Barbara

yes, but imo it only got worse with him... he made a mistake that led to a goal. But I agree they were already going down in pieces when he came, then they were going down in blocks

is it a coincidence that Mata got in and di María got subbed off and things only got worse for them defensively?

I'm choking on my own laugh. Someone help me... LOL Utd

I've noticed that, but for some reason my brain registered 'Jose always packing his team with attackers playing at home'. Then you posted this and I realized that for a moment I had a lapse and thought we were playing home, but we're actually playing away. Luís is very versatile. He can play LB, CB and DM, he offers us a lot of options in the defensive side if things go our way and we need to defend a lead. And then there's always Mikel. But he has two AMs and two STs in the bench. He wants the win.

I reckon we'll play 4-3-3 and not 4-2-3-1 as showed. It's the team I was going with, except Luís for Azpili.

oh, my man, my beloved Argentinean that I love more than words has scored for the first time in the EPL. Today is special

"Everyone makes a little bit of fun when I use it after every training; when I go out of the shower with my hair dryer." LOL André blow drying his hair EVERYDAY. LOL

Chelsea striker Diego Costa says 'provoke me at your peril' ahead of test against league champions Manchester City Gotta love Diego for his profile: all those things show and it's easy to understand why Luís thinks this of him:

you took his words out of context, Chou. I'm not saying he'll change, but he's talking about 'giving chances to other players you don't do'. He's talking about Zouma, Salah, Ake, etc... I wouldn't be surprised at all if Luís started ahead of Azpili - because Luís isn't a player who he's going to give chances, Luís is a player he bought for a considerable amount of money and who was a machine against Schalke. I've never agreed with the idea some here had that he'd move Cahill to the bench... he won't, but I don't think playing Luís would be far fetched... So I don't think our back 5 is as unchangeable as you believe, at least based on these words.

I beat the only drunk post in this thread so far has been Cicero's... but that okay. Well, I don't drink, but people always tell me I'm naturally drunk, so I can post here any time? Does it count?

he admitted in the video posted last page that he arrived here in terrible physical conditions and it was good for him to play twice for Brazil to help him and now 90 minutes against Schalke. If he starts Sunday I don't see him leaving the team anymore. I also wouldn't be surprised if he started and I'm one breath away from advocating it. He's been fabulous against Schalke imo.

did you completely change yours? I mean, mate, I really try to take you seriously, but then you post bullshit such as Mourinho being sacked unless he wins a domestic double? WTF is this shit? You're so pessimist and say so many things that make little sense that til this day I don't know if you're a troll or serious. I don't know which one would be worse either...

lol

I think he meant under the current system, all by himself... and if that's the case, I agree. I only watched them once this season and I really thought he was nothing worth mentioning. But playing against Chelsea is the kind of match those big players wait for, so I'm sure he'll show up. I just wish he didn't though. I just want the three points. We'll polish and perfect the team as the season goes, I didn't want to play City now, although they seem to be struggling a bit further than I expected. Also, what's the deal with Dzeko? Is he fit?

watching him live now on Friday Night Live. People talk about beautiful players.... pffttt. as if any of them could come even close to this masterpiece. Seriously, most handsome player ever who's played for this club. And I'm sorry for the vain post, but I can't resist him.

Where do the archived threads go? This guy right here is among my top5 fave Chelsea players ever. I remember him the most from when I started supporting the team and I will always have a huge soft spot for him in my heart. Love him too much to put into words.

Yes!!!!! It's common in cerrado. I don't like it much though.

the problem wasn't solely he didn't play, it's that Drogba - and not Remy - played instead of him.

what harm does a foul literally over the midfield line would have caused us? He should have been firmer... he was the first one to have a chance to stop their attack. I'm not blaming the goal on him, but he could have done a much better job... For someone that people praise for energy, stamina and what not, that was such a lazy attempt to stop Draxler...

I don't get most people who criticize Oscar. Today I thought he was deserving of some criticism, but it's been almost four hours since the match ended and nobody said anything. What did he bring to the table today? He wasn't awful, but José brought him when he needed changes, when someone needed to turn things around and get them going and he contributed with nothing. I had some stream issues at the end of the match, but honestly, I can't even remember Oscar in the pitch except when the camera focused on him when he was introduced in the match. He was a passenger, added nothing and was just a waste of space. I'd rather have kept Willian - who wasn't brilliant, but was there. So it actually surprises me that when he actually doesn't have a good match no word is said here (but when he's decent or even good people nitpick everything about his performance). Maybe he was so invisible today that people forgot he was even there, but then again, the usual suspects never miss anything. Hope if he plays any part against City that he makes much more than he did today, as that equaled to a very round, bold zero...

It's not his offensive contributions that are used to overlook his defensive 'deficiencies'. The problem imo is people having completely distorted expectations about what's his role in the team. His offensive RESPONSIBILITIES (not contributions) are what make his defensive RESPONSIBILITIES lighter - but by no means nonexistent. As a DLP or second pivot player, or top midfielder in a triangle he's been executing his defensive responsibilities just fine - with a few mistakes here and there (the whole team bar Costa has been making mistakes). It isn't because he has 6 assists that he's forgiven for his defensive mistakes. It's because he's here to assist and control the tempo of our midfield that he won't be hold as much responsible for defending as some expect. Mourinho has been so clear about why he was brought here, about what we needed, but it seems people can't accept it... or the problem is something else... I'm sorry for saying it, and I'm starting a new paragraph because this is aimed only at you or even at you at all, but it seems like some fans despite their complaints the whole of last season about how defensive we were set up and how dull and predictable our attack was, aren't ready at all for a new approach. Like, not even close ready for it. People want us to continue to excel defensively while being an attacking minded team - sorry, it's physically and numerically impossible. Others want our pivot/midfield to be as static and conservative as last year, sorry, but that's a change Mourinho wanted and the very reason why Cesc was brought here. And I'm sorry, but if a player is here to be a playmaker, regardless if played as a #10, #8 or false #7, we can't demand him to be an ace defensively. There's a distance between the workhorse and the guy who puts a shift defensively. Fàbregas has been executing - for most of it - what is expected from him both defensively and offensively. He only needs to polish some of his actions and get a better understanding with his new teammates. He can improve, but he can't change into this play some people are expecting (first, that's not who he is; second, that's not why he's here for). I don't even understand where they're coming from, what exactly they expect. I mean, is the expectation to play with two #6? Is for him to have the same energy, pace and stamina as Ramires? Is for him to double Oscar's tackles stats of his first four months last season? what do people want? I can't understand. Nothing seems reasonable... it seems like they want him to be what he isn't and for him to play a role he wasn't brought here to play. The root of the problem is that people want us to be a more attractive, but they aren't ready to accept the demands that comes with it. It's very simple actually. Comparisons with Lamps shouldn't even be made in the first place. Different players, different responsibilities given by José, but mainly different approaches of the game between then and now. It's like trying to get a square plug into a round switch - there's a saying for that in English, but I forgot it. mate, then I'm sorry. I'm not pointing at you or saying it's your fault. I'm sharing my perception about a whole group in the forum. I don't even remember what's your instance about him. The only one I remember who criticizes him a lot is Styles. The rest I don't register who, but the posts themselves. People are singling him out, being unreasonable about his responsibilities vs their expectations. If you fit or not in them, I can't say, but I didn't mean YOU are using him as a scapegoat. I meant that's the feeling I have. Some people here aren't 100% sold on him as a Chelsea player, regardless of what position he'll play here. They should be honest about their reservations about Fàbregas, the guy/player, instead of making it sound like he can't play the pivot or the midfield without compromising. They're simply not sold on him being a Chelsea player. Simple.

Look, I blame him for the result because I think he made an assessment mistake by starting Drogba and an even worse one not subbing him off during HT. He's human, you know, he's going to make mistakes. That wasn't the first one and won't be the last one. Although I'm pissed at the result, the match (frustration normally makes me pissed), it's the easiest group we could ask for UCL, the other two teams also drew and even if one of them had won, we ARE qualifying FIRST in the group to the round of 16. It's okay to acknowledge his mistake, but let's not make it bigger than it really is. It's was almost an inoffensive mistake. He probably acted out of emotions with Didier here. We can afford this mistake, it won't cost us in the future and it will even maybe prevent him from making it again - not that I consider him an emotional manager as some do, I don't, but maybe he was going to be tempted to start Drogba against Maribor, for example. I'm sure it's a huge, 'no, thank you' for him now. He thought it would have been symbolic, a good homage for Didier's services for the club. It backfired, life goes on. This wasn't an important match - not given the group we drew. Yes, I credited this draw on his account, but the man has so much credit with us and as a football manager that what is a 10 bucks debit on someone who has 1 million in credit? Nothing. So let's all just move on. I'm sure he already did.

that's what I meant when I posted during first half (I guess) how many goals we'd be leading by if it was him in the attack. I mean, it's not only the goals, it's how much he fires up the whole attack (actually the whole team). He's a lively presence, not only a deadly one.

You know what I love the most about this run and confidence with each he executed that play? He didn't get carried away and passed the ball just when he needed to. That's the kind of maturity I think it's always so nice to see in young prospects. That's what shows they're in the right track not only talent wise, but also in their understanding about the game. He played his part in a brilliant way and at the right moment he let someone else shine. He didn't try to do it all by himself, a common mistake among youngsters. They can't contain their excitement or even help themselves sometimes

@Daniel1980, @Dion, @The Skipper let's get a group hug and start a secret discussion group. I feel I'm understood among you guys about what we should expect from our 'number 7'.