But unfortunately our board have little eye for world-class potential.

We have no one like him. Great Passer and vision. And I've noticed he's working much harder than before and isn't getting easily dribbled again

That's all I've been begging for. We have struggled to score goals since February because only Hazard in the attack has carried us. And when Hazard doesn't score, we don't win. If Costa can play just half as good as the beginning of the season Spurs have no chance of catching us

After watching realmadrid vs bayern, realmadrid vs Barcelona and Monaco in the Champions League, it is crucial for us to get a fast energetic, dribbling wing-back if we want to play attacking football as a team. Everyone praised ronaldo for scoring a hatrick against bayern, but did they see the number of times marcelo and carvajal dribbled past people on the wings and put in fantastic crosses to create all those chances? Everyone praised messi for the last minute winner, but did they see how Sergio Roberto ran from his defence into the attack that led to the messi last minute winner??? Modern attacking football cannot do without energetic wingbacks that can dribble past opponents and create chances. Monaco and Madrid prove this with two wingbacks and Chelsea cannot stay behind the times if we're serious about competing in Europe.

I think he's been far better defensively than he was a few years ago. But recently he's having far more defensive lapses since February. He's the only one among the back three and wingbacks who has significantly been lower in his performance level. Hopefully he picks up his concentration.

When Luiz was at his best, our defense was impenetrable. But since Luiz has lost form, we can't keep a clean sheet to save our lives. Carragher explained this extensively on Monday Night Football and it has been for a while now. I just hope Luiz isn't playing through pain or injury. With Luiz losing a little form at the back and Costa destroying our linkups and goalscoring upfront, it's no wonder we're struggling to win narrowly these days.

Most chances created in the Champions League knockout rounds: Thomas Lemar (14); Marcelo (14); Toni Kroos (12); Arjen Robben(12)

Our weakness is pressing. Chase our defenders, force them to go long into costa. Costa can't win any headers so that guarantees you the ball. Prevent any passes from getting to hazard and hope costa is playing on the same level as torres and we have no attacking threat. Like I said in another thread, we have the worst ball playing footballers in the top six so high intensity pressing is our weakness, and I fear that Spurs will show us this in our next match.

The only reason why they look so good or more entertaining than us, is because of Costa. If Costa was playing at the level he was before the China debacle, hazard wouldn't be the only one carrying our attacking threat. Their defense was always better than ours, especially their wingbacks, but we always had the edge in attack with hazard and Costa, but it clearly isn't the case anymore. Not while costa can't control a ball or can't shoot.

I think he's probably trying to say we defend as a team. But sometimes you can't help but get suspicious after he said a few negative things about us this season: Even Gary Neville and Carragher noticed it

Just like Jose has been trying to paint us like a defensive team, Mourinho has somehow managed to con everyone into thinking that manutd has the worst quality of players in the top six. I'm not buying this... Ibrahimovic scored 50 goals last season in all competitions Mkhitaryan was German league player of the year with the highest assists in Europe last season Pogba was in the shortlist for best players in Italy and everyone knows his qualities then Martial scored 17goals in all competitions last season under boring vangaal and almost won the best young player in Europe. Mata is quality and a lot of Chelsea fans will still have him over Willian right now. How can Mourinho have this attack and still complain of firepower is beyond me. Comparing this manutd players with tottenham last season: Could anyone say that Kane was better than ibrahimovic who scored 50goals for PSG last season? Could anyone say that Son is better than martial last season? Could anyone say last season that Alli was better than Mkhitaryan who was Germanys league best player ahead of lewandoski, robben etc Could anyone say Erickson was better than Mata when he was at Chelsea? Could anyone say that dembele was better than Pogba who was entering champions League final with Juve and Euro finals with France and was even in the world best eleven in Europe? I thought valencia was the best right back, did kyle walker suddenly become better overnight? Even Degea was in contention for Premier League best goalkeeper and now he suddenly is talked about like he's a mid-table goalkeeper. How did Mourinho convince everyone that his squad is so bad? From what I can see, he has reduced the quality of his players with terrible tactical coaching, they have even scored less goals than under vangaal. No wonder hazard looked like he was in shackles. Mourinho can fool all those gullible fans but he isn’t fooling me. Another quality manager will be second comfortably with his team.

Damn £100 million for an eighteen year old,

The guy is a very energetic, intense striker, reminds me of tevez. Doesnt loose his ball easily. Fights for every ball in the air. But €100 million is expensive as hell. Mbappe = Plays like Henry. €50-60mil Andrea Bellotti = Plays like Tevez but is also a monster in the air. €100mil Who to choose???

Condolences to the families of the people killed by Islamic extremists in Egypt. Ordinary people going about their lives and killed because someone thinks he'll get some reward after death. ISIS have obviously infiltrated the refugee program of Europe. Now any truck you see can change course and kill bystanders. There is practically no solution to this, all security forces can do is to forcefully put cameras in religious centers (Christian or Islamic) and make sure their leaders are not spreading hate or inspiring people to commit terror.

Tottenham and Chelsea are the best two teams in the league. They have the better defenders, we have the better attack. But with Alli scoring 13 goals in his last 15, son scoring freely and Costa more interested in quarrels instead of goals, I'm beginning to think tottenham have the better attack. Only Hazard is tipping the attack scale in our favor

I thought he did well in the wingback position. Got an assist and looks a decent crosser

Costa was our best player in the first half of the season. But now, he's absolute dogshite. Sorry There was a time in the first half when we had a dangerous counter, hazard was one on one with the centerback and instead of Costa to run forward and support play, he pulls the defender down off the ball and it became a mancity freekick. I wished I could put my hands through the TV that moment and give him a slap. He no longer cares about scoring. He doesn't have the hunger of a striker, it's as if he's turned on by having physical contact with defenders instead of avoiding them and trying to score. What in the world is wrong with him? Our gameplay heavily depends on the holdup play and runs of the striker and Costa has been shite in holding up any sort of ball. In a big match like this, when the opponent is giving our midfield pressure, he's supposed to be the outball, but he doesn't win any headers, Pedro and hazard are even better than him in winning air balls. All costa wants is to be fouled so that he can complain to the referee Against Palace, he didn’t make a single run in the box to the near post to get to one of the numerous dangerous crosses and ended up costing us the game. We need another striker to replace him when he gets on his poor second half of the season form yet again next season.

Poor game, especially in the first half. He is the major reason why we are not winning games comfortably again by giving the opponent back the ball almost all the time

A lot of people don't know why we are okay with Bakayoko. Look at us this season, since we changed to a 3-4-3, we have beaten the smaller teams in the league with more ease than anyone else. We don't have any problem of creativity against smaller teams. But against the big teams, we were defensively opened up a lot against mancity, we were bullied by Tottenham’s pressing in two games against them especially in the first half. Pressing is our weakness. That is the problem we need to solve next season, because it will come in every game in the Champions League. We need more players in our back seven in the 3-4-3 to be able to cope with pressing. To be able to hold the ball under pressure, and dribble out and get the ball straight to hazard. Passing doesn't work as effectively as dribbling against high pressing, and fabregas being poor under pressure is proof of my point. I am not saying passing isn't important, I'm just saying when being pressed, the ability to dribble out of the jam is more important. The best of both worlds would have been Verratti, but it's unrealistic. What we need is to remove 2-3 players who are weak against pressing and too one footed (Matic, Alonso) for guys who can dribble past players (nainggolan/Bakayoko Alex.sandro/Mendy) and we'll start beating tottenhams/Liverpool/manutd press more often. People who watched essien know how crucial this type of midfielders are in the team.