The only place to be

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.

First you said he hadn't played DM, now you're saying he isn't a good one. My personal view (based on actually watching Fellani) is that he would be an upgrade on the role Mikel fulfils at the moment. I think we actually play Ramires alongside Mikel to cover up some of his weaknesses. I think Fellaini could be entrusted with Mikel's role and we could play Oscar alongside him. Fellaini would be the stopper who could drop back into defence and be the extra man whilst Oscar could be our Alonso/Schweinsteiger.

I just tried googling the 'I would never manage Chelsea' quote and I can't find any results for it before 2012. But apparently it was made in 2007 so maybe my Googling skills are failing me.

So you're saying he was in the right position when he lost the ball, and when Pirlo picked it up which is why he stood still for about 5 seconds? Sorry, but I disagree. That's entirely about attitude. The loose pass was awful to, which was why he apologised for it. In regards his positioning, he probably should've been a metre or two deeper in order to cover Vucinic. Luiz shouldn't have come jumping out of defence too but the whole problem stems from the team transitioning from defence to attack and then Mikel losing the ball. In that type of broken play you'll get these types of gaps. Ultimately Mikel should've never given the ball away in that position.

I actually don't disagree with most of that. What you haven't addressed at all is why Mikel just stands there having made a mistake. That's the attitude issue I've referred to. It's also cropped up in moments where he's been lazy or simply unaware and been caught in possession (Liverpool last season highlights this perfectly). It's nice that you're going into great depth about the roles of players but I'd wager most people here have a decent understanding of what his job is. But essentially my problem ties in with your comment There's no good defending . I agree. the only bad defending is when you don't fucking try which is what the fuss is all about when it comes to that Juve goal.

Sorry, but weren't you earlier suggesting that we buy Capoue and play him there despite him only ever having played for Toulouse? That sounds somewhat inconsistent, although it's nice that you now acknowledge that he has at least played in the DM role in the past.