johnnythefirst

Is Jose technically part of the squad? Because I bet he'll be the first to go if he keeps crapping out games like this. It's not even the results. it's just not entertaining at all. It's supposed to be fun watching a football match right? That's why people pay money for it? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ah, are you guys still calling the Bundesliga a Mickey Mouse league? You do realize England was the only one of the top 8 leagues that didn't have a team in any European Quarter finals last year right? Even Belgium had one, and we pay our players in peanuts. I said it before. Your league is overrated. You have the broadest base in world football, which is great, but you haven't had a world beater team for years. When has an English team won a CL final without being the underdog? I guess the last time was Man Utd in 99 because their wonder generation was at the top of their game at the time (sorry guys, but you kinda were underdogs in 2012). How many true world class players moved to an English team in the past four or so years? Hazard maybe, Aguero maybe. All of the other ones are players that Barca, Real or Bayern didn't want. Ronaldo moved away, Suarez moved away, Bale didn't go to a Premier League team, Neymar moved straight to Barca. Fabregas moved away when he was considered world class. Neither him nor Pedro would be anywhere near Chelsea if they managed to keep a starting spot at Barca. It's harsh but true. The Premier League has all the money in the world but none of the vision. I hope Kevin will not become a victim of that mentality.

I agree he shouldn't play on the wing unless absolutely necessary. For Belgium for example, I would always put him in the centre with Hazard and Januzaj as very offensive wingers.

I'm actually afraid of that transfer sum. He'll have to deliver immediately or they burn him at the stake...

Which top 6 PL side would be most suitable for him if he has a great season? Don't really know actually. Just saw his goals btw, first one wasn't easy...

Damned, I was wrong after all.

4 in 4. Let's see how long he can keep it up...

He could potentially break it if he keeps getting better and can keep playing until Drogba age. But for an explosive player like him, with speed and strength as his main assets, that's not very likely.

Seriously, that doesn't make it pointless at all. It just shows you how much of a beast Lukaku already was at 16. Balotelli might be a complete fool, but he took Italy to the EC finals only 3 years ago. Don't get me started on Rooney. He might not have been in top form for the last 2 seasons but he's been one of the top strikers in the PL for the last decade. He scored 170 premier league goals and counting.

He's limited, but not as limited as some pretend he is.

And still dangerous twice. How many opportunities did Costa get last week? ;-)

You're such a nice guy. ;-)

This would be an awesome transfer and exactly what Chelsea needs. This said, it's kind of telling that several PL top teams are fighting for a guy that doesn't have a starting spot at Barca... A huge quality injection needs to happen before any team other than Bayern can attack Real & Barca on a consistent basis. They each have at least 5 players that would be absolute stars in any other team.

Seriously, you're completely on the wrong track. It doesn't matter whether Mata or Gotze are defining at their current clubs. Fact of this whole discussion is that Gotze was sold because Dortmund could not offer him anything to counter his attraction to the money and fame of Bayern. Ergo: he was sold to a bigger club. Mata was sold because he didn't play under Mourinho and he was wasting his time on the bench. Man Utd were the only team in the world that wanted to pay a serious amount of money for him at that moment. What is there not to get? Come on man...

Hmm, didn't catch that transfer apparently.

This reply makes no sense whatsoever...Gotze WAS a defining player up until the moment he left, Mata was not being played at all and was losing his value...

Well, if he starts scoring goals again, he can be on the list.

This said: why are there so few top tier strikers playing in the premier league? Aguero might be the only one that could be considered one of the very best on a global level. Italy has Tevez, Higuain and now Bacca France has Zlatan, Cavani Germany has... Lewandowski I guess Spain has well, every one else actually. It's not even close. Actually, damn, there are not many world class strikers these days. Is it just me or were there much more at the end of the 90s early 2000s?: Ronaldo, Del Piero, Batistuta, Inzaghi, Henry, Trezeguet, Anelka, Bergkamp, Kluivert, Makaay, Hasselbaink, Zola, Van Nistelrooy, Owen, Yorke, Shevchenko, Suker, Bierhoff, Klose, Totti, Raul, Shearer, Crespo, Jardel, Rivaldo,... There's many more... All these guys played in approximately the same period. Makes this generation (let's forget about Messi and Ronaldo for a while) look like bums in comparison. Even a guy like Solskjaer - who was never much more than a super sub for Utd, would probably walk into any premier league team except for City this season.

The discussion was not about whether or not Lukaku is going to eventually succeed playing for a top club, it was about whether leaving Chelsea was a smart decision or showing a lack of ambition. I gave Rémy as an example of someone who decided to stay but is never going to get a decent role in the squad. Lukaku was in the same boat.

His manager is smelling the dough. He'll get a good percentage of it. If only they would act in the player's best interests.

Oh so because one guy failed to deliver somewhere in the past, this automatically means Lukaku will do so as well. Last year was arguably his worst since the one he wasted warming the Chelsea bench and he still scored 20 goals in all competitions and became the EL top scorer. What a loser. Give me 10 strikers playing in the premier league now that are consistently better. Aguero, Costa (although when was the last time he was actually good?), we'll see about Kane in the season to come, maybe Benteke (not consistently though). Rooney hasn't been a real striker in years... Who else? 5 more names. Go for it. ;-)

Dude, him not being a starter at bayern doesn't change the fact that he was one of the absolute stars at Dortmund... Please.

Called it two days ago didn't I?

Are you being difficult on purpose? Mata was sold because he was rotting away on the bench under Mourinho. He was not sold because of his outstanding performances. Luis was bought away for a ridiculous sum. he was often a liability that season and they practically carried him to France themselves. ;-)

Oh come on, everyone who thought Lukaku would have gotten a decent chance at Chelsea needs to take a look at Remy. That poor guy has never disappointed and now he's third in line after Falcao. The guy is a French international and he's wasting the best years of his career on the bench for a name that doesn't seem to deliver anymore (does it ring a bell?). Cheap strikers are doomed here. Remy is an idiot for staying actually. How is he bang average btw? He's 22 and he's one of the top ten strikers (top 5 in his best form) in the biggest league in the world. No one thought he'd be another Pele.