BlueLion.

In August 2011 Lukaku joined English club Chelsea, for a fee reported to be around £10 million, rising to £18 million in add-ons. Lukaku was given the number 18 shirt and signed a five-year contract. He made his home debut in a 31 victory over Norwich City in the 83rd minute, coming on as a substitute for Fernando Torres. Lukaku made his first start for the club in the League Cup against Fulham. Chelsea went on to win the match on penalties. Lukaku spent the majority of the season playing for the reserves. On 13 May 2012, he started his first league match against Blackburn Rovers and turned in a man of the match performance providing an assist for John Terry's opener. However, Lukaku stressed that he was disappointed with his involvement at the end of his debut season, revealing that, after his side's UEFA Champions League win on 19 May, he refused to hold the trophy as he didn't feel like a winner. After speculation linking Lukaku to a loan move to Fulham, on 10 August 2012 he joined West Bromwich Albion on a season long loan deal. He scored his first league goal eight days later, coming on as a substitute on the 77th minute in a 30 win against Liverpool. He made his full debut in a win against Reading at The Hawthorns, scoring the game's only goal. On 24 November, Lukaku came on as a 70th minute substitute for Shane Long and netted a penalty and provided an assist to Marc-Antoine Fortune, as West Brom defeated Sunderland 4-2. The win proved to be West Brom's fourth consecutive win in the top flight for the first time since 1980. On 12 January 2013, Lukaku had his first multi-goal game in the Premier League, giving West Brom a 2-0 lead against Reading, before a late come back gave the Berkshire club a 3-2 victory. After controversially claiming that he did not want to go back to his parent club and that he wished to stay at West Brom for another year, Lukaku told the press that he still wished to become a legend at Stamford Bridge. On 11 February, Lukaku came on off the bench and scored his 10th Premier league goal of the season against Liverpool in a match that ended 2-0. He scored his second brace of the campaign, scoring both goals for West Brom in their 2-1 defeat of Sunderland on 23 February. On 9 March, in a league match against Swansea City, Lukaku scored the equalising goal, before having a penalty kick saved; West Brom eventually won the game courtesy of a Jonathan de Guzmán own goal. On 19 May, coming on as a second half substitute Lukaku scored an incredible second-half perfect hat-trick, as West Brom came from three goals down to draw 5-5 in the season's final home game against Manchester United. The game was Sir Alex Ferguson's 1500 and last match in charge of United and the highest scoring draw in the history of the Premier League. Despite being loaned out by the club, Lukaku outscored his Chelsea teammates in the Premier League that season, being the sixth-highest goal scorer of 201213 with 17 goals. Click here to view the record

City are outdoing themselves here on the stupidity ratings... Nasri is no better than their current options.

Anything's better than seeing an out-of-form Malouda playing within himself on the left wing like the second half of last season.

We couldn't even sell Kalou to P$G ffs, let alone Milan.

That was two seasons ago, a long time in football. He's over and beyond his peak, just like Lampard, Gerrard, Ronaldinho and the other greats of the last generation.

Stoke away is a harder fixture than any of those you've listed (besides the two Manchester clubs) because they will go for the jugular, other teams are far more tentative and show too much respect, even clubs like Spurs and Fulham are reluctant to attack a Chelsea side, even one that is under-strength and out-of-form. Stoke realise football is a game played by twenty-two men, not twenty-two reputations, and they will throw the kettle, microwave and the kitchen sink at us - the way football should be played by the home side. Stoke are never overawed by the opposition; you can look at the FA Cup final last season as a reflection of that statistic. They also play a lot of good football, and besides the fact they have a physical aspect to their side, they have vastly underrated players like Etherington and Walters who are very creative football players. They may not play the Arsenal way, but when they want to, they can play their way around a team as opposed to through. But the fact they can play either way is testament to the fact they are indeed a very good Premier League side, playing Europa League football for a very good reason.

'Physicality' is the polite way of saying they're dirty bastards.

We've signed Kaka and no-one told me?!

Super post, wholeheartedly agree. I also agree that we underachieved between 2007 and 2009, one FA Cup medal to show for the period is pretty poor, but we were simply out of luck. We were done by the width of the post in the UCL final, a fluky Woodgate goal in the Carling Cup final and lost the league by only two points, we certainly deserved at least one of those trophies.

Grant, Scolari, and to a very small extent Ranieri and Ancelotti all had to go, for various reasons. I don't have to reiterate my stance on Carlo though, everyone on this forum knows I remain one of his biggest supporters. I don't think its fair to include Hiddink on the list, the man was a caretaker coach, no matter what the title was, much the same as Wilkins when he stepped in for the Watford game in the FA Cup in 08/09. The only absolutely ridiculous decision was getting rid of Mourinho, though I obviously don't agree with the Ancelotti sacking for one obvious reason; the Double. People have to realise this club looks to the short-term, and if it continues to bring success, I won't question it.

Definitely more English players needed.

Defence will most likely be Bosingwa - Alex - Terry - Cole, in that case. I don't fancy our chances against Stoke without Essien or Mikel as a physical holding presence. We'll probably see Ramires as the holder, with Lampard and Benayoun ahead of him?

Merged with the kits thread.

Romelu has confirmed the deal won't be confirmed until next week.

Cheers mate, fancy getting the third kit as I'll be getting this season's black one.

'Signed' as in extended their professional contracts I think (we offered them new 5-year deals last month).

It was an example formation. IF we are going to play 4-3-3 then it will be with Kalou, Anelka, Malouda and Sturridge as the wide options. Alternatively we play with the loose third forward, as I said.

I'd rather play someone with experience, this is Stoke, not Norwich or Swansea.

I say no, because before Abramovich came in, all of this was fantasy. I still sometimes can't believe we've transformed from the team I fell in love with as a kid in the late 90s after those two FA Cup wins in 1997 and 2000 into he European 'big four' alongside United, Real and Barcelona. 3 league titles and four second-placed finishes in that period of time = absolutely exceptional. We should have won the Champions League, and but for woeful refereeing we would have been in the final in 2005 and 2009, we should perhaps have won it in 2003 as well. Can't complain.

We weren't going for him even before Lukaku.

So, we've established Torres has a concussed ankle, anyone else near-death?

Spurs just need another £70 million to release him from his contract... maybe we can help them with £50 million for Bale and Modric

You make him out to be on the same level as Messi and Ronaldo. Sure, he's a very, very good midfield player. He's also coming from Italy which is one of the slowest-paced leagues in Europe, where he has time to be a creative genius. He won't be granted the same time in England, plus he will take a full season to adapt. Add on top he is always injured and the probability his wages will help push United's debt beyond the £1 billion mark... Should we really fear United? I don't think so, with or without him. I didn't fear United when they had Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez up front, so I won't fear them now.

He's fine.

I seem to find myself thinking its okay, it doesn't scream 'buy me, I'm fantastic' like the away kit does.