Tomo

Damm, when I saw this thread active I thought there was a genuine rumour of our interest. I'd happily see us pay £50m for this guy if the alternative is spending even more on Lukaku.

The point I'm trying to make is, when AVB was sacked, their was even more animosity towards some of the squad than their is this lot, if you don't believe me trawl back to the AVB thread at the time of his sacking and check out the post match thread for West Brom (the game that sealed Andres fate), it was carnage, Lampard was even branded scum at one point. The part I bolded, that was also aimed at that squad in AVBs last days "why should I care when these tossers dont give a shit" one of the posts in said West Brom thread. I don't nesseaerily agree, but many times in that season David Luiz was named as the only player who gave a shit just like with Willian a lot last season. Of course I don't doubt what those players did for the club, but their were many cases in 10-11 and 11-12 were it looked like they were playing within themselves.

@Essien19 It's funny you mention that, because like the players when Jose left, the ones under Andre were getting a lot of stick when he left, in fact a fair number on here declared Lampards legend status destroyed along with Cole's, if they got another chance, don't these? As a player myself, I know how hard it is to perform when all type of shit is going on, on a team i played for at 19 one player shagged anothers wife, it set a toxic atmosphere, affected all our form including mine and I wasn't particularly close to either. Point is whatever happened last season happened, these players shown already they can be winners, they deserve a chance under Conte.

1. That's because Fergie at worst lost a couple of players, easy to replace two. 2. If Fergie was ever one point of relegation with the festive period looming then even he would have been sweating for his job,the worst he's been at that period I think was 9th in 01/02, Jose would have been given time to turn things round from that position. As anyone would vouch on here, I loved him as much as anyone, but he fucked up, big time, and had to go.

Scolari and AVB lost the dressing room and the latter had a far inferior team quality wise, yet neither were as bad as Jose's last six month's. And these supposed rats, a lot of them were signed by Jose,a maybe you could excuse him if it was players he inherited, but say we ditched them, what if the new signings were also "rats"? And I'm sorry, I couldn't under any circumstances be happy if Jose returns with MANCHESTER UNITED and beats us, only one manager will be getting my support and cheers that day and that's Antonio Conte, and i really hope he does to Jose what Simeone did to Mou in that CL semi. I thank and respect him for what he gave to us, but that's as far as it goes now.

Shed end have moved their Jose thread to their version of football banter, isn't it about time we do the same?

The games have started since his generational success comment. Hes going to be unbearable in the days leading up to his Stamford Bridge return but unlike when he returned with Inter I believe we have the manager to deal with him, both phycologically and tactically.

No it ain't, Lukaku often makes terrible runs or doesn't make the the run atall, I remember twice vs Italy he ould have been through on goal had he made a good run, but didn't. Costa on the other hand his movement has defenders tripping over themselves, he's just as big a reason as to why we stopped struggling to break down parkedbuses in 14/15 as Cesc, If not more.

Off the ball movement, Costa is top class at that, Lukaku is non existent.

It's been what? Four days since the best midfielder of the last 12 months in England was signed and already you're bored and want a new toy Oh, an if you genuinely believe Emenalo is in charge of transfer negotiations you need a long lie down.

Probably, just putting some options out there. Also, I just been on Rubens thread and Antonio has hinted he is going to turn him into a forward.

Thats why I think Gyan could be a good option for us, let's us splash out in major problem positions and we have a squad player proven in the league, I know hes played ffar east for years but he still plays for Ghana and in that time has scored 25 in 46. Him, Costa, Bats and Traore not only give us a perfect youth/experience blend but also a variety of different attributes. I just don't think my heart can take a Lukaku-Costa partnership, the amount of clumsy touches would be soul destroying, find them both on a bad day were as good as playing with nine.

I respect his goal record but he can't trap a bag of cement and unlike Costa doesn't make up for it with intelligent runs to pull defender's. If we can't find another top option id rather take my chances on Bats-Costa partnership and sign a good squad player, I'd probably get slated for this but if we can convince him to take a big wage cut i wouldn't say no to Asamoah Gyan for a season.

Its gets harder with every passing day, its harder than trying to give up the fags.

We need to beat Liverpool. Even if a friendly, I dont want Klopp getting one over on Antonio.

We go to Old Trafford in April, in really really hope Conte sees of Jose's title bid the way Simeone saw off his CL bid in 2014.

Allardyce to be confirmed England manager tommorow. Fantastic appointment, should have happened in 2006 but better late than never.

Can't help but notice how quiet Bellion has gone since this signing has been announced

Atleast it shows Conte values a good number two aswell, between Jose's two spells the only keeper we signed was Turnbull.

Serie A was by some distance the best league in the world until the match fixing scandal, maybe not entertainment but on a technical and tactical level it was streets ahead.

It would be total carnage. Say it started in 2008 for argument sake, average manager would get appointed and he would have been given all the time in the world because the average fan is still stuck in the "give managers time look at Fergie" mindset, and that's the least of the rubble, judging by comments on here alone this summer id hate to think what our transfer outlay would be.

Is it just me or was he very reluctant in saying Mikel's name in this clip? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-rkWMq7Ct0

That's good then, my biggest fear in a 4-4-2/4-2-4 is getting overrun in the centre, happened a lot to City in 13-14, Chelsea, Bayern and Barca all battered them at the Ethiad with that extra man in the middle.

To put my mind at ease, how will the two man midfield cope against 4-5 men? will the wingers or even one of the forwards drop into midfield off the ball? Im sure Conte has a plan round it, if we had one of the members of purist FC I would be worried.

Even last season under Guus the team did have some good movements and there was some top class moments all be it poor opposition, but showed that we still have a capable squad. The chink was down the middle, the City game brutually exposed that, and Antonio has gone along way to fixing that with Kante in and hopefully Koulibaly to follow, could you imagine those ridiculous City counters happening on their watch? No chance.