Blue Colored Sky

I wanted to ask these two questions for a long of time to Belgian users here : 1. Is Hazard of Arabic descent ? He really doesn't look like a typical Belgians I've seen, at least from Antwerp region. When I look at him I think it's obvious that he has some greatgranfathers from Mediterranean region. 2. Is he Muslim ? I read this some time ago. Well his ethnicity would explain why he's Muslim if he is indeed.

But Adidas shirt deal with United surprised everybody. Not least Bayern or Real Madrid which are comparably big brand as United. Adidas had a lot of explaining to do. Bayern signed new shirt deal with Adidas recently even though they had still 5 (!) years left on the previous one. As for Chelsea, I can say that they have 40m£ from Yokohama which is comparable to United's 47m£ from Chevrolet on shirt sponsorship front. That's why that new guy Purslow was appointed for. Adidas deal with Chelsea will be renewed in some time I think which will fill this gap. Therefore I think 10m£ on training shirts is fair amount and comparable to United's. I think it's a fair assumption.

Ivanovic brand new 5 year deal to follow ... Have we signed 'new' Marko Marin yet ?

You probably missed it but pitch size was confirmed to be at 105m x 68m which is standard size now. Suprisingly even Camp Nou has the same measurements while it looks like their pitch could be very well used as an emergency landing station ... New opened stadiums like San Mames or Bordeux have the same pitch size.

Wow we actually had 1 shot on target. Playing with no striker and no attacking full-backs that's great. We're improving. But tbh we're hitting the wall in our 'improvement'. Can't you see that we're playing things the same way over and over again for over 2 years ? Rigid football, looking for situation to break ? Even if the situations do come off and we luckily win it isn't how we should play. Always in submission against decent opponent but yeah why should we care that this further enhance opinion about Chelsea ruining football and playing like a small team. We were reaping benefits last season from this but everyone who thinks could see that it can't last longer but yeah we try to play the same but this time we're not scoring those lucky goals. Why are we pretending we're big club ? Hate football now. See you in a week or so.

Trying to make an image of a big club with sponsorship deals, big budget, talented youth and positive style of play BUT having Mourinho as a manager. You can't thing about two more contradict forces. Only in Chelsea.

Another manager dissing Chelsea for playing as a small team. Which is right thing to say really. We're playing like a small team regularly. I nearly forget that Chelsea has 5th highest budget in the world ... I hate football now. Match was beyond terrible for me. Rigid, turgid, dull, unwatchable. Funny thing that with bit of luck on set piece or if we had more individual quality (Suarez, Neymar) we could have won it. Straight from Mourinho textbook this game. Make this as unwatchable as possible and maybe score some retard goal ala last game against Spurs at Wembley. It's not how football should be played. Not by big team. I'm very, VERY disappointed. When this nightmare ends ?

But I have to say club is trying VERY hard to fuck him up. That Rennes team really doesn't want to play possession football. Jeremie has not one player on the same wavelenght. It's getting me mad when I see this. When he has the ball he always do something with this but nah, fuck him, let's shoot from 30 metres ... Goal saved what was a very frustrating half.

GOAL ! Well done. All his talent in that goal

Is bulking up that easy ? Asking for a friend. But seriously, Mourinho already said it a couple of times that Christensen has to put a muscle. Eddie Newton, who is head of Chelsea loanees department, says that they are talking to every player out on loan what they have to improve and to Christensen he's saying the same thing as Jose I imagine. Well, Andreas has that need of becoming stronger reminded every couple of weeks probably. I just don't know if that is so easy if someone doesn't have natural predispositions for it.

IMO we will buy Alex Teixeira and that's it. He looks like a tailor-made January signing. Probably will complete Jonathan Calleri (that Argentinian striker) move and sent him on loan IF the reports are correct.

Guy is nothing like Aguero. I only watched him on Youtube but he looks like bloody perfect copy of Mauricio Icardi. As Chelsea were VERY interested in the latter, it would be understandable if they search for the striker without Europe experience tax. Probably looking for the same type and close quality. I'm not sure that he's anything more than a good poacher.

Łukasz Piszczek was playing as a striker by the age of 24. Then he was one of the best full-backs in the world. Just a food for thoughts.

His best performance since West Ham on Boxing Day. That was 11 months ago. Brilliant ! Let's see if he can put a stamp on a match like this against better opponents who will give him individual marker.

Not bad but still think we'd be trailing by now against any decent side. Individuals are in form, especially Hazard so we're looking decent and semi-threatening but still see that everyone plays their own game. There's too big gaps between players.

If he can back to his former self from first half of the last season till January when he was collecting every ball that was in the Chelsea box then surely he gives huge boost to the squad. We wouldn't concede so many lame goals from crosses/corners.

He looks like TEXTBOOK January signing. Definitely can see this happening. I always rated him the most amongst all of the Shakhtar offensive players. Had something about him, that magic touch, unconventional vision, knack for something extraordinary. I'm talking about little things that you had to pick up. That was from 2011-2013 period when I watched Shakhtar several times. Always thought that he should be signed before any of the other players from that Shakhtar side. But I wouldn't give my blessing. I don't know if he is the one that Chelsea need. Isn't your typical number "10" and what is other position in attack that Chelsea need strengthening ? I'm sceptical, he'd definitely strengthen a squad, give few more options but not entirely sure about first XI. But as I said, he is TEXTBOOK January signing and is quite attainable.

Forget it. Chelsea didn't match asking price last summer. I think late offer for Marquinhos just proved they moved on to him. They will chase the Brazilian.

I'm saying based on what I read about Belarussian, Polish, Czech, Ukrainian Bulgarian etc. clubs. Their owners want to get to the Champions League. That's their ultimate goal. Winning the league on the occasion is a platform for that. Every club measures themself with what they can do. I would never say that just winning the league is a failure, no it's a success. Winning the league is a standard goal to achieve. Though ultimate goal, roof of the club is the Champions League. For some it's just a participation and for some try to win it. That's the limit. About breakaway European League I think we're getting closer. There will be whole reconstruction needed. It's yet another thing in Europe when nations are united, boundaries diminished. Though I think 10 years from now realistically speaking.

About discussing PL and CL ... Lol. Top clubs try for years how to create breakaway European league. There's a lot of noise and rumours that such league will come to fruition eventually and we're even discussing which thing is better ? Owner of this club said that Champions League is his best football memory, our manager is saying every time that his best memory was winning Champions League with Inter. Players are attracted by the Champions League and choose clubs based on that. Our best player joined here because we could offer him that. Maybe in England it's a discussion, after all English clubs were banned from European competitions for 5 years after Heysel tragedy but in Europe like 99% desired, holy grail goal for fans and players alike is the Champions League.

So you don't blame him that he didn't win CL with Bayern ? Because that's what I fail to understand from you as I think blaming him for losing in the semis is directly blaming him for not winning Champions League and you're saying that whole format of CL is wrong and unfair. After all it was only 4 games he played against them and you're blaming him for failing in those 4 games in unfair competition (when injuries plays a big part which hit them sorely) ?

Because Klopp took over club that was borrowing money from Bayern to not be relegated few divisions down or even ceased to exist. That's why he was given that final season even though every sign was that it was all over between him and players/club. Jose is managing club with 5th biggest budget (or 7th if you include that fake Man City and PSG incomes) with young squad and yet he delivers the worst attacking performances from players of that caliber with no results either. Everyone knows that parting way with Klopp was great decision as Dortmund is one of the best sides at the moment. How would you say that it's not the same with our manager ?

1) If you're asking from the start of the game then YES, Jose always treats big game as the game of chess and try this to become as unwatchable, dire and stalemate as possible. That game against Atletico in 13-14 season at Calderon with 0-0 was the dullest game in the CL I have ever seen. Yet that was probably perfect game for Jose or almost perfect if we could nick one goal away from one of the few corners/freekicks. 2) If he will be kicked out of the club, then rejected by few big clubs who don't want his style of play at their clubs and takes sabbatical to rethink his old tactics then YES. I can't think of any other reason why would he change. 3) NO, never. I hate when we're in submission. I don't care about result as I'm too frustrated to watch this (unless it's CL semi or final). I never demand that we control the ball etc. but when we're playing purely on the counter I like to see that we're pressing and attack with numbers.

Earlier in the day you said that Guardiola was owned two times in the CL semis with Bayern which shows his naivety and now you're saying whole format of the competition is wrong ... :?

I don't know if giving him full season is the sign of patience or board's happy permission for mediocrity. I think neither. What I'm most convinced of it is 'political' reason in that. They want that CPO shares and it's crunch time in talks. Fans are fully behind the manager and they don't want to fall from grace with them before that. I wonder ... We're probably restricting ourself to Diego Simeone. It's almost impossible to see Guardiola taking over after Jose. I think it's necessity to be smooth period before that. We'll see.