Barbara

I hate it as well, but I do wonder, isn't that him trying to be the kind of player that will be appreciated by English fans and pundits? Isn't this kind of seriousness and clearance that people in England like? I'm in no way being ironic, I think maybe he doesn't know how to find balance or what people expect from him, so he's just trying to keep it simple and doing a few things that I don't think are necessary at all. I'm not defending him at all, I'm trying to understand him - and even then can't say I do.

I went as far as stating I didn't think Jose would punish him for the bratty behavior. I do wonder how much of this is just a coincidence and how much it's José just showing him his place. As I said back then, in the never end saga of his behavior, I don't think Mourinho would have blasted him to the media. I still can't say (though I tend to think that way) he was more frustrated on Mourinho than on himself. But there had been chances for him to get even a few minutes ever since (not today though given the scoreline and ManUtd scoring) and I wonder why he wasn't given especially because in many matches before the incident he's been given some odd minutes. He couldn't get minutes against Derby for God's sake!!! Just so we're clear (I mean everyone else, not you), I'm not saying Mourinho is punishing him, I'm saying it looks an awful lot like it, but I can't say for sure, ofc. Also the same old with the stats... He's had 11 starts plus a few subs (that only in EPL, without considering the cups). That's more than enough matches for him to give us something and he did very, very, very little. Don't give me the right wing crap, first because it's no excuse for him to give us even the minimum, second, he's had many cameos (some matches even stayed more in the center than in the wing) in the middle position. The positioning detracts his performances, but it shouldn't be that much. Or are you people trying to say that Mata is so limited, but so limited, that unless he's a few yards to the left he can't provide an assist or score a goal? He'll never be able to give us as many goals and assists in the right wing, in this kind of system (especially when he isn't given plenty of freedom to do whatever he wants and no tactical responsibility), but he should be more than capable of giving us more than 2 goals and 1 assist. So I see a difference of not repeating last season's results because of the new system and positioning, but I can't justify only 3 goals created by his feet in 15+ matches on that. For me that's called bad form. It should have been a middle ground here, such as he's in a position where he doesn't produce as much, but still produces enough. He hasn't produced enough.

actually we shouldn't wait as much. I think the ideal is two years before his contract ends, but I would love a move next summer or maybe even next winter window. I want a new contract for him in 2015, doesn't matter if at January or July. There's no need (or reason) to wait for 2016. Give him a big salary and an exorbitant release clause. Everyone is happy. If they want to pay him 200k a week, I don't mind. Give him 250 if they must, he's worth every penny of it and we really need to set up an impossible release clause, something like 150m if not more (all values in pounds, I don't know the shortcut for the sign nor do I have it on my standard keyboard)

couple of brilliant interventions/saves by him today. There was one when it was still 1-0, that was capital for the victory imo. Don't remember who shot, but he's saved it brilliantly.

I think he's struggled today, I feel like he still struggles to find how to balance both of his responsibilities... Mourinho has chosen what gives us more stability. Ever since he came back to the team (especially when he was in form again, as he was clearly not in form in his first two matches back from the injury) we stopped conceding, our midfield started dominating opposition's again and we decreased considerably the time we allow opposition to spend in their attacking third as well as shots on goal. Some of those things aren't as flashy as an assist (although he did have two of them - plus a goal - against Southampton just a couple of weeks ago, and somehow I still have to read he's been bad - or whatever was the word - for the past few weeks) and aren't easy to be noticed. I have no problem saying he's had a bad match today because I think he did. Doing as much as he's done for us throughout the whole season (except the two matches after his injury) he's more than allowed to have a bad match today. His effect on the team is more tactical than practical, he's been a key player for us, giving us balance and stability. I can't complain about those. Still he's first in the team with assists this season (5, tied with Eden and Lamps) and third in goals (behind Eden, and now Samuel)... Go figure why he's been so underwhelming for people...

A Chelsea striker hat-trick. Now I've seen everything. New ritual: get to a pub to watch the Chels Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

BBC5 is exactly where I'll talk to. If you can listen to station, I'll be on air 45-30 minutes before the match.

Congrats! I'll also see if there will be a recording of it on BBC's website (we get BBC 5Live here via BFBS radio) Bbc5 is exactly where I'll be Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4G using Tapatalk

if they like me I'd be willing to fulfill that Chelsea pundit spot until Mourinho is 75 and can take his position. Until there I could sit there and go with all the rules he's said yesterday: Chelsea always deserve the win, are always the best team in the pitch and are always harmed by the referees. I feel I forgot one, but I'd have time to practice The MOTD would never be the same after me. Only Chelsea love and no scouse accent. a girl can dream... and spout BS,

Daily Mail - not surprisingly - has a very more 'complete' version of his interview than the other channels I've read - a series of jabs on Mourinho. I don't know what to think because some of the lines among the statements were released by other channels too... but never trusts DM, that's the first rule in football Anyway, he's clearly lost his joy as he's said and I think there isn't much you can give if you don't have the passion when you do have a chance. It was an unfortunate situation, bad timing, but he's a quality player. Wishing him the best and hopefully he'll fulfill his potential.

well, this week is special. Not only I'll watch a Chelsea match in a pub for the first time, but I'll take part of BBC Radio live before the match. I was chosen in Chelsea Brasil for their pre-match show, and will give an interview about the match. So if you guys in England hear a Barbara in your radio, that'll be me live about 45-30 minutes before the match.

I do hope this is not an assumption that the problem is his hair and his upbeat, cheery PERSONALITY (bc it's not only attitude). If that's what you're implying, sorry, K, but I think it's ridic... An additional comment on this one. TOPTB said something along the lines. Most people agree the player that plays for Brazil NT is a different one, many claim they want that player to play for us. Still there's the hair, the tongue and even more playful jokes when he's away with the team, especially during isolation before important tournaments such as Copa America, Confed Cup and I'm sure we'll see the same before WC. that's who Luiz is, that's not a character like Cyrus (who was never like that before as far as I can say, don't follow the girl). So if the problem is his cheery attitude then why it doesn't affect his game when with the NT where he's even more playful off pitch than when he's with Chelsea? but my point wasn't that we should complain about Terry, but complain less about mistakes, regardless of who does them. I didn't say a word about Essien against Soton last month (except in a summary, in the match thread where the focus wasn't even Essien, but how Soton would have never scored if not for that mistake). But I understand that's me and people are different. But if they're so willing about talking about a player's mistake, they should be the same about everyone else. Didn't Terry also fail in one of the goals we conceded against Stoke? Or was Sunderland? He does mistakes as anyone else, but as said many times, his mistakes and Gary's are rarely the big messes Luiz's are. Their are more subtle, but still mistakes that lead to goals or to exposing Cech... that's exactly my claim. I don't want us to start discussing JT or Lamps, or Cech's (although he doesn't escape the criticism despite being a legend to this club) or even Cahill's mistakes. I just think it isn't fair putting every little and big mistake Luiz makes in the microscope when the same isn't done with other, let's call it, fan-favorites. It's a double standard, but as TOPTB said, maybe that's because JT rarely makes a mistake (it's not that rare, but it's indeed less often). Luiz had a streak of bad form, bad form makes you prone to make more mistakes. On his usual form his mistakes while noticeable because they normally involve a big mess, they aren't that frequent either. It's just that a lot of people has a microscope on him, expecting the mistakes, big and small and then that's all they talk about. Starting with the pundits.

truer words were never said. I even completely forgot about that incident because nobody mentioned it (then again I didn't check his thread, lol, only the live match. But you're completely right. Had it been Luiz, there would be at least 5 pages discussing his brainfart in this thread. edit: hahahahahaha mate, you're so right that checking JT's thread now there isn't one single comment on the incident. This is presh, lol. People make mistakes as you said, it's just Luiz's are always taken in the microscope and blown out of proportion with part of Chelsea fanbase

I know what you mean, but my point is, dude, the man got 313 matches, 150 clean sheets. Only writing this shit is already insane. Only a top goalkeeper can have that kind of stat. Also I noted that our defense have had many shaky periods in the league. So while they help a lot (currently Chelsea is the team that allows less shots on their goal, this is 100% credited on outfield players), only a beast in the goal can have nearly 50% of clean sheets in league matches. Every goalkeeper in the world relies on the men ahead of him, saying that is stating the obvious, but only the extraordinary makes up for their mistakes or stops opponents' brilliance. You can say the 4 men help any keeper, but the other stat proves my point that this is idk 70% on Cech, and 30% on defense because the guy saves 76% of all shots taken on him. If a shot was allowed is because the defense failed to prevent it (the same way I just said our defense right now is amazing as we allow the least shots from opponents in the league). When you combine the stats, they talk for themselves about Cech. Stating defenses help goalies is like saying from clouds come the rain, but in the way you wrote it seemed aimed to take away a bit of the credit from his achievements, which imo it doesn't because we've had the best defense for some spells, but also a frustratingly back four for others (after Mourinho left).

I completely disagree. You don't have clean sheets in basically 50% of all matches you played in a league only because of a good defense ahead of you. This same defense had some very bad moments under di Matteo playing the league. TERRIBLE. While they do help, we don't have even closely the best defense around, so why don't other keepers have such stats? Cech is a legend, he's made some of the most incredible saves I've seen in football and playing a keeper is always difficult, a small mistake (and sometimes big, which all goalies in the world have done, Petr included) and you concede. Sorry, but while I think there's some credit to be given to the defense, there are much better defenses around and their keepers don't have such stats... Nothing takes away how amazing this man is.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3623841/title/chelsea-signs-with-coral another sponsorship and seeing how betting is big in Europe, especially England, it must yet another profitable one. We're just fine financially...

The same he does if he doesn't adapt (except without the liabilities): creativity, set-piece, splitting passes. He'll never be the guy that will bring energy, pace or excel defensively. If he adapts so he can't expose the midfield to the opponent, then it's all settled and I'd even to see us play 4-3-3 with Oscar in the midfield, Willian and Mata ahead of him and Hazard as a false 9. Or Hazard and Mata and a striker. but an adapted Mata works in a 4-2-3-1 too. It's a big challenge for him to adapt though because his style is completely different. Let's see what happens. I don't want him to leave.

I think you're looking in a very simplistic way. The weak pivot makes Mata lack of energy and power to deal with the league's physicality worse, or looking the other way, Mata exposes an already weak pivot more. Having a stronger pivot behind him makes up for Mata's limitations to a extension, but he'll continue to have problems fitting in a system that requires high work-rate, pressing and is way more direct than he'd prefer. In addition to that Mata seems to prefer to have the ball on his foot instead of receiving it in the run - which happens quite happen with our system. The reason why we weren't competitive in the past is because all the freedom Mata had gave too much space for opponents because our pivot couldn't make up for that amount of freedom. We've been competitive currently (with or without Mata) and that's because of the system we now have in place. Said system is more efficient without Mata because he doesn't fit that well. The question now is if Mata can adapt to the system because I don't see the system or Mourinho leaving any time soon. Weak pivot or not.

there isn't one thing I agree with except that nobody hates Luiz. The analogy is very unfortunate imo in the Luiz side of the things. He loses focus/concentration and makes mistakes. It's quite simple. We've been discussing it for 200 pages. Whether he's able to fix it with or without Mourinho's help is the big question. Implying he doesn't 'do his homework, skips class and puts zero effort' is just plain unfair and awful imo. But we can agree to disagree.

He won that poll in the end, and it's incredible he's second leading the clean sheets stats in history, playing nearly half the amount the leader has (Cech 313 matches, 150 CS; James, 572 matches, 169 CS). Now I just read he leads % stats in EPL history, saving 75,98% of all shots against him (on target, ofc). This is one of my fave Chelsea FC legends and will always be.

Just wrote a whole scout based exactly on that, the player we've lacked since Ballack. It feels like that imo

He hates Arsenal, he hates Arsenal

Pundits on TV keep saying the spot is his for the take in the NT. I don't talk about NT football with my friends (actually I have very few friends that talk about football at all ), but I feel like it's a consensus that he's a few (if not several) steps ahead of Lucas Moura. He's well appreciated here, although not that much known compared to others (even Hulk). I've read a few fans excited while commentating in articles that mention him. So I guess the most part of the fans are getting to know him now because they didn't watch the leagues where he's played before, and they like what they're seeing.

this is part of the scout I'm writing for Chelsea Brasil right now. I think there's a chance Mourinho will interchange Ramires and Matic sides of the pitch (he does say he likes to play lefties in the right and right-footed in the left). But I think that's it. Rami as a B2B player, with more freedom, and Matic as the contention, defensive player, with the sporadic cameo in the attack (white arrows) to make use of his potent long distance shots. The other players I chose are part of the starting XI Mourinho's been choosing before Iva got injured. Not exactly a personal preference.

he's a leftie