The only place to be

The stats of the 'mystery players' are three players not named Shevchenko or Torres.

Have some respect...Liverpool are a 'humongous' club remember.

None of those stats are from last season. Two are from this season, one is from a little earlier. Which one takes your fancy? And Falcao is an interesting choice when you think about how he'd fit into our team, his price tag, his effect on the performance of his Atletico teammates and things of that nature. Lewandowski is a great shout and Cavani may be a good fit too, although he's expensive. But Falcao does have those swarthy Latin good looks, something I know has been raised as a negative about Rooney before. I suppose Radamel would look good with the Chelsea shirt on, and off.....if you know what I mean. :eyebrows:

None of those stats are from last season. Just tell me, which player you would like up front for Chelsea? It's a bit of fun. United fans I know say that he hasn't been in decline, but he's been used in a very different way. Van Persie has been the main striker, but Rooney has been keeping Kagawa out of the team in that number 10 role. There seems to be this myth that he's become a worse player or that he's somehow in decline and that simply isn't backed up by much. He's had fitness and injury issues but I don't think they're insurmountable. So just for fun, A, B or C?

Actually I called Rami an idiot for getting sent off. He reacted badly to the situation he was in. Which Man United game? Not the one we were 2-0 down in before we took Lamps off and replaced him with Mikel? We lost is because their midfield worked harder than our's, simple as that. The same thing happened at Southampton too. Ashley? If you're going to blame a centre-back, why not blame Azpi who was closer to the play? It was a bad team goal to concede, but the double pivot requires greater workrate. Maybe I'm being harsh on him, and I accept that. Of course he'd be back when EVERYONE was defending. That's not typical play though so it's hard to take much from it. If you look at the second goal, Luiz wins the ball back and it finds it's way to Mata who then lays it off to Lamps, but that goal is all about a moment of genius from Hazard. You can't absolve Lamps of blame because 'the team' wasn't working hard enough and then not give them credit for doing well for the goal. Like I said, I'll trust Mourinho's judgment when it comes to Lamps, but I think our future lies elsewhere for that position. Nothing changes the fact he's a legend that I consider myself lucky to have seen from his first game to possibly his last. People who want to make out I'm a 'Lampard hater' really can go fuck themselves.

Player A - 34 Apps, 9 Goals, 11 Assists Player B - 27 Apps, 12 Goals, 10 Assists Player C - 29 Apps, 12 Goals, 11 Assists Which player do you want up front?

United fans singing 'Mancini Got The Sack'. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: Mancini Wooooahhh We got the trophy back And now he's got the sack. Amateur hour at the Etihad.

Relaxed for the first time since November. :tophat: Don't we have some link with Malaga now? I think that we have still got a good chance to get him, if we so wanted.

So City let it leak out at almost exactly the same moment their neighbours are celebrating winning the title and giving their manager an amazing send-off? Twats.

I think that Fergie might have just given Rooney the fire in his belly he's been missing for a while. To drop him completely on this day, after all Rooney has done in a United shirt.....if that doesn't get him off the beers and into the gym for next season then nothing will. Who can honestly say they wouldn't want a fired up, angry, fit Wayne Rooney playing 10 yards away from Mata and Hazard next season?

So who do people want to miss out on top four? Arsenal or Spurs? Personally I'd take Spurs finishing fourth....and then getting knocked out in the qualifying rounds :eyebrows: They keep Bale for at least one more season, but I think their squad struggles unless Levy invests....which I don't think he will. Arsenal missing out puts the final nail in Wenger's coffin. Unfortunately I don't think it has the financial ramifications it did a few years ago because the stadium is nearly paid off, but it would be beautiful if they get to the point where they want to spend and can't attract top players. That means another top team could be looking for a change of manager. Arsenal dropping points against Swansea Wigan secures third for us (unless Spurs score 18 goals) and puts them under huge pressure, and we can sit back and watch with a drink in our hands. I'm gonna throw this thought out there (and I may follow up on it later)..... Next season is going to be the biggest shake-up in the Premier League ever. The top three teams could potentially all have new managers, maybe even four of the top five (Us, Citeh, United, Arsenal). Plus Everton. Throw in the new tv money and this summer will be huge. In fact across Europe there are going to be huge changes.

Yes. He's on the right of a front three, like Hulk at Porto.

No, but I'm thinking that now.

Benteke, Lukaku and Ba are all very similar. My ideal three would be Lukaku, Schurrle and Rooney. That just offers the most versatility in my view. Rooney would be the main striker, but can also drop off and play in the number 10 spot. Schurrle offers another option on the wing but can also play upfront and that leaves Lukaku with a backup role where he gets about 20-30 starts without a massive amount of pressure. If we get Lewandowski, then Lukaku could still be a great member of the squad but gets less starts. If Falcao or Cavani signs then he should put in a transfer request. So should any other young player at this club with even a shred of ambition.

Absolutely phenomenal end. So happy for Franco and Nat and all the Watford supporters. Nat's performance was simply sublime at times. He glides across the pitch at times, but showed fantastic turn of pace to hustle the opposition. I've said on numerous occassions how special this guy could be but it has to be said again. Fantastic technique, elite physical tools, top-class character and he even scores the odd screamer. Can't wait until Jose gets to see him up close and personal.

For fucks sake :banghead: I'll try and explain it one last time so that only the people looking for reasons to be offended can continue looking to make my comment more than it was. You know you get those puppies (hey look, I'm comparing Rami to a dog now so there's plenty to take mock offence at there) who are just balls of energy, bouncing around all over the place like nutters? Those dogs are great. Who doesn't love those types of puppies? Well every now and then they'll get a little excited and the owner will let them off the leash and they'll end up smacking into a plate glass window. You call them idiots but that doesn't mean you don't love them. You understand that it's just part of who they are and they'll get a little over-excited now and then. That's Rami to me. I love his energy and commitment but he will let it spill over. I don't think he's a nasty player as others have suggested, I just think he's a bit of an idiot now and then who will lose focus, get his teammates booked and then get himself sent off. I'm not saying we should sell him. I'm not saying we should admonish him, I'm just saying he's a bit of an idiot. And in that regard I can't think of a player in my time supporting the club who is as big an idiot as he is. I also can't think of a player who had his engine (maybe Essien) and his ability to muster a lungbusting run in the 92nd minute when other players would be dying on their arse. :banghead: :banghead:

Big game for him today in the starting lineup for Watford in the second leg against Leicester. Just about to kickoff on SS2.

I love his energy, his enthusiasm and he's been such an important player for us but he's not the sharpest tool in the box. Yesterday was just such a brainless performance from him that I'm not sure what you'd call it, but idiotic is up there. I don't mean that in a malicious way, but in an affectionate way and I think he's going to be important to whatever we do in the future. But it was so obvious that he was going to get himself booked for a second time that I think a bit of stick is merited on this one occasion.

That isn't what Arsenal did. They underinvested. Rather than telling people to hit their heads against walls, why don't you actually go back and look at what Arsenal did - we couldn't be more different from them if we tried.

I didn't think it was harsh in the slightest and if he didn't get a second yellow for that one, he would've got one for something else. It was so obvious he was going to get sent off and how Rafa, JT, Lamps or any other player didn't just have a word in his ear is ASTOUNDING to me. I love his attitude and I was overly harsh on him earlier in the season but he can go into headless chicken mode and then he's absolutely worthless to us. I don't think he's all that nasty as a player either, like Keane. I think he's just a little bit thick at times. Keane could be sneaky about it at times and he had a real dark side to his game....Ramires is a lovely bloke.

If we're going to play 433 then he still has a place in the team, but I think you're then losing a lot of what Mata brings to the team if you shift him out wide. Thinking back on his performance yesterday, he was 10/10 in Villa's penalty box. He's amazing there, the best midfield goalscorer of his generation and one of the best of all time. My criticism of him was that everything outside their box wasn't particularly good. I said in the matchday thread that if he didn't start giving Rami some help then he was going to get sent off. He was 30 yards behind Benteke for the goal, but that's also an issue with the tactics Rafa employed and was evident in the Spurs game too. Up until Benteke got red-carded and Villa lost their shape, we were losing the midfield battle and that's not the first time it's happened with Lamps in the team. It happened at Newcastle (where he scored a great goal, but we still lost) and it happened at Southampton too. I think people need to make a distinction that is hard to make - there's Lampard the gentleman, the legend, the ambassador and one of the best players we've ever had the fortune to watch....but there's also this 34 year old midfielder whose game doesn't seem to mesh with what we're trying to do going forward. One is a no-brainer to offer a contract to...the other isn't.

Fuck. Me. Be delighted if Whelan and Martinez win it, although I think they still might go down.

Thank god we wrapped up top four so we can actually enjoy this. Would be great to win it but that will be much tougher if Hazard misses out, as I'm pretty sure he will. Might be worth protecting him from further damage even if he's borderline, and that sums up what I think about this competition. Cech Azpi Luiz Ivanovic Cole Ramires Lampard Oscar Mata Moses Torres Subs: Turnball, Bertrand, Cahill, Mikel, Ake, Benayoun, Marin Could see Luiz in midfield with Cahill in defence and Lamps on the bench, but I'd be happy either way. Benfica are a good team and have a great chance, but we should really win this so we can have something to celebrate on Sunday. Be interesting to see if we wear the new kit too. Looking forward to another European trophy win to be honest, and another great night celebrating.

Pretty much what I think. When he came in, it was a pretty shitty moment for us. I said at the time, and various times since, that this is about as bad as it gets for us Chelsea fans nowadays. If the season could've ended when Rafa was appointed and we were top four then I'd have been happy. He's done that. I don't hate him as much as others but I've had my moments, quite recently in fact. But we've got there and now he can go. He's left us in a decent position and we've hopefully got Jose coming back. He's given us some good moments and he handled the four games in about 11 days better than anyone probably expected, but he also gave us some embarrassing losses and missed opportunities. So well done Rafa on being just about average. Please don't slag us off when you go, but don't feel the need to come back. You were paid to do a job and broadly speaking you've achieved the most important thing. Let this be a warning to future generations of what can happen when you don't plan for the future properly. I hope we win on Wednesday and I hope he doesn't get booed again this season. We've got a nice new kit, a nice new manager and a whole new set of trophies to go for. And in a few weeks time, this thread will be closed.

Oh no....not more vendettas. People are getting vendetta all over this place. Someone's going to have to clean this up.