LDN Blue

welcome to the internet bro . It's okay, such opinions are easily changed back after a string of good performances.

Yeah but to be fair, no-one expects these academy players to be first team players straight away and winning the title. But they should be back up choices at least and considered as such, no point in just having them train with the first team, they need exposure too. Instead of Pato we use Traore, instead of Oscar Loftus-Cheek, instead of Pedro we use Musonda etc. Because we're going to make first-team signings anyway. Also with Van Gaal at United, it's not he chose to use youth players instead of what he has it was more he was forced. Fair play to Rashford and co for stepping up, but he's only had to rely on them because he spent a ridiculous amount of money on players like Depay and couldn't utilise world class talent like Di Maria etc.

Hoping Terry's playing today. Nothing like a proper Chels in the line up to kick Spurs up their asses.

Nah fuck that. Listen I'm for this sale, based on factors like he's on his last year and that £50m is a great figure for a 28 year old winger. But to discredit Willian this season based on stats alone is a weak argument. I guarantee that 16 included more match winning goals/assists than Diego Costa's. Even if it isn't, without a shadow of a doubt Willian was the best player by far this season to wear the Chelsea shirt. Football is more than statistics at times and fans often need gentle reminders. It depends. The one jibe in past season is his poor conversion rate in the final third. While I still take issues with this, I remember his goals return tally was awful (something like 1500mins between goals), if he can take his goal scoring and assist form in the first half of the season into a full PL season then he'll be a wonderful asset to compliment Hazard and Fabregas.

That's why it made no sense. Hiddink said he wouldn't probably be ready until April, incredibly stupid loan in a season where every player was needed and we sign one that needed over 12 weeks to get fit for action. It's not even a calculated gamble lmao, now based on a cameo appearance here and there we're going to occupy a squad role of him. Don't know why I'm surprised, we like to sign 'names' over actual talent and form.

Imagine anyone bought the number 9 Falcao shirt..

Just goes to show the extent agents are running the game. He barely features under Hiddink so the man himself clearly didn't think much of this signing and Conte wasn't signed in Jan. Wonder who's real idea Pato was.

At least Traore is on of ours, somewhat. He's young and he's trying, it's only a upward learning curve. Pato was never going to develop with us, the loan was absolutely nonsensical. I don't doubt those kia joorabchian links are true. Sigh. Oh well, hopefully he'll be fine with being 3rd/4th choice. Whatever..

Lmao, what a joke. If this is a sign of things to come in this transfer market.. Good luck to us lol.

Wait, he got a 3-game ban? I thought that was issued for violent conduct?

I'll put it to you this way.. How many times have we had a team come with a big offer for our player, we say no and the very next season fans will be in arms saying "should've sold him for £x million when we could've." (Oscar most recently comes to mind) Iirc, Willian's into the last year of his deal (his initial 4-year deal from 2013 set to expire). The club, as it's been reported, have had a deal on the table for a while, but the Brazilian is yet to sign. I'd love it if he did, but if it's between £50m this year or free in July 2017... well.. lol

To be fair it wasn't always smooth sailing for Torres as soon as he got back to Atletico. He was benched quite often and reports a few weeks ago suggested club and player had reached an impasse on an agreement to tie him up next season, currently on his final year on his AC Milan deal. I'm sure this form he's found will help him secure that however

Depends what the club's "long-term" plan is. If they want to blood in Christensen once he returns to us in 2017 then Bonucci is a good option. He'll be 29 and will give a good 3-4 years at top level while giving way to eventually, having Zouma and Christensen fight for the second CB position in the meantime. Stones presents a long term option. Don't care so much for the 'English' thing any more, cos I'm hoping those guys will come from our academy. But if we buy Stones for an excess of £25m then you really wonder what happens with Zouma, Christensen and even Clarke-Salter.

To be fair, we all knew Arsenal would bottle it and at that time it was a battle between Arsenal and Leicester . Gotta credit Tottenham though, as much as I hate them and wish them no success, I read somewhere they haven't dropped a league position since November or something.

Yeah man, if Ronaldo does make a move this summer (which could happen) Bale will be an important asset for them. You just hope they don't want Hazard to replace Ronaldo

Well there was that fun conspiracy around here Lampard was let go to accommodate Cesc

Yeah I mean as I said in one of the youth threads, our squad players should be academy players. Not nobodies we sign for an excess of £15m from lands afar to accrue less than 20 appearances a season, give the likes of Colkett, Musonda, Aké as well as Loftus-Cheek. As would I, no doubt Mourinho sold our long-term sustainability for short term gains. No sound minded Chelsea fan can argue that, even if in the moment it was deemed the right thing to do. Cesc may not have dethroned Xavi, but how many players in the world really could? Rakitic was still behind Xavi until the latter left Barcelona. That's why in Fabregas' case I really don't buy the 'Barcelona reject' jibe. Many, many teams wanted him. United were willing the year before, Arsenal chose Ozil over him understandably, he even said recently Real were interested. He's a talented footballer, there's no doubting. He just can't play at the same level now when he's bossed by an opposing midfielder. Yeah I mean for sure there's more factors. For example, if Real Madrid and Barcelona coming when you're a young mid-20's player that hasn't won all that much thus far. Someone like Hazard for example, if that sale was to happen. But the likes of Muller, James and Bale have won the Champions League already and one is a World Cup winner. All three are now in their multiple CL semi final (maybe with Bale he's a bit premature on this list) with the same club so I wouldn't dismiss the idea they would leave to join Chelsea. Also I do know Bastian left also for reasons like the lure of Van Gaal, of course you need additional incentives to entice world-class players to clubs where their league position isn't a reflection of the player's ability. The manager at a top club will also make a difference for a player when weighing his options up. But that's why I don't think we can attract players like Pogba, Dybala and so on, who are destined to work under Pep or Jose; or at Barcelona or Real Madrid. CC @Essien19

Well to be fair, iirc Stones was up for the move and even rumoured to be handing in a transfer request until Martinez threw his toys out the pram (oh how times have changed and now he's being dropped in FAC semi finals) and Marquinhos was a panic deal on deadline day with a club who were never going to entertain bids that late and half-hearted. These issues were outside of the simple 'we had Jose and were champions'. Those have been noted multiple times so we'll save ourselves the time of going there. 'Rejects' is a funny word around here. Can't we argue that technically KDB, Lukaku and Mata are Chelsea rejects? Certainly we went on to win a domestic double without their need and the latter two are yet to win anything with their new clubs compared to what they won with us & the former is about to go win the Champions League. If Cesc is Barca reject then I'm happy we had him, you can't say he wasn't crucial last season. Though I do agree about Pedro, he was coming into a situation he had no previous experience of at a turbulent time. But I'm not being deliberately obtuse. I do see what you mean regarding when we're linked to names like Isco and James, we shouldn't be needing to fish out Madrid and Barcelona players after they've established themselves. After all, aren't we in possession of Busby's Babes mk II after last night?

I remember a former member on here stating Muller wouldn't get into most top XIs. An abomination of a statement, if there's any player in the world who could fit into any system its Muller. Versatile, adaptable and a threat from anywhere on the pitch, he's what Oxlade-Chamberlain should've been looking up to when developing as a all-round midfield player. Ancelotti will use him, should he say. It's been evident United were highly interested in Muller last year but Bayern weren't going to lose two club legends in one window like that, not with Kroos going the year before (or two). This summer's going to be one of the more interesting transfer windows, we're seeing clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid planning to reinvent entirely while clubs like City, Bayern, United will be looking to add minimal players (perhaps United will spend more). Again I go back to Bastian going to United. No CL football, no guarantees of it the following season, multiple CL/League/WC winner. As I always maintain on this forum, money talks. Regardless of who we're talking about, and yes there are exceptions and other factors, money will always be the most important commodity a player will look to have more of. Chelsea are arguably one of the highest paying employers in football right now, we're a mere £300,000 behind what United and Bayern paid out in 2015. And it'll only get worse next year as the influx of money from the new TV deal for the 2016-19 PL will "confirm that England has the most powerful football league on the planet, with recent research suggesting all 20 Premier League clubs will immediately be in the world’s top 30 richest clubs."

This article is funny, it alludes to the fact players, like Solanke, are unhappy about how much they're getting paid. This coming from reports RLC earns £60k, but iirc Sturridge was being paid the same when he was transferred from City's academy. If they're chasing a better payday then they're welcome to leave. Our academy's success in their competition level speaks for itself on nights like tonight.

I don't know man. I would've said the same pre-2014, but then Kroos went to Real and Schweinsteiger went to United. The latter was the biggest shock because you'd think in his 30's he'd think about being the 'one-club man'. Muller's consistently for club and country a top performer and if Bayern win the CL why not itch for a new experience..

His time in Spain was really a turning point I think. His internal battles with the Real board and players as well as external spats with Barcelona really drove him mad. At Real his Barcelona obsession was damaging, in Italy and England pre-2006 was inspiring. In hindsight it was always an implosion waiting to happen. No fans can be blame for getting caught up in the excitement but the writing was on the wall.. Early into the Cech saga I told @Kieran. that this issue was the first crack in the wall and cracks only get wider. It was a crack in Mourinho. Now he's hungry, he'll probably go great things at his next club but who knows if he's ready to change the way he will. Can't imagine him lasting too long at United if he picks a battle with Charlton and co.

Yeah I don't care much for the argument of established stars anymore. Particularly a forward's ability and youth level is very hard to judge just from reserves. We've had multiple top scorers in the past like Borini (who was scoring for fun) end up at Sunderland at the pinnacle of their careers. Other names including Carlton Cole, Lalkovic. There's no saying Solanke will be scoring for fun elsewhere, we see Bamford not being in favour of any of the PL loan clubs he's gone out to. My issue is simply, we're a hypocritical club. We're so invested into the success of our academy but their use has been scarce. Our managers are given a mandate, supposedly, by Roman to be blooding the youth in but then are given players signed for exceptional sums to keep their place. We're actually in a good stage now for them to come in. With players like Ramires gone; Mikel, Oscar, Terry, Pato and Falcao heading out; Fabregas, Willian, Azpilicueta in their later 20's, we have a good opportunity to balance this squad for once. Signings are needed, hence players like Radja linked, but the 'squad' player have to start coming from these multiple Youth Cup winners now. I'm under no illusion we won't be loaning 50+ players out again next season. It keeps us profitable on all levels of football, but the winners have be rewarded with first team opportunities. It's one thing to do it close-season when there's nothing to play for, it's another throwing them on in a game that matters. Like an article I posted before stated about Potchettino, he wasn't afraid to bring 'fringe' HG players on like Mason when they were chasing the game.

Maybe, maybe not..

To be fair, isn't that the whole issue in the Neymar case?