handy15

I'm tipping Torres will come good - not just for the Stoke game - just good in general. It makes no sense that a proven goal scorer stops being all conquering. Strikers go through weird phases, could be the price tag messing with him. When he does come back, he will smash them in left and right. I also think Luiz is a gem. Firm fans favorite, that kid is loving the game and has ample swager - that has Chelsea written all over it. Can't wait to see him back. *** On the realism comment - every game we play is important, but Stoke? We are the ones who will go for the kill - as it has been said by a sober few, I think we a re over respecting Stoke.

Undue pessimism. This is the start of the season folks, I cannot believe we are even contemplating dropping points. Can people just deal with the fact we have an awesome team ready to deliver? Honestly.

It's good to respect the opposition. Once you respect them you can proceed to piecemeal destruction of their soul without impunity. I recall a certain chant: Carefree, wherever we may be - we are the famous CFC - and we don't give a fuck whoever you may be -'Cause we are the famous CFC

Well Lamps could play there but it would be as a "stand in" - you don't want to limit Lamps to a holding role unless you really need to but Ramires is fine - he runs like a hound going after everything - plenty of fuel in the tank, he will run all day. I like the Malouda comment. What's wrong with being Pele? Anyways - this is my tip but I reckon the diamond 4 will play tighter in the mid allowing the right/left full back room to attack. I'd be suprise if we sit back, I'm hoping Malouda plays like Pele. I think we are switcing to a more attacking philosophy, and whilst we have paid lip service to it in the past I think this time its the real deal. too many draws last season cost us, its time to say we can cop 3 goals because we will score 4.

It's all good to say Josh McEachran should start but its wayyyyyyy to early to put Lamps out to greener pastures - Lampard starts - he is still the master, Josh the apprentice - this is most likely his break out season though and we are all eager to see Josh feature in games, but I'd say towards mid season when multi-cup fixtures will get the fringe players out from the bench to play important roles and give them the chance to secure their first team spots. Likewise comments about Kalou, Malouda and Anelka - honestly -has anyone actually played football who disses these guys? All three are guns, Kalou has scored vital goals at important times (Tottenham to mention one) - how easy do we forget? Anelka shit? Anyone who says that has a feeble undertstanding of the game. If you want to see shit players go watch an A-Leauge game, then you will know exactly what shit looks like! I think you guys take the talent we have for granted.

Slight graphic enhancement from my last effort. This is what happens when your waiting for the season to start. I picked the team on instinct and obviously availability. Anelka and Drogba worked really well last season that's for sure but I think the Gaffer will go withTorres to start getting him into the zone as early as possible and constant games will do that. Sturridge would have been there on form, but he's out. Drogba is a given - he needs to play to keep fit. Yossi I think is a great player and provides that creative spark, I hope he gets given more time behind the strikers. Ramires is good as a link man, but could also be relased to roam at the edge of the box. This is not so much my "dream" line up, its more in tune with what I think will be the starting XI.

My Predicted Line Up for Sotke Match.

Not sure why people are fascinated with Modric, and others....we have the deram team right here:

I like what they are doing but I wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire (to borrow your expression ). Yea I was a bit negative - Tottenham have fucked my day, how dare they steal our 4th spot?! The good times will be back - and I should applaude LDN Blue for trying to bring the optimism back, my bad. Common Chelsea!

Note sure about this. Abramovich seems to be making the transfer decisions rather than Ancellotti - and this is alarming. In all the press statements Carlo stated Luiz was the only player in his sights, no mention of Torres, no talk of needing players- instead he mentioned after the Bolton game that if there was no deals in January he was happy with the squad he had on hand Let's not forget there are a lot of players on the books injuries aside, that will be ready to come back into the squad players such as Alex, Yossi, Yuri etc. The worrying sign here is that Abramovich shouldn't intefere with the coach, decisions about the squad should be left with the coaching staff - Jose had beef over it, but Carlo, being used this type of caper at Milan is being philosophical about it - which pushes him into making decisions about how to play all the "New Recruits" into the squad without adequate build up. Where are the signs that we are going to be integrating more Youth players when we have released most of them, and loaned out the other half? Ancellotti is not really a "youth"minded coach, he may allow one or two but not on the scale that I think Chelsea requires. Agreed. I don't think firing Carlo is the answer, he's not a bad Coach, but if CHelsea needs to rebuild (which it does) I'm not sure Carlo is the man - but the way things are going, Chelsea's rebuilding will probably be buying brand players in the mid to late 30s in a Madrid like fashio, in which case Carlo would porbably be right at home. We owe Abramovich 790M pounds, we have a bit to go before the club is self sufficient. 5. In conclusion.. The 2004 revolution propelled the club to dizzy heights, along the way lots of money was spent, many players were purchased some players fared well others flopped.Such is life. What is evident is that the core player group of that revolution has most likley peaked and is now starting to wane - 2 premierships and FA cups wre good, but still no Champions leauge, this generation of player as we know them have probably won their last title. Maybe one more, but then it's closed curtains. Our youth system is supposed to deliver one player per season from 2010 onwards according to departing footbal director and youth academy architect Frank Arnesen, who recently defended the 50m pound siging of Torres stating " 'If you want to be top you need to hire the best players from outside,' he said. 'If you go with the youth you will probably not win a lot of trophies. If [you] don't want to win trophies and want to be involved in the Champions League, then OK, you go with youth.' 'The most important people are the people at the top of the club, who own it. They have the philosophy. Arsenal have their philosophy and we have ours and we stick to it. [Abramovich] believes in [youth]. But he demands that you will win so you have to sign players from outside.' <br><br>In a nutshell whilst Abramovich has had an immensly positive impact on the club I think at the same time his monopolistic attempt to buy Premiership has warped not only our club (as per Arnesen's quote) but the EPL. I much prefer what Arsenal are doing, and it certainly creating better more entertaining football as squads are finely balanced and built to play a footballing philosophy rather than on buying big name players. <br><br>

I guess the thing with Torres is the enormous price tag. If you spend lots of cash to buy a Lamborghini, you expect that the first time you put your foot down its going to give you perfromance, if it dosn't naturally your going to be dissapointed, lots of bucks potntially down the gurgle, especially when a hyundai drives past with the driver waving at you. Look at Sturridge, we loan the guy out and he's getting doubles for Bolton - irony? He's more like a beefed up Sedan, cheap but bang for buck. Couldn't we just spend 15m on a striker? Heck Drogba cost that much. Yes give Torres time but I think its ok to be dissapointed, its different as a supporter to give him stick because we all want him to be the player he needs to be unlike the rest of the haters out there who support shit teams or the media.

Well, I think so. I dared my workmate to answer the phone as Torres, instead he answered as "Fernando" - I thought that was funny, BUT don't tell the boss!

As it stands now we are really where we were before playing Liverpool. Psychologically if we beat united home and away it would add immense pressure on the title race, it could hand it to Arsenal or Mancity or pave the way for us to sneak in with a close win, given the fact that the other top 3 all play each other at some point, it really isn't over until the fat lady sings (mind you I think she's warming up) One game at the time, if Manu U can lose against Wolves, they can drop more points - they are good at creating a "unbeatable" culture, but that can become unstuck if they back to back drop points. With the pressure off we might start playing better?

Just wanted to share some humour, it's probably not that funny in the real world but it is at my work. I have a running gag that Torres doesn't move in a game (based on his debut performance against Liverpool) - so every time I walk into the office I freeze and say "Who am I?" - and my work colleague responds " Torres!" That's been going on for the last week now. I've also aptly named my water bottle Torres. It sits there, with a moody expression not doing much. Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Hey all thanks for the warm welcome, nice to be in a forum with Chelsea supporters from around the world. Blue is the colour.