Barbara

came here just to say I don't dare reading one post in this thread at the moment. I feel what I might end up reading, so I better stay blind to it. Hope he continues to grow. If there's one manager capable of making Hazard live up his full potential is José Mourinho. I think Eden needs some attitude adjustments and Mourinho is the right man for the job. But that's all that is needed - and time for him to grow.

he talked to the press yesterday in the mixed zone and it was clear that he was doing what the manager asked him to do. He even looked sorry talking about it. He nearly played like a pivot player and that's what Scolari wanted from him. I do hope he benefits from Neymar's absence. When played correctly he can be much more influencing playing for Brazil. For Chelsea is another story though... he took it completely from context. I covered that interview here in the thread. Parreira was talking nonsense as usual. Oscar was unhappy - not complaining - because he hasn't been playing a lot towards the end of the season. Even Parreira himself said the kid didn't complain, just talked about.

I don't think Ramires is that important or appreciated by Mourinho, but yeah I think he'll play quite often, hopefully not always though

I am a lady who has no retrains about calling people cunts... or bellends... or assholes... or dicks... although I don't always do it. Just when the situation asks for it Sometimes you just need a cunt... or so I guess

all those points are more than valid concerns, but I still think Mourinho will make a difference. You can't blame it on Cesc's presence alone - not saying you did it - on why Arsenal's midfield is easily ran by for years. Cesc left and it's still the same story. It's about how Arsene sets up the team. While I respect Pep to an extent, I think he's a one pony trick kind of manager and if he doesn't reinvent himself he's faded to failure. Winning Bundesliga - where he has no top competition to his Bayern - will only save him some face for a while. He needs to change some of his beliefs because the world adapted to his style and many managers gave him an answer that completely outclasses his style. Then after he left Barcelona, the team has been in an endless crises. The key players weren't playing as well as before and Cesc simply doesn't fit their style or even the kind of players they have there. So Cesc hasn't really worked with a competent manager that can capitalize his strong points and make up for his weaknesses. Pep had the worst year of his managerial career imo when Cesc arrived. Mourinho simply destroyed Pep mentally and that's why he had to stay away from the sport for one year. I think he was licking his wounds. Mourinho as fierce when he was there and it was some sort of mind games war that made both bleed, but Pep to the point he had to step down. Maybe your concerns will turn out into reality, but neither Barcelona and much less Arsenal were as well organized defensively as Chelsea now is. Barcelona was one of the best defensive team once upon a time, but not when Cesc arrived. Cesc is better 'protected' here, also, we didn't have defensive problems last year - we had transition problems, creative problems, incisiveness problems and many others, but mainly related to midfield and attack. I think Cesc comes to help solve those and even if he exposes us a little bit more we could always change the system and the players - like we did - when facing the top dogs. But for most of the opponents we faced - and failed to win - last season, Cesc comes as a breath of fresh air. But definitely more than valid points raised by you, as usual Now I'm waiting your assessment about Costa

but Mourinho's been here for only a season... how long since we haven't really promoted someone from the youth? Yeah he was here in the mid 2000's as well, but still 6 years apart and our best effort was Ryan Bertrand, or did I forget someone? I still believe it's a myth Mourinho doesn't support young players. No one displaces Sergio Frigging Ramos from Real Madrid to play a foreign 19-yo Raphäel Varane if they aren't willing to give youngsters chances. The thing is he expects a certain level of maturity and commitment from his young talents before promoting them and you'll never see Mourinho throwing them in a lion's den - per say. He won't expose them to unnecessary pressure and try to protect them.

This is what gives me hope: “fantastic capacity for occupying four defenders on his own. He has this trick of not really looking as good as he actually is. “[…] doesn’t look particularly quick, or technically that good, but he is far faster and talented than it seems. Sometimes it seems that he is one step away from losing the ball, he doesn’t appear to have it under control, but he keeps it and more often than not he finishes. He also had that mala leche (attitude/edge)”. I really hope he's actually better than he looks I do like the pitbull aspect of his personality. We almost desperately need someone that won't bend to others. In simpler words, we need a cunt. We got two with him and Cesc, although they're different kinds of cunts. But we needed someone with Costa's personality. Good thing he probably won't have a chance to face Suarez, otherwise he'd be bitten to bleed .

Torres had injuries that affected him physically and mentally. The only real injury Cesc suffered was on his pride when it became crystal clear he didn't have what people call the Barça DNA. But that's not exactly a loss if you ask me. He's in his prime years, if anything he should be better than he was when he left Arsenal if you think when players usually reach their peak. Also, we're talking about vision and touch. Those things - like class - are permanent and only improved with experience. Torres' game relied on something completely different - pace, runs, positioning and those things rely a lot on physicality and confidence. The moment he had a difficult physical issue, it affected his confidence and he was never again the player he used to be. Easily predictable imo and completely different from Cesc.

Cesc is no defensive wonder, and that's why a 4-3-3 would be ideal. In a three-man midfield you don't need all of them to be aces defending. Matic is a lion and Oscar is as annoying as they get pressing and tackling his opponents. Their presence alone takes off a lot of pressure and need for Cesc to be a great defender. I do have a slight worry though if we continue to play 4-2-3-1 - although even then Oscar will help him. What he comes to add mostly is quality and someone that can dictate the tempo, provide through-balls and long passes with quality and good accuracy, mobility and when we face those teams parking the bus one more pair of eyes and legs to create us chances. We already have an upgrade to the strikers, but if you don't have the guys that will provide them the chances - especially the kind of Costa and Lukaku (who can't create much by themselves) - you need as many midfielders feeding them. That's why Cesc is coming, to fill our midfield, to provide alternatives, to win us the midfield and feed our attackers - especially Costa and Schürrle with fast thinking, good vision that result in key passes. Oscar and Matic are there to provide defensive cover and help and again, Cesc isn't useless marking and pressing. As many insisted on comparing Mata (makes no sense in my head as I don't see him being here to be our #10 except on occasion), he's faster, stronger, more annoying to opponents and marks and presses better. He's used to a deep position, even if he may prefer a more advanced one. Perfect fit imo.

but upgrading the facilities shouldn't be a benefit? You almost sound like that is a problem or I misunderstood you. If the kids are good and come with the right attitude, they may not have a place in our squad, but they could have a spot in other EPL teams and even that is rare... Maybe is the kind of training, maybe people at Chelsea have bad eye for talent, or maybe the kids just aren't that great. Fact is investment was done, but something still seems off - maybe there isn't much dedication from the club anymore. I honestly don't know.

I can't judge his inconsistency given the season he had. He was adapting to a new league - where he wasn't physically strong enough to play full time and mid-season he basically had an affair with the bench while he was working on his fitness to endure the league. that's a tough first season if you ask me and some inconsistency is not only understandable but almost expected. How can he find consistency when he barely had a streak of matches? When he did have then Mourinho moved him from the team for him to work on his physical condition and André himself admitted that was necessary. He spent weeks - probably more than two months - without starting a match for us and being sparingly used as a sub. He was immense, he's one of my fave players because of his attitude. He has something many of our players lack (but that Mourinho could help develop and hopefully he will): that winning vocation and will. He's a natural winner and he is thirsty for victories. Add an incredible pace, great finishing and one of the smartest positioning in the game and there's nothing not to love the guy. He isn't anywhere as talented as Hazard, for example, but I think those things I just mentioned and an incredible work-rate (the problem is tackling isn't as natural to him as for Oscar for example), and he makes up for not being the most talented or technical player (but still he's quite composed on the ball). Added his name in my #3 kit and in my Germany kit because I simply love the guy - so maybe I'm biased in my analysis but the kid won me over since his first interview when we signed him. There was something about him back then and I'm happy I wasn't mistaken in my premature assessment.

I think he had a good match - same way I thought Kevin had even before ET started. It's just because Hazard didn't dribble half-team to an assist or a goal some may be dismissing his display. As I said by the end of the first half - or maybe even earlier - in the match thread, Belgium was playing much better this time, and Hazard was one of the many players that turned up. Just because he didn't do some out-of-this-world sequence of dribbles, it doesn't mean he didn't play well. He does seem a little too quiet though. Not quiet as not taking part of the match, but keeping his head down, he doesn't seem to be smiling as much, I can't explain, he seems maybe a bit overwhelmed emotionally? It doesn't look he's having fun... if that's the case I feel for him.

Amazing match by Romelu. It's almost a crime to get him 100% fresh in extra time, but I don't think it was simply down to his better physical conditions than anyone else's. He played well, showed that he can do better than he sometimes does. I think if only he approached matches in the same way he did today, he'd be much better. Either way, this is going to make wonders to the kid's confidence. Let's hope and pray he doesn't grow a big head about it.

even me - one of doubters based on his attributes and style of play - don't resort to his WC displays to question him. He was coming off an injury whose healing process was accelerated just so he'd play. Spain sucked as a whole, del Bosque was outdated and clueless in his tactics and they didn't realize they have to at least abandon partially their also outdated tiki taka system and be more direct, pressing and less passive if they still want to win something. Costa was the least of their problems and probably the most affected as he doesn't suit their too-much-sex-for-few-orgasm tiki taka bullshit. My doubts about him come from his technical abilities, but I'm more than ready for him to prove me wrong. As I said earlier:

yay, I guess? Well, definitely improvement from what we have. I really hope he has the best years of his career with us! Many goals to come, Costa, prove me wrong, my body is ready for you to do so

haven't seen this until now. I praised Eden and compared him to Messi's efficiency in this WC by deciding matches in a few minutes, so your first whole point hasn't been ignored by me. Most of my ideas regarding Hazard come from me watching him at Chelsea, not Belgium, although Belgium is the NT I've watched more matches from the last couple of years. So you telling me the obvious about how he solved the matches for Belgium is nothing new and nothing I haven't said myself in the post you quoted and in the match threads and Belgium NT during the WC. If we're are going to wait until teams don't have 2 players marking Hazard for him to solve matches for us, we better wait the end of the season, when most teams are tired and player won't have much gas to double on him 90 minutes. How many players do you think mark the Robben, Ribery, Bale, Suarez (and I'm making a point to keep Messi and Ronaldo out of the conversation, as they're a league of their own and I can't compare Eden to them). I'm quite aware Eden is developing, is growing, but I don't suck him up, ignoring all his limitations, pretending he's the best thing since sliced bread. I call the areas I see he needs improvement and putting more effort is one of them. I said with all words I didn't call him lazy, so I didn't even bother to read a word further in that section of your post. If you can't say the difference between passive and lazy, find a dictionary. The difference between Bale and Hazard now - other than one being older and therefore being further in his development curve is that while both disappear in many matches as you said, Bale was decisive in many important matches for Madrid - especially the ones Ronaldo himself disappeared. That's not my opinion, those are facts (about Bale) and Henrique mentioned some of those matches in his post. Now where was Hazard in the UCL SF? Allow me to be harsh, but he was allowing his man to get passed him as if he didn't care. Where was him against those small sides we couldn't break? Lacking as much interest and looking as uninspired as many of the other players (nearly all players, all in the attack, definitely). I have no problem calling those young players flaws, the areas they need to improve because they're suppose to mature. But I won't close my eyes and pretend they're astonishing just because they play for us. Thanks for stating the obvious - about the Belgium matches - something I did myself in another post. I don't expect you to retract from your assumption that I called him lazy when I said I didn't and better luck next time to talk about Bale. But hey, at least it's popular

who knows Eden won't prove himself to be better at the CAM position as many - especially the Belgians who know him better than us - say is his best position. Then André could have the LW all for himself... Willian, Oscar, Salah to fight for the RW position. At least for some matches we could try that. Then we'd know if for us Eden is also better at #10 and Schurrle would have more chances.

he has to be in their starting XI against France. He's earned his position - although he normally plays better for Germany coming from the bench...

I miss you around, Lex, so first question, where have you been? Who are your personal targets for Chelsea in this summer window? Favorite book and author as well movie and actor? You're the best - despite what everyone else says (they're jealous). Tied with Chou Chou though

serious question: could it be that José or someone else in the board is having second thoughts about this transfer? We were able to sign Cesc just before the WC, but we can't activate a release clause? We had technicalities for the Cesc deal that wouldn't happen in the Costa deal. Signing Costa has always seemed simpler than Cesc and still Spain is already out of the WC, the window opens officially today (doesn't it?) and this is still only a rumor - like the many we had regarding strikers in the past few windows. The difference is that there was high competition for Cavani, Falcao, whereas I don't see a team going crazy about Costa. All I hear is our near-done-deal and that's it. I don't get the delay - and that's not me having a fit because a deal isn't done within a week (or a month), but because it seems odd... I hope we bring someone else instead, so I'm not really anxious or looking forward to this transfer. I'd really like Müller if Bayern is willing to let him go now they have Robert. He's having a great WC and hopefully he would carry on the top form. Or Benzema - although that isn't a possibility unless RM hijack Barça for Suarez (can't believe teams could actually be fighting for that cunt).

what you're missing is that the fact we aren't buying him, we're getting him for free. According to reports he's giving up more money to play for us. He just reached a UCL final in a team that is physical like the EPL, so he's adapted not only because he's been here before, but because he's used to it. What's the idea that a player who's passed 30 can't play good football anymore? Who could have displaced a 33yo Terry from the team last season? And no, I'm not talking about our squad, but in the whole league? Who was flawless except a couple of mistakes at the end of the season. If you want to talk about long term then allow us to see if van Ginkel can be our long term. Also there's always the next transfer window. What's the hurry for? Long term, long term, long term, but once this team starts to struggle because it lacks leaders and experienced guys who can endure the hurdles and help the others people will be screaming at the top of their lungs that Mourinho has to leave or that we need to sign players in their peak, at age 28 and whats not.

Football Manager. I'm for real. When you play something so much it starts merging with reality... so it seems many people look to real world football the same way they do business in FM

Update from Ramires. But then again, who isn't? lol Not that I think they'll fight directly for the position. He's probably going to be a sub for Matic, but still an upgrade from Ramires.

I'd rather he replaced Fred and Neymar or Hulk - preferably Hulk - played as a striker. They can't be worse than Fred anyway

Mourinho criticized Hazard too and I'm positive he isn't for sale. Actually I think Mourinho's criticism towards Hazard has harsher than towards Oscar. But that's part of his job and most players have areas for improvement, so criticism is part of the package. I think Mourinho is disappointed with Oscar's mentality though.