Joker10

He normally plays for the U16, he has rarely featured for the U18 and U21. Not really, all of them are good prospects but wouldn't say they are the best.

For me the bigger problem is that there is no middle ground between England U21 leagues and first team football, like Spain and Germany have. There is simply too big of a gap between the u21 and premier league, it is tough transition for any player to make. The U21 league is not competitive and they don't play enough games, and that is with recent changes lol. Our option right now is to loan players, to make up for that gap. Not really effective for many reasons, not really preparing them to play the way Chelsea first team are and secondly do not like the fact we are under the mercy of other clubs to develop our youngsters.. For me that is a bigger problem then the current state of our club. You can see that reflective of other clubs and England NT. Who has United or Arsenal developed recently that is exciting for example? Wilshere and who else?

I can't see any club taking a chance on Torres, if it is for on the pitch purpose. Here is the killer about Torres he is extremely overpaid, he makes over 180,000k per week and only the mega rich clubs can afford him. To put it nicely he is well below the standard of PSG, Madrid, Barca, and City players. I only realistically see a club in China or Russia(less likely) taking a chance on him for off the pitch purpose mainly for Marketing. He has to take a massive pay cut for another club to take a chance on him, at the very least 50% pay cut. Won't speculate if he will or not, if someone like Kaka doesn't do it i have little hope Torres will do it. My guess is that we will most likely loan him out in the summer and pay vast amount of his salary. Expect something like the Adebayor situation, and hope he plays well and all parties agree to a deal after the loan spell. Don't expect a transfer fee, best scenario would be him off our payroll as soon as possible.. I know some like to speculate that Alti would agree to Cash+Torres=Falcao. I don't see that happening, it comes down to his wages again and note that Alti payroll is equivalent to a mid table club in PL.

Alternatively there is 4-3-2-1 to match Mata and Hazard skill set, similar to what Ancelotti had here and Milan. In our system our forwards played like inside forwards, but in Milan he used AM's like Seedorf, Kaka, and Rui Costa.

http://foreverfernandotorres.tumblr.com/post/36952023312/what-the-hell-unfollow-check lol

Josh McEachran says he prefers to stay at Middlesbrough until the end of the season Link: http://www.mirror.co...to-stay-1464024 He is saying the right thing, may or may not be his true wish. I would seriously consider recalling him in January, along with ST, CM is our most vulnerable position. We need reinforcement in that position one way or another. btw Boro game will be televised tomorrow, a rare opportunity to watch him play.

TBF Torres is more like a false football player.

False wingers FTW.

Well i personally don't believe that, i don't think we want to play like Barcelona. The media goes with the narrative "Roman wants to play like Barcelona" because it is simplistic and sensational. Do we aim to play attacking football and take the initiatives in games? i believe so, but Barcelona is not the only model and i personally reserve the idea that is almost impossible to duplicate their style if our aim continues to be short term.

Downing and Cole don't get slated on Liverpool forums? lol You did or still support Liverpool right?

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/11/26/chelsea-0-0-manchester-city-early-caution-from-benitez-results-in-a-dull-game/

Source: http://www.westlondo...o-to-go-on-loan

@Backstreet09 I am curious why do you like Torres so much?

QPR?

That is exactly what i was thinking at first.

I don't think Oscar has the discipline to play in the pivot under Rafa he is way too attacking imo. Rafa Liverpool side, Mascherano and Alonso were very disciplined in keeping their shape deep in midfield to protect the back four and allow the fullbacks to go forward. For me i don't think Oscar has the qualities to play in the pivot yet, especially in one which requires a lot of tactical discipline. I maybe wrong though. Lampard is interesting choice, i think with his intelligence and experience is a capable option. Btw this is a good article http://www.independe...eo-3302130.html I find the assessment from the Journalist very interesting, which i think is accurate much more then general media which paints that "RDM was fired due to Torres benching, Rafa hired to get the best out of Torres." I do think RDM was fired due to not creating a unique attacking system, which i think is going to be Rafa biggest challenge along with results. So i do wonder if we can play good attacking football with Ramires as a forward? i personally don't.

Who will play in the pivot then?

That is extremely low standard. So all Rafa has to do is not fuck up?

No he didn't construct the team. But you missing another part of Ferguson quote, where he is implying that Rafa had nothing to do in getting the opportunity to compete for the CWC and is in a lucky position. CWC is not a tough competition to win, it is much more difficult qualifying for it. You can't say the same regarding Robbie situation. He took over our CL campaign when we were down 3-1 to Napoli, nothing ideal about being put in that position. A poor circumstance to be put in. In our FA Cup campaign, He took over before the toughest part of the competition. His CL and FA cup was deserving.

Is he fit for the City game?

Won't say Torres had anything to do with RDM getting fired, well obviously you could say his poor play led to his firing. But directly behind it, i don't believe it. But you can definitely say he benefited greatly from RDM firing, and the same for AVB sacking for that matter. Under both managers, their confidence in Torres was completely gone, AVB sparsely used Torres in his last days, and under RDM the west brom was the turning point. Lucky bastard he obviously gets a clean slate with the new manager, and especially under Rafa. Things are not going to be any different under Benitez, if anyone think Rafa can get Torres back to his best then that is more false hope, Torres beyond a doubt is past it, his speed and acceleration was his biggest attribute and that is gone. Torres is similar to Essien and Kaka, where their best asset has deteriorated because of multiple injuries, under no manager can that be reversed.

Well that was boring absloutely nothing on tactics and formation . Dumb jurnos asking pointless questions.

Going past the emotional part, my biggest concern with Rafa is that he is tactically inflexible and stubborn. At Inter the players did not fit his system, and he didn't attempt to play to his players strength. He wanted to make drastic changes to the squad and bring players that suit his system, and Moratti was not interested in that. I am afraid he might have the same problem, we have a talented squad no doubt. But the players we have don't necessarily fit into what he did at Valencia and Liverpool. He must show adaptability and try to get the best out of our players and create a system friendly to the players. If he tries to force the players into his tactics and system then i feel Rafa as an intern manager could be a disaster. RDM had the same problem imo, he didn't know how to utilize the players we brought over the summer. He didn't attempt to change his 4-2-3-1 formation and which was why he kept on reversing back to playing a defensive winger.