Superblue

The problem is he only has a year left on his contract and talks have hit an impasse. If he won't sign a new contract I would rather get some return on him with healthy bonuses and sell on clauses. However I agree, I would rather keep him as second choice striker next season. He knows he will get at least 20-25 games next season at centre forward and if Torres fails and he performs he will become first choice. It is up to him if he wants the challenge? Certainly going to Man City will give him less chances considering their abundance of strikers.

For the past couple of seasons the club have been slowly and quietly rebuilding the squad, and this looks like continuing this summer on the back of our newly acquired tag of European Champions. It has already attracted one of the best young talents in world football in Eden Hazard to join us, and if reports are to be believed Hulk, a central midfielder and a right back are all high on the list of targets this summer. However one thing that I continue hearing a lot from Chelsea fans is that they would rather see youth given a chance, even if it is as backup to a first teamer. I am completely for the club bringing players through the academy to become members of the first team squad, however we as fans have to appreciate the difficulty for the club in bridging the gap between academy/reserve football and the first team. This is why the club must continue to perservere with the loan system. Now there are no guarantees with a loan. It is out of the club's control if a player is going to get games, case in point Josh McEachran at Swansea. However loan spells have also been a proving ground for many players to bridge the gap. Looking at a number of young players that United have pinned their hopes on as regular first teamers for the future have all come back to the club from successful loan spells - Wellbeck at Sunderland, Evans at Sunderland, Cleverley at Wigan. Even a player who everybody knew was destined for stardom in Jack Wilshere cut his cloth for a season at Bolton before becoming a fully fledged first teamer at Arsenal. And Chelsea are also no strangers, having taken advantage of Danny Sturridge's successful spell at Bolton. Getting game time for me is the most critical stage of a player's development at the age of 19-21. The basic technical ability of young players should already be there, but key mental attributes are not. Taking an example from Chelsea would be Oriol Romeu. A lot of Chelsea fans are making a point that we do not need to buy a new central midfielder and would rather Romeu be given a more prominent role next season. Now for me, Romeu has the makings of becoming an excellent defensive midfielder. He has a dominating presence at such a young age, and his composure on the ball and passing ability is already at a high standard. However there are areas of his game which are of a weakness. The biggest, given he is a defensive minded midfielder, is his positioning. In a three man midfield this isn't quite as evident, but it is even more important in a two man midfield. If due to injuries and a lack of strengthening in the summer are left with playing Romeu in some of the big games, our defence could be left woefully exposed. So how does he improve his positioning? Playing games. Unfortunately something Chelsea cannot provide him with enough of. He will only improve those mental attributes through gaining experience playing against top players in matches. I would prefer to see Romeu loaned out to a lower table Premiership club this coming season. He should get much more game time than he will playing at Chelsea. Also considering two of our central midfielders turn 30 this season in Raul Meireles and Michael Essien (and question marks over the future of both) and the club have to plan over the next couple of seasons for a future without Frank Lampard and you can see why it is vitally important that Chelsea have Romeu primed for a first team spot over the next couple of seasons. Now again I come back to the point raised that a loan spell doesn't always work, but in a way that can also show the character and determination of a player. The club also must take great care in where they are agreeing to loan players out to. Another contentious view is that the club should not buy a new right back and instead have Sam Hutchinson and Todd Kane as direct backups to Ivanovic. Now under normal circumstances I wouldn't be against Hutchinson being a direct backup, but there are still huge question marks over his fitness. If Ivanovic were to pick up a long term injury, and Hutchinson cannot cope with the workload of playing games on such a regular basis are we seriously saying that we would be comfortable playing Todd Kane week in week out against top class opposition? I certainly am not. He has promising potential but is nowhere near the finished article. I can understand concerns that buying a young full back means it could stifle the chances of these players but football comes in cycles and players come and go. Opportunities will develop (just ask Ryan Bertrand) but the club have to make sure the young players are ready when those opportunities to come about. The biggest problem I feel with supporters views is that if a player hasn't made it into the first team in their teens then they never will. This couldn't be further from the truth. A player must be extraordinary special to be playing regularly at such a young age for a top team. (I'm talking in the bracket of Messi, Rooney) The top teams challenging for every trophy cannot afford to risk rookies when every game carries so much importance and significance. That is why players like McEachran and Romeu cannot be risked when they are too raw and inexperienced. They could both benefit from at least a season, if not two of regular first team football to mature and develop as players and men. By then they will both be in their early twenties. Is this too old? We only have to look at the two players who have forced their way into the first team squad this season - Danny Sturridge and Ryan Bertrand. Both players turn 23 at the beginning of next season, but can both now be fully trusted to 'do a job' when called upon for the first team and are very much part of the squad pushing for starting berths. Both have gained vital experience in loan spells away from the club, of which has given them the platform with which to get where they are now. So to those whom are worried that a summer spending spree could hinder the development of our young players, I say BE PATIENT. The club has a vast number of players who are capable of one day becoming a first team squad member, but at the moment none are yet ready to bridge that gap.

I would love fellaini here. We definately need another CM. the depth in this position is in numbers, not quality. The only player i would have over fellaini is javi martinez.

Lampard will be 34 and we are on course to play over 60 games - its vital we have good depth in the squad. Lamps, mikel, romeu, ramires and fellaini sounds good to me. I hate to say it but essien should be sold whilst we can still command a fee.

It's difficult to assess exactly what he will become. Some players have left and done nothing since, some have done pretty well (Sinclair, Stoch, Borini) but still IMO would struggle to get games within our squad. Kakuta certainly had talent and was our stand out player coming through the ranks at his age, but his development has stuttered. Now it's easy to blame the club for not giving him opportunities but we are talking about one of the biggest clubs in the world with some of the biggest expectations from both board and fans alike. However he is still only 20. People seem to think that if you haven't broken into the first team in your teens you never will, but times are so different to what they were 10-20 years ago. The best case in point is Ryan Bertrand - only now starting to get a good run of games and really feeling part of the first team setup. He is 23 in August. These lads have to be given time. If he's not prepared to go back out on loan and mature/gain experience then we may have no choice but to sell him. However both the player and club must remain patient, and hopefully something good will come of it.

In english...??

If we pull off a deal for hulk, alongside the hazard signing then we'll be giving new meaning to the term 'start as we mean to carry on'!

I appreciate he's a talent but he hasn't been first choice at bayern this season. Being as good a team as champions league runners up, that wouldn't make a difference for most clubs... But we're european champions and ain't no chance i'm accepting anyone's backups

I was watching a re-run of the Barcelona second leg, and it is quite unbelieavable how we pulled that off. It is arguably the greatest 'backs to the wall' performance of sheer will and determination in the history of football, however if we didn't go on and win the final it would have felt for nothing. We fucking earnt the trophy this year, IMO more so than any other team in Champions League history ever has.

Yeah agreed. Joe's never been the sharpest knife in the draw so to speak and I think when he made the comment that he was joining the biggest team in England was more a reference to their past history. I don't think he intended it as a slight on us. The club did an interview which aired on Chelsea TV with him recently and you can tell that we're the club he is most fondest of. Eden Hazard also said that Joe Cole's still a fan of the football club which was why he went about convincing him his future was with Chelsea. He has to look at the state of Liverpool at the minute with Downing, etc and wonder how the fuck he couldn't get a game for them!

Still hoping Robbie will stay here. The jobs he was linked to - Liverpool, Villa, Napoli and Lazio have all been taken up now.

Despite playing well and fairly disciplined in the Champs League final, watch after Robben misses the penalty. Cech kicks the ball out and Bayern break again immmediately after. Robben on the right cuts inside and tries to shoot from 25 yards out with Lampard and Cole closing him down. Watch Bosingwa...he runs from right back to try and close down Robben, and in doing so leaves TWO Bayern players at the back post through on goal. If Robben had looked up either would have been through on goal. That sums up Bosingwa as a defender, and unfortuntely that has always been his undoing, a lack of positional awareness/discipline and concentration.

Whether Hulk is world class or not, IMO he is the best right winger currently available and attainable for the club, and will improve our first team as we have no right winger as good as him in our squad. Therefore I am hoping the club can close this deal asap.

Two things to consider however. Firstly Hazard is a much more explosive, dribbling type player than Mata, and I believe those attributes are better served when playing outside where you can isolate a full back and stretch teams. Secondly, Mata was clearly our one creative outlet last season. Any team with a brain could see that if they stopped Mata they could stop a lot that was good with our play and the chances we could create. Robbie put him in the middle to try and get him on the ball more in the hope to create more chances but in turn in meant less space for him to operate in, particularly if teams 'focused' on him. However the semi against Spurs was proof of what he can do in the middle when given time and space - he destroyed them. IMO he will have more space next season because teams cannot focus on just him when he is being flanked by Hulk (hopefully) and Hazard, who themselves will create problems if not given the necessary attention. Exciting times ahead me thinks!

Yeah as stats tell you that Torres has scored 12 goals for Chelsea, but it doesn't tell you that he's only scored against REALLY REALLY SHIT TEAMS. Such as QPR, Genk, Man Utd and Barcelona

I actually think it's good for both teams. United needed someone with great passing creativity as scholes can't go on forever, whilst we needed someone more explosive and capable of both creating and taking players on. I agree with most that hazard i think is the better player but united have done well with kagawa. Be interesting to see who city try to buy. I think they'll make a big push for van persie.

Sorry...better hulk up!!!

Dont worry sloth, you're perfectly understood on talk chelsea

I know moving to the bin dippers left a sour taste in people's mouths but Hazard was quoted as saying cole encouraged him to go to chelsea. For that i say thank you joe!

But that is the whole point. It gives us a completely different option. With the attacking talent we are now stockpiling, teams will be scared shitless of playing us, especially at the Bridge, and try to sit back with a deep backline. When we played Barca it worked because they try very few long range shots. Teams will be reluctant to sit back though if it means Hulk has any space around the box from 25 yards out. It will draw players out to close him down, which in turn will hopefully create space for Hazard and Mata to exploit.

^^ This. If he ends up having a Chelsea career similar to that of Mr Ronaldo at United, in terms of trophies won and performances produced, before departing for Madrid 4 or 5 seasons on for double/triple the money we paid for him, I won't be too disheartened. I happen to think that he may take a season or two before we really see the best from him. But when we see the best, I do mean THE BEST!

It would be nice for you to do some sort of montage within it where it shows his goal against Bayern in 2004/05 in Munich, which at the time I thought was the best headed goal I had ever seen from a Chelsea player. Only for it to be beaten and his Chelsea career to go full circle by scoring the header against Bayern in the final.

Firstly agree with this. Chelsea are likely to play over 60 games next season. Also take into account the toll this season's cup runs have taken on our players, coupled with the Euros and Olympics this summer and we need a big squad to cover this. Everybody will get plenty of games. People cannot judge Ramires in the pivot role solely on the Napoli away performance. He played alongside Meireles, both of whom are box to box style midfielders. Playing alongside a more defensive minded player gives Ramires the ability to use his box to box running, especially when counter attacking. His finishing and composure have improved immensely this season, and you can see how confident the lad has become now settled. I actually think his ability for explosive running, particularly from a deep position will make him very difficult to pick up and stop, very much like Lampard used to be. I think he can be a success in that pivot role given the chances. In regards to Eden Hazard, fantastic signing. Very glad it's all gone through done and dusted. And I'm also both intrigued and excited that he said one of the biggest pulls towards moving to Chelsea was that he was sold on their project. I firmly believe this is only just the beginning!!!

I can already picture Hulk playing at Stamford Bridge. After the first one or two long range powerhouse drives he scores from, literally every time from any where on the pitch they'll be cries for him to shoot. And the boy won't need any encouragement! Anybody who isn't excited at the thought of Hazard, Mata, Hulk and Torres as our front 4 next season must have serious problems!

Yeah it is rather ridiculous agreed.