El P.

Agree. Went to Chelsea - got team in peak power (Drogba, Lampard, Terry, Cole, Čech etc). Went to Real Madrid, got team in peak power (Galacticos v2.1 - Di Maria, Alonso and guys from today's Real). Went to PSG, got team in peak power (Ibra, Silva, Matuidi, Verratti,...) Went to Bayern, got team in almost peak power (Lewa, Alaba, Neuer, Hummels, Boateng, Alcantara, Mueller, Costa...). Can't remember about Milan only.

I'm more than happy now, with what I see from wing backs. From what we have, this is the best we can do, it's all good from that perspective.

I see it's working now, don't worry, I am really pleased with performances. But I noticed that great number of our fans are sure we will play 3-4-3 for good, which I don't think is a case. We will play whatever formation suits our players, which is great. But we will buy/develop good defender(s), I'm sure. And we will probably buy creative midfielders. And then - bye bye 3-4-3. Just saying - don't get your perception as we will build squad around 3-4-3/3-5-2 formation. People don't use that formations often for a reason.

It's all looking great now, but... I don't think Conte plays 3-4-3 with this squad because he wants to. He plays that because he has to. If we get right players in summer, no way we will stick to this formation. Some of fans are already imagining how would we buy some more players maybe for Willian replacement, or some new defenders, play Zouma/Christensen at back three, etc. But are you seriously telling me that you think we will play 3-4-3 for good? In translation... You really think we will play with Moses/Alonso as wing-backs and three central defenders (if we ever get two decent CBs), with no creativity from middle whatsoever? That we will play with Azpi (our by far the best defender) as a CB who is average height, or ditch him because he is no wing-back material (too defensive)? 3-4-3 is good for now, but I don't think we can reach top team level with it. And, in my opinion... That's why Mourinho never tried something like that - he wants all or nothing. Thing I really hate about him.

Difference between him and RLC is that this guy is SO CM. Pure CM - strong, durable, with great work rate and solid technique and speed. And then it's so easy to adjust him. He is way more experienced as well. With RLC, on the other side, God doesn't know which position he should play - loan him out so he can find himself and his role in team. I still think he is more naturally talented than Chalobah. Keep it up N8!

I don't agree, simply because in January we can't get proper replacement that easily.

Cash in in summer. Best for everyone, while we still can get some money for him.

They play that role not because they have good passes. Both Cazorla and (especially) Pirlo, they know how to keep ball under pressure and they won't lose it. Same as Verratti, sometimes Modrić etc. Cesc? Not so much. You can pass to him and pray to God he doesn't lose it, because Cahill and Luiz are just waiting to make another error. EDIT: BUT, it could work against smaller sides.

I was reading this and... Willian, yes yes, ok. Fabregas, yes yes, ok. Oscar... Jesus (Navas), Mohammed (Salah) and Moses (Victor). I WAS LIKE WTF DUDE And then comes Buddha, and then I realized...

Our squad on paper isn't that bad, at least in midfield and attack. But is something like an unsolvable puzzle. Willian - When you have player like Willian on wing, workhorse who can keep the ball but can't actually produce anything, you need to have one freakishly creative attacking midfielder (nope) and somewhat creative another winger (Hazard, ok) to compensate. Fabregas - Where to start? When you have Fabregas in midfield, you need to have at least good defense (nope) and two working horses around him (usually we have that), and one of those need to be at least somewhat creative and good on the ball to help him (usually we don't have that). Matić - With him, tall and slow-ish, you need to have two somewhat mobile midfielders around him. Certainly not Fabregas. And of course, midfielders around him should be creative, at least one of them. Kante - He is best bet. Is great working machine, good movement, mobile, not bad on the ball. Give him somewhat creative partners, maybe even put someone behind him (Xabi Alonso type of player) and you have hell of a midfield. Oscar - Can't even go in any combination. He is just not good enough for any top team. So, as I said, unsolvable puzzle. Fabregas/Matić must leave, preferably both of them. They may come good in some another system, but for sure not in this team.

Stop this comparing Fabregas with Cazorla nonsense. Yes, Fabregas has a better passes. but that's it. Cazorla has A LOT better close control/dribbling (actually can dribble past opponent), he is stronger on the ball (better body balance) and is somewhat more durable and faster. Also, he is good with both legs. And IS a very good passer. With the offensive qualities of Cazorla, you can focus on playing attacking football and put defensive in another plan. Like it or not, Cazorla is much closer of being a complete midfielder than Fabregas. We are acting as Fabregas is attacking machine, but the truth is: his only true quality is pass and good ball control (first touch). You can't oversee his defensive lapses, but not because of not protecting defense. It's because he doesn't offer enough in attack either!

Nope, fact that he is not 35 and is still in his best ages makes him an upgrade. EDIT: Man, I hated his guts when he scored against us. Never really liked him. But pragmatically looking... I don't want to be stuck with Terry and Cahill. Luiz is fan favorite, positive spirit, great on the ball. Could bring us some good things, ESPECIALLY now, when we have all cover in the world for defenders (Kante, Matić, Oscar) and no creativity from the back or middle.

Nope, we are "soft" because our CBs are 35-yo and Cahill.

Take good with the bad, guys. This is far from perfect, but may be the best we can get at the moment.

Also, why I think this is whole other story than with Baba Rahman... Alonso already played in EPL, and did ok. And he has 3 seasons playing at good level behind him.

I hope too. I'm all for this transfer, btw. For now, I would grade our summer transfer window with 5.5/10. With Alonso I would give it 7/10. (For 10/10 we need class CB, good LB, or good CB and class LB... and good Oscar replacement, I think.)

Yeah, that's the same. Club legend and authority versus Cesc Fabregas.

His agent said that situation will be resolved in 2-3 days. Lying bastard.

Summer 2015., failing with Pogba, failing with Stones. Without alternative signings planned. I'll just leave this here. But I agree. He could come and sign Koulibaly, but for 70 mils, overprice it, like United mostly do. ______________________________________________________________________ Our board is doing decent job this summer. We signed CONTE, best manager available, sometime in April already? Then Michy, good perspective young striker. And then Kante, best transfer since Diego Costa. And now we are in for very good center back too. And most important of all, we are looking for REALLY needed player types. (if we exclude Lukaku rumours as untrue) Back to ONTOPIC... Wait for that agent response and move the f*** on from this guy. We still have time.

We made a bid and half an hour later Gazzeta have news about Napoli rejecting it? Too early, isn't it?

This cannot be another fail. Getting new quality CB NOW could be decisive for future of this club. If this fails too, switch to another target, to another TWO targets. Splash 50 millions. Just get the job done.

Haven't we offer a 45 mil. euros already, in our previous bid? 40 < 45, right? Or I am missing something.

Werder Bremen highlights. I'm taking back that it wasn't good performance. 6.5-7.0 out of 10 I would say, good.

Kante was playing with Matić and Oscar, Matić playing more as his pivot partner than in front of him I think. They both weren't good. Don't know where was Willian...

Kante wasn't that good at all. Costa and Hazard were only ones really good, Oscar messed up big time with that 1 on 1 chance.