The only place to be

Complete and utter tosh. I know you have other teams to follow but pay attention to our matches perhaps. He's been fantastic for us this season and doesn't deserve half the stick he's getting on here, whilst by the same token Azpi isn't nearly as perfect as some are making out. In fact Azpi's crossing ability was often cited as being in need of work, yet now it's exactly what we need when the problem actually lies with the lack of a real target man in the box. We have problems in this team but right-back isn't one of them at the moment. This whole discussion is very reminiscent of the one about Gary Neville which went on for years because he wasn't a flashy 'Cafu-type' of full-back. You don't always need that, sometimes you just need dependable types in those positions and in Ivanovic we have probably the best one around so far this season. The half-a-dozen goals a season he can chip in with (which already include a winner at home to Villa) are just a bonus.

Except he has been though. He's the form right-back in the league for me and the first name on the team sheet at the moment. Azpi is a good player but I think you're over-exaggerating a tad. Or it means that he sees tactical versatility in using Ivanovic - but are those extra points we got at Norwich really all that important? And there are plenty of people who will rub their hands with glee when it happens, but right now he's been a rock for us. He doesn't stop working for the team and he provides an extra danger at set-pieces. Again, this seems to be based on the premise that Azpi is the better right-back. I'm sorry but not everyone agrees with that.

We finished 6th and 3rd and got eliminated at the group stage of the Champions League. Yes we won the Champions League but Mata was fairly anonymous in both the final and the semi-final. Apart from the stats you've pasted in there, I don't think a single word of that is true. I don't think any supporters give a fuck whether or not a player is their national team's star man or whatever. Mata is a great player but he can blow hot and cold sometimes and he can disappear in matches. Oscar is always working hard for the team and that's what a lot of people appreciate - he also happens to be scoring goals and providing bits of magic in each game.

Cardiff, Everton, Everton (last season).... oh wait, are those not big matches? Because people still pay the same prices for the tickets and travel to turn up and support the team. Maybe this is the mentality Luiz needs to adopt because if he wants to be captain of this club then he needs to treat every match like it's as big a match as the kid turning up to see his first match is treating it. It's all very well having 'personality' (big hair and he does thumbs up a lot) but real personality is turning up and giving 100% every time. If he needs an example of that then there's a guy stood next to him who has done that for the last decade, and one in front and one behind him too.

Away games where we need to defend a bit more and maybe play on the counter, then it's Oscar all the way. Home games where we dominate possession and look to break teams down....well actually that's Oscar too at the moment. I actually backed Mata to have a stormer on Saturday because I thought that would be his style of game. Right now I think De Bruyne deserves a chance ahead of Mata.

I think that shows a complete lack of understanding of English football. Which pundits are you referring to? One of the harshest critics has probably been Alan Hansen, so are you saying he's not used to defenders like Luiz??? You can reference these defenders who might have aspects of Luiz's game, but they were switched on guys who defended first. I don't know if Luiz couldn't be bothered on Saturday or was just having an off day, but this is who he is. He will make mistakes that will lead to goals. He'll also look like the best defender on Earth sometimes.

Defend first (he's a defender....clue's in the title).

BLASPHEMY!!!!

Playing right-back is more than just about crossing, and I seem to recall people on here being quite harsh about Azpi's balls into the box last season. Once again a player is becoming world-class simply by not playing very much. Ivanovic has been one of our key players this season yet people want Dani Alves....sorry Azpi, to play because he crosses better (even though it was an area of concern just 5 months ago).

You've already got Pogba though.

Cech Ivanovic Cahill Terry Cole Ramires Lamps Schurrle Oscar Hazard Eto'o If Cole is fit, he's in the team. Bertrand had a nice game but the kid is 24, made 200-odd appearances and is still a fairly flavourless, anonymous player. Cahill probably deserves a chance after Luiz's abject performance. I actually think Luiz would probably step up and have a big game but if you don't drop players after such apathetic performances then when do you drop them? First-choice midfield again and then Schurrle, Hazard and Oscar are the form AMs.

But he hasn't looked good in his limited appearances - i'm judging just the appearances, not his overall ability or form.

He's also a massive cunt, but everything else you said was spot on. He's the token appointment. They didn't appoint a woman, but they got a bloke without balls so that's something I suppose.

Josh is great with the football at his feet but it's those pesky players who keep trying to take the ball off him that's the problem. If they weren't around he could be the greatest footballer in the world.

Not sure why everyone is having a pop at him - I thought we all understood that this is who David Luiz is. Did anyone see anyone with a surprised look on their face in the ground yesterday? Was it more of a look of 'not again' that people had? We all love his personality and his commanding performances, but he's going to do this once in a while. Everyone's seen those loveable puppies who are full of personality but one day they're going to shit on the rug. What they need is a strong owner to keep those instances limited but it's going to happen again so let's not go to nuts on him right now because you need something in the tank for the next time he does it.

What conclusion are you referring to? That Azpi hasn't looked good in his limited appearances?

That's a tiny bit of it, but it's also about the relationship you have with the club and it's supporters. You invest so much of yourself in the club (literally sometimes) and the rivalries are extremely local. Going to national games is a complete different experience to going on away days with your mates as well. Like Tomo said this is a fairly typical discussion point amongst football supporters.

Not at all. If you disagree with my assessment then say but don't bother trolling me. It's becoming fucking tedious.

Club. Easy answer. Doesn't need a moment's thought. Chelsea is my family, it's part of my life and has been since I can remember. It's part of my (real) family's life and is something I will pass on to the next generation. Some cunts might think we're plastic ( ) but I consider myself very lucky to be part of this support. England could win the world cup and it would be great, but it simply wouldn't compare to winning the league. Or the Cup. Or a game away to United....actually I'd take 3 points against Cardiff over a World Cup if you gave me the choice. Chelsea is football to me. International football is just one more game a player can get injured in.

About 200. Good player but never been standout or exceptional.

He's the last puzzle? Do we need another puzzle? I'm puzzled.

So he'd score more goals than our other strikers, but isn't good enough for a world-class team? Firstly, we aren't a world-class team. We're a team in a building phase so why he couldn't be part of that I don't know. If that is the case, why couldn't he grow around us? Why couldn't he train everyday under some of the best coaches in football and alongside some of the best players around? If you want to compare him to those teams then why don't you? Benzema has 2 goals in 8 games. Mandzukic has 4 goals in 8 games. Lukaku has 4 goals in 5 games.

Sounds like bollocks and not very us.

It's a funny thing....Mata is probably better than Oscar right now. But if we played Bayern or Real Madrid or Barcelona tomorrow, then I'd pick Oscar ahead of Mata every single time. Mata may well be the better player, but I think we're a better team with Oscar at this moment in time.

I agree. It could be like the Villa home game last season where an early goal blew the doors open, or it could be a very tight affair where we have tons of possession but struggle to get into the box. Then you're looking for a moment of magic from one of the usual suspects to unlock them. We need to be high tempo from the very beginning, get a goal and then force them to open up a little because the one thing they will probably be is disciplined in defence.