Segun Oluwaniyi

Both of them have rarely ever been in London. De Bruyne signed in Jan. 2012 and has spent the entirety of that time with Genk or Bremen. They will loan the guy out elsewhere and only bring him to Chelsea if he is developed into a good player by the other club. It's become the "Chelsea way".

Watford playing like a team of players with no connection to the team who get to catch a flight home tomorrow.

Why do players make that challenge?! He's running towards the touchline, just stay in front of him like anyone with common sense would do.

Scoring late equalizers vs us. Equalisers Very optimistic. Zaha is 20, still developing, and playing in the biggest match of his life. You should stop being so final in your judgment of him. He's not of a quality necessary for Manchester United currently, but has plenty of time and natural ability to improve. Agreed. I wasn't convinced on Moses but he's rounded into a good player, and I think Zaha is better than Moses was. Definitely. Victor is who I was thinking of when I said that. I like his game quite a bit. Moses received a very good secondary football education at Wigan, though. You wonder what happens to Zaha sitting on the bench at Man U. I think he's good, but Djemba Djemba possibilities exist here.

Zaha is 20, still developing, and playing in the biggest match of his life. You should stop being so final in your judgment of him. He's not of a quality necessary for Manchester United currently, but has plenty of time and natural ability to improve.

No, but they would still be in the Spanish Segunda B without Udinese's players. And of course their fans are over the moon about it, but it's cheating against other modest clubs that don't spend and don't have half their squad given for free from Italy. I'm usually quite Laissez-faire in regards to the way clubs spend their money and the movement of footballers, but there is something that seems genuinely unsavoury about the sort of actions Pozzo is taking. Just in general, player movement between two clubs owned by the same person or group just seems as though it shouldn't be allowed. In theory, shouldn't all of these clubs be separate entities that are in competition with one another? Using Granada and Watford as a way to funnel resources towards the mothership is highly alarming behaviour. To be fair, the arrangement has been beneficial for all three parties at this point, but still it leaves me uneasy. Anyway, I hope Crystal Palace go up. I went to two of their matches in 2011 and Selhurst is a nice ground with an enjoyable atmosphere. They also brought Moses to us, so I thank them for that as well.

Ben Arfa isn't worth 20 million, maybe not even 10. He's had maybe half of a good season since the 2010 World Cup. This isn't any fault of his own, but it is the truth. Even before this, his 2010 Ligue 1 winning campaign with OM was fractured and featured many of the things that typified his time in France: Moments of brilliance, moments of childish nonsense, match-winning/saving performances, clashes with coaches and just people in general, managers unwilling to make him a first XI player. The next year was wasted by De Jong. He was brilliant from December on last season, but once again missed more matches than he played in 2013. We watch every match so we know the boy is special, but who else is paying for this? The only way he leaves this summer is if someone turns his head and the guy forces it through, like he has done at his first two clubs.

Good defensive or holding midfielders are generally supposed to be players you don't notice much. They cut off the angles, win the ball back, play simple balls unless there is an obvious attacking option, and go about their jobs without much fuss. I notice Tiote far too much. He carries the ball far too much for us and holds it far too long. That was always the case, but it's gotten worse as his form has deteriorated over the past 12-18 months. I notice the guy losing the ball for us in dangerous areas an alarming amount. I notice him flying into stupid challenges or trying to take back unwinnable ball 4-5 times a match. His whole "hard man" image is part of that too. We have this petulant guy who has proven to be a bit of loose cannon when what we need there is someone who calms every one down and allows the team to build. To be honest, I've never loved the guy, but when things are going well he's an entertaining character, and he provides real physicality in midfield, which none of the other midgets were doing until Mou arrived on Tyneside. If he does go, I'd like a direct, albeit improved and more consistent replacement. People talk about having three lightweight passers in midfield and playing more fluid football, and this is a possibility, but I'd much prefer a talented, physical ball winner that isn't Vurnon Anita.

How many consecutive chances has Robben missed between the 2010 WC Final and his last three CL finals? It has to fifteen to twenty.

Pardew talks entirely too much.

That is an absolute load of tosh. I was about to post the same. I'm not trying to make it an indictment of Hughton, brother. I think he's a thoroughly average and acceptable manager that presents the club well in the media, and I am very pleased we gave him a chance to show his talents. It probably wasn't coming otherwise. If you think I'm referencing the football he played in the Championship and his half season in the Premiership, that's not what I meant. It was a reference to this season. I think they've been one of the worst sides in the entire league since December. They were in free fall even more than we were, imo. Their season ended like ours in that they only stayed up because of some late wins against sides who were already relegated or on holiday. They also play horrible, blunt football, with absolutely no ambition. They have a lower standard of player, but that doesn't excuse how poor it's been. It looks like they'll have some better players and therefore higher expectations next season. If it doesn't improve, he'll be unemployed, like Mr. Pardew.

I'm willing to give Pardew another chance. I don't think it is a fair conclusion to say that last season's success was somehow lucky or the result of sheer talent and the vestiges of Hughton's (whose football was somehow worse than what we produced this year) team spirit, while this season's failure lies at the feet of Pardew. The two years are really mirror images of one another. Last season everything went better than you could really have hoped for. Cabaye, Ba, Cisse, and Ben Arfa just took to the team incredibly well and became leaders of the side, despite having half a year's experience in England between them. Young players like Krul and Santon blended in seamlessly. Rubbish reserves like Ryan Taylor, Williamson, and Guthrie, and Ameobi were able to hold things steady when we were inevitably struck by injuries and suspensions. We did play quite conservatively, but it worked because we were reasonably stout defensively, excluding Spurs, Norwich, and Fulham where it fell apart. We were also a consistent attacking threat through direct play towards Ba and the counter-attacking, quick strike ability of Ben Arfa and Cisse in the new year. It was opposite this season. Anita and the new boys in January have helped keep us up, but none of them have really solidified themselves in the team. The younger players, excluding Bigirigmana, and unfortunately including Davide, have failed or regressed. The reserves have generally failed. Our style of play hasn't changed dramatically, imo, but we've somehow lost all cohesion going forward (making for boring, ineffective football) and all confidence at the back. I think Pardew has suffered a crisis of confidence. He's looked beaten down in his interviews and scared when things go wrong on the pitch. It's the same expression Cabaye was sporting the final third of the season. Look, I'm like most supporters on here. My patience ran out after the 3-0 defeat at Sunderland. The meekness of our performance in that environment was beyond inexcusable. If he had gone, I certainly wouldn't have protested. If it wasn't for the capital that he created last season, I would have been enraged that he remained after that or Liverpool. However, last season sticks in my mind. The man, for all his faults led us to the highest points tally we've had since Sir Bobby, in what I consider to be a stronger version of the Premiership and with a playing squad I think is inferior to one we had available this season. If Ashley trusts him and will genuinely support him financially in the market, which he has done with the exception of this summer, I'm be satisfied to see how things progress for the last few months of 2013 with this squad (e together for a season. If he fails again, let him go, the leash should be short. If he recovers his managerial form I appreciate the stability.

Big moment for Varane.

Why would you import a Chevrolet?

I felt badly for Efe Ambrose last night. He has taken much of the blame for Celtic's collapse last night, but he had just finished a grueling continental competition in which he played all but one match (red card) at a different position than centreback, including the biggest game of his life two days prior. Who would think it wise to then throw him right into the middle of defense against the Italian Chmampions?

I wouldn't argue with much of that. I think the Premiership as a whole is better funded and and has better players compared with the 1990's and the early part of last decade.

I think we have the talent to be equivalent to be equivalent to Everton and Liverpool meaning that we should challenge for European qualification if the season progresses properly. The Manchesters and Chelsea are much better than us. The North Londoners are both more talented and deeper, imo. Below that, there are a group of about five clubs that are will occasionally be well-run enough or spend well enough to compete also, but will not be able to maintain this because they lack the funds or prestige. Our goal should be to further stratify the table. We need to be aiming for at least top-seven the next two seasons with what we have at our disposal. Assuming survival this season, if Pardew does not look capable of this by November, he should be sacked.

Mba and Oboabona might not go back home, man. They've been fantastic. The rest of them looked rubbish and/or didn't play so I doubt they will ever be heard from again.

He looks good these days. Rather he was playing for England than Downing. shame he is Nigerian then... That's the point I'm making. We let him slit through the net (played at every youth level for England) while other pointless players play for the national team. The guy openly said that he chose to play for us because the competition would have kept him out of the England squad. It's funny because I genuinely think he would be starting for you if he stayed. I agree like, I'm a bit bewildered by the ubiquitous Martinez love. Dont understand what he's done that Steve Bruce and others haven't. Surely Wigan have been up long enough that saving them in the final games shouldn't be considered an especially good achievement. Wigan's team is remarkably terrible. Martinez has done a great job of making them play good football, but I hope he does control player recruitment.

Shola should never have been invited in the first place. It is ridiculous that Pardew pulled the stunt of not letting him come, though. I'm not keen on him playing for my country, but it is harsh on him to miss out.

I'm so happy for this team. They deserve everything they have gotten. The party was brilliant and the players have done it through hard work not just skill. This is by no means a vintage SE or even the best of the last five years, but they have succeeded where so many others failed. Keshi is an African legend for bringing the trophy back to its rightful destination. The tournament overall was rather poor and the final was a bit of a nonevent, tbf. The Burkinabe were nervous and we should have led by more than 1 at half. I thought our midfield was in control throughout, but they did a good job of pressing Mikel Obi and Mba so the attacking play lacked fluency. It was more grit than anything else at the end. I like parts of our team and Oboabona, Omeruo, Ambrose, Obi, Onazi, Mba, Moses, and Emenike represent a backbone that can be built on for the next five years. This team should win more medals if we let it grow.

Loudest cheer of the first half was the sixteenth minute when they all got up and clapped for Di Matteo. I actually don't blame them, tbh. They've been terrible under the Spaniard.

Agreed. Embarrassing. Both are very good players. I think Cisse is slightly better, but they have very similar limitations.

Chelsea are such a soft team now with the players they have on the pitch. Mentally and physically they capitulate quite often.

This boy does get away with a lot of rough play. I guess that is the difference between looking like Cabaye and looking like Tiote.