manpe

Has anyone seen Romeu play CB? Is he good at it? Selling Alex would downgrade our defence in quality, no doubt. Get Ivanovic/Luiz/Terry injured and you have Romeu or Ferreira covering for them. I don't trust either in what might be the most important position defensively (behind goalkeeper). But if Rajko does get a work permit, then it's a bit different story... still an unproven kid though, but might be a fairly good backup player.

Even if he is, I'll give my head that he won't play... too soon

Yeah, Luiz reminds me of Carvalho... could turn out as good as him hopefully

Only a freak event would stop this deal happening, he's even training with the team already... people should stop worrying, official announcements always take more time than they should.

good number, it's a hint of his new role in the first team glad for him

So a defensive mid/centre back who can shoot penalties? Interesting.. something we lack in our current squad

I'm bored, so thought I'd also play some fantasy here I won't include any non-Chelsea players, but obviously by 2014 we will have new players... so I'll do it with what we have atm Čech Ivanović - Luiz - Terry - Bertrand Ramires - Mikel - McEachran Sturridge - Torres - Kalou No way, in my opinion, are Piazon and Lukaku going to be definite starters in just 3 years... Lukaku maybe, but if Torres will still be in the way, then I doubt it. And my gut feeling says that Bruma won't stay with us.

Thats 75% of international games is a joke... who comes up with those laws?

definite starters have reduced in numbers, yes.... it remains to be seen if Lampard stays an untouchable (which I think he will). Čech and Cole have no real competition, while Terry is the captain and must play when available. Drogba is no longer a definite starter, although he might become one if Torres continues seriously underperforming. All other positions are up for grabs, which means players must work harder to ensure a place in the team that's good, although I consider having a rock solid defensive line the most important part of a team, it's not very good to rotate it too much... there always used to be one under Mourinho, but now the right side of defence is always under question.

thought I'd squeezed out a lipton earlier tonight, that explains it... thanks

Who the fuck is Martin Lipton, why even quote a naysaying nobody? Twitter sucks... honestly, why waste nerves on these bitches?

Courtois already in 2014? Cech is only 29, I'm willing to bet he'll be here longer than only till 2014. Good goalies play until end of 30's, unless he suddenly starts sucking or if he gets sold, which I can't see happening.

I don't think he would, he'd probably just lay back more and stop spending that much money on it

Left, and he can play anywhere on the left side, just like Zhirkov. Wikipedia says he played his first season as a left-back, that means his second season he was a winger?

ACoN gives other players a chance, and I doubt Inkoom would become an indispensible member of the squad right away, so why not. And he would miss what, 3-5 games in january?

Cole and Pereira on left could work out, I wouldn't actually mind him. He was one of the main men in Uruguay's success story in the WC. Malouda can always play in the middle, since it's been his position for a while now. Where did he play under AVB, does anybody know?

He looks beast even next to Drogba

poteito potaato, the point remains fairly the same... expecting it is one thing, liking it to happen is another But what do you think, could Jose have won titles with the pre-Roman team? I personally think the main things he brought with himself were new tactics, new approach, new winning mentality.. new players were a must, he was probably ordered to rebuild the team. If Mancini had been our "revolution boss", I doubt we would have achieved anything. Mourinho turned unknown players of Porto into heroes and champions, I believe he could have done similarly with the pre-Roman squads, no matter how much money he got. But yeah, it's pointless to speculate, maybe I rate TSO too highly

Yes, I know, but you also said that "we'd all like money to buy titles"... I just said that I wouldn't, because then City would dominate over us

Damn, I wonder why everything takes so slow in football, and why everything is so secretive But oh well, football fans need to be patient anyway

Actually I wouldn't, it's enough that money rules every aspect of life, let football be unaffected and require real team spirit and leadership... of course it isn't unaffected, football is business like any else, but it takes more than just money to win in competitive leagues like Premiership and CL... and I'm glad for it.

We have underachieved in the sence that Mourinho got sacked and replaced by donks Grant and Scolari who had no clue. Hopefully with AVB the changing managers like socks has stopped. But in general, speaking of titles, we have done fairly well... of course no CL, that's an underachievement, but look at our unluck in the competition - it's unbelievable... the phantom goal, the weren't-meant-to-be red cards, Terry slipping on the winning penalty, several injury crysises. But only losers look for excuses, so I won't go there... in my opinion there have been unfortunate bad spells, bad decisions, but in general we have done well. Did Man City win the league in their first "sheikh-season"? Let alone back-to-back? No, they didn't, and they're richer than us.

We didn't sign McEachran, he's come up from the academy ranks since he was 8. And Bertrand is at Chelsea since 2006, being on loan somewhere ever since.

I think Alex would be played even with lacking match fitness ahead of Ferreira, get real He has to gain fitness somehow, doesn't he? The first 3 games against inferior sides are perfect games to do it. Or do you suggest dropping him into reserves and play Ferreira against Kenwyne Jones? naah, I wouldn't...

Will Oriol be available for the Stoke game?