Tomo

This has happened before with Minero, Falcao and to an extent Maniche, you can't lose with these type of deals, slating the board for this one just screams slating them for the sake of it. What is wrong with taking decent but with a bit of baggage players (else they wouldn't be available for loan if they had no baggage) on loan for a bit, if it's works we get a good player, if not bye bye, there is literally no downside to it.

Leicester are tailing off bad at the moment despite getting the results still, they only had one shot on target vs Newcastle, I feel sorry for the next manager if Ranieri goes to the Italy job, would be the definition of hiding to nothing. However five point's is a big advantage at this stage especially when you don't have to play the nearest contender, Leicester need 14 points in seven games and they will at worst have it in their hands coming here on the last day. Im not sure the players will roll over however, remember Blackburn in 95? You would think Liverpool would have rolled out the carpet for them especially given it was them or United and Dalglish was Rovers boss, but Liverpool beat them however United failed to take advantage by beating WHU.

That's like saying what's the point of saying Jose is better than AVB? Andre is 15 years younger, he might have 8 titles and 2 CLs when he's 53. Key word is might, shall we hold back on calling Jose the better manager because Andre is younger? If Lukaku goes on to win title's and prove himself at the very top level like Diego has then by all means hes at a level/better, but until then regardless of age gap, Costa is the better striker.

Theres no need to apologise honestly, sometimes things can get heated and its nothing compared to what I've seen here before. With Musonda vs Oscar, it's a bit different compared to Costa as Oscar is more a squad level player, the more appropriate players to use in this instance would be Hazard or Willian, to which I'd still be in favour of those two, if I compared Lukaku to a squad player say Remy in that instance, of course Lukaku even tho the latter is more decorated with his medals in top level. The way I see it as far as chances go, theirs small chances then a "proper" chance, the small chance is like the audition so to speak, when Lukaku first came he got that coming on against Norwich, got game time away at United, full match vs Fulham, got some game time vs Everton, Arse and Liverpool not long after, he didn't even remotely impress, which is why I use the recent example of Traore, Pato signed January and at that time Bertrand was probably 5th choice, he could have gone out on loan, didn't and has had his "audition's" and has impressed enough to climb to Costa's immediate back up, started the last two league games and was the one called to take his place vs Paris, i really believe there was an opening for Romelu if he impressed Traore style in 2011, after all Romeu broke through under Andre. The Eto'o signing was a complex but nessesery one, I touched up at the time that it was a pretty tough time for Romelu to be coming through, because all our attacking mids were really young too, I laid my concern's that summer that we were starting to look like Arsenal, we needed some experience to guide them young uns (Torres doesnt count) Samuel gave that, you only need to see how Eden Hazard mentions him to see what an impact he made on young player's. Eto'o gave us the bit of tactical intelligence our youth full attack line needed and truth be told, if he didn't get injured vs Arsenal, I think we would have won the title. Should have probably kept him as a sub option, but it appears he wanted a loan. I know the main thing for that season was build for the next, but their needs to be some sort of balance in the average age, Lukaku as #1 mixed with youthful AMs, lack of experience and would have took its toll. It would have been good to have Costa and Lukaku here, but Romelu didn't want that, the same way it was good to have Courtois and Cech but Petr didn't want to be on the bench.

Basing it purely on this season (as I do believe Jose took us to a level beyond the squad last season) I'm sorry but it's ridiculous to say there's been no difference since Guus took over. Under Jose in the league we had 15 points in 16 games losing 9 and scoring just 18 goals and were 16th, one point aboverelegation, since Guus took over in the league we have 25 points in 13 games are second in the form table since his arrival and have scored 25 goals, that's a huge difference. We look better in attacking play aswell, much better and PSG Guus didn't cover himself in glory but Everton didn't batter us, it was a cagey game opened up by one moment of brilliance. I'm one of Jose's biggest fans and I will say he did brilliant last two season's till I'm blue in the face, but this season he screwed badly and since he's gone there's been a big improvement, still some horrible displays and it was awful going out of two cups in a week, but Guus point return since his arrival is actually title form in this crazy season (75 points will likely win it this season, just under two points a game, which is our form under Hiddink).

The last team that brought "youth who will play for the badge" to Stamford Bridge got thrashed by all these players who "don't care". Yes play a couple, three tops but let's not go overboard.

I dunno, Dortmund managed to convince Castro to give up CL footy for a year, I think we could probably convince Kante to do the same.

That was the downside of having so many leaders in a squad, yeah they will beat us through some hard times but if you have so many personalities/leaders in the dressing room with it creates big ego's and that can become a problem with manager's that are "not for them". It's one thing them having the power in their prime but it's another when they were past it, I know they all made ammends with Munich but post double season till then having a bunch of undroppable players hitting father time was a huge problem. I think with Jose this season it was more than just losing the dressing room, I think relations between him and the team totally broke down to the point of no return, so many single things triggered it, whereas with Scolari and AVB it was more the leaders resisting the methods. The advantage not having that many leaders and big personalities in this squad will bring for Antonio is that he has practically got a blank canvas, this squad is at a sort of crossroads were we can go any which way in terms of style if play, whereas the 04-12 bunch were so set in their ways we basically couldn't change from the physical, fast counter approach, two managers tried and both failed.

Schurrle has hit a bit of decent form of late but beyond that has been poor since the world cup. We were poor in Matas first season here yet he played well, since early 2013 his form has gone spectacurly south and he looks a shadow of what he was before then, Matic gets a lot of stick for his bomb in form since 2015 yet Juan's in 2013 was just as steep, and considering he has broke the transfer record of one of the world's biggest club's I'm surprised their hasn't been more attention on how he looks a shadow of his old self.

I apologise I misjudged some of it, i confess i did see light years and got the wrong end of the stick but the point is regardless of the age gap, Costa has proven himself at the very top level and Lukaku despite his very impressive goal record hasn't, scoring goals for Everton and West Bromwich makes him a good premier league level goalscorer, he might go to Real/United and get even better and win them titles, but he might equally flop and return to what he's doing now,being a very good level PL scorer. If you want to compare Lukaku vs Costa when both are done then fine, but right now Costa is the much more proven pegigree if player, hes fired two different teams to titles in the two best leagues in the world, has done well for the most part in the CL (PSG 14/15 aside). Lukaku has so far had two shots at the top level which were with us in 11/12 (briefly again under Jose) and the 2014 World Cup, both of which he made complete dogs dinners out off. Jose is older than AVB, shall we hold off on saying Mou is better because Andre might have 8 league titles and two Champions League's when he is 53? If he does then he will be on level with Jose but right now he isn't, same goes with Romelu and Diego. Also Lukakus link up play isn't great, it may have improved the last year or so (was hard not too) but Costa is very underrated in link up/decision making department, I can't be bothered to reel endless examples but I'll leave three here that ended in goals, his part in Andre Schurrle goal at The Ethiad last season, Hazards guilt edged chance at the same ground this season and Ramires vs Liverpool.

If we are going to judge players on how old they were when they emerged then Theo Walcott would be the best player in PL history, he was playing for Arsenal at 16, were was Bale at the same age? James? Suarez? Ibrahimovic? Drogba? Henry? Where were they at 16? Unless it's somewhere as big as Arsenal Walcott is better, no? Light years ahead of Costa apart from areielly there isn't one thing Lukaku is better on, but of course he doesn't play for Chelsea so grass is greener, no doubt Salah will be better than Willian soon, Amelia will sign for a new club make a top save on his debut and be the one that got away.

Did Wenger ever end up flirting with the relegation places (beyond the table taking shape period)? Since 2005 Arsenal board have only demanded top four if Wenger and in that respect he has delivered every time. Fergie on the other hand is a completely different era, he is also a complete one off, just because Fergie worked given time doesn't mean everyone else will. Furthermore if Sir Alex in the modern era ever had a five month period like Jose just did I thinkeven he would be sweating for his job, some United fans thought it was time for a change in the mid 00s, I can't imagine the same fans would think differently under those circumstances.

Im sorry but to doubt Romans love for the club is upsurd. Now I actually think Jose overachieved in his first two season's here back again, first season he took a team that was tip four challenging mid 70s points at best to a title challenge with 82 points, people go on about how Jose ruined a potentially great team, the way we were building this supposedly potential great team was all wrong, all style no substance, if Jose didn't return and sort some balance into it (hard working winger, Willian, solid centre mid, Matic) we would have been floating about in endless limbo, a lot of you wish both Mata and De Bruyne stayed, so I'm guessing the dream was Mata, Eden and De Bruyne behind the forward? I mean seriously, drunk Phil Mitchell has more balance than that trio on the same team, we would have got murdered on the break. Also with the second season, we made quality signings and our squad was good enough to challenge for the league but not walk it, Jose made that difference, when theform dropped he adjusted tactics to keep us top. Ive gone on a bit, but what I said is to get to this point, and to show I'm not one if the anti Jose crew but he fucked up this season and deserved the sack, there is no excuse in the world for having Chelsea one point of relegation after 16 games, you could say his track record should have brought him more time but it did, Mous history with the club and winning pedigree gave him ample chances to turn this around, anyone else would have been gone at worst after Saints and at best after Stoke.

And the minute Lukaku has a goal drought and Costa scores loads you wont come near this thread. Lukaku isn't as good as Costa, Costa has fired two teams to the title in two different league's, Lukaku has proven little in comparison, but hey his goals has fired Everton to 12th so he must be better. Im happy he has created a decent career for himself, but we have got a better striker and one who in my opinion will be at least as good (who proven more in a Chelsea shirt than Romelu ever did).

Deeney would be a good back up with Traore, his all round game is top class would defiantly trade Remy for him. Ighalo however we shouldn't go near, good scorer but all roundgamee leaves a lot to be desired.

Apart from Agueo and Suarez there is no forward around right now that would be a guaranteed upgrade, and neither are remotely attainable. Any other striker would be a sideways move (in terms of level they are at) at best and there's very few of them either. PS:ignore this for some reason this post has been back up and I can't get rid of it.

I've started a league that was me and five friend's (plus two others) but unbelievably three of those friends have changed their mind and another Is taking their sweet time to register Does anyone fancy starting this game again or (if you're reading this and never played before) start up for the first time? If so quote me and I'll give you the link to sign up.

Lukaku in his season here was up against Torres and a 34 year old Drogba, when you look at the minutes AVB gave Romeu then Lukaku would surely got some time if he impressed, he didn't!!!!!! Im glad he's made a decent career for himself but quite frankly I don't miss him one bit and him scoring against us doesn't change that, Borini ended our title bid two years ago.

Miazga has got potential, Papy I'll give was pointless.

Worth noting that Castro gave up Champions League football at Leverkusen to join Dortmund last summer, also there's the Di Maria to United example. If we make a habit of missing out on top 4 attracting players will be a problem but this summer I think we will be ok.

Henrique is right, no player should leave this summer, not even Amelia. Cahill, Ivanovic, Mikel, Oscar and Remy are not shit, they are just not good enough to be first choice regulars at teams looking to win things, as squad players they can still contribute to a good level, but when a third to half you're lineup are squad player's, results will suffer. Fergie was the master of the squad game, late 00s he had Kuszcak, O Shea, Brown, Fabio, Gibson, Hernandez and ageing Scholes and Giggs as squad rotation player's and all filled in admirably when need be, but if 3/4 of them started finding their way into the regular lineup, the results would have gone south. Put our squad level players as squad players and get some blood that is good enough to start.

Bit harsh, Costa's movement alone helps us create more chances in games, even when he was badly off form pre Jose's sacking we created more chances when he was on the pitch compared to off it, anyone in for Costa would weaken us tbh. Hes far from the finished article but he's got a lot of potential.

If Cechs Chelsea career was reversed it would have took him years to endeer himself to the fans, when Petr was confirmed to start vs United the knifes were out, so many up in arms about Cudicini being dropped. Cech needed a super season to win over a fan base still loyal to Carlo, unfortunately Courtois will need a similar super season to gain similar acceptance.

If I'm not mistaken this is the first match day since before Christmas where Lukaku scored and Costa didn't (when they both played) and like sow, back to Costas average and we should have kept Lukaku speechless, genuinely. As for people saying "he didn't get a chance" he got more chances than what Traore has needed to elevate himself from 4th/5th choice to 2nd, just saying!!!!!!!!