Shakez

Willian has been really bad...

Musonda might not be leaving after all “Charly is a good prospect," Conte said at a press conference at Cobham Training Centre. "Musonda has the quality to become a great player. And for this reason, I think can be a good opportunity for him, but also for me, for the club. "To work for five months with him. If he shows me this month he deserves to play, he'll go into the team. I see in this player good prospects. I want to work with this player. I see that this player is the present, but above all the future of this club.”

Apparently Roma wants an option to buy deal. I say give it to them (with a buyback clause). Else he'll probably just rot on their bench, because they have no real reason to play him.

AS Roma sporting director is in London it seems to negotiate the deal... http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/roma-london-trip-for-massara-musonda-and-deulofeu-the-targets-everton-after-manolas

Finally a game i can watch again, lets go!

Damn Alonso is quality

Musonda probably had his best game of the season against Granada (without a goal or assist though). At the moment all of his appearances has come of the bench, but he's most of the time the first player to be subbed in. Betis went down 0-2 early against Granada, and Poyet intervened with bringing in Musonda at around 35 minutes in. Things are looking good now for his future prospects, and i wouldn't be surprised if Poyet will give him increasing trust as a starter in the upcoming games. He still lacks end product imo, but against Granada he was unlucky to get a couple assists. In other news: It looks like Boga is going backwards and Andreas Pereira is taking his spot atm

Kante is perfect, shame we didn't get Radja to comlement him and Oscar

What a ball from Cesc

Very lucky there...

Never change Diego

I like this new style of play! Oscar is looking sublime in his new midfield role, just lacking that bit of creativity.

Yeah, like last season right...

Marcelo looks like fucking Cristiano Ronaldo against us!!!!!

Oh boy, getting flashbacks from last seasons preseason... got to be honest, im not a fan of 4-2-4. We don't have the players that fit a 2 man midfield...

Glad to see you're back . Like u, i also wasn't really active on here last season. I should be able to watch alot more games this season though, due to some changes in my work schedule. Im really excited about the new season, mainly because of the reasons u (and others) already mentioned about Conte's high demanding style. But at the moment im really scared about the effects it will have on Hazard. I think Conte's demands will prove too strict for him again (as with Mourinho last season). I think he flourishes more in a laid back environment, and non pressing style of play (Hiddink). But then again, i can't really see anyone in the current squad displacing him either unless they make some serious strides forward. My fear is that his lack of drive to be the absolute best will keep him from raising his (and our) game to another level. Either way, i sincerely hope he proves me wrong. Also, for some weird reason I have very high hopes for Oscar next season (never been a fan of him in the past). I can definitely see him flourish in a 2 man midfield partnership alongside Kante. He might not displace Fabregas as a starter throughout the season, but he will challenge him most definitely, certainly in big games! A battle for places is something we really lacked last season (in all positions).

Most clubs do double training sessions in pre-season to get fitness lvls up, it's nothing new...

Betis should be fun to watch next season too. I've watched some of their preseason games, and Poyet seems to favor young technical players (sold players like N'Diaye), and plays a possession based style (4-3-3). They're aiming big this year (european spots), and they brought in alot of new players (no big competition for Musonda though). Musonda will probably play as their main left-winger. Everything is stacked in his favour to develop next season, if he can add some more end-product to his game he should be ready to fight for a place in our squad next year!

Charly changed his number from nr. 9 to nr 7 at Real Betis, emulating his idol Cristiano Ronaldo Real Betis first match will also be against FC Barcelona!

4-4-2? Im excited

Both Charly and Jeremie in La Liga

Tbh, i wouldn't see him as a B2B signing. But a replacement for Mikel and Matic. He's positionally sound, much better technically than Matic, and his form above all is consistent. For 20 million he's the perfect DM and he would be an immediate upgrade for current Mikel and Matic. Remember, Wilmots prefers Witsel above Dembele and Naingollan if held at gunpoint. Sign him i would say, and get a proper B2B to play alongside him!

Hoping he ups his game to another level next year at Betis. The kid has an incredible work-ethic wich impresses me alot: It is off-season for him but he still reguraly posts stuff of him hitting the gym on snapchat and instagram. Pains me to see players like Willian, Hazard, and Costa turn up fat whenever they return from off-season. Btw, do you guy's think he will join the first-team in pre-season? Or will he go straight back too Betis?

Idd, KDB is a different breed of No.10 and hard to pinpoint. He doesn't have the pure technical skills as a David Silva or Özil, but he's more versatile. He's not a luxury player like Özil and Silva, pure N10's are a dying breed anyway. Look at Bayern, they don't play with a n10 (Müller behind the striker). Barca doesn't use one (Iniesta central, busquets defensive, and rakitic B2B). Real recently switched to a 4-3-3 with Casemiro replacing the traditional n10 players (Isco and James relegated to bench players). Against the best teams you simply can't get away anymore with a traditional n10. You only need them to break down defensive teams that just sit back and don't press. But even than id rather have creative central midfielders in the mold of Fabregas, Iniesta, Modric, and Kroos who can dictate play from deep. Pep will probably use KDB in the same role Müller had at Bayern.