i think both you and me were on the same boat last time, looking for the axe to fall on mourinho. while i can understand the disappointment on your side, i've found some joy with the way the team is playing currently under hiddink.

last time under JM, we were really a relegation-threaten team. we can't score goal and we were conceding goals like there were nobody assigned to play as defenders. now??? SOME of the player seems to be getting to their best form. our attacking play is actually miles better than what we can muster before new year. the desire is there. just that the execution need to be sharpen. this is for me is already a good sign, considering how bad the team has gone through all these while.

i've been reading it is now quite impossible to be top 4. being in top 10 is already a blessing. well.. i thought last time some people in here are alright seeing the team being relegated to the championship. why the sudden change of mind? for me, this season is long gone. what is left for us is to salvage some pride, some bragging rights. next we are up against high-fling arsenal. i'd take any kind of win against them just for the sake of bragging.

i am also in agreement to recall back christensen. but... hiddink is the one to decide on this. my gut feeling is telling me this is not going to happen. unless iva involve in an accident tomorrow and died. sad to say, but that is one of some few things that need to happen to prevent him from playing again. yep.. i am being bad.

That puzzled me as well. One of the reason might be because Iva add a potential height during defense and attacking set piece. And on another hand, baba does seem a bit shaky while defending. Maybe not yet accustomed to the PL?

One of the potential solution to Iva's added height is that, Hiddink can replace him with Azpi, Baba playing on the right. To counter for the loss of height, RLC perhaps can play at Oscar's place. Oscar being out of sort lately.. So, why not?

tough game tonight against high-flying arsenal. really hope we can put a good fight against them. coming with a win is surely a morale booster and provide us with the precious bragging rights lol

agree on the big if.. but derby game usually did not take into account the respective team's form.

luck really need to be on our side for tonight

honestly, i think that is a very unusual substitution when giroud is sacrificed for gabriel. seriously, i think he is one of the player in the rank capable of some magic moment...

we are looking good so far. i think iva played brilliantly on the right. times is offensive run properly and doing his defensive job as well. matic seems to learn that it is best for him to simplify his gameplay, in which he does.

i think if sanchez to be introduced in 2nd half, best for hazard to be in as well, in place for oscar. playing at the #10 position behind costa. why? there was a gaping hole there. gabriel not been playing regularly and flamini seems to be going forward more than protecting the back 4. i think hazard can capitalize this space. plus, koscielny is already on a yellow card...

hoping for the best for tonight!

Remy should be demoted to the 2nd team.. Seriously...

a great win nonetheless.. i think the team played brilliantly in the first half and dozed off in the second half.

the red card was a real turnover point. not only arsenal lose one of their player, their morale was seemingly killed and i think it was more due to the substitution that was made after the red card.

I think loaning Pato for 6 months is a good move. With falcao out with injury and remy no longer interested to play, we really need a reliable back-up for Costa. Based on Wikipedia, he played quite regularly for Sao Paulo so I guess, he is quite sharp and hopefully not that fragile.

With the game against Arsenal is now completed, what worries me next is the re-integration of Hazard back into the team. While this may seem like a good news, in my opinion, it MIGHT disrupt the way the team is playing now.

During the short introduction against Arsenal, the dilly-dallying style is still there. Why is this bad? He allow the defender to get back into position and at the same time, might waste the runs made by other player. Although he is eager to be involved, I really hope the reintroduction of Hazard will not be a step backward for the team.

good luck and good bye to ramires. if I remember correctly, he was dubbed as the bmw of Chelsea after the game against man city last few season, covering the pitch without any sign of fatigue haha

although he got the bad side in the way he play, I think we will miss his versatility and energy.

On another hand, hazard for 80 million? I think it is a good price for a dead wood. And, if he continue to think he is bigger than the club, please let him leave.

I think the decision to not renew JT's contract is based on economic factor. He is one of the biggest earner at the club and at 35, this might be the right time from the management's perspective.

I think the club's management can still be swayed from the decision should JT agree to a massive salary cut. Who knows...

the result that we got against Watford is not a surprise for me. as what JM mentioned, we are in the same bracket as them, together with the likes of west brom, palace and stoke. we do have quality players but they decided not to turn up during match day, except while playing against minnows and arsenal...

this is also the reason I do not talk about pogba, griezman, etc. etc. because realistically, why would they want to come to a club which got a high probability of not being in the CL, or even Europa? we still can enter these tournament next season but until that happens, I would say we will only recruit players like what Liverpool got. a club with big reputation, but only recruit half-baked players.

Wow Chinese League on spending spree is it?

42m for Jackson Martinez
50m for Alex Teixeira
25m for Ramires

Damn.. It would be good if 1 of our underperforming player got this massive offer. Dreaming somebody from China to offer 60m for Oscar!

wow is it true? I sure missed that one haha

why the club reject it? that time Oscar performing at his best? (certainly not in my memory)

baba looks nervous at times. hazard is very very rusty. was expecting a bit more from him though...

yaaay we just won the UCL! thanks mikel!

all in all in the first half, we do take our time to settle down in the game. some nervous moment inside the first 15 minutes but the players were well composed. for me, the back 4 is superb so far. i don't expect much with our current form but containing ibra and co. is no small feat.

hazard start to be more involve and for me, that is also a good sign. costa is as zorro-ey as ever. so far so good!

i think it was not an ideal result but the away goal might come in handy in 3 weeks time. PSG showed massive resource from the substitution. matuidi, verrati and lucas moura out for the likes of adrien rabiot, cavani and pastore to come in. scary!

on a bright side, i think baba rahman can finally graduate from the bench-university. he was not raped apart by ADM and lucas moura in the first half. for me, he handled this massive test superbly.

i think we got a fair chance to progress to the next round should we be more decisive in attacking. costa fluffed some of his chances and at times, he hesitates to shoot from outside the penalty box. it was not his style but at least he should try rather than forcing his way by dribbling...

This post has been edited by dynames07: Feb 17 2016, 05:42 AM

hazard not so flashy today but still manage to get 3 assist and 1 goal. good for his confidence.. hopefully he will be stronger in upcoming game.

as for baba rahman, he is like having a different game as compared to the game against PSG. early in this match he resembles ramires v2.