LDN Blue

Ah yeah but you have to remember how sporadic his appearances have been. I mean there's a reason he was called integral to the Atletico team that won the La Liga right?.. Ivanovic has had an unjustifiable run and been exploited time and time again. He hasn't learned from those mistakes either. Azpilicueta switching to the right flank will help out with Cahill well, until he's replaced. Luis and Terry may have a successful partnership on the left if he was allowed a run of games perhaps.

Oh. Well don't type in a misleading way - But I still think that neither Luis or Azpi would concede near as many goals as Ivanovic does in a full-back position. I don't believe that for a second, especially because we know how reliable Luis can be.

Behave - Ivanovic should've been either moved to striker or dropped from RB a long time ago. To suggest he's one of our 'best' fullbacks is an odd one from you Chou

Anyone smell contract stunt with this?

A case of what should've been again mate. This is a poster example, if we didn't have enough of those, for when misguided loans stagnate a player awfully. Delac had a huge name coming to us, and some of the videos I saw in the early days had me thinking we were onto another gem that could turn out to be our next Petr eventually. Unfortunately almost every loan he went on, he couldn't get past the keeper who was already there. -- As for the OP. Third goal keeper is a very precarious position, you need someone who knows they might even play >10 games a season.. In that case you want someone from the academy because at least they're getting game time in reserves/u21s. They would only need a call up when the situation requires and it's easier to pull a player from reserves/u21s. Not sure how Blackman has progressed lately, but I know there's some excitement for Beeny. I remember we had Sam Walker as a third choice not too long ago and he was quite impressive in the reserve league and on various emergency loans he was sent out on, but I'm sure he's probably moved on by now. Ideally you want someone in their late 30's, who are happy to play a bit-part role (which I'm against, see Ferreira..) or someone young enough to bide their patience.

Oh yeah I get that and I agree also. It's all good having a long-term vision, which is what Sterling would be, but short-term is also needed which is why Cuadrado is worth keeping around also. So it's sometimes difficult to judge how to pick one over the other, it really depends on the state of the current squad. It's well noted how I feel about Sterling's potential which is why I think he'd be a great idea over Arda. Keeping Willian & the Colombian as back ups. Let's not forget those 2 can also rotate with Hazard &/or Oscar so they'd be needed. For the last point, yes you are right. You have to have a strong backbone to be able to not let a transfer fee phase you. Figo was one of the best to do it, moved for an enormous amount of money in hostile circumstances but appeared unphased at all. Torres on the other hand felt the weight of the world with being the British transfer record fee holder. But let's not forget that Mourinho will go to the death for his players & that could be enough for Sterling to be strong enough to carry that fee.

Every manager we've had has had their 'favourites' from the academy. These are the players that then get put into the limelight and the hype beings, which is justifiable imo. McEachran was an Ancelotti favourite and to an certain extent Villas-Boas took a punt on him but it seemed like AVB just wasn't interested in the first place in young Josh. Since then we've had Aké become flavour of the season & now it's Loftus-Cheek. It's a consequence of modern football, and the English development system generally, that with a revolving door policy with managers that young players who show promise often get forgotten about. It's like I tell many people, if Messi was trying to ply his trade here he would've been instantly dismissed for being too short. It's only because Barcelona took the decision to give him growth hormones did he turn out to be the GOAT.

This is the Luke Shaw v Filipe Luis debate all over again. With Shaw's first season at United not going so well, it's easy to say that Luis was a better option as he was cheaper and we might even recoup some of the transfer fee paid to Atletico. But what you've got with Shaw, like Sterling, is time to develop these players. If they don't develop they still have resale value, the younger they are the more likely other teams are likely to take a punt. As we've done by taking Falcao, despite seeing what he did (or rather, didn't*) do at United. I'll always believe that the younger option is better, because you have to have faith that these young expensive players will develop how they should. It obviously depends on what you already have in your team, and this team is made up of a great mix of experience. Hazard, Matic, Fabregas & co now know what it's like to win the PL. Terry's been around forever and Courtois is coming into his own. The average age of this squad is 26.9 iirc. Adding a 20-year old Sterling for £40m is a gamble, but it's not like we're in a position where we'd lose a lot if the gamble doesn't work out.. If that makes sense?

Thought I'd move this to here, before we clog Oscar's thread up anymore lmao. But yeah I do agree that at City he will be a success, but even here at Chelsea he would do well. With Fabregas in the team, either alongside Matic or further forward, Sterling could thrive of the service. He'll also add another dimension by interchanging sides with Hazard as we used to see Hazard do with Willian. With Chelsea's, respectable, position of not going beyond £40m it is likely that City will prevail. But it would be a great coup if Chelsea can secure his signature despite Manchester offering more in wages.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong I do agree that a team challenging for titles and trophies should have goals from all over the pitch. I was merely trying to state that in regards to the whole Arda/Sterling debate that sometimes it is okay that maybe sometimes a player doesn't contribute that many goals if the overall play compensates for others picking up the goals. Hazard, hopefully, will be more decisive and clinical in front of goal. He's discussed that as a personal goal and so hopefully we'll actually see a good return from him, Costa, Falcao etc.

Arda is a bit of a different case I suppose, but Sterling has plenty of time to discover his goal scoring touch. As a winger he hasn't quite managed to excel in this area, but neither has Hazard yet. They've both still got time to learn to get into these opportunities and start doing them on a consistent basis.

Yeah I get that, but it shouldn't be a deterrent of a signing either. You want a bit of both, but not everyone has to be a goal scorer. It's not like these guys don't contribute to the goals others score too though.

Take that 20yo with chicken attitude, add on Jose Mourinho and you might not have to wait 'five years'.

I wonder though, if Oscar was sold would you be content with Arda coming into the squad? Say for example, as some members hope for, that Willian is placed in the middle and Arda out wide?

Lol I don't understand really why everyone talks about the goal scoring abilities of Arda & Sterling, that it goes against them. They're not strikers lol, we have Costa et al to score our goals. Players like Arda, Raheem and any other wide/attacking midfield based players are there to help the team score these goals. As with Willian, brings a tremendous work ethic and has a brilliant change of pace. All of those helped us win the title, not all XI have to score 20+ goals a season for them to be considered one of the greats. Hell even Chelsea ability.

Yeah I do agree with that, for his own career it was time to move on. We did hope well for him though, once Germany won the WC we believed Schurrle could force his way into the first 11. But like you said, the hot form of Willian was just too difficult for Andre to overcome. I think he'll always get respect though, the manner of his departure was respectable and he left us a WC winner.

It's a shame about Shaqiri though, I remember seeing him at Wembley for Switzerland vs England. Before his Bayern days he had bags of potential. He was young, pacey and effective.. Stagnation of development on the bench does that to a player, once that happens certain players are just content with getting paid.

Mm, precisely. The German is more of a substitute player, no disrespect intended but he's more in the Kalou category of players. Sterling isn't, if he develops correctly and under the right pupilage.

Statistics are always interpreted in different ways, that's why 9 times out of 10 (lol, the irony) statistics makes for a weak argument. Player debates should be on merits of ability, impact, what they bring to the team etc. Different players thrive in different formations, tactics & philosophies.

Actually, I think you're wrong mate. He's only started 5x from the bench and most of his substitutions happened between 80-90mins.. Also the frequency of these substitutions suggests rotation/rest because they're all over different periods of time.. In other words, he's not consistently substituted off.

Schurrle was a fan favourite of everyone, but even the most tinted glasses would show that Sterling (I haven't seen much of Griezzman) is far better than the German.

Well he only started on the bench 5x from what I'm seeing.

you're easily outraged, aren't you mate?

That's what I don't get. Here's a player with more promise and potential, with time on his side. I don't think any football fan can truly disagree that under Mourinho Sterling can become one of the greats. This is the problem with the perception of English players. Are they mostly over exaggerated and overpriced? Yeah, that's just a cultural problem in this country of thinking England is better than they are, so mediocrity gets more praise. But as I've said before, it's a double edged sword because it also holds back people from truly seeing a gifted, talented player when they see it.

People like to talk about Sterling like he's reached the prime of his career and is ready to compete with established world-beaters. Of course he's not top10 yet, but as someone said, he's knocking on the door at the age of 20! If he was Spanish or Brazilian..