Barbara

He needs to be dropped ASAP because unfortunately he became a walking liability. Will we wait until he really compromises a result to admit that? He was terrible today, should have been sent off twice - and I'll be honest, I said on my Twitter feed (because I had problems accessing the forum today during the match) that I wish he was sent off when he received the yellow (come on, that was a straight red any day of the week). If he gets a straight red with a tackle like that, he misses 5 matches in a row and sorry if I think that would be an early Christmas gift. I don't remember exactly the context, but in addition to the stupid dive and the terrible tackle, when the game was still 1x0 early in the match, he almost created the best chance for Hull in the entire match. I wish I could recollect exactly what he's done, but it was ridiculous. Then later on he misplaced a pass and that it almost gave them yet another attack chance. The only reason we didn't concede was because Hull sucks big balls. And people saying the old 'knee jerk' reaction or even using the stupid argument that we've been winning, should wake up. So far we've been lucky that his mistakes - which happen religiously EVERY FRIGGING MATCH didn't cost us anything (except you know, three points against Newcastle and most of the goals we've conceded in the last two months). Just because others - normally JT, Azpi or Courtois - fix his messes or the opponents players don't capitalize the gifts he keeps giving, it doesn't mean he hasn't been a liability. Come on, it's as clear as light. Zouma isn't anywhere near the end product, he isn't that great (yet), but he's definitely in better form than Cahill and I wish he was sent off today. We would have won the match anyway despite looking terrible (we're lucky Hull's routine is looking even worse than we did for once).

You know... I've had enough of Willian (and as far as I know I'm not PMSing, lol), but I'm so done with him. I'm sorry if I don't want him to even fulfill his contract with us, let alone renew it. I'm not advocating we sign anyone, I just want him gone and you know why? If he's not at Chelsea, Mourinho won't continue to make him a starting XI player and for the life of me, I can't have him starting more matches for us. It's not that he's a terrible player, he isn't, I've defended him enough times while people were saying what a robbery it was to pay that fee for him. It's just that he is the kind of player that ruins matches for me. I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel. He keeps making me bitter during matches because he's so frustrating, but so frustrating that he puts me in the position where I curse a Chelsea player during the match. I agree with @DYC. and @Dion that hating a player that plays for your team is ridiculous. This is just the opposite of supporting and guess what, we're called supporters for a reason, but I also can't help myself. I lost count of how many times I said fuck off for Willian today. I was mad, I was angry, I was so frustrated that I just can't see the good he does anymore. I've always had a problem with Ramires for the exact same reason, and I won't react differently to Willian just because he has great hair and is cute as fuck. I have a problem watching a footballer that can't pass the ball, I have a problem watching a professional footballer that is a dead end in matches, the ball simply dies on his feet. I can't help how I feel and that's why I'm done with Willian. I know all of his qualities, I know why Mourinho keeps him in the team (although I also believe if Schurrle was on top form, Willian wouldn't be starting even half the matches he'd been), but it's the same old story with him. He runs like an Energyzer bunny, he presses like crazy, he can even dribble (an upgrade to Ramires), but 7 out of 10 times the ball is with him in the final third it results in bullocks. Today he even made some uncharacteristic Ramires-squee passes, passing the easiest balls to literally no one. Just to make sure people understand my post. I'm not saying Willian is the problem (although he definitely isn't the solution). I am the problem. I have a problem with players like him, I can't stand watching them. They spoil my entertainment and my fun watching a football match.

For me it doesn't matter we won 2-0 (I mean, of course it's the most important, but that's irrelevant for the argument I'll have. Let's not fool ourselves, currently Hull plays the worst football in the league after Liverpool), we were awful without him. We looked disorganized at some spells and lost throughout most of the match, our midfield terribly sloppy, but mainly, no bite at all and the transition was even worse than last season's. We relied on Cahill to keep having long range passes to Iva in the right - and they actually worked a couple of times. Mikel not surprisingly kept passing the ball backwards. When was the last time our GK has touched the ball so much in a match? To make matters worse, Cech has the horrible habit of roofing the damn ball, instead of passing to one of the back four, which means we constantly riffled the ball. That's why I was damn pissed and I can't believe there are people stupid enough to say he's our weakest link... He's our most important player alongside Hazard. Hazard bailed us today - which is a joy to watch because he should be winning us matches, but let's be honest here, Hull presented no resistance. They pressed well in the first half, which made our transition look like a Championship side, but other than that, they were toothless and their defensive system wasn't even that good. So we barely managed to score a couple of goals against the team in the league that's in the worst form, we didn't threaten enough, we didn't convince, we didn't play well, we did nothing worth mentioning, unless we decide to talk about Hazard. Can you imagine if we lose Cesc in a slightly challenging match then? We're screwed. I don't know if Cesc makes Matic play better or if Mikel makes him play worse, but that must have been the worst match Matic had for us since he came back. Sloppy, shaky, inconsistent, even stupid at times. When the team doesn't know what to do with the ball to get it in the attack, we have Cesc presenting himself and at least trying to get something done. Oscar did it a few times today, but then he had to pass the ball to Mikel and everything went to fuckery. André had two good chances, but nobody, not even once, found him running in the 10+ minutes he played. We're almost dependent on Cesc playing for us, and although that's the highest praise a player could receive, it says a lot (negatively) about a team with the squad we have. Every time we play without Cesc this season will be a nightmare, so I hope it doesn't happen much.

team has been horrible, sloppy and complacent. I can't stand to watch Cahill anymore, Willian is the most frustrating player ever, Matic and Mikel are leading the sloppiness and Mikel gives me nightmares. I'd have Schurrle for Willian asap and I wouldn't mind if Ramires subbed Mikel, but this one I know won't happen. Either way, this has been terrible and Lamps can go fuck himself.

FOY = Fucker of Years hate this cunt

Iva has been amazing

Matic has been quite sloppy.... edit: and Mikel is even worse. Fabregas is deeply missed

André is, and I'm positive he'll play at least 25 minutes today

Oscar crossing for a Hazard header goal. I've seen everything and what a cross that has been

I swear I'm reaching my limit watching Cahill playing for us. I swear I am.

positively surprised by the inclusion of Luís in the starting XI. Hope he has a good match and doesn't make any defensive mistake - which had been his letdown so far.

Bamfordinho makes it look so easy to finish. He has that killer instinct that is so lethal for strikers. Can't wait for him to be here. edit: just won a penalty... otherwise he'd get into the net with ball and everything edit 2: what a shot by him now. Looked a lot like that Willian goal earlier this season (don't ask me against who) edit 3: should have scored at least a brace here, but Grant became a world beater defending his amazing shots

still this game is live on my TV... the Championship is more traditional and interesting than many leagues in Europe. But thanks for explaining me the background... it makes sense, although not much

still so many empty seats for such a big game...

but they're so much fun!!!!!!!

I can't for the life of me understand how a player can play in the pivot, lead tackles won in some of our matches and still be labeled as someone who can't do the same job Oscar or Willian do defensively. Maybe they press better than him - as if our system was based that much on press to start with. There was a time this season that yes, we were a pressing machine, not as of late though, but I wouldn't call either a beast and I don't see how much inferior defensively Cesc is to any of them. If he is, it's slightly imo, something we can totally overcome.

you compared the situations. Mata couldn't play as a #10 because he doesn't have what it takes to do it in this system. Cesc has everything that it takes to be a #10 in any team in the world, including Chelsea. I'm not saying you compared him to Mata, I said understood you were comparing his situation to Mata's. Mata had a lot of weaknesses that compromised his performances in our system as a #10. Cesc has none. Go some pages back in this thread. He's been performing worse now than he was two months ago, his latest matches he struggled a bit physically - simply because he's tired. Of course, some people in the thread made it look like he was even the 'weakest link in the team' (stealing Oscar's captive status btw), which is an exaggeration, but he's been up and down lately compared to earlier this season because he's clearly tired. But now he'll rest this weekend and hopefully also in the League Cup. I'm not discussing he's at his best in the pivot. That's not up to discussion imo, but there's no way playing Cesc as a #10 is playing him out of position or affecting our whole system as you clearly stated. Both things are a stretch imo but we can agree to disagree.

but I do hope it's not mono... many athletes don't ever recovery physically from it. It can be nasty for professional athletes. They can still lead a normal life but can't perform at high level the way it's demanded by modern sports.

and also because they associate mono with kissing and sleeping around, lol, so that's probably why he doesn't want to say what that was... unless he got it from Montana. I'm for real, some people hide this specific disease because of the ways it's passed along.

I think you only made your initial statement worse. It doesn't make any sense to say playing Cesc #10 is playing him out of position or out of his usual role, but then you compare this to Mata and it gets 10000x worse. Cesc can do everything Oscar or Willian do at #10, but no one can make what he does at #8. That's why we play him there, because we don't have a player to replace him in the pivot and play the same role. But he can play as #10 and still not affect our pressing and attacking systems. We would have to change nothing... He can tackle, he can press, he isn't much slower than Oscar (if he's any slower). Willian doesn't play often as #10, so that doesn't even feel like a fitting comparison. I don't think Oscar does anything considerably better than Cesc. Cesc presses really well, he can tackle, he has better vision and better passing. Maybe the only edge Oscar has is finishing - although Cesc has it on him too, it's just he hasn't been trying much imo. So no, playing him as #10 isn't playing him out of position, or in an unusual role and doesn't compromise our system. Playing him as #10 just means we create a problem in our pivot as nobody can properly replace him there.

Much better - not only better - but much better form than Cahill currently. Should cement his place in the team. It's not like Cahill doesn't expose us every match with a couple of stupid plays, so even if Zouma does the same, it wouldn't be tragic. I'd rather see than Cahill any day. I was never convinced of Cahill's quality to start with. I thought there was a chance he was overachieving last season. It feels like it was the peak of his career and who knows if he'll be able to replicate that.

how Ramires can't complete a pass as easy as that - and still be a professional player - will never make sense to me

regaining form? I want to see him playing as much as anyone here, I just don't get you guys demanding him to play as if his career depended on it. It's a shame, but nothing beyond that.

we could capitalize with them losing matches now not in three months from now when UCL comes back... They have key players missing matches, with low spirits it'd be the best chance of them dropping points...

in my way of seeing things, is very bad. Their morale will be sky rocketing, they'll trounce their opponents - Aguero, no Aguero... which is never good for us.