LDN Blue

LMAO, oh dear Yaya

I was thinking that, wouldn't bonuses from winning the PL be factored or mentioned here?

amazing considering AVB is leaving them this summer as well. Give it time lol.

Reckon it's a bit soon for Barkley. We have a genuine need for Stones right now but I'd like to see another year of development at Everton - However this summer, especially with the Euros, could see demand high.

I'll be delighted if we sign him, even if it is for ridiculous money! It's clear he's capable of playing at a high level and as a signing in itself it'll be good for the team. Hope it's an early one, but we know it'll drag towards the end of Jan.

Yeah man, money definitely talks but we're not a sunk ship yet. It takes one world-class player to say yes and others will follow. Depends on the level of investment the club is looking to use. New stadium is coming up, entirely funded by the owner, we may have had to curb regardless.

Clearly still trying to work out a deal where he could still play, either way it's evident he wants to come work here. If it comes down to it, he'll probably retire.

Won't believe any 'leaving' rumours until there's something concrete. Real Madrid have history of media manipulation and rhetoric. The love to come out with these 'inside sources' and that prick Guillem doesn't help. I'm calling it now, in a few weeks Guillem is going to jump on this story and blow it. It's how the sign 90% of their players, but they're yet to set our resolve. They never have. I bet they're still mad about Makelele and we can't be too impressed about Robinho (that was Perez wasn't it?) - Shove it to them Roman!

Steve Holland or Paul Clement. The latter could do well with Derby this season.

Yeah, true that.. Drogba would be the closest if he retires and takes up coaching here long-term

Man we should do what Real Madrid and Man United are doing. Find someone young, maybe has just come out the game, and let him be an assistant to whoever we hire. Maybe that's what we're going to do with Drogba, perhaps he will be our Zidane or Giggs. We should talk to John Terry also in the contract negotiations, tell him he'll get an extension but in a dual role. We talk about wanting heart, leaders, people who try and don't fall out with the dressing room? John Terry is that guy. He's probably doing some badges anyway. As long as he stays away from his players' mrs' he'll be okay

I know, I was playing devil's advocate

I do agree with that. He should have done better and of course Mourinho is 1,000% the manager Rafa is so it's no surprise what Mourinho did with that team in 2013-14. He could do nothing about the CL though, once Juventus had beaten us in Di Matteo's last game there was no way for us to come back. Rafa actually won the last group game 6-1 remember?

He's hardly match fit though, has barely played anything for Palace - Plus if he's also going back out on loan then the same point applies that you made. I'd like to see Bamford, Musonda, RLC, Aina etc. But let's be perfectly honest here, if we lose there'll be outcry! The least fans are now expect is FA Cup since we're no longer in any other trophy race (CL too). So Hiddink can't really afford to fuck this one up. At most I think we'll see RLC coming off the bench with Aina and Musonda named on it. Ramires, Remy, Baba & Cahill will probably feature seeing as they're on the fringes of the first team at the moment

Tbh I'm not asking you to, neither do I. It was more on the merits of what he actually did with this team.. Just remember, we didn't have Costa, Fabregas, Matic or even Drogba at this time either. Sturridge had left for Liverpool and we were down to Torres & Ba only. Hell our double pivot in the EL final was Lampard-Luiz, that's a big insight into the shape of our team at that time.

Agreed, but that season was heading in one direction Rafa or no Rafa. As I said before, I think he stabilised a rocking ship - We'll both agree to the fact we're happy he's gone and never coming back

QPR want to rescue Chelsea defender from Middlesbrough loan as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink contacts former club

Yeah but if it was so easy why don't English clubs win it more consistently? It's one of the reasons I'm against us qualifying for the EL in the first place; long travels coupled with having to play on the Thursday without a Football Association unwilling to help such clubs is a hindrance. Trying to then balance the issues of qualifying for the CL with a top 4 finish was harder than it looked so credit where it's due. Rafa's instructions were to qualify in top 4 and win a trophy or 2.. Which he did. Let's not forget personnel wise. Signed Demba Ba for £7m in Jan and made the decision to move Luiz from CB to CM & Ivanovic from RB to CB; those 2 moves in particular sparked us actually beginning to win games. Like I said, I don't like the bloke and hope he never comes back to Chelsea. His campaign started awfully as well, loss to QPR iirc. But by the end he'd done what he came to do and really didn't damage us in any way.

Lol let's not be hypocrites mate. That season was a disaster Rafa or no Rafa. At that time he was the only one who made that midfield of Oscar, Mata and Hazard actually work - Thank fuck we got rid of that terrible incorporated nickname they made up on here. Let's face it, under Di Matteo we were a sinking ship. Rafa somewhat stabilised it. You can write off the EL win as much as you want, but we all celebrated it like it was any other trophy - In fact it was our second European Cup in as many years! The fact there's an argument on this forum that we should qualify for the EL and win it goes a long way to prove that. You can belittle the way we won too, but let's not forget how close we came to being battered by Bayern in 2012 I didn't like the bloke as much as anyone, but he did do 'well for us' imo..

I mean, you can argue that if Hiddink doesn't win the CL/EL then Rafa did better

Don't toy with my heart with these Stones, Isco & Marquinhos rumours. Guaranteed 2/3 are agents trying to get their clients better deals.

Right I don't feel that sorry for him He was never going to get fan approval at Chelsea, certainly not openly. We can admit amongst ourselves he actually did a job when he got here, finished top 3 with some silverware to show for it, but he even knew how unforgiving SB crowd could be. He did get a respectful goodbye though.

He put up with it so far to be fair & somehow he keeps finding himself in the Brasil team, so he can't have that much to complain about? But overall I do agree, there's no point in keeping him around if we do sign Isco (the outcry for Justice for Musonda would be incredible too). I reserve judgement on Isco though. We all thought Pedro would light up the League and he's taking his time to find his feet. Hopefully Isco won't be the same, but still.

Do have to admit, thought he would've burned out by now & gone back to in 2013-14 form. Glad he's proven me wrong and I hope he continues to keep developing.

Lool, I actually do feel sorry for him - to an extent. His failed media wars with SAF & Mourinho damaged him, rivals saw him as weak and naive. He's a knock-out competition manager, his track record proves that considering he's won both major European Cups, both with English teams as it happens! But he's one of those guys you'll either get along with really well or you won't and that'll be very damaging esp for Rafa. Terry didn't want him at Chelsea (much like the fans) & he's reportedly having problems with James at Real. Towards the end of his Liverpool tenure it was said Gerrard & Torres weren't happy with him either.