The only place to be

Makes sense - we've already got a Joke for a manager. Surely Zola and Poyet are in the barrel before we have to go scraping around at the bottom.

I hope you're right, but I don't think he's the type of guy who will be won over just by the promise of riches. It's part of what I like about him. I also worry about how much time Roman would give him if he did agree to come. I live in hope that he might come in, but I think Mourinho is probably the most realistic option and I don't see that having a happy ending. It didn't have one last time, what we've got in place isn't what he likes working under and I'm not a fan of 'going back'.

I've got a disgusting feeling that we are.

Surely there are plenty of reasons why this wouldn't work, chief amongst them being he doesn't seem to be able to work with Roman.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

I don't blame you. It's starting to look like we won't get him which is one more step towards us being stuck with that fat cunt Benitez. Honestly weighing up how much I think I'll enjoy going to the Bridge next year if that tumour with glasses is still in the dugout.

And you wonder what I asked if you were on the wind-up. He's still young and he's still developing physically but he has the football brain and technique to make it at the very top. De Bruyne and Lukaku are both more physically developed than Josh, whilst I'd question whether Piazon was much better than him. I think you're being massively unfair to him and really judging him much too early.

If Ba can only start 2 of the next 3 games, surely it has to be the league ones (the same applies to Mata).

Personally I think it's yet another example of this club doing some great work securing some of the best talent going. Seems to be a win-win for all parties, and it's nice to dangle the possibility of signing this guy in front of potential managerial candidates.

Any news on Jon Walters availability?

Because there's still five months until this matter is resolved and there's not much else to talk about.

If he was English, we'd be proclaiming him as the next.....I don't know. I can't think of an English player like him. Maybe David Bentley? That's not to say he's as shit as David Bentley, but we don't really produce players like him. Suffice to say if he was English, he'd be overhyped. He's a very classy player who glides across the pitch and that means he sometimes glides in and out of games too. He needs to work on asserting himself more in games and really grabbing hold of them. When he gets the ball you don't expect him to lose it and sometimes he'll do amazing things, but not often enough perhaps based on the expectation surrounding him. But he is still very young and he's in a similar position to Josh in many respects. He's got a lot of talent but he's got to find a way to utilise it more effectively during matches. I can think of worse men to spend 6 months under (ooh err) than Pelligrini. Could just be a way of pushing us to the front of the line come Summer. I'd be loathe to lose him whoever we brought in. Ultimately even if he doesn't get game time, he gets a chance to train in a new environment under a new set of coaches at an age where he's still learning what being a footballer is all about. He wasn't about to get much time on the pitch here and I'll be honest, I trust our club to place youngsters on worthwhile loans most of the time.

Fortunately people like you have no bearing on the legitimacy or worthiness of my support. If I get to the ground tomorrow and someone doesn't think I deserve to be allowed in, then I might give a shit. I'd probably twat them, but I'd feel bad for at least half-hour after. I've said he's a great player and I've been effusive in praising his time at Chelsea, but also fair. You don't agree with me. I don't mind that but you've done it in a way that reflects poorly on Chelsea supporters. The thing is I defended us signing him all those years ago and it's something I'm very glad I did. But going forward, I don't think his presence is imperative to our success. Here's the rub though - you and I had a bet on Chelsea finishing in the top four this season. If we do, you leave. The reason you're going to lose is because you bet against Chelsea. Me.....I've never done that. Oh, and paedophile, cunt and wanker are all nouns. :tophat:

I think you're absolutely spot on. Ba could probably do 60 minutes tomorrow and still be fine for Sunday. If he's suffering after that then he'll have to miss the Swansea game, but I could live with that. The league has to be the priority.

It's very harsh to say he hasn't been good enough for Madrid. He's gone to a new club who are struggling, and I don't think you can blame him for that. The simple fact is that he has shown he's capable of playing at the highest level in the Premier League. Moutinho has spent his entire career in Portugal. if you were being fair and applied the same standards to him as you have to Modric, I can't see how you would suggest he is a better fit for us.

Management's.....who in particular are you questioning? We've signed one of the brightest young goalkeeping prospects in the world for £5 million, and he's now worth at least three times that (probably more). We've got as close to a ready-made replacement for Cech as you're going to get. Football is the business of buying and selling players. I don't understand how anyone can question his acquisition. From almost any perspective, it makes great sense. Once again, you might not like (or understand) the answer but for the life of me I can't understand why anyone with even the slightest knowledge of football would ask the question.

People have learnt their lesson from the QPR game.

That's one way to look at it. Another is to point out that if you link a player with us, the deal gets completed not soon after. :eyebrows:

It's absolutely ridiculous to suggest that the Courtois deal wasn't thought over by the Chelsea 'management' (I'd be intrigued to know who specifically you think didn't think it over). With regards the point about Cech and Courtois, I've said for a while we'll have to make a choice in the next 18 months. But it's a great problem to have. Cech could be our keeper for the next 5-7 years, Courtois could be for the next 15 years. If we do go with Courtois, Cech will still have a decent value in the market and I could see him going to a big club like Juventus (although Buffon is still only 34) or one of the Spanish teams. Bearing in mind that one won the Champions League last season and the other won the Europa League it's unrealistic to think either will be happy sitting on the bench again. If we do sell Courtois, we've almost certainly doubled our money but there's absolutely no guarantee we get another keeper who has his potential and then goes some way to fulfilling it at a top club before coming back to us.

I'd say he's definitely better than Pele. All he has to do is score a thousand goals and it'll be beyond doubt - apparently that includes friendlies, kickabouts in the park and goals scored on FIFA 13 too. I like how Pele sells Viagra now - his fake erection matches his fake goalscoring record.

I always wondered what happened to Michael Johnson and Shaleum Logan. Apparently Michael Johnson ate him.

Gotta be looking for Brentford here. One of those derbies you don't get too often, plus they're managed by Uwe Rosler of all people. Shame he's lost the mullet though.

Wow. And I'll say this now just to make myself unpopular - good work by the board in securing not just a pretty awesome sounding match (which I'm hoping they'll give Chelsea supporters preferential treatment for tickets to) but also a new revenue stream. Plus the Women's Champions League Final - wonder if Torres will be playing?

If they end up murdering each other.......us? (just kidding). Wait until we sign Isco - then the Spanish fans will wade in.

I'm happy to agree to disagree over Lamps. I actually think we both view him as one of the greatest Chelsea players of all time and I'm sure we'll shed a tear when he goes like all Chelsea fans will. But I've never known Chelsea supporters to call fellow Chelsea supporters paedophiles because they disagree with them about a player. I don't think I'm some 'super-fan' and I've only defended myself when certain posters on here have called into question my support, simply because I have an opinion that doesn't match their's. But I've known enough Chelsea supporters in my time to know that you don't resemble one of them in the slightest if that's how you conduct yourself.