CHOULO19

Inside voice, Kieran..

Chelsea football club has announced several squad numbers changes and confirmations of some of our first teams members of the 2014-15 campaign. Most significantly, Oscar will now wear Frank Lampard's recently vacated number 8 jersey. The responsibility of the shirt is something that Oscar clearly respects: "Lamps is legend at this club and I hope I will be as successful in the shirt as he was." The change was made to allow Drogba to retain his legendary number 11 shirt. And the Brazilian was happy to allow that to happen: "Didier is a Chelsea legend and a senior player. I am happy for him to take the 11 and for me to take the 8." The big man himself was delighted to retain the shirt in which he achieved so much with at the club, saying: "I am very pleased to be able to return to the number 11 shirt and I am very grateful to Oscar for allowing me to make this change." The club has also confirmed some of the changes that we saw during preseason; namely, Nthan Ake to take the number 6 jersey and Courtois to take the number 13 that he wore at Atketico. The previous owner of that 13 shirt, Victor Moses, will wear Lukaku's 18. Finally, Chelsea also announced that they are willing to exchange any shirts that have been bought with the previous numbers free of charge: "Chelsea Football Club understands many supporters will already have purchased the new 2014/15 shirts with the old names and numbers on the back. We will be offering anybody who has proof of purchase from an official club store a free exchange on non-matchdays, subject to availability, from today until 12 September inclusive." Click here to view article.

Summary of Jose's press conference here.

Jose Mourinho was very happy to be back at the Bridge for the largely anticipated first prematch press conference of the new season ahead of the clash against Burnley on Monday night. "For me, pre-season was very long, for some players it was very short, but for me and my staff it was very long." he said. "The holiday period was even bigger due to the World Cup." "'I am not saying I am nervous or feeling something special, I'm just happy to be back to competing and the players are the same." He added. "To be back to the real competition is a fantastic feeling. I never hide the fact I like real competition and to be so long without a proper match creates a feeling." Genuine Title Contenders It was clear in the PC that the Portuguese has a different approach and mentality to this new season, specifically for the title challenge. "Yes we are title contenders." Said Mourinho. "Last season we were not feeling as though we were a title contender but in fact we finished very close to the title.We didn't feel as one of the favorites for the Champions League and we played a semi-final, so we did well." "This season obviously we bought some key players, we believe and we are feeling that the new players have brought the squad and team into another dimension." Burnley But the boss was quick to acknowledge the difficulty of the opponents in the EPL and show them respect, starting with our first opponent, Burnley: "If you expect me to say we will win the Premier League I can’t say that. I can’t because I have to respect the competition, which is the only one that has more than two title contenders. I have to respect the opponents and efforts the other teams made to improve their already top teams, but we all feel we are title contenders." He said, adding: "To win against Burnley is the first step, and to win against Burnley will be very hard." First Goalkeeper For the second time this week, Jose spoke about the goalkeeping 'battle' between veteran Petr Cech and youngster Thibaut Courtois for the starting spot in the team. He reiterated that a decision has been made but that he cannot inform the press because "the players have not been told yet and they need to know before you." Adding that "with respect to all other goalkeepers, Chelsea has the 2 out of the 3 best keepers in the world" But for the first time, the manager has hinted that one of the two could end up out side the club before September the second: "I don't think any manager happy to see one player not comfortable...if Petr plays, Courtois can think about leaving and vice versa. I cannot have one top keeper on the bench for 3 or 4 months" Market Is Still Open The final bomb that the Special One decided to drop today was his statement that seemed to negate his previous claims that Chelsea's transfer market is done. Contrary to what he declared a few weeks back after the signing of Filipe Luis, Mourinho today said: "The market is open and experience tells us all that when the market is open and you can never say what is going to happen" throwing the door to Chelsea signing new players before the end of the window wide open again. All in all, Jose Mourinho starts the season with a very informative and eventful press conference as he so often does. Click here to view article.

Spot on. Even City have dropped out of that mini transfer market. I think it would be great business if we can get 10m for Petr.

I fucking hate sky...

He's a keeper. His price tag is never going to be high regardless.

Let's try to stay on topic, people, please. If the staff have to intervene and lock this thread again we won't be as lenient as we have been and warnings will be handed out.

The quotes are taken out of context from the original article (which doesn't seem to reliable itself, tbh). It basically says that he won't know for sure if he will get loaned out or stay with the squad until the last week of August. I could have told you that!

Where is everyone getting the idea that he will loaned out from? No one has even posted a single link to anything, let alone something reliable.

Everyone abuses me because of my slow internet connection This is internet segregation I tell you!

No, we'll simply not register Mark Schwarzer in the PL like we did with Hilario last season. EDIT: Beaten to it by two posts at the same minute!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23j0yb_ake-taking-positives-hd_sport

Longer: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23gqc9_introducing-your-2014-15-chelsea-fc-squad-hd_sport

Wasn't sure where to post this, but a few people were asking for the prematch player introductions from last night's game. Here they are: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23gqc9_introducing-your-2014-15-chelsea-fc-squad-hd_sport

What a cross Luis!

I'm literally watching bits and pieces of the match. Terrible stream.

Technically, that game was at the Bridge!

I read that Jose has asked the fans to come early to the bridge because the players will be out before the match for the fans to greet them. Maybe you'll get to see him after all.

Marca? Sorry, but I'm not buying it at all.

His contract here is till June 2017. I'd like to have a few words with whoever made that decision...

I was surprised to see that he's playing central midfield for them. I guess he does have the physical and technical attributes for it.

Chelsea's Marko Marin (25) has today completed his medical ahead of a proposed move to Fiorentina. He joins the Italian side on a season long loan, with rumors that the Serie A side can make the move permanent at the end of the season for a reported 4.2m pounds. This will be Marin's second loan as a Chelsea player after he had spent all of last season in Sevilla. The "German Messi" has had a less-than-successful time at the Bridge since joining 2012 and has failed to impress in his mere 6 appearances for the Blues. He looks set to depart the club at the end of the season regardless of how his loan in Italy pans out. In related Chelsea loan transfers news, young Blues Nathanial Chalobah(19) and Josh McEachran(21) look set to spend another season out on loan to continue their development. Chelsea are said to be looking for a PL loan for Chalobah with newly-promoted Burnley rumored to be interested. On the other hand, Josh is already in talks with Chelsea B a.k.a. Vitesse according to some reports. We wish them both the best of luck if these deals do go through. Click here to view article.

I think this should give us a better idea of the team that Jose has in mind for Burnley.

He was our last man back defending on two counters....brilliant attitude