Barbara

lol Eden and what a beast Luís is. Sorry, Azpili

Hazard's been on fire. It'd really be a great shame if he doesn't score today. It was unlucky now

yes, it was his assist.

Just saw Schalke's goal. Rui Patricio had a nightmare... but against us he was the second coming. edit: also for old times' sake

Terry: a through ball assist, a goal in a counter-attack run. Captain. Leader. Legend. Maestro. Striker

Those Hazard boys. they love to have a laugh

Terry run to score our third. We're unstoppable and simply amazing.

we don't... a player that has been getting so little playing time like Remy is likely to have a muscular strain when he starts playing more often, which is why we should allow them to play more often. I think it's too premature to assess, much less label our new players prone to injury. Costa played 34 matches in La Liga last season. That's a far cry out from injury prone...

class by Eden allowing DD to take it.

great goal by Remy

It's not uncommon for Oscar to play well at this time of the year. I really hope he carries on this form throughout the whole season. It's after December that he struggles... But I'm happy with his current form after a horrible spring and the WC disappointment and humiliation. But we all know he's capable of those things, he just needs to consistently deliver them or at least be less inconsistent (at age 23 ups and downs are expected, the problem is that he goes through long spells of each)

I don't get what's there to discuss either. So Cesc doesn't think we can be label invincibles. That's true. It's been only 8 matches through. There's no point to discuss this with another 30 matches to go... Also there was nothing wrong or eye catching in what he said. I don't get it.

can I have some too?

but that's the point. The team's changed. Now Mourinho trusts his team to win those matches... and we did, convincingly even. If not for that soft tackle by Luís, it'd be 2x0, easy match, comfortable win and off to UCL. Even with the goal, it was all those things. We were never seriously threatened except when our defenders made individual mistakes. And Cahill and Courtois did them, it's just that Luis was more unlucky and his actually cost a goal. The players were tired, they were mistake prone and in addition to that they controlled possession without threatening Speroni much because they were tired. It was a very nice win imo, last season we would have struggled and chances are we wouldn't have won.

It's you... he continued doing the L for his wife Ludmila... He just shook his hand faster this time around.

Mourinho just showed how he trusts his new team to get things done. Costa could play - I have no doubt of that. Mourinho gave us a comprehensive explanation about why he played him in the thrice (Villa, Sporting, Arsenal) in 8 days. Villa was then the best defense in the league - even if they had conceded three against Arsenal the previous game. We needed to make up for the Schalke draw at home and Arsenal - whether they're pathetic and an excuse of a contender - are still one if the big investments (sort of, lol) teams. He needed his match winner in those matches to make sure things would go our way. So now Mourinho could rest him against Palace because he has faith in his team. Selhurst is a place we not only lost some months ago, but we were outplayed and outsmarted. It was a risk not having Diego even in the bench. The Maribor match - even if I expect a very low block and ten buses parked - is safer to leave Diego out. Cesc continues to be our best player (imo), Oscar is in a crescendo and in very good form and Hazard can win any match, at any given moment. Taking a couple of risks will give Diego the two-week rest he deserves and needs. Actually if we were playing anyone but United next Sunday, I bet he wouldn't play even then... But my main point is just how he trusts this team now to get things done without its main scorer in a tricky away trip.

but he could also capitalize from this mistake. I'm positive he will work much harder now, knowing his mistake cost us a goal and knowing he has 3 matches to show he can cope with the physicality. He won't want that repeat exactly because he knows it could cost him the position. I expect to see Cesar playing against Maribor now - even if Luís has been the guy for the UCL matches. He needs to be in his best physical condition to face United. I don't worry about QPR and the League Cup games.

I don't think he did bad. Actually if you don't consider that soft tackle on Zaha, he was very good. That's the thing that's been preventing him to play EPL though... it's still much more physical than La Liga and what he was used to.

Always

valid point. I only kept in mind the good ones It's normally what I do anyway you just made me laugh now

I haven't. My point was how they touch the ball, how Oscar is stepping up in the midfield and scoring goals that are winning us matches and I found a picture of it on internet to illustrate it. Something that also doesn't deviate from the point is you picking up this kind of discussions in threads. It's annoying, boring and old. Have you ever realized how many times you start pointless discussions for the sake of nitpicking people? It's a trademark. An annoying one.

absolutely nonsensical, Jason. Yep, you actually have a point - as if his goals wasn't one of the reasons why Lamps has always been important to us, whether it's free kick, a penalty or open play. Whatever you say...

I don't get why people are mad at del Bosque... I mean, this is the dynamics of International football. If Costa played two full matches (basically) is because he could do as much. Mourinho mentioned fatigue before the match today, not a hamstring situation. Do I like he has to go to Spain? No, I actually hate it, but there's nothing new in him going and if he's too tired to play, we can only hope he recovers soon. Del Bosque didn't do anything bad imo, after all Mourinho also chose to play Diego 3 times in 8 days... It sucks, but it is what it is.

never said it was the same... so I really don't get your point about it. It seems like you only saw the picture and actually didn't read the text...