Hi guys, first post here. Just wanted to share my excitement about us potentially wrapping up Eden Hazard and Hulk. Signing Hazard (99% really) and Hulk will change the dynamic in the team enormously. It's probably been discussed to death on here but just wanted to throw my opinion about it in here anyway. Here's what I think we'll get when we sign these two gentlemen: Tactical flexibility: A very big plus. When we sign these two, regardless of who becomes the manager, the depth in our team will increase ten-folds. We can easily switch from a 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 to a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-2-2-2 or 4-4-2 without even having to substitute players. This will give the whole team a sense of unpredictability, which will obviously aid hugely in us breaking down teams who are stubborn to break through. We failed hard at the likes of Norwich, Aston Villa and Swansea last season simply because we had a lack of unpredictability in my opinion. With the players we had it was hard to switch it up. Teams know how to play against us, they know that parking the bus and trying to hit Chelsea on the counter is the best, and easiest way to potentially hurt them. Whatever manager comes in will have a great squad to utilise simply because we've added these two to our ranks. We have the likes of Sturridge, Marin, Kevin De Bruyne and Kakuta still coming through, which will also again add to versatility and unpredictability as such. You could easily have: Torres Hazard - Mata - Hulk Ramires - Mikel or Torres Hazard - Hulk Mata - Mikel - Ramires or Torres - Hulk Mata - Hazard Mikel - Ramires or Torres - Hulk Hazard - Mikel - Ramires - Mata etc. etc. etc. The reason I included Ramires in the -2- in midfield is because I think we have to play him. He was my player of the season for sure. He's grown leaps and bounds this season, and he will be an integral part of our team next season if utilised properly. People will probably bring up the Napoli game where he and Meireles had a shocker in that -2- midfield role but we must remember that he is playing next to Mikel here. Ramires isn't really a possession based individual but that doesn't mean he wouldn't work in that double pivot. Ramires can essentially be the ball winning midfielder in that -2- with Mikel being the anchor man who protects the defence. Ramires' pace and determination could allow us to win the ball back easily and then lay it off to any attacking player around. The reason I think we don't need two possession based midfielders in the -2- in a 4-2-3-1 is because if we added the likes of Hazard and Hulk into the team there would be no need! Hazard is exceptional at keeping the ball and keeping play simple, and so is Mata. The players can obviously easily interchange positions too, again adding to that unpredictability. I feel Mikel would thrive with the responsibility of keeping the team in tact when he has five attackers ahead of him. As long as one or two drop deep to link up play he'll be fine. Mikel is outstanding under pressure in my opinion. Most Porto fans also say that Hulk works hard for the team, so he wouldn't have a big problem fitting in either when trying to keep possession. Even though I keep using the words possession please don't think that I'm into that Tiki-Taka stuff, I'm only alluding to when we actually need to keep possession which will inevitably happen in games against weaker teams. I will discuss it later in my post. If we did need to hold onto possession though you could replace Ramires with Lampard in the team as I feel him and Mikel are also superb together in that midfield two. Regarding Ramires again, he doesn't necessarily stick to being the ball-winning midfielder. He can obviously join in attack as well when the threat of opposing teams aren't too frightening. His trademark runs with the ball wouldn't go to waste! He can easily come in from deep ala Lampard and be another goal threat. That's 5 players teams would have to worry about! Exciting times ahead in my opinion. So much versatility. More space for individual players and the ability to break down stubborn teams:: How many times do we see the likes of Torres, Lampard or Mata being crowded out/man marked by several players! Teams know that if you isolate one or two of our players that our attack will be ineffective. Adding the likes of Hazard and Hulk to our ranks will change that completely. Teams wouldn't know who to mark, it would be an impossible job trying to devise a plan against five players (Torres, Mata, Hazard, Hulk and Ramires) who could provide something special at any given period. Nightmare. There is bound to be bags of space for a couple of our players. Give Ramires space, he will hurt you. Give Mata space, he will hurt you. Give Hazard or Hulk space... You get the idea. I repeat it will be a nightmare for teams to handle in my opinion, especially if all of them turn up and have exceptional games. An attacking brand of football: We don't necessarily have to play the Tiki Taka football that Roman allegedly craves. To me, a fast paced, give and go, direct, counter-attacking football is equally as exciting. With the likes of Hazard, Hulk, Mata, Ramires and Torres attacking on all fronts we could easily alternate these philosophies though. Mata and Hazard are possession based footballers; Hulk and Ramires would destroy on the counter. Destroy. You can just imagine it. It would be fascinating stuff. Torres is a hybrid between the two in my opinion. He can do the give and go stuff, he is lethal on the counter, but in my opinion he's also capable of playing a more possession or team based game. His 18 assists last season alludes to that. Whoever becomes the manager has to find the right balance between the two in my opinion. I would love for us to develop our own style, almost a hybrid between Tiki-Taka and your stereotypical fast paced counter-attacking English play. It would be what Roman wants in my opinion. Carlo Ancelotti said in his biography IIRC that Roman wanted Chelsea to have their own identity ala Barcelona, and with a hybrid like that it really is possible. Hard to accomplish perhaps as it would need to be drilled into the team over time but worthwhile. Biesla at Atlethic Bilbao actually plays a kind of similar style. Yes, he is a nutcase but the way his team destroyed United in the Europa League this season! They kept the ball, almost annoying United, but still creating chances, and when they lost the ball they would win it back and the likes of Muniain and Llorente would make forward runs almost immediately before a lethal counter attack would be launched. It is that sort of hybrid I would love to see at CFC. It would take time though but it is possible! I don't wan't the Tiki-Taka here strictly as I don't believe it would be as effective in the PL, but if we could blend in elements from it and translate it into the English game of fast paced football, it could really be something. I don't want that slow build up play, I'd rather our attack be known for being lethal and ruthless. Don't really want to get into the managerial debate but maybe Pep Guardiola could adapt his strategies (or Barcelona's) to the English game, Roberto Di Matteo isn't too shabby at playing attacking football either, his WBA played phenomenal football at time. That brings me onto... Better marketability: There will obviously be a bigger following of CFC if we sign these guys but! I'm talking about marketability, "player"-wise. You do know that with Hazard rejecting United and City and choosing us instead, that we've become even more attractive, especially to the young up and coming footballers. Yes, the fact that we're European Champions obviously was a major factor but if Hazard, Hulk, Torres and Mata all play to their full potential and form a devastating attack, every player would look at Chelsea if we came in for them and think "Wow! I really want to play for that team!" just like teams do with Barcelona. Alexis Sanchez refused other teams earlier this year as soon as he heard Barca were interested as to many their brand of football is scintillating. If our attack becomes lethal and everything falls into place we'd become so much more attractive to so many more players, and other fans might start to respect us too. -- I'll be ending my insight here though as I think I've blabbered a bit (woops!) but oh well! Hopefully it won't be frowned upon. Just offering my two cents. Really do hope we sign Hazard and Hulk, that would be us done for the summer practically and also send out a huge statement to the PL and other European clubs. If we really wanted to push it we could perhaps add another centre mid into the squad (a top quality one) and dispose of squad players such as Meireles or Malouda to a certain extent. Even Essien. Although I love him, I think he's finished sadly. I'd gladly eat my words if he proves me wrong next season. (I like Meireles and Essien but if we can get a CM with first team potential quality then I don't think we need them as we'd be carrying too many midfielders.) Like I said just my two cents! - The Skipper
