nadavTKL

God we're going to hear so much "city have that we don't" all week. It's amazing how frail some fans can be, almost like kids. Man up ffs.

never mind

Like i wrote earlier, the reporter/translator of Di Marzio says something else. He says its 30. Tbh im not yet sure, maybe he's wrong.

Its 20m Euros+bonuses up to 30m according to Di Marzio. According to Guardian its up to 28m Euros.

So explain Ivanovic? or Marcelo? thats his last two teams, its more relevant than 2006. I think he likes only one of his FBs to go far forward. Azpi is more defensive here, in Madrid it was Arbeloa.

The fee - http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/eng/chelsea-completes-deal-for-baba-the-financial-figures/ I still cant understand if the maximum fee is 26m (like the article suggests) or 30m like David Amoyal (a reporter/translater for Di Marzio) said on twitter.

I think it might be it this time. Di Marzio was the only one who contradict the reports about a done deal a week ago (from Bild), and he was also the first to report about Baba. The datails (Google translate, later they will translate it to english):

30m pounds on Stones and 18m pounds on Baba is far from nothing, if we get it done like the club is trying to do. Although i would agree not getting any reinforcement (at least one) in midfield seems silly and dangerous. About City spending tons on more attackers after scoring the most goals - its all about philosophy, Pellegrini believes that you need to win by playing open and attack attack attack, he scored the most goals but he didnt won the title, so he wants more goals rather than fix the defensive problems. Yaya is the best example for that. Pellegrini must know by now that playing him in CM destroys his defense, but he prefers to keep him there because of his attacking contribution. One thing is a sure thing - City will continue to be an embarrassment in Champions League. I dont think they will win the league like that, imo the title depends on our form, i believe City are the 2nd favorites.

After seeing and being reminded what a liability Ivanovic+Cahill are on this team, im a bit less concerned about the high prices of Baba and Stones, just want Ivan and Cahill off our XI as soon as possible. We have Zouma though, and i still think paying 48m euros on stones is a joke. While Ivanovic will continue to start for a while, at the very least. But, i guess Baba and Stones will create more competition and options to rotate, so things might change more quickly.

Agreed, this line up is ridiculously soft. Fernandinho would have tons of work, even more than he had last season. And he's not even a DM originally. i also dont think KDB is that great but thats a different subject. Im really waiting to see him again in PL, so much hype and i seriously cant undertstand it. Many people i know or read online are talking about him as world class talent when they watched him maybe 2 times. It will be nice to understand if he's really that good, or that i was right.

She's super cute! im feeling bad for her haha.. also hearing a girl like that talks about football... im not used to it but its cute. When West Ham will sign Song (i understand it didnt happen yet just because of his ankle surgery), they would have such an incredible midfield: Koyate-Song-Obiang ---------Payet---------- And they have that kid Oxford who looks kind a special. Im going to follow them this season.

I can't see Real and especially Barca going for him next summer, he would have to make a huge season for that to happen, both are covered in his positions. and without them i can see us getting him. I don't think any other team as "bigger attraction" than Mourinho's Chelsea, maybe Bayern (whose going to be without Pep probably). While he already said he would like to play outside France, when he'll make that big move. Btw I doubt he'll play here as a 10, I think of him more in RW.

Agree. But i think he just wants to stay another season to develop, and i think its the right decision. He knows he can make the big move next summer, and he's only 22. Hazard did the same after winning the league with Lille. Imo its a very mature way to handle his career, the complete opposite of Sterling. I love another Algerian btw, Yacine Brahimi. Really want us to sign one of those two.

Question is, how are we supposed to play? what are we supposed to do? playing Cesc in #10 means no Deep Lying Playmaker, no creativeness in center midfield, against the best teams when you need to move the ball quick it wouldnt work too well. If you want more steel and power in midfield the best solution for us is a box-to-box CM, someone who can defend well, link up well, attack well, obviously very dynamic, someone who would let Cesc stay as the DLP. Koke, Vidal, Pogba - they would make it work probably. I think Willian and Oscar (when in form) could play in a similar role, but to this point Willian isnt playing centrally, and when we're facing a strong team Oscar is benched for Ramires. I love Cesc as a player, think he is the 2nd most important player when we're attacking, but him as the DLP is proven to be a big problem for Jose and our development as a team. Jose is yet to find REAL solutions to this problem. His best solution is Ramires and he seems to think he cant get a better solution in this transfer window. I would take Witsel, but its mainly because im tired of Ramires and his nonsense, not because i think having Witsel (who is a DM who sits deep, similar to Matic) is the way to go or the missing piece we need to be complete. If Witsel would play here, after some time we'll all say the same - we're slow in the build up, we're attacking with four players max, we're predictable. "Its not ideal and we need better than that". We'll control games better than with Ramires, pass better, but Ramires on the other hand is box-to-box, he lets Cesc stay deep when the manager wants it, and he's joining the attacks around the box. Another problem which is the reason we cant regret buying Cesc or drop him or move him further up the pitch - there arent any world class DLPs in the market, never. It took us years to find Cesc available, and we were very lucky. As long as Koke and Pogba wont come to play for us, and there isnt a quality DLP in the market, the best solution IMO for this "Balance Problem" or "Big Games Problem" is in our own squad - Oscar (or Willian). Jose should work on getting Oscar-Matic-Cesc to be a reliable trio when defending.

One of the best players to come to PL this summer. Easily a starter/squad player for every team in the top 4.

The source is Marca. They're saying Bayern and Chelsea made a 65m bid for Koke and Atletico turned it down (they can't, it's his release clause), Psg made a 60m bid for Greizmann and United made a 35m bid for Oblak. I call bulshit on everything. Nobody talked about such offers, and Atletico has no say when a club wants to pay the release clause.

This sentence is SUCH a bulshit imo... people keep repeating it with no real essence to it. Btw i didnt talk only about media and pundits, more about neutral fans, opposition fans etc. Besides the fact some members here are always pessimistic and negative, they're also looking only at Chelsea's problems. So in saying "Chelsea wont win the league", it means some club will, but they're not analyzing the other clubs problems and their chances to succeed/fail. Ignoring that makes their post shallow.

Its tempting to say that, but on the other hand we're bidding 26m pounds for freaking John Stones. Money that could be spent on that one midfielder that will actually improve our XI. So i dont think its a money thing...

I agree about Zlatan, but im not sure they can afford to let him go without bringing another top Winger or a versatile striker like Lacazette. Lucas is still not there, it seems. I think playing Cavani on the wing is just not good enough especially when facing the best teams of Europe, it holds them back. So i agree about your formation, But dont think it will happen. Zlatan, Cavani, Di Maria and Verratti will be starters, so its another 2 from Motta (was not the same last season), Matuidi (big desicion for Blanc to bench him) and Pastore (who seems to show his talent more and more). Btw Khelaifi said today that Zlatan and Motta will stay (both contracts ends in a year).

Of course someone needs to leave for that to happen, and im still not completely sure Cuadrado will stay. There's also Mourinho's comment when talking about Moses - "We'll see what happens". I think there is more evidence that we consider getting a Winger this summer than a CM. Sky and Beasley were saying we wanted Sterling for a certain price, and Beasley also talked about Pedro. Nothing reliable about CM.

My dream is that they wont sell, and Jose will go "fuck it, lets put this money on a top class AM/CM". What a transfer window miracle this would be...

From my experience, everyone thinks we'll win the league except the members of TC. Its kind a special.

Seeing Ramires in the line up gonna be a big let down for the start of a new season... im preparing myself for it.

Jose already cant find the defensive balance he wants with Oscar in the team, so Gotze? no way he'll go for him.