Barbara

when isn't he? I don't remember a situation when he doesn't suck - even if he scores the odd goal.

ugh, now if only those 50 minutes passed faster. I'm a nerve wreck. I love Schurrle instead of Torres even if I'm not a fan of Shirley as the striker. He's been better though and maybe he'll have good runs. I know for sure he'll position himself better, he isn't as selfish and he can actually finish. Hopefully we won't see him without receiving the ball like in that Aston (or was it other?) match. It was frustrating when he was unmarked - thanks to his positioning - and didn't get the ball because frigging Torres didn't pass.

I don't like the idea of Shirley as a striker, but anything is better than Torres at this point, so I hope the lineup is real.

Suddenly I'm nervous as heck about this match. Anxious, tense, nervous, a train wreck basically. I didn't even care much about UCL this season - I still believe our chances are very small at winning the whole thing, but I'm so nervous now. But KEEP THE BLUE FLAG FLYING HIGH!!!!!! Come on Chels!

maybe it's a matter of style. I enjoyed that team last year much more and as you said they were in a mission. They seemed deadly. This one seems to cook the opponents, but we may agree to disagree too

Didn't you read this thread and the Chelsea UCL thread? A lot of people actually believe this Bayern team is better than last season's. I keep saying all other German teams got a lot worse especially Dortmund which may give the illusion this team is better when imo is definitely worse

it's no surprise this is happening Stupid Football ‏@StupidFootball 9m Fuck this tika-taka bollocks. Looking at photos of dogs on Google is where it's at... pic.twitter.com/KIGrx41Dpn

Squawka Football ‏@Squawka 1m Just two of Bayern Munich's nine away goals in the UCL this season have come in the first half of their games. to back you up

I had no idea Mourinho said the team had no balls when I've written some of my last posts claiming exactly the same with other words (actually I've said as much in many posts even before this match) I've been talking about this team having a few mentally weak players for a while now. What else would explain 5 losses prior to nine UCL matches? They can't focus. They're weak because they're still young and not experienced in those things. It's not their fault although Mourinho should be able to identify which ones are really lacking a winning and clutch character and the ones that are still under development. @Strike might remember better than anyone that I was bitching about Mourinho's tactics prior the match and early on only 10 minutes into the game. He made mistakes, that were supposed to be fixed when Oscar came in, but while we improved we were still heartless and toothless. How many of those matches we lost points to weaker sides were because we were exactly that - heartless and toothless? And how is that Mourinho's fault? If I was bitching about his tactics before and early in the match, I'm bitching now too, but two wrongs don't make one right. So just because he's made a mistake it doesn't mean the team is faultless. That team should have beaten CP, end of it. Mourinho wasn't playing. Hazard - completely anonymous (as usual in some matches before UCL games); Schurrle lost, Torres useless, Lamps terrible, Luiz providing stupid long passes and long distance shots. It was all a mess because yeah, only the defenders seemed to have put their hearts there and personally I've complained about it a few times this season - even in matches we turned around in the second. And then that's another thing. They've got accommodated. They got used to getting things around in the second, but CP also took levels up in the second and were deserving of the victory. So yeah, I agree with all of you who said Mourinho made a mistake with a 4-3-3 against Palace. I also agree with all of you who saw only our defensive players giving their hearts and blood in the pitch. They're paid tons of money, they should at least do that, regardless of how well or bad they are technically at the precise moment. I also agree we have noticeable mentality issues with many of our players. They can't capitalize before UCL matches, they don't focus and work hard enough against smaller sides. They're weak characters - in some cases that's okay because they're young, but some of them may lack a winning spirit and I've said it many times in this thread in the past months that Mourinho doesn't tolerate those. He'll try to teach them those things, but those who are this way because of their own character and not because of their inexperience have their days counted at the Bridge. I won't miss them no matter how talented they are or not. I don't know who those guys are because I'm not there, I'm not working with him and I can't predict the future. But if there are any they'll be leaving at the end of the next season, if not in the next winter window.

Sorry for sounding like an entitled bitch - maybe that's what I am but WE are Chelsea fans and we have titles expectations like any other fan (except Arsenal) but we can recognize progress and label it success even without titles bc we are here to support the manager and the team no matter what without demanding titles as if we were the only team in the world to have money and good players. This thread worn me out already. It's a lot of fan character showing, the kind I have no patience for. Come back when we win something as that is all that matters

That's one of the funniest things I've read here lately Unless you're serious... If you think Jose is approaching things like he did in his first spell here I'd have to ask if you were a fan back then (maybe you were too young to remember) bc that makes no sense otherwise. His philosophy and approach were completely different. Sharper, more aggressive, less tests were done, he went for a completely different profile of players. Schurrle, Salah, even Marco didn't come to be bench warmers for 3 seasons. They've been used and will be even more next season. So how is his method the same? Enlighten me please

Unrealistic for you. This is a Brazilian airline ad for Brazilian people who love David Luiz as a CB as we have no complaints whatsoever about him with the NT. I don't expect England to go any further than the group stage but if they do I'm sure they won't be happy to play against Brazil's defense. Go ask Spain how much fun they had...

The thing is success is a very subjective concept. I'll give a brief personal example. I used to work in a worldwide coorporation, with a lot of responsibility and recognition. I wasn't as political as the job demanded, but that could be easily fixed and the promising career I had there could still take me very far. The wages were good and I had some power - designed every process in the Canadian branch (the whole company in the country) and whatsnot, worked with more than ten different countries, controlling process on them. Got recognized by many big shots in the company, collected a few awards - some worldwide worth - and a few other things. Success for a 26yo woman that wasn't even majored on business administration, right? No. I'd rather work much less even if meant have less money and do something I was passionate about, as well as having time, health and a stress-free life to enjoy whatever money would afford me. At age 29 I said enough is enough, vowed myself to never work in a coorporation again and started another major in early age education. Now I teach 15 four year-old - in a Canadian school nonetheless - and I have overprotective moms questioning every decision I make about their little precious spoiled-rotten children. I finally found the success I craved. It's long term for me because my life quality, my happiness, feeling accomplished and trying to do something for each of those little ones that will spend some months with it pays it all off. Another person will read this post and thing I'm pathetic, stupid, silly, or someone who just lacks ambition. That's nothing wrong with their assessmemt, again, success is a subjective matter. On that note and about this club and this season, I don't really judge our success on the trophies we may raise or not. We sort of accidently raised the last three trophies we won (maybe except the FA Cup). We were the underdogs, the team who's played ugly, the dark horse. While it doesn't take the credit away from our honours then, it takes away the enjoyment. The excitment of beating Barcelona and then Bayern of course made up for the pragmatic, defensive, coward approach we had back then. But shouldn't my team give me 'the feels' whether it loses or wins? We played boring, predictable, limited, high-risky (in the bad way) kind of football that made me nervous, but I rarely found myself being entertained by the football we showed. A balance is the ideal situation and I think that's where we're going. We might not immediately be (but I believe in the future we will be because that's clearly Roman's objective) as entertaning as Barcelona and Bayern - and even Real Madrid - in their best days in the past five years, but that's the goal and Mourinho proved with his Real Madrid side that he can provide that - even though some moaners love to talk about what they don't know and say otherwise. That team was exciting to watch, but it had weaknesses, just like Barcelona - who lost to us - and Bayern - who also lost to us - had and still have. So when I look at the progress in Hazard and Oscar (the Brazilian suffers a lot with the winter, but spring is coming and he might blossom again, pun intended) both technically as well as tactically; the recover process that made Terry one of the best - if not the best - English CB in activity, Cahill's progress, Azpilicueta rising, defensive stability, bringing Matic and eating our pride for letting him go, fixing 80% of our midfield issues. And with the exception of Terry - who's older than the others - those guys are very young and their best days are definitely yet to come (not sure about Cahill, but I'm sure he can progress some more). BBC commentators said during the Arsenal massacre that teams should be warned because that was Chelsea in transition. That's the message sent regardless of trophies or not. That's the Chelsea under development, what should they expect of a Chelsea a few steps ahead in the process next season? If now it's a Chelsea that face any top team in the world equally, a team that nobody wants to draw or to play, a team that made the Bridge a fortitude again, so that teams crumble even before they step foot in that pitch because they know that's OUR domain, we rule it, what will this Chelsea be come next season? How come can that not be a success? They look at the man at our dugout and they know they're fucked because he's got the tactics that will kill them and they know we'll be much stronger. Do we still have deficiencies that should be addressed both technically and tactically? Of course we do, but this team is way too young from the pivot on and we have almost literally no striker at all. Eto'o is old, but also has a great responsibility imo for us fighting to be where we are now. We need to add quality in some positions, but I think as needed as that, we need to mold the young talents we already have. Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle, Salah, Willian need to mature and grow a winning spirit and a fighter character. They just couldn't handle the pressure, they couldn't separate in their minds the EPL from the UCL in the weekend matches prior to playing in Europe. They're still young and I'm not sure all of them will prove that they can become real champions, the kind of guys that have ambition running in their veins. I hope all of them succeed here with that because they'll need it. Mourinho doesn't tolerate weak characters in his team, unless they have very marginal roles. But still I look at what this season showed, and I look at our rivals, at their fans and I see fear. I like the feeling of my team being feared and not only respected. Even some of the respect we've earned had been lost in the last few years. It's been earned back and if we'll be lucky enough to have all of this crowned with a trophy, all that much better although it may be yet soon to say (I don't think we have more than 20% chances of winning either title). But even if we don't, it doesn't erase this. The feeling is there, the message has beens sent. I hate using the expression glory hunter, but if the only expectation and the only acceptable thing from the club you support is trophies, then I can't think of another title... unless the club has built a team that reaches the levels or those other clubs aforementioned. But isn't that exactly what we're trying to build here? Or does anyone think Barcelona and Bayern were built in a season? Or that a team like Real Madrid has the effect they have because of a couple of trophies? We've won all trophies that were there to be won. we've conquered it all, now it's time we dominate, but for domination to come, you have to build... and that's what we've done this season and don't fool yourselves, there's more to be built and I think the team won't be at the top of its abilities and productions for another couple of years, but I do believe we'll enter next season as clean favorites to win whatever competition we enter. If that's not success, I don't know what is, no matter how subjective the concept may be.

that's a cool advert because supposedly people in France, England and Spain are trying to prevent them to get to Brazil and play against their NT. That's why his car was like that a couple of weeks ago, as some pictures showed. It was for the advert. Thanks for sharing

I'll answer here because for some reason I can't fathom, the UCL thread was locked? This thread is about this match, that thread is about the competition. Both should be opened imo, but that's just my opinion. because it's clear the boys can't keep their mind in the game in hand. Our record before UCL matches is RIDICULOUS. FIVE LOSSES in nine matches. RIDICULOUS. Too bad have so much illusion and motivation to play the tournament that right now we had less chances of winning. It's disappointed and in all honesty I want to shake some sense in their heads. They need to play every match with the right motivation, that's the least they should do, not choosing competitions. They're way too immature and maybe that's why Mourinho played with Lamps yesterday... but technically he was very bad so it didn't help.

If City win all their eight remaining games, they'll win the league, so what exactly is your point here? Why assume a team that concedes like crazy could win all their matches, including City and us, and the other won't? The thing about football is that it is totally unpredictable. Anything can happen. Arsenal sucking as they are can draw to City as much as we can lose to Palace being outplayed in the process. We make predictions based on logic, and the logical things happen 80% of time, but then there's the unpredictability in the other 20 that makes this sport awesome. If you want to assume Liverpool will win all their matches - with their shaky defense, I'll assume City will win all their matches instead. At least their defense is more consistent most time.

we're soulmates, I don't know why you keep resisting fate. Two wrongs don't make one right. As much as it's true Hazard only made things more difficult for him, he himself had bad moments and had - to his own standards - a bad match. He simply didn't win tackles he normally does, I guess he was more dispossessed than usual. Hazard exposed him more, but he was bad on his own.

Azpili had his worst match for us today though (imo), even though I know that's not your point. Hazard is our most important player, I'd give him the award (not that I care much for it anyway), but Azpili would be good too. Hazard was indeed very poor today though

I consider myself corrected both semantically and by my excitement leading to jump the shark. I'm a woman though emotions are what drive us

sometimes I think he's just downright stupid. For real.

lol and here I thought it was the lack of strikers and him winning us matches at the beginning of the term actually helped. my bad.

you may think money buys everything, sweetie, but you're wrong. It makes things a lot easier, but when a team has even more money than us, even this point is moot. I hope you get banned at some point - although they don't do it for stupidity - you're by far the worst poster this forum has ever had since I'm here. ofc there were trollers, opposition fans, but the things you say seriously are just idiotic and stupid. You never make sense, never. Just read what you said. 2nd most expensive, 3rd best squad. What did you expect, moron? And again, money doesn't play football, football isn't about logic and I don't expect you to understand that. I have no patience with people like you.

I could quote you a lot of posts from a lot of people when the season started. The players and especially Mourinho put us there when I (and a lot of people in this forum) thought that we wouldn't win it when the season began because it was a transitional season. We did just as good as a expected if I look at the position we might end. Fighting for the title was unexpected imo, but short-lived too. So everything is exactly like many of us expected it to be. The reason why we lost matches recently is exactly the reason why we thought at the beginning of the season we wouldn't win it: we aren't stable enough. It's very simple imo. If you had different expectations - whether they're realistic or not - and think the team is collapsing, I can only disagree with you. But I expect a lot of posts like yours to come around. If a team isn't ready because the players are too young and inexperienced when the season starts and there's a new manager with new tactics coming, why are we blaming them for not being stable when the season ends? I think people who's expected more than we accomplished were/are fooling themselves with unlikely expectations.

dude don't take me wrong. But did you put us at the top of the table? No, the manager and the players did. If they couldn't sustain it, it doesn't make them a failure, it makes the team limited - as Mourinho said it was (as well as many of us) from the beginning. Yeah, WE lost the title with two ridiculous losses. But we had matches like that way more often in the previous years and this season the last two away matches weren't the only ones. Mourinho made several mistakes today imo, but our inability to play tight defenses isn't something new. But my point is, I don't get how people blame Jose and the players for something that wasn't even in the books for us this season, but that they unexpectedly put us there... we don't have strikers, and still we were in the fight until the end. That's quite the accomplishment. Jose would have made Liverpool the champion with a comfortable lead at this stage or a better partner for Eto'o would have made us champions. Nothing will change that imo, but it's unfair to blame the people who made it possible in the first place to lose it. We were never ready.

well this morning I was cheering for Arsenal, now I'm cheering for City win all their remaining matches, starting today. Anything but Liverpool winning it. Not that I think City will lose it, but I hope they really win it. They're the best team of the league. Let's keep our unbeatable run against the top teams and at least draw with Liverpool at Anfield, but our title chances just died.