The Skipper

Why? Cole was never as talented as Eden. I think the front three of Hazard - Drogba - Robben is definitely the strongest one we'd have.

I feel like you haven't watched players like Mineiro, Ben Haim or Steve Sidwell play for Chelsea. Now those are terrible players for Chelsea standards. Demba Ba is atleast decent enough to be a squad player here.

He isn't a terrible player. Yes, he isn't good enough to be a striker at a club like Chelsea but that doesn't mean he's terrible. He's scored some good goals here, against top teams, that should tell you he isn't "terrible". He's a decent player, nothing more, nothing less.

If City drop points, beating Villa would be a huge psychological win for us, and I would for the first time call us favourites.

RLC is more of a 6 to me. Maybe Baker if he makes it.

Interesting. Would be nice for Ash I guess, if true.

Brilliant.

I actually find this hilarious.

Oscar or Hazard are the only choices right now.

When the player is on loan to another European club it's up to the clubs to decide that, but domestically (in England anyway) it isn't allowed.

Maybe Balotelli. Realistically I think it's between those two right now.

Sorry pal, exam season!

Kid has a bright future, one of my favourites in the youth academy at the moment. Proper technical centre forward. If he continues his development like this I think he'll make it here.

Says the idiot that said this:

...So are we still a Charlton/Millwall in your eyes then? If we go by trophies alone we're the 4th most successful team in England. Surely you understand that with us signing well known players from all over the globe, and being one of the most successful European clubs in the last decade and with TV and technology being at the level it is now that we're massively exposed to the global stage now?

I would give him two with maybe an option for a third if he plays enough games on his second season.

...Surely you understand that CFC is one of the biggest clubs in the world now, thus attracts fans that aren't from west London or England/the UK?

I understand what you mean, but we already have two modern midfielders (possibly three if you want to add Nat to that) in MvG and Matic. It would be better if we could have a specialist playmaker in there in scenarios where we struggle to break down teams - Kroos would infinitely help in that regard. Don't forget, he won't be too expensive either considering his contract is expiring in a year or so. He'd be available for a relatively fair price (i.e. £25m at most) which is fine.

C.13 The League Champions shall further receive 40 commemorative medals to be presented by the Club to its Manager and to such of its Players and Officials as it thinks fit provided that any Player who has entered the field of play in a minimum of 5 of its League Matches that Season shall receive from the Club a commemorative medal. Additional medals may only be presented with the consent of the Board which shall only be given if the total number of Players who have entered the field of play that Season in a minimum of 5 of the Club’s League Matches exceeds 39. From the PL handbook. So if we want to, we can give Mata a medal. Suarez had an Eredivisie medal from Ajax despite leaving in January to Liverpool.

We have that in Matic... What we really need is someone next to Matic who can give us more impetus in our attack especially against those teams that just sit back with 10 men, someone in the mould of Kroos would be ideal. My midfield options next year would ideally be (someone like) Kroos, Matic, Ramires, MVG, Chalobah.

Go back in this thread before the Arsenal game and you'll see me and a lot of other people saying exactly the same thing. EDIT: Here, quoted it for you, my post a few weeks before the game against Arsenal.

He's a very good player, and people are commending him for that and how well he could perhaps fit in the team next to Matic... I seriously don't see how that equates him being the new Zidane.

RR will not be £6/7m. He'll cost around the same as Shaw will.

How are people pretending like he's the new Zidane?

Would prefer Azpi starting over Ivan in most games where teams sit back because Azpi is just as good, if not even better defensively as Ivanovic (apart from his aerial game).