Barbara

And when did I ever say they aren't good?Just that they aren't this wonderful team people are NOW making them out to be. I said almost the opposite saying they should have fought for 4th place the last couple of seasons given their team and investment but they didn't because of bad circumstances. They still have plenty of areas to work. Tactically they could do way better but I think Rodgers will get there. Where in the world a team with their squad would surprise people being in a title race? They have deficiencies just like we do but they have a good team... I don't get the overreaction

Did people expect them to finish #8 for the rest of their history? They don't have a bad squad, the league is the closest in the whole world, they do have tradition and *unbearable* fans behind them. I won't change my mind, it's circumstantial. The same way finishing #8 was... Neither reality is accurate. They're supposed to be what Arsenal are. A top 4 team... They were before (last few seasons) and they're now. They were supposed to be fighting with Arsenal for that #4 spot and in all honesty if Arsenal didn't have their usual dip of form when the season toughens they'd be closer to Liverpool. If I were at this forum a couple of season ago I'd be saying the same thing about them finishing #8 or #7. As much as I enjoyed it, back then it was the opposite of what they have now, bad circumstances, such as terrible managers, players not committed enough, etc... I understand their delusional fans getting carried away, neutrals make no sense in my head... They're where they belong given their manager, players and investment, not higher nor lower. If we talk where I'd want them though, it's a different story...

It's not about belittling what Liverpool did... but when you have two strikers in the form of their lives, you only play once a week in a very physical league you OF COURSE have an edge over other teams in one of those things. Defensively Liverpool are very poor and a mess, they concede tons of goals because their defense is PATHETIC. I'm not even blaming fully the players. The defensive tactics (positioning, coverage) is very, very, very poor. Some of their players are having their best season ever, but that's because they're mainly fresh every match. They WON'T win this, I'm positive, and next year when they have Europe football again they'll FLOP quickly because the players - especially older ones - won't be able to replicate their performances playing twice a week. They'll fail to get through UCL knock-outs depending on their groups (I don't know the coefficients but it must be very bad as they don't play European footie for a long while). They're likely to draw a big shark and maybe even a team like Napoli, Atletico, a Portuguese side. They don't qualify with a group with the likes of RM, Barça, Bayern, Juve, plus one of those mentioned above. I really like Brendan, but let's not get carried away. He's got some very favorable circumstances and situations working for him. When they stop working (busier schedule - which leads to players not being as fresh and not being able to replicate their performances this season) it's the real challenge and that's when I think they'll fail because not even Suarez can make up for everything all the time. We all know he isn't the most known guy to score at the most important matches...

I only watched the first half, and I think he was less error prone than against United. He was more accurate, a little more confident. I think it's a step-by-step process to recover his confidence and he needs to repeat some drills to go back to his pass accuracy. The kid is talented though and we'll come through

where do I make my vows to become a nun for life?

Nothing in the whole world is worth keeping Torres. Absolutely nothing. If José decides to bring Balotelli is because he believes he can handle him. Not that I think he would, I don't, but getting rid of Torres is almost as important as getting a world class striker.

LOL If Jose wasn't here we wouldn't be fighting for the title at all in the first place, get a reality check... For some people it seems like we're obliged to win titles, the opponents be damned as if it was easy. My words to them are just two: GET LOST! How can people be livid for no trophies after what we've shown the last few years? At least we're competitive and if didn't win anything or won't, it's because there are serious contenders there... I can't with the idiocy of some things...

I think we can keep him... Ramires can be useful at times, he makes for a good squad member. An upgrade from Mikel x10

ask @Steve for the codes, as he's the one who can give you

lol

I. can't. stop. laughing This is the best thing EVER!!!!! Thanks so much for that. can this be the match thread opened forever? There's always a good laugh we can have here. At least til the end of season then?

I'm not talking about being built. Ramires said he played for months for us in a lot of pain, feeling like a truck ran over him after each match - which is partially why he was so bad for us at first. Oscar struggles physically as it is... it's not only about how big he is, but how resilient, how much he can take. That's the problem imo with playing him in the pivot... what we see him doing sometimes as an AM - tackling, dueling, getting rid of pivot opponents doesn't mean he'd be good doing that on a much larger scale as a pivot player. He isn't fit or suited for that imo... but we'd need a few experiences in a row to be really sure.

He's barely strong enough to play as an AM in the EPL, if the drops to the pivot I think he'll be eaten alive... kid isn't strong enough imo

Maybe I am, that's just how I feel. He's a terrible decision maker, his vision is limited, he isn't a bright cookie and he's way too selfish. If I believed he could work around those things I'd probably believe he would develop into a top player. I don't. That's why I don't complain about Hazard and Cris also being flashy. Because although Cris is selfish, he's smart, has great vision, amazing finishing (Lucas is not bad or good) and Hazard is about the same (except his flaw is being way too selfless, but that's easier to remedy imo). So the only thing left is how much talent to dribble he has. That's why from time to time we see him doing a Messi-play and it's awesome... but on a everyday basis he dribbles, loses the ball, gives a bad pass (he plays way too often looking down to the pitch and his feet - a capital mistake imo which Oscar is also infected with) or well, does nothing and pass the ball sidewards or backwards... That's why his flashiness does nothing to me. It seems infertile and pointless, counter-productive. I know he isn't a party guy (never thought that was the problem with Denilson, but maybe you have a point) and that he is a hard worker, I just think he's well... how can I put it nicely... hmmm I can't... he's stupid - football wise. If he had the football brains to combine with his talent, he'd be another Ronaldinho in the making imo. Maybe he'll grow smarter, improve his vision, stop being selfish and start making better decisions. I don't believe though. I'd be happy to be proved otherwise (the kid IS hardworking and I value those kind of individuals a lot). I was praying and hoping he signed for United. Lucas in that United team would make me laugh even harder... though again maybe they wouldn't have signed Mata... who knows.

I knew you would. Lucas is Denilson 2.0 until he proves me otherwise. Dribbles like Denilson produced means nothing to me... I don't see Lucas becoming much better if any better. All that flashy makes nothing for me

let a Brazilian settle this for you Lucas Moura is a flop. He isn't better than any of the many midfielders we have in Brazil, reason why he isn't - rightfully so - going to the WC in his own country. I hope you have enjoyed your stay. That aside, the French football fans (at least in this board, Chelsea fans or not) are my fave fans to discuss in forums. They're really special, have a great understanding of the game and very, very polite. You're all welcome here

David Luiz saved our sorrow arses a few times in the last two seasons and I think he's part of what won us European titles. Just because he's in bad form now it doesn't undo what he's done in the past, so for that alone he can't be considered a poor signing. I'm not sure Willian will turn out in a bad signing, I just think it's a waste of money if he doesn't fit as well in the system. I thought he'd fit better than he did so far, maybe it's adaptation or maybe he just isn't suitable for English football and/or our system. Marin is the biggest flop after Torres and I think Moses was decent given what were our goals when he was around here. It makes no sense to recall him imo. There are a lot of guy I'd like to see going off on loan (or continuing) or just sold. We have way too many useless players for us. I think we tried to value their price tags this season, but few of them hit the target. Moses is one that didn't pay off for Liverpool. It seems like Marin wants to stay at Sevilla, the question remains if Sevilla is even interested. There isn't one player other than Lukaku I'd recall. I'd have 3 players from the academy and junior teams to fill up the homegrown quota, but I don't remember now any player I'd like to come back to SB, not even Oriol. that's perfect, sweetie. Thanks

I expect United to be slammed by City. Sad as that. I didn't see Liverpool still has to play Tottenham, although it still makes their fixtures easier than ours bar City. We struggle against the likes of Stoke, they don't struggle at all against teams that go after them. They simply outscore them. As I said yesterday, I'm worried about them, but that's about the match we have against them. I don't think they're winning this. Too bad the Everton game City has is the same day as we facing Liverpool and I thought their schedule would be more jammed... but then again, they shouldn't have lost in the FA Cup, but they totally bottled it. Useless club

which is one of the points I was trying to make, but according to some it doesn't count much if you do it against a 10-man Arsenal... I hope you and I aren't wrong about it.

yeah, I think they'll develop further, as I said in my first post in response to Shakez, but as it is now, I don't see Schurrle making much of a difference if we don't create space for him. But I'm positive both will develop further than that. You know Salah better than me, so you can tell me better what you expect him to be.

I tend to agree with him instead of you. If the teams sit deep waiting for us, Schurrle isn't on his best. He needs his runs, and how will he run if the defense is sitting there with four guys waiting for him? I think he's our best player finding the right spot, but normally when we're counter-attacking or attacking quickly. If we pass the ball from one side to the other trying to CREATE space, Schurrle adds nothing or very little to that. He's great FINDING space, not creating it. Against deep defenses you have to create it. If someone creates it for him, maybe he has a chance, but we don't have a master in creating space other than Hazard and even then, I see Schurrle taking little advantage of what Hazard creates because normally they're in opposite sides of the field, in the wings. And there are teams who defend all the time against us. Some don't even try to win the matches, it's pathetic and frustrating. I remember at least a couple of matches like that in the league this season and given some of the teams we'll face home in the remaining matches, I can see another couple of games like that. I don't look forward to them at all.

I agree partially. There are some matches that aren't suited for them, but I don't think they're as limited as you may sound (or as I interpreted your words). They're still a work in progress. We don't know the players they'll turn to be, especially under Mourinho, I'm sure he'll develop him better than if they were if someone else and will mold them to be the players he needs to. Let's see where it goes, but you have a point about them not being suitable for some sort of matches. Then again, if a defense parks a bus, neither is Willian (although given his style he should)

I think he doesn't balance Hazard better than Willian, I think he makes up for Oscar's shy contribution in the third final. That's the main difference. Oscar is a different kind of player, the way he touches the ball, the plays he goes to, the chances he creates, they're different from what you usually see in a number 10. I think Oscar holds himself in the pitch in a different way and while Willian doesn't exactly do the same, at the end of the day his contributions are sort of the same range. With Schurrle we get something else and he's finally getting there. When I watch the guy playing for Germany he really makes me smile. He just needs time, confidence and strength to get used to the English football. I've been a defender from him since the signing. He's had a dip of form, but who didn't? This is his first season and while Bundesliga may be the most similar to EPL in some aspects, it's still far from being sort of the same. There's no what place that plays like England as far as I know, and he's still so young, so oscillation was to be expected. Still he's delivering everything I expect from him and next season maybe the fight for the RW will be between him and Salah. Let's see who does better first. But I see plenty of rotation in the first few months just like we had this season (except I think the rotation will be from August to October. We rotated til December this season simply because Mourinho had a hard time finding a reliable team. Then he realized the team wasn't ready for his tactics, and that's when Willian became a starting XI player, to make up for what we couldn't be, no matter how much he tried. I think next season we won't have such a problem).

happy bday, but in other news, he wasn't missed at all Saturday. Not his pace, not his energy, not his stamina, not his defensive skills. We've got all that covered with Matic + David (maybe except the pace, but then again, we didn't need it), combined with good decision make, reliable pass and good vision. Matic had two assists and Luiz could have easily finished with one, given some of the passes he gave that put teammates at the edge of the box. I do wish him to improve, though, and wish him well. It's just one game after his punishment and I already see the prophecy some of us saw becoming true: it's been a blessing in disguise. And thank God Luiz is healthy. Hopefully he'll stay like that.