LDN Blue

Seems he'll be available this summer.....

When's the AGM?

If anyone's interested Football Leaks got their hands on the written transfer agreement between Chelsea and Porto for Atsu, confirming €3,000,000 fee. https://openload.co/f/Iqa7WLhFEXg/FC_Porto_%26_Chelsea_-_Christian_Atsu.pdf

Well done lad! Hope he'll get a chance to continue kicking on.

Is there an ex-staff member club anywhere?

Lmao, he's not half bad is he?

Somewhere in Roman's basement.

Payet is truly a phenomenal player, great movement on the ball. Very clever. Shame he turns 29 this year, would've easily been a great signing for any top club. He's in his element at West Ham.. I see Liverpool going after him, or Arsenal to replace Carzola.

A very loose term of the word "goalkeepers"

Lmao, another one. I remember this kid, wonderfully talented winger. Apparently left, iirc, because he wasn't able to secure any game time guarantees from the manager - Same time we sold Stoch. Scored a couple of beauties too.

Fuck sake. Are we Arsenal? Is this Kallstrom in disguise?! Thank fuck we kept hold of Remy, not that he'll play or anything.

No doubt, had a positive attitude to start attacking plays from his position. You do wonder what could have become of him if he did remain injury free, at least he's got a new lease of life at Southampton. Though it looks like his injury didn't affect him too much, he looks a shadow of his former self (from what we'd seen). But in trying to keep this on topic of Zouma, I think there are distinct differences that'll benefit him at Chelsea. He's a favourite of fans and management alike, he's young but mature enough to share a position with John Terry and keep Cahill out the team. People say how his knees will be a problem because he relies on his pace and strength, to be honest until he comes back and proves that theory wrong all we have is theory. But the graphic @the wes showed goes to disprove that slightly.

Yeah I do, but I meant it was so short-lived that we quickly moved on to be honest. That's why I don't think we'd loan Zouma out when he would come back to fitness because he because an important part of that back 4. Certainly the only one who showed any signs of turning up, particularly early in the season. It's funny looking back though. How shit scared were we Barcelona would come calling back? The many debates on the definition of buy-back v buy-out clauses - Now we couldn't care less so to speak, no-one mentioned any sell-on clauses hey?

Difference I find is that Zouma was actually a regular in the team. Unlike MvG and even Romeu, Zoma became a permanent fixture in the team for the whole season. The former 2 played but sporadically. Only Romeu was really hyped and by then we'd filled the midfield vacancy. It's clear Zouma's ceiling of potential is higher than the aforementioned.

Lol smh. Just expect that he'll be back to playing reserve football if we bring him back early

Nah I don't think it'll be a year man. He'll have the benefit (though he won't see it that way) of missing the Euros and thus giving him the entire summer to rest and look after his own physical conditioning. Don't expect he'll be ready for the beginning of the season, but I don't think it'll keep him out until 2017. Expect to see him October earliest.

Devastating but at a mere 21 he should come back in no time. Of course there's always a risk with knee injuries, particularly cruciate ligaments, but let's hope the big man pulls through!

Nah I don't see it at all to be honest. Drogba was a different case because he's a player and he continued to perform at the highest level.. But there's more to Drogba than Chelsea player, you saw how just a few days ago Eden spoke about how much of a mentor Drogba acted to him and reports earlier in the season indicated Drogba's departure was a massive deal in the dressing room. Didi continues to leave with the love and admirations of fans and players alike. You can't really say the same with Mourinho. Oscar, Costa, Fabregas and even Hazard are now performing at a level higher than what Mourinho got out of them. Clearly he didn't leave with the same love and respect Drogba left with. That being said, I'll give it to you that he left in a much better manner than he did last time. No big argument or circus drama (yet), so I don't think his relationship with Roman is severed but I'm sure the club's now moved on from Mourinho's ghosts. We haven't replicated such a dominant side for a prolonged period of time since 2004-09 and that trend only seems to be in continuation.

Probably why we'd then hire Simeone. He's had his fair share of battles with heavyweights and they're already billing him as the next world class manager.

so they sack him, but apparently still implement his ideas? Actually, that sounds perfectly like Chelsea.

I like that Drogba support he speaks of, hopefully the club will get him back to mentor Hazard once again. If Real have the lure of Zidane for Hazard, we've got the Big Man himself!

It's safe to assume now we know where Hiddink's objectives lie with youth, the FA Cup. So I have no realistic expectation of any different line up than to what we've seen of late. Matic, Mikel and Fabregas with Oscar, Hazard, Willian and Costa. Fact is we don't have anyone else lol. Pato and Remy weeks away and probably wouldn't even get into this team.

I've made my peace with Mourinho's legacy being dead and buried now in the history books. He won't ever walk into Chelsea again as a manager and so at least we're safe from media speculation when we seek a new manager once the newly appointed departs. So if Mourinho now chooses to go to United, best of luck, hope he doesn't win shit. At least you know he'll come back with respect and dignity with opposition, even if he does play his inevitable mind games. Hope we beat him whenever we play him.

Can't wait until we sell him and then regret it instantly.

Says who? A lot of praise was thrown at our now much loathed board. 'Astute', 'Clever', etc were thrown around to describe them. Roman personally was adored for his continued investment and will to bring back Mou. Plenty of praise was shared, as much as blame is now being shared. Mourinho's not magically abstained from criticism either.