The only place to be

He wasn't struggling before the City game though. In fact even in that game he was limiting the much hyped Fernandinho. One bad game and he's been struggling all season. Weird.

There seems to be this thing where people remember only the last match, but Lamps actually strung together a good run of games where he was passing the ball well, defending well and forming a good partnership with Ramires.

Mike Dean just robbed Swansea of at least two minutes at the end of that game. Indicated at least 5 minutes extra time, then Swansea have Vorm sent off which take 90 seconds, then Cardiff time-waste. Dean adds on 20 seconds. That's fucking dodgy.

That's the other option, but I think you need Oscar ahead of them too. Let Mikel sit, let Rami roam forward a bit more and have Oscar go all over the shop like he has done this season to good effect.

Defended well, retained possession well, moved the ball around accurately....basically what's asked of him. It's because he's capable of performing well in matches like this that the performance yesterday was such an aberration. The fact that he wasn't alone makes me think that there was something wrong with our system, rather than some players having an off-day. But back to this match, I'd play Lamps because he did so well in the match away to Schalke. Everyone will suggest different teams to remedy the problems with yesterday's game, and mine is to change the number 10 and right-wing. If people disagree then that's fine.

But still, I'd be interested to know what you thought of Lampard's performance in the game away to Schalke.

Should be a good game. Come on you blues.

Also not Brazilian enough, has blonde hair and looks too old.

I disagree. I think that you need two of Hazard, Willian or Schurrle to provide that directness on the wings and Oscar in the middle. That doesn't mean I have an agenda against Mata as one person suggested in a rather silly way, it just means that I think Oscar is better at tying the team together. I think we defend better and I think we attack better with that setup. I actually praised Mata a fucking lot last year, but I just think that with the change in our style this season that there are other options better suited to our team. Norwich is a weird choice to support your argument. We were actually drawing until Mata was taken off and replaced with Willian, and Mata had a rather uneventful day whilst Oscar (in a more central role if I remember correctly) was MOTM.

We're playing a different style than last season, so you make sacrifices in attack to be more solid defensively which is why Oscar has gotten the nod over Mata. Unfortunately I think we went back to 'Rafa-ball' yesterday. I don't know why it's such a contentious point to suggest that the number 10 made other players play differently/worse. It's such an important position in our system that it will always have so many knock-on effects. But if you disagree, you disagree. You might think it's then that's fine. I personally wouldn't like to see them play together again because I saw enough of it last season, and yesterday was just more of the same. I much prefer what we've been doing this season. If people are of some mindset that might make them think I have a public agenda against a player then that's their problem. Personally I think it's a fantastically silly idea considering my support of this club but that's something I'm not really up for explaining on a Sunday afternoon. Plus I don't do public agendas with Chelsea supporters.

Not sure when I've ever been an admin on a website and got my knickers in such a twist that I've posted personal information on to a public forum....but then I don't make comments about rape (it's a cultural difference I think). Enjoy your afternoon.

Well a lot of them have bought me drinks, so I'm biased.

Actually if it had happened in several games then my point wouldn't be as valid. The fact that it happened when we reverted to last year's team selection of Hazard/Mata/Oscar and the performance was so similar right through the team makes me think that there might have been something beyond the cliche of a 'bad day at the office'. I honestly hope the coaching team doesn't take such a lazy view of the match and actually looks to learn from it. Actually Sheva said that I used the word agenda about others....and he was mistaken, just like you appear to be now. But if you want to dismiss my views as having a public agenda about a player I've cheered on for the last two seasons, voted for in two consecutive player of the season votes and said thank you to in person for his contribution to this club both on the pitch and off it then you're perfectly welcome to. Maybe you have an agenda against me.

Why the snappy behaviour? Why not discuss the merits of what members say rather than being dismissive or calling them fanboys? Korea made a fair point about a player being the best in his position over a three month period - that's all. You can either disagree or not, but just because he pointed out a mistake you made you get hysterical.

The vast majority of the Chelsea supporters I talk to, go to matches with, drink with and just randomly bump into (here's a tip in case you ever bump into a Chelsea supporter in England - just mention Mikel's name....it always makes me giggle how the response is largely the same) think that our midfield needs fixing. It's been the case for a while now. The ones at youth games pin their hopes on Chalobah and Loftus-Cheek. The ones at games mention everyone from Witsel to De Bruyne to De Rossi to Cabaye to Alonso. If we had any of those in our ranks then you wouldn't get a disagreement from me about putting one of them in the team, but people need to be realistic. They also could be a bit more inquisitive about why players suddenly have bad games. Could the performance against Arsenal have had something to do with us playing against Arsenal? The fact that you're talking about quick, aggressive and players having legs and then chuck Mikel's name into the mix is a bit weird. Maybe he deserves a game against West Brom, maybe Essien does. You're questioning Mourinho's balls now? The reactions are getting a little silly now. You're not the messiah....

And he was often invisible there too because the ball doesn't come to him enough. He still put in a decent shift defensively but our entire passing and movement was a step down on what it has been this season. Unfortunately what Oscar needed was Oscar in the central AM position to give him the ball. Again I think you and I see the game differently. What Oscar is superb at is drawing together the players around him, keeping the ball moving, providing an out ball and just keeping things ticking over. Torres has the option to force things because Oscar is making runs for him, providing him with the ball. Oscar makes players around him better - do you think it's a coincidence that every player around Mata had noticeably poorer stat lines yesterday? They all decided to have bad games on the same day? The gap between the attack and defence looked very similar to last seasons all of a sudden?

Sorry but twitter and a few people on here aren't what I'd call representative of the Chelsea support. Just look at that link ChelseasMessiah posted. It's very easy to have a kneejerk reaction and post something that you haven't fully thought through (like 'tactically raped' - not a comment many Chelsea supporters would deem culturally acceptable). But maybe I'm wrong and you're more attuned to what Chelsea supporters are thinking than I am.

What is it you don't know? Against City and Schalke he linked together the midfield and attack superbly, defended stoutly and completed a high percentage of his passes whilst dictating the tempo. Against Newcastle he was shoved on the right-wing.

Out of interest, what did you make of Lampard's performance in the match away to Schalke?

Alex Song left Arsenal last season. He joined Barcelona. Korea was referring to the period between Song leaving and Sandro's injury, when he did seem to impress in that defensive role.

Not even close to resembling my experience of supporters' views. We need a replacement but at the moment, Frank and Rami seem to be our best pairing. I think you're seeing a vocal minority who probably aren't representative of Chelsea's support as a whole. Actually his passing has been pretty good in the month of October, roughly around the 90% mark and especially high when it comes to long balls. But that's the type of thing people don't really want to talk about. I apologise for bringing things like this up, because it gets in the way of a couple of supporters making sweeping generalisations based on 16 year olds' twitter accounts.

No I don't, but you're talking about him being selfish now and not two years ago - stop changing the goalposts. As for his form this season, it's too superficial (easy, lazy, pointless) to make sweeping statements like 'he has been abysmal this season' and make it appear as if it's an undoubted truth when it is anything but that. Try using evidence to back up your points - I know you disagreed with empirical data because it didn't support your point previously but at least try. He's had good games and bad games (yesterday in particular), but doesn't a part of you at least want to ask why? Do you have some form of investigative nature?

Fuck me that's good. Nice find. I got the white one the other day so this is a no brainer. Actually bought the shorts (£6.99) and socks too (£2.99) so for the first time since I was about 11, I have a full kit. First game after Christmas I'm going in full kit....WITH SHINNIES!!!

Utter fucking bollocks mate and the fact that you're saying that he knows he is selfish should be a clue because (and I'll admit I'm guessing here) you don't have a fucking clue what he thinks or knows. Essien and Mikel did well in the league cup. Lamps put together a string of consistent performances in October, his passing stats were extremely good, his defensive contribution was too and the results were there for people to see. Again, yesterday was an aberration but people don't seem to want to ask why, and what changed from the previous few weeks. They just want to make sweeping statements without any investigation....that to me seems frightfully dull.

I know you don't like stats and things of that nature, but that point you made doesn't actually hold up to any type of scrutiny. Yes we need to buy a new midfielder but some people are scapegoating him unfairly in my opinion and failing to apply the same criteria to other players that they're playing to him. A lot of players had an off-day yesterday, but people aren't asking why? You'll get your likes from the usual suspects but I can't help but think it's all a little superficial.