Closed Newcastle 2-1 Chelsea

[mtowle182 79]

This talk of the pressure weighing on players shoulder cause of being unbeaten is pathetic! if they can't handle it we better give the title to city now which with these kind of performances we will eventually!

never really realistic, doubt it was really a "weight" as well

[LAM09 6,557]

Rotation is a must. We have fucked up in our last two away games thanks to not doing it.

[didierforever 7,349]

I don't know whats so funny about that any real fans knows we need players on those positions bar the ST maybe. But let's play Cahill and Terry in all our matches and Zouna as sub, Schurrle and Willian battleing for a RW spot and play Mikel and Ake each time one Matic is out.

so GC and JT are suddenly not good enough?

the pair that just had 400 minutes of football without conceding? zouma with an year's experience, kalas/omerou back from loans!!!

mvg/romeu back from loans?

for ST, u think remy should start ahead of a 10 goal costa and a DD who is scoring almost everytime he starts, yet we need one.

RW - i agree, if we can get reus.

so LOL at almost everything you have said.

"real fans" - dont think we need an "OVERHAUL" after there team has gone 23 matches unbeaten in all competitions, are still TOP OF THE TABLE, in quarter finals of leage cup and have already topped their group with a game in hand!!!!

[BlueLyon 9,359]

This time last year we didn't know what our best Xl was and were dropping points a lot because of it.

Mourinho has won seven title's and 2 CLs due to having a solid spine and a few untouchables, it works.

Imo Mourinho today is different than one from 2004. And we had different players back then. Old school who had more balls, more efficinecy and more energy. Now we have more flair but we cant use it we dont have proper rest. Inter or Real teams he managed played in less matches per season and he could play same team more with bit less rotation.

I understand Mou wants solid back 4, but Cahill aint exactly Carvalho or Ramos while Iva aint Cole. Quality is different and you can replace Cahill or Iva and it wont be so different, but he couldnt replace Cole or Carvalho because they were different quality.

I think if Luis was given longer run, it would benefit the team. But Mou is 'afraid' to try it. He doesnt like to admit mistakes and he will keep to his plan despite it might be wrong sometimes.

Iva was good in start (like always) but now he doesnt score, doesnt assist, many goals come from his side (not because of his fault today,but where was he? He is out of position all the time). He keeps playing with ball, but oftenly wastes it.

On other hand Azpi (who would be much better in attack on Rb if he was given freedom like Iva) isnt allowed to go forward.

Then again, I think rotation was only thing that stopped us from winning against Sunderland and nufc because we were tired (look at Hazard or Cesc) and that is completely and only Mou fault.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,761]

This talk of the pressure weighing on players shoulder cause of being unbeaten is pathetic! if they can't handle it we better give the title to city now which with these kind of performances we will eventually!

Nobody really thought this team would go undefeated in the league anyway really. They had sol campbell, we have Cahill running around like a headless chicken looking for it's mother.

That luis shot was a thing of beauty though. Hope he starts more.

[Tautvix 1,321]

It's really funny. People are using double standarts for some players. For example, Ivan is having a bad game - drop him on the bench, he is bad, etc... Hazard is playing bad - he is tired... No comment. Maybe Ivan is tired too? Never thought about that?

[Tomo 21,684]

Imo Mourinho today is different than one from 2004. And we had different players back then. Old school who had more balls, more efficinecy and more energy. Now we have more flair but we cant use it we dont have proper rest. Inter or Real teams he managed played in less matches per season and he could play same team more with bit less rotation.

I understand Mou wants solid back 4, but Cahill aint exactly Carvalho or Ramos while Iva aint Cole. Quality is different and you can replace Cahill or Iva and it wont be so different, but he couldnt replace Cole or Carvalho because they were different quality.

I think if Luis was given longer run, it would benefit the team. But Mou is 'afraid' to try it. He doesnt like to admit mistakes and he will keep to his plan despite it might be wrong sometimes.

Iva was good in start (like always) but now he doesnt score, doesnt assist, many goals come from his side (not because of his fault today,but where was he? He is out of position all the time). He keeps playing with ball, but oftenly wastes it.

On other hand Azpi (who would be much better in attack on Rb if he was given freedom like Iva) isnt allowed to go forward.

Then again, I think rotation was only thing that stopped us from winning against Sunderland and nufc because we were tired (look at Hazard or Cesc) and that is completely and only Mou fault.

Fair point, although I do believe the reason we have played so well in games this season was due to a settled Xl. Either way we have a chance to rest players now, Sporting game is a non event and Derby will probably have a mix of first team and benchers.

Of course there will be games were players are shattered but so far in Mous career pro's outweigh the cons in that regard.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Tune in to the joke that is Arsenal vs Stoke City pure comedy

[CMS 382]

Woke up at 4:00AM for this game. I should have stayed asleep. Something told me we were going to fuck this one up. Too relaxed for the first half. Cahill struggles against certain types of attackers. Mikel needs to learn to shoot for fucks sake. Clear header he went wide. Hazard another a sub par game. Oscar non existent. Willian needs to return to bench and give the job back to Ramirez. DD as always massive. We need fresh legs. These guys are too comfortable. The middle was like the red sea with Moses gliding right through. We missed Matci big time. Costa not getting passes in the right spots. Not only for this game. We need to involve him more like the earlier season games.

[iseah100 5,612]

Woke up at 4:00AM for this game. I should have stayed asleep. Something told me we were going to fuck this one up. Too relaxed for the first half. Cahill struggles against certain types of attackers. Mikel needs to learn to shoot for fucks sake. Clear header he went wide. Hazard another a sub par game. Oscar non existent. Willian needs to return to bench and give the job back to Ramirez. DD as always massive. We need fresh legs. These guys are too comfortable. The middle was like the red sea with Moses gliding right through. We missed Matci big time. Costa not getting passes in the right spots. Not only for this game. We need to involve him more like the earlier season games.

I feel you bro, went to bed at 3 am, woke up at 7:45 and I have to work till 11pm

[xPetrCechx 13,548]

3-0 to stoke at HT, and we are going to play there soon.

[Azpinator 2,325]

The majority of the goals we concede come from Ivanovic's side. When will that change ffs?

I really thought we'd come back.. never felt like they would win it.

[cosmicway 1,261]

You have to consider that we did not want to settle for the draw.

We attacked them from the start.

That resulted in another Sunderland of last season situation.

The match could have ended with a 3-0 win just as easy. With Mikel's header perhaps - Newcastle would have called it a day.

[The Chels 2,502]

Why are people assuming City will beat Everton? Let me know where you got your crystal ball from

Because they tend to play extremely well when their rivals slip up.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Well well stoke picking up form and will hit top just in time when we face them...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

If anyone is still feeling upset, just put on the Arsenal match!

Is Choulo having a complete change in opinion of Mikel now btw? Seems to be liking every post that slates him.

They're just so hilarious to read when he clearly was one of our better players today

[The Rising Sun 696]

It took until drogba came on that i realised what was wrong with our last couple of performances.

He played with passion and guts, and imposed himself upon the game.

Our players have become a little too comfortable after the initial brilliant start to the season.

Those bullying characteristics that every player showed early on in the season need to come back quickly.

We were hunting down opposition players in packs and winning the ball, but that behavior has reduced alot and we have become slower in posession.

Few things to be worked out in training.

Matic is irreplaceable. and costa needs to get his movement back on trackk.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Fair point, although I do believe the reason we have played so well in games this season was due to a settled Xl. Either way we have a chance to rest players now, Sporting game is a non event and Derby will probably have a mix of first team and benchers.

Of course there will be games were players are shattered but so far in Mous career pro's outweigh the cons in that regard.

Sure I hope we play backups for both games, try Azpi Luis as fullbacks, Iva and Zouma as CBs (to see if they could get ahead of Cahill and to give Terry some rest). Also play Ake, Ramires, Mikel, Salah, Schurrle, Remy and Cech. Maybe even Baker to rest Oscar.