The only place to be

I'm not sure of there's a thread elsewhere or maybe a couple of disparate ones about certain members of the board/club hierarchy but I thought now would be a good time to post a thread giving them some credit.....because they got plenty of stick a while back, perhaps rightly so.
But it's just been quite astounding to see how they've turned us from the club getting mugged off on transfers to a club who buy great players for value (Matic being the prime example) whilst selling fringe players not just for profit, but for fees bordering on extortionate (Mata, Luiz). Not only that but players like Courtois and Lukaku have doubled or perhaps even tripled in value whilst our commercial revenues continue to increase and we comply with FFP.
So I thought it would be interesting to see what other people think, in light of the performance of people like Woodward at United and the criticism Gourlay, Buck, Emenalo et al received in the past.

Spot on. Integrating youth takes time and that's something we don't afford many coaches. Jose is now entering his second year with these players so he knows them fairly well. Now he can start to take a few chances throwing one or two into the settled side.
Comparing Boga to Piazon is a bit unfair because Piazon isn't very good, he's never been that good and he'll never make it here....because he's just got nothing special about him. Exceptional talents are rare and Boga is one of them.

I'd be gutted if we went out, but going through isn't exactly going to cheer me up too much either. This match is just an annoyance right now because I'm focused entirely on the Arsenal game.
The thing is that against top teams, we're always in with a shot because we've got Jose and Eden. I'd back our defence to keep out any of Europe's top attacks and Hazard has the ability to do something magical with the ball so we're probably a dark horse for the Cup like we were in 2012.
The problem is we're just lacking depth at the moment which means we could spread ourselves too thin. If you gave me a choice between beating Galatasaray and beating Arsenal, it's Arsenal every time. If only Galatasaray's fans weren't such insufferable arseholes.

I'm not sure of there's a thread elsewhere or maybe a couple of disparate ones about certain members of the board/club hierarchy but I thought now would be a good time to post a thread giving them some credit.....because they got plenty of stick a while back, perhaps rightly so.
But it's just been quite astounding to see how they've turned us from the club getting mugged off on transfers to a club who buy great players for value (Matic being the prime example) whilst selling fringe players not just for profit, but for fees bordering on extortionate (Mata, Luiz). Not only that but players like Courtois and Lukaku have doubled or perhaps even tripled in value whilst our commercial revenues continue to increase and we comply with FFP.
So I thought it would be interesting to see what other people think, in light of the performance of people like Woodward at United and the criticism Gourlay, Buck, Emenalo et al received in the past.

Great to have him back in this capacity. He was a massive part of what was one of the greatest nights in Chelsea history and put two away against Barcelona right in front of me. Legend.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq6a40_chelsea-vs-fc-barcelona-3-1-5-4-2000_sport#.UdPjRD6Y7zU
Remember when we signed him for about £300k too and he had his debut at somewhere like Coventry I think. Managed to score too if I remember correctly, heading the ball back across goal.

Decades of experience?
It seems ok for people on here to dictate what Frank Lampard should've felt and considered whilst doing his job, yet no-one here knows him on a personal level.
I at least can base my assertions on what Chelsea supporters should feel on the decades of going to Chelsea matches both home and away, growing up around Chelsea supporters and coming from a family who have supported the club for years before me.
We're simply not the type of supporters who label legends like Frank a Judas. That's a Spurs mentality for fuck's sake. The reason I have got slightly fucked off with certain members in this thread is that the Internet age gives them a voice they simply don't deserve, so if one fan calls him a Judas or burns a shirt then people might assume we're all like that. I probably should apologise if certain members feel I've gone overboard....so yeah, soz.
But I don't want to be associated with that type of trash and neither does anyone else who actually supports this club which is why I try to make it so clear that you won't hear ANY crap like that at ANY of our matches and that really should be the only measure by which our support is judged.

I'm done with this discussion when a mod suggests that being disgusted by an abhorrent practice (when I've also expressed disgust for the slaughtering of thousands of people, the disenfranchisement of millions and the oppression of hundreds of millions around the world) is indicative of some kind of unhealthy obsession.
That is simply uncalled for and cowardly.

Excuse me?
What the fuck?
FGM is an abomination and I want to see it removed for the lexicon of human language and for you to suggest something like that is beyond disgusting. To treat it so frivolously and to suggest that I have an 'unhealthy obsession' with it is reprehensible.
Would you say that someone who is disgusted with the sexual abuse of minors had an 'unhealthy obsession' with it?
Would you ever repeat something like that to my face?

Coleman needled him and got him booked, so Costa gave it back in the best way possible.
Opposition players will wing him up, opposition fans will hate him but I already fucking love the guy. He is an absolute Mourinho-player.
Cunt, but our cunt.

He's the reason our defence is conceding so much.
He's the reason. Our defence. Is conceding. So much.
Matic is responsible for our defence letting in so many goals.
After three matches. Where we've kept one clean sheet and conceded a great goal at Burnley, we're conceding 'so much'.
Fuck me .
We conceded 3 goals against Everton, lost the midfield battle, struggled to use possession effectively for most of the first half in a way we didn't in the first two games. Why is that? What changes were made? Oh right, Ramires came in, had 68% passing accuracy, was caught out of position numerous times but you thought Matic (our most important midfield player) could be replaced?
Matic doesn't get replaced. Matic has started every league game since he came to the club. He's not quite at his dominating best yet but we're playing a new style of football and it takes time. Matic is not the issue. Ramires, who has been the issue many, many times previously is still the issue.

I'm done with this discussion when a mod suggests that being disgusted by an abhorrent practice (when I've also expressed disgust for the slaughtering of thousands of people, the disenfranchisement of millions and the oppression of hundreds of millions around the world) is indicative of some kind of unhealthy obsession.
That is simply uncalled for and cowardly.

Excuse me?
What the fuck?
FGM is an abomination and I want to see it removed for the lexicon of human language and for you to suggest something like that is beyond disgusting. To treat it so frivolously and to suggest that I have an 'unhealthy obsession' with it is reprehensible.
Would you say that someone who is disgusted with the sexual abuse of minors had an 'unhealthy obsession' with it?
Would you ever repeat something like that to my face?

I love Frank. Legend no matter what. Can't believe some people are stilk crying about this.

Top GK for 10+ years....
Almost feel bad for the other clubs...

^^ yeah maybe he can flourish in a CDM position - he's a lot better than Gustavo, Paulinho as a CM. And it could free him from the positioning responsibilities he sure struggles with.

I don't care about Silva's reaction when he did not play, when he was consoling his teammates after the trashing. I cared a lot about his reaction when it mattered most, at a crucial time against chile! The time we needed him most he failed as a leader. This is not just my opinion, but the entire country as well as Dunga's. Funny that I see David Luiz in a very different way: his technique is superb! that freeckick goal against colombia only VERY few players are capable of. His deficiencies all lie in the mental aspects of the game. I agree he has the attitute, the right determination and aggression, but that's about it. He's very poor in positioning, tactics, attention, which limits him as a defender. It's silly to call him a terrible defender though, because then we go into the "I know better than the transfer market/world/professionals" type of thing.
I digress we should really be talking about our 22-year-old star who will very likely determine whether Brazil is a title contender or not in the coming years.

I'm pretty sure Chelsea offered him a new contract, he wasn't prepared to lower his wages which is fair enough, he wants that final big payday and he's earned it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2744821/Juan-Mata-outcast-like-Chelsea-following-Manchester-United-s-summer-spree.html

And?
You can't reap the rewards of a man's professionalism and celebrate it for 13 years then criticise him for those very same qualities when he leaves.

Physically IMMENSE ,, Highly Intelligent ,, Two footed Great header ,,, strong in the tackle/ High level of technical skill .. great penalty taker ..able to Captain his country .
Good at set pieces . Fluent in several languages .. The personality to keep Drogba in line .
.. well perhaps he isnt complete ,, but was always good enough for me

Makes little difference at all, he isn't a Chelsea player and it's his choice who he plays for.
People need to start drying their eyes and quickly.

SSN reporting this morning he'll sign a new 5 year deal in the next few days.

Who cares how he played for Spain? No injuries and im happy.

You might be right the price tag might mean Martinez gets told by Kenwright not to do it. However the difference between the two against us was astronomical and a few more like that and Martinez would think about it.
Either way, he may only be 21 but realistically how good can he get? how many players go from having awful technique and back to goal play to what's required at the top level? How many top strikers had such bad technique at 21 yet turned it round by the time they hit their prime?
He has his strengths but unfortunately he has too many flaws to his game to ever make it to the very very top. A good PL goalscorer like Darren Bent will be his ceiling in my opinion.

One bad game? mate i've watched Lukaku for the past three years, his overall play is awful. Lukaku needs space, even his old manager Steve Clark and Neville both said they understand why Chelsea sold him, you may say he struggles against teams who sit deep but i'll go even further, imo he only plays well when he has space to run into.
Also his mouth is too big for his boots, you dont need to watch him play to determine that ffs. Jesus, these Lukaku fanboys.

That opinion has hardly been created by the match against us.
Either way im done with arguing about Lukaku, he will be benched for Eto'o before long anyway.