Barbara

100 bucks the tennis player was Nadal. He says all the time that high level athletes play in pain all the time. Also Rafa was at Stamford Bridge the other day and he's showed plenty of his disapproval - as a RM fan - on the club letting Mourinho go. Back on the main focus, I guess a pseudo-injured Cole will be benched while Bertrand watches from television. Two months ago I'd be celebrating it, worshiping Mourinho for that, but Ryan isn't as bad as he used to be. He's improved and was just fine, although nothing brilliant, in the matches he did take part.

only cats do...

You know, there are a few people here whose opinions also annoy me. I never told them anything about it I simply added them to the ignore list. It doesn't make them full of shit (except the trolls), it makes ME annoyed. So why don't you try the easy way to go and add me to your ignore list? I do mention Hazard too much - and this season mostly accompanied by criticism - for you to like me. Shalom

could, but after a draw and a defeat and when all the other top teams at the table are facing one another except for us, it does make this week relatively more crucial than others imo

Hazard hasn't been creative for us at all in the EPL, still he's the player with more chances created in the competition... while he's created very little and other guys created much more in other teams... I was talking about this. Tell me without looking into vids at least three chances you remember him creating for us in EPL this season and the player who received the assist wasted it? I can't for the life of me remember it. That's what I mean. He didn't play well and he didn't create chances either. But I do agree with you both things are completely separate. He failed in both imo. I like stats - depending on what they are. I have a problem with this specific stats. It's very misleading and can lead to lies. IMO our most creative player this season has been Ramires. I remember a few chances created by him... but that's going off of memory, I certainly don't remember everyone's chances created.

I don't think he had a poor game. I think given his last few games for us and the first friendly with Brazil in this international break, he's played better Tuesday than in all of his November games. He had a terrible miss, but he played a good match. I said great in the international thread, which was a stretch, but it was pretty good and I think poor is a stretch too. Well, the kid is playing for Galaxy... which I think has something to do with the 'Winner takes Earth' thing where it's Galaxy against whoever, Galaxy as in the phone haven't seen this before... Well I've worked with research for years, so I know all there's there to know about samples and universe and how one translates into the other and the margin errors and all the calculation behind it. I could even provide you one for this specific stat (margin error for the CC stat) if you'd like to back up your future arguments. Still sampling doesn't apply to CC stats imo. Sometimes a player provides a key pass for another and instead of the second shooting on goal, they pass around again. I remember Mata and Hazard doing that in the match against Newcastle... so despite creating a chance - a clear chance in that case - it won't count because Mata chose to pass to HAzard again instead of shooting, even though he was unmarked just inside the box. So there are a few chances created that will never make the stats and there way too many CC that aren't chances, rather than a player trying a shot out of nowhere where he had no business trying to shoot either because it was too desperate, far, illogical or because there were other players better positioned. But if you want to embrace that and thing that the concept of samples work here, be my guest. One of our most underwhelming players this season is Hazard and he leads EPL chances created. And then you talk with Chelsea fans and most of them will agree that Hazard played shit for us in EPL this year (I guess he had one good EPL game), his best matches were in Europe, but still he leads not only Chelsea, but the whole EPL chances created... Then you look at his assists and compare them to Toure, Ramsey and Ozil - to mention just a few - and you're left speechless because there's nothing really to be said.

As I stated at the end of my post, it doesn't mean his problems are less significant than others' problems. I just mean that one thing - his lack of concentration - shouldn't be promptly considered as him not giving a fuck because that implies problems in his work ethic which I don't think he has. You can improve your mentality depending on the problem you have. For example, mental endurance isn't something one can improve much... so if a player is cold enough (or strong enough) not to be affected by adversity during matches, good for him because I don't think that can be taught. I currently work with adults and kids learning how to deal with their temperament and one of those temperament - probably Luiz's - people of all ages show problems executing the same activity for a while and it's worse when they execute the most boring part or the less challenging part of their tasks. There are drills that help them to keep concentration in those mechanical, boring, unattractive tasks and while it's easier to get kids to learn that and fix it, adults reach 60%-70% improvement rates (children depending on the age can reach 98%). I'm not going to say that's the problem with Luiz, I'm not specialized in sports (nor do I plan to be),I'm not working for Chelsea, I don't know the roots of his problems if I don't work with him, I'm assuming and my assumptions could be completely off, but I just wanted to point out that depending on what the mental weakness is, not only it's 'treatable' but the results are quite significant. But you're right that some mental aspects just can't be taught. The best example I'll always have on that is on tennis. Players don't become Rafael Nadal, they're born Rafael Nadal or they were taught before 5yo to be Rafael Nadal. Which is why we have so many headcases on tennis. Those guys aren't headcases in other aspects of their lives, but tennis is the sport that challenges you the most in the mental aspect - among other reasons, the most obvious is that you don't have teammates to help you out or help the team, it relies on you and you alone. Topic for another conversation though.

I think currently (not based on form, but where they stand in their careers) Willian is a better player than Oscar because he's older, more experienced, more well-rounded. Oscar has the potential to become better than Willian, but potential is something not that much tangible. He may develop to his full potential or he may not. I agree with @Rmpr that Willian is on his peak... which doesn't make him the finished product (if I understand the expression right)... I mean he's on his prime, but I guess there's still room for improvement meaning I understand where @ is coming from too. So finished product in my view is when the player fulfills his entire potential, Willian is already on his prime and peaking in his development curve, but I believe he can still continue ascending before he goes flat in that curve. So I agree with both Rapha and Cicero.

where did this idea that he doesn't give a fuck come from? It's one thing to say he has concentration issues and that he's sloppy at times, but it's another completely different to say he doesn't give a fuck. I have problems with his form for us this season (which has nothing to do with Brazil, but I do hope he carries the confidence from the NT), I have problems when he has consistency issues and he does have them, but I can't question this man's work ethic and when I say he doesn't give a fuck at some matches I think I'm questioning that. When he doesn't play as focused against weaker sides - which happens - I don't think is because he lacks commitment with the club or his teammates, it's rather him relaxing more than he should, but probably not something he plans to do before the match starts. I've said it before and I'll say it again, imo his problems are all of mental nature because technically he's the best CB we have. And if he has problems concentrating, focusing, keeping himself in certain matches, he needs Mourinho to address those problems and they need to see the best way to work on it. Those flaws are as relevant as technical flaws, but I think it's easier to make someone have the right mind before all matches and keep focused 90 minutes than teach a grown man, who's already 26-27yo, to learn how to play football. I'm not dismissing his issues or making them less important, but I think it's really unfair to say he doesn't give a fuck.

If he goes to La Liga I hope it's not on loan. There's nothing in La Liga that would help a player - whoever that may be, except the GK position - to become a better player for EPL. Talk about opposite leagues... so Kevin or whoever else that might go there, must be offloaded, not loaned, because a loan to LL doesn't do a favor to Chelsea at all. That said, I hope he doesn't leave for good... but then I ask myself, would it be fair with him to stay? I see Schürrle, Willian and Hazard flourishing for us for years to come... if we have 4 great players for two spots, I'm sure one of them would want out. Willian and Hazard are the best we have right now for the wings - one on current form (being on his prime), the other potentially. So I think Kev would compete directly with André... I'd say Kev is the superior player, but we don't have another winger like André (fast, straightforward, direct, takes on as many markers presented ahead of himself, etc) and I guess he's more useful in the system we currently use, so even if Kev is technically better than André, I think André is more suitable to us. Then we could think of him as a CAM, but I think we've got that covered with Oscar and Mata and in all honesty between Willian and Kev as a third option to play central, Willian all day long. One of the best aspects of Kev's game going forward is his cross, so he's better off in the wings, especially when we look at his competition for the central position: three players who play their best football centered...

I didn't mean right now, but in the WC. Willian is twice the player Hulk is. Hulk isn't much technical and he's very inconsistent so I totally expect (or hope) Willian to be chosen over Hulk. Bernard seems to fit well into our system although I also prefer Willian over him, but Bernard is a great player imo (maybe too young and too small). But I think it's a crime to start someone like Hulk ahead of Willian. Also Willian is taking a the position left by the striker imo with Neymar playing as a false 9. But I don't think we'll see it. I think we'll play with a striker, especially if we have Fred fit to play. Felipão likes Oscar as much as - if not more than - Mourinho does. Neymar is non-brainer - he'd start in any team in the world. So it's one position that right now I think it's Bernard's or two if we play with a false 9. With the (lack of) quality of our strikers, I'd play 4 AM's easily.

seriously... there's so much class, technique and quality from this guy. If you have a chance, watch him for Brazil tonight, the last quarter of the match - which is what he took part of - and just watch how in BRAZIL'S midfield he stands out. I mean we may be lacking players in a few zones, but AM isn't one of them. We have some of the best AMs in the world and Willian played 15-20 minutes and stood out with class, flair, vision and simplicity. Sometimes I feel the simpler way is the best way to go. He's so effective, objective all while showing so much flair and class. /Fangirling

David Luiz is playing a flawless match, one of his best with us (then again I watch very little our NT, so maybe there had been many others). Oscar was great - a good thing after being invisible in the first match. Willian needs to start at all matches for. No Mata and Oscar discussion from me anymore. He's the best midfield we have (talking about current shape). I said it a couple of weeks ago and watching him play now for Brazil I repeat it again: it's him and +2 AMs for us, regardless of who they are... As for Brazil NT I wish we played this 4-3-3 Cesar Maxwell - Luiz - Silva - Marcelo* Paulinho - Luiz Gustavo** Oscar Bernard - Willian Neymar I don't like Maxwell much, but anything is better than playing Dani Alves. *Marcelo is younger and better than Maicon is right now, but Maicon is so much class, so much experience and quality... So I don't think it's a huge difference honestly except energy wise. ** I can't decide between Luiz Gustavo and Ramires, but as Gustavo is more a defensive player, maybe the question is between Paulinho and Ramires and between both, I'd go with Paulinho.

my man is coming to Brazil!!!!!!! Three words about the best player in the world: Cristiano Bloody Ronaldo. nuff said

I don't get it either. Mourinho had great CMs at his disposal at Inter and RM - some of which brilliant players. He knows they're important, still he doesn't seem to be targeting on any? Just look at RM... they're one team when Xabi plays and another when he doesn't... the former far superior than the latter.

Hazard is in his country, talking in a NT context, I'm sure José will write it off as nothing... because that's what it is: nothing more than a player in his country talking about what he thinks is best for his national team. I don't see any drama from José about it. Eden didn't judge José for not playing Kevin - that would cause some drama, but saying his NT teammate needs to leave to play more in a WC year? Expected and not a big deal.

I know you didn't mean literally, which is why I pointed out how close we are to the leaders and how we lead our CL group, which means is more about certain expectations like leading the League - as if we were the only decent or good side - rather than we realistically having a problem with the points we have so far. It's the expectation that is a problem here as we're still well positioned to win the league in 27 rounds from now in the 81 points that are still at stake. edit: btw here is one of my posts where I said after just 2 games (two wins and one of them the best football we played so far, even if only for two matches): btw, I saw his post by Cicero and not only I completely agree I think it's very pertinent too. ****************************************************************************************************** it's also funny we were talking about this being or not a transition season just last week when we've been talking about this subject even before the problems arose. That post I talked about transition a few people liked and agreed with (click in the little balloons to go to the original post). The struggles aren't surprising... the struggles were expected, the transition talk and the required time to make this work talk were here before the problems, basically before the season even started. I stand by my words in that post. I expect to see his team shaped in February-March

I'll also get stick for this. I think it's too premature to make any sort of analysis, let alone assess his appointment and work. I think José has a challenge at his hands and he may be struggling more than some expected, but just as much as others. As part of the TC community I didn't expect better and I'll quote some posts of mine from 3 months ago saying so... I think expecting everything to be solved or just a bit jump of quality this calendar year isn't realistic - although possible as a rare case - I think he needs time and he keeps making tests because the team keeps showing him problems. He'll find the best team, he'll stick with that team. I don't think it's the expected thing to happen in November... Also I didn't get the 'no points' statement... we're 4 pts behind the leaders in Premier League and we're leaders in our Champions League group. Where is the lack of points exactly? How many points should we have anyway?

101 Great Goals ‏@101greatgoals 3 Back-Heels! Golazo! Hulk (Brazil) 5-0 v Honduras http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/3-back-heels-golazo-hulk-brazil-5-0-v-honduras/ …

and they wonder where the 5 stars come from

just had an orgasm with that brazil 5th goal That's brazil, bitches

The careers in bold I either already worked with or considered. I guess that's pretty accurate. The personality description is me down to a T.

I did, (the Neymar part gave it away), I just took the chance to talk about what I think will happen to our never ending list of AMs.

Mata had a few chances in October and he didn't shine in any of the matches... I'm all for him receiving more chances, but it's not like he capitalized the chances he did receive and created tons of chances (real chances) for the team. So it's not down to only the work-rate - his is still poor, even if he tries a lot (and he does try). He would have put more doubts in José's mind if he had been at least a shadow of his best days... he wasn't for one this season imo. Many players in many teams, grab their chances and capitalize them and never leave the team... he's had enough chances, he didn't capitalize. I'm not against continuing to give them, quite the opposite, we should give him more chances, but if he doesn't capitalize them you can't blame José... if others can capitalize without having many of them, why Mata can't? He has a great chance to win back his position because Oscar is playing average at best. hopefully he'll make better use of the matches he starts or the matches he comes in and do something with them.

Personally I think Piazon will be loaned again while the other two will be offloaded. But if he can come back on fire, he has a chance to fight for his place in better form. Thing is next year is WC year... while players have to play, if they exhaust themselves, they risk being injured for the WC. The best predicament is to be rotated, so you arrive at WC preparation carrying some form, but not exhausted. So if Kevin could actually find a way to play a few times a month, that'd good for him and for Belgium. Players such Oscar, Hazard and Neymar who are playing tons of matches for their teams are probably going to arrive exhausted for the 30-day preparation to the WC.