Bir_CFC

Lukaku is nowhere near dominant in the air (yet) and his hold-up play is still not that good. Ba is better on both those accounts. Lukaku plays like Torres. Lukaku/Torres with Ba is a good combo, so Ba should def stay as he is different than both whereas Lukaku and Torres have a very similar playing style, only difference is that Lukaku plays like a man. You don't get anything more or different from Torres instead of Lukaku except better vision, but I rather have a bigger goal threat (Lukaku) instead of that. It's hard to judge how Lukaku does, but he def has the tools to become a reliable first choice striker this very year. However, it wouldn't be surprising if he struggles with inconsistency. That said, we're def much better in our striker department than last year, but good enough to win the league? Not sure. Hopefully I'm wrong, I can't put anything past a determined Lukaku.

Spurs have one of the best midfields in the EPL now. Arsenal and Spurs both have a better midfield than us. We need one more holding mid to get back to the best mid imo.

Well for his sake, let's hope he's able to push for a lot of game time cause I'd hate for him to loose out on a place for the world cup squad. Can't wait for the new season!!!! Another sexy beast for the pivot!! Now get De Rossi so he can teach this kid how to grow a beard!

Anzhi have denied any interest. Or, it could be just us saying fuck off now since Cavani isn't happening. Either way, looks like he's staying. Nothing wrong with it as he's a cheap backup anyways.

He'll be a club legend, he'll never be Cole dominant, but he'll be Cole reliable for a good decade.

I honestly think De Rossi couldn't give two shits about winning the Ligue 1 title nor the money. He would have made different choices if those things mattered to him. I'd reckon he'd only leave Roma if he's moving to a CL contender with a good coach. That still doesn't rule out PSG but it doesn't rule out Chelsea either. If Chelsea are serious about getting him, I really don't see how Mourinho doesn't tip it in our scales.

Well good luck to Cavani, nothing wrong with PSG. The league might not be fun but they def have a good enough team to go far in the CL. Would have loved him to come here but the quoted price is just ridiculous. Now we must turn our attention to other strikers. Who really is available? Rooney would be my first choice, but no way would United sell to us. Lewandowski, Dortmund isn't parting ways with him it seems, and even if they do he'll probably go to Bayern. God, Tevez woulda been nice for 10M, I still think he's class. Dzeko isn't leaving now since City didn't get Cavani. Don't want Suarez here even if it's for free. So, who else is really available that will improve us? Looks to me like we're sticking with Lukaku, Ba and Torres. Let's hope Mou can bring the best out of them.

Who is Ginkel and the rest? When Chalobah is 21, we'll have Mikel, Ramires, Romeu and Van Ginkel only. When RLC is 21, we'll have Romeu and Van Ginkel only. I really don't see what you're talking about being overcrowded. Point of transition season is definitely NOT to finish 4th but blood in youngsters. Point of a transition season is move towards a different set of players, playing style etc. You could buy 6 30 year olds and integrate them next season and that will still be called a transition season. Transition has absolutely nothing to do with integrating youth into the team. If you want to integrate youth and be content with 4th then have fun turning Chelsea into Arsenal for the next 10 years. Chelsea's transition is not to get younger (that's a by product thanks to good scouting). Our transition is the immersion of a new playing style, with a new set of players. Emenalo has done an amazing job to ensure the new set is still very young too. Chalobah and RLC will gain experience playing in Chelsea, but it'll be at a cost. Getting babied through a long season with Carling Cup and useless games can only help so much. You know what's good experience? Chalobah fighting for his and his team's life in the Championship for a playoff spot, that's good experience, not a Carling Cup game where he gets 30 minutes after we're up 5 goals. Right now, their physical and technical development is more important than experience. Experience will come in due time. It's a myth when people say these youth kids need experience. Yes they need some top level experience but priority should be towards their physical and technical development before you shove some experience down their throat. They are still kids for god's sakes. They need consistent playing time wherever that may be, they need specialized training and top level coaching. Physical, technical development comes first for teenagers. Once they are far in that development, then start worrying about experience. Oscar, KDB, Lukaku and Van Ginkel. These guys have been through their initial development stage and are now on their path to amass experience at the top level to be able to cope with the pressures of being at a club like Chelsea (I would say Lukaku is still very raw, but he's a freak athelete so he's an exception). Chalobah, RLC, McEachran are still in their initial stages of development. They need to focus on other things before we start worrying about whether they've had good experience.

Chalobah is only 18 and has only had 1 season and that in the Championship. You're on something if you think we should put that kind of responsibility on a guy that young. He needs consistent time in the EPL to develop before he's ready for Chelsea. Van Ginkel has already played 120 games for Vitesse, he's a full international for Netherlands and will most likely be part of their world cup squad next year. Now you tell me which player we have in our midfield ranks that is that far in their development? And, don't even mention RLC, dude is 16, by the time he gets to 20, 21, Lamps, Essien, Mikel will be all gone, Ramires will be close to the end of his career and Van Ginkel would be our first choice starter alongside Chalobah most likely. I understand what you're saying, but Van Ginkel thread def isn't the place to bring this up in. Van Ginkel is the same place in his development as Oscar was last year and KDB, Lukaku are this year. They have had good experience and can help the first team. Chalobah is two steps behind (another loan) then Chelsea squad, and RLC is 3 (championship loan, EPL loan, Chelsea). And, guys like Lewis Baker and Ake aren't good enough to make it for Chelsea imo. They'll still have a good career and owe a lot of Chelsea academy for developing them and handling their loans, but they aren't as good prospects as RLC and Chalobah.

He's nothing like KDB, in what ways is he similar? KDB will never play in the pivot, he might get a run-out as an attacking CM in a 4-3-3 but that's it. Van Ginkel on the other hand is solely for the pivot/midfield. Defensively, he's miles miles better than KDB. KDB is an attacking player, wherever he'll play his instinct is to attack (it should be, this is where his value lies). Van Ginkel is a box-to-box mid who will look to control the midfield, provide defensive cover, tackling, positional discipline and with him you get a bonus of goals thanks to his great movement and deep runs from midfield, ala Lampard.

So for DM position, this is our depth chart: 1. Mikel 2. Ramires 3. Lampard 4. Van Ginkel 5. Romeu 6. Essien Mikel - Ramires would still be my first choice pivot for big games, Ramires is just a different animal in big games. But, Romeu-Van Ginkel would be my second choice, or Essien/Lamps - Van Ginkel if Romeu is leaving. Think Van Ginkel is a Ramires/Lamps replacement really in the pivot since he's not a holding mid and a box-to-box player. That said, would still like to get a Mikel replacement, hopefully De Rossi.

Nice, but Courtois and KDB are probably worth twice as what it's listed here.

you remember what you searched for?

Great news :D

Just noticed, that's my picture there in the article banner, right? :D Awesome!! Let me know if you ever use any more, feels good.

/thread

New signings: GK - Backup to Cech, preferrably home-grown LDM - Holding mid, De Rossi hopefully RDM - Box-to-Box mid, Van Ginkel possibly My rationale behind this formation and those players: As you can see I have Oscar in the middle and slightly deeper than the other 2 "wingers". It's really a 4-2-1-3 with the "1" playing a little deeper than a CAM but with the LW/RW playing high up with the striker, essentially a 4-3-3 but I wanted to give Oscar or whoever else plays in the middle more freedom thanks to the assurance of 2 midfielders behind him. This solves 2 major areas of concern for us. First, the lack of a player in the middle of the pitch to set the tempo and help control the game, second, someone who can link the midfield and attack so Hazard & co. don't have to drop too deep. Added bonus, is that you're finally playing Oscar in his best position. The major weakness I see with is Mata on the RW as he will drift in and won't be able to provide adequate defensive cover. This is where the RDM (box-to-box) will help. Whenever Mata plays RW, he will undoubtedly come central, this is where Ramires will move wide to cover the flank or even overload it. Oscar will also play a part here because he can now cover the middle of the park if Ramires is on the right. Against weaker teams, instead of Ramires you let Oscar cover the right and let Ramires makes runs from deep through the centre. Mikel (LDM) will always be holding, so we'll always have one guy back for protection. Against, weaker opposition, or when you need to score, I'd simply flip the midfield triangle leaving one holder and two attacking CMs. You can do this without making one substitution.

Thanks a lot, so I'm guessing if we did bid for him then he might get loaned back to Sporting. Wouldn't be the worst idea if he feels he still needs a year or two in Portugal to develop.

So he's partly owned by other teams?

When you get a chance, mind sharing a little more information about him since you seem to have followed him for a while? Would love to get to know a little more about him than just the "next Ronaldo" tag that the media loves spouting any chance they get.

The Skipper

Yep, very true. But to get that recognition he has to score dem goals. Sure, he can surpass the recognition Bale gets in due time, but it'll take time, if he adds goals it'll happen next year. Not only will he surpass Bale though, he'll surpass everyone in the EPL. Even at Chelsea last year, Hazard had that blip in mid-season hence why Mata won POY, but to be honest, Mata had his fair share of average performances but in one magical moment every poor game he'd either bag a goal or make a key assist and next thing you know no one remembers his shite performance. It's sad really, but goals seems like the be all and end all in terms of media recognition. Even this year, all of a sudden people start rating Luiz just cause he scored a couple screamers, when in fact those probably came during his poorest form of the year lol.

Don't buy the Ramires deal, if anything that's probably what Napoli requested but were told to fuck off. Chelsea don't need to sell Ramires to afford Cavani. The issue isn't affordability, it's the actual valuation.

Luiz will kick their ass way before it gets to the line (if you know what I mean)

You can't afford benching Mata, like him or not, he makes a huuuuge difference on the scoreboard, and we have no one else that can produce at that level yet. Hazard is close but he needs to add more goals to his game, which he probably will this season. In the big games, where you need every single player to do a job I can understand employing Oscar in the number 10 role but the PL will be Mata's to rule imo. He'll def be favoured over Oscar simply because of the stats he can put up.