The Skipper

Don't say that.

Both. Last season, the 'headless chicken' Di Maria disappeared, and the new Di Maria started to make a lot of great decisions on whether to pass or shoot or dribble and just in his general game. Hence why he had a fantastic season last year.

Hope this means Torres is off.......

Well, our manager obviously completely disagrees with you.

It's a cringeworthy and desperate attempt from the media to try and label Costa from the get go.

That is extremely harsh, Nani has never been anywhere near as good as Di Maria was last season in his whole career. Di Maria is also a very intelligent, hard working player. Nani is neither of those. The only similarity they both probably have is that they're both good dribblers with pace, the similarity ends there though.

This is really old news, she said this some time last year.

Not so much anything to do with Cahill tbh - just think that having Azpi and Luis as fullbacks + Ivanovic who doesn't deserve to be dropped will provide more attacking impetus for us, not only from a more attacking set of full backs but also from set pieces( even though Cahill is pretty good at set pieces too - just don't think Ivanovic deserves to be dropped after his excellent game last Monday.

You said he's 'performed consistently well at the highest level' for the last 5 years which is a flat out lie. I've been watching Real consistently for the last 5 years and last season's was Di Maria's best by far, he was never as consistent as he was last season any other season in his Real career, hence why you can't really say he's 'performed consistently well at the highest level'.

What are you on about? Di Maria had his first consistent season in his career at Real last year.

Courtois Azpi - Ivan - JT - Luis Matic - Cesc Schurrle - Oscar - Hazard Costa Please.

Fuck you

I understand what you're trying to say and agree with some parts but the Ballack analogy is a very poor one, because Ballack has always operated from a deeper position than let's say the number 10 role; Ballack was an 8, sometimes deployed as a 6, and people have always thought that Oscar was a traditional number 10. It's only since last season where people started to pick up that he doesn't have the creativity a traditional number 10 has and that his role on the team is more rounded.People associate the number 10 role with creativity but people need to understand that in our system, it isn't the main job of our number 10. As I said in an early post, Oscar's role in the team is a lot more tactical, about balancing the midfield and being the link (i.e. creating triangles and stuff) between our more creative players all around the pitch. I'm not expecting Oscar to be our main or one of our main creators anymore - that role has switched to Fabregas and Hazard. Dare say, I'd put him level with Matic in his creativity level, and his tactical role in the team.

If Di Maria came here I'd play him through the middle just like Madrid do, not Hazard. People must remember we don't play with a traditional number 10.

It's raised close to $9m as of date.

As mentioned by others above, our number 10 is very unorthodox. Our number 10 (in our system) is all about tactical stability rather than the creative freedom that you get from a orthodox number 10, and players like Oscar and Willian fit that nicely. They are instructed to help start the first phase in the high press, to help create triangle passing lanes all over the pitch, and to give and provide a stable platform for our more creative players like Hazard and Fabregas. On top of that they're expected to chip in with the odd goal and assist here and there too. It's not an easy role at all but it does help facilitate balance in the team, which is why I thought Oscar had a decent performance Monday because he did most of those things. He does have the ability to step it up in the final third though.

Melodramatic it might be, but too often have I seen JT written off year after year after year, only for him to come back and prove he's still a valuable asset, and I believe that trend will continue this year.

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I agree with that but I know for sure that JT can still give us one more year at the top. He's had a long rest this summer not being involved in the WC, he's looked good in pre season and looks lean and fit. I think he can give us one more season at the top for sure, hence why I said that we should start looking for a CB reshuffle next year.

That I agree with - always said from day one that Cahill needs a leader beside him and Ivanovic can step up and do so IMO. I think the latter had more to do with the overall structure of the team. Di Matteo wasn't exactly a top class manager, and we didn't have a complete, balanced team or system back then. We have an infinitely better team and manager now so we'll look to dominate more games both tactically and talent wise.

He looks the same, just needs a nice shave and a haircut.

Ivanovic can lead from the back, more so than Cahill. Remember Liverpool away last season, when Ivanovic had Kalas next to him?

Yeah it wasn't a comment aimed at you, just seems the general notion around the forum that a new CB is suddenly a must because we didn't look solidly defensively on Monday, with a few saying JT must be replaced which I find ridiculous, hence my comment. JT - Cahill, JT - Iva or Cahill - Iva as our 3 main CB partnerships this season is fine IMO. We can start pursuing a new CB next year where we can adjust the squad from the start of the season, it's too late to start shuffling around the squad now to bring in a non HG player.

He's been written off again and again and again... Write off JT at your own peril guys.

I really rate Lovren and Moreno is a massive improvement on whoever else was left back there. Maybe he's not an ideal fit for Skrtel but a Sakho - Lovren partnership is very interesting IMO. Dejan could possibly bring the best out of Sakho, he's a very good leader at the back. Manquillo is an unknown quantity at the moment so I'd probably start Glen. Johnson - Sahko - Lovren - Moreno is a massive improvement on whatever they had last year. If they wrap the Balotelli deal up they're making top 4 for me definitely, if they have a good season maybe even 3rd. Mignolet Johnson - Sahko - Lovren - Moreno Gerrard - Henderson Sterling - Sturridge - Coutinho Balotelli This looks like a top 4 XI IMO. I'm not saying they'll challenge for the title but their team has improved in general (minus Suarez), especially depth wise.