Tomo

The difference in price means this won't be a SWP II.

What i meant is Drogba had to earn that right to be called number 1 forward with performances on the pitch. His first season he had to compete with Gudjohnsen, then Crespo in his second season, then the big money signing of Sheva in his 3rd. He relished the competition and showed on the pitch why he deserved to be number 1. Hasselbaink needed 2 season's off stellar displays and lots of goals before he was regarded as number 1 forward. The fact is those 2 relished the competition and earned the right to be called number 1 forward by performing like a number 1 forward. Torres has been getting called number 1 forward due to his name only and it makes me sick, if he wants to be number 1 forward, he earns that title by displays on the pitch like Didier and Jimmy before him and if that means competing with Cavani then he does it, we paid £100m for him (contract and transfer), he owes us not the other way round.

Why? if Torres wants to be number 1 forward, he earns that right. Like Didier did, like Hasselbaink did, like Flo did and the rest.

I wonder now we have finally won it, if getting knocked out of the Champions League will feel different in the coming season's? When we got knocked out in the past, it was complete and utter heartbreak, the chance to get that elusive title and find the holy grail gone, wonder how it feel now we have done it.

I think our league season will go a bit like United's in 2005/2006, slow start,average middle, strong end, leaving us in a strong position to push on and challenge for the title in 2013/2014. As far as the cup's go we will always be in with a shout of that one while our rivals keep underplaying the competition, suits me i'd happily pick that cup up every year. If were incredibly lucky maybe retain the CL but i personally think that one is heading to The Bernabeu. But the WCC should be a priority, we don't get a chance to call ourself's World Champions every season.

So Manpe wins it when he least expect's it, some team won some trophy under similar circumstances i believe Congrats Manpe, well overdue, but [Liverpool] still come back when you win it 2 times [Liverpool]

When we get the change report, it opens at the same time, literally.

All the new teams are officially on the member's list now so @, and co,you lot can start looking at your team and playing friendly's now

Forgive me if im wrong but apart from Lavezzi i can't think of anyone who has given Ivan a torrid time. As far as im concerned Ivan is still first choice right back, if Azpi wants to take that off him he has to earn it by performances on the pitch when he gets the chance, if we move Ivan to the centre to accommodate him ill tear my hair out.

If were going to persist with the double pivot it might be worth sticking Romeu and Mikel there, get Oscar to drop back get the ball of them and start the attacks that way, with the fullback's bombing forward. Not ideal but Lampard, Essien and Meireles in a double pivot is asking for trouble.

Retiring numbers 1-11 should never be done unless the circumstances are extreme, like Maldini's for example.

I don't see why we don't play atleast 1 game every pre season at The Bridge,gives the locals a chance to look at the new players.

Tragic news especially at that age, RIP to the lad As for the curse its not true, people die every minute of every day, every time Drogba celebrated a goal for Chelsea, a few people died in that moment. Ramsey just happens to score before famous people die, but the famous people are at the end of the day human being's, just like whoever died the day after Ferreira scored his 2 Chelsea goals. This Ramsey curse is just an myth.

or a time machine that will put RDM back in his prime.

Im with @Liquidator, here, it was worrying signs of last two season's at its worse there but thankfully we have our best player and a fantastic young player coming in soon so hopefully that will change. Hopefully the match was a bit of a reality check for people thinking we can jump from 6th to 1st, it just won't happen, this season is going to be about gelling these players together. Infact i expect our season to be similar to United's of 05/06, slow start, average middle but a strong end, leaving us in a great position to challenge for the title from 2013/2014 onwards. The best we can hope this season for this season is 3rd, CWC, one of the domestic clubs and if were incredibly fortunate just maybe retain the CL, but the league title? a season to early for that.

He would be perfect for us right now.

Did vote for Jim but since he has withdrawn ill change my vote,torn between RyanDavidson and Manpe so im going to heads and tails it Heads- Ryan Tails- Manpe Shout out to the restof the contenders too, fully deserve to be there.

Why is it under the consensus that Torres is undisputed number 1? He has done nothing to earn that title, Drogba and Hasselbaink before them worked bloody hard to get known as the number 1 forward now we are just going to hand it to Torres? No way, if Torres earns the right through performances on the pitch then i will call him the number 1 forward, until then he has to work hard and take on whatever competition for that place we bring in.

Why are we selling this guy and keeping Meireles? Yossi should be the one staying if one of them have to go. Also with Raul we might be able to get £10m out of another team if were lucky.

Franco is spot on about David Luiz, i remember his debut away to Fulham where he was trying to win it at both ends for us by himself, it was embarrassing (on the other players not David).

@francozola, Spot on about 2008, ive said it so many times, key example is Modric was available for a mere £16m back then, why we let him go to Spurs without even competing for his signature ill never know.

Agreed but im worried about the strength in the midfield. Upto and including the double season we always dominated every game possession and control wise apart from against United, Barca and Arsenal, the last couple of years have been the polar opposite.

If there's one thing ive learned from this pre season. Benayoun > Meireles What was AVB thinking off last August? although then again considering what happened in May, its hard to regret anything that happened last season.

Sahin is available on loan, why aren't we even getting linked with him? Who cares if we get an option to buy or no, he will sort so many short term problem's out its unreal.

We need to sort out the midfield 2/3. Sahin's available on loan, lets get him. Even if we don't have an option to buy, have him for this season and sort that position out permanently next summer.