The Skipper

At the same time Liverpool don't have Chelsea's defensive solidity...

Why wouldn't it? It might actually turn out to be good for us - one less club to compete against for Luke Shaw.

That actually hurt my eyes.

I struggled with a GK - there hasn't really been an outstanding goalkeeper out there this season IMO.

Suarez Hazard - Silva - Sturridge Toure - Gerrard Azpi - JT - Koscielny - Coleman De Gea Subs: Howard, Shaw, Rooney, Aguero, Lallana, Ramsey, Cahill

His link up play/back to goal play is better than Costa's, and so is his ability to pick out a pass as his assists allude to every season. He's also a better dribbler. What Costa has over him is that he's more physical, a better work rate, more clinical finishing and more consistency but his general play is why I think he'd be a very good signing for us. He's also already used to playing in a Mourinho system so his integration wouldn't take that long, and he isn't like Torres, he's a technical CF just like Eto'o is, that was my point when I brought in the comparison. Torres relies on getting behind his defender with through balls whilst Benzema is intelligent with his play, linking up with those around him just like Eto'o does. The only strikers I'd take over him in the list you provided is Suarez, Cavani and maybe Balo or Costa (I'd put him as equal with the latter two). The only thing I'll knock Benzema for is his inconsistent finishing but as he matures even more he'll sort that out IMO (just like Suarez has), it's the only thing that's stopping him from getting 30 goals every season. Costa scores 1 in 4 while Benzema gets 1 in 5. Their conversion rate is really not as different as you alluded to - you were speaking as if his conversion rate was more like 10% which it is not... And Benzema does create chances, he's always in double figures every season with his assists, that isn't even debatable. EDIT: I'm not trying to say we should sign Benzema over Costa or anything - just that he would still be a very good signing to make if he was available on the market, and that he isn't anywhere near as bad as you're trying to make him out to be. Certainly not worthy to kill yourself over if we did sign him. If he was as bad as you're trying to make him out to be Real would've shipped him out ages ago.

So just because he plays next to good players we should totally ignore his assist or goal tally? That's ridiculous...Anyway, no one is saying that Benzema has been more clinical than Costa, but it's stupid to think because someone's chance conversion rate is low that he's a bad finisher. For example, Luiz Suarez last season had a conversion rate of 12.29% - does that mean he's a bad finisher? Ronaldo has sub ~20% conversion rate too - does that also make him a bad finisher? Benzema's chance conversion rate is at 22% this year which isn't too bad at all, it's pretty decent, nowhere near as bad as you're trying to make him out to be - whilst Diego Costa's is at 28%. Benzema's game is not all about goals either anyway, his game is very similar to what Eto'o does for us now only he's better, that's why he'd be a great signing for us IMO... I don't understand how anyone would "kill themselves" if we signed him when he fits our system to a tee.

So scoring 23 goals and providing 11 assists doesn't constitute in a player having a great season...

Are you saying that because he missed a few chances in the El Classico? Benzema is having a great season...

What? Why?

Both JT and Cahill have been great this season, it would be stupid to fix what isn't broken, that's why Luiz hasn't been introduced at the back (well that plus the fact that he seems to attain these niggling injuries here and there that set him back throughout most of this season). I'm not denying that we haven't looked better without Luiz at the back, but it has far more to do with other factors such as the team in general being far more defensively solid, The CBs having protection, Cahill having his best season in a Chelsea shirt etc... I wouldn't contribute Luiz not playing at the back as a reason why we're solid at the back. That is not a myth. He grabbed 7 goals and 5 assists for us last season, most of those coming from playing as a CB. That alone should tell you he brings a more offensive threat to the team. It's not only that either, it's the type of CB he is. He is the type that goes for the interception rather than backing off - this again helps with ball retention and winning the ball back quickly, thus giving the team more of the ball to create more.

Exactly what I mean - just because Luiz has had bad games this season at CB people somehow completely forget the good games he has had for us at the back prior to this season - again, selective thinking IMO. So you're suggesting that the main reason we've improved defensively is largely due to him being dropped at CB, and not because the team as a unit defends much better now, or because we have a more solid pivot/protection in front of the CBs either? Right...

He has the potential to be a double-double player (10 goals, 10 assists a season) IMO, he's already there with his goalscoring pretty much but his assist game needs to improve a lot still. I've seen flashes in that regards but he does need to step it up creatively - hopefully he becomes that double double player next season when he's consistently got a more competent striker in front of him.

Don't blame them to be fair, has a lot more to do with Wenger's suicidal tactics. Both are very good defenders IMO (especially Koscielny).

I'm not just talking about his passing mate, I thought I made that clear. I'm also not talking about Jose not selecting him at the moment... You're steering away from my initial point, I'm not suggesting that we should break up the Terry - Cahill partnership or anything, I'm not trying to defend Luiz's performances at CB this season either, nor am I talking about his strengths or weaknesses there, I know them already. I'm talking about next season when we hopefully sign a new CM and we face teams we're struggling to break down; IMO we can afford to rest or change the JT - Cahill partnership for such tactical reasons, such as breaking teams that park the bus down, especially in home games for example. A major part of the reason why that partnership has looked a lot more solid this end of the season is because we finally have a solid pivot player in front of them with Matic (and Luiz when he plays there alongside him), and also the fact that we're just defending much better as a team in general... It's not simply down to their partnership (although it is obviously a factor). We can take one player out of the unit for a more offensive look. That's just me though, I genuinely think that the more technical players you have in the team, the more likely you're going to break down an opponent that sits deep, which has been our biggest problem this season and you can't deny that. I was merely trying to hint to a solution in situations like this - again, having three technical players (a trident of Matic, new top CM and Luiz) at the back orchestrating things will definitely solve that IMO. I understand that there might be a slight price to pay for this (a very, very slight but manageable knock in defensive solidity) but the rewards outweigh the risks by far I think. It's all about squad versatility for me - in the bigger games perhaps keep that JT - Cahill partnership, but in the games at home where we're going to struggle against these teams that sit deep start Luiz at the back assuming we have another playmaking midfielder next to Matic. Simple.

It's not about just "passing" though, it's about penetrating, playing a high line, and allowing someone with a bit more finesse and technical ability than Terry or Cahill to start the moves from the back. We have that in Luiz, I'm not just talking about his passing ability obviously. You're missing my point, I do want Matic to distribute the ball from the back, but if we have him, Luiz, and let's say someone like Kroos in the team against teams that just sit deep, we've definitely got more impetus in controlling the game and creating more. Instead of just having Matic distributing the ball, you have two other technically good players creating things from deep. That in turn allows players like Oscar and Hazard to remain further up the pitch because they don't need to drop back to regain the ball as often, thus making us again more potent offensively. That's what I'm trying to get across. You're being way too harsh on Luiz, everyone knows he's not having the greatest of seasons but to pretend that he's never had good or great games for us at CB because of that is ridiculous IMO. You and a few others are being very selective with your thinking, acting like he's never been good at CB for us here, or like he's never shown any consistency there when that's far from the truth. Same people that wanted JT gone last season because he wasn't having a good season.

Personally for me, if he does stay and if we do sign another top CM then I'd like him to play at CB against teams that'll sit deep against us because we then have 3 great distributors at the start of every transition (Luiz, Matic, new top CM) and would definitely break down opponents a lot easier than we have this season.

We shouldn't ever sell anyone to Tottenham because of what they did to us over Modric IMO.

Looool.

We have, but I don't feel Swansea have the same aura about them this season. I personally think we'll beat em comfortably this year.

Why? Swansea have been poor this season.

We've got the easiest run in by far on paper. There's no way Man City or Liverpool are going to win all of their remaining games (they have to face off against each other as well). Man City's next four games are crucial to us, I think that's where they're most likely to drop any points. They still have to face United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Southampton and Everton, so many difficult fixtures. Liverpool still have to play us, Tottenham and Man City. We've only got Liverpool. Our problem seems to be beating to smaller teams though - this will be our biggest obstacle IMO.

I love Benzema.

On 30 goals for the season now in all competitions.

I'd say Matic - Lamps at home in the PL, Matic - Luiz away from home.