The only place to be

Well let's see you try and explain what's changed in Lampard's game from his last 6 games to this one? The most important change has been the selection of Mata for Oscar. In the games before the City game he was averaging over 90% pass completion but isn't today. If you think he's having an off day then that's a fair point to make. If you think it's something else (as I do) then why not argue that?

Maybe he should just let Lampard do his job, or start screaming at Mata to drop deeper to take the ball off him like Oscar usually does. Either way, I'd prefer Luiz didn't keep trying to hit balls from just inside Newcastle's half to Torres with his back to goal only for it to ping off him. That makes Torres look bad as well. This just looks like a performance under Benitez, when he'd choose the three amigos/mazacar week-in and week-out. We're relying on pieces of magic from them rather than the more methodical approach we've tried to adopt this season.

And I'm sure there will be people ready to pounce on Lampard's passing in the first half and it has been a step-down on recent weeks. What's the difference? Newcastle's tactics? Not really. No Oscar. Mata simply doesn't drop deep as much as Oscar and link the play up between the defence and attack. It's the same fucking problem as last season, so why on Earth wouldn't it happen again when you put Mata back in there? You're actually almost making the same point I have just above, but mine was based on watching the game, watching the last 5 games, watching last season's games and looking at the stats of those games. Sorry for blasting you.

Our best player this season has been moved out to the wing and that has weakened us throughout the spine of the team. The gap between the pivot and the attacking three is too great (like it was at points last season) and we're struggling to move the ball around as a consequence. There's also no width on the right. But look at those pretty flicks between Hazard and Mata - better than three points in so many ways.

Really? Blasted? The persecuted few who think Hazard and Mata play well together? Again, it's about what makes the team look best and not just two players. They link up well but at the moment I still think we're better with something else on the right-wing and Oscar in the middle because we're looking a little disjointed again.

Some focus on 11 players looking good, not 2.

His hard work just won us a corner. Patience.

Sub-par? Scores the opening goal against City and puts in great shifts whenever he's called upon. Fuck me. So what? He's defending well, passing well and links defence and attack. If it makes you feel better I've edited Lampard's Wikipedia page to say Defensive Midfielder now.

Why? I'm not gonna criticise the lack of width because it might not be a factor. Maybe Jose thinks we don't need to counter-attack quite as much and will need to break down two lines of four instead, so he can afford to include them both. Maybe he's just looking to see if Mata can do a job on the right-wing. Either way we all know he's not afraid to make changes if it isn't working, but I do feel sorry for Schurrle.

The stats and the results simply don't back up that assertion.

That's what happens when you're back-up. No fucking around in league games.

Unlucky for Schurrle. Be interesting to see how that right-hand side because both Oscar and Mata tend to drift inside which could leave gaps for Newcastle to exploit, but I trust Jose. Everything else is as expected to be honest with the first-choice midfield retained and Luiz in for Cahill. Explosion in the KDB thread in 5.....4....3....2.....1....

I think Remains was alluding to the number of headers he wins from Cech's clearances, one of which led to the first goal against City. Mourinho pushes him on to the right-wing and he seems to win a large number of these duels. That's something Azpi simply doesn't have in his locker.

And the near post flick that led to Torres's first goal against Schalke. He's someone opposition coaches have to plan for at set-pieces which creates space for other players in the box, whereas Azpi really doesn't change much in my opinion. 8 goals last season including the one that won us the Europa League.

I haven't completely written him off. He's a great guy and he's been great for us, but we're a better team right now. I'm sure he can be part of the team going forward, but I expect we'll have success with or without Mata. I disagree that he's the 'ultimate big game player' because he's disappeared in plenty of matches, big and small. I also think Oscar has the potential to be as good as Mata and is already one of our most important players. Defensive workrate - something Oscar has in abundance and Mata doesn't. Also whilst our attack has hardly been brilliant, Oscar has been doing more than his fair share. I'd argue we're a much better team now, with a proper manager in charge.

Well Oscar seems to be doing a pretty good job this season, leading us to second place in the league.

It's not about being complacent, but not being sentimental. We still have areas in the team that need strengthening and if an offer came in for Mata then it should probably be considered when he's not a key member of the first-team. We beat the best team in the land (in many people's opinion) with him on the bench.

Not sure what's happened to him to be honest. Looked impressive last season but seems to have stalled somewhat. Maybe they're targeting him for a loan in January but he seems to have fallen behind Kalas in the pecking order for defence.

Ivanovic offers so much in the air from set-pieces that I wonder if people don't overestimate Dani Alves....sorry, Azpi's prowess when going forward. Especially considering the stick he got for his crossing last season. Makes me think maybe the problem isn't the crossing but the targets for these crosses.

Romeu isn't a bad player but that injury came at the worst possible time for him. There was an opportunity for him to stake a claim but unfortunately sometimes that chance can be snatched from you and not come back round again. That's first-class sport for you. Josh has never been overly impressive even at the Championship level. He has plenty of skill but struggles to impose himself on matches and may already be in the last-chance saloon.Personally I'd like to see him have some time under Jose but I'm nowhere near as confident about him making it here as I once was. Alonso for me is a no-brainer. He is a short-term fix but that's not always a bad thing. He knows the league and he knows Mourinho - that to me makes him a perfect deputy for Lamps in the pivot and I reckon he'd be a great character to have in the dressing room and on the training pitches.

Saturday lunchtime and Wednesday evening is more than enough time to recover, especially with his stamina levels and a week off.

1. Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill/Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Schurrle, Oscar, Hazard, Torres 2. I doubt you'll find anyone who thinks we addressed our problem areas (midfield and striker) as they'd have wanted and a few loans (mainly Lukaku) weren't seen by everyone as good deals but the most important one was getting Mourinho back in and he's building something here again. There's a great sense of unity and cohesion whoever is selected at the moment. 3. He's a decent player and he's had a couple of good moments but our system isn't always kind to strikers and he's probably going to leave sooner rather than later. Any offers? 4. Lots. A few are on loan right now (Chalobah being the primary one) whilst there's the likes of Nathan Ake, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jeremie Boga, Islam Feruz....a fairly decent list. 5. This season everything has gone through Oscar. He's the reason Mata hasn't played and for all his goals and creativity it's his workrate that tends to catch the eye the most. Torres seems to be regaining something approaching form as well. 6. Ben Arfa probably. Cabaye is the player you need to stop in my view but if Ben Arfa is in the mood then he could produce some magic. 7. Title-challenging. City were the biggest threat but actually seem far more porous than they were under Mancini. United are in something of a transition whilst Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal are still a couple of players short. 8. I think they could be dragged into the relegation battle if they're not careful because (apart from Palace who are doomed) there are maybe 8 teams who could find themselves in danger. 9. 1-1....that's what I always expect when we travel to Newcastle. 10. It wouldn't. It'd be celery.

When he's not a first-choice player then you consider it. When you think you can be successful in the league and the Champions League without him then you consider it.

Been a while coming, but everything I've seen of this lad suggests he could be a star. With him, Boga and Musonda coming through we're stocked in a position we're already fairly stocked in.

Makes sense on one hand. It's a fair offer, it's a position we're stocked in and have other youngsters on the horizon and it's PSG who aren't really a threat.