Tomo

Depends which half of 2010, the first half just Hazard and maybe Courtois, the second half however.......

How hilarious, after weeks off moaning about how the board are low balling and can't finish their dinner now we look to have made a breakthrough whining about the price, unreal Ultimately as many have pointed out our defense is vaunrable, other teams will feed on that especially as Kalidou is the best available defender in the market, so we might have to pay a bit extra on this occasion but it's how it goes.

Why not? The last loanee this far ahead in his loan programme was Courtois, and we benched a still high performing Petr Cech to play him. He has experience playing in a back three, Antonio I believe wants to play that system in the long run, I will be amazed if he is not here next August.

He had two CL campaigns, his second one he got knocked out of the group stage so should have done better but his first one he can't have any blame attached, he went to the quarter final and lost to Bayern Munich, no one was beating that Bayern team and the next round they smashed Barca 7-0. It's worth remembering Fergie was awful in cups until the mid 00's but then picked it up, i'm not saying Conte is going to be here 26 years or be as good but he at Juve seemed a bit similar mould, the league's the bread and butter, sort that out and the cup's will take care of themselves, which is what i like, i hate it when managers like Rafa (at Liverpool) and Carlo see the league as secondary to the CL, you could be steaking the success of you're season on one game, one moment even.

I think this will actually work. Belgium have a decent defence and as shown in his first season at Everton, if he leaves the defenders he inherits alone then not to big a problem. Belgium need a coach who will get the best out of their crazily good attack, and on the budget they have, Roberto's probably the best appointment on balance.

That will come, we weren't going to go from what we saw last season to champagne football over night, plus Adrian made three top saves, if it weren't for him game would have been over by time Collins scored.

With respect what the hell are you on about? We totally dominated the game, West Ham had one half opportunity and netted. The attacking play was the best it's been since late 2014, the pressing was good considering Conte didn't go hammer and tongs to protect that back four. I'm not saying all problems are over, but this is the best we have played for a long, long time.

Has anyone got a gif of Conte's celebration for the winner? I used the break in play to go to the bog screaming my head off. Even if it ended 1-1 a lot to be positive about, not that I want us to go the whole season with this back four, but with the right protection and tactics were solid.

Alaba and Marcelo didn't start as fullbacks either Most of the best attacking fullbacks got moved back because they weren't good enough to be a winger.

Liverpool were great for 20 minutes but abysmal for the rest of it, against Koscielny and Mustafi (assuming he signs for them) that would have been a comfortable 3-1 for Arsenal. They remind me of our teams in the few years pre Roman, on a good day can rip even the best to pieces, but are just far to inconsistent, like our team then they could become a great cup team, but the league isn't happening for them.

We had a defender all but signed, but he done his ligament and that was the end of that. Yet I bet if we had Rudiger people would be moaning that we didn't try for Koulibaly.

Cesar is better on the left defensively, the last thing we need to do right now is jepordise the one bit of defensive solidity we have got, maybe long term but right now, no, also having Cesar LB helps vs the growing influx of left footed right wingers. Would be CB and RB if I had the choice, I wanted Clyne when he was available but that ships sailed.

Pedro will be a good asset if used properly, his strengths are movement and combinations, an last year our team didn't have much of that.

This summer we have signed the best CM in the league, a forward with huge potential and are actively chasing the best defender attainable to us. If we pull Kalidou off we have signed a new top spine that will serve us for the next six years, and we still have people constantly bashing the board for no reason. Id be genuinely worried for some people if we operated on a transfer committee like Liverpool do, imagine this place if we signed Klavan and a late 90s Arsenal reject?

Funny thing is, people who said we should have got a CB in for pre season, well we did, but unfortunately that particular rug got pulled from under our feet as he done his ACL. Whats even more ironic however, is no one fucking wanted him

Turnbull was thrash but Hilario was actually pretty good at filling in for one/two of games, it was when he had to play more he started flaking. I feel he was overrated, or maybe he just looked good compared to the rest of the team I dunno. He got beat six times at his near post (which is quite ironic considering that was the main reason people wanted Tibo dropped in spring) and should have done better for a further four goals, ten goals in a few months is a lot.

As much as I would celebrate with the rest of you when their days of starting are over, our defensive problems last season ran a lot deeper than those two.

Watching how Leicester's defense crumbled so far this season leaves me hoping Kante will have even our back four looking somewhat solid, that's if the worse happens and were stuck with them for the season which I don't think will be the case. As poor as our defense is, no way are they worse than Simpson and Morgan, who despite last season are Championship player's.

Given that Cesar is much better defensively on the left, is it currently worth risking jeopardising the one bit of solidly we have in defense? (No guarantee Kalidou will hit ground running).

No offence but have you two actually seen him play or are you just assuming he's crap because he plays for Sunderland? If it's the former and you've came to the conclusion he's not good I apologise but if it's the latter then read on. We signed Duff from Blackburn Rovers, Gudjohnsen signed from Bolton, Joe Cole and Lampard signed from West Ham, Cech from Rennes and Hasselbaink came in after being relegated with Leti. All those players came in from unfashionable clubs/teams and all contributed to great moments for us and (bar Jimmy) trophies. From what I've gathered from SAFC forum's Kone is the main reason Sunderland escaped last season, maybe, just like them players mentioned, he's outgrown his current club and is looking for a step up?

Maybe moving this thread to football banter will help things?

Got a feeling Conte is going to be Jose's new Fergie, ie the manager in the league he brown-noses.

Mikel played further forward in half his games under Jose, only dropping back when Maka didn't play. It was under Scolari he started playing DM full time.

Im really happy. Im from the West and been waiting all my life for Chelsea to play one of the Devon or Bristol sides, would have preferred Exeter or Plymouth but beggars can't be choosers.

Initially I was against it but thinking about it now it makes sense. If the last pre season games are anything to go by we aint playing 4-2-4 anymore, meaning being 3rd choice in a team with no European football basically means seriously limited game time, we might aswell use Remy for that role and let Bertrand develop with regular games.