Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

Lukker-

GavRedKing wrote: »

Another game, another loss.

The difference this time to the West Ham? we played better, much, much better but found Butland in inspired form. We had a shot cleared off the line and butland made 4 or 5 great stops. Not taking anything away from Stoke, they held on well but losing that game after how well we played and the chances we created is shocking.

Not much you can do when things arent going your way.

There comes a time when you can't just keep blaming luck though. We've been doing it all season.

Fair enough if it was once off but not every week. We never looked like scoring from open play. We haven't looked like we've been able to score from open play all season. I'm just guessing but more then half of our goals have come from set pieces and another good chunk from own goals.

I'm of the opinion that luck is just an excuse. It's a confidence problem first and foremost. We lack any sort of self belief. If any of our players get a decent chance, I expect very little from them because in their minds they've already missed.

GavRedKing

Lukker- wrote: »

There comes a time when you can't just keep blaming luck though. We've been doing it all season.

Fair enough if it was once off but not every week. We never looked like scoring from open play. We haven't looked like we've been able to score from open play all season. I'm just guessing but more then half of our goals have come from set pieces and another good chunk from own goals.

I'm of the opinion that luck is just an excuse. It's a confidence problem first and foremost. We lack any sort of self belief. If any of our players get a decent chance, I expect very little from them because in their minds they've already missed.

Hazard, IMO, should have scored, I think it was in E.T. when he went on a mazey run and bent one just wide but he should do better.

However, this was the first game in a long time where he showed for the ball and instead of popping it off and stopping, he took the ball and drove at Stoke.

He really is the catalyst for our forward play and it was a sorry sight to see Butland make a good save to stop his penalty as he was brilliant on the night.

gosplan

Forget results for a minute.

The 10 man performance vrs West Ham was better than previous weeks.

Tonight was better again.

Going in the right direction.

Lukker-

GavRedKing wrote: »

Hazard, IMO, should have scored, I think it was in E.T. when he went on a mazey run and bent one just wide but he should do better.

However, this was the first game in a long time where he showed for the ball and instead of popping it off and stopping, he took the ball and drove at Stoke.

He really is the catalyst for our forward play and it was a sorry sight to see Butland make a good save to stop his penalty as he was brilliant on the night.

His penalty was dreadful. It was the perfect height for saving and Butland made a "TV save" to make it look better.

I see positives in his performance and the teams performance but it really seems like 1 step forward and 2 steps back.

GavRedKing

gosplan wrote: »

Forget results for a minute.

The 10 man performance vrs West Ham was better than previous weeks.

Tonight was better again.

Going in the right direction.

In a results based industry and given where we currently occupy in the league, its of little comfort.

It would be good to start with a win this weekend but the season started 10weeks ago. :pac:

grumpymunster

We need a break perhaps the Liverpool match will provide it

Lukker-

More coherent from Mourinho:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woqrg21z3tw

GavRedKing

Decent interview, beats the rambling anyway.

Lets hope hes happier on Saturday.

tastyt

Lads, I'm not a Chelsea fan so feel free to ignore but I think it would be a massive mistake to sack Jose.

He is one of the best managers in the world. He is going through a very sticky patch at the minute and things all seem to be falling down around him. Has the man not done enough for Chelsea down through the years to be shown a bit of loyalty and a bit of support when he's in the mire?

It's only 10 games into the season, it's not as if it's even a prolonged spell. I think he will turn it around but if ye sack him it may well come back to haunt ye.

SureYWouldntYa

tastyt wrote: »

Lads, I'm not a Chelsea fan so feel free to ignore but I think it would be a massive mistake to sack Jose.

He is one of the best managers in the world. He is going through a very sticky patch at the minute and things all seem to be falling down around him. Has the man not done enough for Chelsea down through the years to be shown a bit of loyalty and a bit of support when he's in the mire?

It's only 10 games into the season, it's not as if it's even a prolonged spell. I think he will turn it around but if ye sack him it may well come back to haunt ye.

You're 100% right I think

But it's the previous form Chelsea have for sacking managers, combined with all of this season's scandals that might have Jose near the door

I think few Chelsea fans want Mourinho to go, but things were going so far south it wouldn't have been a massive surprise to see him go

kev1.3s

Exactly that, I check the news every morning to see if it's happened overnight.
I seriously think his job now hinges on the Liverpool and Kiev games.

LuckyLloyd

I commend the patience and restraint in here lads, can't be easy. I think you're right to stick by such a thoroughbred mind. Question is where're Roman shares your patience of course...

cowboyBuilder

gosplan wrote: »

Forget results for a minute.

The 10 man performance vrs West Ham was better than previous weeks.

Tonight was better again.

Going in the right direction.

Ah Mr. Rodgers, good of you to join in the fun here

GavRedKing

Sacking him is only going to make things worse in the long run.

This isnt an AVB, Di Matteo, Scolari, this is Mourinho.

Sacking him would set the club back seriously, for the 2nd time in a decade. Does the club want to write off this season and come back stronger next year? Then the only way to do that is to keep Jose in a job. Football sees a lot of knee jerk reactions from fans and pundits a like but its safe to say this season is gone, its over.

We might mount a top 4 challenge but theres nothing to suggest at the moment, that its going to happen and we're losing serious ground on our rivals in the process. We're out of 1 cup and we're doing ok in the UCL. In my mind, if any Chelsea manager is allowed a bad season its Jose, it maybe bad for the balance sheet for 1 year but if the club back him next summer, we'll be back and fighting for titles again with the best candidate possible.

hots

https://streamable.com/ydtl

In other lookonthebrightsidenews... Sam Hutchinson grabbing himself a goal last night, delighted he's managed to get a career back for himself.

Dozen Wicked Words

hots wrote: »

https://streamable.com/ydtl

In other lookonthebrightsidenews... Sam Hutchinson grabbing himself a goal last night, delighted he's managed to get a career back for himself.

It's brilliant, he's been written off more than once, not that long ago it was said he was finished. Wednesday deserve credit for sticking with him, but he deserves it all after battling back the way he did.

grumpymunster

Lukker- wrote: »

More coherent from Mourinho:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woqrg21z3tw

Great to see that he is still TSHO :pac::pac::pac:

I think that the fans are still very much behind him may buy him some more time, and I do believe that Roman does respect the way the wind is blowing. I honestly think Roman was shocked by the response when RDM was sacked and replaced by the Interim one. A situation which never improved during his stay, in theory from a purely football aspect we finished 3rd and won the Thursday Night league so he did an OK job. In reality it was an error giving Robbie the job in the first place absolute legend, seems a really nice bloke but out of his depth really. Most Chelsea fans would have been sad to see him go but thats all they would have accepted a mistake was made in the first place (me I would have given him the season we were still in good shape in the league when he went) but for pretty much every Chelsea fan the cure was significantly worse than the disease (this is purely personal and therefore not always entirely logical I know and respect that a lot of Liverpool fans hold him in very high regard and rightly so as he did a good job for them and comes across as a Liverpool fan on top of everything else).

I am not sure Roman wants to go through something like that again the response to TSHO last night from the fans was great you could hear them chanting his name all the way through the match last night and this piece is representative of that

http://www.chelseafcblog.com/league-cup/how-chelsea-fans-may-have-saved-jose-his-job/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+chelseablog+%28Chelsea+FC+Blog%29

Now its Romans money invested in the club and he will do what he thinks is right for him (fair enough) but apparently Marina Granovskaia is a strong advocate of TSHO so hopefully we will look back on this in a few years it as well everyone held their nerve (as United fans did when it looked like Fergie might get the sack if he lost a cup tie against Norwich he didn't and the rest very much is history).

GavRedKing

Is there anything to be said about sacking Michael Emenalo?

Just on Rafa, he also brought the group close, losing in both domestic cup semi finals and he even managed to lose us the Club world cup, he only got us to 3rd in the last 2 games of the season, by beating Villa when Lamps got his record breaking goals. We were also out played in the Europa League final but squeezed through.

The long and short of it is, keep Jose at all costs, we're not going to get relegated and now we have at least 5 games less from the league cup this year compared to last year the players will get a bit of a rest so we're all in for whats left, the Fa cup, try climb the league and have a deccent stab off the UCL.

LuckyLloyd

Grumpy you're entitled to personally dislike any manager tbh. I would note that 'the interim one' did a pretty solid ship steadying job for you lads in the circumstances but I'd agree that the acrimony in the stands over it may give RA more pause than usual with regard to the current situation.

I think the suggestion of a four week sabbatical posted above would be perfect, as unorthodox as it may be. Give him a chance to get his head straight and for everyone to start afresh upon his return. Unlikely to happen mind.

GavRedKing

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Grumpy you're entitled to personally dislike any manager tbh. I would note that 'the interim one' did a pretty solid ship steadying job for you lads in the circumstances but I'd agree that the acrimony in the stands over it may give RA more pause than usual with regard to the current situation.

I think the suggestion of a four week sabbatical posted above would be perfect, as unorthodox as it may be. Give him a chance to get his head straight and for everyone to start afresh upon his return. Unlikely to happen mind.

I'm not 100% but I know his father had brain surgery in May and theres been unconfirmed reports on his condition but Jose has been back and forth to Portugal. Its a similar situation to what Ancelotti went through with his father, he was back and forth to Milan in his 2nd season.

Sacking him will make the club look even worse than we currently are with all the losses and issues with medics and the FA. Best thing that can be done is for everyone to sing off the the same hyme sheet and get the hard work done and make the season respectable and get ready for next year.

grumpymunster

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Grumpy you're entitled to personally dislike any manager tbh. I would note that 'the interim one' did a pretty solid ship steadying job for you lads in the circumstances but I'd agree that the acrimony in the stands over it may give RA more pause than usual with regard to the current situation.

I think the suggestion of a four week sabbatical posted above would be perfect, as unorthodox as it may be. Give him a chance to get his head straight and for everyone to start afresh upon his return. Unlikely to happen mind.

Indeed personal feelings are not always rational and I know an awful lot of Liverpool supporters hold him in high esteem (rightly in fairness to him). I would hazard a guess he is disliked by so many Chelsea supporters for pretty much the same reason Jose is disliked by ...... pretty much everyone bar Chelsea supporters.

grumpymunster

You gotta laugh

http://metro.co.uk/2015/10/28/chelsea-boss-jose-mourinho-says-diego-costa-got-injured-by-punching-himself-against-stoke-city-5466023/?

I do hope this Jamie Sanderson chap is not trying to make a living out of journalism as I think he will starve. How could you take that Costa quote by Jose seriously?

Wrongway1985

grumpymunster wrote: »

Great to see that he is still TSHO :pac::pac::pac:

I think that the fans are still very much behind him may buy him some more time, and I do believe that Roman does respect the way the wind is blowing. I honestly think Roman was shocked by the response when RDM was sacked and replaced by the Interim one. A situation which never improved during his stay, in theory from a purely football aspect we finished 3rd and won the Thursday Night league so he did an OK job.

That was a fairly respectful achievement to be fair it baffles me the attitude towards that competition which appears to have been conjured up by Sky and many have bought it of course.

You do know without Chelseas CL/EL wins 4th place would be gone now and probably will be due to Spurs and Liverpools failure to take the competition seriously! If you can't compete/don't bother to with the supposed mediocre euro clubs its not ideal prep for CL football.

If its good enough for Chelsea,Athletico,Porto,Sevilla etc it should be good enough for Pool and Spurs.

Crazy to think a supporter of a club isn't bothered with winning trophies.

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

You gotta laugh

http://metro.co.uk/2015/10/28/chelsea-boss-jose-mourinho-says-diego-costa-got-injured-by-punching-himself-against-stoke-city-5466023/?

I do hope this Jamie Sanderson chap is not trying to make a living out of journalism as I think he will starve. How could you take that Costa quote by Jose seriously?

I'm assuming Jose was suggesting Stoke roughed him up, cant see much in the game or the highlights, although when he was sandwiched by Adam and Shawcross, I think those two anyway, Adam fell into him with a forearm/elbow out and it looked to have contacted with his ribs/kidney from the replay I seen.

The way Adam played, which is how he always plays, I'm surprised he wasnt sent off being honest. His lunge on Willian where he caught him on the shin was wreckless and deserved a yellow but he got away with it, same player who broke Cescs nose last year with a forearm smash and was only booked in the same game.

GavRedKing

Wrongway1985 wrote: »

That was a fairly respectful achievement to be fair it baffles me the attitude towards that competition which appears to have been conjured up by Sky and many have bought it of course.

You do know without Chelseas CL/EL wins 4th place would be gone now and probably will be due to Spurs and Liverpools failure to take the competition seriously! If you can't compete/don't bother to with the supposed mediocre euro clubs its not ideal prep for CL football.

If its good enough for Chelsea,Athletico,Porto,Sevilla etc it should be good enough for Pool and Spurs.

Crazy to think a supporter of a club isn't bothered with winning trophies.

If we miss 4th this year, I'd prefer to avoid the Europa League too and finsih like Utd did and have mid weeks off, it didnt help them coz they dont or didnt have the squad or manager capable last year to captailise on it but its good to be only playing about 45 games a season compared to our usual 60 game season.

grumpymunster

I see Syed in the English Times having yet another pop at Chelsea

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/forget-jose-mourinho-chelseas-roman-abramovich-is-a-manipulative-ruthless-chancer-times/?

His recent piece on the medical staff was wrong in many ways and overtly sexist, this is sensationalist muck at best. It really shows what has happened in recent years to the "paper of record".

He states during his tirade that a chap called Berezovsky (who had a high profile claim against Roman that he lost) was found dead in a bathroom of asphyxiation which police feel was murder dressed up as suicide. He then lets that hang (no pun intended) for a few sentences where he babbles on about aluminium ard Russian crime and then says there is absolutely no suggestion Roman was involved - so why bring it up?
he also goes on about Romans business dealing commenting on the statement of a rival paper that he is "an astute businessman" that nothing could be further from the truth. I have news for him whilst some of his dealings may be a little on the edge ( :rolleyes: ) he is astute.

This is lazy gutter snipe journalism of the lowest order it seems the Times has finally reached the same level as it's sister paper the Sun.

grumpymunster

Wrongway1985 wrote: »

That was a fairly respectful achievement to be fair it baffles me the attitude towards that competition which appears to have been conjured up by Sky and many have bought it of course.

You do know without Chelseas CL/EL wins 4th place would be gone now and probably will be due to Spurs and Liverpools failure to take the competition seriously! If you can't compete/don't bother to with the supposed mediocre euro clubs its not ideal prep for CL football.

If its good enough for Chelsea,Athletico,Porto,Sevilla etc it should be good enough for Pool and Spurs.

Crazy to think a supporter of a club isn't bothered with winning trophies.

It is not all Sky's fault really. The way the tournament was pitched by UEFA in the first place did little to help. The expansion of the CL meant pretty much all of the major clubs in Europe would never participate in the EL. The very large number of EL matches were then subjected to a Thursday only schedule with the "glamour" and smaller amount of CL games given better Tuesday and Wednesday slots (Thursday was never a traditional day for football even through the years of the UEFA Cup, ECWC and EC all matches were played Tuesday and Wednesday).
UEFA went out to make an "elite" competition and they did just that, but that was at a huge cost to the secondary competition. Only recently they have turned attention to the EL realising that it needs to be bigger in the bigger markets (Germany and England) as with the exception of Chelsea winning it this competition has almost become an Iberian Peninsula Cup with mainly Spanish & Portuguese finalists. By increasing the prise money and more importantly giving the winners a CL place should raise its profile but it is not only in England the trophy is not really taken too seriously.

0gac3yjefb5sv7

GavRedKing wrote: »

If we miss 4th this year, I'd prefer to avoid the Europa League too and finsih like Utd did and have mid weeks off, it didnt help them coz they dont or didnt have the squad or manager capable last year to captailise on it but its good to be only playing about 45 games a season compared to our usual 60 game season.

That manager is doing a better job than yours this season

GavRedKing

Pheonix10 wrote: »

That manager is doing a better job than yours this season

He is, lets see how his 2nd season pans out compared to Joses, I'm willing to bet not as succesful though.

MaroonAndGreen

As was pointed out earlier in this thread, its not even been a massively prolonged spell of poor form, we are only 10 games into the season. It would be an overreaction to sack Jose, and I think fans would be furious and they would show it too like they were when Rafa was appointed

GavRedKing

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

As was pointed out earlier in this thread, its not even been a massively prolonged spell of poor form, we are only 10 games into the season. It would be an overreaction to sack Jose, and I think fans would be furious and they would show it too like they were when Rafa was appointed

The displays and performances are improving yet the results arent, it still needs at least 8 or 9 players performing, right now we're lucky to have 4 or 5 playing well and at this level thats going to cost ya big time.

MaroonAndGreen

GavRedKing wrote: »

The displays and performances are improving yet the results arent, it still needs at least 8 or 9 players performing, right now we're lucky to have 4 or 5 playing well and at this level thats going to cost ya big time.

Although it's been woeful on the pitch, the off-field media circus is almost the worst thing going on, of course there is no doubt that Jose has contributed to it himself quite substantially.. but it also has to be said that the media always love to see the best team in crisis and it always gets blown out of proportion. Throw the best manager into the mix too and they will have an absolute field day. It's not been as bad as it's being made out to be, I don't believe Jose has actually lost the dressing room as has been written several times. Lost his cool in interviews or with referees on occasions? Yes he has, but certainly not lost the dressing room as is being made out.

He will turn it around. And if the club decide to seek a short-term solution to the problem and sack him and don't give him the chance to regroup next summer then it is a sickening blow to Chelsea Football Club in the long-term.

grumpymunster

Realistically who is available that is better than him to take over?

Gus - was wonderful for the small cameo when he was here and I feel certain would have won the CL if not cheated out of it against UEFA lovechild Barca in the semi final. But he has not been at the top level for some time.

Carlo of the wonderful eyebrows - Still have huge time and respect for this man great manager who was treated terribly during his stint here. Is he better than Jose - in a word No. The only benefit to him coming here would be to stop him going to Arsenal or City, the main downside might be that we see Jose rock up at Old Trafford in a few years and that would be so hard to take.

That must be going through Roman's mind the strong possibility that Jose will take a job in England and haunt him, I really think we will be making our competitors stronger which is madness.

But outside of those two who else is there?

Panthro

It's obvious Grumpy, Tim Sherwhywoodn'tya!

grumpymunster

Would prefer to bring back Glenn Hoodle, still he would be better than Gus Poyet

grumpymunster

GavRedKing wrote: »

Is there anything to be said about sacking Michael Emenalo?

Might be if I had any idea what he actually does?

Has been suggested he signs younger players for academy which if true suggests he does not do a bad job.

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

Might be if I had any idea what he actually does?

Has been suggested he signs younger players for academy which if true suggests he does not do a bad job.

AFAIK he has a huge say in any of the signings and makes his own recommanditons.

Just on that, I wonder how many players that were signed this year were Joses players? Probably 2, Falcao and Begovic.

I'm not sure if he wanted Pedro, Papy, Rahman.

Francie Barrett

The problem at Chelsea from what I can see is that they have been hit by a perfect storm (shi1te Summer transfers, dip in form of key players, increased competition in the league). Mistakes have been made, but to talk about ditching Mourinho at this stage is just ridiculous. If Terry/Matic don't turn things around by January, then Roman needs to break open the chequebook and sign a central midfielder and central defender. Chelsea clearly need leaders and a strong anchor in the middle of the pitch so the flair players can do their thing.

MaroonAndGreen

GavRedKing wrote:

I'm not sure if he wanted Pedro, Papy, Rahman.

Rahman was an obvious enough signing though, we were all crying out for another full back to allow Azpi to go right-back...

GavRedKing

A hue issue and its been said already above, sacking Jose deprives us of one of the greatest managers around and will more than likely see him rocking up at the Etihad or Old Trafford and haunting Chelsea.

He might do it after a 2 or 3 year stint in Paris but for me, the club shouldnt even entertain the notion of sacking Jose.

grumpymunster

GavRedKing wrote: »

AFAIK he has a huge say in any of the signings and makes his own recommanditons.

Just on that, I wonder how many players that were signed this year were Joses players? Probably 2, Falcao and Begovic.

I'm not sure if he wanted Pedro, Papy, Rahman.

I think he might have wanted Baba II but early in the window and not as a sort of Christmas present we got him so late. Once Luis was on his bike we needed another left back and the defender of the year from Germany you would have thought would be none too shabby.

Papy was as daft a signing as you could dream up, why let two perfectly good young centre backs off on loan and replace him with someone who has no real chance of playing.

Pedro is a good player and should work out I think.

The whole transfer window was a monumental cock up, so jealous of City this season for getting exactly what they wanted- may have over paid but hell they are City players now and as a fan thats all you want. We did it last season why could we not this season?

GavRedKing

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Rahman was an obvious enough signing though, we were all crying out for another full back to allow Azpi to go right-back...

Hasnt worked out for him though and we've persisted with the walking liability Ivan at RB and even now, Zoum ais plyaing RB.

Wrongway1985

GavRedKing wrote: »

If we miss 4th this year, I'd prefer to avoid the Europa League too and finsih like Utd did and have mid weeks off, it didnt help them coz they dont or didnt have the squad or manager capable last year to captailise on it but its good to be only playing about 45 games a season compared to our usual 60 game season.

Avoiding a higher slot is poor form we're low enough as it is I'd rather interest in a competition than not. The likes of Spurs can use the 60 game excuse all they want...they then go play post season money spinners a top club should have it in the tank.

grumpymunster wrote: »

It is not all Sky's fault really. The way the tournament was pitched by UEFA in the first place did little to help. The expansion of the CL meant pretty much all of the major clubs in Europe would never participate in the EL. The very large number of EL matches were then subjected to a Thursday only schedule with the "glamour" and smaller amount of CL games given better Tuesday and Wednesday slots (Thursday was never a traditional day for football even through the years of the UEFA Cup, ECWC and EC all matches were played Tuesday and Wednesday).
UEFA went out to make an "elite" competition and they did just that, but that was at a huge cost to the secondary competition. Only recently they have turned attention to the EL realising that it needs to be bigger in the bigger markets (Germany and England) as with the exception of Chelsea winning it this competition has almost become an Iberian Peninsula Cup with mainly Spanish & Portuguese finalists. By increasing the prise money and more importantly giving the winners a CL place should raise its profile but it is not only in England the trophy is not really taken too seriously.

England is the main downplayer of it with Sky its main detractor...Germany Borussia Dortmund recently smashed a record attendance for a qualifier to the competition not the competition itself! I watched FC Midtjylland knockout Southampton and the scenes were great their fans were ecstatic and rightly so.

I agree Thursday night is not a good fit for teams having to play the weekend and thats their main issue but Glamour? Shaktar v Bayern, Arsenal v Monaco, Leverkusen v Athletico, Basel v Porto would these be considered glamour ties?? well that was half of the CL last 16 this year. Bein sport have a countdown I had to laugh at recently 20 something days to El classico a game thats produced poor matches the last while now. Also the Manchester derby last weekend that went well

Glamour me ring I want Chelsea to beat whoever is in front of them weather its Barcelona or Blackpool.

grumpymunster

GavRedKing wrote: »

Hasnt worked out for him though and we've persisted with the walking liability Ivan at RB and even now, Zoum ais plyaing RB.

Thought he was OK whilst he was on last night against a very physical Stoke side. Played a lovely through ball for Ram to make a total mess of, did have one brainfart trying to save a corner but for someone so rusty not at all bad.

grumpymunster

Wrongway1985 wrote: »

Avoiding a higher slot is poor form we're low enough as it is I'd rather interest in a competition than not. The likes of Spurs can use the 60 game excuse all they want...they then go play post season money spinners a top club should have it in the tank.



England is the main downplayer of it with Sky its main detractor...Germany Borussia Dortmund recently smashed a record attendance for a qualifier to the competition not the competition itself! I watched FC Midtjylland knockout Southampton and the scenes were great their fans were ecstatic and rightly so.

I agree Thursday night is not a good fit for teams having to play the weekend and thats their main issue but Glamour? Shaktar v Bayern, Arsenal v Monaco, Leverkusen v Athletico, Basel v Porto would these be considered glamour ties?? well that was half of the CL last 16 this year. Bein sport have a countdown I had to laugh at recently 20 something days to El classico a game thats produced poor matches the last while now. Also the Manchester derby last weekend that went well

Glamour me ring I want Chelsea to beat whoever is in front of them weather its Barcelona or Blackpool.

In fairness Dortmund have superb supporters who would most likely turn up to the opening of a door at the Westfalenstadion if it were bedecked in black and yellow. And for small countries there is a lot of glamour in the EL no one could tell a Shamrock Rovers a few years back that the EL was a poor competition.

For me though the fact remains it has been grossly under sold by UEFA and dragging that back will be very difficult, though the extra CL place is useful and might be our best way into next seasons CL if the truth be known.

hots

grumpymunster wrote: »

Thought he was OK whilst he was on last night against a very physical Stoke side. Played a lovely through ball for Ram to make a total mess of, did have one brainfart trying to save a corner but for someone so rusty not at all bad.

He was ok, not good by any stretch of the imagination but ok. Important to remember that Azpi wasn't a world beater in his first few games either, so long as he keeps improving I'll be happy. To be honest I'd rather see him playing most games with Azpi on the right than Zouma there, he's not a full-back whatsoever and it can't be helping his development to be learning a new position...

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

GavRedKing

Lamps season is over, he doesnt want an EPL loan, if I was Jose I'd be getting onto him and offering Cobham as a place for him to train during his off season, it would be a good morale booster too for the players and fans to have Lamps back involved at the club.

Wrongway1985

grumpymunster wrote: »

For me though the fact remains it has been grossly under sold by UEFA and dragging that back will be very difficult, though the extra CL place is useful and might be our best way into next seasons CL if the truth be known.

Yep but that would mean us going out in the group I say we win the Champions league instead .

We should have won the game last night the better team but found Butland in terrific form after that I have faith we should have enough to beat Liverpool at home I would have more worry if we fail to gain all 3 points. I'd actually like to see more of Traore I'm not saying he was great by any means he wasn't exactly but he showed glimmers of pace and creativity that has been lacking lately.

grumpymunster

Thing is if we played BabaII on the left and Dave on the right at least there is the possibility of a threat down both flanks, Stoke knew well (as would the Happy Hammers) Happy will never be taking people on and beating them. He has lots of pace but that is not his game. As a defender Baba is certainly better than Ivan has been performing.

For me Cahill should be the sub looking on with a back four of Dave, JT, Zouma, BabaII - bit of experience with Dave and JT and pace with Zouma and Baba (though Dave is no slouch). Won't happen against Liverpool though which means they don't have to worry about their left side too much.