Barbara

#mybodyisreadyforcesc

Matic is killing it! <333 Our squad is beautiful and sexy football wise

I'll requote myself for that goal

Fàbregas set-pieces are insanely good. That corner was just in Iva's hair

u sure? look at the dates And as we're going through memory lane. I still stand by my words about Spain as well. It's not the young talents fault that del Bosque stopped in time and insisted with outdated tactics and didn't trust them.

I agree with everything you said. But faster players in the pivot (or FBs) would help us make up for our CBs slowness.I don't think Matic and Cesc in the pivot would jeopardize or compromise our defense, but Terry is very slow and Cahill isn't that fast either. If we're in the receiving end of a counter-attack with through balls, we could be in a precarious position. We don't need to necessarily play Ramires in those matches - if anything those are the matches we'll play with Cesc and Matic as for a team to play counter-attack more often than not they have to be set up from defense or at least have a high pressing system and the likelihood of small teams being successful in parking their buses and surprising our defense with pacey, lethal counter-attacks isn't that high. Now against stronger, attacking minded teams, we'll be less exposed to counter-attacks as we'll probably be the ones doing it. That's when I see Jose deploying Ramires - hopefully in the pivot instead of the wing - although the whole point of playing with Ramires in big matches is to add a defensive player in an attacking position anyway. Luiz's absence should help us here, as Ramires only moved to the wing because there was someone like Luiz in the pivot. I don't think it'd work as good with Mikel playing the Luiz role. At the same time I don't doubt for a second that Mourinho won't deploy Iva in the RB, Azpili in the LB and Luís in the pivot. I can already see us playing like this against City, for example.

and I don't think he ever will if he doesn't change a bit his attitude and has more drive as @Weckerz suggested. There's only so far your talent can take you if you're lenient (not on purpose) about your goals and how you get there. This is for his own good more than anything else. If he's capable of being more motivated (for himself) and driven and decides to move earth and sky to reach the highest of his ceiling, he'll be another level of player compared to where he could reach if he continues so... relaxed.

I'm not one to defend Mata's permanence. I think he had to go despite liking him as a person a lot and thinking few players in the world are as creative as he is. But I wouldn't call him a coward. It was a situation he was never going to win. Oscar wasn't the reason why he left (Mata is a better playmaker). He'd never fit the system and there isn't a system in EPL that he can fit without exposing the midfield behind him. He left because of inadequacy and that's different to giving up the fight. It was a lost fight and being the very smart guy we all know he is, he noticed it soon (and so did Mourinho). He leaving was a good thing for all involved, except going to a rebuilding United was a mistake imo. He should have left England, but in case he really wanted to stay, I think he chose the worst possible option among the top teams. Even with van Gaal here, the shortcomings of him as a player and athlete to play the EPL will be the same and a team being rebuilt not only in the management perspective but also with the players - a whole generation is being left behind - makes it all more difficult for him. I think for him personally going to United - even if he was granted more minutes - was worse than staying at Chelsea.

I thought so too - that's who I am, but well, maybe some of the people wouldn't skip my long-ass posts if I was brief. I could try to find some common ground. But I know what the problem is. I don't let people fill in the blanks - especially on internet. 1) because they may fill it in a way I didn't mean 2) they may not fill at all and not understand what I meant. I'm a teacher, I aim to be didactic even without realizing it. But the main thing is that I don't allow people to fill the blanks in their heads, I fill them all by myself. Yep, it's a risk that many variables could factor in. I don't feel confident and I'm not as convinced Torres+Didier is better than Etoo+Torres+Ba (as the probem presents itself if Costa doesn't play or produce). I guess it's too risky and it could waste all the perfect signings we did and the team's chances in winning tittles, and not only fighting til the end for them.

ok, it wasn't just a few. I mean it was a few, I only had 6 points to make (for a girl like me six is such a small number) but developing them wasn't as objective as it could. It never is, but I'll try for the sake of it. 1) Lukaku left afraid of not displacing Etoo, Torres and Ba in hopes of with more playing time he'd displace Benteke who's better than all those guys, Lukaku included. 2) He has attitude problems such as thinking of himself more than he should, wanting things given to him without him earning them when all he did was score double figures in mid-tables team. So did Ba. Also he was burned out after only three months of playing week in and out. So he wants what his body doesn't seem able to deliver 3) The comparison with Sturridge isn't a good one. We messed up with Daniel sacrificing him to keep an useless Torres. He proved here he could score and he's way better than Lukaku is (or could even be). We didn't treat Lukaku bad and letting him go isn't a mistake even if he scores as many goes as Daniel because he's a package that comes with bad attitude. Also a guy like him that thinks he's earned his spot when he barely featured for us and never played in a top team could disrupt a dressing room the same way paying a fortune to a 19yo FB can. It's a risk 4) He isn't either good or suitable for us anyway. He's suited for what mid-tables teams face defensively and he could struggle even harder against extra-defensive teams than Costa would do if our AMs have problems creating them clear cut chances. Neither of them is technical, except Costa is already much better. Offering 15 goals a season may not be worthy all the headache he brings because players such Oscar and Schurrle should be bringing each almost as much if in form. We've been surrounded of so many bad strikers that 15 seems nice when it isn't enough for a striker 5) If he leaves it'll either his decision or the club's - if not a combination of both. In either case I trust Mourinho's assessment of allowing (or wanting) it to happen. I even agree and I'm not a world class manager... 6) The problem isn't letting him go. The problem is staying with only Torres and DD as backups to Costa - who could become injury prone, we don't know. And as we're at it, let's try to get a young prospect, with a different set of skills, more technical, that could not only offer around the same amount of goals as Lukaku, but also offer different tactical options. There, I've done it. It may have been succinct and even had the same effect. But I don't feel accomplished. Actually I feel like my tits are shrinking and in the place of my lady parties a dick is growing. A girl needs her words!!! objectiveness isn't part of our world. But at least I guess I could do it if I tried It was fun doing that. Should I keep the style? I'll make sure to do other things live to remind me I'm a girl and not a boy

1) You're undermining the role he could have here. Torres and Ba started matches... Torres too many. If Lukaku proved he was a best scorer than they - which isn't that hard he could have started many matches. Who said he was destined to play 10-15 minutes for a whole season? I've never expected him to be a super sub throughout the whole season and that the fear that made him move. For someone that believes he's so great he doesn't have proportional confidence in his game. It's almost like he has to convince us with his words because in the pitch he's not sure he will. You misunderstood my point about Benteke, what I meant is that he's much better than all the three mentioned (Lukaku, Torres and Ba) although he isn't an Aguero, let's say. I may even like him better than Costa as I'm not that much of a Costa fan... 2) Again with the assumption he wouldn't play. Last season he would have played a lot of minutes. This year with Costa it's more difficult, that's why last year was his chance and HE wasted it. And yes, he's 21. Why should he have more than a few minutes until he gives José a problem about who should start. You talk of him being 21 as if he was 25. A 25yo has to start every match because he's at his peak, a 21 has to grab every chance thrown his way. Sorry if this offends you, but you seem to think a lot like he does, and that's my problem with him. You earn things, you aren't handled them. A 21 has to prove his value and fight, that's how at age 24/25 you have a guaranteed place, because you fought for it, you worked for it. Lukaku hasn't done that in a top team yet and he will have to do it somewhere if he wants to reach the top. 3) It's not even about being better (although he is better, but he's also older). He was sacrificed for Torres. That was our main mistake. He's scored goals while being here while being second to Didier and Torres (sometimes he was third actually). We made a mistake, we had a gem but we sacrificed him for some blondie. You can never predict precisely a player's future. I didn't expect him to become so good so fast after he left us, but we treated him really badly imo, something we haven't done with Lukaku yet. 4) He does have his qualities, I said as much, but the last one you mentioned is that kind that he isn't willing to offer because to play against tired defenses he has to be in the bench and he (and you seemingly) thinks what he needs now is to start matches. What he needs and what he deserves can be completely different things. 5) Nothing to say about it. we definitely agree on that. I like Rodriguez he would be perfect. We already have 20 non-HG players for 17 spots, if we let go of a HG player we need to replace him with another one. I'd say bring Jay. It doesn't matter much of who (as it can hardly get worse than Torres), but the profile. A younger player tutored by DD and even Costa, willing to fight his space in the team with some quality will already help us immensely. Of course it can't be a guy that doesn't seem to be promising, but I mean we don't need another WC striker.

I have a few things to say about this whole ordeal, some of which I've already said, some of which I haven't. 1) Lukaku ran away from competition last year. End of it. Yes, there was WC, but if his main goal was to displace Benteke he left because he wasn't sure he could displace Torres, Ba and Eto'o? Displacing Benteke was much harder than displacing at least two of those three. Benteke is no wonder (imo still better than Lukaku though) but he certainly is better than Torres and Ba comparatively, meaning that playing for Belgium and Villa he's better than Torres and Ba playing for Chelsea. 2) He thinks of himself more than he actually is. He wants things handled to him in a silver plate because he thinks he's earned them by scoring double figures in mid-table teams. Ba also did the same and look how different things worked for him at Chelsea. Also, Lukaku seemingly played bad for a streak at Everton last season because he was overplayed in his great start of season. So he wants to play week in and out, but when he does he shows he doesn't have stamina to keep it up - or at least that's what many Everton fans said about his acute level drop after very good first months. Not that worthy the investment and effort if you ask me. A player that is burned out after three months is something I won't miss dearly. 3) Sturridge and Lukaku are and have always been worlds apart. We made a mistake with Sturridge because of Torres mainly. If Lukaku leaves and reaches Daniel's numbers elsewhere I'll still support letting him go while I don't support letting Daniel go. It's not only about the goals, it's also about the attitude. It's a combination of both. Lukaku's attitude about a few things couldn't be worse (speaking to the media, thinking of himself morr than he is, wanting things given to him without fighting for them, running away from competition). It's a whole bad package. How many goals does he have to offer to make up for all those headaches he gives from time to time - quite often btw? Mourinho talked about dressing room disruption with Shaw's wages. Which is true (although let's not fool ourselves, he's also trying to disrupt their dressing room), but the principle is the same with Lukaku's entitled attitude. Costa - who scored frigging 34 goals - came here and when the interviewer implied he was a nail starter he immediately corrected him in that assumption and said if he wants to start matches he'll have to fight with Torres and prove his worth. Don't you think other players could be annoyed by Lukaku's approach, believing he's already done everything to prove he should start for us (barely ever wearing our shirt at all), while many of them - striker position or not - had to work their arses off with us to be in our first team or did the same in another top club? I'm not saying it would happen, but it's also a possibility. 4) He isn't that good or suitable for us anyway. He could be very good one day - but I don't see a high ceiling for him tbh - but even if he excels in what he's already good I don't think he has the qualities to actually be a top player in a club like Chelsea. It's Ba all over again. When you're in a mid-table team, other teams approach you differently than when you're in a top club, favorite to win every competition and match they enter. Defenses, midfielders play differently against Everton compared to what they do against Chelsea and Lukaku's good qualities (he has them, I'm not denying that) are much more suitable for playing in a team like Everton than at Chelsea. Teams play extra-defensively against us all the time. With his first touch, difficulty to hold the ball and general lack of technique it's much harder for him to score in those situations than against teams playing Everton equally or without an extra defensive effort. He'll receive balls in the run, he'll receive balls in the box or around it with less players around him. He'll flourish in those situations. As it stands today and seeing how he progressed in three seasons - despite the early age - I don't think he has what it takes to make it big here. He could and certainly would outscore Eto'o last season (nine goals), but all this headache for a player that could score, I don't know, 12 goals? That's what I expect from Oscar or Schurrle this year... They should score at least 12 goals if they're in form. For a striker is still not much. It's just we've been so bad in that department lately that suddenly a guy with 15 goals in the league is a wonder here. 5) Finally if he indeed leaves is because of at least one of those two things (could also be a combination of both) A- Lukaku's decision: he wanted and Mourinho thought that it wasn't a great loss. B- Club decision: Mourinho doesn't rate him (or think he's worth keeping given the bad package I've mentioned above he definitely comes with) whether that's technically or only about his attitude. In either case I guess I'll trust Mourinho's assessment, first because I happen to think the same whether A or B happens, second, Mourinho knows much better than I do (which doesn't mean he doesn't make mistakes). Letting Lukaku go isn't a problem in itself, staying with only Torres and Droga is. One injury and we're left with a strike force as bad (if not worse) than last year's - and we don't know if Costa is prone to them or not, a player could start being prone to them like Aguero was last season and some occasions before - at any point of his career.Maybe he can't prevent Lukaku from leaving or even think he's worth the effort, but then Mourinho MUST bring another striker, especially because he spent the whole of last season complaining he didn't have strikers. If he consciously take a risk of going with only one good striker he doesn't a right to say a word if Costa is injured and we're left with only Torres and DD. I'd say someone young, inexpensive, that could learn from DD and offer us around the same goals output that Lukaku could or even a bit less. I've been saying for a while now we could use a technical striker - we don't have any in the team - because Lukaku's style is similar to Costa - except the latter is right now much better than the former. If Costa struggle against a certain kind of situation, we still have a problem because the likely of it being the same situation Lukaku struggles is huge. Neither can save us if our midfield is having an uninspired day (at least we'll have DD now for air threat in set-pieces, which is always a way to try to overcome lack of creativity). Get a talented, technical young striker around 22-23 that isn't that big yet (or maybe even doesn't have a very high ceiling), but that could offer us something different. He'll grow and mature here and we'll be more versatile. Either way, just get someone. We don't need to have a problem with letting Lukaku go - it's not a problem per say in my book - but we can make it a problem if we're only left with those other two replacements for Costa.

First of all, I don't even agree we are what it's been said we are, how am I going to assess if I think the premise is fake? There were matches where we were a joy to watch. The team couldn't keep it up enough and the second part of the season was a disaster with players already thinking about the WC or what they ate the day before, because they seemed completely uninterested in some matches (and I'm not talking only about Brazilians). But when the machine was working, it was a very nice style to watch. We played good football at many point throughout the season, we just weren't good enough to keep doing it. It wasn't as silky and flair-ish as others and while that influences to a certain extent people labeling us anti-football or boring, the main source of those ideas is because we don't score much. But it has nothing to do with Mourinho's tactics and preferences when you look who were our striker force in the first place. That's what people will say. With Diego Costa here if we play exactly the same football, but somehow score let's say 90-whatever goals, the argument is going to disappear. Opposition and neutral fans won't talk as much about our 'anti-football'. We only really practiced for a while, especially during the UCL under di Matteo. Everything else is jealousy, distortion of facts and too much time in hands. And this whole idea is even more ridiculous when you realize not every season has a team scoring 100+ - regardless of the league. If that was the case our record of most goals at the league would have been broken or at least tied every season and it's intact until now. In other leagues - just like in the EPL - teams go over 100 once in a while. Yeah, 70-whatever is poor for a top team. It has little to do with Mourinho's tactics and a lot more with 1) bad strikers 2) our best player not shooting enough 3) our other AMs - especially Oscar who started scoring for fun and has very good finishing - went hiding the second half of the season. So the problem was actually more in the players shying away than in the approach. Against teams whose attack was better than us we played more defensively. I think mistakes were made against Atletico, but it wasn't simply because we were defensive. They were tactical bets that didn't pay off. Most of them did throughout the season. This whole discussion imo is moot and bleh because I don't agree with the basic premise. Now if we move it to 'can we play more effective football' I'll have a lot to say (as if three paragraphs weren't a lot already). While many said we don't play beautiful, but play effective, I disagree. We weren't properly drilled at offensive actions, we could and should have done better. Our attack should be more organized, our midfield more creative and direct. We had a lot of problems - most of them technical as in many matches the players didn't show up and in many others it was a chance-created-waste-festival. Mourinho failed in create alternatives (plays practiced in training, actually have drills on how to attack) because it seems like everyone was doing whatever they saw fit at some points, it wasn't organized, purposeful and conscious many times. During pre-season, Mourinho and Kevin spoke about us scoring goals in plays we trained, but it seemed to have been lost during the season. André ran, positioned himself, nobody saw him or passed to him. Eto'o also presented himself for the 2-1, but the AM or whoever received the ball and moved forward, our FB didn't support our attack properly (Azpili and Iva were in the final third, but bad positioned, without a clear purpose of attacking, many times seemed to only add numbers and be there for sideway passes), we were taking nonsense shots (especially with Luiz and Ramires) that showed we didn't know what else to do with the ball. Players should be aware of where André was and pass him the ball. Players should know when Eto'o got his back to the goal at the edge of the box and passed it backwards, that he was going to receive a couple of seconds later, inside the box, face to the goal. Azpili and Iva should be more than players to pass the ball to the side and get it back, trying to find a way to get passed the block (or bus). It's not only about crosses, but smart linkup and 2-1s. I have no problem with risking long distance shots, but sometimes they showed we didn't know what we were doing. All those things should be worked in training imo but they don't show you're defensive, they just show you should do a better job because if all those players were in the positions they found themselves in the first place (all examples I gave they are in the final third and I'm talking about strikers, AMS, pivot players and FB, a team with all those people up there isn't defensive). I wasn't in the training sessions, obviously, so I'm assuming they weren't properly worked because I didn't see purpose in many of our actions in the final third. Maybe they were worked and we couldn't execute, either way, the problem has always been execution (in training and in play) more than philosophy. And I now I spoke enough

There are 20 actually, not only 18. Cech, Thibaut, Mark - 3 GK Iva, Azpili, Luis - 3 DF Matic, Ramires, Mikel, van Ginkel, Romeu - 5 MD Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Schurrle, Salah, Marin - 6 AM Costa, Torres, Drogba - 3 ST I thought Romeu was younger, but he's about to turn 23, so he counts among the senior foreigns. We need to get rid of three among those players or register them in only one competition between UCL and EPL (like we did with Essien last season). The HG would be JT, Cahill, Cesc and Lukaku among the seniors (although Lukaku still counts as U-21) and the kids would be Zouma, Aké, Christensen and probably Baker. Moses and Bertrand are as good as gone, just like Torres and Mikel imo. They're deadwood that only add to our wage bill, but while I can see us easily getting rid of the former two, I have no idea who'd be interested in the latter... Mikel is a very decent player, but he's completely unmarketable... and nobody wants Torres...

I know Hazard needs help and he should have more space now with Cesc in the team as markers won't pile up on Eden allowing Cesc to pick a pass to any of the other AMs and the ST that would have to be unmarked for three players to be with Hazard. That's cute and dandy, but that won't solve Eden's main problem imo. Yes, he was hot and cold too (not as much as Oscar though), hasn't score one goal from open play since early February and the main reason isn't the players around him. They could and should help him more, but if he doesn't grow some more incisive attitude he'll never reach his ceiling. He'll progress some but still much less than he could because he desperately needs a change of attitude in the pitch. If he were a guy bolder, with that feeling that 'I'll do whatever it takes to be a champ' he'd be steps ahead in his development curve. His laid back attitude limits his progression and game a lot imo, more than the lack of players linking up properly with him. A guy with his skills to dribble and his pace shouldn't rely much on others when he reaches his peak. Look at Cris and Messi, many times they start and finish the play all by themselves because they're so hell bent on making it happen. Hazard seems too apathetic for my taste and please, let's not go down the road I'm calling him lazy because I'm definitely not. He's just passive, conformed with things when they're bad. He seems to lack some real ambition. I mean he seems to dream high, but I see it more like that, dream rather than ambition. He will do everything Mourinho asks him to do because he seems quite submissive from afar, but it's not only about positioning, shooting (something he definitely should do more), it's about the way he approaches the matches and I think that's a bigger detractor to his development than the lack of better partners in crime - although Oscar, Willian, Cesc, Schurrle and co MUST get more involved in 2-1s with him. But he can't use only those things players do around him to flourish when his potential is much bigger than that. Here is hoping Drogba brushes some of his personality off on Eden.

thanks, this one is the different and has the side tackle I've mentioned. The one Skip posted was posted a couple of pages ago and didn't have it. He's great!

He's 21, he's still learning. Of course he's flustered sometimes, but it's nothing that worries me in the future about him being reckless. The only thing I worry about him being way too intense in some balls is that he may get hurt again. He has a great attitude imo and I see him staying here a decade and being the guy we'll be talking with great regard five years from now. I agree with @dee25's assessment that he comes right out of the same school as Lamps and Gerrard and it's no wonder how significant those two are to the fans of the clubs they've spent their whole lives at. He could be a legend here for all we know. It's too early to say that for sure, but he has the potential right there.

ooh, didn't know that, thanks!!!! and as for the tweet - I forgot to answer when I arrived home. I only uploaded there to link here. Also I change their team thousand times a day. The temptation of unlimited transfers have to be savored while it's possible lol

yeah, because I've been wondering what people were questioning about his decision to keep them in the first team. Did people honestly expect them to have match time promptly? If you're training under José Mourinho at age 17, 18, 19 or even 20, that's a feat in itself and it'll certainly help your development into a senior player. Anyone was aware they wouldn't have much play time, but that's all that is really important at this stage for these boys? It isn't and in the case of the ones kept in the u-21 they'll still have play time. But what Aké, Christensen and maybe Baker (relieved that he finally revealed his plans for the kid) have to go through is the same in any big team in the world. If there's an injury or an emergency plan is needed, you're there and you'll have minutes. When for whatever reason a player has to be spared, you'll have minutes. In the very first season those minutes could be very limited, but that's the natural process anywhere, the difference is when a team doesn't have such quality as Chelsea in the seniors, the youth is used more often, but they will be used at some point. I think people are a bit obsessed with our youth players being incorporated in the first team - within reason, as Mourinho said, it became a graveyard, but everyone - players and fans - should also be patient and aware this is a step-by-step process.

I miss you!!!!

ofc I understand, I'm the one who starts those jokes most time Also, you can tell me whatever you want

Yes, that's something that I don't have doubts... but then again I could be completely wrong, hahaha

it's all about winning. In my head they all wear the kit I designed I was sentimental over my choices when I started playing last year, I got over it really quickly. Liverpool is always regarded a lot of penalties, having Gerrard is a must And they still have the best striker in the country. My first version had Costa, but it's risky to bet in a guy that still has to adapt...

I don't know if I'm amused or offended. LOL I tend to be a carefree girl around here. As a Brazilian I'm quite easygoing and outgoing naturally, I'm in a place where there's basically only men and I have no qualms about having a bit of tongue in the cheek behavior, but sometimes I feel I should be a little bit more... collected? lol It's just it's easy to feel as one of the guys (still 100% woman though with no homo tendencies) and talk as you do and accept the slightly sexual banter...