Barbara

who gives a fuck what they say? Sunderland draw or win there and Chelsea only depend on themselves to be champions, that's what really matters...

:worship: :worship: I just disagree with the first paragraph. They don't make it fun at all. They're a nuisance, a pain in the arse. When opposition fans do that, then it's funny to prove them wrong, but to have to prove to our own fans? I don't even believe that guy is a Chelsea fan, but supposing he is, he and everyone else have a right to be pessimist as in not being very confident when certain circumstances (or any) present themselves. But any fan's support should be unconditional. We should ALWAYS believe til the end because that's what support is about. If your team has a 10-points lead it's not you supporting them when you say they'll be champs, it's just you cheering, saying the obvious and celebrating it (nothing wrong there). But true fans should believe against all odds, until the end, until mathematics makes it impossible. Saying it's over it's pretty fucked up imo. even if inside you believe that, you just keep supporting in the outside. That's what the team needs, not people to say it's over... good thing the players and the management team don't come here (hopefully) to read that kind of shit. And hopefully that's not what they come across in London either. As supporters the basic premise is just that... support and support means believing in the impossible until mathematically it's impossible otherwise.

except that now we can depend only on ourselves as much as Liverpool do... so it's actually in our hands to win this or not. Us or Liverpool only need to win all their matches if the score stands to be the champions. I'd bet on Chelsea they just turned it around 1x2

Everton bottling it... too bad City and Liverpool won't do the same. Just when a team had a chance to leave Arsenal out of UCL this happens... that's how Arsenal have been managing to be in UCL all those years... which makes Liverpool streak look even worse fml

okay, let me do the drill for you as it seems nobody is bothered enough saying the obvious to you. As many said he's inconsistent because he's 22. He's received a lot of praise from Mourinho, Scolari, Buffon, pundits, other coaches because of what they can see, not because they picked a kid to praise. He's shown he has a huge ceiling based on things he does out of nothing like that goal. A goal like that isn't luck. He's played similar stuff for us in the last two seasons. He's got a very good finishing, he distributes balls very well, he's got a good vision and for a while this season he's tried the splitting passes - more mistakes than right ones - in a few matches because I think Mourinho released him to do as such. His first touch is very good I don't know what makes you believe otherwise. Those things and much more are common in his game when he's in form, the thing is he's been having a dip of it - something expected from a 22yo. Let's not forget Hazard for example, was nowhere in good form this season until december or last season between october and january. And that's because those kids are just that, kids. They have to grow. So about the time José asked the team to change, when he came to the conclusion he had to work in the defense first, and we've switched our style around the Arsenal match in december, he limited his attacking actions. It has nothing to do with his dip of form, which came a couple of weeks later and he really struggled for a while. I watch this boy playing for Brazil and I know it's only a matter of time before he's comfortable enough playing that level more consistently. It's much easier for him to play in a NT system (which even England's NT is different from English football) because of the space, the less physicality, the pace of the matches. I've been questioning myself if he'll ever be able to fully develop and reach his potential at Premier League. But that's only a vague question because there hasn't been enough time to say as much. I see glimpses of a very special player, and when he's in form those glimpses are quite often. We can't expect him to replace Mata because they're different kind of players and I think that's the nail of the problem. People expecting him to be Mata reloaded or improved are in for something else. They aren't nearly the same kind of player. While Oscar is creative and has vision to an extend, Mata is special. But Mata has a lot of other limitations that make his creativity and vision a liability for a football as physical as English - which means going to United instead of moving out of England was a mistake imo. But Oscar showed us many times he has the potential, the ability and the talent. He just need to nurture, mature and develop those things further and then be consistent about them. I don't know how you failed to see it. But to each their own...

I wonder what on earth that is. LOL that's the funniest thing I've seen in a while and look how everyone is sort of not moving properly or whatever and Wills is running the show super excited about the whole thing. thanks a lot for that

Salah was amazing - bar finishing. But let's not forget that's a 20yo and there was a lot of pressure on us. He was very lively, moved so well, ran like a rocket and that's all that matters in the long term. I'm SO happy he's having chances now. Mourinho is saving Oscar for UCL, but even if we weren't in UCL anymore, I wouldn't drop Salah from the team. For a moment there I thought maybe we should have subbed him (at the end of the first) because I feared for a moment his finishing would cost us. Then I looked to the rest of the team and the bench and we didn't have answers. So I'd rather keep him and hope him to be luckier than make a change. I was very happy when Mourinho dropped Ramires and it could show in our tempo. He really detracts this team as a whole and I can't for the life of me understand why Mourinho likes him so much. With Schurrle, Willian and Salah on we definitely don't need Ramires' stamina and pace - even if Swansea still had 11 men in the pitch. We continue to struggle to break down defenses, but that's back to two problems we have: we lack a clinical striker and our attacking force (AMs) is still too young and volatile. Still I'd pick Salah, Schurrle, Willian all night long against only Cavani. Salah is progressing well as Schurrle is. Let's see if Willian steps up next season and with Oscar and Hazard with two seasons under their belt I expect us to be much more effective with our AMs next season already. We must sign the striker now though.

sorry to disagree, but Hazard's absence had no relevance imo. We just couldn't finish properly. It took us 59 to finally have a shot on goal. That has nothing to do with whoever is creating, but with whoever is finishing is Hazard doesn't shoot on goal as much. We finished the match with 27 shots, only 3 on goal. A team that shoots 27 times and one three on target needs better finishers (not Hazard's specialty). We need clinical strikers. The same old story. Happy for Ba stepping up now though.

Luiz <33333 and such a big smile on Ba. I don't like him technically, but he seems like a great mate and he works hard. I'm happy for him (and for us)

one of them is against Liverpool, so nothing to worry on that one

Matic was my man of the match. He was simply brilliant. Ba proving me wrong twice a week. If he wants he can keep the record for as long as he wants (until the season ends )

told ya the goal was coming. Ba proving me wrong And Matic proving why Ramires should never be a titular in this team again

the goal is coming guys, don't worry

how many right crosses has Iva put in today? He's inspired!

Okay, not Salah's day. Maybe we should sub him...

Eto'o, Torres, my mother. Anyone for Ba, please.

bad decision by Salah again, but let's hope third time is the charm. He should have passed instead of holding

Ba is even more frustrating than Torres - if that's even possible.

I'm not sure the red card is good for us. Until then we could have the counter with Schurrle, Wills and Salah, but now it'll be them sitting deep and we know we aren't expert in breaking defenses apart

Mourinho won us that red card,

you know what I hate in our team and we do it quite often? Instead of dominating and holding the ball when the other team deflects in the midfield, we just riff it with ridiculous long headers to no one. BLOODY HATEFUL HABIT

As expected our three AMs are playing very well - especially Willian and Salah and our striker is useless. But we'll win this

more like his inability to keep the ball... but yeah, let's prepare ourselves for tons of those...

I said in the UCL thread I didn't see Cole starting. Playing a sub at 60 mark or even 45 yes, but not start. Also, I can see Mourinho deciding to play with three CB's instead of playing Cole in the Atleti match...