nono

Even Casemiro is better than Torres.

We'll do well in the league I think (finish 2nd) but poor in the Champions League where there is much more quality.

Just like every Chelsea team of the past years the midfield struggles to get the ball to the strikers. What has Mourinho changed here ? It's just preseason but the passing quality in the midfield is very poor. The summer penny pinching is showing its results.

Mourinho being embarrassed.

stop these fucking long balls!!!

This team is so poor. Midfield is giving the ball away almost every possession.

Unfortunately it seems at the club there is a desire to acquire big name signings more for marketing advantages than on the basis of talent. First Torres now Rooney. The only reason they'll spend stupid money on Rooney is to sell shirts.

As others have said, I'd much rather have Suarez than Rooney. Much better player, and won't be that much more expensive than Rooney.

Torres is fine enough. He has just beaten Cavani to the golden boot after all.

If they ask for more tell them they got Van Persie who is a better player in a better situation for cheaper. Anything more than 25m and we should say no.

It's not like anyone else is prepared to pay the release clause. We're only bidding against ourselves at this point. Makes no sense paying the release clause.

I bet they regret not going harder after FaLcao.

I really like Oscar. He tends to give the ball away too much though.

Sorry, man Higuain is garbage. It's very funny watching Madrid fans try to convince themselves Higuain is great so that they believe they'll get a good price for him all the while being exultant that he is going to be replaced by a much better player.

Move this discussion to the Drogba thread please.

Drogba wasn't at all lazy. He would often get back and help on defense and on corners.

He is not really a good passer. I remember that horrific pass he gave straight to City in the postseason friendly.

even his 23 goals came against shit teams.

Goodness.

It's possible that they'll look to sell a couple of players to make this deal more affordable. I don't think the club see FFP as that big of a hindrance. We just got a huge Adidas deal, in fact the larger shirt sponsorship in the country. We are going to likely get a new stadium. We still haven't sold the naming rights. We have a billionaire owner. In the short term, FFP is not that big of a concern. In the long term we'll be more than self sufficient I feel in 7-8 years time. We are not Southampton, where we can just be satisfied watching young talent grow. Every year we do not win something is a year the brand value suffers. The ideas that you are propagating are being followed by Arsenal right now to no avail, while they keep on getting pummeled into the dust by us. Our competition is not Arsenal. It is not Tottenham. Our competition is Barcelona and Madrid and Bayern and United. Barcelona just spent stupid money on Neymar. They also have the highest wage bill in football. Madrid are likely to break the world transfer fee record for Bale. This is despite both of these clubs having a significant advantage on us in that they can find an abundance extremely talented Spanish players for cheaper fees. Right now what is incomprehensible to me is that you are against us improving significantly on a position that has been primarily responsible for terrible finishes in the league two years in a row. We have to do this deal imo. Even if it comes at the sacrifice of improving the midfield, since that can be done in the coming years. Lukaku will be given a chance. I have no doubt of this, after hearing Jose's concerning the youth system. If he can't make it against competition here, it means he isn't good enough. If he doesn't I'll wish him well but I won't shed a tear, just like I didn't for Josh and the other youngsters that haven't come through. We are by no means a welfare society for young footballers. They have to be good enough to make it against world class competition. Survival of the fittest imo.

This not needing a top striker is a ridiculous argument that you keep on persisting with. Getting Cavani does NOTHING to stop us from improving the midfield by the way.

De Laurentiis has apparently said he will smack Cavani if he doesn't decide by the 20th.

I think he is an amazing prospect. Strong, great tackler, great pace, can score goals as well. A complete midfielder.

What does it matter if the release clause runs out?

I started supporting the team after Mourinho arrived. Before that I had never watched football. For a curious supporter can anyone tell me what Abramovich's first year was like ? What was the reaction of Chelsea supporters when they found the club was being purchased by a Russian billionaire? Was Ranieri really always making wacky substitutions? Thanks.