19 Sep 2013 13:18:23
On a positive note, the youth team won comfortably against Basel. Maybe Jose should give a couple of them a try, because they're more likely to play as a unit and work hard.
Being realistic right now, I think Jose should bench Hazard against Fulham. He has not looked good these past 2 games. Always looking to dribble past 3 players (a long way out from goal as well), he has not been dangerous and influential enough. Perhaps he should be tried in the hole behind the striker once in a while. I'm sure he'd be instantly better than currently on the left cutting in.
So I'd let him rest against Fulham. He's played all of our games so far and it might do him some good (could be great as an impact sub). For Fulham, I'd go with KDB, Mata and Willian or Schurrle in the band of three. KDB could be massive as he's always looking to score or get an assist. Everything he does is in order to score a goal, he just doesn't want to simply pass it back, he wants to attack. His long range shooting and set pieces can come in handy as well. We need to use him more.

1.) 19 Sep 2013
Can't understand why anyone should expect our team to play like a finely tuned unit when the same lineup hasn't hit the field in back to back matches. When can this timing and cohesion be built? We don't have a starting 11 and word is that who looks good on the training pitch gets the nod but no word of if there is a set 11on the training pitch.

2.) 19 Sep 2013
We are a working progress. You can't expect a new manager, even Jose, to rock up and win every match 4-0. To be fair we could and should have been out of sight against Everton at the weekend. We still don't know our best team, willian looked good ande to showed touches however I would stick with Torres especially in Europe . Be patient guys and things will work.

3.) 19 Sep 2013
When JM first arrived at the club the team developed it's 'spine' as the media love to label it. Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba. Add to this the players around them that played nearly every game, Carvalho, Makelele, Gallas and Gudjohnsen. Settled defence, settled central midfield pair and a first class striker, playing together week in, week out. For this current team to move forward we need a solid base of players that will turn out each week and develop the required understanding of the system and each of other's game in this new system to become a top team. Last night it was akin to watching 11 guys play who had met each other only 2 hours before kick-off. For me personally, from what I have seen this season so far, I think Cech, Cahill, Terry, Brana, Rami, Mata (maybe not so much on this season, but more the fact he is the best player at the club) and Oscar need to be starting nearly every game, and certainly the big games. That's not to say I think everyone apart from that is poor (I would love to have seen Ceasar and KDB more this season). More the fact, these are the players that seemed to have at least a good understanding of each other and the system itself. The club will never settle into a solid rhythm while the team is being changed around so much.