football anyone? as in soccer...

[Mooley]

I will never know how they assured themselves they'd be fine knowing they were letting Nasri and Fabregas go without replacements.

Watching Piers Morgan take shit from so many Arsenal fans (and Frimpong, hilariously) on twitter for taking the 'Wenger out' stance has been hugely entertaining though.

[weedpop]

The sad fact is that you really can't compete at the top level of football right now while following a responsible and sustainable business model. Wenger got lucky over the last few years with many of his younger prospects turning into fantastic (and valuable) players, but even then they couldn't pull in a trophy. Once that line of cheap talent starts to run dry, the gap between them and the more profligate teams is inevitably going to get wider. Hearing Wenger talk about how it was "imperative" to make a 20 million pound profit every year a few months after Man City reported a 200 million pound loss kinda drove home the point.

Also, Piers Morgan is a twat.

[brycickle]

So now that England is pretty much officially out of the CL, what are some predictions? I kind of feel that the way they played in the group stage, and are playing in the league, that Real could take it.

[Smell Good]

I thought CSKA looked pretty legit against Real

But from the way everything's going right now, we could very well see an El Clasico Champions League final

[brycickle]

I didn't get to catch that match. It should be interesting though.

[weedpop]

It's gotta be Barca or Real madrid. Watching them in the league every week they just look all around much better than any of the other "contenders" in European football, and Barca will be juiced to defend their champs league title since they're basically just trying to keep second place in La Liga now. Anything can happen though. Bayern Munich and AC Milan look pretty good at times but who else really comes close to being able to compete with the Spanish?

[pica]

anybody seen basel vs. bayern munich last night?

swiss boys gonna finish the germans in 3 weeks.

[brycickle]

And they should have scored more.

[chockfullofthat]

Doom and Gloom.  It's a strange feeling not being confident as a Chelsea fan anymore.  Somehow I still think they are still going to get through.  My attitude will change when we're playing on Thursday nights next season and Hazard and Cavanni snub us in the offseason.  I'm just so tired of Roman sacking coaches that I don't care how bad they've been this year I don't want AVB fired too.

Ba is up for grabs at the end of the season?  Didn't he sign a short contract?

[brycickle]

Ba would be a good signing. I read somewhere that West Ham was interested in getting Torres on loan. True or not, it gave me a good chuckle to see that this is what he's been reduced to.

[chockfullofthat]

It's true that West Ham made offers for Tevez and Torres.  Any team can show interest in any player, even the pikeys.  Chelsea didn't take it seriously so I don't see how that reflects poorly on Torres. 

Does anyone think Newcastle has a real chance at 4th this year?  I think Arsenal will get it, but they managed to stay in the hunt while missing their African players and Cabaye.

[brycickle]

It's true that West Ham made offers for Tevez and Torres.  Any team can show interest in any player, even the pikeys.  Chelsea didn't take it seriously so I don't see how that reflects poorly on Torres. 

Does anyone think Newcastle has a real chance at 4th this year?  I think Arsenal will get it, but they managed to stay in the hunt while missing their African players and Cabaye.

Torres reflects poorly on Torres. And yes, I do think that Newcastle have a shot at 4th if Arsenal keep looking as wobbly as they have all year. Imagine what would happen if Arsenal don't make 4th, I think that would ultimately spell the end of RVP's stint there.

[chockfullofthat]

It's true that West Ham made offers for Tevez and Torres.?  Any team can show interest in any player, even the pikeys.?  Chelsea didn't take it seriously so I don't see how that reflects poorly on Torres.? 

Does anyone think Newcastle has a real chance at 4th this year??  I think Arsenal will get it, but they managed to stay in the hunt while missing their African players and Cabaye.

Torres reflects poorly on Torres. And yes, I do think that Newcastle have a shot at 4th if Arsenal keep looking as wobbly as they have all year. Imagine what would happen if Arsenal don't make 4th, I think that would ultimately spell the end of RVP's stint there.

Pretty much.

I think RVP will leave, regardless.  It's time for him to win and get paid.  I see him at Man City or Real Madrid next season.

[Smell Good]

Christian Eriksen can go to any team but Man Utd.

[weedpop]

Just like in Italy, nobody's really looking like they could be called favourites for fourth place right now in the EPL. It's astounding that newcastle and liverpool are still very much in the race for champions league but its almost like a new subdivision of the "top 6" league-within-a-league since tottenham are like 10 points ahead in third place. If Chelsea and Arsenal manage to improve for next season (maybe one more than the other depending on who gets more tv rights moolah) competition is going to be fierce even for Europa league spots, which is bad news for clubs like Stoke and Villa. Not a lot of room at the top these days.

Tottenham vs. Arsenal game this weekend has the potential to either be an absolute slaughter or a fantastically entertaining match.

[chockfullofthat]

I think it will be a great match.  The North London Derby has been my favorite match to watch in recent years.  Also as a Chelsea fan I've seen some extremely exciting games with Aston Villa in the past few years which we usually ended up coming up short in.

Couldn't find shorter goal highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WehrqsoWel4
	Small | Large

[weedpop]

They both play fairly similar attacking styles but Arsenal seems to have a lot less cutting edge right now, as well as a much shakier defense. Tottenham have been absolutely blitzing teams in the first 25 minutes lately, and if they get an early goal I could see Arsenal taking a humiliating loss, especially given their form in the last two games.

[Smell Good]

There really has been a lack of a penetrating quality to the Arsenal side these days. Lots of passes, but it's just kind of this slow probing and square passes

Also, I think Coquelin might be one of my favorite Arsenal players this season. Shame he messed up his hamstring again - This dude is normally a midfielder right? That's some goddamn versatility right there, I've only seen him play as a makeshift fullback (both left and right)

[chockfullofthat]

There really has been a lack of a penetrating quality to the Arsenal side these days. Lots of passes, but it's just kind of this slow probing and square passes

Also, I think Coquelin might be one of my favorite Arsenal players this season. Shame he messed up his hamstring again - This dude is normally a midfielder right? That's some goddamn versatility right there, I've only seen him play as a makeshift fullback (both left and right)

Haven't seen much of Coquelin but OC looks like a good buy.

[Stoeipoes]

Proud of AJAX. beat man united with 2-1 in old trafford.

as for arsenal - tottenham.
I'd go for tottenham. Their midfield is insane with parker, vd vaart, modric and bale.

[ALT]

That Ajax - Man U game last night was good.


My dad got tickets for the Chelsea - Stoke game next month. Neither of us are Chelsea fans but the stadium is just down the road from my sisters place. So we are gonna go when we visit her.

[chockfullofthat]

That Ajax - Man U game last night was good.


My dad got tickets for the Chelsea - Stoke game next month. Neither of us are Chelsea fans but the stadium is just down the road from my sisters place. So we are gonna go when we visit her.

Nice!  Too bad the So Bar is closed down...I would've recommended that.  Hopefully the attitude in the stadium isn't as toxic by that point.  You don't want to have to sit next to a bunch of angry, whining men all day.  Let me know how you like it.

[Smell Good]

That was a goddamn massacre.

[brycickle]

There's something ironically funny about watching Luis Suarez go out of his mind trying to get someone called for a handball.

[brycickle]

The next Gerrard family picnic might be a little awkward...

[Smell Good]

I just wanted to post this haha

[brycickle]

http://hasandrevillasboasbeensackedyet.com/

[weedpop]

Spend $50 million to release new manager from his old contract, in the hope that he will lead a rebuilt team to glory over the next few years; then, less than a year later, fire him because the team is only in 5th place, using the same old players that should have been gotten rid of last summer. Who wants to be a Chelsea manager?

[Spike Hawke]

Abramovich seems like a spoilt little kid. Just reacts and doesn't seem to have a clue what he is up to. Got to wonder how much the players had to do with this.
Good to see Newcastle and Sunderland put the man back into footy. Brutal tackling

[chockfullofthat]

At least it's been interesting to be a Chelsea fan...never a dull moment.  Somebody had to take the hit for Torres...it's AVB and Roman's wallet.  Yesterday was the first time I thought he might be sacked and it happened.  I had a feeling Chelsea weren't going to get a result at West Brom.  Things that weren't his fault: Torres and JT's offfield distractions.  Things that were: Poor squad selection, could not organize his defense, did not get the best out of players, taking too hard of a line with the transition.