RhesusReus

Traore and RLC are our squad players. They are part of the team. They will be called up if we have injuries, which we will.

or we see the same team that struggled to get over the finishing line last season. We don't want to see that same thing happen of an entire season. We should have upgraded quiet a few spots if we wanted to be in contention with the elite. we haven't. it's going to like watching a trainwreck. it won't be the worst season ever, but maybe just as disappointing considering we could have really pushed on.

If Hazard gets injured, we are dead. It's pretty pathetic how a top team like ours relies so heavily on one player to create. Matic said it best: "If I don't know what to do, I just pass it to Hazard." That seems fair coming from our CDM, but it feels like our entire attacking band has adopted that philosophy. I shudder to think what happens if either Matic or Hazard gets injured. The drop-off from these two in enormous. We are going from the best LW and best DM in world football to a bunch of amateurs it seems. I don't think we retain the title. I think teams have figured us out. Block out Hazard form the game, it's a dead donkey your beating on.

you must be joking! did you completely forget how inept we become in keeping possession if Oscar is not on the pitch? I suggest you watch the PSG home leg to see the stark difference in this department once Oscar is subbed early because of a yellow card. As for offence. Oscar provides plenty. He had 6 goals and 8 assists in the league last season. 8 assists in 2000 mins (the same number as Sanchez). Hazard had 9 assists in about 3500 mins. How is he not creative enough? And his decision making in critical moments is pretty great. That backheel to set up Hazard's goal vs United. That backheel behind the back flick to Costa for the goal against Newcastle. Fantastic.

just watch the Crystal Palace home and Leicester away games, and listen to Garry Neville explain it to you better than I can. Short and simple: Willian can't operate under pressure, needs room, and is best when he runs down the channels with the ball. But when he has to play with his back to the defenders, he's pretty useless. In the Leicester away game, Willian played centrally in the first half, and we were terrible. Leiscter ended up taking a 1-0 lead into half-time. Then, in the second half, Jose makes a change, moves Fabregas further up, Willian deeper, and we start to create. In the Crystal Palace game, Willian was barely visible. He made no impact at all centrally, none whatsoever. His best assest is and will always will be running for length with the ball. he can't do that as a #10.

Well, Kenedy is at Chobam training with the first team. Would Jose do that with a player he hadn't yet signed and didn't think was ready? I think Jose sees Kenedy as a player that is perfect for him, one he can mould from a young age to be a two-way winger, a bigger, stronger, and more offensively gifted Willian.

Willian is a terrible #10. Do people even watch Willian when he plays centrally? He offers nothing in the #10 role and only excels when he picks up the ball deep and has space to run into.

Ramos is far from the best defender in the world, not even top 5. But I agree with your sentiments.

I can't either. But you never know. Jose gets on the phone, and everything is possible. Verrati-Matic-Cesc/Oscar is one tasty midfield.

but none of them are Cesc replacements. we needed a player that could offer creativity similar to Fabregas (not as world class as Cesc of course, but good enough to allow Cesc a rest). I'm hoping Willian is used deeper when Cesc is dropped for rest. He isn't nearly as creative, but he offers more runs going forward than Ramires, and can actually string one or two passes together (maybe, since he does try some rather head shaking passes now and then, killing counters).

how is playing Traore another 45 mins going to help us? he's already played and we saw what he offers and Jose likes him enough to keep him. The same goes for Moses. He's played in every game and has looked like he can contribute. who else do you have in mind out wide that can help us this season? you have a very limited view. Traore himself got his go when he wasn't contracted with us in summer of 2013 (he officially signed in January 2014), and that performance was enough for Jose to include him in his future plans. Similar could happen to Kenedy. Seeing him play in the team, with nearly our strongest lineup, and him not looking out of place was great. he wasn't overwhelmed or nervous like RLC has been. He was hungry, aggressive, full of confidence. The most important traits to have in a youngster. he's going to a player.

but that doesn't take away from the fact that we got him for 7m. who says we won't be in a similar position again? why must we pursue a player with 4 years felt on his contract, meaning we have no leverage whatsoever in negotiation and can only sit on our hands as our bids are rejected. It's not like Sterling, where Liverpool had to sell as they were planning to invest heavily and Sterling had enough suitors that he could risk sitting out a year. Stones can't do jack. He can't risk his career by alienating Everton.

who knows which CB will make his name next year. CBs don't hit their potential until 25-28 anyways.

Cahill: 7m. We've won every single trophy possible with him. you don't need to pay over the odds. we will be wining trophies regardless of whether Stones is in the squad or not. he's not even a priority. we have no left-backs.

Moses is homegrown and looks to offer us something neither Willian nor Cuadrado can: a direct winger. I say we walk away from this. Zouma looks top class, and next season we can pair him with a 26 year old proven defender and be set for 6-8 years.

but that's exactly what we want. Mikel offers nothing going forward, even when paired with Matic. Paslic can offer offensive contribution, along with defensive stability.

Great performance today. Anyone else loving how deep Oscar is dropping this preseason? At times we are playing a 4-3-3, with a Fab-Matic-Oscar, which is great as we are better able to pass around. And then that one point where we had a diamond with Matic at the base, Hazard at #10 and Oscar and Fab on the wings. It was brilliant the passing. I just hope Jose doesn't mis-manage him. He has to understand that Oscar is a player that gets burned out, and he can't "Mourinho" him by pushing and pushing and expecting more. Rest him, rest him often, even if it looks like the team is firing on all cylinders. think long term. he's so bloody good.

Wow. Had an incredible debut. Pressing galore, tracking back, quick on the counter, and great interplay with the other attackers. Soooo impressed! I think he could be that elusive Right-winger we've been craving for, guys. I'm really excited. If this deal hasn't been finalized, I think we should bump his price from the reported 6m to 10m, and just get over the bloody work permit thing. He didn't look out of place at all.

He's better than RLC. He'll show it this season. Can see him in the squad in 16-17 as a Mikel replacement.

that's beside the point. to claim we can't play expansively because of Cahill is false. we play the way we do because of Terry. He is terribly exposed once the protection is gone. Jose understands this and as long as Terry is starting, we will be a compact team.

Yes. Let's just have it and get a team of 11 22 year olds out there. You realize that a defender isn't the same as a midfielder and a winger, as in there are only very few top class players out there, and they cost a fortune. Also, an attacker has a wide range of positions that he can be played at to get experience (ala Henry stating out as a winger then turned striker), while a center-back can only learn his position in one spot and that spot isn't easily won. so, why don't you rest your pretty head and let Jose worry about the defense. He's never, ever played two young CBs in his entire career, and for good reason. So any thoughts you have about seeings a Zouma-Stones or Zouma-Varane setup needs to end. Jose always prefers to have one extremely experienced center-back, one that he trusts completely. we are not penny pinching with John Stones, we are making a bid that far exceeds his value already with the new 26m bid (remember we paid only 12m for Zouma). You don't just go and thrown down ridiculous money. it sets a precedent. you make an offer, then you wait as the player starts to voice his disgruntlement over his desire to leave, and then you get leverage. We have no leverage. Everton don't have to sell. Stones has 4 years on his contract. Our only choice is to be scumbags and force the kid to be a dick and demand a move. we are going to do that soon enough. you are going to see the ugly side of Chelsea in the coming days. It makes me sick.

Yet we are ready to overlook the exact same weakness in Terry, who is even more a liability if we want to play expansively.

Great. Zouma is just as good, and far more aggressive, which we need to pair with Cahill or Terry. Jose will turn him into world class.

again, he's not. And I've watched just about every game Reus has played the past 4 years.

well, he's not.