The only place to be

He 'had to have said something' did he? You don't know that for fucks sake. Players can't do what Mikel did and he's fucking lucky to have just got three games if we're being totally honest. As for Clattenburg, the authorities found he had no case to answer and the club accepted that. Keeping on implying that he did say something when you've got absolutely no proof is just stupid.

It's funny because we both agree on what the problem is. We differ in that I see Fellaini as being someone who could possibly be an answer to it and you don't. However you were telling me a few posts backs that he wasn't a DM so I'm not entirely sure you know anything about him.

Reading some of the suggestions in this thread makes me wonder how many people have actually played sport and know what a captain should be like. We've been lucky to have a great leader in Terry and some of the suggestions (Luiz for fuck's sake) are frankly an embarrassment. Right now, if Terry and Lampard weren't around then it has to be Cech. The captain has to be a definite starter and ideally the first name on the team sheet. That is Cech. He also has to be well-respected by the players. That is Cech. He has to be mature and someone that the coaches trust to be that leader on the pitch. That is Cech. It isn't Mikel (which is worrying considering the position he plays in the team and the number of games under his belt now). Ideally he'd be articulate, and able to communicate well with referees. That is Cech. The only other person in our team I could imagine fulfilling all of these criteria is Mata. He's a great role model for every player at the club and a cerebral, thoughtful man. But he can be a little softly spoken at times, and isn't a naturally forceful personality which some may see as a negative. Cahill could maybe do it but he simply doesn't have that 'puffed chest' demeanour of Terry (we're really been spoilt having him as our captain for so long). What this whole thread has shown is a distinct lack of leaders in our team. Chalobah could certainly be one in the future but that's at least 5 years off. Whoever comes in this summer could do a lot worse than looking for an imposing centre-half with the personality required to skipper this team.

Oh you have. Okay. You can probably understand why I wasn't sure. But this is ultimately down to personal perspectives on the player. I think he's shown not just the technical and physical qualities that we need in that position (I love the way he moves the ball on quickly) but also the mental attributes and attitude that we desperately need. I think the ability to go forward and get a goal if we need one is an added bonus. You obviously disagree on at least one of those points having seen him play apparently.

I know it's annoying, but could you post the sources for those quotes. When he said them, who he said them to etc. Yes. Everything is geared towards securing the services of Guardiola in the summer. It's the biggest open secret in football. The reason Benitez was appointed was partly due to his relationship with Torres (whether we like it or not he's a £50 million investment), and partly because he was the best available manager who would accept what was essentially a six month contract. Can you think of a single better manager who was available and a realistic target (and let's remember that Roman didn't want Robbie in charge so that's a no-go)?

Have you actually ever seen Fellaini play in a defensive midfield role? I got the impression from your earlier posts that you hadn't.

Sorry, but aren't those stats completely meaningless? Rooney for instance has been sharing the goals with RVP (13 in 19) whilst playing a much deeper role. I also haven't worked it out precisely, but aren't both Tevez's and Aguero's goals to game ratios better than Torres despite them (as you've actually demonstrated) sharing the game time with TWO MORE strikers (Balotelli and Dzeko)? There's the old saying 'lies, damn lies and statistics'. If you actually look even a little deeper into those stats, it really doesn't make any better reading for Torres.

Do you have a link to the original quotes?

He arrived in January and the fans have been cheering him since then. They've not once booed him, although there are more groans than their used to be. And sure in those games you can point to other players under performing, but it's simply a case of him struggling to do the basics in most of those. Do you want the honest truth? Chelsea fans don't hate him and probably never will do. They pity him. They feel sorry for him because it looks like whatever he used to have is gone. It's sad to watch a once great player lose it so suddenly, but that's what it looks like most of the time.

And what about Swansea, West Brom, Man City and the other games where he hasn't scored and also been one of the worst players on the pitch? Look, I get that you're a fan of him. But we're fans of Chelsea. We're the ones who've given him love and support for almost two years and we're the ones who have cheered him on. Give us a fucking break from your fanboy shit ok. I think we've been far more gracious and supportive than most fans would be. Ok?

That's simply not true. He was playing extremely well when he was a DM at Everton. It was around that time that we were first linked with him too. I swear it's like some people's knowledge of football doesn't extend beyond the first day of this season - they're going to wet their pants when they find out we won the Champions League in May.

Yet the one place I can't find a quote he made in 2007 is in 2007. In fact I can't find any google reference to it before 2012. The link you provided had no sources, no citations and no context for the quotes. I'm again not saying he didn't say them, but I would be interested to know who he said them to, when and where.

Because he's flattered to deceive before. If he had that type of performance against a half-decent Premier League team then maybe people might be a little more optimistic. But people on here and at the games have given him a huge amount of support for almost TWO YEARS!! Give us a break.

Well he hasn't been found guilty of anything, so um yeah This Mikel ban is on the light end of the scale for threatening a ref. Anyone moaning about it really needs to get some perspective. We were fucking lucky this time.

I'll be hoping for a Man City win. I honestly think the league is beyond us and that we should focus just on a top four finish. In that case, we then need to look at who we want to win the league and that for me is all about who will be in charge next season. If CIty don't win the league, Mancini is probably gone. That increases competition for either Pep or Jose. If United win the league, Fergie coud very well retire 'on top'. That's another hat in the ring for a top coach. If City do win the league then Mancini should stick around (for one more go at the CL) and Fergie will hopefully want to try and win the league at least one more time. That is the best situation for us. Plus lets not forget that United fans are twats.

The FA are stupid, but they're not that stupid.

I honestly couldn't imagine the club contemplating such action. Although.....

Don't agree with that in the slightest. I agree that we aren't going to win the league, but we have to prioritise a top four finish and I don't think we can jeopardise that with a run at a trophy that really has very little in the way of prestige left about it anymore. It's a trophy that really only interests the 'second tier' clubs, and I mean that respectfully. Look at the British teams who go far in it - in the last decade Fulham, Middlesbrough and the two Glasgow teams have reached finals. Would it be nice to win it? Sure. But let's focus on what's really important this season.

But it isn't the Champions League and the priority has to be the league. If we have a league game coming up the weekend after a Europa League game then we have to rest the main players for it.

Seriously? Also, apparently... .John Obi Mikel: Since Aug 2009, Chelsea have gained an average of 1.87 points per PL game with Mikel starting, compared to 1.98 without him :blue scalf:

Not entirely sure what I've done to upset you two guys. I apologised for my misunderstanding with 'changingman' and the only disagreements I've had with zolaeyes have been about Benitez. If my posting that sketch upset you, I apologise. It was a light-hearted joke.

Fair enough. You can't threaten referees and the mitigating circumstances probably brought it down from about 15 matches, at least.

Yes. I'd bench them both.

You didn't make it clear you were talking about this season. Also, we've been linked to this guy on and off for two years. I don't know if you were following us then or not, but he's looked for a while like he could end up here. Neither Alonso or Schweinsteiger are what I would call DMs. Alonso tends to play alongside Khedira whilst Schweinsteiger plays alongside Gustavo (or at least he did when I was watching them much of last season). Fellaini could be that DM whilst Oscar could be the deep-lying playmaker. It's a little different from what he's perhap accustomed to but I think he could do it. Plus I love his work-rate and willingness to win the ball.