StrategiC

Dat pace

The Wall

Wow never knew he was this high up in that list... also put into perspective how Ronaldo's record is inflated thanks to the pens(still the best player in the world)

2 years ago..

2 years later

don't worry guys, i had a dream that he was playing against manu, but then again so was i

Amazing.
Brilliant run by Costa to distract Mertesacker and open up space. Torres would have probably got in his way

While I do not doubt for one moment that Costa is having the hamstring problem, can't help but to think that Mourinho is trying to protect him from the media pressure if he suddenly stops scoring by constantly emphasizing on the injury issue. Good management, if that's what Mourinho is really trying to do.

Today marks 10 years since Brian Clough passed away, R.I.P to one of THE Greats.

"That Portuguese bloke at Chelsea, Jose what's his name... He reminds me of me at the same age. But I were better looking."

Tonight showed how desperately we need to switch to Luis-JT-Ivan-Dave at the back.

Why does it look like Chicharito is bringing Carlo on?

Not for DiCaprio though

His celebrations are fucking class.

Interested to see how United line up this season and whether they can click. I don't think they'll be a threat to us or City for the title but their new signings will certainly take them up a level, if Van Gaal can get them to work together. Personally, I think they would be better off not trying to shoehorn Mata and Rooney into the same team, assuming Falcao is playing as the no. 9 and Van Persie is out injured (rumoured to need surgery...). With the amount of money spent and the quality they have brought it would be an unmitigated disaster if they didn't at least finish 4th IMO. It does sort of feel like they (whether this is Woodward, Van Gaal or some other executive) have taken a more 'Real Madrid' approach to transfers and this could only be the beginning of their spending spree. Their wage bill must be astronomical, but they can afford it because they are commercial titans, with FFP their to help cement the status quo. Funnily enough they have been the polar opposite to us this summer: we have had virtually no net spend, whilst we have bought with purpose and structure to adequately complete our team, instead of trying to fit (expensive) square pegs in round holes. They still could have done with a top quality CB and another midfield player but I'm sure Utd fans at the start of the window would have bitten your hand off for the players that they have brought in this summer.
Arsenal have looked dire since the Community Shield and their annual injury crisis is only just beginning; on that note, it makes me grateful for our medical team/training methods/whatever it may be that we don't pick up such awful and prolonged injuries to our players. Welbeck will be a good, not great, signing for them and will no doubt score goals playing as a CF. People always write Arsenal off for finishing 4th yet they always find a way, but really Utd should be finishing ahead of them with their respective squads and lack of European/league cup distraction.
If Van Gaal ditched the 3-5-2 that I am not at all a fan of and went with a more orthodox formation then their team, on paper, looks pretty impressive, and certainly enough for 4th spot:
-----------------Falcao-------------------
Di Maria----Mata/Rooney----Januzaj
----------Hererra-----Blind------------
Shaw---Jones------Rojo-----Rafael
-------------------DDG-----------------
That team isn't as good as ours, City's or Liverpool's (the latter being arguable, but Rodgers has got a good system going and has more experience with this squad) but it is still full of quality individuals and I fail to see how they won't at least expect 3rd or 4th. Some optimistic fans might argue that they should challenge for the title. They also have Van Persie to come back. I'm actually happy they signed these players, it makes the PL more interesting/exciting and I firmly believe if our domestic competition gets stronger then we naturally have to elevate our game and it is better for English clubs/PL fans in the grand scheme of things.
Can't wait for these shit international friendlies to be over and done with (won't even watch them or take notice) and get back to the real football.

All the goals

Remy
Schurrle-Willian-salah
Ramires
On the counter....... 5 speed demons

If Manchester United was a person...

[emoji23]

ChelsTransferGossip ‏@ChelsTransfer 1m
Torres' agent Sanz: "We will take some time to reflect before giving an answer. I cannot add anything more. Milan are a great club." (ESPN)
ChelsTransferGossip ‏@ChelsTransfer 40s
#ACMilan offered Torres a 2(+1 option) year deal from € 3.5m/year and bonuses linked to the qualification in CL & goals scored (Calcio) #CFC
dont need time boy. just take it or rot in the stands.
smart by Milan. knowing that Torres is shit, he wont get much bonus from the goal-scoring clause. and knowing that their team is shit, maybe even no bonus from CL qualification.

Please let it be true.

We've been talking about this guy and fapping about him (please someone teaches me some slang, fapping sounds so crude, but I don't know another word), but it's understandable when we haven't had a striker of this caliber in so long.
But I wanted to dissect a bit of his instinctual and superb movement and goal awareness.


Look how just after Iva cuts he two defenders (and how priceless is it that he leaves the two of them sitting on their arses? This reloaded Iva is mouthwatering) everyone keeps running forward. André - who's also a master on positioning and movement - also stops, but he's a couple of seconds later in his decision. That's why Iva can find Diego unmarked two meters away from the 6-yard (I suppose?) box. That's the awareness and the instinct of a goal scorer making him do just the right thing, at the right time and be in the best possible position to score.
It's not only about being a poacher, but being smart and instinctive about how to score a goal. He's really been amazing to us.

He is going to have a big season. His worldcup has only helped his cause.
This was Mourinho's team at Madrid

benzema
Ronaldo ozil Dimaria
Alonso Khedira
Marcelo Ramos pépé arbeloa
Our team
Costa
Hazard fabregas Schurrle
Oscar/ramires Matic
Luis terry cahill ivanovic
I have this feeling he could be used as ronaldo was at Madrid as the runner in behind defences from midfield and score, while hazard has the dimaria type of role, to break through tight defences with dribbles and assist loads. Costa making runs will help his cause in providing distraction to the defense and they'll ignore the incoming Schurrle. Fabregas is very vital for him in spotting the runs the way ozil assisted a HUGE part of ronaldos goals and Khedira was the legs and engine of the midfield, just like oscar/ramires (in big games)is for us.If he scores his chances, he'll be in for a fantastic season.

Willian is adorable so it doesn't count

I don't get how people can be so harsh on a kid who hasn't even played a complete season with us. It's harsh and unfair in my book.
He's young, he's new to the league and he came from frigging Switzerland. They don't scream physical league to me (although I wouldn't have a clue).
Yes, he's erratic, and he has to polish a few things in his game. At age 22 what have you guys expected exactly? Especially amidst a transition to the hardest league to fit in? Give the kid a break and have some trust in the manager who decided he could be useful. Mourinho brought him here with a plan, and that's to have five (six if you count Ramires) players for the AM positions that wouldn't mind being down in the pecking order - probably because he's aware of his age, his own progression, etc. He won't always be okay with that, but now he seems to be.
He will start matches, he will get some play time and as others said, it doesn't look like he creates problems or complains about being in the bench. Give the kid some time to get used to the league, to settle in the tactics and to mature. All those things considered, he's done very well so far if you askd. I really am a patient person (except when it comes to stupidity, then I have no patience at all), but it's hard to stay quiet when many people are trashing a 22yo that came from a soft league and has only 4 months of Premier League football under his belt. Also this idea that we must have 22 top players in the squad is delusional. Not even the top of the top teams have top class cover to all positions in the pitch. Salah is fine, he wasn't a waste of money, there wasn't anywhere else we should have spent that money and everything is okay. We finally have depth in the midfield as a whole (pivot and attacking) and I wish we had a third striker that could offer the same as Salah can as 5th AM. We have 10 players for 5 positions and while some of them aren't that amazing, they're decent enough - as it should be. Again, a squad of 22 amazing players isn't possible even on FM...

Vangaal- the pre-season one