OhForAGreavsie

Do you mean in the sense that you believe Gomes will prove to be a great signing despite the fact that many people here have said they didn't want him, just as many had said they didn't want Douglas Costa?

Life is easier when you you have both the money and the status to be able to buy whoever you want. The only players who turn Barca down are those who have a committment to Madrid and those who think they have no chance to play. Everybody else just says give me a minute to pack.

It has been reported, reliably I think, that there was such a clause in the contract when KDB was sold, and that there is one still in force regarding Romelu. We are reported to have been paid by City when they signed Kevin.

As @Special Juan said, we were privalaged to have all three of them at once. Great days.

It's definitely a debate I agree. One stat in favour of Gallas/JT over Carvalho/JT was that amazing season when we conceded just 1 league goal with WG/JT at centre back. One goal all season!!! OK, it was 'only' 18 matches and there are other factors, not to mention other players contributing, to clean sheets but come on that is an amazing run. I think the fact that we conceded more goals when Riccy was selected instead was a major contributor to Billy's falling out with Jose.

Thank you for this information.

Almost as good as JT & Billy Gallas.

We are reported to have inserted a buyback clause into the contract of sale when Jeffery Bruma moved to PSV. It is also reported that, as a result of this, we were paid €5m when Bruma joined Wolsburg this season. We will be awarded a fee following John Swift's move to Reading. My guess is that this fee, which is to be set by tribunal, will be £2m although it could,and in my opnion should, be more.

€30m would mean that the outgoing moves completed so far this season will have more than covered the cost of Michy Batshuayi and other departures which might follow could be expected to cover N'Golo Kante's transfer fee. Puts us in a nice position to continue upgranding our squad this window.

Yep, good on him. A bit of straightforwardness is very welcome. It may seem that, in making clear that he wants to leave, Juan is reducing CFC's bargaining power but in reality Juve will already know Juan wants to join them so this is only really news to people like us, not to any of the parties involved.

Firstly, we don't know if any of the things you say about The players being targeted, or the fees being offered, are actually true. Secondly, we do know that Michael Emenalo is not responsible for negotiating transfers. We know too that he is not responsible for setting transfer budgets and that,while he does play a part in selecting targets, he is not the final decision maker. Blaming Michael for the things which people believe are going wrong is convenient, but it can't be justified.

Thanks BCS. I think you may be right. If you are, and Juan is here on 1st September, then let's hope he is still here on 1st February because that would mean it had prooved a good decision.

I really hope no one at Stamford Bridge is considering spending money on Lukaku.If, later in the window, Real find they need to relax the price for Morata then that's a deal I'd like to see happen. If, on the other hand, Rom is good enough to earn a place in our side, it will only serve as evidence that we are not as good as we would like to be.

Lol! Logged in now. Just in time to see Costa having a go at Traore.

Getting even more wound up now since I can't access the game.

Anybody else having trouble logging in to Chelsea TV online? Been trying since ten to seven.

Doing cricket = beer guzzler and I can prove it. Now I've got to find that raft because no sod's gonna be covering me.

We need to get the season started for you mate. All this cricket & tennis & golf is messing with your sense of reality. Now, where did I leave my life raft?

Clearly I don't or else I would not have commented as I did would I? I do now know how you see it however.

Agreed though I wouldn't mind seeing Kennedy at left back.

Kennedy is a great example. After watching him on youtube, I commented that his touch was too loose and that this would mean he was not the quality Chelsea required. Many people disagreed with that at the time and plenty still do but I continue to believe it is the reason he has been unable to hold down a place in the side. What could not be seen on youtube however, or at any rate what I could not see, is the lad's trememdous attitude and willingness to try. It is this which gives him his best chance at the club, the chance to make himself a wingback. As an attacking player Kennedy hasn't got what it takes and won't make it but as a wing-back there is at least a hope. A small one, but hope all the same. Does all of this mean it was worth taking the gamble? I'd say maybe so if the club knew about Kennedy's attitude, as they certainly should have done.. Despite the fact that we might sell the player at a profit, meaning the gamble would not have cost us much, if anything, financially, it still costs us the opportunity to 'gamble' with a different player. I think we must start by honestly being able to say to ourselves that the player in question has a chance. If we don't really think so, then gamble on someone who might.

Thank you for pointing out that my earlier post was patronising. It was not the intent and I have appologised to @Chelsea4. My contention is that it is not possible to divine the inferred criticism form the quote and I maintain that it is not. We know that there has been overt criticism of Jose's attitude toward young players in training. You will know which player it was that made the comments about being made to feel that the kids were there only to make up the numbers. I have forggoten who it was, if I ever knew. It is perfectly ligitimate of course for members of the development squad to be drafted in to make up the numbers but they should be made to feel good about that experience and that must start with managing their expectations. It seems clear that Jose failed in that. None of this is conatained in what ola had to say however. He was asked about Antonio's in-game aproach and spoke about that.

First of all, I have been told by another member that a response I made to an earlier post of yours was patronising. I appologise for that. Tthe most we can say for Antonio is that he thinks he knows how to get the best out of Cuadrado. A question to you, or anyone else who may know the answer, did Juan make himself Juve's first choice right wing-back or did he mainly play there when others were unavailable or rested?

From, "I heard him a lot! It was really good. I would much rather have a manager telling me ‘Ola here, Ola there', than not hearing anything at all and being left in the dark"? I don't see how. To start with Ola is clearly talking about in game and, if one were to conclude a comparison, how can one divine, from the quote, that the comparison is with Jose? It was an empty comparison, not a direct one. Ola was asked to comment on the fact that the head coach of his club shouts a lot from the touchline.. He said he liked it. What else is he going to say in that situation?

An opinion which is widely held and which is entirely valid in respect of those things which footballers can learn. Where the problem is a shortage of talent however no amount of time will cure it. I say again, I will be shocked if any leading club wants Barbosa.