Barbara

Are you really sure *I* am the one that remind you of them? Because based in your answer, I may have doubts. Fact is City stadium often have many empty seats... it was only a joke that you seem to be particularly offended by it... @Jype, that intellectual thing was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen, especially given the amount it was paid for it. How much did City spend in the last window, do you know? And thanks for breaking down their losses for me. As for the broadcast rights, I posted how much every team made this season in the English Football Thread, but I have no idea how much they used to do. Was the difference that significant?

I think it's a great thing what UEFA did. It's not only about the sanctions (fine, limited squad, frozen wages), but about following up to. Basically the club has to stay within a loss margin that decreases every season, so not only City and PSG have to fulfill all the sanctions they got, but they also have to reduce even more their losses. I don't remember City's loss - I do remember it was astonishing - and it wasn't caused only because of insane high and many new signings. The Empthad is always that... empty. They aren't that much marketable as other clubs, so they don't have much revenue coming from their fans. If UEFA continue to investigate how the sheiks inject money through those ridiculous sponsorship endorsements (it's one thing to directly inject money and it's another completely different to make it look like a sponsor did), they can make those losses look even bigger. I don't know how those investors launder their money (because it's clear the only reason why they would accept having loss after loss some of which astronomical numbers has to be money laundering) and I'm sure they don't enjoy losing huge amounts of money every year, but this makes things harder for them. So the thing about all of those clubs being punished now (not only City and PSG) is that they have to fulfill with those sanctions AND with the reduced loss accepted for this season and the following. City can also risk face a three strike punishment down the line (don't know about PSG). But then again I wonder if they'll mind that much really. They're Champions League biggest clowns with their shameful campaigns every year. Also for those defending that any of this clubs could sue UEFA, please, don't be naive. The moment one of those clubs interject to a regular tribunal they're getting their ban earlier and longer. UEFA is a private organization that can have whoever they want in their tournaments and they can create whatever rules they want. The moment a club goes to regular justice system they're out of the equation and UEFA can definitely work around anything a regular tribunal decides. Nobody will ever resort to that because they know is suicide. UEFA doesn't oblige clubs to play their competitions. They are free to disagree with the rules and jump off the moment they want, so a legal mitigation will not going to happen at all because this isn't about a citizen universal right. This is business.

C'mon. This season was a joke if you really evaluate how all teams choked at the end and how a feeble attack as ours fought til the end. City won when others were weakened or transitioning (and when United went on a brainfart streak). We dethroned a great Arsenal team and gave United a real run for their money. We need to put things into perspective. Look at their ridiculous record at UCL... with their money and your theory they should have done much better than going further than group stage only once. City and PSG are only proof to me that not everyone with money can do what we've been doing. Money isn't everything

I can barely notice/care about the collar that. The whole thing is just so damn classy and beautiful and it's been a few years since I've bought an Inter shirt, so now I have a great reason to

damn it. I know which football team I'll be buying a shirt next season for sure

I don't think so either. We don't have youngsters playing in the attack and he would never take a jab on Hazard like that. Also it was in a WC context and wasn't there some kind of comments about him (not sure if about his age) that even led those NT retirement articles some time last year? Also the context of the answer is ironic when he says something along the lines 'thanks for letting me know I'll play my last world cup' maybe someone in the NT management staff made a comment about it being his farewell WC because a few lines later he says he feels like he could be playing two more WC. I think it was entirely something about the NT. I don't really remember what kind of drama happened last year when L'Equipe or another French newspaper even publicized an article about his retirement from Cameroon. Also it would make me really sad if their relationship (he used to be one of those players that only had amazing words to say about Mourinho) got strained because of a stupid comment. But if he indeed meant Mourinho, sorry, but the comment does make Mourinho sound like a fool.

No, I didn't put it on Cahill. I'm just saying it showed that when we don't defend deep, Cahill struggles. I'm in no way blamimg him at all. I'm just arguing that certain conditions are difficult for him and he can't defend well in them. sure there's some agenda right. I don't even know why people don't give him a statue for his two previous seasons with us. He was certainly a rock back then wasn't he? *sarcasm* Don't be picky... it wasn't even a comparison, but something about Cahill. If you disagree then it's your prerogative. We only have 2 seasons filled of his mistakes to defend such a point that if the line is high he has trouble finding his foot. I'm the first one to say (as many others defending Luiz's stay) that Cahill and Terry was the partnership that earned their regular positions and that both collectively and separately had a season that can't be even compared to Luiz. What's your point, mate, in addition to being picky?

has it been discussed here yet? I'm a bit surprised Liverpool will get more money than City - the champion - and it seems it's down to facility fees. What are those? Why does Liverpoor receive more? I'm sad we couldn't win the league, but in all honesty, there's few things in football that makes me happier than Liverpoor losing. I can't stand how overrated, protected, hyped they are and their fans are the worst. Anyway, we made 94m, which I think is quite the revenue

Then why was he adamant in January David Luiz isn't for sale and he was indeed kept because we so desperately needed him? Why? Didn't you just said Iva is a hell of a defender and we still had Cole in the squad? He could have gotten rid of him easily, but he didn't and he was adamant on saying as a broken record he isn't for sale. It can change in the summer window, but if Mourinho went out of his way to say it a few times and he did, is because he is the kind of player Jose likes. I'm talking about a lot of things when I label the Mourinho kind of player and people with his spirit and as committed as him are missing a little bit these days at the Bridge. Yeah, he has brainfarts at moments that come from lack of concentration, I'm talking about giving everything, growing in the biggest matches when the teams need him the most. Mourinho value those things and I'm not sure he's ready to give up on a player with Luiz's potential - showed by his technical skills - just because he had a bad/average season. I really don't get what is your huge problem with him, but it's something you're entitled to and a few even feel the same. I think it's a bit too much. He isn't the best defender in the world - far from it - but he isn't as bad as you make him out to be imo. we can agree to disagree. Also the Ivanovic part of my argument had among other things the need to use him as a RB explaining how unless we sign Luke Shaw, Azpili is stuck in the LB and we don't have someone to play in the RB as I think Cole is likely to leave. Ivanovic is capable, I agree, but far from ideal, and it's not only the mistakes he did last season that hurt us. He had made many mistakes, the ones against Swansea were catastrophes, not only mistakes, throughout the whole season. But it were less flashy mistakes, and Cahill was hideous at some matches too, and Terry was injured. So my whole point is all of our defenders (except maybe Terry) had had streaks of bad form in the last three seasons, it's not only Luiz's privilege, so I think we could keep them and maybe we will. sorry to get into the discussion - your point is relevant, I don't think Henrique's is, but Gary Cahill who is acclaimed here isn't exactly a defender who can defend. He's a defender who can defend in a certain system (the whole defense playing very deep) and still it seems to some he's the best thing in defense these days. He's very limited and he excelled in a system that favored him. If there's a match that demands a different style - like the 2nd leg against Atlético, for example - he's a liability and the match itself showed it. I'm not even questioning you choosing him over Luiz (although the way you word it, it's as if he's the same level or kind of defender Terry is - he isn't and will never be because Terry is a hell of a defender, that although he's always been slow, when younger had more tools in his box than Gary and adapted better to different conditions/systems). But I do agree Dante can't defend.

As people (not necessarily here) love to make a big deal out of non-stories, I was checking my architect website and Oscar and I happen to share him (the architect). So I came across his house (he lives very near to me when he's in Brazil) and a few things should be noted. His house is named Chelsea. His TV room has a London Bridge panel that takes the entire wall, his TV has a wallpaper (or something like that, too much of a modern and expensive TV for me to know what exactly is that) that is him wearing a Chelsea shirt, not a Brazil NT jersey. So I think he's going to retire at Chelsea 12 years from now because he clearly loves this club. See? I can do a non-story become something I want and have an agenda and an angle about it. It just depends on who is telling the story I guess and they can twist the way they want.

I think it's a risk to keep only Terry and Cahill as experienced defenders. Don't even start the bullshit about Ivanovic being a replacement. I wasn't part of his forum last season, but I know how terrible at moments all of those three looked (Terry, Cahill and Iva) and Luiz was by far our best defender. Then this season things changed. Cahill improved, Iva stopped playing as a CB and Terry stayed healthy. Is it written in the rock that those three things will remain the same? We don't know if Cole is staying (don't think he is), we don't know if Luke is coming, so we actually need Iva as a RB (even with Cole here we need Iva to play as a RB). So we have Kalas and Zouma and if one between Terry and Cahill (especially the former) gets injured for longer than a couple of weeks, that's who we're relying on? Kalas and Zouma? I actually do believe they'll be great for us soon, but that's a lot unnecessary pressure and that's not how Mourinho likes his defense. If Courtois comes (and I think he will), I think Mourinho will stick with experience more than anything else in the four defenders. Cole has been unreliable as a defender lately, being much more useful and trustful in the attack. I can understand the money talking, I even agree financially is good business. Luiz isn't Mata. We can't even start compare the situations. Luiz is versatile, is much more suited to our system than Mata ever dreamed of, and Luiz had a dip of form that justified his absence. I'm not saying the deal won't happen. I used to be convinced through all season :Luiz couldn't leave. I'm not as much right now because he's the kind of player José likes to have in the squad and if he has a great WC and finds form, I'm still pretty convinced he's staying.

Dude, if you don't believe us (don't know why we would lie because his pronunciation in Brazilian Portuguese is crystal clear) ask any Brazilian that I'm sure you know and see what they say. It's not that hard to understand why there are so many Portuguese jokes in Brazil when a Portuguese makes a comment like yours. Unless of course you mean we're all lying to all people in the forum. We aren't

he didn't complain about the position at all. He said he was uncomfortable (about not playing much) and crazy Parreira even said with all words, 'but he didn't complain' and then he said 'because there are a lot of players for Mourinho to use' (summarizing the sentences. One could interpret those words being Oscar's, but that's hard when he starts the sentence saying 'He didn't complain' and then even if Oscar did said it, what is clear is that 1) he wasn't complaining 2) he only said he was uncomfortable, but Chelsea has a big squad and players have to play. Not one moment the position was questioned. The only time the word position is said is when the guy asks Parreira if Oscar is the only Brazilian we have to play as a creative #10 and Parreira gives that cocaine-high answer trying to save his arse about something that happened 2 world cups ago. So there's bullshit coming from all places, Parreira, bad translation, wrong quotes, stupid chick saying bullshit (especially because Mourinho replaced Oscar - the Brazilian and reason why he was dropped as Mourinho has a problem with Brazilians - for another Brazilian, or doesn't the moron know that when Oscar was dropped Willian stepped on his shoes?) to media trying to make a fuzz out of something minor. The worst part though is Parreira sharing things that were confessed in private in a WC and NT context, not in a complaining way, or even venting, but just confessing an uncomfortable situation with the WC around the corner. His rotation and bad fitness at Chelsea in the past didn't prompt this kind of comment. He was probably asked by the NT staff how he was physically and how he felt keeping in mind the WC was approaching and he said how he was physically and how he felt. Who wants to play little a few months prior to the WC? Of course he'd be more comfortable playing, but this seems like a big non-story with mexican elements of drama where there's none.

all you need to know about that source is written in the last paragraph of the article "XXXX-XXXX" is our Whatsapp number. Send any information/news you have for us." And the quote was mistranslated, if that's the original source. Parreira is saying that is Mourinho's problem if Oscar didn't play enough time (although Oscar was injured) and that the problem is that Mourinho makes a lot of changes in the team (LOL FOREVER) and changes it a lot. I don't know what's worse the quote itself (Mourinho barely changes the team style, so Oscar has been playing the same position since the start and he's only been subbed for injury and lack of fitness), the translation or the line asking people to send information to them through WhatsApp. Joke lol, this is even a worse joke Let's start with the question, the only not stupid person in that video (biggest tv channel in Brazil and one of the most watched sports shows) is the guy. He asks, Oscar is really the only Brazilian that can be the AM behind the striker (he uses a different wording, but that's what he means)? Parreira who seems to be drunk answers "Football changed a lot. People put a lot of pressure on me often compare teams to the ones we had in 1970 and 1982, saying we don't have this or that player. but today speaking in an honest and pragmatic way, the teams plays with the squad they have, they have to make it do. This team we have now is the best in the world (or was the best in the world, couldn't really get what he meant). You can't compare saying you don't have a Pele, a Zico" WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? What does that answer have to do with the question? The guy straight forward asked: is Oscar the only Brazilian #10 we have now, the guy that plays behind the striker and creates chance and he answers with that? People put pressure on him? WTF, clown, you're not even the manager... that is Felipao and there's no pressure on him about a player we supposedly don't have or have and wasn't called. And the only pressure Felipao got imo was by not calling Miranda. Nobody questions Oscar at all in Brazil as far as I can say. Then the guy interrupts him and asks 'But is Oscar well physically' 'He's fit, we've been with him and he's fit. The reason why Oscar doesn't play is more about Mourinho than Oscar (his fitness), choices made by Mourinho, but he wants to play and he likes to play and he wasn't very comfortable with this situation.Then he confessed to us AND HE WASN'T COMPLAINING because there the manager makes a lot of changes (HE SAID IT, not OSCAR and he even said Oscar wasn't complaining), take this one, put that one, and there are a lot of (good) players to get in the team." Then the reasonable guy says: "It's hard to question Mourinho' and the stupid chick answer 'Mourinho has a problem with Brazilian players. There, I said it' I'm done with this kind of shit. Parreira is a high clown that still feels the pressure from a HORRIBLE team he set up and that was humiliated in the WC and how everyone scorns him for that. The woman is idiotic and only the male anchor makes sense in this mess of a 'journalism' with a guy that talks as if he was the one giving the cards... that is Felipao mainly and he uses the media to always justify things he used to have a problem when he was the main manager. A bunch of useless shit, in all honesty imo. But the most important thing, in addition to him using the most popular channel in brazil to justify and try to save his ass from something he did (a huge failure) almost a decade ago, he said Oscar DIDNT complain about it, only said he wasn't comfortable. Also he said that Oscar confessed to them... so I make a lot of confessions to my coworkers, then what? and he wasn't complaining, he was just uncomfortable. And let's be real, Oscar and Mourinho themselves admitted injuries this year, so now he's saying Oscar was fit when Oscar was saying he had a physical problem? And the part about not playing was PARREIRA's words, not Oscar and he justified it with Chelsea having a lot of players to play. Give a fucking break.

we didn't see Oscar sparing himself in the pitch, we've seen him poor piss which is completely different. It's his lack of creation, precision, vision and overall poor performances that showed his poor form. He's tackled as he normally does imo, but even that wasn't the same quality as before. He had physical issues, but I think the biggest issues were mentally, but I didn't notice him purposefully avoiding contact or showing any disinterest. I'm not sure Felipao would ask such thing though. He's been a club's manager for most of his career, he knows that's not fair. Also, while very good with the NT, Oscar isn't the biggest star to deserve this kind of treatment from the manager. He's replaceable as we have quite a few AMs.

fuck my life. It should be the other way around...

I've missed you around, mate. Always level minded in your comments. Welcome back! Don't be a stranger

I'm not sure if he spared himself. He doesn't look like the kind of guy who would do that, but he showed an incredible mental fragility by being anxious and even careless for missing important matches for us. he really needs to mature and grow mentally even more than technically. As I said I reserve judgment from now, but I'm going full throttle on him next season and I hope that's how he approaches it. He might miss that fighting spirit that usually separates champions from talents. I hope José is able to imprint it on him, he's young and can learn. I don't think he was that bad today. His finishing was off, but his cross to Azpili in the Schurrle goal was perfect and he was active in the match, even if in bad form for most of it.

@Special Juan and @Rmpr congrats on the position, guys!!!!! Good luck (and tons of patience) to both of you. The thread to congratulate you was closed, but I wanted to register my support in the decisions other things to celebrate: Our most goals in a league season record is intact. Steve Gerrard doesn't have an EPL title. it's been sort of a good day (ignoring our first half presentation)

Great by Schurrle again, and thank fuck Torres didn't miss this time, although he looked offside imo

great cross, unlucky from Azpili, but good goal for André

I didn't question who said he had a bad match, I'm questioning people saying things about his future, cementing things about a players who is 20. How can anyone say he won't ever be better at this or that at age 20?!?!?!?!?!?! That's what I meant by idiotic, too harsh comment, not that he could do better with his finishing now, because he could. It's the overreaction in a meaningless (albeit annoying and frustrating) game.

This became comical in all honesty. Is some collective PMS occurring here? Some random complaints and way harsh in a match that while horrible and clearly lacking passion (as we did in other matches), it's the last match of the season and there's nothing at stake. People questioning players' future and signings (especially Salah who's young and has been here for four months) it's not even pathetic anymore, it's comical at this stage. I swear I read some of the most idiotic posts I've ever come across in this forum in the last 30 minutes. I don't get the overreaction at all. It must be collective PMS

let me improve our moods then Gerrard deserves the EPL title... title of clown of the history of the competition

will people give Azpilicueta the stick for his crosses as Iva gets? Just curious...