The only place to be

The problem with our 352 is that we're just as likely to concede as we are to score. It's a panic move designed to create a chaotic situation and not something you can really use unless you have no other choice.

I think the point is whether or not Mata's inclusion in the team makes us a better or worse team. What I personally like about Oscar is that he knits the team together well, linking defence and attack and also contributing at both ends too. When Mata was in the team at points last season, the gap between the midfield and the attack seemed massive at times and it also seemed to grow when we played Newcastle this season. Yes he was fantastic over the past couple of years and had great stats, but did the freedom afforded him to amass those goals and assists actually make us weaker as a team?

Whether you can accept it or not, she's a very good member of this forum who articulately conveys interesting points. You...well the only thing I can remember you posting was something about a source telling you Cavani was going to sign for us in the summer (at least I think that was you....probably wasn't paying attention). "special"

No need for that type of comment boy. Mata hardly did a good job breaking down Newcastle. Personally I think Oscar was our best player and carried this team earlier in the season, but we've been playing poorly in recent weeks. Hopefully we pick it up again tomorrow.

An exclamation of frustration. Would've started Torres in this one because I think West Ham might actually try and make a game of it and leave spaces in behind.

Bollocks. Ashley Cole ready though so that's something. Wouldn't be surprised if Ba got the nod to be honest, but hopefully whoever starts shows something tomorrow.

Unfortunately he seems to be fucked. It isn't just the likes of Oscar and Mata that are the problem, but also the emerging talents like Boga and Traore who will also be looking for minutes in the near future. Good luck to him wherever he goes, but hopefully we make a profit on him at the very least.

I don't think he's quite an Ozil or even a Mata, but more of a link-man who brings every player into the game. To me, you have to build the team around him and let him dictate the tempo right throughout the team, but he's still young and new to Mourinho's system. I think we'll see him get back to his best after a rough couple of weeks.

Great post. There will always be people saying why something shouldn't be done, but I simply don't understand it when what we've been doing hasn't exactly been successful.

Well that's simply not true. In fact it's either a lie or you're not watching every game. Either is likely with you. Stick to calling the proper supporters of this club 'plastic' and welcome to the ignore list.

None of that fills me with confidence. Weaker sides or whatever, he's still wearing the same badge and the fans are still paying the same prices to watch him. I've never disputed that technically and physically he's our best defender (he's brilliant on FIFA too) but the top two inches are so important in my view. It's where I disagree with Robguima - what makes people like Michael Jordan, Jonny Wilkinson, Tom Brady, Jerry Rice etc. so good wasn't just their physical skills. It was their mentality and I don't think you can learn that and not at the age of 26.

Because he stepped up his performances and changed my mind. Throughout I was respectful, or at least tried to be.

Do you use 'in theory' interchangeably with 'nothing at all like'? It's like there's a few posters who struggle with simple points. I was happy with most of our spending and see the place for it in our future, but I also think that we should use the academy to promote squad players as well as a few key first-teamers. That doesn't mean I (or anyone else) think that we have 11 Ballon D'or winners coming up but that we have players who could have good careers here and improve our squad Cesar is exactly the type of signing I like though. Cheap, young but now worth more than what we paid for him. In short, value.

He can't even play regularly for England anymore. Enjoy your pint

I think this is just a cultural difference. Skill is important but fans in the stands love players who give their all for the cause. The best players have both.

1. You said you couldn't care less about his commitment. You're on your own. 2. I disagree. Honestly, we just have different views on what we want from the men who represent this club. To me talent is such a small part of what it takes anyone to be successful. Attitude and commitment is so much more important.

They also had great seasons from Rio Ferdinand and in particular Michael Carrick. It's very easy to say RVP won them the league (and he was instrumental) but they had a good team with a good spine, unlike Liverpool and Spurs who both had 'match-winners' in Suarez and Bale respectively but didn't have good enough teams to breach the top four.

Two things. 1. I think you're on your own with that commitment thing. Supporters want to see players giving a shit 2. You're so wrong about Barca it's not even funny. Their success wasn't built just on Tika-Taka but on hard fucking work. They worked their bollocks off every time they lost the ball and pressured other teams into making mistakes. Read Guardiola's book (by Balague) to see the reverence he held commitment to the cause in. I've never seen one of their players put in a performance like the one David put in against Cardiff and I'm not alone in thinking his 'character' needs some work.

I think a fair few people have an agenda. Personally I think he has his place, but right now he's probably a more consistent partner for JT considering Luiz's rather erratic recent form. Luiz has the physical and technical attributes but he's put in disgraceful performances for us this season that make me question how much he values wearing the shirt. Cahill has never made me question his commitment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAEPGU4rCik http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-NZWXQgyWk

I think he's got a much better chance of coming in against Basel, rather than a high pressure London derby. Cahill really wasn't the disaster against West Brom that some people seem to want to make him out to be whereas Luiz has been dropped TWICE now for poor performances.

Right. Of the last 7 England games, he's featured in 6. He's started 4. The one game he missed was the Germany friendly. Of the 4 Qualification games, he started 3 and came on as a sub for the 4th. He can't even play regularly for England anymore.

It really doesn't matter what Luiz does for Brazil. He has to be consistent for us, and when he is then he won't get dropped.

It could just be that he doesn't think he's that good and nothing to do with how much he gets forward. Spot on regarding the ref. After what we got in the last game it's hard for us to be that begrudging towards refs.

Spot on. I think the club has a problem with youth, but there are some fans who seem to constantly look for reasons not to take a chance. It's remarkably unadventurous for a club who haven't produced a youth product of note for almost a decade because they were afraid to take a chance. It seems almost insane to keep repeating the same process. To me, that's one of the great joys of supporting a club. Seeing a young lad take their first tentative steps on the pitch having worked their way up the academy, then becoming a mainstay in the club before becoming a legend. I grew up hearing stories of Osgood and Greaves, then watching Fergie's Fledglings conquer Europe before our own JT reached the pinnacle of the game. I also took immense pride in seeing Mark Nicholls score at White Hart Lane or seeing Jody Morris score against United. Now I'm going to say something that will piss people off - I think there's a modern football fan who is so disconnected from what I would call the real supporting of a football team that they simply don't understand this type of pleasure. They've never felt that buzz of seeing out of the corner of their eye a youngster get up from the dugout and take his tracksuit top off and get ready for his debut. They've never engaged in the chatter about who this youngster is, and heard from that one guy what he's done in the youth team. That is one of the best things about supporting a club, seeing someone maybe become a legend that you can tell your own kids about. They become part of the fabric of the club, eternally linked with someone who made their debut decades ago. The unwillingness to take a chance on that happening is simply a result of people not knowing what that type of pleasure can feel like.