Barbara

Yep, I think Ramires is happy to be here and I guess he wouldn't mind not starting at all matches? He'd still have a lot of minutes played. He's a good squad member, he's useful and suitable for some situations, it'd be stupid to let him go (although I wouldn't mind a replacement with a little more polished game... then again I don't know if said player exists).

I'm happy he's been finally capped for the NT, and in hindsight he didn't miss much by not going to the WC given the humiliation Brazil went through. Still I can't wait for him to play for us more often and consistently. I'm very anxious to see how he'll link up with Hazard. As much as I love Azpili and I think his contributions are immense defensively, offensively he's very shy and coy... Luís would release the beast on Hazard imo. As for the match today, can't say, didn't watch it...

Hard to answer, but I'd say it would be much easier for him to fit into Brazil's (current lack of) style than Spain's tiki taka nonsense. I think Costa is exactly the opposite of a striker suited for tiki taka and vice versa, the style being the one less favorable for him. I'm sure with time he'll progress, but I don't think he'll ever flourish there as long as they keep the same system. Brazil wouldn't be much different, but we have a much easier time embracing physicality and much less hurdles to that than their exhausting passing. Brazil can be much more direct and he could make his runs more often. He'd do better for Brazil imo, but I don't know to which extent. At the end of the day it was his decision - a stupid one imo - but it seems like he feels more Spanish than Brazilian. Good for him then, I don't judge him, it was his prerogative and Scolari never really gave a shit about him until a few months before the WC. Given how poor Brazil is in the striker department lately, it was quite stupid for the managers to have ignored him for so long. It's not like we have some amazing strikers and couldn't test a guy that was doing well in Spain, even at Rayo Valecano and whatever other team he was loaned there.

Well, in some level I'm sure it could be related, thing is knee problems more often than not cause tendinitis - which is directly linked to the muscles. It's much less likely for a muscle problem to cause a knee problem. Normally you have a knee problem and that has muscle implications, although the first correlated thing to the knee problem is the tendon. I know a bit of it because my ex-husband is a doctor and with an issue exactly there. So I've heard a lot about it. Knee problems cause further problems in your muscles by damaging or creating an inflammation in your tendon. For the opposite to happen is much rarer. Muscles problems don't naturally develop into knee problems whereas most of the knee problems affect muscles surrounding the tendon, the ligaments and the muscles.

and the line where I wrote 'I'm not criticizing this time around, just having a laugh' isn't enough to say I was just joking/thinking it's funny? I thought that would suffice... but I've been named the Oscar Brigade, so I can't joke anymore...

Why every thread quickly becomes about Oscar? lol I'm not criticizing this time around, just having a laugh. We should rename all threads Oscar and oddly enough the subject on his own thread isn't him. LOL

the problem wasn't not wanting to take a penalty but abandoning the team! I have no problem with him not wanting to take a penalty, but not offering any support? Crying in the sidelines, looking melancholic and pensive while his teammates were in the lion's den? If you don't have emotional endurance to take a penalty, that's okay, but if you can't offer support, encouragement, or any sort of words for your teammates who will take the penalties you're as useless as a captain as it gets. He was PATHETIC, the images of him looking depressed as if someone killed his puppy while the rest of the team were together, going through something very difficult are one of the most pathetic things I've watched on football - not because of him as an human being, but that's no captain. That's an okay reaction for any weak player, but weak players can't be a team's captain, let alone a NT captain. He should never be considered even a leader to that team anymore. He should be just another player. He has a great value as a defender, he's a good guy, but weakling and it showed. I would never give him another chance as a captain because he didn't fail Brazil, or whoever that aren't his teammates. They couldn't count on him to even offer them support. He was selfish, depressing, pathetic and weak. There's a long distance between feeling emotionally strong enough to take a penalty and just being with the rest of your teammates saying a few words, or even just standing there quiet.

Actually I didn't mean muscular issues couldn't disrupt his career just how Torres issues (knees) have nothing to do with a potential muscular injury proneness. It doesn't. Also I think people are making such a big deal about something we don't have a clue. It's overreaction because it's too early for any prognosis.

The cases are completely different. Torres had knee issues that ruined him. Hamstring is a muscle problem. If he ever develops knee issues too - knock the wood - it's unrelated to the problem he has now. An ACM or whatever is the name of what van Ginkel had is related to ligaments and therefore more likely if he ever gets a serious injury although tearing the ligaments is unpredictable and happens bc of abrupt rupture that can happen anytime.Costa problem has nothing to do with Torres old problem

If there's one medical department I trust in the whole world is ours. Just a week ago Cesc said it was the first time he played without pain in EIGHT months. I remember a few cases in the past of players that had problems in Barcelona then were transferred somewhere else and the problems went away. Who knows how good Atletico team is? We have a great team at Cobham, so I won't worry for now if Costa is injury prone or not, I'm positive the medical team will work on him - as they do with everyone - and if it's fixable, they'll fix it. Chelsea players - especially his age - are rarely in and out the physio room here. So I trust them to work on his muscles and improve his general condition. As for this injury itself, I'm not that worried. It's nice having a second striker with quality and Remy seems to have it. Of course, he's not the same level as Costa, but Schurrle and Hazard would have a chance to shine and score with Fàbregas. We not only have a striker now, but a quality playmaker and a system that benefits the attacking players in general. It would suck not to count on Diego against City, but that's two weeks from now and I refuse to worry about something that could be the same scare he had against Everton. He played yesterday, so maybe del Bosque is actually doing the right thing and sending him home for Chelsea to work on his recovery before it's a serious thing. It could be a preventive thing more than an injury already. He did have a problem a week ago, but he played then and he played yesterday. Maybe he just needs some rest. No need to panic yet imo. Either way it would be better in the long run to rest him against Swansea or at most use him as a sub.

I agree completely. Your captain shouldn't sit depressed in the sidelines, refusing to even lineup with the rest of the squad as the players went to take their penalties. That was depressing, ridiculous and underwhelming. He just proved to me right then he has absolutely NO ability to lead the players because he can only lead them when things are alright. When they got difficult he abandoned his team. Either way, you don't need (or can't count on) a captain like that. That's no captain...

tbh I don't know nor do I care. But it's no secret Nike has a huge power in the NT. They influence (not to say decide) a lot of things. They do make those people rich, so I guess they feel entitled.

Have no idea, I don't follow the news, I just wanted to see if Oscar was going to play and came across this lineup today in the morning. Neymar has been given the captain position regardless of Thiago Silva coming back or not. It seems Dunga also said this is a burden to be shared with many other players. Willian and Oscar talked in the mixed zone and Dunga will play Oscar centered and Willian in the right wing and asked them to change position a few times during the match. I hope he plays Oscar right - something Felipão didn't do in the WC, but was able to prior to that - but it feels like Dunga will play the team exactly like Felipão did, except it'll be a 4-4-2

I think many people advocated the obvious. Lukaku - last season and this season - could have been an option for us. Last season actually he could have had a chance to fight and be our #1 striker as we didn't have one very above the others like we do this year. The problem is Lukaku wanted to be our #1 without proving anything at this club when he clearly doesn't have the quality. So It's one thing for people to criticize him, his big mouth and his still limited quality for being a #1 and the same people want him to have stayed to be our #2. He's short of quality for a #1, but would have been a more than decent #2, but he didn't want to fight, he didn't want to play second fiddle because he thinks he's the best thing since sliced bread. That's the attitude that makes a lot of people pissed and when he keeps proving that he isn't #1 material for a team like Chelsea, people use his poor presentations to back it up. Now can anyone at their right mind frame deny Costa quality? I don't give a shit if he plays well or not for Spain - actually I don't like Spain (although I loved them four years ago), so it doesn't bother me at all. We know his qualities and what style favors him based on what he plays for us and played for Atleti. He'll never fit in their NT...

Jefferson; Maicon, Miranda, David Luiz e Filipe Luis, Ramires, Luis Gustavo, Oscar, Willian; Tardelli e Neymar ©.

When Matic came here I couldn't resist and write an article for the site I work for on how he was going to fix a problem we had since Ballack left. Ballack didn't come here on his very best form and still he played a huge role for us in the midfield and from the moment he left until Matic came back last season, the void left by Michael had never been filled. He left a hole that has now been addressed and covered. I won't discuss if he was complete or not, but he bossed our midfield, that's all that matters.

Oscar's threads are everywhere here these days. Even when you don't mention him at all in your posts someone quotes you saying the love for him is too much around here these days. It's something like an obsession - or a plague. I can't decide.

If you had read them you would have known I don't think we should overspend or pursue those expensive English players now, but that we should keep in mind at all times - as a club - that we should keep a core. If we can't buy those now because they're overpriced, we need to start producing them. Also I disagree about your last paragraph and I wrote a whole post on that. We don't need to have the very best player in the world in each position. Teams are about balance. I gave examples about Bayern and Barcelona of a few years having players that could be easily replaced, but they managed to dominate the world football with Mascherano, Busquets (when he wasn't on his peak yet), Gomez, Mandzukic, average FBs (except Lahm). Bayern could even have used a better CB two years ago. As long as we have some key players, we can manage decent players. Cahill isn't even close one of the best CBs in the world in my opinion and still he did a brilliant job here last season. Decent players can make a job if the team is balanced. So I'm advocating we - as a club - keep it in mind and make it one of our priorities. If we're going to sign another Cahill - for a fair price - or produce another JT, I don't care, but we shouldn't just ignore this problem and offer some lame excuse such as English players not being among the best in the world. I think some are underrated because everyone just looks to how awful the NT is and label everyone as shit or ordinary. Wilshere, Sterling, Daniel are players I could see playing here. I don't see how much worse Sterling is to Schurrle or Willian, or Wilshere to Oscar and Ramires, or how Daniel wouldn't have won us the title last season (I do think Costa is better, doesn't mean Daniel wouldn't be enough). If I'm supporting an English team is because I like English football, I want to see English players there. I don't know how that can be weird? I feel the same about RM or Inter... I started watching leagues not teams, then I fell in love with Italian football, then Spanish football, then English. I've watched plenty of German football years ago, trying to see if I liked it - I don't. I really don't see any appeal in Bundesliga. I enjoy Dutch football more. So I want to look to my English team and see English players there because I think it's what makes that team English. Do they need to be 6-7-8? Not necessarily. Do they need to start every match, no, they don't, but if those teams don't give me a resemblance of being English, Italian or Spanish, then there's something wrong because I started watching those leagues and liked them because of their identity. But somehow those values are being less and less important. What really matters is money, titles, prestige. The most important thing is how big our trophy room is - as if our history is only that - and then all of sudden we're Liverpool fans. And it doesn't matter anymore if the people going to the stadium suddenly don't feel like supporting their home team, but a bunch of internationals that win them titles. A lot of people will still love going there, but many others won't and they will look to the team and see no resemblance of what they fell in love with or feel how it represents them. But the silverware will be there to comfort them, so they should be content. I think the local support is what sustains a club and the moment they don't care anymore and can't identify themselves with the club or recognize their club in the current squad, we have a problem. I have a problem with that an ocean away, but even if I didn't, the club can live without me, but it can't live without the local support and for many that's still important. More important than titles because we could still win titles with English players here. We did it, United did it, Liverpool did it (UCL). All we need is balance. But as I said, all it takes for some to forget about that is a bright, new shiny trophy in a room...

I did, you have to do too That's the things about promising or giving your word about something, Lex. There should be no coming back

Chelsea official story is about a knock in the ankle. Mourinho said it, Chelsea TV said it. Also he starts tomorrow.

Your post had nothing to do with oscar, but as I laughed on it you brought Oscar into a convo about Ramires drive and penetration. It still doesn't have anything to do with oscar... Oscar and Ramires played together endless times and will play another bunch... I wouldn't be surprised if Mourinho played a 433 with oscar as 3rd midfielder and Ramires as a wing. Your assumption that Ramires replaces oscar in the most difficult matches and not a winger is only that, an assumption... we have a new style and things done last season may not happen again in this one. Maybe Ramires replaces Oscar, maybe Schürrle or maybe he doesn't start those matches. We'll find out in a couple of weeks. I still have no idea why you brought oscar in a conversation about what Ramires can offer or not. Some of you look really obsessed about some players... At least admit what you say and imply instead of playing the innocent card. My post had nothing to do with my love for oscar. Ramires isn't a threat for Oscar... and I'm a Chelsea fan, not a player's fan, whoever works better in the team has my approval and I'll be happy about it.

he wasn't even that good in the air, let alone better the DD, that's my point. Just because he wasn't that good on that, doesn't mean he wasn't the best striker I've seen. I know many people consider Ronaldo the best - but those people are Brazilians, so they're probably biased. My feels about Ronaldo are the same as Messi. I don't like Messi at all, but I won't deny he's the most talented player I've seen playing. Just because I have personal reasons not to like Messi, it doesn't make him a lesser player. Costa not being dangerous in the air won't make a difference if he becomes the biggest striker in our history - tied or not with DD... Although many don't consider DD our best ever striker. I can't say, I haven't seen much/any of Osgood.

but sweetie, that's the thing, just because you chose to support a team because they're good it doesn't make you a bandwagon fan. The very definition of flavor of the month is that every month there's a new flavor. You stuck with your decision... what I meant before is that there are a lot of fans that will support Chelsea now and Arsenal in a few years for whatever reason. Those are the flavor of the month fans, not the ones that chose a team because they win things or have big names. Which means those people will give their money - if they give money at all - to another team a few years down the road. It's the fluctuating market - and it's a significant one btw. Also, I'm not a fan of postmodern world. I think many people are losing their sense of loyalty. It's a shame... This new generation of very young people don't care about staying loyal to anything... it's weird.

I don't like Ronaldo because of biased personal reasons, but he's still the best CF I've ever seen playing and by a large distance (not that you asked me, but I wanted to share my opinion). That man before his first serious knee injury was a level above any other striker I've watched since I started following football - Drogba included. edit: maybe the difference is being the most completed and the best, I think Ronaldo is the best, never stopped to think if he was the most complete though because when you're as good as he is, and have so many tools, it doesn't matter if you have one weakness - like for example, aerial duel - which Ronaldo never had in the first place, although he wasn't exceptional on that. Not being exceptional in aerial ability didn't make him a lesser striker and he was still better than all the rest imo. So maybe the right question is: how much does being a complete player is important? I don't give a shit if Costa never scores a header for us, as long as he does everything he already does - especially something so basic as aerial ability. Any player in any position could be a good header and help the team in set-pieces and depending on his position (for example, being an AM) even in normal play. Half of Costa goals in the league came from crosses and he didn't use his head to net them in... so I don't care about him being bad aerially. Then you go back to the style of the country/league. England is the one place where crosses were everything about the attack - normal play or set-piece - so I understand people having a different perception and giving more importance for a good header. In Brazil, our style was about something else - jogo bonito - and heading balls in the net while a weapon was never something that important here...

Fernando, let's agree to disagree. I can't fathom how being a bandwagon fan has anything to do with their nationality. There can be bandwagon fans in England - for example, fans that don't even like football that much, and support Chelsea now after supporting Liverpool, or United. I know A LOT of fans that started supporting Barcelona around the time the Galactico team was around... how do you explain that? Don't you know those? I also know a lot of people that started supporting RM a few years ago when Barcelona was dominating. Trust it or not, not everyone is going to support a team because of the players they have. One of the main reasons I started supporting Chelsea is quite stupid: I liked the color and the badge. I already shared this story here. I wanted to support a team because I had fallen in love with English football and league. I liked Chelsea and oddly enough Liverpool back then. I chose Chelsea among other things because I liked the color and the badge (and in general I don't like blue), but also because of Stamford Bridge, because I liked the way the team played, a lot of things - but what untied let's say between Liverpool and Chelsea was mainly those two things: color and badge. Can you imagine a more shallow reason? there was a tie between Liverpool and Chelsea about style, about stadiums, about even the support, but what ended up making me go for Chelsea and not Liverpool was a color and a crest... (I hate that cock and I loved our outdated badge)