The Skipper

In the last few months, Torres has been in decent form. Does my head in when someone still says he's lacking confidence when since RDM he's performed quite well.

Can't believe you are using those two examples to say Torres had a better season than Sturridge. If you really think your argument holds any sort of weight please discuss it in the Torres or Sturrudge thread with me.

Thanks for that, Artinho. Reaffirms my initial thoughts that he'll be moulded into a Modric type.

That'd be even better yes.

3 years is fine IMO. 4 years is just too much.

I expect this lad to play in the double pivot with defensive cover from Mikel, and maybe provide back up for Mata/Hazard. He's going to have to work on his defensive game just like Modric did, but if he does we'll have a gem in our hands. Seriously think he's the Modric alternative, can't see him starting on the right for us.

Exactly, it's either that or him being in the double pivot, and I can't really imagine Mata AND Hazard wanting to flank Oscar, when both prefer playing in the middle. Width would have to come from our fullbacks ala under Scolari, and I think that's way too limiting, even if we did have someone like Maicon and Cole bombing down the wings. It's too one dimensional.

After some quick research, I don't think Oscar would be particularly good on the right. He seems more Iniesta like than anything, he can probably play on the right but he'd be ineffective. Maybe he's being thought of as a Modric alternative, I think he'd be good in the pivot with someone like Mikel. Maybe that's why Spurs want him too. It would be funny if they lost Modric and then lost his replacement too. At Internacional I'd imagine D'Alessandro plays in the hole and Oscar plays deeper. This video below shows that he likes to drop deep and be involved in build up play... I don't think he'd be that effective on the right. Not an alternative to Hulk, more of an alternative to Modric IMO.

He's a striker naturally, of course his first instinct is to take shots. Why don't people understand that Sturridge isn't naturally a winger? People were crying about Torres being more selfish and here we have a striker that is, and people want to see him go before he's even had a proper go in his natural position for us? Right.

£16m for Oscar would be a great piece of business, great alternative to Hulk. Moses/Schurrle, Oscar and Maicon and perhaps Modric and we'd be set for a couple of seasons.

Ronaldinho's white?!

We're not going to have 2 £50m strikers in the squad are we? If we want Falcao, Torres must go.

I see what you mean. If we could get him for around £15m it'd be a good deal perhaps but the £30m price tag is excessive.

Have you seen him at Milan recently? You'd know that he isn't neccesarily a pure striker. He loves dropping deep and linking up play. Even watching him play for Sweden at the Euros you'd be able to conclude that.

Hazard has the ability to make an instant impact here. There's a reason why he was bought for £32m, there's a reason he was widely regarded as the best player in France. Hazard is already a very good player. His potential ceiling however is very high; he has the potential to become a truly outstanding, world class player. It's absurd to say that he wouldn't be good against City or United because he isn't "experienced". Just because Hazard is 21 doesn't mean he hasn't got enough experience to play well in the big games. That's like saying Aguero at 21 who was ripping the likes of Barcelona at Atletico wasn't experienced enough. Mata isn't a regular at Spain but that doesn't mean he isn't good enough. There's no shame in being second best to the likes of Xavi and Iniesta. Mata came in last season and was immediately influential, and I expect the same to happen with Hazard. Essentially, Lucas would be the only one with the "potential" tag. Experience alone doesn't win you big games, or any sort of games. It's the right mixture of potential and experience you're after. Regardless, I wasn't saying we should get Lucas instead of Hulk. I'm someone who champions about us signing Hulk. I'm mentioning Lucas as a decent alternative, if the price isn't absurd.

If we don't get Hulk, Lucas would do just fine for me, he still has a lot to do but all the potential is definitely there.

It's not your club. If you can't stand a forum where members are foreigners or don't have a season ticket (which somehow you think makes you superior in your thinking) then go away. I've seen your posts at CFCnet before, most of them are trollish. Just because you have a season ticket doesn't mean that you have superior football knowledge over everyone who doesn't. Most of your posts on there offer no insight at all. Once again I repeat, it's not your club.

Probably because his goals, which he mostly scored whilst in an unnatural position, almost carried us for half a season.

Has he actually gone yet? People are assuming too much. Nothing's concrete.

Marca are quite accurate with Real stuff IIRC.

That's exactly what I did too, ironically Modric buggered off to Real Madrid. Destiny?

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A//www.marca.com/movil/2012/07/07/futbol/equipos/real_madrid/1341656998.html Marca seem to think he's definitely coming here.

So if we let go of let's say, Benayoun and Malouda, and signed Moses and Hulk, would we have too many players?

Explain how. Moses wouldn't cost £30m would he?

So because someone doesn't know what a regista is they're automatically branded an idiot? Right.