themightyblue

He's in the last year of his contract

We'd still need a player like Kagawa With Malouda and Kalou probably going, Sturridge being a CF, we'll still probably need 3 or 4 more players to play in the 3 of the 4231 all competing. We already have Marin, Mata and maybe Kakuta, but out of those 3 only Mata will be a definite starter as Marin is still raw and will probably be used like Cahill is currently used and Kakuta isn't definitely staying. Those saying KDB will be competition in these positions, he's found his calling in the centre of midfield playing with a defensive midfielder, he's contributed to like 17 of their last 22 goals. So he'll be involved in that area of the pitch IF he even comes back next season

Hazard has to want to come to us and if he doesn't its probably because he rejected us as we're definitely interested in him

Wow what a signing this is, Marin is pretty class on his day and will cause any fullback problems and should he find that consistency will be an absolute steal. However, i'm pretty sure that he's gonna be used in a rotational sense rather than be a starter week in week out and i think we'll be after 2 more wingers too. Those including Kdb, he'll probably go out on loan next season to gain more experience and even if he doesn't his position with us will be in the centre of the pitch where he is out of this world for his age. On the wing, hewas decent enough, but after being switched to the centre his been the best player in Belgium and so he won't occupy one of those wing positions. As things currently stand, the players we have to play in the 3 of a 4231 are: Mata Kalou Malouda Sturridge Ramires Kalou is likely to leave along with Malouda and unless used as a striker Sturridge will also be gone, which leaves us with Mata and Ramires. That means that we'll still probably need 4 players there, Marin and Kakuta(hopefully) will be two of those and that means we'll still need two more. Like i said before i highly doubt Marin will be a starter as he's still very raw and he'll probably be used like Cahill is and if he impresses get a starting birth. The transfer of Hulk seems to be nearing and we'll probably be in for Hazard or jovetic too. This will give us the options of: Hulk Mata Jovetic and Ramires Kakuta Marin Future looks good

Nice to hear from a Bayern fan and although you say that you respond well to pressure we also respond well to pressure and you have the tag of being favourites to win. Last time that happened, you came unstuck against Basel in the first leg and the fact that your playing at home will put even more pressure on your boys. I've also realised that Gomez tends to go missing in the bigger games, whereas Drogs is always at the fore front leading. In terms of team, i think we have to go: Cech Bosingwa Cahill Luiz Cole Lampard Mikel Kalou Mata Malouda Drogba Obviously Malouda might not be a popular choice, but one thing he does is track back and help out which Sturridge can't do and i doubt RDM will play Torres on the wing when he hardly ever does. We'll need to play a game similar to the one against Valencia, where we absorb all their attacks and then counter mainly using Kalou, Mata and Drogba

Let me start off by firstly saying that i am not implying that we should be favourites or anything as Bayern will be firm favourites to win this and like Barcelona and Napoli and City and Valencia (I could go on) were supposed to do, 'turn us over'. However, some of the comments i'm seeing about this Bayern team are like there world beaters and i've watched them a few times this season online and they are seriously beatable if we turn up. They are mightily inconsistent and there defence isn't far off from being worse than Napoli or Benfica's and i'm talking about when there all fit. There defence will probably be Rafinha-Boateng-Tymoschuk-Lahm and like i said if we get the fired up Drogba i could honestly see him tearing them apart. They have a right back who is very much in the Bosingwa/Walker mode as in gets forward quite well but suspect defensively, Boateng who's decent enough and Tymoschuk who's a defensive midfielder, but has rarely CB and so will be a big risk. If your worried about our defence, then they have much more problems there than us. Even if Van Buyten makes it, having not played much Drogba will be a big shock for him Then we have their midfield and once again the loss of Gustavo will be huge for them as once again they have minimal cover their. The only other natural DM they have has barely played this season and so they'll probably be forced to play Kroos along with Schweinsteiger who are both not exactly defensive minded. They were so open in the centre of the park against Madrid and so imagine not actually playing a DM there, it'd be like us play Meireles and Ramires in the double pivot (which we've seen get exposed). There attack is outstanding and that should be our main area of worry as it is just quite superb, but we've dealt with Napoli, Barca etc and so it will require full concentration. Anyway we're still underdogs, but this will play to our favour as thats what the players love and is when we perform best. The one round we weren't underdogs in and we almost messed that up. So all i'm saying is their is definitely hope and a chance

Providing we get no injuries in the build up to it: Cech Ivanovic Luiz Terry Cole Lampard Mikel Ramires Mata Kalou Drogba And lets smash these cunts!!

I'd play: Cech Bosingwa Cahill Luiz Cole Lampard Mikel Kalou Mata Malouda Drogba Think we've got to go 4231 because Mata can be a massive influence on this game, we've seen that Bayern can easily be got at and with Badstuber out of the final it will probably mean Van Buyten coming in who's worse than Mertesacker and slow as fuck. Mata also has to play centrally because Gustavo who is their discplined DM will be missing and this might leave spaces for Mata to exploit. Malouda and Kalou for the wings purely because they will track back and run up and down that line all day and thats what we need as Ribery and Robben will hurt us. Sturridge simply isn't good enough defensively and as for Torres on the wing? RDM has only tried that when we're chasing a goal so doubt he'd do that in the final of the CL. I was tempted to go for 433 and make everything compact but Mata is a must start for this game and having him on the wing won't be a good idea because despite all his efforts he's not good enough to defensively to handle Bayern's wide players. Final point is, we never lose with Kalou in the team

Cech Bosingwa Romeu Terry Bertrand Essien Meireles Sturridge Mata Kalou Torres Should be winnng by 60 minutes i hope, then take off Mata for Malouda

The one key thing for next season is that Sturridge has to be used as a CF and not a RW. It was a nice experiment, but CF is his actual position and he deserves to be given a chance there. Another which is desperately needed is a deep lying playmaker to help the quick transition of the ball from defence to attack, this is somethign Romeu does excellently but he's more of our bulldozer DM. So looking at the starting team i'd say this: Cech Ivanovic Luiz Terry Bertrand New midfielder Romeu New Winger Mata New Winger Torres/Sturridge For players going out: Malouda- Not much to say Drogba - Been a great service Kalou - Underrated by chelsea fans Bosingwa - Get out quick Essien - No longer a force Lampard - Don't think we'll be able to get rid of Meireles and getting rid of Frank will take a huge chunk of the wage bill. Not a popular transfer, but one i'd like to see happen Players coming in (Try to keep it realistic): Azpilicueta/Isla - Good RBs to rotate with Ivan Jovetic - Great player, probably won't cost upward of 27m Hulk - This might not be a popular transfer, but for 35m i'd take the gamble. No matter what anyone says he is a great player who can win a game by himself and if Torres and Sturridge weren't performing, he could also be used as a CF. Kakuta - Back up to Mata and other positions in attack Farfan - I would say Hoilett, but i doubt there's any chance we'll go for him. We've been linked with Farfan and would be a good buy Witsel/Moutinho - Both good players and wouldn't mind seeing either come. Cech Ivanovic Luiz Terry Bertrand Witsel Romeu Hulk Mata Jovetic Torres/Sturridge If i was being unrealistic i'd have said: Azpilicueta Hazard Lucas Moura Modric Jovetic Kakuta This is just a dream though

Cech Ivanovic Luiz Terry Cole Lampard Mikel Ramires Mata Sturridge Drogba Spurs are awful at defending at set pieces which is why i went with Drogba and he also always seems to do well against Spurs, otherwise would have gone for Torres. Picked Ramires so that he can double up on Bale too on there left side

Think Lukaku definitely needs to start Turnbull Bosingwa Cahill JT Bertrand Meireles Romeu Sturridge Torres Kalou Lukaku Or Turnbull Bosingwa Cahill JT Bertrand Meireles Romeu Sturridge Malouda Kalou Lukaku

In terms of outs: Lampard, Drogba, Torres, Malouda, Kalou, Bosingwa, Mikel, Hilario, Lukaku (Loan)

A lot of you seem to think that Torres won't be able to hack it against stoke, but are forgetting his motm performance there this season http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jDddU8mzdU Think we should play: Cech Ivanovic Cahill Terry Bertrand Ramires Mikel Sturridge Mata Kalou Torres Then for Napoli have Cole, Luiz, Essien and Drogba come in

Would assume Ramires Romeu Sturridge Lucas Mata Torres Lucas and Mata would be interchanging throughout the game

Sao Paulo are about to sign Nilmar from Villarael. They've already signed Jadson this window too, possibly a sign that we're prepared to pay for Lucas?

http://www.sambafoot.com/en/news/27944_willian_looks_forward_to_possible_chelsea_move.html

How is this a stupid signing?

Things starting to hot up, SSN saying we've launched a 2nd bid

You think that if we could get Hazard for the same price, then we wouldn't get him? Obviously Hazard isn't available till Summer unless we pay stupid amounts now

He's similar to mata mate, can play LW, CAM and RW. However, he can definitely play as a winger much more ably than Mata as he is quicker and has more tricks up his sleeve

Think we'll get Willian, but does anyone else get the feeling that he won't be our only signing this January? I still think they'll be another attacker coming in and by attacker i mean winger/CAM. Don't think Avb will exactly give up on the CL just yet and will try to bring in another option that could play in that competion because even if we sign willian, an injury or suspension to Mata or Sturridge in the CL will mean Malouda or Kalou coming in. Maybe there is something in that Munian story as we are currently in Spain and maybe Freddie Boswell is speaking some truth when he says we're watching Gaston Ramirez.

Is Gaston Ramirez good then?

Not sure if any of you know who Freddie Boswell is on twitter, but he claims we had a bid for Gaston Ramirez knocked back yesterday. Make of that what you will

If he came it would probably be as a drogba replacement at CF, people seem to forget that he can play there and i think he has played there this season for Porto. For 30-35m i'd definitely take him