The only place to be

In what way is he potential? We're not paying for what he can do next year, but next week. He is an immediate upgrade to what we already have in midfield.

What Matic can do is break up play and deliver simple, fast balls to the three attacking players accurately. He can also hit a pass himself, take a shot and even run at players sometimes. That will add a lot to our midfield.

It's a lot of money but if he does become as good as we're all hoping he could then it's not that bad. It's a gamble no doubt, but would you pay £3 million at the start of each season for Ashley Cole? I would and that's very basically what you're talking about here. Having said that, I'm convinced the story is bullshit and I think we've got a couple of advantages. Firstly, he's a Chelsea supporter and a very vocal one at that. I'm not naive enough to think that money isn't an issue in the modern game, but this guy loves this club and we need a left-back. But I think we could also put together a comparable package for him and if that included Bertrand then that might be a better move for Southampton as well. They get a young, English left-back with the type of experience they're looking towards for their own young players.

So he's refusing to play against Porto? That's a massive match for them and if it's true then he's not messing around. Hopefully it's more a case of the move being so close that he's looking out for himself so as not to compromise a move. Personally I objected to this move on the grounds that re-signing players we've let go for about ten times more money made us look like mugs. But he's a fantastically talented and rather unique player, and I remembered I don't really give a fuck what other fans think about us. We're turning a nice profit in the De Bruyne deal and so many other young players have really exploded in value for us that this deal really isn't the beginning of a trend for us. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for the Pivot problems for us. I for one won't miss that and once you've got a stable presence in that position (this guy alongside Oscar might be part of our new spine for some time) then you can start experimenting with younger players alongside him. As much as we love Ramires, he's not the type of player you can chuck a Chalobah in next to. If Matic can make that position his going into next season then that gives us a lot of room to try different things in midfield and also in defence. He's a great age (he's also 4 years younger than Makelele was when he signed, if you want to set the bar really high), he'll improve our team both in the short-term and into the future and if he does become the player we're all hoping he does then he's not actually that expensive (comparisons would be Toure and Martinez who were both more expensive in all likelihood, and if you want a good laugh then Fellaini is probably more expensive too).

I think people need to start being a bit more patient and understand the effects out tactics have on opposition players over the course of 90 minutes. We press high, but we don't do it mindlessly and the amount of times we force turnovers is absolutely incredible. But when we've got the ball we're either breaking fast or we're constantly shifting defenders around. If they're simply looking to stop us then that takes a lot out of players over the course of 90 minutes (or even an hour), and they have to be spot on EVERY time to stop us. That's why it makes me laugh when people say they can't see what we're actually trying to do on the pitch. That may have been true earlier in the season but now we're playing a very distinctive brand of football that seems geared towards beating teams into submission. We still need at least one midfielder and Ashley needs to get forward more consistently (when he does, it just adds so much more to our attacking game) but for the first time in ages we seem to have a solid gameplan.

In his last 4 Premier League starts he's got 3 goals. 2 of those goals were the opening goals (against Palace and Southampton). He's also worked remarkably hard in leading the pressing game, which really isn't that glamorous a job. The guy deserves a bit less stick at this moment in time.

Not sure if you've heard but United changed managers over the summer. It seems to have had something of an effect.

And then Hazard had to go and fuck it up....talentless little shit.

Thought he was absolutely fantastic today and that partnership with JT is looking stronger every game.

Weird match. This isn't the United that I've grown up with. Just understand who Manchester United are in the life of any football supporter under the age of 30. They've been THE team, even when we were winning the league, or Arsenal were winning the league. Yes we beat 18 other teams to the title but we also beat United. They were the team who I remember us beating in my first season as a member, home and away (<---my avi is Gav scoring). They were the team that destroyed us in that cup final. They were the team who beat us at Villa Park in the semis. They were the team who beat us in Moscow. I've never experienced a time when United weren't just in poor form, but looked genuinely.....average? They're not the fearsome behemoth I remember. They look like Tyson after one fight too many, or Tiger after waitress number 23 was revealed. I literally have no idea how this match will play out and the presence of Rooney will be massive. Still if it wasn't United I'd be fairly confident, but this is just the type of match the football gods will choose for us to lose the home record to. I'd probably go with a similar team to today's with Mikel in for Luiz but if Mata actually gets a start I wouldn't be too surprised. Really looking forward to this match. :blue scalf:

Are you a neutral? Then fuck'em.

Doesn't bode well for Courtois does it?

He's starting to remind me of Ronaldo at United, and how he'd get either the first or only goal of the game. If we can keep things solid at the back then there's an emerging belief that he'll pop up with that goal. And his finishing is fantastic.

Really rather well. There's a greater deal of urgency to his passing than there is to Mikel's and some of his long passes were absolutely fantastic, turning the defence. Also started the move for the first goal. Defensively a bit of a rock too and the pressure he applies from the pivot is fantastic. My MOTM.

Give the guy a break. Scored a goal and worked his bollocks off leading our pressing game. He also did surprisingly well in the air despite a lack of support for his knockdowns.

Just looks right.

You're the gift that keeps on giving.

Started by Luiz and fantastically composed play by Cole. Super finish by Hazard - World Class!!

Exactly. Just need some patience. Let Hull work their bollocks off and get tired or maybe even become a bit more adventurous as the game wears on. Either way they'll open up more and more space for us to exploit.

I'd be inclined to bring on Mikel for Ramires but not that fussed to be honest. We probably should be 1-0 up and you'd expect Hull to tire as the game goes on. No need for panic.

Yeah....like all those other games where we haven't scored...all both of them.

That's a fantastic save. He gets it on target and 99 times out of 100 that's a goal. McGregor...that was incredible.

Hull are getting back well and our best chance seems to be to hit them in transition but that's a very tough thing to do. Teams do seem to tire over the course of 90 minutes so no need for panic right now.

The reaction on Twitter to Mata not starting always makes me giggle.

Team to face Hull today: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry ©, Cole; Ramires, David Luiz; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Torres. #CFC Chelsea subs: Schwarzer, Bertrand, Mikel, Essien, Schurrle, Mata, Eto'o. #CFC We were all wrong. Luiz for Mikel.