Vesper

It's almost a tossup between Bailey and him who I would take as our new RW. Although, just like Bailey, his favourite position is an an inverted winger, in this case a LW (he is right-footed, but decent with his left as well), the opposite of Bailey, a left-footer who prefers RW, so I still would go with Bailey for our RW. I don't think we could go wrong either way, as they are 21 (Bailey turned in August) and 20 (Chiesa turns 21 in October.) so years of peak time ahead. Dembele as well, but he is too expensive and like I have said in the past, I do not think Barca will sell him now, as he looks to have finally adapted. If we lose Hazard I would love to get both Bailey and Chiesa (they are both so versatile as well). Add in CHO and we have 3 massive wingers for years to come (provided CHO renews). They will be insanely expensive and hard to buy(especially as Chiesa is on fucked up Fiorentina, and Bailey just renewed for 5 years). Here is Bailey's first Bundesliga goal of the year, playing as a RW. So far beyond what Pedro and Willian can do now, look at his pace!

Oh,absolutely NOT suggesting we toss out that squad, that would be crazy. I was just trying to prove a point how bad I think Cardiff are, That's the weakest possible squad we could have atm, IMHO, minus swapping Green for Caballero (some might argue for Morata in for Giroud). Even that squad, save for Cahill (and he still could, could have a big game) and Piazon, is still brimming with talent far above anything Cardiff have. Their 2 best players are arguably Bobby Reid (clear number 1 IMHO, he had a massive Championship campaign for Bristol City, with 21 goals scored in all comps, 19 in the league, BUT that's the Championship, and it was his only remotely good year, look at Abraham (same Championship team as well, Bristol City) for proof it doesn't usually translate well ) and Josh Murphy, hardly the stuff nightmares are made of.

We should be able to start (not that we ever would) Caballero Cahill Luiz Zappacosta Emerson Drinkwater Fabregas RLC Piazon Moses Giroud and beat them soundly. The talent level difference is that great. I know better than to overlook any EPL team, but wow do they have a weak squad. I suppose that means to really beware, lol.

Here are some even younger ones (Piatek will be 24 next July) Pietro Pellegri (huge upside), ironically from Genoa as well (we need to hire their scouting crew for CF's, lol), now at Monaco turned 17 five and a half months ago, scored 3 goals in first 6 Serie A games as a 16 YO, Monaco bought him for £17m in January Date of Birth: Mar 17, 2001 Place of Birth: Genova Italy Age: 17 Height: 1,88 m Nationality: Italy Italy Position: Forward - Centre-Forward Foot: right 11 goals, 14 assists in all games last year 10 Years Of Cheap Thrills Lincoln (17yo) Flamengo Moise Kean (18yo) Juventus (arrrf) Jann-Fiete Arp (18yo) Hamburg Matheus Cunha (19yo) RB Leipzig Myziane Maolida (19yo) Nice Luka Jovic (20 yo) Frankfurt

Articles like this are tosh, as they do NOT take into account NET spending here are the real totals here is our net spending under Roman Transfer spending under Abramovich (net) 2003-04: £151.4m 2004-05: £146.8m NO MORE BIG SPENDING 2005-06: £51.7m 2006-07: £32.2m 2007-08: £13.8m 2008-09: £12.7m PROFIT 2009-10: £23.6m 2010-11: £94.5m here is the last 8 years 2011-12: £57.7m 2012-13: £75.8m 2013-14 £47.6m 2014-15 £6.4m PROFIT 2015-16 £2.7m 2016-17 £21.9m 2017-18 £54.1m 2018-19 £75.1m total £328.5 for the last 8 years (365.8m euros) that's almost a BILLION LESS than the article states £41.1m per year net spend on average total £829.8 m over 16 year time frame that Abramovich has owned us works out to around £51.9m NET per year 36% of ALL money net spent was in the first 2 years take away those first 2 years the average net spend over last 14 seasons (per year) is £37.8m

ITALIAN GIANTS TO BATTLE IT OUT FOR CHELSEA TARGET CHIESA https://readchelsea.com/2018/09/06/italian-giants-to-battle-it-out-for-chelsea-target-chiesa/ Chelsea are reportedly interested in bringing Fiorentina forward Federico Chiesa to Stamford Bridge, according to Calciomercato. Italian giants Napoli, Juventus and Inter Milan are also keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, with the latter reported to have made him their top transfer target for next summer. Snip

I am open to him, but deffo want to see a full season, 4 of his 7 goals were in a Coppa Italia game via a wretched Lecce (winless in Serie B so far) side. If Barca really really want him, it will be an uphill struggle. But, yes, he is on the list of possibilities, especially should Morata never come good. He seems to have explosive pace too, which Morata doesn't have. If Barca is sniffing around, have to believe RM is as well, plus PSG and Bayern and even Juve. I think he may have to have promises made of a starting position (from us) to shift the scales.

AGENT REVEALS ALBANIAN INTERNATIONAL IS WAITING ON SARRI’S CALL TO JOIN CHELSEA https://theshedender.com/2018/09/tabloid-talk/agent-reveals-albanian-international-is-waiting-on-sarris-call-to-join-chelsea/ The agent of Napoli full-back Elseid Hysaj has confirmed that contract negotiations with his current club have been halted as the player hopes to make a move to Chelsea in the future. Speaking to Radio Marte (quotes via Transfermarketweb.com), Mario Giuffredi said that the defender is waiting on an offer from the Blues: Hysaj is a player that manager Maurizio Sarri knows well. He came through the academy at Empoli, where he was managed by the Chelsea boss, and within months of being hired as Napoli manager, the Albanian joined him at his new club. The right-back’s current deal expires in 2021 so there is no chance of the Blues getting the 24-year-old on the cheap despite contract negotiations with the Partenopei stalling. He is an important member of the first team for the Serie A side, making 46 starts in all competitions under Sarri last season. He remains a regular starter under Carlo Ancelotti as well, having started the first three league games. snip

Mason Mount's comments about emulating Chelsea legend Frank Lampard couldn't be more spot on https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/premier-league/mason-mounts-comments-about-emulating-chelsea-legend-frank-lampard-couldnt-be-more-spot-on/ The gap between the youth team and first team in the Premier League seems to be growing every year. Whereas youth team players used to be given a chance – whether it be when a senior player wasn’t available or their talent demanded they play – the opportunity doesn’t seem to be there anymore. It probably all boils down to the ruthlessness of the Premier League and the demand for instant success. But Mason Mount is going about getting into the Chelsea team the right way. snip

LOLOL here is yer laff for the day “Lukaku is already better than Drogba” – Big claim about Man United striker and Chelsea legend http://sportwitness.co.uk/lukaku-already-better-drogba-big-claim-man-united-striker-chelsea-legend/

Premier League want Government to scrap foreign star restrictions with Brexit set to stop the next N'Golo Kante coming to England http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6133395/Premier-League-want-government-scrap-foreign-star-restrictions-Brexit.html The Premier League is becoming increasingly concerned about the impact Brexitwill have on clubs' ability to sign European players. With just over six months remaining until the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, the English top-flight is still waiting for clarification on how it will be affected in the transfer market. According to The Daily Telegraph, the Premier League is calling on the Government to ensure there are no restrictions placed on signing foreign players amid fears for the worldwide popularity of English football. During talks with the Government and the Football Association, the Premier League called for football to be exempt from any new rules that limit access for European workers after Brexit. The fear is that the current work permit restrictions on players from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will be extended to EEA countries as well. This means incoming players to the Premier League would have to be senior internationals or command a considerable transfer fee to be allowed to work in the UK. While this would likely mean business as usual for the Premier League's leading clubs, it could adversely affect lesser clubs wanting to bring in European players. Research conducted by data scientists Laurie Shaw of Harvard University and quoted by the Daily Telegraph suggests that 591 of the 1,022 signings from EEA countries made during the Premier League era would not have gained a work permit. snip

Anthony Martial and Simon Mignolet headline players who wish they'd moved clubs http://www.espn.com/soccer/english-premier-league/23/blog/post/3623068/anthony-martial-and-simon-mignolet-headline-players-who-wish-theyd-moved-clubs The summer transfer window has also officially closed in Europe, but there are 10 notable players stuck in the Premier League who might wish they had found a move. Nick Miller runs down those who will be counting down the days until January. SNIP 4. Victor Moses, MF, Chelsea If you suggest footballers deserve sympathy, then you'll frequently get quite short shrift, but sometimes it is worth dwelling on the fragility of their positions. In Antonio Conte's 3-4-3 system, Victor Moses -- previously a fourth-choice winger -- had carved himself a niche as a wing-back and performed very well in that role. Now, with Mauricio Sarri's 4-3-3, he's back to being that winger behind quite a few other players in the queue for a first-team place. Perhaps this will change. After all, who saw him becoming that wing-back in the first place when Conte arrived? But at the moment, that seems optimistic. 3. Tom Heaton, GK, Burnley Perhaps they were distracted by the early stages of the Europa League, but Burnley's summer didn't seem to make much sense. They didn't make a signing until the last week of the transfer window, and that was to bring in Joe Hart after Nick Pope suffered an injury. That felt a bit like buying a new shirt because a button fell off an old one, particularly as Tom Heaton was returning from his own injury. That leaves Heaton, who might well have gone to the World Cup had he not missed much of last season, in a curious position: seemingly second-choice now and presumably third when Pope returns. It's possible he could seek to leave in January. 2. Simon Mignolet, GK, Liverpool Plenty of people on Merseyside were relieved when Loris Karius left for Besiktas on loan, not least Karius himself. This was a chance for reinvention and for the young German to rebuild his shattered confidence. But while he might not have suffered the same cataclysmic single game as Karius, one would imagine Simon Mignolet's self-belief can't be sky-high after spending much of last season on the bench -- where he's now likely to stay, unless something happens to Alisson Becker. "I find it bizarre that Karius was loaned while I also had options to be loaned," he said recently. It's going to be a long few months until the winter window opens. 1. Anthony Martial, FW, Manchester United In some respects, Anthony Martial is lucky because he has become a much better player when out of the Manchester United first team than in it. He has become something of a cause celebre for Mourinho sceptics, a great lost talent cast aside at the whims of one manager despite rarely achieving his clear potential on the pitch. Also, if the stories about him signing a new contract against Mourinho's wishes are true, then this might have worked quite nicely for Martial. But it's still difficult to escape the feeling that he would be much happier somewhere else. One suspects we'll be revisiting this situation again soon.

I can offer you the pole for a hug lololol

He is a troll, so we shouldn't feed him, it only encourages his gutless arse. And he is right about the Bridge, we so need a new stadium to increase revenues. It is a huge reason I hope Roman sells, as he isnt going to drop in 1 to 2 billion for a new stadium in a country that refuses him a visa.

De Gea has mostly been far from the top keeper globally the last 4 or 5 months, the WC was a good example, but he really seems off IMHO. I would (I am sure some here will call this bollocks) take Oblak, Ederson, Kepa, Courtois, ter Stegen, or Alisson over him atm.

CIES Football Observatory Monthly Report n°37 - September 2018 Financial analysis of the transfer market in the big-5 leagues (2010-2018) http://www.football-observatory.com/IMG/sites/mr/mr37/en/ 1. Introduction Since its creation in 2005, the CIES Football Observatory has been monitoring the transfer of players through information published by clubs and the media. This report analyses the paid transactions having taken place since 2010 involving teams from the five major European championships: the English Premier League, the Spanish Liga, the German Bundesliga, the Italian Serie A and the French Ligue 1. The first chapter studies from a historical perspective the sums paid in transfer fees, while the second analyses the clubs and leagues having benefitted from these investments. The third chapter presents the financial balance sheets for both teams and leagues over the period stretching from 2010 to 2018. The figures published in this report include fixed transfer fees, eventual add-ons, as well as sums paid in the context of paying loans. The sums involved in the case of loans with an obligation to buy are included in the figures for the year in which the agreement was concluded. Within the limits of the available information, the data on recipients take into account the resale percentages negotiated by former clubs. 2. Sums invested For the first time since 2012, transfer fees paid out by big-5 league clubs were less than for the previous year. In 2018, a drop of 2.4% was recorded in comparison to 2017: €5.82 billion instead of €5.96. The strong increase observed during the 2018 winter transfer window did not continue through to the summer one. However, over the whole year, the amounts invested were clearly above those paid out in 2016: +€1.59 billion (+37.6%). Throughout the period studied, the investments of Premier League clubs represented 37.4% of the total measured for the big-5 leagues. A slightly lower proportion was measured in 2018 (36.5%). Since 2010, the English top division teams have spent 1.6 times more than the Italian clubs, 2.1 times more than the Spanish, 2.8 times more than the German and 3.1 times more than the French. In 2018, a new spending record was established in two leagues: the English Premier League and the Spanish Liga. In the first case, the increase was rather limited (+2.1%). In the second, the increment in comparison to 2017 was very marked (+80.4%). Thanks to a better distribution of television rights and international success, the Liga is now well-established as the second force of world football. The rankings of clubs having invested the most in transfer fees since 2010 highlights the incredible financial power of a handful of teams. The top three comprises Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona. Four other teams have spent over a billion € over the eight-year period analysed. Among the heavy hitters of European football, only Real Madrid (€912 million) and Bayern Munich (€554 million) are situated below this threshold. snip much more at the link About the CIES Football Observatory The CIES Football Observatory is a research group within the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES). Created in 2005 by Dr. Raffaele Poli and Dr. Loïc Ravenel, the CIES Football Observatory currently comprises a staff of four full-time permanent researchers who specialise in the statistical analysis of football. Click here for more information. About the CIES The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) is an independent study centre located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. It was created in 1995 as a joint venture between the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the University of Neuchâtel, the City and State of Neuchatel. Click here for more information. Click here for more information.

She needs her wings clipped before she flies us into another windowpane.

Do they include this as a bonus?

Sarri is so much more expansive on tactical talk than Conte ever was. I love it!

Sessegnon is an interesting (and uber pricey) choice, but isn't he hellbent on being a winger/attacking MF? If he was our LB I would be over the moon.

SPAIN SQUAD Keepers: David De Gea, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Pau Lopez. Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Raul Albiol, Diego Llorente, Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Iñigo Martinez, Marcos Alonso, Jose Gaya. Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Saul, Rodri, Thiago, Dani Ceballos, Isco, Marco Asensio. Strikers: Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata, Suso (he is a RW, never plays striker), Rodrigo. Koke, Alba out Raul Albiol (WTF), Diego Llorente (he is out injured until late November so no clue here, I would roll with Álvaro Odriozola, even though it is not like for like), Nacho (meh), Dani Ceballos (Koke's replacement and a huge drop-off) in gotta question those moves Mikel Oyarzabal should have been included too, as they only have 2 true wingers atm (Asensio and Suso), he would be a monster for us as an inverted RW, in Sarriball Aymeric Laporte is crazy to not switch to Spain from France, he would be an instant starter or at least get loads of field time (IMHO)versus not even being picked for bench with France (Deschamps clearly rates Varane, Umtiti (correctly, but those are 2 of the top 3 CB's in the world atm), Presnel Kimpembe (questionable) and Adil Rami (insane) over him.

I would, however love to see us knock RM out of the 2019-2020 CL, with a Courtois howler mixed in. Board has to restock us to get there, and first we have to qualify.

Sarri said after the Newcastle game that grinder games play into his tactics of wearing down the oppo in the first 60, 70 minutes via our passing and their chasing, then we go in for the kill shot, and that is what happened in the Bournemouth game (thus he was prescient)

They are only a finished product when they play all or most of their starters. Large drop-offs at CB, LB, MF (unless Fabinho comes good), RW (as Xherdan Shaqiri is oki, but is no Salah) LW (they have no b/u LW) and CF when the starters don't play. Hopefully they rest some.