Parky

http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1623048724502&id=955e010a65102656557007d6942f77cd

The devils greatest trick was to make people believe he didn't exist.

Thought it was gonna be Suarez when I read the first line. Much worse.

What is the basis of your assumption? How many goals + assists + good chances created vs lost possession in dangerous areas + non tracking back would you put at for HBA? Hba has got the same amouont of assists as Guti and the later has played about 100 games.

Oberrunanywhere has mind melded Pards.

They had a similar ruling in the NFL, and honestly it has been a success in that league where the problem was even more glaring (given that Blacks made up the majority of the workforce). They've gone from having almost none to a fair amount. It is hard to say how prevalent racism is at board level, but the fact remains that there are not enough Blacks being represented at managerial level given their presence on the pitch and in other aspects. I don't which side is at fault, or how to address it really, but it is something you notice. Also, I think there is some bias about the "image" of a manager. Pardew looks like a manager. Maybe John Barnes and Paul Ince do not. A decade ago in the NFL it was ridiculous, they've come a long way.

These old white men in boardrooms won't be any different from those in business. Wether it's latent or subconscious there will be some psychological barriers there. In the scheme of things however I don't think it's a massive issue and the perceived racism (if it exists at all) won't be holding back gifted managers whatever their skin colour.

There's always room for improvement, even for Barcelona and the likes. There's no imbalance in our team, there is simply a strong spine with not so strong wings (based on ability), but we have the drive, determination and commitment as a whole which has taken us to where we are. I bet (and this isn't personal) that 9/10 people on here will have said that they'd rather see a committed, less able team, than an able, uncommitted team and out of those 9, 4/5 of them would all say the total opposite now. People need to make their minds up. To me Ben Arfa has looked both committed and able when he has played. I would be a proponent of the committed and able team. Ben Afra (committed, able)> Raylor(committed, unable) > Obertan (uncommitted, unable) I like the way you've put that.

True.

We can sense it our Hatem Ben Antenna are twitching.

He's the safest option for the back four to give the ball to more often than not.

Ah, i see what you did there. I do like him but I have no reasonable way of separating the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the stories of why he's not getting picked. It's either assume he's doing everything in his power to be selected and Pardew's ignoring him or HBA is voluntarily not holding up his end on something and gets dropped. or it might just be that HBA doesn't fit very well into Pardew's game style? For the majority of the games we've played we've generally played fast, pressing football with the ball going long from the back. You can understand why Ryan Taylor might be more suited to it than Ben Arfa in that sense. Beat me to it.

With Cabaye and Tiote back to mop up, there is no reason in the world that HBA shouldn't start. It's not even a discussion ffs!

Lentini?

Oldest ever in the Champions League. Average age is close to 32. They're going all Milan in their team building. Fitness science these days means if players are careful most can play till 35 in most positions.

"Oh come on - if you really think player power isn't way OTT at Chelsea then you're very niave. JT has even been quoted in the past on how he and other senior players have been consulted on decisions concerning managers. How many managerial departures in recent years have had something to do with players - Grant, Scolari and even Jose (he fell out with JT the day before, funnily enough) all left because the players didn't want them. There are some huge egos there who think they know more about football than a manager who won four trophies last year and think they have the right to run the club - someone is going to have to take a stand against them. Usually players have to prove themselves to new managers - at our club it's the complete opposite, and that is simply out of order." from the Chesea forum

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1624588551452&id=d4593ebc4ebd2b34ea1f46c59eddd09c

Hi I'm Frank Lampard! http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1622291983393&id=1d7636e3af0d9e28f90da43efd77a9f1

The AVB effect: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01290/john-terry-transex_1290324c.jpg

Mourinho: Don't wear that tight coat, makes you look effeminate and mixedgay rapist. http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=1619101160056&id=29e878c8b95af80b3331fe7ca3ee8475

http://totalfootballmadness.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Chris-Hughton.jpg Style and grace. Fat tie check Big fuck off collars check Cuddly jumper check

Nice punchline. It's all true as well and everyone could see it happening. People have been saying Chelsea have had an old squad for the past three years. Everyone has seen and can see how Liverpool's squad is the worst in over twenty years. Man U have begun the process but they need a creative midfielder more than anything else, Arsenal.... I don't even know what's going on there, they have so many players who just don't impact on games. Only four years ago, they were still capable of rinsing teams regularly, nowadays I have little confidence that they'll even dominate the game never mind put three or four away Even Torres said it.

It's quite an effeminate little number he has. No wonder the team is getting mixed signals: AVB the effeminate rapist.

That coat makes him look like a rapist. Football managers need fat ties not thine ones. Needs a makeover. Wenger's sleeping bag isn't helping him either. Both need touchline reboots.

This is the problem (if there is such a thing) of having an owner who's worth 12billion $. I have the feeling he meddles too much in the makeup of the side (remember Scvenchenko). They need to take onboard a little bit of the Arsenal model and accept the rebuilding will take 2/3 seasons. Infact with FFP an their 749m debt I don't see any alternatives than slower transition using youth. There was a time they would just steal the good young players from West Ham and Fulham and so on, before Roman arrived. Anyway the semi-crisis at Arsenal and Chelsea is good for us. I also think that Roman (who's main residence is in the South of France - and his yachts) might give up on English football and buy a French side. There is no easy fix this time.