Barbara

taking one for the team. That's where the expression probably comes from anyway I totally agree. We need the best team and if a player or two have to sacrifice their favorite/best position, so be it. let's not forget how much those players rotated last season, which I guess might continue under Mourinho, although I don't remember seeing players rotating positions a lot during RM matches...

he meant the three of them combined as far as I understood. It's seems far-fetched imo

imo not really and especially not in his current form...

José is clearly playing mind games here. He first compliments the guy a lot, then shows concern about being benched impacting England NT and then he says it's him or no one else. He wants to inflate Wayne's ego and then stroke it. He knows that might be the key. He's trying to convince Rooney with his words across the world, the financial part isn't with him and he isn't in contact with ManUtd. If we end up without another striker isn't because Mourinho wanted Rooney or no one else, it's because we couldn't find the right guy for a fair price.

I agree. The amount of money is ridiculous. He'll probably ended up offloaded for much less money or will still unhappy.

Now that I envy! Season tickets to RM... but not this mess that is called RM these days where everyone and their mothers think they're bigger than the team. But I still would love to watch los Blancos every other match. I do like Pipita, you don't, let's make agree we disagree. I have friends in Spain that love him... so it's subjective I guess.

<---- this RM fan agrees with them

José Mourinho found himself once again talking about his love for Chelsea FC. In his first press conference in Malaysia, as part of the team's pre-season Asia tour, the manager admitted even when he was in Internazionale - that he previously confessed being one of his passions - he wanted to come back to Stamford Bridge. "I left the club in 2007, I went to two fantastic football countries like Italy and Spain, two fantastic clubs like Inter Milan and Real Madrid and I was always wishing to be back. This club is so special that I am back and I hope to stay for a long time. That's the only thing I can say to every other professional in the world. This is my own experience. I'm back and so happy to be back. "I think the most important thing in football, for players or for managers, is the passion and the happiness, the feelings you have for a club. We are all professionals at the same time in love with our job. If you can execute your mission, your job, as a player or manager, not just because you are paid for it, or it's your work, but because you can do it with happiness and passion, with deep feelings, that's the most important thing. "In this second part of my career, because I just turned 50, the most important thing for me is a deep feeling with a really special football club. Not many clubs are you not there and people remember you and sing your name, all over the world. I don't think you can have a better feeling. If Chelsea became a special club for me, it's because Chelsea can be a special club for anybody." Ever since coming back, Mourinho repeated a few times that he feels at home at Stamford Bridge and that he's happy to be in a place he loves and where he plans to stay for a very long time. Just a few days ago, in Thailand, he said a squad as young as Chelsea's calls for a manager that will stay a long time in the club. His thoughts on the matter seem to be in sync with the club's boss Roman Abramovich and blues fans hope the inevitable difficulties that the team will face - like any other club in the world - won't create a rift in the partnership like during Mourinho's first spell in the club. Chelsea will face Malaysia XI in their second pre-season game this Sunday, 14:45 GMT. Click here to view the article

With DDR I think we can make the 4-2-3-1 better than what we have. also I realize my post might have been ambiguous about Oscar. In 4-2-3-1 I prefer him to be a AM or just warm the bench instead and rotate with someone in the position. In 4-3-3 I think he can play as the most advanced midfielder. Either way, I think Mourinho will make some tests with Mata in the right wing and I hope Mata can perform well there and get used to the position again. Also, it's expected for them to rotate in the three positions during the matches, so he won't be on the wing 90 minutes.

no prejudice coming from this Brazilian. I can't stand Argentinians by default, but if they have good players, I appreciate them. I love Pipita, Mascherano, di María, Cambiasso, Aguero, (although he sometimes goes MIA) and my current (in activity) biggest idol on football is an Argentinian (although the best player in the world for me is Cris). All respect to the almighty Javier Zanetti I agree about some points that he isn't the best and that we could use a different style of player - but he would definitely be a considerable improvement imo... I think he could even solve most of our striker's issues, but he won't come, we keep discussing something that will never happen. the reasons why he's leaving RM would also happen in CFC. I know Torres and Ba can't compare to Benzema, but Lukaku could become a threaten as the season progresses and he doesn't want to be benched half the matches. edit: I do however agree with everyone that says we shouldn't get him for the astonishing price tag RM has on him. Not worth that much

Based on what Mourinho said about Mata the other day - something along the lines of him liking to play players with the wrong-foot in the wings - and the fact that Mata is the only left-footed among the players he mentioned, it's clear he'll try to play him there (right wing). I remember Mata - vaguely - from Valencia playing in the wing... for Chelsea I think he showed the best results in the center, but I don't think he'd have a problem to play there again if he did it consistently for Valencia. The thing is I think 4-3-3 works much better for us than 4-2-3-1 - although Mou hinted he prefers 4-2-3-1 (in general). I like Oscar (or Kevin) being the third man in the midfield, closer to the advanced players and a fierce and strong double-pivot behind him. Then we could have Hazard and Mata in the wings and Schürrle or Lukaku or another striker as the most advanced in the final three. I think we miss the players to competitively play 4-2-3-1 and until Lukaku is ready (or we sign a better striker than Torres and Ba) we won't make much better in the formation. In this the three could be Mata (rw), Oscar (cam), Hazard (lw) + striker. I'm not sure about Oscar becoming a DLP because I want him closer to the box, with freedom to roam and enter the box if he pleases to make a 2-1 play or to assist or receive an assist, etc. Although he has the pass to play deeper, I still think it's a waste to have him so far from the box for the most part of the match. edit: I agree about Kevin's long passes being better than Oscar's - which is why I think he would fit the position better than Oscar. Oscar either plays in AM or stays on the bench for me.

I will read the help section when I go to my mom's later this week. I've been sort of busy the past couple of days, but I appreciate the help!

you made me laugh out loud here.

the wisdom that I lacked, clearly. Lesson taken though Petty fight it is... I've seen many of those here and I refuse to take part on them from now on. Learning the hard way instead of the easy. I should have listened when people tried to show me

on my part the free show ends here. What I can't read, I can't comment on. There's a line about respecting the others that I try to never cross and I hope people don't cross with me. Call me stupid, ignorant, wrong or delusional, but don't tell me I did something I didn't to win a stupid internet discussion. That's for kids or ... something I better not write here. So if you were bringing the popcorn (or the tomatoes) sorry to end the fun

it just got all that much more complicated. I'm definitely not cut for the job, but I'll try to do it somehow. Thanks for helping me

FFS Tom I didn't edit my previous posts to change what I wrote. I edited two posts to add things (one to add the part of Mata part (that I don't think he carried the team) and the other to add the quotes from my previous posts - that are UNEDITED btw). I didn't delete one line from my posts or changed them. You want to disagree me, just fine, but don't lie or assume things that are untrue. And that's why I applauded to Jason's posts and why everyone else dropped the discussion but you. There's respect coming from those people and they don't make things personal (like starting a discussion along the lines of postmodern jabs that were supposedly aimed on them). I can't say the same about you and I'm disappointed, so you lost my respect right there. If you want to have your little discussions and then brag on the threads about having members banned, go ahead and do that with someone else. I'm not here for that. I'm too old for certain things. Going into a stupid argument twice the same week, I could overlook, but downright accusing me of something I didn't do, I can't.

Although I liked Alex's post about wanting this to go until the end of August so we can make ManUtd look like fools (more than they already look by now), there's the down side to this prolonging: those transfer sagas get tiring after a while. I stopped checking the Cavani thread for 2 weeks before he was confirmed on PSG... there are so many fabricated stories and rumors... it's tiring. So yeah a part of me wants this to go on until the very last minute, the other part of me will avoid this thread until then so I don't read the stupid rumors coming next we'll give Hazard + 20m for Rooney José is schooling ManUtd though

why? Can't I make changes every week in my team? Does it have to play a few matches with the same formation?

it's not adapting... it's called admit to making a mistake, being convinced of something else, or avoiding stupid discussions. not many are capable of both and I fail on them many times, as right now seems to prove so nicely. I stood by my point that Mata is overrated (but agreed with Dion that showcasing Mata match against Brazil was a mistake - although I still think he under-performed and the team was better - despite hopeless - after he was subbed). I think Mata is good, I've been telling this from the beginning, but he's not brilliant in my book. And I agreed with the guys that said maybe there aren't many players better than him in the position he plays, opposite to many better midfielders in general (so I was wrong in my first statement and was unfair and harsh on him). I stood by my point that Mourinho treated Ronaldo and Sneijder differently about two things. I'm tired of discussing with you... I read enough threads in this place to know when to stop discussions with certain members. I'm stopping this one now. if you think it's because I change my opinion too often, or because I avoid confrontation, good for you. I'm stopping because it's annoying the heck out of me.

I guess you're tired, not old I never stated preferential treatment about everything. I kept repeating, putting in Italic and bold what I really meant. I said he treated Ronaldo and Wesley different from the rest when it came to what he demanded from them defensively and how he overlooked the slumps they had. I was so clear in all posts about that... Then I made a point - because it seemed necessary to make you understand - about the things Mourinho didn't treat them or anyone else differently: commitment, effort, hard work, etc... now if you can't separate those two instances of different treatment, well, mate, when you're back from your holiday we talk again, but I repeatedly (and tiredly) said the same thing over and over and over. here it is: In all those parts I talked about the same thing, but somehow you seem to see me talking about different things. But then again you thought I was taking jabs on you earlier when I didn't even read your post to start with, so maybe I should give up. Yeah, I might as well do that now. Also I'm sure it's becoming tiring for everyone reading. Just like the thing in the pub became the other day. So I might avoid discussions with you from now on.

I believe part of that is genuine (what he says in those vids). To look back at how he handled those two players in both teams and how he treated the rest, only a blind can't see there was a degree of special treatment. It is a fact, not an opinion... go see how many times both of them didn't start under Mourinho - except for physical issues. Take a lot at Ronaldo's tackling stats or better: watch their matches. He won't ignore if they stop to work hard, if they're late to training, if they miss training, if they deliberately don't put effort in their matches. Of course he won't ignore that stuff, but sub par performances? Pffft... He overlooked both in ways he didn't with the rest of the team. And I can say that because I am a fan to both teams and I followed both teams closely in the years Mourinho was there - except RM last year because I was really sad about what they did to Mou there and the constant attacking on him bothered me and it was making me dislike RM and I won't allow a player, a coach or whoever to come between my love for the team, so I took a step back, ignored the media and Perez for the most part and watched less matches. It was saddening to watch what happened there and it's even more saddening to keep seeing what certain players are doing to that club. They fail to realize the club is bigger than them. They think the club is them currently and I can't with this shit, so I'm sort of ignoring some of the ridiculous stuff coming from Madrid now. But I'm sure about the special treatment both Wesley and Ronaldo received under Mourinho in the instances I talked about. So not only I'm telling you that he treats a certain type of players differently, but that I support that in the way he does that. I also remember how he dealt with Balottelli (far from how he handled Cris and Wesley). I had so many laughs on those two while they were on Inter. funny - and tragic - stuff. Good times. That was laughable especially for Mata. How does Rooney is worthy Mata + 10m? How? But then again, I'm far from being a Rooney fan.

mate, did you just compare Higuain to Torres? TO TORRES? nuff said... also Pipita >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ba He won't come here. He doesn't want to stay in RM where he feels he isn't appreciated enough, he won't come to a place where he isn't their main option to the position... he needs to play to be sharp to the wc next year. That's his main goal.

I wish I could give you a 1000 likes for this post. It deserves it Following his career closely, I doubted he even said 'Mourinho wants me there' (as stated in the article) let alone the desperate part they added to the title - but not found in his supposed words in the article (as far as I can say, I didn't read it all, just let my eyes go through most of it). Also this is a rumor. He is not coming here. While I don't believe Mourinho for one second when he says Rooney or bust, I think they're focused on making that happen now.

I honestly can't understand what you meant in the bold... I meant that if a guy is special he will receive special treatment under Mourinho, as Ronaldo and Sneijder did... the most special in our team imo is Hazard and when he's ready (close to his peak and during his peak) I have no doubts he will have different treatment from Mourinho in the both instances I explained exhaustively in my post: defensive obligations and patience/complacency on bad performances' streaks. How does this go against whatever I said previously, I fail to understand, but I'd love for you to clarify. In another thread though as I think this is going off topic in a JM thread. Just realized that JM stands both for Mata and Mou And please, do you expect Mourinho to give all his secrets in his vids about coaching? as for the last part that does belong here: Stats can help a lot, but they don't define everything in sports like football. There are guys with better stats than Cris - guys that are really bad, not only in comparison, but in general. Reason why I rarely use them. But even if I use them, you can't ignore Hazard's stats, so it means it was a collective effort - more from certain players than the rest, but still it wasn't one guy making us win the matches - especially because I consider last season more of a failure than a success for reasons I could also discuss in another thread. That said Mata contributed a lot, I never took it away from him. I just said he didn't carry the team. Meaning that if we didn't have him we would have done terribly... I don't think that's the case. He was MIA in some matches - some of them important matches - as well as Eden has been in some, our defense in others, etc, etc. This is the exaggeration that comes in that I roll my eyes at (the exaggeration, not you or your opinion). Just because I said I don't believe he carried the team, it doesn't mean he wasn't the biggest contributor.