Barbara

Yep, clear as day for anyone who wants to see, don't even need to read between the lines. On another completely unrelated note, kudos to Jason for doing something so amazing to this forum. It's a Christmas miracle all right.

are you kidding? I've never seen a 19yo show as much discipline, will and obedience towards a manager's order that goes against their instincts like Kenedy had. If I could use one word to define his first match for us and the match he was in LB that would be discipline... he's an obedient soldier.

Fantastic! I really like the way he put it in the end when supposedly Pep said that the first and second third were his job and make the ball reach the final third and that his (Henry's) as the striker was to finish. perfect philosophy. About subbing him out for moving out once... well, that's the Pep we all know and may not love. He's so damn arrogant, inflexible and just unbearable, that he doesn't care. He's a dictator, follow his instructions or get out. I don't like this approach. It's great to have a plan and stick to it as much as possible, but at all times? Utopia and dictatorship. On another note, I don't really want Simeone here. I don't get it, if they want this all-attacking football, why do they keep targeting managers with a more defensive approach as long time options? It seems like this board can't think straight or all this talk we've heard that the club wants to move to an attacking philosophy is BS. The last manager amongst the big ones to turn a team into an attacking bomb is Simeone... smh

well, as the circus lives on even after Mourinho left, nobody actually bothered to ask Hiddink about it, did they? I mean, why would people in a press-conference before a match would actually ask the manager about available/injured players? I'm surprised they asked anything at all about Watford... or maybe they didn't and Hiddink just commentated on it regarding another question. I rarely can make out the questions in those conferences.

when is he supposed to come back from injury?

very much true. People are saying they can't carry on through a whole season, but it's been almost one year since they're rising... Also, every time I read Vardy and Mahrez comments, it bothers me. Their team isn't good only because of them. Surely if their form drop, they get injured or suspended they'll feel it, but they have a good unit, they're on fire, their players are starting to really dream about it. They're very well drilled, they have nothing to lose, no pressure - only anxiety. Maybe is wishful thinking on my part - as I don't want Arsenal as champions more than anything else - but I think they can carry on. They had small bumps, they managed them incredibly well, instead of letting them turn into slumps. Arsenal will drop points and I wouldn't bet on Özil carrying on throughout the whole season. He has a history with small injuries, he goes through slumps - some longer, some shorter - so yeah, I think Leicester could have a chance. I don't see (or don't want to see) Arsenal winning it, even when it's wrapped in a gift for them...

He said in a nice, polite and respectful way many of the things Mourinho did - which is always welcoming, tact is always nice. It's clear that everyone - including a manager who's been there for only three days - knows that the current team lacks leadership. When Mourinho said after the sacking that they players were weak mentally he was just right. I continue not to trust those players to turn anything around. They're indeed weak mentally and it looks like many of them weren't even trying. Now they think all they need is want it, but if bad form depended only on will to change, we wouldn't see so many professional athletes in all kind of sports struggling so much to overcome slumps. Best of the luck for Guus and the players, but this team - as a group - doesn't inspire me any confidence. Mourinho's fierce leadership and their motivation from going years without winning the league made them overachieve last season. To perform and compete for titles, we showed that with this team we need a nearly perfect scenario of physical and technical form, lack of mistakes, luck, flawless positioning and solid defending - while those things can be created and replicated, some of them are not that easy to achieve and some of them such as luck and lack of mistakes are unpredictable and many times not something one can voluntarily have (even when you try hard not to make a mistake, sometimes luck gets in the way). I think we seriously need to start rethinking the group. It doesn't matter if we're doing a lot of transfers or promoting kids from the Academy (although they'll hardly be the mentality leaders we need due to little experience and even small age), but we need new Ballacks, Lampards, Drogbas. Just like Hiddink heavily implied. We have all but John Terry on that department... As for the youngsters after seeing his whole comment, I feel even more encouraged to believe he'll play exactly the same players we've been seeing. Maybe a change or two in the lineup, but the 18 squad will be the same, I have no doubts. Actually I believe Cesc, Oscar, Iva will all continue to be starters - maybe when Eden is ready, Oscar might be dropped in favor of Pedro, but the feeling I got is that he won't try any experiment with players from the academy now and they must prove themselves really worthy of receiving any chances in the future. Hopefully he will show to be fairer than José towards under performing and in-form players, but I don't see more than 1-2 changes - if any at all - coming in the starters and no youngster being brought in the next few weeks. If that turns out to be the truth, I'll be dying to read the comments here.

He's undoubtedly more talented than Oscar, but Oscar is smarter. At the end of the day they are different players although playing the same position. If he overcomes his inconsistencies he'd be better than Oscar simply because he's more daring, bolder. Can't say amongst the two of them who has better chances of leaving inconsistency behind them... Some players just take more time to mature...

Wait a second. Stop everything. Is Ossie the king TOPTB? [emoji33]

No, thank you. We already have Cesc as the kind of player needing a perfect setup to shine. Mata shone the best with hazard as the supporting star, when based on talent it should now be otherwise. Problem is Mata isn't anywhere near as good in the supporting role... We don't need him, but I'd have a laugh about this whole situation if Jose ended up at United

How long had it been since Coutinho scored or assisted? Oscar isn't better or worse, both suffer from terrible and deep consistency issues... But being more flashy and grass always being greener Coutinho's shortcomings are often overlooked. If Coutinho played here he'd be as slated as Oscar if not more. All that said, I'm not sure if you're serious. My sarcasm radar has been forever broken, either way, always a good time to bring Coutinho, kdb and others' name on Oscar thread. Mata was mentioned last page, so let's bring the whole pack.

For all the hope and expectations people have towards the Academy players this answer sounds diplomatic to say the least. I wouldn't hold my breath, it clearly doesn't look like one of his priorities based on this answer, but maybe the context and the full answer are more reassuring... I can only imagine what will happen around here if we see the same team that played Sunderland against Watford, with Iva, Fabregas, Oscar amongst the starters. Scenes.

Mourinho is an arrogant git who doesn't know how to lose or acknowledge his own mistakes. Based on what many people - players and staff - that worked with Pep brought to the public, he's simply a snake.

he's not even here - and could never be - but only the prospect of Guardiola really coming already changed my heart a bit about him. I hate him with a passion - as the SOB he is and I have a few questions about his quality when he did what he did to that perfect Bayern team in less than 6 months. He's not bad, I just don't think he's as good as people claim him to be. All that said, he's the best option to be our permanent choice. Klopp would have always been my preference, but that ship already sailed. It's unbelievable - I should stop posting my intolerance towards players/managers I hate saying I won't watch the team with them, I always suck in even before they're here. So all my posts about how I'd have a very hard time watching my team managed by Pep? All BS now and the guy could end up not even coming. Once the guy becomes a Blue it becomes very hard to carry on hating them - only Benitez made the exception. Still can't stand his face.

I agree if he atmosphere improves many other things will, but I don't fool myself believing only a nice guy can make it work - which is why I think Carlo's latest work wasn't that good - despite winning La Decima. We need changes in our tactical approach, we need someone that can not only keep things relaxed and low profile, but capable of doing the adjustments and changes we need as a team. I hope he's up to the task.

She can't even properly spell Hazard's name - which is a word in English. Don't demand too much from the lass. When someone that is deeply connected to Chelsea FC like Pat is and even works for the club's TV, everyone is going to assume he knows something. The tabloids have said the same for months and Cesc didn't bother, only making statements in his social media to state his position. I think something extra is needed for him to clear his name when it's coming from someone like Pat. I also believe like someone else that Cesc will drop it now that Pat came publicly to clear things. But he needed to show something else. As I said, some people never really got over his gunner past and others barely had, needing only this tidbit to go back despising him. I'm fully converted though

but you know, it's my fangirling status according some rather smart people here that justifies my opinion that Cesc wasn't against Mourinho. I wish I was as smart as those people... Oh, one can only dream

True, but we can't ever overlook how Mata had a whole team built around him when he reached those highs (imo reason why he was never able to be as effective at Utd), something not even Eden had under Mourinho - let alone Oscar. Mata is a better 10 than Oscar, I agree, but in effective terms, it isn't to the extent people believe as they often disregard he had a free role here and that makes a huge difference. For Mata to be very effective he needs to have a whole team gravitating around him, free reign to only do his thing and he depends a lot on what others are doing around him. Different problems, but he has the same setup limitations Cesc has. A very ideal setup needs to be in place for him to really flourish, otherwise his slowness to move, extended time he needs to get things done and lack of physicality are easily exposed. I didn't even mention the inability to do any defensive work - as I know for many here, a true #10 shouldn't have any obligations of the sort, something modern football seems to disagree vehemently, but still.

I have very good memories of him and I think it was by far the best call to be the interim. My question is how good have been his recent work? I didn't follow the Euro qualifiers, but to fail to qualify the Netherlands that finished 3rd in the WC last year seems a little underwhelming, but as I said, I didn't follow, don't even know who were in their group, so can you guys enlighten me in his 2 or 3 last works?

I had given up on him for real this season. I really truly believed if he had proper rest he'd be more consistent. I was fairly mistaken. Many players will have the chance to prove themselves under a new manager now, let's see how it goes. I wouldn't sell any player now based on how they've been performing, but I wouldn't mind at all to see the buggers who didn't bother to say goodbye. So I'm not against his departure, just for a completely different reason.

hi there, honey I've been busy. Well, let's just hope everything works out for the best. Bad work environment is really difficult to overcome

good to know... I was afraid for a moment. But I think I made myself clear I don't think anything I said is a fact (never is) just my opinion. Everyone will have an opinion about what happened. None could be right. We should just leave all this shit behind and move on. Mourinho is definitely responsible for some of the shit we are in, the name of the club in all kind of controversy. So at least let's move to hopefully some drama free months. It might be refreshing, but I'm still mad and disappointed at the players' behavior.

all valid points, all points they are certainly willing to throw out of the window if they can go back to winning ways. They need to start winning again and nothing better than a manager who is a winner and won't last too long anyway. When they regain their aura, they can look for someone like you described. I have no doubts he'll go to Manchester and if that's the case, they'll win again. I just preferred if he went to Madrid instead.

I don't remember seeing anyone mad on players for playing well, but for showing attitude and will like they haven't in the last months. It's like now they decided to play. Nobody is complaining the team did well, so I don't get your post.

Glad you caught it on my member title. A smart one, you are.