Pizy

Yeah, I was just thinking we'd be lining up with Hazard on the right with Oscar in the middle and Mata on the left.

So you guys don't have any worries that the Moses situation will mirror Lukaku's? A player very excited to come to Chelsea expecting to play a lot, but getting frustrated later when he realizes its not what he thought it would be. Will he really be happy not playing all the time?

This is my exact feeling and fear myself. The moves we've made are great for the long term, but I think the experience and proven goal scoring that Drogba brought will be seriously missed if we don't bring someone in who no matter what, puts the ball in the back of the net i.e Falcao. We don't want to contract the Arsenal disease where we have all the potential but don't end up winning anything in the end. We're going in the right direction and it'll take time, but we just need one MAJOR piece to complete the team.

It might take something like a thrashing from City next weekend for Roman to see it necessary to buy a top top class striker like Falcao or Cavani. If we get completely dominated(which I really don't think will happen) or Torres looks utterly useless, the panic amongst fans may at least force the board to make some inquiries for these world class strikers. We're so close to bringing together an amazing team I can taste it. Just 1-3 more players and a few out and we can start the process of building chemistry.

Hulk's face makes him look 10 years older than he really is. Hopefully as soon as the Olympics are over for Brazil we'll sign him up.

Falcao & Torres swap deal.

So when City buys Aguero or Chelsea buys Hazard, it's "you're plastic and bought the league!" but when United pay £30m+ for a teenager it's not. Fergie just realizes that his time has almost come, so the owners are trying to buy him one more title before he retires. Bet you they get RvP, too, so if I hear a single United fan say anything about another club "ruining football" by spending money, I'm just gonna laugh at the muppets.

They've lost to Oldham and a middle eastern team this preseason, so I doubt that.

Also keep in mind that City just lost to Oldham. If this isn't the best of performances we shouldn't hang on it like its the end of the world.

Here's a bit of their reasoning. From the Liverpool fan from above. Some of it I agree with, but to say we'll finish 6th again after making vast improvement is pretty silly. --------------------------------- So, what you're telling me, is that Lampard, who is 34, is going to function as a box-to-box player as well as a regista? And Mikel, who might be one of the slowest players I've ever seen (aside from Mertesacker), is going to function only as a midfield terrier/destroyer? And Lampard is not only going to supply Hazard, Mata, Oscar, and Torres, but he'll also make runs into the box and he'll also do this for 38 games next season? Or is Mikel the one who's going to be providing that energy from midfield? Let's look at other possible combinations for the double pivot here. Romeu (20) is young and inexperienced, and against better sides will simply get passed around. You guys knock Frimpong, but Romeu and Frimpong are very similar players. He'll either get a red against better sides or he'll be completely non-existent. Against weaker sides he may work well, but he's also not RDM's first choice. Ramires (25) is a highly energetic player, diligent in defense, and good at providing those runs into the box from deeper. Unfortunately, he is not a regista. His passing ability is quite poor for a deep lying midfielder. And though he is diligent in defense, he's nothing at all like Lucas, Song, Diame, or Sandro. A midfield destroyer he is not. Meireles (29) is an all arounder. His passing is decent, but not great. His running is decent, but not great. His movement, shooting, tackling, intercepting, etc, etc, etc is all good but not great. He excels in no particular area. So, which one of the 3 roles that needs to be filled by the 2 deeper players in a 4-2-3-1 is he going to fill? Is he going to provide that metronomic passing? No. How about energy? Sometimes yes. How about tackling? Sometimes yes, but most of the time no. Essien (29) used to be a great passing player with good tackling ability. As he's gotten older, he's slowed, and that's affected the amount of ground he can cover. But he's still not good enough at passing to be a regista. He's also injury prone, which means his tackling ability may not be good enough. And he's slower now, so even if he had the energy he used to have (which, he clearly doesn't) he can't utilize it as well because he's a slower player. McEachran (19) could be a lot of things. But, since you guys hate Joe Allen so much, think about this: He couldn't break into a Swansea midfield of Leon Britton, Joe Allen, and Gylfi Sigurdsson. So, if Swansea finished 10th, how is he supposed to make a Chelsea duo tick? Especially with almost absolutely no first team experience? So which one of the 7 or so players here are you going to play in your midfield? And which duo is going to break down defensive sides while still spoiling the counter attack? And which duo is going to retain the ball against better midfields? For instance, Arsenal would probably field Arteta, Song, Rosicky/Wilshere/Ramsey. Man U will field Scholes and Carrick. City will field Yaya, Barry/Milner, and Silva. Liverpool may field Allen, Gerrard, and Lucas. Everton will field Fellaini, Barkley, and Osman. Newcastle will field Cabaye, Tiote, and Guttierez. Spurs will field Sandro, Modric/Huddlestone, and Sigurdsson. Which one of those midfields isn't going to pass circles around Lampard and Mikel (or any of the other possible players)? No, Chelsea should finish 6th, unless Hazard, Oscar, Mata, and Torres are an absolute unstoppable revelation together. And, since this is football, and it is decided by the thinnest of margins, I think it's more likely for a team to fail than to succeed, and for absolutely sublime on pitch relationships to not form rather than to form

Yeah, I couldn't really argue with hm about Mikel, though I'm confident that when called upon, Lamps can do fine defensively.Here's what one of the Arsenal fans says: 1. City (probably - if Chelsea 'work' they'll probably take first, but I don't see it happening yet) 2. Arsenal (assuming we sell RVP) 3. United (law of diminishing returns - if they sign a proper dm I'll revise this) 4. Spurs 5. Liverpool (assuming things work well after a difficult start. If thing go really well I'd swap them with Spurs, if they go poorly then they'll be back around the 7th place mark) 6. Chelsea (Pizy - if you request, I'll explain my reasoning. Basically I think that it won't work for certain obvious reasons. The transfer window is still open however, so we'll see) 7. Newcastle (standing still, more or less) 8. Everton (if they get a good start, then 7th or above is far from being out of the question. They certainly have a better manager than Newcastle)

Here's one of the guys' predictions. This one's a Liverpool supporter. 1. United (provided there's no financial trouble, which really could go south for them if their floatation goes poorly) 2. Spurs (provided Modric doesn't leave or they get Moutinho and Ade. I think they'll figure that high line out) 3. Arsenal (Assuming RvP leaves or doesn't play. Giroud and Podolski will take time at the beginning, I think, or like other new stars, may tire towards the end of the season, but I think Arsenal will do just fine, regardless of Cazorla or Sahin coming in) 4. City (Aguero, Tevez, Silva, and Nasri all together on the same pitch will mean that they'll drop points against weaker sides. A la Liverpool last season, basically. Good chance creation, but no one will be there to finish the chances.) 5. Liverpool (I think we'll get better as the season gets on and as the team adapts to Rodgers' system). 6. Chelsea (they have no solid midfield and I don't rate Hazard hardly at all. Add in old fullbacks, bad or inexperienced defensive mids, and attackers that don't defend and you have a team that's gonna get destroyed on the break)

So guys, I've been having a lengthy argument on another forum and was wondering what you guys think. They're mostly Arsenal fans and they seem to think that our midfield won't click, one of them don't rate Hazard at all, they think we'll get absolutely shredded by the counter because they think Mikel and Lamps are shit, and they think Iva and Ash are old and the defense sucks. The real kicker is when they say that their First XI is better than ours even without RvP. They think we'll finish 6th again. Thoughts?

Please sign him up Roman! Would be a great start to the weekend watching Hulk and Oscar work together with Brazil knowing that they'll both be Chelsea players soon. Addressing two needs in one player is great value for under what we paid for Hazard. Hulk and Azpi, and we're ready to challenge for everything.

And we are supposedly lining up a tour of Asia for next summer.

Nor would I. But if given the choice between Moses and Hulk, I know which one I'm taking.

We could still are an improved offer for Shurlle. I see us settling for Moses, though.

I don't buy these supposed quotes. Not a single reputable site has picked them up and I'm seeing nothing from the journo's I follow on twitter.

£10m, then?

Makes it that much sweeter knowing that we got a much younger player who can play many positions and starts for one of the best national teams in the world for half the price as Modric.Oscar will be > Modric

You honestly feel Luka Modric is worth £5m more than Cesc Fabregas?

Sun and Daily Fail running a story saying Levy rejected Madrid's latest bid of between £36-38m. Madrid apparently offered £30m up front, rising to £38m over the length of the contract. That fucking idiot Levy wants it all at once. He should be glad he's still able to get £25m yet he's rejecting offers WAY over Modric's worth. True sign of a small club when you're so utterly desperate to keep a player. Levy knows that they can't compete without him. Any big club can afford to let a top class player go, recoup, and move on with the transfer money. Spuds are being offered silly, once in a lifetime money and they turn it down FOR THE SECOND TIME. Beyond words how dumb that is.

Heskey.

I can picture it in my dreams now: "So the transfer window closes in 1 hour and Chelsea FC have finished up with Moses and Azpi. Good window, I'd say. Over to you at the Sky Sports transfer window tele." "BREAKING NEWS: Chelsea FC have signed Falcao in a shock last minute deal."

Hulk + Azpi please! Falcao would be the ultimate acquisition. Would instantly make us a top 3 club in world football.