Matic was very good. Hope to see him paired with Ramires on Wednesday.


Schurrle had a decent game. Really would have liked to see more of him before bringing in another player in those positions.

Yes, Matic was excellent, just the sort of player we've been missing. A lot of chances were wasted, which we couldn't afford afford to do against better opposition. Not a great game, but we got the job done.

As expected, Chelsea dominated Stoke City in a fairly comfortable victory in which Matic, Oscar and Hazard played well. However, they still appear to need a new striker who can convert all of the chances being created by Oscar, Hazard and co. Salah's arrival now confirmed, looks to be an exciting addition to their squad.

Still amazed they let Mata go to MU though. Maybe they would rather he went there than to Arsenal? Maybe Mourinho is so perverse that he wants United back to their best because he enjoys the particular challenge of taking on MU? Maybe there is method in the madness and we are all missing the point?

Arsenal let Van Persie go to United, and he virtually won them the premiership last season. Mata is easily capable of doing the same although it's unlikely to be this season. Chelsea could also regret letting Mata go if they incur any injuries. Mata's arrival could also now encourage other Manchester United transfer targets to make the move to Old Trafford.

I just don't get it with Mata....Mourinho is either crazy, stupid or a genius? I suspect at various points he can be any one of the above!

Mata is a great player, but he will not singlehandedly help united win the league.

United as a team have taken two or three steps backwards since fergie gave up. Football is a team game, there needs to be 10 more matas out there for United to challenge teams like city, heck, even chelsea.

I still think united, even though they have got a great player, already had a great player in Rooney in that exact spot.

They needed a yaya rather than mata, and this is why I think Jose sold him.

Great free-kick to win the game today. Frustrating to see us unable to kill off Stoke by scoring more, but at least now we're looking more solid and less likely to concede than several weeks back. Matic impressed, he's just what we've needed.

It's a good point about where Mata will play with Man Utd. When RVP and Rooney are fully fit, they are sure starters. Mata is not a CM, he should be the number 10 behind the striker but Utd don't play like that or will use Rooney there. Therefore the only position for Mata is out wide and that isn't his best position as we well know. I'm sure he will still do well for Utd, but they still need a CM and to sort the defence before they will be title challengers again.

Decent game against Stoke today, should have won it easily but as usual finishing lets us down

I would have thought they would change to a 4-2-3-1, with Januzaj, Mata and Rooney playing behind RVP.
Then they could use Fellaini and Carrick in the pivotal roles. Valencia and Young haven't been performing and seem unpopular with their fans, so I think they'll be on the way out in the summer.

I expect you've all read it, but I thought it was worth posting again for anyone who hasn't.
Juan's farewell letter to Chelsea and the fans...

http://chelseafc360.com/2014/01/26/j...tional-indeed/

It was a nice touch by Juan. Just goes to show what a class act he is, not only as a player but as a person too.

The Spurs player fixed the draw!

That front 6 will not provide any protection to the united back four. Yes they can play the ball well but I fear it will be a case of having to score more than the opposition.

Mata is great when surrounded by appropriate players. I fear he will not be As effective as he should be, a carbon copy of him at the bridge this year.

United have broke their record fee and have a great player, but they really needed. It elsewhere first

Finally chelsea have done that, swapping Kdb for matic. Kdb was and will be tremendous, but we simply had to sacrifice the individual to make the team better.

As sad as the fans are, wait till we sell Lukaku next.

Is cavani worth mata and Lukaku?

Did I hear right that they roped his old man to do the draw with him? Was walking back from the bridge so missed the draw.

What next dragging randoms from the street?

Looks like we didnt get rooney because of his demands (of the press are to be believed).

£300,000 a week
The captaincy
A say in transfers

This is the third time United have been held to ransom by him and rolled over, looks like we had a lucky escape!

United have Fellaini though. It wasn't long ago that many of us were saying he'd be the answer to our problems.
It's still too early to write him off..in my opinion.

Agree with you, Matic for KDB was a sensible move. I couldn't really see where he would have fit in our current set-up. In the summer, bring back Lukaku and give him a real chance. Release Eto'o, sell Demba Ba and see if we can find anyone to take Torres in some kind of part exchange deal ?

I have seen enough of him to know that he cannot be a DM player. The guy has certain gifts, but he moves like an oil tanker - the game simply passes him by.

He would make a great plan B, hoofing the ball up to him like a battering ram (everton under moyes) but £30m is a lot for that. We definitely dodged a bullet there.

Can you imagine our midfield with Fellaini rather than Matic/ Ramires?

Quick question

If Chelsea get past Man City in the FA Cup what happens with the Spurs game on the 8th would it be rearranged?

Matic is a much better player than Fellaini. Everton haven't missed him at all this season. Looking at the line-ups some of the Man U fans have been posting in their thread for their best XI, they seem to prefer Fletcher next to Carrick, rather than Fellaini.

That's right.

Uniteds CM is shocking, and is where they will suffer from.

It is good to see that we are addressing our own problems there. It was great to see someone other than Mikel coming on yesterday.

I notice it as the same in May last year so I guess it would be moved mid week?

What does everybody think the chances of getting past Man city are?

We have as good a chance as anyone.

It will be an interesting test of matic in midfield too

It'll be tough but I think we can do it. No team is unbeatable.

Can you imagine Fergie agreeing to those terms?

Rooney says jump, Moyes say how high.

He rolled over last time for Rooney.

Rooney is in a very very strong place. He knows we are sitting there waiting (along with other clubs) and knows he is Utd's best player. They know if he went to Chelsea it would be a massive backwards step for them and one that would be very hard to come back from.

Apart from the say in transfers (which might be more of a asking his views on players) I think the other two requests are quite reasonable.

Oh I know Rooney has got them by the short and curlies but its amazing how many Utd fans who wanted him gone when he publicly came out and said he wanted to go, now seem to think its ok he is holding them to ransom like this. I suppose needs must.

Thats just it. This is the 3rd time this player has effectively held the club to ransom. From their thread, lots of united fans had just about had enough of rooney.

Saying that, the player had done a blinder. I have no doubt that rooney is now more important to the club and has a bigger say in everything than moyes.