looking at the goals again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZwMtnefnYY

After Ba scores, it seems clear that Skirtel put an elbow on him.

Watch the clip and make your own mind up - did the ref miss this?

This season was always going to be a work in progress and Jose had alot of work to do this season, He had to fix the issues we had with the top teams where the results was very hit and miss first knowing that 7/10 we would get the results against the smaller teams, That has been sorted and now can turn his attention to converting the 7/10 results into a better number

You missed out West Brom - they've hurt us the most with the 2 draws. We at least managed to get 3 points off those others.

Absolutely.

We have played most games with 10 men plus a "striker".

We desperately need a striker who can convert the chances hazard, oscar, schurrle and willian make.

On a plus side, this season schurrle has done well. Finally we have started to see signings that can actually play in the PL instead of the dross we have seen before.

(Marin etc)

^ Overall I've been satisfied with all of our new signings. Shame van Ginkel's been injured most of the season but he looks a decent player from what we have seen.

I'm hoping that we offer Cole a new contract. I think if he's willing we'd be mad not to sign him up for another season. He's shown in the last couple of games that he can still do a great job when called upon.

van Ginkel was very unlucky - i just hope he can come back at the same level.

Unfortunately for him, we had to get cover and we have seemingly got a tremendous player back in Matic.

What a difference this player makes to our team.

It is a shame we had to lose KDB to get him.

Cole should be offered a new 1 year deal on a reduced wage, just like JT.

It is harsh when players of this standard, and in their case, world class, come to the twilight of their career when they are still playing really well. They are both extremely wealthy men (as with frank), and if they really love the club they should extend their deal by a year and accept the pittance of about 85 k a week in JTs case.

It will also allow them to "do a giggs" and become part of the chelsea coaching team, instead of cutting all ties with the club.

Ash is a great great player but he wont take a reduced wage (and reduced playing time) and a one year contract when 3 year contracts with his current money (and maybe more) on offer from clubs in the U.S.A and I dont blame him, The U.S life style would suit him to a tee and he would enjoy the more relaxed lifestyle where he could come and go as he pleases.

JT and Lamps and Giggs are one off's, They are "club" players and although Ash does think of Chelsea as his club he wants a life away from football and enjoy the benefits of his hard work and bloody good luck to him, In his shoes I would be heading off to enjoy the sun in L.A next season

In training today

JT - back after his sprained ankle
Eden - back after his calf injury
Eto'o - back after his err, knee injury?

and get this Cech, in light training after a dislocated shoulder last week!

Win or lose tommrow I am expecting to hear about Jose and his style tommrow being blamed for any empty seats and not the tube strike meaning its going to be a pain in the arse to get to and even more so from the game

I think we'll need to risk Hazard unless it really is likely to cause more damage if he plays. Same with Eto'o. I'm not so worried about Petr Cech or even John Terry, we have adequate cover. We coped with Liverpool and they have as much attacking talent as Atletico..possibly more. But we will need some inspiration up front.
Another appearance in a Champions League final would be a tremendous achievement this season, and it would be in Lisbon, what a night for Jose that could be !

Think we might see Eden on the bench and then come on, If he not 100% and breaks down early it will be a big blow. Might be better to see what they have got and then bring him on

Never been to Lisbon so looking forward to it, Due to the wonderful airline companies already raising the prices to silly amount I have had to risk it and book flights etc but such is life.

I've never been to Lisbon for football, but we visited a couple of years ago, and it's a lovely city. Worth taking a couple of days off if work will allow it.

Will fly out on the Thursday but got to be back ASAP for the open bus parade

I can see this coming back to haunt me ha ha ha

You just know that it is set up for Jose to deny Real their tenth European Cup/Champions League.

The implication from this article is that JT will be fit enough to start tomorrow:

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-articl...-what-it-means

Fingers crossed that is the case, and that the others that are back in training will be ok to play too.

Good to see at least one manager agrees with the majority of Chelsea fans here.
From the "Mirror"....
While Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers condemned Mourinho's tactics at Anfield on Sunday, Simeone agreed with the Portuguese that the ends ALWAYS justify the means.
Simeone said: "I'm a football man and I respect different ways of setting up a team for a match. It always depends on what you believe is the best way for a specific game or a specific opponent.I know that to defend well is not easy, so I congratulate teams who do that well. At the same time, to attack well isn't easy, either. So you have to congratulate managers who get their sides doing that.
"Football evolves, it changes all the time. There is no 'best way' of playing, nobody can give you the 'truth' about football. It also depends on the manager spending a lot of time with his players, talking different set-ups and tactics, different approaches and styles.
But, in the end, it's important the team, the club, the institution wins, regardless of how it is achieved.
"There is no 'one way' to play football. If we all played the same way, it would be very boring. You can play 10 at the back or 10 up front. What matters is the result."

Anyone know if any Chelsea players are on a yellow tomorrow night ?

Luiz and Willian ^

Chelsea can play how they want. If they want to put 72 men behind the ball fine but Mourinho has no right then to accuse teams that do it against him of playing, and I quote, "19th Century football"

If you guys are happy with the way you play fine. What I'm interested in is if you finish trophyless and 3rd in the league (which is a very real possibility looking at how good Madrid were tonight) how the 'majority' of Chelsea fans feel then. With the quality of your squad you should be looking to play the great football Mourinho played when he first came over. You've got a good enough team to win the league and trophies without playing ultra defensive football, But that's just my opinion and I realise not many of you agree.

We have no reliable strikers. The AM can't be allowed as much freedom as long as we can't expect to outscore any opponent.

Oh dear. I worry about Luiz a bit.

Ivanovic FGS and chelsea to win 2-1 is 215/1 I'm having some of that!

Anyway, I don't think Chelsea would miss Luiz that much. Lampard would be back and maybe fit by then, and I'm guessing Ramires would be there aswell.

Amazing how many world class strikers turn to sh.ite as soon as they sign for Chelsea.

To be fair to Chelsea I think they've just gone after the wrong strikers. they seem either too old, or past their best. They thought they had it with Torres, but anyone who had watched him regularly knew he wasn't himself that season. Who knows if he had have stayed at Liverpool if he would have recaptured his form or not. Probably not I'd say.

I wasn't enthusiastic about that signing at the time. Like you say he'd already gone off the boil that season, and if you're shelling out £50m on a player you really don't go for one that's not at the top of his game. I was expecting him to be more of a crock than he has been though, as I recall him having a few niggling injuries towards the end of his time at LFC.