Barbara

I personally don't believe rumors they're leaving. I think Luiz is the kind of player Mourinho longs to work with because he sees the potential and based on how he played under two different managers on Brazil NT he can say that all Luiz needs is guidance and leadership (upon him). So I think he's excited to have a chance to do to him what he did to Marcelo. You can't compare the player Marcelo is now and the player he was 3 years ago, the merit of course belong to the player that always had had such potential, but the credit should go to the manager that was able to develop it while others couldn't. If Luiz spent more time with the NT - especially under Felipão - it would reflect more on Chelsea, so I think Mourinho is looking forward to work with Luiz. As for Mata, there are a few things about Mata that I don't think Mourinho particularly likes, but Mata is such a humble guy and he works so hard, that I think whatever difficulty Mourinho sees now could be overlooked and overcame depending on how Mata reacts. Their personalities may clash because I feel like Mourinho is a bit too much for Mata too, so I don't know if could have some relationship issues, he could be benched once the other guys improve their levels (Hazard, Oscar, de Bruyne and Moses, as I think Schurrle may take longer). But I doubt Mourinho wants Mata out of the team. I fear for Mata wanting to be out of the team if he feels left out or not valued enough. Although again the guy has no ego, and I love how he handles himself, so maybe it won't happen at all. I agree Oscar will struggle a bit to work under Mourinho, but for different reasons than Mata. I think Mourinho likes Oscar attitude while playing better than he likes Mata's - although Mata obviously produces better offensive results. Mourinho likes the balance. His players - except the guys he calls untouchables - all have to excel in their ability (defending or attacking), but also have responsibilities in the weaker side. So if Hazard really develops further I think he may favor Hazard over Mata, not Oscar over Mata (because that makes no sense) for Oscar hard work, allowing Hazard to have more freedom. I think Mourinho loves Ramires and I'm sure he's very happy with Marco, Moses and Kevin because those guys are like gems in his hands. No one can deny Mourinho is vain (I mean in the vanity sense, to have his ego stroked), he likes to be recognized, he likes to take credit for the things he does and he knows he can make those three (along with Hazard) much better than they are. Much, much better. Whereas I think he will work more about tactical development with Oscar and Mata rather than technical as with those three. I have no idea what Mourinho thinks of our three strikers though. I think Lukaku will have special attention because of his age, but I'm curious to see what he means to do with Ba and Torres and if he's able to do it. I for one praised how our defence blocked AC Milan, but the styles are completely different and so is the level of players when you have Real Madrid on the side. It exposes our problems. It's normal - and even expected - to lose to them, but it does show where we must improve to turn this situation around just like he did in Madrid against Barça.

part II +1 That's the reality check I meant. We are nowhere ready as some might have thought we were. Some players aren't at the level some of us might have thought. Those things demand time and let's not forget the opposition. +1 It's a transition season to help us youngster mature and for the team to get used to Mourinho and Mourinho find the style that will work with us. He went through something similar when he arrived in Madrid. His first semester there was really difficult and that was basically a mature team with 2-3 players being 20, 21 and 22 as we have plenty. It makes a lot of difference I agree. All EPL teams are going through some challenge this season. I think we may have a fair shot there, but I wouldn't expect much in Europe, although I think Bayern and Barça will also have a few challenges with their new managers for completely different reasons. I think Pep will do some harm in Bayern's level before he can finally improve because he doesn't want to continue the successful style, but to create his own. I disagree, but the weaker the competition gets, the better, I won't complain. no, dear, I meant that some of us - I may even include myself about some things - saw a lot of progress in 5 pre-season matches that covered some problems we still have. The Asian matches were irrelevant, shouldn't comment on them and the Italian teams aren't that great currently. EPL definitely will press us more than both Milan teams did. So I see now that some of the problems I thought were already being fixed may be simply a consequence of playing very weak sides and irrelevant sides. We don't need to talk about Bayern, Barça and Real. We could talk about Dortmund, Juventus, PSG and I particularly don't write ManUtd off easily. At first I don't think they'll be that strong, but I don't expect them to be Tottenham or Arsenal either. I mean the 2nd and 3rd tier of teams in Europe now. I don't think AC Milan makes even the 3rd tier... or maybe they will this season because they were particularly bad last season, especially the first 3-4 months and then had ups and downs. My point about reality check is, we still have a lot of work to do to play teams our level because we still have areas to work on. I think those main three (although I wouldn't necessarily include Barça in the mix because I guess it's a mystery what will happen to them this season) are a level of their own and then there are teams our level. I think our current make me worry about facing teams our own level because it could be more unpredictable then it should. Which means Mourinho still has a lot of work to do. +1 +1 No, I agree with reddish here. Mourinho should have used him, but not to start the match. Even the Confed Cup guys were fitter than Lamps who hasn't played for months. You don't throw the guy against a fast team, for 45 minutes when he missed many complete training sessions and hasn't played one match yet. Let him come in when the opposition is tired or has youngsters playing, as it was obvious would happen with Madrid in the end. ************************************* one more comment of my own. We must play at least 10 guys from what Mou thinks is the best we have - saved for injuries of course - against Roma. I get it that friendlies are preparation, but I must say I feel like it's time to stop the tests and try to give some chemistry and guidance for the 12-13 players he'll use as starting XI in most matches in the season.

I'm out of likes, so I'm commenting on some and agreeing on others +1 +1 +1 +1 (more than a few players - although another CB and a ST wouldn't hurt - I think we need more time) +1 +1 Although I'm not sure about the bite part. Is this expression meant to be defensively or offensively. I think the main problem with our MD is time. We need time, Mourinho needs time, those guys need time. I think we may have a midfield as good as Real Madrid (without Alonso), and almost as good as Bayern and Barça. The thing is it needs time, not only because there are many young guys, but also because Mourinho needs time to change the mentality and the style. What screws us over the most is the defence (without Luiz) and the attack. We must have a guy between Luiz's level and Terry/Cahill level, or at least an improved version of Cahill. Injuries happen and Terry is quite prone to them at his age. The attack is something we all agree - except some Lukaku fans that think he's ready. In addition to defence, he has a much better pass to make the transition, he himself takes charge of making the transition and his long passes are much better than anyone in our defence and DM. I agree, except the point #3. This is RM on full throttle on the other side. It's not that easy and they aren't used to play matches at this stage for Chelsea. So let's give the boys some time. The same way we should give to Lukaku. It's just that some people think Lukaku will rescue us from the attacking issues when I think he's not ready for that at all. There are plenty of options for the positions Ginkel and Kevin play. Lamps haven't played a match in months and Mourinho thought it was better to give him a whole half - the first nonetheless - rather than give him the last 30 minutes and then more next match, etc. I understand his position, I just disagree. Marco was nervous at first, but later one he was quite good imo as well as Ramires. Let's not forget we were outplayed there, so I suppose it also makes some of the them sort of lost and makes things more difficult. But I don't think that was on Marco alone as they had chances before too. He made a few mistakes, and he helped a lot, but I think defensively we were poor tonight.

to use an expression I said a few times today about off topic conversations, I think this match was a reality check - despite missing a few key players and having Lampard completely out of shape.

it's not even about the score. We had a couple of penalties imo that weren't called by the referee. Casillas had a couple of difficult saves. The problem is how he behaved against a strong side. That's what worries me, even if I think it was a bad lineup the moment it was divulged.

Well I think a few things should be considered. Carlo played his first team, we played a mixed team. After this important information, I disagree with whoever says it was decent. It far from decent it was somewhere between horrible and pathetic. I don't mean the result, but how we behaved. That was the main point of such a match. Defensively we were pathetic, there's no other word. The transition from defence to attack was terrible at moment with long passes that were a waste of time. They should have passed the ball through the midfield and used our AM, but Oscar was out of position, Hazard wasn't there during the first half. While we improved in the second half in general - and Moses was one of the responsible - the ball didn't reach Torres like reached Lukaku in the first, so in the end it was pointless... There was a mess through and through with some good moments, but collectively? Terrible!!!!! Lukaku needs a lot more to even dream about being the starting striker in those big matches. He was completely inefficient in all matches in the US against slightly better sides - from the Italian - and a great side on RM. So he might be a good option to start smaller teams and matchups that favor his style, but big stage matches shouldn't happen anytime soon. Let him be a 2nd half sub, but there's no way we can rely on him in big matches. Oscar should never be played in the right wing when we have Moses, Mata and even Schurrle in the squad. They do much better. He can do okay in the left, but should be played centered. If that means going to the bench, then leave on the bench I don't assess Eden Hazard;s performances on friendlies We really need David Luiz Lamps was completely out of a shape and it was a capital mistake to start him when he hasn't played for months. He should have been a sub for 20-30 minutes, but I understand Mourinho's reasons. Ramires was great during the first half, as well as van Ginkel. At first Marco was very nervous. I think facing a team like RM even in a friendly makes a boy like him jittery and that's okay Torres, Schurrle did okay at most in the second half. I just wish Torres would have received as many balls as Lukaku received in the first. He would probably do as bad as Romelu, but still I wanted to see it happen. Who knows? From time to time he blossoms. We really need to work the transition. That was one of our biggest deficiencies (along with the poor defence). We can't have Cech, the defenders and the Rami-Ginkel crossing the ball from the first third to the last. It's raffling the ball 95% of times. No Mata = no possession (especially quality possession). The team needs him, he is the players reference. It seems like when he comes in the rest of the players settle down to their position and do things more calmly. Kevin didn't play as well as he played the previous matches... and it makes a lot of difference. For the Madrid side - I'll have it on my Twitter because that would be basically an opposite review to this one. the only one that was really bad for them imo was Sergio Ramos - that some guy on David's thread said that is much better than Luiz because Luiz was never and will ever be as good as Sergio. FML.

When Cech is that pissed you know things are fucked up

sorry for the multiple posts... don't know what happened...

well... there are a lot of improvements to be done against big sides. Then again, Mourinho is doing experiments, testing options.I hope he never repeats this 4-3-3 formation. I really like 4-3-3 better (for our team) but not with those guys and some of them in the wrong position...

well... there are a lot of improvements to be done against big sides. Then again, Mourinho is doing experiments, testing options.I hope he never repeats this 4-3-3 formation. I really like 4-3-3 better (for our team) but not with those guys and some of them in the wrong position...

well... there are a lot of improvements to be done against big sides. Then again, Mourinho is doing experiments, testing options.I hope he never repeats this 4-3-3 formation. I really like 4-3-3 better (for our team) but not with those guys and some of them in the wrong position...

thank God for all of that Oscar out of position and harmless, Lamps completely out of shape, and I already said everything I had to say about Kukaku. My prediction is still possible 3x2 Chelsea

Well the day Lukaku proves me with 3-4 matches that he can play big teams, then I'll change my opinion. That ball van Ginkel passed him, Torres and Ba both would have made much better, at least reaching the ball That finishing that the ball went to the Caribbean could have been better and one of the few deep balls someone gave to him he has been pathetic (it was a brilliant pass, by Lamps or Oscar, couldn't say and there was no replay). So yeah, sorry if I don't rate the guy right now. I'd rather play Mata, Schurrle, Moses rather than Lukaku anywhere - at least tonight, but I don't think he's anywhere ready to be what we need in big matches. Against the likes of Hull City, he might score like against the Asian teams, but bring two fading Italian and Spanish force, he just doesn't capitalize. No thanks And if we disagree, it's fine... let's agree we have different opinion

but the chances he had he's been shit. so yeah, off please.

this

this

this 1000 times and a few other verbs

I only meant the jinxing aspect

I hate those long passes frm defence to attack... I HATE! I hoped we were going to get rid of them

I'm a firmer jinx believer, so yeah, I would never say Cris can't take FK because well, I'm a jinx believer

well for everyone who said Cris couldn't take free kicks... I knew that was coming the moment I've seen the comments here...

lol Iker... then nobody knows why Diego was the titular under Mourinho Lukaku... no comments... edit: and the Lukaku comment was before that ridiculous finishing...

except this referee is Croatian...

that was a pen