The only place to be

Good for him. Demba Ba got two on his debut. I don't hate him, I simply don't think he was good enough for us and now he's gone I'd prefer to focus on supporting this club rather than looking forward to him succeeding to prove us wrong.

Scored a tap-in, missed a great opportunity to equalise and then should've passed instead of shooting from a tight angle. Never change Danny, never change.

You don't need to be sarcastic to express that.

They sacked AVB when they did - changed the season. I missed the booing of Buck, but that's inevitable at times like this. You call him an arse-licker but I think he's a decent, intelligent bloke who properly supports this club. The youth team may be window dressing to you, but I enjoy going to watch them play. Anyone who thinks the likes of Chalobah or Feruz are 'window dressing' and not an important part of this club's future are just wrong in my opinion. I was shocked when we sacked Mourinho and I thought Avram Grant's appointment was a bad joke. I even remember booing his decisions against Arsenal at home - before we won 2-1. I'll be honest, when I was in Moscow watching us come within an inch of winning the CL, I didn't care what Buck said. And yes, someone in this very thread accused me of being a paedophile because I'm a fan of Josh McEachran and Chalobah playing midfield for Chelsea Football Club.

Because AVB's position became untenable. He became a joke amongst the playing staff, but also amongst some of the coaching and office staff. I pay their wages too. Do you not think the Champions League was an achievement? Fair enough. What about the Youth team's successes which have been great to watch? What about the signings of some of the world's most promising youngsters? What about actually making a profit in the first FFP monitoring period? What about the commercial deals done by Gourlay? I'd be more interested to hear what you think they've done so wrong, who you think should take the blame for each and who you'd hire to replace them. I want consistency in the managerial position as much as anyone, but they simply haven't done the job (except Mourinho arguably). Sacking Scolari, Ancelotti, AVB and RDM were all arguably the right decisions (two sackings led to Champions League Finals, one of which we won after being 3-1 against Napoli). You need the right guy to be able to stick with him and it's hard to get right. I don't. I disagree with things I find disagreeable. You'll note I've kept it civil despite being called a child rapist - something you don't seem to have a problem with. As for my positions, I was prepared to give Rafa time as interim manager, I've said I think it's the best thing for Chelsea if Lampard goes now and I think the board haven't been the cunts other people suggest. I've had many great chats with lots of great fans over my many years of going to Chelsea an away matches. I'll be quite honest - this place doesn't reflect that experience by and large. Maybe it's the anonymity of the internet or it's a different type of fan, but I've never seen so many people throw this club under the bus if we go 1-0 down away to Everton or make a move in the transfer market.

In Madrid, is it also okay to finish behind Athletico? Was he playing mind games in his last season at Chelsea, because it's very reminiscent of what's going on at Real Madrid to be honest. I'm 100% positive you're wrong.

An immature billionaire?? Do you know many self-made billionaires who act immaturely? Yes it's a fun thing to own, but it's also a business which is why he's made attempts to reduce the wage bill, buy youngsters who have long-term value and expand the Bridge or move us elsewhere. He wants a long-term manager, which is why he went for AVB. I've defended the job they've done, which is actually not that hard to do when you look at what they've done. You criticise 'the board' because it's easy, not because you have a single clue what each person on the board actually does. Again, you haven't got a clue. United have a completely different structure to us because they have Fergie. They're unique in world football (except for Arsenal in some regards), but see what happens after he goes. You need a consistent presence at a club and right now the board are that for us. They're the ones with the long-term planning and since Emenalo took over as DoF, I don't think he's done a bad job. What we need is a top coach for the first-team and in-turn the academy. I agree with this. The players (Drogba, Terry and Lampard) were allowed to have far more power than they ever should have and I think that is something Roman wants to rectify. You can see the results of it last year with us achieving great success in the CL but also suffering in the league. The problem is that I think the fans are helping to reinforce the power someone like Frank has at the club and I'm not sure if that's in our best interests. You referred to Ferguson earlier - would he ever let a player attain that type of power at United?

The club is looking to change the way it does things. In 2003-2005 we bought established players to basically play catch-up to the big teams. Now with FFP, I think Roman wants us to become self-sufficient and develop our own talent. It's been 10 years since we invested heavily in the academy and we're starting to see some really exciting talent come through. You say according to media reports - I say according to The Sun. The Mail reported something differently a month ago and Marca reported something different a few days ago. I don't see Guardiola as a saviour, but as the best choice based on what we're doing in the here and now. Similarly, I don't think Lampard is the best player for that midfield position. That's all it comes down to. People like you may want to call me a troll, and others may suggest I'm a pedo obsessed with youth. The problem is I've said we should keep Ashley Cole precisely because he's the best in the world in his position. If Lampard was in the same situation, maybe I'd want him to be offered a new contract but he isn't (he was a few years ago in my view).

Came out as what? A token appointment? Think that's pretty obvious to anyone who's seen him try and offer an opinion (his sexuality doesn't particularly concern me - the only thing I'm certain he's ever tried to fuck is the English language). I think there's a narrative in the media and it appeals to middle-aged men, who want to think that 'experience' trumps youth and talent. Considering the age of pundits, that doesn't surprise me. I'm not as 'pro-Lampard leaving' to be honest. I'm simply 'anti-hysterical bleating'. I think it's the right time for him to leave because I see this summer as being a massive period of transition from what was started in 2003, to something different. This next managerial appointment will be a watershed moment in our club's history, and a legend leaving isn't actually as big a deal in my opinion. I think there are players out there who will suit next season's team better than him, and I'm not convinced his presence would be best for the club. I'm sick of it too and for most of the same reasons. I'm also sick of hearing about 'Giggs and Scholes' as if that's an argument for Lampard staying. It's one of a number of reasons I want this season over. If I'm honest, supporting Chelsea hasn't exactly been fun this year.

If that's true then we should hire him back in the summer and fire him again. Jesus.

Alan 'You'll never win anything with kids' Hansen and Alan 'I'm a totally shit manager but I've never said anything noteworthy or interesting that can be paraphrased to succinctly some up just how little I actually know about football' Shearer said that?? Until Garth Crooks offers his opinion it's impossible to know what we should do, wouldn't you say?

What the fuck has Torres got to do with it?? He's shit. Ba is our main striker in my opinion now. And yes I watched the whole game yesterday and I thought he had a good game after the first 30, but the amount of time Stoke gave us on the ball was incredible. I don't know if he's the best choice next season, and I don't know if the new manager would want him. He isn't producing week in and week out though. He was appalling against QPR and we didn't miss him in the slightest against Southampton. I love the guy (like I've said many times) but I think the summer is the perfect time for him to leave. He's coming to the end of his contract and we will hopefully have a new manager. We're moving on from one period to another and I'd prefer to see him go out when he's still the player I recognise than become a bit-part player. Have a word with yourself. I disagree with that. I've sung his name in recent weeks but that doesn't mean I want the club to offer him a new contract. In fact I've spoken to plenty of fans who aren't predicting the demise of the club when he leaves. I was never a prefect (torn up for weeks because of it) and I don't have a boss (freelancer, just can't cope with people who do suck up to bosses), but I'm fine with the decision to let him go. I'll shed a tear (like I have done many times at the Bridge, sometimes due to Frank) but the club will move on. I've also defended Buck and Emenalo because I think they've done a good job. I know it's fashionable and easy to blame the board (who hasn't partaken in that laziest of football cliches) but when I look at what we're trying to do, I can't say I'm not excited about the next decade of supporting the club. Great, reasoned post (keep up with that and you'll get your prefect's badge ). I love how this thread explodes (and I'm by no means innocent of this) as soon as the media starts with the outpourings of praise that follows a decent performance.

I thought we started the Everton game as we have done the other matches (Rami on the right, Lamps and Luiz in midfield). Now by no means was Lamps the only bad player in that opening, but maybe I expected more because of his 'experience' (and the same goes for Cole who was way off the pace). The problem with this whole issue is that it's dividing fans and taking so much of the focus. This was always going to be a tough move to make but the fact that it's still 5 months off is just dragging it out. It looks like it's a dead cert and we're looking to replace him, but some of the shit people are coming out with is simply hysterical and they're losing all perspective. Yes he's a great player, and I've loved watching him at the Bridge for many a year and he's contributed to more than his fair share of hangovers and missed trains, but the club is bigger than one man. We'll not be boarding up the windows when he leaves as some might have you believe. Frank will leave in the summer and I'll still back us to win the league if we get the right manager in. He could even sign for United and I'd say we were favourites. If I can say that at the start of the season, then I count myself as a very lucky football supporter.

What's the consensus for desired outcomes of today's games? I'm hoping for a Liverpool win to stop United getting any further away from the rest of the teams. With City-Arsenal, I'm torn. A City win keeps them in touch with United and keeps Arsenal off our tails a bit more, but takes them away from us. An Arsenal win keeps them in the hunt for fourth and pegs City back from us, but also from United. Think a City win is the best for now.

Cech Azpi Cahill Terry Bertrand Luiz Oscar Marin Mata Hazard Ba Four days between games mean we don't need to go overboard resting players, but it'd be nice to give the likes of Bertrand and Oscar run outs against Southampton. But we're still not in a position to rest Mata in my opinion because he's simply too important. JT needs to get 90 minutes under his belt and Cahill had the weekend off (congrats :tophat: ). Ba needs to start because Torres simply does too much damage when he plays.

Watch the match (and the first 30 of the Everton game and the whole of the QPR game). We really struggled in the first 30 against a really weak team and that seemed to stem entirely from the midfield. Lamps had a good game after that, but there's enough inconsistency there to suggest that he can't be the player we rely on like we used to. Ashley on the other hand is still the best in his position in the world in my opinion and we should be doing everything we can to retain his services for next year (maybe even two), especially as young Ryan hasn't shown enough thus far. The Torres point is beyond ridiculous. If we terminate his contract, we still have to pay him. For us to sell him (or loan him to a team who might pay his wages) another team has to make us an offer and that seems unlikely given his current form. I'd love for us to ship him on but that seems unlikely until the summer.

No it wouldn't. He's going to be 35, he doesn't fit the system as well as other players and we're in all likelihood going to have a new manager who may not actually want him. That's the point that's being overlooked in all of this - does the new guy really want an this massive presence who the fans love, who earns a fair wedge, in the dressing room? That's a massive shadow looming over you, as AVB learnt (although he made many mistakes of his own).

It's one think 'mending a relationship' when you've gone separate ways but it's different when you start working with one another and have that first disagreement. It's too easy to drag up old shit. Guardiola is a world-class man manager from everything I've read about him, and he'd be comfortable working in the current structure we have in place. That is preferable to pulling down everything we've put in place and letting Mourinho have total control. Personally I don't know if that chimes well with what we've got regarding the academy and our transfer system.

I'm not disingenuous in the slightest thank you. Goals and stats aren't the be all and end all of matches, and the performances against Stoke and Everton in the first 30 minutes left a great deal to be desired. We struggled to control the ball, and that was down to the midfield in large part. The QPR game is particularly pertinent because people keep harping on about his experience and his knowledge of local rivalries (QPR are a local rival btw). I believe I gave him the appropriate amount of credit yesterday, but I thought the MOTM was Luiz (another player I've criticised and had 'fans' accuse me of being disingenuous about). You're talking utter fucking bollocks there. The academy is important because we need to start producing our own talent rather than buying every single player. Plus we happen to have some amazing talent in it. I'm also not constantly pointing out that I'm 'more of a supporter', simply explaining my perspective. I've seen great players come and go, but the club has been on an amazing upswing since I started attending games and I don't see that overall trend ending. So maybe try debating the actual facts rather than lying about me, okay?

Cech and Terry will both be in their 30s (I'd still sign Cole). Cahill, Ivanovic and Ba will all be in their late 20s whilst Mata, Mikel, Luiz and Rami are all in their mid-20s. We actually have a pretty nice spread of ages across the team in all honesty, but we also have young lads who can form the nucleus of a team for a long-time to come.

Fergie doesn't have complete control, and even if he did his success wasn't instantaneous by any stretch of the imagination. Coaches nowadays aren't going to spend decades at one club, so there has to be consistency above them and we do have that in some way. The biggest problem I have with us getting Mourinho is that what is happening at Real Madrid right now isn't that surprising In fact it's rather reminiscent of his last days at Chelsea, and bringing him back when he already has a huge amount of history with Roman doesn't seem to be the best idea.

I don't see him going into coaching if I'm being totally honest. As for the rest of your post, I don't disagree but I don't think it's that pertinent going forward. The nationality of the players has always been secondary to their contribution to the team, but I'd love for the likes of Chalobah and McEachran to establish themselves in the team. For that to happen though we do need to let the older players move on. Now is the right time for Frank to move on in my opinion. That doesn't make me a twat, okay?

I corrected you because it's annoying to see people refer to the ground incorrectly. Whatever you may think of their actions, calling them a 'bunch of drunkards' is still a disrespectful thing to do. Whilst I'm not the biggest hater of Rafa, I don't want him here any longer than he has to but I'm not going to boo him in the meantime.

I don't think I'm superior, but I think I might have a point of view different from certain fans who only know Chelsea as the team of Lampard and Terry. We all have different relationships with the club and for me, the club comes first. It will always be there and the players will always be part of the family, but you have to step back sometimes and look at what's best for the club as a whole going forward. I also think there's a point about Lampard's influence and standing within the squad that is not being mentioned much. The stories around the club during the AVB time suggest that Frank's presence wasn't helpful to the changes AVB was trying to make. Now I personally think he's a twat and a shitty man manager but I do wonder if Roman and the board don't think we'll have a better chance moving forward without Frank there purely for this reason.

Personally I'd prefer to give Ashley Cole and extension and get Luke Shaw from Southampton. The kid is only 17 and has impressed every time I've seen him, plus he's English. Baines has had a great couple of seasons but we could probably tie up Cole and Shaw for the same amount of money we'd need to spend on Baines.