Barbara

http://espnfc.com/en/gamecast/385327/gamecast.html?soccernet=true&cc=3888 says Chelsea 55%

And they also said we don't play attacking football under Mourinho. That first half was fantastic. We've missed a few clear chances, but we've created a lot. The link up is great, although Schürrle is doing nothing to displace Willian. Eto'o has been good as well Oscar and Hazard. Between the two is hard to decide which one had a better first half. Also Matic keeps bringing a smile to my face.

and they said Oscar and Hazard don't link up

beautiful striker, teddy bear https://vine.co/v/MuA0AhLbQdD

Do we have a new set-piece specialist? OSCAR!!!!!!

at the 10th minute mark, of all times

perfect lineup is perfect

Yesterday I got some Indian Pale Ale 16 whatever. It was like nothing I've got before. Still not my thing I'll try the Guinness next time at the Grainne's or wherever else I find it

You're absolutely right, shouldn't really be bothered about posts lacking logic at this moment. Some people might not even do that on purpose, they're just in the heat of the moment, being hurt and disappointed their fave player left. I would probably stop making sense for a while if we allowed Eden Hazard to leave...

it's at least ironic to see you talking about big picture just because your beloved Mata was useless in the system and had to leave. I guess all of us already covered that Mata not fitting is an unfortunate event that is no one's fault. Real Madrid played one of the most exciting football for about two seasons, I expect us to be the same, especially because of our real star and main gem, Eden Hazard. I've criticized Mourinho a lot of times. Some times I was proved to be wrong by him and the team in the pitch. Mourinho keeps saying he's trying to be build a team for the future, and you keep talking about immediate success. If we wanted immediate success we wouldn't have gone for the kind of signings we did. Why signed Eto'o and allowed Lukaku to go to a place where he's play week in and out, without as much pressure and with decent service. Now when he comes back, Eto'o one year deal is expired, Ba will be on his way out and who knows about Torres. That screams long-term and big picture imo. The same can be said about our midfield, except that Marco unfortunately got injured. Mourinho brought Matic which gives us prime-form + longevity as he's 26 and may have 3-4 good years on him if not more. Our AMs are all 22 and 23 with the exception of Willian, who's only 25. We now have Salah and a couple of kids coming from youth who are under 21 and cover the same zone in the pitch. The only are we're a bit aged is exactly the defense. Terry's had an amazing season so far, but who knows how much longer can he go without an injury? Cole is older and not the same anymore, Ivanovic is also hitting the 30's mark in a month from now. So we'll need to bring new blood (as in young blood) and David and Azpili are the youngest we have. Don't know if you've noticed it before, but Mourinho values experience a lot in the defense, mixed with one at most two younger players. I'm not saying there's no chance for David Luiz to leave. But Mourinho's resisted good bids from Barcelona once (for sure) or twice (for all we know) and maybe even more. I'm sure Barcelona was willing to bring a lot of money because they really want David. So why did he resist? I know it hurts knowing the first good bid in and Mata was out - especially to a rival - and Mourinho has been resisting bids for Luiz since the summer. But he isn't stupid and he won't let him go easily. He knows Luiz is facing a bad form streak (although he isn't that bad now, just not up to his best) and he knows Terry could get injured or Cahill lose the best momentum he's had in his whole career (although I think it's likely that Gary just reached his peak and should carry on that now for while). So he knows he needs an experienced guy in the squad and that guy right now is Luiz. Who knows when he'll hit incredible form again? There's a world cup coming and Mourinho knows how it motivates Luiz. He could come back for pre-season with an amazing WC under his belt and completely on fire (regardless if Brazil wins the WC or not). Why would he want or allow easily him to leave? Why would he have been so emphatic saying Luiz is not for sale? He's never said any of those things about Mata even before the Southampton episode. He's used to say that Mata is a great player, that he was adapting, training well and that the club liked him a lot. Go read the interviews. He's said at least three times Luiz was not for sale... As for the FFP we don't need to sell Luiz to bring a world class striker. We're fine about money now. We've got some profit in the winter window, we have the new Adidas deal bring paid this season (don't know how much of the 300m is going to be paid now). We could spend 50m next summer and still be completely fine with FFP. Even though I think 30-40m for David Luiz is as good as the 40m we've for for Mata, Mata was an useless player in the system, whereas Luiz is not. He isn't a key player, but Mourinho knows he's useful. It's very different to get good money from a bench warmer and get good money from a player that can give us a lot of alternatives, especially in an area we aren't that deep to start with. As for your logic on Mourinho, beautiful football, Mata and narrow mind of all things, I really got nothing to say. I'm not saying he won't leave, I'm just opposing to some butthurt fan thinking Mourinho doesn't think about the future of the club and is only looking the small, immediate picture - which is BS. Mourinho will go further (already did and will probably continue to go) to keep Luiz. Maybe he will leave, but Mourinho isn't as willing to let him go as he was careless about Mata's departure. Those are two different situations and implying Mourinho is here to destroy any chance we've got of having beautiful football and having an attacking team is stupidity imo.

And the same is true about us too. A manager can make or waste a team. We have one of the best managers in the world, if not the very best, it makes a whole difference. If people believe anyone could make us stronger now than Mourinho, I'd love to know why. We've had a collection of managers to prove that Chelsea is difficult to manage for many reasons. Mourinho is the best man for the job and I'm really thankful for having him.

If Mourinho didn't want Luiz here he would have left already because Barcelona themselves confessed their interest more than once. Mata's never fit his plans, the same isn't true about Luiz. Compare all interviews about Mata and Luiz's rumors and bids since last summer and you will see how different they actually are. Mourinho never once said his door was open to Luiz although he did say about Mata and Kevin de Bruyne (not with the same words, but that if he wanted to leave, he could). Dude, if you think Mourinho is stupid, sorry, the joke is on you. He makes mistakes just like the next guy (less imo, actually), what you're implying is that he's destroying this club when it's actually the opposite. There's so much crap written in your post that I won't even bother with that part. Considered leaving with Mata too? Instant success? HOW STUPID CAN THAT BE?

not yet. I don't drink, but I liked Heineken. There was Guinness there too. I tried some honey beer as well, but didn't like it. I'll try Guinness next

Rock 'n Roll at the Irish Pub Had my very first Heineken

Dude, why are people still having a hard time to process what's happened here? Let's do a recap. Mata behaves in a 'frustrated' way at Southampton. Mourinho is asked about it and he's clear 'my door is open if he wants to leave'. Mata doesn't feature again even for one minute, even against a Championship side. Mata figured out one of two things: 'I messed it up with my 'frustration', I better leave' OR 'I don't think I can fight my way back into the team, I better leave'. United makes the bid Mata has been waiting all along (not exactly from ManUtd, but a big club, in order to have enough minutes and play the WC) The bid is something Chelsea agrees with. Mourinho said his door was open, so he asked Mata if he really wanted to leave. Mata said he really wanted to leave. Mourinho didn't see this as someone offering 80m for Hazard (because even if they did he wouldn't release him, that's the difference between Hazard and Mata for Mourinho and why at the end of the day it's a Mourinho decision or at least agreement) Mata leaves, end of story. I still read the same old shit on Mata's thread about how Mourinho marginalized Mata. Mata didn't fit Mourinho's system - which has been proving to be effective. I don't give a fuck (pardon my French) where Mata played. He simply didn't fit! He isn't strong enough, direct enough, fast enough hard worker (work-rate) enough. He exposes those deficiencies in the middle more than in the wing. If we're going to say Mourinho didn't play Mata where he should, let's also say Mata didn't give enough to make it work in the wing. If we're going to say Mourinho didn't give Mata enough chances, let's also say Mata didn't capitalize his chances. My point is this situation is no one's fault. It's not Mourinho's or Mata's faults that he didn't fit the system. It's just unfortunate because the system is proving itself more valuable than the last 2 years POTY. It's not Mourinho's fault his choices limited Mata as much as it isn't Mata's fault his weaknesses limited Mourinho's choices. It's just a bad fit. End of story. On a side note, I'm still not convinced Mata will work on ManUtd... I think he may have some trouble fitting their style (based on wings) and if he struggles he may face the bench again because ManUtd can't afford play a struggling player (same way we couldn't, but for different reasons). I hope I'm not wrong, because although I wish Mata the best, I wish ManUtd the worst.

making this my sign in 3, 2, 1

@Jim, I loved the new banner with Oscar in the website. That's his default face, and it's so funny, just not as funny as this guy but funny nonetheless. Also great render (or whatever that is called)

And I welcome it actually, but to bother to get all his assists (from google, from someone else, from your personal stuff) seems a bit too much As effective as you saying 19 out of 52, lol How unfair is what you're implying? I'm positive I couldn't actually understand what you meant... explain it in dumb-language, I'm sleepy and I have to leave for an irish pub soon, so that might help keep me awake

lol next people will start bringing up ManUtd stats once Mata is officially announced. Unnecessary, Jason... downplaying Mata's assists is impossible and no one here is stupid enough to try that, much less say he's useless offensively. I can't believe you actually bothered with this... and posted it in Oscar's thread of all places Also, you do realize 19/52 (36%) is a higher percentage than 4/12 (33%), right?

what if we're trolling them? Announcing to the world through this rumor and then Salah's signing that we're willing to offload him, get interest from other clubs and then just Moyes and ManUtd look like fools. If that's the plan, I'll laugh til I die.

Can Eden take the #10 this season already or although allowed by FA and UEFA it's unlikely for a player to change shirt numbers during the season? Thanks in advance, mates

I don't think Styles or I have done it and I'm not sure that's Korea's point either. There were posts saying Oscar is supposed to fill Mata's shoes. Oscar isn't a set-piece taker by nature (sometimes he takes some corners and the odd free-kick for us), so what he has to fill is 8 assists in the league. Don't be so bloody defensive, nobody here is making him useless for God's sake. Do the numbers downplay him? If you think so, that's your problem and Mata's. I think having a set-piece assistant or scorer is an asset to the any club, did any of us imply he's a lesser player because of that, or just that many of his assists come from that so it's only fair to compare his open-play assists with the guy that is supposed to fill his shoes. Also, Oscar and Hazard are the players staying in the club, so I hope both of them to put Mata numbers to shame. Sorry if you consider this offensive, downplaying or making Mata useless. That article I've posted was posted before in the Mata's thread, months ago. Not by me or any of those guys. It was Amels or Melanicus

http://differentgame.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/how-much-does-juan-mata-to-chelsea/ The original post I guess was on Whoscored.com (but I could be wrong, I remember someone posting this on Mata's thread a few months ago). He's had 8 open play assists last season in EPL. A better article and a better source http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/15116/8827707/chelsea-stats He's had 12 assists last season, 8 of which from open-play. Hazard's had 11 all of which from open-play. 'nuff said

the only people who badmouthed Willian as a player must have been those who didn't know him. Ramires was never my kind of player, but he's changed my mind, I was sort of disappointed when we signed him, but well, he's proved me wrong. As for this boy based on what many of you said, he's pure pace and work-rate and left-footed. Per many explanations I understood why Mourinho wants him. But I still worry about our youth. we've signed so many young potentials in the past couple of years. Unless we want to start making money off of growing them in Vitesse and then EPL and then keep the very best and capitalize with very good money feedback, I don't see how we'll make it work with so many AM's under 21 right now...

Or Lucas Piazón. I still don't get this deal. Yeah, the kid seems good. How many good kids we have scattered in loans around the universe right now? 90% of which AMs. Yeah, I'm exaggerating, but the point remains. We have a few boys we could bring, but well, what's done is done. Hope he works well here. AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PEOPLE, THIS GUY AIN'T REPLACING MATA. Mata's place in the starting 11 has been filled months ago. Whoever we sign for AM now is for squad depth, bench warmer, long-term investment. How people can be so narrow minded?