Barbara

better fans than some here I love this man and I think that while he's a bit too pragmatic at times, I fully trust him to turn things around. With a second season under his belt, knowing exactly which kind of players he has and the ones he needs, we'll do much better. And doing much better definitely improves our football, adds options, but if with all the clear issues we had - tactically and technically - we're in the race for the EPL title til the end and we reached UCL semifinals, what you expect to happen next? I have good expectations. I think next season we'll be a few steps ahead in the evolution of this team. Look what he did with Real Madrid in his second season there. I expect more of the same here, but he will never have the dressing room issues he had there here because the only territorial players in the team that have some power simply LOVE Mourinho because he's an integral part of their success, they're grateful and graceful. We won't have that ridiculous power game here and I think there's only one way to go with Mou staying here for a few seasons: up, up and up.

such a beautiful picture I came across My love and passion for this club will never die, win or lose. I get the chills when I see a pic like this and it makes my whole life plan of moving to London in 2016 just because of Chelsea way too far away. Maybe I should try the project earlier

you can see him wiping his tears just when he's walking out of the pitch in the game official broadcast. ESPN Brazil had a couple of reporters covering the match in the pitch and they were near our bench and said he was crying as he sat there. If you watch a replay anywhere you'll see him cleaning up the tears, but the bench image nobody has as far as I can say

I think those bad years will push Mourinho. He will do it himself. He's obviously a guy that doesn't settle for mediocre results and I don't think he spares himself any criticism - at least not when he's evaluating his own work. A couple of seasons without trophies isn't the end of the world, but it should be a wakeup call for someone of his caliber. Well, I think he needs to do some thinking when the season ends. He aged a few years last season in RM and it feels like he lost some of the passion for the sport. I'm sure he came across those tactless tweets about people wishing on his death instead of Tito's and Mourinho is a very sensitive man. Then there's the Diego Torres book, the way Madrid fans treated him, the way he's always bombarded with everything. Yeah, he provokes a lot of things, but a lot of them are pretty gratuitous. Maybe he's tired and needs some peace and then start things over in pre-season. I guess he expected to find some peace here, but while English media isn't as bad as Spanish (it doesn't get as bad as that), it's much worse than when he was here and I think he probably didn't expect it like that. I think some reality checks are coming his way and I hope it makes him stronger. I love this genius of football. If his tactics are becoming obsolete or too one-dimensional I trust him to find it within himself to overcome those hurdles. There's no other manager I want here but him. Maybe he'll never become to us what Fergie is to ManUtd - the guy had a great identification with the club (just like Jose has), but he was at ManUtd at the peak of his career as a manager and he has been able to reinvent himself and Manchester tactics at least a handful times in those 27 years. If Mourinho can prove to be able to do the same, and adapt, I think he may be to us what Sir Alex was to them. But nothing, absolutely nothing that comes in the next few seasons will change how I feel about Mourinho and Mourinho as a Chelsea manager. He has my respect, love, trust and hope. He always will. I hope both he and team grow together and we become what he envisions us to be with him.

exactly my point. Jose played Oscar week in week out when he was playing bad. Playing bad wasn't good reason enough for him to drop him which makes his sudden absence be because of rest, injury or bad attitude. Oscar was rarely dropped from one match. Most times he was injured or being rested when he was really bad physically. I think we aren't disagreeing, so I guess it's settled.

they reported him crying in the the bench, but I saw him wiping his tears when coming out, thanks. He's been showing so much soul and passion for us, always giving his 110%. I'm very proud and happy about having him.

I don't get your point, dear. I'm talking about why he hasn't taken part of any of the last three matches. I'm not talking about performance. I'm just saying there's no reason we shouldn't believe both him and Mourinho about his injury. If they say he's injured, then I believe he is. What I said further is that his lack of quality has nothing to do with that as he's been playing bad for a while and the injury is brand new. I think you misunderstood me because not for a sec I implied this injury is why he's underperforming. It can't be as he's been bad for a few months now.

the thread some members were dying to post again and yell at the four winds how much a failure mourinho, this club and these players are. I stand by my words. It's been successful enough, we surpassed a bit my expectations, but we did let down in a bad way imo. The way we lost to the minor sides in the EPL and how we couldn't give a proper answer today just show this team still needs a lot of maturing to do and work some character as well. Mourinho isn't completely exempt from fault, but I think he took the most from this squad, even a little bit more than I thought he could.

He hasn't been playing well. But Mourinho said he was injured before the match and in the press conference and he said it just after the match. Why would we question them? I don't think his bad performances were because of this injury as he made it clear this injury happened last week, but if he's injured, then he is. José kept playing him week in week out even in his worst moments for us, for him to drop a player he trusts and bets so much it's understandable injuries may be involved or bad attitude which we all know Oscar doesn't have.

and we're still the pride of London and lately the pride of England in Europe too.

CAPTAIN, LEADER, LEGEND I wish we had pictures of Willian crying too. ESPN Brazil reporters were near our bench and commentated during the match that when he was subbed he started crying hard. Poor thing

I haven't watched many Atletico's matches this season - I barely watched Real Madrid's, let alone Atletico's, but based on those two matches, unless we want to excel in the cuntiness, I don't see all the fuzz about Diego Costa. Atletico played like a Premier League team most time imo, physical, trying to break in the counter and I must say he hasn't me impressed to the point of breaking the bank for him. Maybe it's just those two matches he didn't play at his best (which is telling about a player his age), but if we bring him I'm not sure we'll fix our attack issue tbh.

kisses and hugs, Ron

Kissing the badge, crying when subbed - clearly not because of his own situation, but the team's, playing with his heart and soul, assisting the assist with a never-give-up play. As people love to mention that bloody price tag I'd say it seems like we spent a lot of money in a guy who seems like a True Blue and if that's the case, very well invested money. Also football wise I think he'll bring a lot of joy for us in the next seasons. He loves this club - he's said this many times in Portuguese interviews, some of which I translated in this thread and he's been showing some passion to our shirt like only our legends do. I'm really happy with this addition.

http://espn.uol.com.br/video/407374_oscar-revela-motivo-de-ausencia-nas-ultimas-tres-partidas-do-chelsea?timestamp=1398894530225 "I had a thigh injury between those matches (first leg) and I told him I could come to the match if he needed me, but the injury was getting worse and he knew that I wasn't fit. Against Liverpool I had no conditions and he was aware of that and that's why I didn't even go to the match and today I wasn't fit yet although I did my best to be, but I was still feeling a bit of pain in the thigh" Then he speaks greatly of Atletico saying they fully deserved it. He's such a class act, I'm so proud of this boy. He also said that the medical team spared him a bit not wanting to risk his WC participation, by worsening the injury. At the end he also said he's probably out of the next match, but that they'll try their best to still win the league, even if they depend on others' results.

Mourinho said before the match Oscar was recovering physically and nto 100% fit and just repeated in the post-match presser that he was injured. I do agree with everything you said.

do you guys think maybe the defense missed Cech and his leadership? I don't think Schwarzer was bad, but it seems like there was no other leader there in addition to Terry. I feel like Cahill and our movement sometimes wasn't as it is with Cech there guiding them through. I don't know, maybe I'm spouting nonsense, but I'm not sure we haven't missed Petr.

I'm very proud of the boys and José I think we did our best, but it's clearly not enough. We couldn't cope with a physical team that had a better attack than us and we just weren't good enough. I'm sad, of course, but far from heartbroken. The players gave their blood there, Willian cried when he was subbed, Terry cried when the match ended. They fought, they tried, but we're just short. Hazard was lacking any rhythm and couldn't do his thing, Torres made an effort but it wasn't enough. Courtois had a great display - and the post was in our way (but then again so was in theirs). I think it's fair to say the better team in the pitch won. I have no doubts we'll come stronger next season. I have no doubts those players will mature a lot and I have absolutely no doubts next season we'll celebrate again. For now we have a few hard lessons to learn, an attack to improve and some players to mature. Keep The Blue Flag Flying High. We are CHELSEA!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we had two very unluck moments in those headers. I'm not talking about performance, but goals that could have gone in...

Willian left the pitch crying... well, that's what being Chelsea is. We got no luck here, but I'm so proud of all those boys.

Schurrle for Hazard? I feel Eden is feeling the lack of matches

would rather Eto'o for Azpili or Cole. We need to score and Sami is great in those big matches at home

as hard as it is to believe, our defending was our weak link in the first half. Shaky a few times with Cahill and a pathetic goal do concede. I still believe. The Eto'o show, please. Torres and Eto'o are a must in the second after the 60 mark (if not earlier)

Tom!!!!!! Have missed you mate

FUCKIGN TORRES IN A PERFECT WILLIAN PLAY