James

This amaze me. Always have to be picking at young players for anything. It´s not like the rest of them were flaw less. I was praising him!

Love his enthusiasm, the downside being though that he isn't always composed and makes some odd passes and decisions but that is something that can be sorted with coaching and experience.

Krul 7 Simpson 5 Taylor 6 Coloccini 6 Santon 6 Anita 7 Cabaye 3 Jonas 6 Ben Arfa 7 Cisse 4 Ba 4 Birgirama 7

Cabaye has misplaced 25% of passes and completed less passes than ireland.

Great gesture

That defence, if we cant find a way through that then there really is no hope The front six have found their way through most defences in the past year. If we don't find our way through today, no need to panic.

The 442 is a myth. We play 4 defenders, 2 central midfielders who remain disciplined while the remainder of the team switch between various roles over the course of the match.

He's going to be better than all of those in 5 years time in my opinion. 1. Casillas 2. Krul

6th

I am just glad the transfer window is over. Now we can move on with a squad that at first glance looks marginally better than it did this time last year. I've put the squad this year against the squad in September last year. Also I have put a + or - next to players this year who I expect to have better or worse performances than their performances for us last year, e.g. a better season for Cabaye as he has adapted to the PL. Krul Krul+ Second full season, going to keep improving Harper Harper- Deteriorating, yet has somehow overtaken Elliot as preferred second choice Elliot Elliot Simpson Simpson Santon Santon+ Building on last year's experience R. Taylor R. Taylor-- Out for season Tavernier Tavernier++ Ready to make the step up to a fringe player Ferguson Ferguson+ Expect to have more impact Perch Perch+ Looks like he can pick up where he left off and give us a full season Coloccini Coloccini S. Taylor S. Taylor+ Fit again Williamson Williamson Kadar Good Coaches seem optimistic that this is an upgrade. Cabaye Cabaye+ Can expect a better second season, if he sorts his fitness out. Tiote Tiote Gosling Gosling Abeid Abeid+ Someone who now has that little extra experience and could see more games. Guthrie Anita Different styles of player, but replaced a steady Englishman with a Dutch international. Smith Bigirimana Youth to replace player on the way down. Jonas Jonas+ Stating to show he can excel in other positions e.g. CM Marveaux Marveaux+ Fit again, hopefully Ben Arfa Ben Arfa+ A full season of a player that has finally got fit and fitted into the starting XI Obertan Obertan Not a completely lost cause as Atromitos showed Sa. Ameobi Sa. Ameobi++ Nearly fit again, last season will have really benefitted him. Amalfitano Ba Ba Ameobi Ameobi Best Cisse Huge improvement, and we get a whole season. Loven Campbell Might excite a few fans Vuckic Vuckic++ Stay fit, and he's going to shine this season in my opinion. So up front, we have actually strengthened. We can expect improvements from our wide attackers, which gives us the further option of utilising one of these in a more advanced strikers role. We have consolidated our central midfield, which can be more robust in the event of injuries. Centre back is about the same with improved yout cover. However there is also Perch who as our versatile defensive player is highly improved and can cover all defensive positions strongly. Full back has some good points and bad points compared to last season. Losing Taylor is a real blow and creates depth vulnerability. We could have done with another first team player but it wasn't to be. Tavenier, Ferguson and even Jonas at full back may be seen more often than people like. In goal I think we are most vulnerable if we were to lose Krul for a bit, but we just have to hope for Krul to stay fit.

We actually have tons of forwards if we count wide forwards and central attacking midfielders. We have improved our central midfield area and retained those wide midfielders who can also play up front, plus addditional youth cover. Defensively, we have extra utility cover albeit we have now lost Ryan Taylor. We have failed to get a right back to improve on our obvious weak link, but our weak link is not that bad making him actually hard to improve on. Good means we have a 5th choice defender Pardew can feel more confident in using. Other fringe players from our academies are getting more games this season and it is good to see them get a chance. So our weakest overall position is goal. Behind Krul, Elliott seems to have lost his place to Harper, and Harper looks slower and slower. So while it is good to improve the team further, I think we have improved the team in some areas and failed to do so in others but it is hard to find really good players willing to be backup, or excellent players to improve what we have. So all in all it is a decent but unspectacular transfer window, and we should expect to challenge Spurs and Liverpool and possibly Arsenal, finishing 4th-7th which would represent a successful first season back in Europe.

My only criticism, which is something that can be improved with experience is that he lacks composure on the ball so doesn't think through his passes. So a few instances he had time but mishit a pass or chose the wrong option. few passes to no one going out for throw ins too. But this is something that will improve. Otherwise I am impressed.

Also when talking about missing experienced heads in central midfield he really had to stop pause and pick his words carefully.

He was good at Everton but he lost something with his injury. Why Everton were dithering on a contract and we took a risk that didn't work out.

Obertan, Vuckic, Marveaux good. Bigirimana not quite ready. Gosling poor. Everyone else average.

Did Les just say Ryan Nelsen?

Looks a very bad injury. Knee probably. We need a new full back.

How old is he? Boss or Rhodes?

My boss just text me to say that Jordan Rhodes is negotiating terms. Says he knows the family.

Some TV broadcasts at Stamford Bridge being taken out by lightening. Any closer and the match may have to be abandoned

Playing now might go to our advantage, the Chelsea players haven't played together in these conditions before.

He was much better than this before his injury, it is looking like it has ended his top level career.

Telegraph saying that despite the applaudable apology it will have to be a minimum of 8 games. Hopefully their columnist is clueless.

We also need to consider and accept the state the transfer market is in this summer. It is not really moving at all. Clubs are focused on keeping their good players, clearing out the rubbish. The current state of the transfer market shows this, normally PL clubs will be signing players that I would be disappointed we don't go for, but as it stands there are only 6 players out there we could have afforded and are good enough who would have been content with the role in the team on offer. 3 central midfielders which instead we signed Anita, 2 unproven Championship players, and one forward carrying huge baggage. If a player doesn't leave their club it is hard to justify saying that we should be signing this this and this when their club hasnt been willing to let them go. And in the slow state of the transfer market you can see why because if a player leaves it is hard to sign a replacement which is just making the club worse. Therefore unless when the transfer window shuts it can be shown that we are missing out on loads of available players, the club are adopting the correct policy.