quickpassnmove

So, it's clear that we will be looking for two new strikers this summer. I don't think anyone can argue otherwise. We better keep Hazard too.

Was nice to to see Dembele beat him yesterday.

I would take him at CFC. Yes. Go.

I would be a big downer to see him stay because that would mean one full season I'm likely to not watch much football at all and I'm not sure how long it will take to get back into it. Too many insufferable seasons watching Chelsea with inferior lineups to take on another one next season. Need Diego gone.

haha: Bambi on ice!

I fully sympathize with the need to be outdoors in sunshine and that N. European/U.K. and N. American upper latitude weather is absolute shite for those of us who like to be outdoors and enjoy the sun and people outdoors.

Beginning to smell a lot like Spurs' season. First match I've watched in almost a month and I'm thinking I should have just stopped watching for the season last month.

how much longer will this go on? Our side is creating chances or exploiting openings and we don't have a striker to put them away. great work by our side, but no one to put it away.

time to crumble, time for Diego to score, or time for a different lineup/striker?

pretty sure Batshuayi would be a more accurate shot and more active on-side player right now. WTF. GTFO, Diego.

The London French feeder club.

While the rest of the footballing world struggles to find new goalscorers who can also hold up the ball and make key passes, I think Chelsea taking Sanchez is a great idea. I think he'll be good for at least 4 more seasons. Not sure where this would leave Willian. Pedro can probably still play as a RWB even when he's not on the teamsheet as a forward.

I think the casualty is more likely Ake and we will see between Zouma and Christensen, I guess. I am in the the Christensen camp because I've seen his skill and poise. The only thing Zouma has on him is strength and jumping --which we can replace with vanDijk in the lineup (and adding more skill and poise along with it). I feel certain that Dave will not be a centre back unless required for backup, so we're left with Cahill, Luiz, Zouma (Ake gone, Terry done). vanDijk will replace one of Zouma/Cahill and it might not be Cahill, so... Still, I am suggesting that Ake leaves and we get a big CB like vanDijk and no one else moves. With Diego leaving, I imagine chelsea get more than 5 new players in the summer. So it's nice to see rumours of early business being done for a CM and maybe a defender or two. Probably be spilling the big cash later for the next forward while getting the strength and speed we need in the back and middle first; the RIGHT way to build a squad So happy to have Conte and I hope CFC support him fully.

2004-2005. Correct. I was sad we didn't see great replacements for Robben and Duff for years to play with Drogba. Drogba carried our attacking line much more than he should have been required after those two left the club (while Lampard scored way more than a CM should). The biggest difference at the present moment compared to years since Makelele left is that we now have Kante. Kante is the genuine top CM that we lacked with an inadequate Mikel while only briefly having a healthy Essien and one M. Ballack for a few seasons. Right now, we need more at WB, more scorers up top, and more in CM. Not the best team ever.

maybe an "agricultural" team would a fitting characterization.

Nah, Drogba was irreplaceable. Costa is NOT that special.

I can barely watch the remainder of this season because of Diego and even though I feel like we can win the title, there's been no doubt in my mind since the match against Tottenham last fall (when the pundits on TV were calling Diego the better striker compared to Harry), one particular striker has shown why he's the best striker in the league and the other has fallen into old patterns and scored much less (putting December aside in Diego's case). Tottenham have the better scorers in Kane and Alli, so we know there's a possibility that this title challenge could fall apart for us down the stretch. However, I think Diego would change his behavior for a few matches if the gap between 1st and 2nd narrows. I can -almost- trust Diego for that.

New striker target: Patrik Schik.

Sanchez might still have something to offer at his age because of his goalscoring, but I wouldn't give him a contract for more than a couple years. I'm surprised no one mentioned that Alexis was probably having a laugh at something Arturo Vidal was doing after he scored. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a player who can do just about anything you ask of him --and do it well for 90 minutes. Would be disappointing seeing him go to ManUtd.

Harry Maguire.

Crap in the air, rolling around for 30 seconds, whinging over referees/defenders, subsequently offside, crap outside the box with back to defenders, can't dribble for shit/PL defenders have him figured out while he's on the ball --and in reality, Diego's not all that strong. This player looks at best a future super-sub and I'm not about to call Diego a fox in the box. He's reached his ceiling and we can say that he's been a good goalscorer in 2014 and in 2016, but our club need more in the CF position as we go into the next couple years with Conte. The first half of this season, I could easily overlook all of Diego's shortcomings; he was superb for us and he finally began to earn my respect and admiration. Now, I don't feel he's the player for us going into the future, when every single year he can do this shit (total crap except for a few goals scored, in 2017). Apparently it's not easy to find the striker with skill, fire, physical strength and speed all in one package, but I think we can find one who becomes better than Diego within a few seasons. We need to find the next one.

11 matches remain the PL season and it's really down to our 10 points and our defending versus Harry Kane-Alli and -MAYBE- Pep's ManCity. I'm going with us, but this Costa character is not promising. Maybe the gap needs to be narrowed to motivate him(?).

We would have much more to offer going forward with better CF and better LWB right now. There are other concerns, but those are two of the biggest ATM.

because of the damn close-up shots on our coverage of the game (really annoying), I couldn't see how that ball was played back to Fabregas and picked off by Carroll. Anyone have a good replay that shows the full footage of what happened?

Costa, you are still the moaning bitch you were two years ago and now just breaking down our build-up play consistently. If Conte can't make this player consistently better, Diego might as well just fuck right off for money elsewhere. Looks like we'll definitely be defending our way to that PL title this season; not esp. good on build-up play or transition with this guy as CF unless Fab or someone else gifts him a ball to strike.