Well,we need to get that Champions league spot so I hope you batter them as we have to play the rugby team on New Year's Day.

Good luck with that Nin. Need double shin pads to play against them.

It's a pity we can't kit them out with Chain mail suits.

We only played them a few weeks ago. Can't wait!

All that "they play better football now" is nonsense. They are the same as ever.

I think they had a brief honeymoon period of not looking like thugs but it's business as usual again.

A mate of my husband's is a Stoke fan and he's a bit of a tit tbh.

And I agree with your comment on the United thread. It's one game too many today.
Two games in 48 hours is a bit too much. Sure it's the same for everyone and you can use the squad etc.. But think we are flogging the players.

Well disappointing game yesterday, for all our possession we couldn't get a second. Credit to Southampton they played very well. I thought it was a clear penalty however it seems referees are on the look out for diving at the moment. Our previous diving shenanigans cost us yesterday with perhaps referees told to watch out for our players diving.

Luckily Man City slipped up too so we were let off the hook, i think the title race is well and truely on now.

I have no problem with a referee being unsighted and missing something, they are only human. But giving Fabregas a yellow card was ridiculous. If he didn't get a good view of what happened, he shouldn't be booking a player for diving when it was obviously just guesswork.

We'll see more incidents like the Fabregas one if Mourinho doesn't tell the players to cut that diving shit out. It's embarrassing.

IF we do go for someone next month, what do you want to see?
Back-up for Matic would be nice, but I think Id rather see another attacking threat to take the place of the frequently underwhelming Oscar/Schurrle/Willian.

I think Mourhino has a good point and it's the lack of consistency with ref's that the big problem.

How many times did Suarez throw himself to the ground at the slightest touch last season? 15 times? 20 times? At least those numbers. And did he ever get carded? No. He invariably won a free kick or even a penalty. If that had been Drogba several years ago, the newspapers would be full of 'diver!' headlines. But not Suarez.

It's similar now, and it also happened with Torres. Remember the sending off against Man Utd?! A crucial game that Man Utd went on to win.

For some reason there is a bias against Chelsea when it comes to penalties recently and there has been in the past. Why?I have no idea but I don't think it's paranoia on Mourhino's part.

It's not paranoia, it's deflection.

This is what Mourinho does.

Bit embarrassing that you repeated this tosh in the wider community, where it's getting the responses it deserves.

I'm not sure what reaction he was hoping to get by doing that really, but it was only ever going to be one thing.

I don't believe Chelsea are being "victimised". But I do think referees are wrong to brandish a yellow card for diving if they are not absolutely sure about what happened. If they are not sure, just wave play-on and ignore the incident, that seems far more sensible to me. If you don't see something, you can't make a decision one way or the other. The referee in the Fabregas incident would have been just as wrong awarding a penalty as he was ignoring the penalty appeals if he didn't see it. But why compound his inability to keep up with play by giving out a caution ?

The Torres incident mentioned above by Tip top was a disgrace. Torres was on the receiving end of an awful tackle that could have put him out of the game..he ended up receiving a second yellow card and being sent off. I will never forgive Clattenburg for that one. It wasn't just a genuine mistake, it was downright dishonest and vindictive.

Lamps again wouldnt you know it.!

Singlehandedly keeping them in touch with Chelsea!

Quite unbelievable

That's a long wait for the flight to New York isn't it?

I'd be fuming if that was a Utd player rocking up at City.

Courtois Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpilicueta Matic Fabregas Willian Oscar Hazard Costa

Cech Zouma Mikel Ramires Salah Remy Drogba

Full strength team

Lampard could well come back to haunt us a take City to the title, the decision to let him leave is looking silly(or atleast to a rival)

It was a sensible decision, but he went to New York,.

I'd put my money on Chelsea tbh.

The thought of back to back titles for city would be too much.

Hopefully still time for this carling cup curse to kick in.

What do we think the score will be tonight guys? something tells me a draw .... 1-1

Chelsea lead!!

Oh dear!!