Still not sure why we sometimes try and play Cesc further forward, for me it just don't work.

Not the reason for today's performance but for me he has to play that little bit further back

We were pretty poor. Gave the ball away so many times.
Happy with a draw though, all down to one game now.

Yep, a disappointing performance and a poor goal to concede but actually not a bad result to take back to the Bridge. Next week should be interesting.

As predicted, Liverpool tried to set a very fast tempo, and Chelsea more than matched them early on, scoring a deserved goal.

It seemed after that that Chelsea didn't want to expend too much energy, and Liverpool's 100 mph football didn't get the second goal it probably deserved. Some great defending, especially from Cahill who seems to thrive on the big occasion. Courtois was brilliant and is surely up there with Neuer now.

The problem with Liverpool's intensity is that it expends far too much energy, players pick up injuries, and while it worked last season when they were only playing 1 game a week, they can't play like that twice a week. It's kamikaze football.

Chelsea didn't rotate much for this game, and were not in a position to match the speed of Liverpool's play in the second half. If they don't do that for the second leg however, then they could go out as they did against Swansea 2 year's ago, when Swansea wanted to win more.

This weekend, Chelsea should rotate a lot, and keep some players fresh for next week. Zouma could come in, Ramires, Schurrle, Drogba, Remy, Ake.. They're all top players.

Considering that Chelsea were playing with two defensive midfielders, it was worrying to see spaces in front of the defence for Liverpool players to run into. Imo, Mikel just doesn't cover the ground quick enough, the way Matic does and the way Makalele used to. Ramires would be better there.

Willian was very good at winning second balls, but sadly he rarely ever tries to beat a man for fear of losing the ball, and he's too often seen running with the ball towards his own goal! For 30 million, he shouldn't be doing that.

It should work with Fabregas playing slightly further foward, buy I just don't think Mikel is the player we need alongside Matic. Mikel had some great games for us when we were in backs-to-the-wall situations winning the Champions League, but we're a different team now.
To be fair, I thought Liverpool looked quite impressive in the highlights. So in the end it wasn't a bad result. I'm away for a month in New Zealand, so only catching bits and pieces of games here and there. But I'm following you guys for info as well.

I just think Cesc is better playing further back, I cannot see any reason to move further forward, He is the schemer and the string puller and to do that you need to be that tiny bit further back.

I did not think Liverpool played all that well (decent but not a level that a team that came second in the previous season and the money spent should not be playing at home in a semi-final), It was lots of running around etc but apart from that nothing special, Nowhere near the level the media would have you believe. All very nice to watch on TV but from a results POV nothing impressive.

At the moment we just need time on the training pitch ( I think it showed we had a whole week's of training before the Swansea game something we have not had for don't know how long), I know when your at the level we are at that is something very rare but at this stage of this new Chelsea its really something we need so we can fine tune the level we saw at the Swansea game and play it game after game, Its not rotation we need its time.

On the transfer front it appears we're in discussion with Fiorentina about signing Juan Cuadrado.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...-juan-cuadrado

It would also appear the deal is dependent on whether the club gets the offers it wants for Salah and Schurrle.

Salah doesn't play at all really so I can see him wanting to join another club to play regularly. Schurrle really divides opinion but again he doesn't appear to be one of Jose's favourites in the squad whereas he would probably get regular first team football at a cub like Dotmund or Wolfsburg who are apparently interested.

Cuadrado would certainly be a top option on the right wing. He regularly looks like a top player for Fiorentina and could certainly improve our attacking options in the squad.

I'm not so sure about Cuadrado. His value seems to be based on his World Cup performances and one very good season with Fiorentina. Would he really be a massive improvement on Willian or Schurrle on the right ? I know there are a few critics of Willian here, but nobody can deny that he works hard defensively and suits the way we currently line up.

There are still rumours about Pogba. I can't see it happening, but that really would be something to get excited about.

Id rather have schurrle than take a chance on Cuadrado.

All schurrle needs is games. He is direct and knows where the goal is.

Pogba would be a great buy and a massive improvement on Mikkel and Ramires (how he is playing at the moment).

It would mean a big reshuffle in the team though?

Costa
hazard+cesc+oscar (or willian)
pogba + Mata

You sold Mata about a year ago, dear. Do you think you dodged a bullet with Falcao?

Matic, darn autocorrect

A done deal?

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/footb...-Mohamed-Salah

His Youtube highlights look very impressive, and he looks like direct competition for Willian. Let's face it Salah is no competition there, and Schurrle looks uncomfortable at times.

Maybe Chelsea will keep Schurrle until the end of the season and sell Salah.

As long as Caudrado fits in, it makes a lot of sense, and it gets my thumbs up.

8 changes, that's big rotation and they're all very good players. Nice to see a starting line up with 2 up front for a change. If Chelsea can win with a lot of changes, it will leave a lot of fresh players for Liverpool's visit.

Come on the Chels'!

Schurrle's not even on the bench. I guess he's on his way.

Anyone know of a working stream link to the game? Really struggling to find one!

Me too. Best I can get is the audio of Chelsea TV

This is what happens when you rotate and change system's for changes sake.

You play your best players it's that simple

Awful.

City and Chelsea, Southampton and Spurs concentrating on the league :/

Inexcusable.

I agree. No matter how much training ground stuff they do, you can't just throw a fresh group of players together and expect them to play as a unit. I'm surprised at Jose really, unless he was trying to prove a point. In the past didn't he always stick with a tight group of maybe 15/16 players, only resting players when it was really necessary ?

Disgraceful result whichever way you look at it, but I can't help feeling a tiny bit pleased for Bradford, it was an enormous day for them.

Playing 4-4-2 in 2015 really? With the type of players we have and their standard we should never be playing that outdated system. It's just crazy.

Is Jose's mind on Liverpool and just picked a random team and tried to fit them into a formation? It's very very unlike him to do so

I am pleased for Bradford was well.

Not many teams will come to the Bridge and play to that standard and with that much passion and commitment and just play football.

Wow that's a shocker. The biggest shock for years and we are on the end of it.
Not sure who's to blame but 2-0 up you should never lose the game to a lower league team. Just have too take it on the chin.

Its an awful performance and probably one of our worst results in years, terrible really.

Lucky Jose is doing so well in the league else you would think Abram would not be happy(im sure he isnt).

If we dont win the league this year is Jose going to be axed? Not sure, but knowing Abramovich probably.

I think Roman has finally learnt his lesson with regards to sacking managers.

We have tried every single type of manager out there and while yes we are Chelsea and one the most wanted jobs in football I think if we sacked Jose we would struggle to get anyone decent and have to go down a couple of levels and have someone like Rafa (I rather bring Grant back myself), more so when next season is going to be a three horse race with us City and Utd it will be hard to attract someone to come when they know they only have a season in the job