Madmax

I'm happy with everything tbh, credit to the mods, admins and every member It's all top stuff and doesn't need any chopping-changing in the most part, though it would be great if we avoid threads going off-topic and full of back-and-forth arguments. Maybe a card system for warnings can be trialled. Though as I said, it's all good and there's nothing that I think is really pressing.

All that is okay, and to answer your question, no I haven't watched him play, but by calling him the best in his position in the world, you rate him above proven performers like Terry, Vidic, Puyol, Lucio and the likes, and that is too premature. I don't doubt the qualities you see in him, but calling him that is very premature.

Seriously?

Haha I'm 6 foot 4, but not the most mobile, though I would jump right in even if Uncle Carlo asked me to be Rhys Taylor's understudy Oh but I turn 21 in December, so he better call me quick otherwise I won't be able to join the squad under the 'unlimited under-21 players rule'.

oopsie-daisy. totally forgot kalouless.

Yes he is! Captain of the FA Youth Cup winning side. How can we let him go?

One point agenda : Keep Ess fit. It's unreal how much he's missed when he's injured.

It'll be a shame if he goes without having a chance to prove himself for a full season in the first team squad.

Great news - Let City have him. It's not like his arrival is going to plug their defence, not with Kolo Toure still around!

Makalamby

I'm not sure but will 33 million make him the world's most expensive defender?

Welcome mate

Wow why does everyone underrate Mikel so much? Is it because his position makes him less visible? He's a damn good young defensive mid. He's improved exponentially in the past couple of seasons. Yes he makes the odd mistake, and his mistakes tend to attract more attention because of where he plays, but he is the future of our midfield and it's high time atleast Chelsea fans start appreciating what he does for the team. He's not going to score goals so stop expecting that from him and slagging him off when he doesn't. Returning to Ramires, I'm a bit skeptical about him because I don't know what he's going to bring to us apart from lots of running and an option on the bench in case Essien gets injured. For me he's a bit neither here not there as in neither very creative nor very sound defensively, an in-between if you like. Yes he'll run and run and that's why he's been called a 'box-to-box' mid by many, but is he anything more than ordinary at either of the roles in that position? I'm not sure.

Of course the WC players are gonna play! It'll be a first team squad out there except the injured guys obviously.

My thoughts exactly, maybe in better words than what I would've managed

Torres, Ramires and Neymar? That's around 100 million - good luck with that.

I can't edit this post so sorry for replying again, but I think I messed up the interpretation of the homegrown rule. I interpreted it as players who've been at this club for 3 years before the age of 21, but actually the rules state that the player needs to have been at any English/Welsh club for 3 years before the age of 21. So that means Ash, Lamps and Turnbull will fall into the category of homegrown players. So my revamped list is : Terry, Lampard, Cole, Turnbull, Hutchinson, Bruma, Kakuta, Borini.

Who doesn't want to win trophies? When Blackpool walk out for their first ever Premier league game in a couple of weeks from now, it would be with the dream of winning the darn league come May. Make no mistake. Everyone's in it to win it. Whether you do win or not is another matter. So the whole argument about players being called 'mercenaries' for joining a club to win the biggest prizes the game has to offer is stupid and ignorant. Every supporter of every club wants their team to win something. Does that make everyone a gloryhunter then?

Lol I was thinking the same thing when I read the article

GK : Cech, Turnbull, Hilario DF : Terry*, Cole, Alex, Ivanovic, Hutchinson*, Mancienne*, Bruma*, Patrick van Aanholt*, Bertrand* MF : Lampard, Mikel, Essien, Matic, Benayoun, Kalou, Zhirkov, Malouda, Kakuta* F : Drogba, Anelka, Sturridge, Borini* Of course, this is based on assumptions that Ferreira, Deco and Carvalho and Franco will be leaving, none of the youngsters get loaned out and no new signings are made.

Can't believe we're serious about him. Not at 32 million ffs.

And why do we need Balotelli?

1.Chelsea 2.Man United 3.Arsenal 4.Man City

We Hate Scouse was being sarcastic ...

Patience. 30 days left in the window. Wait and watch.