Barbara

perfect free kick assist by Oscar...

perfect cross by Kevin

finally images on my TV!!!!

I personally don't mean this just that the combo of Cahill + Bertrand is fragile, so if Ivan moves to RB it gives room for Terry to make up for that thrilling left side...

and then we started laughing and she tried to justify it adding: 'It's just I hear about everyone even that other Manchester but I hear nothing about Arsenal.' Then we laughed even harder and she left the room thinking we were making fun of her. Seriously, that was one of the best things I've heard in my life. My stomach hurts... I'm laughing SO hard

I'm dying laughing here. My mother to my brother: Do Arsenal still exist? *I can't breathe laughing*

chances are he will use the entire bench again... so when Milan's main attack force goes off (probably) we'll come with our best defense. I mean, we could have mixed... Cole or Terry and then Bertrand or Cahill later. But Cahill + Bertrand sounds so fragile. But it's only a friendly... I just think we'll only have two more matches, at this point I expected him to try to play a lineup close to what he wants to play against Hull to give them a chance to play together against a decent side... it seems like it's too much to ask - as people think it's ridic to complain about lineups in pre-season I admit I'm anxious to see the best lineup under Mourinho, and I think those last few matches could feature something close to what he has in mind - supposing he already made up his mind.

or with that defense trying to avoid playing RM altogether

pre-season is there to get chemistry, to improve physical condition and to test lineups. Why test such a bizarre defense that will never play together in the season unless half of it is injured?

Milan comes with their best attack Balotelli and El Shaarawy and we come with the worst possible defense we could have... Cahill and Bertrand aren't the best we have. Luiz isn't in the bench, probably is ill or picked an injury, but still, why not Cole and Terry? Why not keep Ivan in the RB and then Cahill and Terry as CB? I don't get it...

Today's subs: Schwarzer, Cole, Terry, Ramires, Mata, Mikel, Torres, Moses, Lukaku, Schurrle. still no Lamps, but André at least

I hate the defense with a passion, but I like the midfield.

Today's @chelseafc team: Cech; Azpi, Ivanovic, Cahill, Bertrand; Van Ginkel, Essien; De Bruyne, Oscar, Hazard; Ba.

Boateng and Essien

last weekend...

blasphemy!!!!!!!!!!!! One isn't The Special One if they aren't special - and if they're special they can do anything I've had a long discussion with my brother about Pep just yesterday. I'm not a fan, I'm not convinced he is what everyone says he is. A team like Bayern can't be ruined, and that's why Pep won't destroy it. The squad is too good to be dismantled by the manager, but he will mess up. I'm not sure they won't win Bundesliga because their league is even more polarized them La Liga imo (as RM is closer to Barça or at the same level to some, while I feel like Dortmund is a couple of steps behind Bayern - the rest is a joke in terms of being a contender to the title). Their players are much better than Dortmund's in my opinion, so you'd have to be special to lose such a polarized league as the German... There's Bayern and then there's Dortmund and then Leverkusen and then the rest (sorry Schalke) . But the difference between Bayern and the second and third forces in the league is pretty significant imo. But I do think that amazing team they had last season, that would beat anyone - easily - will be soon gone because instead of carrying on what Heynckes created, Pep will establish his philosophy and to the hell with continuity. He could make a change or other, but no, he has to prove he is Pep Frigging Guardiola - who it seems invented modern football. The positions he played Lahm, Martinez and Mandzukic are ridic. Lahm is one of the best frigging FB in the world and the ~genius decides to play him in the midfield? WTF? And he already dismissed Luiz Gustavo - who is going to be sold to whoever pays the right amount. So yeah, I think we're going to watch an arrogant guy diminish the potential of one of the best squads I've seen. Good thing I hate Bayern...

The guy between André and Lamps is really incognito edit: now I guess it's Ryan B.

What did you say, Joe?

No I don't because I'm one of the fans who think moving him to the DLP position is a waste. I never meant as a DLP but as a CAM, winger or the most advanced midfield in the 4-3-3... Oscar has to play near the box, he has to at least have freedom to move forward to score his goals, assist, play 2-1 with the other AM, etc... imo he played in the 4-3-3 position in Brazil during CC, as the most advanced midfield player with Hulk, Fred and Neymar ahead of him as the strikers... He was clinical in the position, but of course he has plenty to improve.

I agree with a lot of your points, but I can't agree about his work rate. He has the best work rate not only in Chelsea (apart from defending players), but had overall the best for Brazil during CC. He tackled the heck out of the ball and no one had better stats in the NT than him in that and also in interceptions. Out of all of our most advanced players he's the one with the best work rate... miles ahead of Hazard, Moses and Ba and light years ahead of Mata and Torres (in that department). And that's one of the reasons he disappears. For 15-20 minutes yesterday everywhere Cambiasso went, he was there, just like with Pirlo against Juventus and in both occasions he scored (had a very unfortunate finishing that otherwise would have given him 2 goals yesterday) and cancelled one of the best opposition's player. This kind of work makes a player disappear for times, but I do agree in some matches he disappeared completely, not because he was being tactically committed, but because he was simply nowhere to be found. I don't know if that's something he'll improve, if it's part of his style, or if he's just tired, but that's definitely one of the areas he can do better. He has talent and physical conditions to do so.

yes, none of those played and some more. They played with their kids for the most part while City had plenty of their main team... I've watched most of it and trust me, it was a mess. The defenses were hideous and although City had some of their best players, they were disorganized. It's just that when you play a B-C Milan, not scoring is sort of ridic. Milan had chances to draw even in the first half... I didn't watch the match against Valencia and I don't know if they played a better team against them, but the game against City was a joke. City conceding as many goals in 10 minutes basically was even more ridiculous. They (Milan) have a decent A-team in my opinion, definitely an improvement from Inter.

Diego Lugano - Uruguay International CB - signs with West Brom. I really like him, but he's way past his prime.

It's a great preview, @Hutcho. I think we have the edge on this one.

I really want to see the combo of 1st half pivot with 2nd half AM Ramires - Van Ginkel Mata - Kevin (or Oscar) - Hazard that's the best midfield formation we have right now imo