Closed Spurs 1-1 Chelsea

[Special Juan 28,141]

Picking up a point away to Spurs and United when we're still building a team is a pretty nice start in all honesty, especially when you look at a team like City losing at Cardiff and Villa.

I seem to be writing this in every post now but some people need to be a bit more patient with the development of this team, and a little bit more realistic with what they expect from Jose and his team.

This post is 100% spot on, perspective is needed and I feel after a ref once again bowing to crowd and player reaction a point was gained and not two lost on Saturday, especially looking at United and City's results.

[MHL 47 378]

They clearly targeted Hazard and Torres on Saturday. Hazard was fouled 3 or 4 times by Walker alone in the first half and at least two or three times more by others.The referee, and as they generally seem to be doing this season, took a lenient approach at first.

Then as soon as he gets the first card out, he goes into 'frenzy' and starts booking every other foul. Mike Dean the drama-queen then does what he does best, makes a big decision (only that he gets a fair few incorrect) that changes the pattern of the game.

Poor first half from an attacking perspective from us, miles better in the second half. Good, quick, forward movements of the ball combined with a solid Ramires, Lampard base. Suspect I will get pelters from Mikel's fans, but as soon as he was subbed we looked a more positive team, and didn't suffer defensively or in terms of ball retention because of it.

No surprise to me that our two most positive halves of football this season have come with Mikel off the pitch - 1st Half v Hull and 2nd Half on Saturday.

[Barbara 15,149]

Torres MOTM, no doubt about that, in my opinion. I don't know what's happened to him lately, but his attitude is as good as possible! As I said before, he is our main striker. Clearly in better form than Eto'o or Ba. Good job, Fernando!

Great half-time break for Mourinho, he's done some intense magical shit since we've been so good during the second half.

Just another thing that I'd like to say. During the second half, I think Torres missed a chance, Spurs recovered the ball and went on a counter-attack, but one of our players stopped them by sliding in our half. Was that player Mata? That was my sensation, I couldn't see his number because of the bad quality of my stream.

Yup, definitely remember that incident. It was Mata.

Yeah, it was Mata, he had a tackle on Dembele too, it was amazing. I noticed it too.

if it's the play I remember, it was Lampard...

Having seeing this vid in the Steua thread (1:30 mark) is that the play you guys were talking?

He was brilliant then (the play I remembered actually happened in the middle, and I guess that was Lampard). Something we haven't seen Mata doing much in the two years here, right?

[Fulham Broadway 17,315]

Neil Warnock this morning -talking sense for once

Speaking about the Torres scratch:

Along the lines of "Vertongen should get a longer ban than Torres for conning the referee. He should get slaughtered by the papers if they are hammering Torres. What Torres done wasn't nice to see, but Vertongen went down as if he had been punched in the face".

Speaking about Benitez:

"He's been very lucky to have been given the jobs he has had. I won't say anymore than that".

[Jase 43,479]

Neil Warnock this morning -talking sense for once

Speaking about the Torres scratch:

Along the lines of "Vertongen should get a longer ban than Torres for conning the referee. He should get slaughtered by the papers if they are hammering Torres. What Torres done wasn't nice to see, but Vertongen went down as if he had been punched in the face".

Speaking about Benitez:

"He's been very lucky to have been given the jobs he has had. I won't say anymore than that".

After all these years, Warnock is still bitter about Benitez..