Closed Sparta Prague v Chelsea

[OneMoSalah 8,783]

Of course he has value, his body fat would be worth quite some money on Club Fight soaps!

Rmpr..... Rafa says

Anyway must win. Recall Malouda, start Marin and give Mata an hour supposing he didn't start vs Wigan. Torres upfront or Feruz if Rafas bold enough which I doubt.

[diskoviolente 425]

Rmpr..... Rafa says

Anyway must win. Recall Malouda, start Marin and give Mata an hour supposing he didn't start vs Wigan. Torres upfront or Feruz if Rafas bold enough which I doubt.

Rafa ? Bold ? I don't know if I could handle a bold Rafa. I can´t even handle the conservative one. I just realised how unemtional I am about Chelsea at the moment, compared to last season at anyway. Hopefully we just have signed a Pre-Deal with Mourinho and Falcao or something. I know it is sort of childish, but the Club really has to make up for this season.

[Yeboii 1,844]

Rmpr..... Rafa says

Anyway must win. Recall Malouda, start Marin and give Mata an hour supposing he didn't start vs Wigan. Torres upfront or Feruz if Rafas bold enough which I doubt.

Only thing bold about Rafa is his head

[Blue Gino 377]

Rafa should play Hazard as a false nine. It worked out well for the last manager.

[Rupert 130]

As for Rafa and Europe he has won this cup and also won the CL. DiMatteo ruined Chelsea' chances of the CL this year by his lack of tactical knowledge - the first time in history that the cup holders were kicked out in the first round. Rafa got only one chance to manage in the CL for Chelsea and won that match by a record 6-1 margin. If he had been manager from the start of the season we would be looking at a game against Real Madrid or Barcelona this week. Those on here who say he will try to do well to prove his value should take a look at themselves. He has proven his value time and again and his job is to continue proving his value - as he will. The ignorant yobos attacking him with almost racist hatred will be disappointed at his and Chelsea's success. They're praying he will fail. No wonder the supporters of other clubs have such contempt for some Chelsea supporters. I feel ashamed to be associated with the yobos by virtue of the fact that I support Chelsea. But I don't consider the Rafa and Torres haters to be genuine supporters.

[Kezza 1,965]

As for Rafa and Europe he has won this cup and also won the CL. DiMatteo ruined Chelsea' chances of the CL this year by his lack of tactical knowledge - the first time in history that the cup holders were kicked out in the first round. Rafa got only one chance to manage in the CL for Chelsea and won that match by a record 6-1 margin. If he had been manager from the start of the season we would be looking at a game against Real Madrid or Barcelona this week. Those on here who say he will try to do well to prove his value should take a look at themselves. He has proven his value time and again and his job is to continue proving his value - as he will. The ignorant yobos attacking him with almost racist hatred will be disappointed at his and Chelsea's success. They're praying he will fail. No wonder the supporters of other clubs have such contempt for some Chelsea supporters. I feel ashamed to be associated with the yobos by virtue of the fact that I support Chelsea. But I don't consider the Rafa and Torres haters to be genuine supporters.

Not sure if serious?...

By our run of results under rafa thus far, I don't think we would of been better off!

How has rafa proven his value? I'm still yet to see this..correction, millions of chelsea fans are waiting for this value you speak of.

We've lost two (nearly three) cups under rafa already, and we'll be lucky to get top four.

This would be a cool cup to get, just another trophy to add to the case! Give the youngens a taste of Europe.

[Magic Lamps 11,668]

As for Rafa and Europe he has won this cup and also won the CL. DiMatteo ruined Chelsea' chances of the CL this year by his lack of tactical knowledge - the first time in history that the cup holders were kicked out in the first round. Rafa got only one chance to manage in the CL for Chelsea and won that match by a record 6-1 margin. If he had been manager from the start of the season we would be looking at a game against Real Madrid or Barcelona this week. Those on here who say he will try to do well to prove his value should take a look at themselves. He has proven his value time and again and his job is to continue proving his value - as he will. The ignorant yobos attacking him with almost racist hatred will be disappointed at his and Chelsea's success. They're praying he will fail. No wonder the supporters of other clubs have such contempt for some Chelsea supporters. I feel ashamed to be associated with the yobos by virtue of the fact that I support Chelsea. But I don't consider the Rafa and Torres haters to be genuine supporters.

LOLZ love it when people pluck some assumption out of the air and build their argumentation on it. The successor of "Mata is on course to a 25 goals, 30 assists season that is why we do not need Lamps" is now "If Rafa would have been Manager from the start we would still be in the CL, that is why Rafa is a great manager". Thanks Rupert for epistemologically running amok in such an entertaining way. In these times we really need any kind of amusement.

Btw, maybe you did not get the memo: Benitez and Torres are past it. Cheers.

[The only place to be 11,313]

LOLZ love it when people pluck some assumption out of the air and build their argumentation on it. The successor of "Mata is on course to a 25 goals, 30 assists season that is why we do not need Lamps" is now "If Rafa would have been Manager from the start we would still be in the CL, that is why Rafa is a great manager". Thanks Rupert for epistemologically running amok in such an entertaining way. In these times we really need any kind of amusement.

Btw, maybe you did not get the memo: Benitez and Torres are past it. Cheers.

I believe it was me who said something similar to that, in a response to the notion that we couldn't replace Lamps. Do you have a particular problem with that or is simply that I might have impugned the glory of the 'magic Lamps' that I have drawn your ire?

[different level 1,056]

I don't think Turnbull will start in this one. I believe Petr has a huge desire to participate against his old club, as I recall him saying he hopes to be fit for that match after the fracture in his finger emerged. As for the others I'd like to see heavy rotation, probably start Marin to try and boost his confidence over his goal two days ago, Benayoun is also someone that should be used in the rotation, but I doubt he'll be a starter here, maybe against Brentford? Bertrand should also appear, but not as a winger. Lamps deserves a rest and with the lack of options on the double pivot I guess Ramires and Luiz should operate there. Nando is the only one available in front and the way I see it he should play in the Sparta and Brentford while Demba is saved for the league games, hopefully his nose feels better for the City tie.

[gary gordon 1,777]

Couldn't care less. The sooner we are out of this comp the better. They aren't even televising this on Pay-tv.

Goes to show how much they care about this stupid competition.

[Green Lantern18 54]

Couldn't care less. The sooner we are out of this comp the better. They aren't even televising this on Pay-tv.

Goes to show how much they care about this stupid competition.

Do you have ESPN? Because the match will be shown on that channel.

http://www.live-footballontv.com/

[gary gordon 1,777]

Do you have ESPN? Because the match will be shown on that channel.

http://www.live-footballontv.com/

Had a look. Nothing on ESPN 1 or 2. Setanta Sports picked it up but won't be showing it live, they've opted to go for the Yids match instead.

Might just stream it if i'm not working.

[Rupert 130]

LOLZ love it when people pluck some assumption out of the air and build their argumentation on it. The successor of "Mata is on course to a 25 goals, 30 assists season that is why we do not need Lamps" is now "If Rafa would have been Manager from the start we would still be in the CL, that is why Rafa is a great manager". Thanks Rupert for epistemologically running amok in such an entertaining way. In these times we really need any kind of amusement.

Btw, maybe you did not get the memo: Benitez and Torres are past it. Cheers.

I don't discuss football with people who jeer the manager ten hours after he has got the job and before he has managed a game. Nor with people who dismiss Torres whose performance in the last game was first-class and who has played well this season - at least since Rafa arrived.

None of the haters have any legitimacy as supporters. First you hate and then you try to find reasons to justify your hatred. Its called pig ignorant prejudice - very like racism.

So why do you hate Rafa? Because he is "fat" or "Spanish" or because he once correctly said that the supporters of some clubs have no passion for the club and need everything handed to them on a plate. Some of you haters are "consumers" more than "supporters".

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Moses and Mikel won't play in this one in my opinion... reckon they'll be given a little bit of a break.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't discuss football with people who jeer the manager ten hours after he has got the job and before he has managed a game. Nor with people who dismiss Torres whose performance in the last game was first-class and who has played well this season - at least since Rafa arrived.

None of the haters have any legitimacy as supporters. First you hate and then you try to find reasons to justify your hatred. Its called pig ignorant prejudice - very like racism.

So why do you hate Rafa? Because he is "fat" or "Spanish" or because he once correctly said that the supporters of some clubs have no passion for the club and need everything handed to them on a plate. Some of you haters are "consumers" more than "supporters".

Torres has played well? By what standard? Not the £50 million standard for sure.

Our expectations of Torres are so low that when he manages to do the absolute basics that you expect of a striker (lead the line, control the ball when it's passed to him, run the channels etc.) some 'supporters' call him 'first class'.

As for Rafa, I was prepared to give him a chance but he's completely underwhelmed me and the fact of the matter is he's simply not Chelsea. I don't know how to describe it. Maybe it's style, maybe it's swagger or maybe it's simply arrogance but he just isn't Chelsea material. The fact that results have been disappointing simply compounds what will be his eventual demise.

[Rupert 130]

Torres has played well? By what standard? Not the £50 million standard for sure.

Our expectations of Torres are so low that when he manages to do the absolute basics that you expect of a striker (lead the line, control the ball when it's passed to him, run the channels etc.) some 'supporters' call him 'first class'.

As for Rafa, I was prepared to give him a chance but he's completely underwhelmed me and the fact of the matter is he's simply not Chelsea. I don't know how to describe it. Maybe it's style, maybe it's swagger or maybe it's simply arrogance but he just isn't Chelsea material. The fact that results have been disappointing simply compounds what will be his eventual demise.

Results disappointing!!! Chelsea is third in the league when it looked like they were going to finish mid-table before Rafa arrived. They will probably finish second. They had not won a game in seven, if I recall, when he arrived. In the games they have won and some they drew or last they have played better than at anytime in their recent history. Yes they have a fatal weakness of throwing away a lead. But this is not down to Rafa its down to (a) too many young, inexperienced attacking players, some of whom lack bottle and some of whom are adjusting to the PL, and not enougg experienced defensive midfielders and fit central defenders ( poor pre-season when they were not drilled in defending as a unit. Rafa likes zonal marking but cannot introduce it until pre-season.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Results disappointing!!! Chelsea is third in the league when it looked like they were going to finish mid-table before Rafa arrived. They will probably finish second. They had not won a game in seven, if I recall, when he arrived. In the games they have won and some they drew or last they have played better than at anytime in their recent history. Yes they have a fatal weakness of throwing away a lead. But this is not down to Rafa its down to (a) too many young, inexperienced attacking players, some of whom lack bottle and some of whom are adjusting to the PL, and not enougg experienced defensive midfielders and fit central defenders ( poor pre-season when they were not drilled in defending as a unit. Rafa likes zonal marking but cannot introduce it until pre-season.

QPR, Southampton, West Ham, Reading. I'm sorry but those results were indefensible and the only good thing is that they will make sure Rafa is gone which is what the Chelsea supporters want now. Even those, like me, who gave him a chance want him gone.

Will you follow him?

[Hutcho 8,443]

itv are showing the tottenham match and the liverpool match WTF!

Oh ok, its on ESPN uk.