Barbara

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8778543/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter ManUtd seems to be interested as well. He says he's open to leave but doesn't mention clubs - and says he's not aware of MU interest

this Brazilian girl here appreciates him just fine. He's amazing. My second fave player in Chelsea and definitely my fave in NT.

completely agree, mate

I think Dortmund could meangirl Bayern - out of bitterness nonetheless - and offload Lewa to another club, just so he doesn't go to Bayern. I can totally see them doing that.

nah, I guess he meant he would try to fight for a position because he didn't want to go through what Marin did... not the classiest comment, but I don't think he thinks Marin flopped. The boy was injured/not-in-shape-to-play for most part of the season, you can't say it's a flop

@Jim, great touch with the changing player at the top of the site. It's cool.

welcome

hmmm. Thanks! I only have an opinion based in the article someone posted and their review about Andy, but I can't say I know the guy. A Kuyt-alike could be sort of useful.

does anyone here really watched Bundesliga/Germany matches last season and knows how good he would be if he was a second striker, playing between the AM and the FW?

ugh, don't let me start with Ramires did you guys called him as many names as I did in the very last matches? I wanted to die from the passes and shootings coming from him. Also Andy is quite young himself, he has plenty of time to improve his finishing. As someone said, finishing is something you can work and improve with time, goals' flair isn't, you either have it or not. no luck!But I ship you and Belgian girl, so we're good.You answer me, that already makes my day, fellow countryman.And you should go out tonight. I would if I were you

you don't tell me. when all those rumors came up with KDB being part of the deal I started pulling my hair. That's the biggest news of it all You don't, but that's okay. Unrequited love is fashionable.

http://forum.talkchelsea.net/topic/7709-the-pub-discuss-anything/page-814 We could use some long distance shooting, but I think we need more a long distance good passer - to pass the ball the Andy

@Dion doesn't like me much... too bad, I love the guy yes, man @. I'm disrupting the thread. Can I be spared from the hammer? back on topic I hope Andy isn't as far as we'll go with signing someone to ~help Torres. edit: @ you should go to the Pub thread under the Community board to talk rubbish with us. So we don't disrupt serious threads

sorry @Stingray, but this guy here just left me speechless and blushing. In the right way I might add. Thanks a lot, Volt-age, although I know I speak tons of nonsense. And yes, you were very polite dear. I hope my joke wasn't impolite though Let's hope Andy is to our rival's defense what Azpi's smile is to world's population then.

Thank you! I had to admit it was hard even for me - a Brazilian - to say his name at first. oh don't remind of the pic I saw in the pub thread. He has a nice smile... I guess thanks for educating me, boys, that's why I like this place so much. You're (almost) all so good to me

happy you joined, us Hutcho. I knew you wanted Well, I'm a girl - Brazilian or not - that automatically disqualifies me from serious football talking. At least I know the offside rule since I'm 10... Also, Brazilian see the sport different. Tried to say a few things a few times, got really smacked because of it. My lips are sealed... as much as a babbling girl like me can seal them anyway.

what exactly is a rape smile? And why do people call César, Dave? What did I miss?

want join? I'm trying to be serious here! I'm not taken seriously because of the skirt I'm no man but I do try to understand the dynamics. You guys should help me understand better the game. Explain me, teach me, educate me

well thank you, Volt-age. You should post more

it's fan made. Go to pics of and you'll see the person who actually did it

nice

Nice analysis. Thanks for bringing it up. A few parts of it caught my attention as I admittedly don't know much about Andy (I'm with you on that one @; I'm not even going to try the supposed right pronunciation, Andy sounds as good as fine). Again - watched few matches from Bundesliga (definitely not my kind of league) and I can't say about quality, but going from this comment alone I can see Mourinho maybe trying to make Chelsea have a little bit of the explosive counter-attack Madrid had under his management. Of course di María is faster than any of our players, and Cris is quite fast himself and other key players like Marcelo, Ozil, Higuain/Benzema also have different characteristics compared to Azpilicueta, Cole, Oscar, Mata, Eden and Torres - although I do think Xabi also contributed a lot to those lethal, quick, counter-attacks with precise long passes. We need DM like Xabi Alonso (passing quality wise) in the team and maybe Kevin can be this guy as time goes (although I guess he fits better AM than DM). His passing is good in medium distance... he crosses better than Azpilicueta any day of the week (in case he has a chance to do so). Back to Andy though, I can see Mourinho getting him to play in a similar position to the one Cris plays in RM. If he's fast and accelerates like the article suggests (and seems okay in finishing) I can see Mourinho using him in that position especially if we don't sign someone to replace Torres. If he plays like that I don't see him competing with Eden. There's enough space for both of them to work in the left side of the pitch - it's not like Cole has been showing his face much in the wing. But I do feel our team is sort of unbalanced to the left side as it is. So I can see Schurrle playing more advanced, closer to Torres, having less defensive responsibilities and shooting more than our current AM do. It's almost a 4-2-2-2, but not quite, as Torres would still configure as the FW, probably assuming a CFW position. In this scenario I say Andy is almost a striker because he could have more freedom to move, change positions in the pitch, and attack more than Mata and Hazard, just like Cris had more freedom (actually he had all freedom) between himself, Ozil and di María. Mata would continue to be centered for most time, but stepping into the right wing to be a playermaker eventually, taking turns with Eden and even Andy at times. We do have a deficiency of players in that side of the attacking midfield - which is a problem as it makes the work all much easier to the opponent defense. But I guess it's less tragic if whoever goes assumes a position of playmaker. Cris doesn't have this problem as he's pretty amazing with both feet (something we could also use in the team) and although we see mostly on the left side, he had created amazing plays fromthe right side, scored goals, assisted - in the rare occasions he found himself obliged to pass the ball. Anyway, although is seems concentrated in the left, I can see Andy doing 2-1 (not sure this quick exchange of passes is called this in English) plays with Eden or Mata and moving towards the goal. It could fix our attacking issues - partially - but it creates another with the right side of the pitch... It seems I disagree with the person who wrote the article about defending responsibilities (though I do agree intercepting the ball and tackling isn't Eden's biggest trait). But being the first combat line is expected from anyone - even Torres (when he normally fouls the guys and gets booked). One thing I know for sure. If we're going to keep Torres, we need someone to play the same role Cristiano does in RM. The less we depend on Torres to score the better chances we have to actually score. Whether or not Andy can be this guy, I don't know. This post is much more wishful thinking than it is reasonable.

all good things come to an end, but I do hope for this deal to last many years to come

this I hear a lot. That's so stupid - and quite honestly - unfair. Philippe had been on Italian for three seasons - despite being the same age as Oscar - and that gives him experience, growth, time for a full adaptation, and awareness of how things work in European football over Oscar's sole season. I'm not saying Philippe won't be better or that Oscar won't. I'm saying the comparison is unfair if the parameters for both aren't the same. Again, some people have no idea how different football in Brazil is. We have no infrastructure and poor conditions in most clubs here. The managers aren't the best either leading the young boy to be poor technically and depending on the club physically and tactically. Of course they have talent - inherent to them - and they mature a bit, but over all they have a lot to learn when they move to Europe. I'd say Oscar has an advantage over Philippe: José Mourinho. IMO nobody develops players better than Mou.

Chelsea and Mourinho’s Happy Ending José Mourinho is back at Stamford Bridge and it seems this time the manager is ready to stay. In his first interview to Chelsea TV Mourinho assured everyone that he wanted to marry Chelsea. In the press conference last Monday he shared that he wanted stability and that he feels the club – in the person of its owner Roman Abramovich – feels the same way. It’s a match made in heaven and following Mourinho’s analogies, Chelsea and José and ready to settle down. A club like Chelsea is bigger than any man, any player, any squad. Restricting its history to the last decade would be disrespectful. But we can look at separate periods in those hundred and eight years and for the sake of the comparison to Mourinho’s own story we’ll look at the last decade alone. It is, after all, undeniable that an important change came in 2003 when Russian investor and businessman, Abramovich bought the West London based team. Like a young couple who find themself in a euphoric new relationship, with incredible chemistry and mutual goals Mourinho and Chelsea had their glorious days during the manager’s first spell at the club. Memorable times marked by titles, accomplishments, records and love. But the euphoria eventually died out, and as any other relationship, the one between The Special and The Blues’ started to wear down. A few disagreements here, some hurdles there and not completely surprising in 2007 a mutual agreement was reached and both parts decided to go their separate ways. It was time to explore new places that both the club’s boss and the manager could go. They were still young in their already very successful quests, although for some fans it never felt like goodbye. In his interview a few days ago, the Portuguese admitted having had an adventurous spirit in the past, relating to his birthplace roots. He went as far as describing himself as a navigator, just like his Iberian country in its golden days of glory. And the description indeed fits the career choices he’s made for the past few years, never staying longer than three years at the same place. Chelsea also had its affairs as a club and a few managers passed Stamford Bridge in the past six years. No one can say the time apart wasn’t good for both. Mourinho went to Italy, with a new challenge ahead of him with Internazionale and then to Real Madrid, while Chelsea focused on its ultimate goal, sparing nothing – and no one – to achieve it. Through Chelsea’s new endeavors and Jose’s adventures both faced glory and difficulties. They continued to explore their time on separate journeys learning, reaching new milestones, struggling at times, but growing and maturing nonetheless. And even then Chelsea was never too far from José and José was never forgotten at Stamford Bridge. Their reunion was probably something both thought about, but they had to wait for the best timing, they had to be at the same place. That time is finally here. Chelsea doesn't have to prove anything else. Roman Abramovich’s goal was reached when the team won UEFA Champions League in the 2011/12 season, repeated the domestic success in 2009/10 and had its share of world class players wearing the blue shirt. Mourinho had a similar experience winning important titles with both of the teams he managed in the meanwhile. Interestingly enough though the 2012/13 season hadn't been that greater to either. Now the feeling of having conquered the world also passed, and they’re probably on their best, strongest and most promising moment. For Chelsea, there’s no more pressure to prove the lengths the club could go. Roman proved to be not only one of the precursors but also a model in football business ownership. Other teams in many countries have been passed for the same transformation and had received money injection, but none made it as successfully as Chelsea and its Russian entrepreneur. José Mourinho isn’t any different. After winning the Champions League title with a second tier force on European football , he had to prove he wasn’t just some one-time-wonder kind of manager. He had to prove he was here to stay. And he did by winning UCL again with Internazionale when the Italian team didn’t figure as one of the main contenders, reassuring all his doubters that he was a real deal. The manager’s controversial personality had also marked his career. The Special One had made a few people question his work – more than they should – but when he stood in front of more than 250 journalists earlier this week we saw a different Mourinho. One of the journalists even pointed out during the press conference that he was mellower and calmer. Truth is he’s more mature, more deliberate about his words, less defensive or simply happier. And that’s good news for Chelsea fans around the globe. While the team may not have a long relationship like Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United had or even like Arsène Wenger and Arsenal has kept for many years now, Chelsea is ready for stability as much as José Mourinho is and as if it’s been written in the stars, they went to that place at the same time and decided to do it together. Promising times seem to be ahead for Blue fans - and you can see just how promising things may well become by visiting FREEbets.org.uk. Mourinho haven’t spared any words to say how much he loves the club and at this point no one in the world dares to question his credentials and quality as a football manager. He’s one of the very best in the world and he has a young and promising team on his hands. Chelsea has brought to Stamford Bridge some of the most talented players from the new generation. Names like Eden Hazard, Oscar, Kevin de Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois to name a few, making it a special group that also has leaders like Juan Mata, David Luiz. It’s a promising team and Mourinho already said he’s looking forward to working with them. There are few – if any – managers better on developing and improving players than José Mourinho and most of his commanded athletes attest to that. He’s visionary, he’s fair, he thinks out of the box and he can see what is yet to be uncovered. He thinks ahead of most and although he demands a lot from his players, he also cares a lot about them and is committed to them, not only as integral parts of his own success, but with their individual careers. It’s time for Mourinho and Chelsea try the long-term relationship and hopefully more glorious, joyful and memorable moments are to come from this union that Chelsea fans hope will be a very long and happy marriage. After all one of the partners has already changed his nickname. He’s still The Special One, especially to the fans, but what describes him better at the moment according to him is something else: The Happy One. Because home is where the heart is, and José Mourinho is now at home. Click here to view the article