ohmelads

Good to see Oba back in the groove again. Only seen the highlights but that goal took some technique and he was inches away from a brilliant second, what Sibierski was doing with the rebound I have no idea! More of the same please Oba!

Brown's starting today against Portsmouth. I'll keep an eye out for his performance. Heinze is world class, I don't see us having any chance of bringing him here. If we did it'd be a miracle and a hell of a signing.

Still hoping Chelsea push Man Utd to the wire in the title race. 3 points in it now with Man Utd kicking off in 10 mins. It would be hilarious to see Chelsea pip them to it.

Perhaps I was harsh on his Porto achievement. But that was the basis on which he got this job, he inherited an excellent squad which finished 2nd and reached the Champions League semi-finals and he's had a ton of money since, so that makes him difficult to judge and leads me to suggest his achievements, while good, are not the amazing feat they're made out to be. He's won two leagues and will probably lose this one. I think we can all agree that next season will reveal a lot as I don't see him getting outrageous funds this time around while those around him will enjoy bigger transfer budgets. If he wins it again you've got to hand it to him, but if he loses it then you'd have to suggest there are people who can do a better job. I actually don't hate Mourinho as much as I used to when he first came over to England. He's a good defensive tactician but I think he (and Benitez) could take a leaf out of Ferguson and Wenger's books if they want to dominate this league consistently. I just think Mourinho's a bit overrated. I doubt we'll ever know how he'd cope in England without his fortunes, so it's all conjecture.

He needs to win the league back to back for a few years yet. Reason being that the money he has will always be a major factor in his team's success, how you can try and ignore that I don't know. In my book Wenger and Ferguson are world class managers. I also think Benitez is a better manager than Mourinho. I'm not ignoring the fact that he's had money. I'm just concentrating on the fact that he's actually won it twice in a row already, and his achievements with Porto cannot be dismissed by people with this same claim. I like Benitez alot and think he's one of the most tactically astute managers out there, but we'll see next season when he has the money, we'll see whether he's as good as many people make him out to be. If he doesn't win the title, I'm reviving this thread Well I honestly believe Chelsea's title challenge next season will depend on how much money Mourinho is given (if he's still there). Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd are bound to strengthen.

He needs to win the league back to back for a few years yet. Reason being that the money he has will always be a major factor in his team's success, how you can try and ignore that I don't know. You're getting on like I'm saying Mourinho is a poor manager. Winning the league as the richest team is not a spectacular achievement and this season has put doubts in my mind about his ability to compete with the top managers if he didn't have the budget he has. I never understood his obsession with Ashley Cole or his failure to replace Gallas, I think it has come back to haunt him. In my book Wenger and Ferguson are world class managers. I also think Benitez is a better manager than Mourinho.

you haven't participated yet give us a situation at Chelsea where he has excelled himself as a person and made a hard decision without recourse to money or reliance on his own players? Also as a bonus, a situation that has gone against Chelsea where he hasn't come out of it looking like a complete c*** It's a lose-lose situation for him, isn't it? If he spends money and wins like he's doing, people accuse of him buying the title. If he doesn't spend the money available, people will say 'what a stupid c***, has all that money, should buy a new LB, a new RB, a new striker etc. etc.' He's spent money, he's won. Ranieri spent nearly £100m iirc, and he didn't win. Also, his past two titles have been won by absolutely dominating the league and running away with it. Chelsea have been a cut above the rest in the past couple of seasons and Mourinho deserves enormous credit for this. The money he has spent raises expectations. He is expected to win the league and rightly so. He did a good job winning the league but it's not an incredible achievement for the richest club in the world to win a league title and it's certainly not amazing if they finish 2nd. Like I say, a good manager but not world class.

Yes Jose did have the money. Why are you rolling your eyes? He took Chelsea from 2nd to 1st and he did spend a lot of money. They now look like they will finish 2nd again. You're comparing him to Wenger who went a season unbeaten on a fraction of the budget and reached the Champions League final last season. Doesn't really help your argument. Man Utd have spent money but have made a lot of that money through sales. Ferguson built the club up gradually and earnt that money, yet you're undermining this. He's rebuilt his Man Utd team time and time again and won the league year on year on year. Mourinho has 2 league titles but his poor transfer dealings have cost him this time IMO and once again Ferguson has took his team back to the top. Mourinho doesn't deserve more money and might not get it. It'll be interesting to see how he copes, espescially if Man Utd spend well again this summer.

I'm not disregarding it, but I won't deliberately ignore how it happened, nor will I ignore the circumstances in which he took Chelsea to the title. He took them from 2nd to 1st after spending a fortune, this is a fact. I'm not amazed by what Mourinho has achieved at Chelsea. I think he's just a good manager who's done a good job. Nothing more.

I think it's about time one of us brought the ridiculous amount of money he's spent into the equation. And Ferguson's outwitted him. Ranieri was sacked for finishing 2nd and making the Champions League semis. He also won a cup. I wouldn't be surprised if Mourinho ends up with the same this season.

When he finishes 2nd this season he'll have achieved the same as Ranieri, despite spending a hell of a lot more money.

says alot. He's won a league title in his past three seasons. f****** beat that man. With the money he's had he has nowhere to hide. You're getting on like you're shocked Chelsea won the league. Wise up. Ranieri finished 2nd in his first season under Abramovich and he's considered an average manager. Mourinho spent a load of money improving that Ranieri side.

Terry and Lampard were brilliant under Ranieri as well. Cech was a Ranieri signing. Lampard obviously wasn't brilliant enough to be the FA Writer's Player of the Year, and runner-up for the European Player of the Year as well as runner-up for the World Player of the Year while Ranieri was coaching him. Tbh, there should be no doubt that Mourinho is a great manager. The fact is, it's harder to win a title than it is to win a cup; it's about consistency and he's developed a ruthless consistency at Chelsea. He's won the title twice and contrary to popular opinion, the title race for this season isn't over. And Chelsea are also still in the Champions League, btw. PS. Where did I mention Cech? Lampard was brilliant that year under Ranieri, many would have said he was the best central midfielder in the Premier League that season. Many also said Terry was the best central defender that season. I don't listen to the player awards, Cannavaro was named world player of the year a few months ago! Chelsea are about to lose the title to a team which plays better football under a better manager. Mourinho is a very good manager but he isn't a world class manager.

Terry and Lampard were brilliant under Ranieri as well. Cech was a Ranieri signing.

He got the job on the back of a fluky Champions League run with Porto. A last minute winner over Man Utd (courtesy of a Howard f*ck-up) and then Deportivo and Monaco. All round he's a good manager, but nothing great. His defensive record is the most impressive thing, but you get judged on results, not on goals conceded. Swapping Gallas for Cole was a huge mistake. Not only is Gallas a brilliant defender but he was swapping a centre back for a left back. He never replaced Gallas, and as a result he had to play a right back and a central midfielder in central defence at Anfield this season and lost the title race because of a couple of injuries to key defenders. It's his own fault that Chelsea began the season without adequate cover at the back. Fact is Chelsea are effective but they don't play great football. Many people talk about 'grinding out results' but I think there are also those games where you need the craft and guile to find an extra gear. Man Utd are both effective and play good football and that's what makes them the better team this season.

Woodgate.

He could tell you but then he'd have to kill you.

Solano and Milner seem to work well together on the right hand side. In fact those two have formed our most effective flank partnership all season. Carr has done nothing to deserve a place in the side. So it's highly likely that Carr will start both games this weekend.

We've been linked with both of them in the press at some point, so maybe your 'friend' just read the papers.

How many times are people going perpetuate the "English fans at it again" myth? The media both here and abroad are happy to keep it alive because it sells papers. A few chairs flying around is made out to be a war zone, it's ridiculous. This stuff is happening all over Europe. Both in Sevilla and Roma the video evidence leaves the police with questions to answer. How come only Man Utd and Tottenham fans ended up in hospital, yet Roma and Sevilla fans went home safe?

Wasn't there a rumour in one of the papers a while back that we have already lined up Tuncay for the summer (like the Sidwell rumours)? Or did I just imagine it?

On the other hand if we win on Saturday and West Ham or Charlton don't, we'll be safe. These two games over the weekend are big games, we will have a much clearer picture of who is probably going down in a few days time.

Probably be mint in a couple of years and win the Champions League after Milan snap him up.

Missed this game unfortunately, except for the last 20 minutes. I see the BBC were watching the wrong game: "But Valencia were thrown a lifeline as Robinson was adjudged to have dragged down Correia when he appeared to have cleanly clawed the ball away from the Sevilla's player feet." Delicately poised for the second leg. I can see both teams scoring. Both good going forward, Spurs have to go for a goal and could leave gaps at the back as time wears on. I'm sure Sevilla will go there as if the game was 0-0 and try to get an away goal, exactly the way Newcastle should have approached the AZ game (instead of Roeder's infamous "we don't need to score" pre-match quotes). Regarding Malbranque, I think he's an absolutely quality player and wanted him at Newcastle for ages before he signed for Spurs. Lennon, though undoubtedly a canny player with potential, is definitely overrated. I'm surprise Malbranque didn't start this game.

Howay Sevilla, do a job on Tottenham. I'd love to see Kanoute score, he's having another great season there. Very effective player these days.