Barbara

nope, that was if Iva was dropped from the team (which means a streak, not one single match) I don't even have those pics, I know it won't happen I calculated the risk

Zouma

@Steve, it's sad to see you go, but also so nice to know of your journey in life ahead of you. I'll miss you dearly, you're one of the best guys around here. Good luck with your house, and everything else in life and thanks for everything you've done.

I have no respect for a man that doesn't man up and face his actions consequences. Wanna play for our rivals? Do it, it's your prerogative, but face it like a man, not a fucking coward afraid of reaction. I've always said his decision to play for City doesn't erase his status in our story (for me), but I lost all respect I had for him as a man. Coward liars deserve no respect

So Moses should be given time to find his form and André shouldn't? Double standards or what? Andre had health issues that both him and Mourinho said were severe. Shouldn't he be given time too? Then again maybe I'm biased because I don't think Moses is Chelsea's standard at all.

No, thank you. Next please Also the same people asking for him now and defending him will be saying shot about him 3 seconds after he's here. He's not the answer at all

I'm a girl... Curiosity is my second name. WHS is killing me... better find something to distract me

He's been quite sloppy lately... worse than this only if he starts showing Swansea-FA cup performances every other week...

I know what I'm risking here, it's not going to happen. For the odd game such as the Sporting match he'll deploy Luis + Azpi, but he won't simply drop Iva from RB on a regular basis. I'm so certain about it that I don't even have one single bikini picture - even if I wanted to post them, I know neither will never happen...

four months without playing won't break his career here. If he has quality enough and is able to keep himself injury free coming next season, he'll have a chance. The part I think you exaggerated is saying that if he comes here and doesn't play his career here is over. I know Ake has earned something, but don't forget football clubs are companies and as such they have to see that all their assets go up. I think Marco is a better player as it stands (not talking about ceiling, talent, etc, just comparing currently both players and Marco's experience), but even supposing they're on the same level now, the club will try to make money from him if he isn't good enough for us to keep him, which means they'll treat his career better than just letting him rot and let it go. I think it's too early to say he'll never make it here, although I agree his chances are getting smaller.

Actually a better and simpler solution is to remove Iva from the RB and therefore demand less from our RW defensively which we all know won't happen. The day Mourinho stops playing Iva as a RB is the day I'll start having bikini pics as my avatar

I've watched them recently and I disagree. Bring him here to be a playmaker and before the season ends his thread will look a lot like Willian's with people saying we overpayed, that despite being a good player and a workhouse he doesn't create enough. You're overestimating his creative abilities a lot (as well as Atletico as a whole) and basically suggesting a gamble because if he ain't proven as an open play playmaker he's a gamble and we can't afford one. If we can't wait for Oscar to develop, we can't wait for a gamble to be proven either. If we're signing an AM to solve our creativity issues, it has to be a proven one.

I hope that's what happens if Milan want to end the loan... we have a great medical department and he may end up being useful towards the end of the season. When he's fit I like him better than every pivot option we have in the bench. Key word though is 'fit'. Exaggeration

The Cesc thing is BS fabricated by bitter fans. His best seasons stats wise he had around the same amount of goals and assists in both halves. Don't believe what some people have been saying. As for Oscar, absolutely, we - or he - can't afford those long slumps. Hopefully he'll do alright

Wasn't there a report a couple of weeks ago mentioning even the scientific name for the virus?

I still think people are way too harsh on a player that has been recovering from mononucleosis. In tennis many players that had it either retired or couldn't play regularly anymore. Even the almighty Roger Federer took over one year to recover completely from it. I know of cases in tennis because I watch it closely, but there are cases in many other sports. As I said, this particular illness has a tough toll on professional athletes. It doesn't affect you physically if you're a standard person - and therefore you don't demand a lot from your physical condition. For athletes it's different. Their physical condition are on many levels above ours, but for a while, they can't reach it because of the illness effects. Go Google and see how many cases of athletes careers were impacted by it. All that said, André is a squad player, suited for only a certain kind of matches and who relies more than the average player on confidence, as normally has a lot of shots per match and we all witnessed what low confidence can do to a player's shot conversion earlier this season when Hazard just couldn't get in. Hazard is years light ahead of Schurrle and have many more tools, still the lack of confidence converting chances haunted him for a little while. Running high on confidence, he could get a stretch of games as a starter, but I don't see him beyond a squad player. He'll never be the absolutely owner of a position in the starting XI.

someone posted the picture last page, but everyone ignored.

completely disagree with your notion of consistency and that Oscar isn't talented. To each their own. Players at age 23 - regardless of their talent - aren't the most consistent lads around with few exceptions. I think that's too harsh. Way too harsh.

I know DD earned it, but as he's 36, he can be injury prone. José should be balancing those chances between him and Remy more because we will definitely need Remy to be in form towards the end of the season. There are occasions when we could have used him and we didn't. I don't know why José has been more stubborn than normally this season, it's starting to bug me to no end. He has his untouchables, favorites or whatever, but he's been too narrow minded with some of his choices, especially now in december. Zouma and Remy proved time after time that they were a level above (if not more) than the rest of our bench players. Still Schurrle, Ramires, Mikel and Luis are the only ones receiving chances. Zouma has been introduced well, if we look only for his development, Mourinho played him in all domestic cup matches, but he needs to grow a pair and use him in the league too because Cahill is a walking bomb that has already done some damage to us (and in many other occasions had others covering for his messes and saving our arses - mostly Terry and Courtois). I do believe Remy will have more chances towards the end of the season - like Ba had, but I have confess, I'm starting to question some of José methods. I think he's more stubborn than he should. I know our group isn't an easy group to manage - some don't have a winning mentality yet, others struggle with consistency, we have average players - such as Cahill (Iva has also been average lately) - doing a job at the cost of others covering for them, limiting our attack, but still I'm not happy with José choices. Maybe the RM saga had more consequences than we foreseen. He doesn't look like the sharp manager he used to be...

I hope he does it because I tend to agree with Thomas that he seems conformed with what he's achieved so far. He's quite the simple, humble guy, sometimes it looks like he's happy with what happened so far and don't put that much effort on improving. The only thing keeping him from getting better is he really wanting it with all his being. Mourinho hinted mind/will issues and I think it was directed at Oscar, as I think André is very ambitious, even if very less talented than Oscar. I don't think Oscar's ceiling is as low as you, @OhForAGreavsie, I think he has a good ceiling, André on the other hand I think has a low ceiling, but he can be very dangerous when on form. Thing is all our AMs with the exception of Eden (and Cesc when he plays as #10) are lacking now in the attack now, which sucks.

He's better defensively than Willian imo, Willian has a physique advantage though - in pace, stamina and strength. I also don't think he's had a bad season. The crosses for Diego and Hazard goals were amazing, the quick link up to Cesc's goal, the link up with Cesc and Hazard has been good on occasions too. And that's the problem and we both agree: he's good on occasion. He has to start being good week in and out.

I'm not as defeated as you about him. I still have hopes, but they keep decreasing as time passes. We only see flashes with Oscar, it's time he develops that consistency that has been missing from him to become the player he has the potential to be. As for taking bigger steps, I don't see it that way. Each player has a ceiling, qualities and limitations. Implying he has to take bigger steps may give the impression that if he works hard he can be as good - even if differently - which I think is impossible. Oscar could be a top player, but nowhere near Eden. They're two worlds apart - and therefore the steps each of them take should be separate things altogether. I do agree though that he seems not to want more from his career. He seems accommodated.

Mourinho clearly sent a message about him in that audio post match interview in the match's thread. He doesn't seem to have the right mind to approach games and take responsibility. I still like him as a player, but he needs to take the same large steps Hazard has been given in his development. Oscar seems to take one forward, two back.

that was me, sir - two days ago on the Willian's thread, and I stand by my words. atm it doesn't get worse than Cahill (he has low confidence, is tired) and Zouma seemingly played a hell of a match today according to general commentary. I hope José has the balls to do it.

Great goal. He has a great finish every blue moon, let's hope he has found it and will keep it for a while. On the other hand watch him in the second goal. Both sides of Willian in the same match. Also, José, it's obvious for everyone you keep him in the team because of his defensive skills. Now to say he creates and gives any dynamic to the team, lol, nice untrue words, boss.