BloodIsBlue

If they played together in the formation (wherever they connected) it would be called the black hole, opponents try to come in but they don't come out (if they do they come out really dizzy at least). We'll have to be very convincing to steal this kid away. Figo has called him an 'Investimento importante' and praised him so that won't help our cause. His contract runs until 2017 too... If we win a trophy (or trophies fingers crossed) I think we could have a lot of pull with these wonderkids let it be Kovacic or anybody else. If we could convince them of a future here most clubs would have to sell. Nobody likes a disgruntled player especially a 19 year old that feels the club is standing in his way of an opportunity, Champions league football has a lot of pull when your team is only in domestic leagues.

Maybe not a total loss... He'll play out wide and Azpi will have his ass glued in both games is that is the case, but yeah Cavani should have been ours big big big loss for us.

If he does poorly we'll be on the fence about this and surely we have to be more protective of 30m in funds, if he does well and outs Barca we'll be needing more than 30m.

I wouldn't mention these guys if I didn't think they were exceptional quality and at the same time equally exceptional value.

Van Ginkel, Rabiot and Kovacic have played in different position throughout their development, that's usually because it's easier to do that with young players especially when they are good at different tasks. Van Ginkel only has a few real advantages over the other two IMO which would be his physicality, aerial ability and stamina and this could just be because he is a bit older. Those advantages Van Ginkel have do make him seem more suited to the league but Ramires is a great example at why you shouldn't neglect technical skill in a Box-To-Box, they don't just have to get there quick and play the position they should also play it really well. Kovacic and Rabiot are already more mature at dribbling, long passing, position after passing, knowing when not to over commit to tackles, playing on the left wing, playing on the right wing and also their movement in the final third compared to Van Ginkel. They're all at least pretty decent at multiple positions and have played them,even Kovacic who one would suspect needs more defensive support than the other two was a hero for his country Croatia in a WC qualifier against Sebia playing as the holding mid. Marco could play with the under-21's on Friday so we'll get a glimpse of how he's doing.

To be fair to AVB, they only really face planted in the big games and that is going to continue to happen with or without him. It doesn't matter who you are if your chairman sells Modric than Bale on you and than uses the money to buy a whole bunch of players you don't want, or that won't really do anything, you're team will regress. They didn't manage the funds from those players well and that's the real problem with the spurs. Levy should be put on the guillotine, better for us though.

They do have a system of putting strikers on a pedestal, they place supporting and supplying their No. 9 highly within their tactics. They're model consists of making profits of pumping out strikers, for a team that will not play a No. 9 like that I am weary of bringing in Atletico strikers (let Torres be exhibit A).

We definitely need to see more from MVG he's got potential however Rabiot/Kovacic are far a head of him at 18/19 years old. Kovacic is a lot better technically on the ball and this team benefits a lot from winning dribbles, Kovacic makes an incredible amount of touches when he plays for the time of shifts he puts him. I've seen Rabiot pick out some brilliant passes that are unbelievable for an 18 year old and he may look scrawny but its deceiving he's got strength and will become a tank. Kovacic particularly impresses me with how much the team around him trusts him and is willing to give him time on the ball.

The wages will end up spooking Inter and Atletico away. 'You catch more flies with honey than vinegar', so I think we need to sweeten any deal involving Fernando if need be.

I like Kovacic a lot more tenacity than Rabiot. We were linked pretty heavily with Rabiot before the Jan transfer window, he had an injury during the window. They're both really creative youngsters it would be a tough choice.

LB - Luke Shaw (I don't see a plan B here at all, sign him at all costs, if you have any doubts just remember he's 18. Maybe Ricardo Rodriguez but I don't see any reason why we'd lose out on Shaw.) CM - Adrien Rabiot/Mateo Kovacic/Toni Kroos (Rabiot is making this easy for us. He may not be as developed as Kroos but he'd probably be singable for under 10m compared to 35m-40m for Kroos. But I really feel Bayern will give Kroos a new contract, why the hell wouldn't they?) ST - Costa/ Balotelli (Honestly I'd be happy with either one of these two paired up with Lukaku. If we sell Lukaku I might rampage) *BONUS SIGNINGS - If we still have it in our checkbooks at the end of the window, which would require selling off young talents we know will never break into the squad, I think Rafael Varane could be worth it. To play for Real Madrid against Barcelona at such a young age as a defender no less is amazing. 2014-2015 Cech Blackman Courtois Matej Delac Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpilicueta N. Ake Zouma Van Aanholt Shaw *Varane Ramires Schurrle Oscar Van Ginkel Willian Kovacic/Rabiot Hazard Salah Matic Balo/Costa Lukaku Eto'o Bramford ( If Derby get promoted he should stay on loan for another season)

When Hazard-Oscar-Willian works, it works.

While we're on the subject of stinky fingers...

Though he can still create from his possession I have no doubts he's been slow and dull lately. Hazard is not this athletic specimen, he's not built that way. I think we can learn from the slips of Messi that you have to take good care of these talent players. Playing every game is great for his confidence but there comes a point where you have to realize he is not a Ronaldo or a Lebron James (I know its basketball but there is a point to be had). His body isn't really extraordinary by any standard, the edge he gains in his game comes from his mind. This type of player needs to betaken care of and watched. When there are signs of fatigue ignoring them could lead to a catastrophe. You don't need the sports gene to become a world class footballer and that's cool but if you don't have the sports gene you need to accept your limitations.

If a lot of people had their way we would have a completely different team every season, consisting of the most expensive and popular players, and we would never come close to winning anything. It's a good thing the words typed here will never influence the club.

Ya'll are forgetting some of that spending was done to make profits to offset FFP later down the line when possible punishments may be handed out. Someone of those singing were made because they showed a lot of financial potential and consideration into first team integration may not have been a concern. It's not that bad at all, time will expose the spending as being more intelligent that some of you suspect. Cahill and Azpi were absolute bargains for one. All the signing around the 10m mark and below are very low risk and the team's investment should be easily recoverable. If we can make something of our long list of loaned out young players that will be a small victory, if they develop into players worthy of the first team that would be a massive win. A lot of that money was spent into youth and I can't really see that blowing up in our face. I'd from the spending in those three years about 100m will make it back into our check books and possibly a few first team players who we would have paid a beans for.

At first I thought the lion was a Chelsea fan receiving a present. Upon further investigation Gala thinks they're lions too... I'm just going to pretend the lion is a Chelsea fan.

After much review of the incedent I have concluded that its very easy for all the fans in the BPL to talk when watching the replay of the tackle in SLOW MOTION. Most likely these are all fat cunts that 1. Can't run and 2. would break their hip going for a sliding challenge. Also I think this shows that Chelsea still is the hated team in football and whenever we get close to a title the hate gets furious. I have never in my life seen the sliding challenger be so protected by people, everyone seems to forget that it was Karim who went in for a sliding challenge putting his legs where Ramires was running. The sliding challenger has to expect some contact, imho if I go sliding for a tackle and I get kicked in the face or stepped on, I was expecting it. As someone who likes to attempt sliding tackles I know exactly what I'm risking diving into running legs. With that being said how many of these fat fucks calling Ramires 'disgusting' even have the neurons left in the pitiful brains to react fast enough to that tackle. Ramires' leg is in the air and moving towards the ball before Karim even enter the picture. In conclusion the people overreacting to this tackle are slow in the head and hate our team with a passion, they have no idea how the human body even works, acting like they could dodge a sliding tackle themselves LOL.

Not as bad as that time Terry missed a penalty shot that for sure.

Chris Foy again shows he is the worst ref for is ability to ruin matches, he's just borderline good enough for the league to even consider him anyways. I'm honestly starting to believe he does this bullshit to get back at all the hate he has received over the last few years. He has no idea what a tackle is supposed to be.

UGGHHH! Fuck the 1st and 4th official, first off, those cunts couldn't make up their minds. In the end Mourinho's worst match ever! Those substitutions cost us the match. Why did he leave Willian on? That substitution should have been Willian for Ba. Schurrle should have came later when for Hazard, after 60 minutes Hazard just couldn't run. Willian's foul was NEVER supposed to be worth a Yellow card either but I think he should have been the one to be taken off. Torres is the worst, he's worthless, but Ba did nothing coming on. Schurrle was also no where near being a super sub. Ramires should have just drawn the foul there no need to get angry, but that's a call the ref has no place to be making. At that speed who is the ref to say whether that was an accident or deliberate? He's left us in a pickle for next week with that slip of maturity... The refs were out to get us. I gotta say though, their first sub Albrighton played his ass off, did a great job.

Can't argue with much. I'd take Costa, pretty much anyone at this point, but I would prefer someone with more decisive dribbling. This is probably the reason many place Suarez, Aguero and Cavani higher up in their wishlists than Costa. Someone who can handle themselves well when the space is disappearing around them. When players don't pull it off it can look a bit selfish but if it takes a defender out of the game that's when things can happen. You mix a striker with some class dribbles into the same team as Hazard and we'll run the league dizzy.

Winning, hopefully.

That's George Stroumboulopoulos, met him once, he's not gay.