Jase

Looks like Solanke is joining Vitesse on loan this season... http://www.vitesse.nl/nl/nieuws/detail/5143/dominic-solanke-traint-mee-bij-vitesse

Mourinho has issues with youth players, doesn't he? He said this about Solanke last season... http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/jose-mourinho-would-big-mistake-9116007 But now, looks like Solanke is heading out to Vitesse on loan. Starting training with them ahead of the move - http://www.vitesse.nl/nl/nieuws/detail/5143/dominic-solanke-traint-mee-bij-vitesse(it's in Dutch)

For anyone interested...

And we also seem to be afraid of the FFP for whatever reason. We are nowhere near breaching any of the rules and it's even more infuriating that we are scared when the likes of PSG, United, City have made a mockery of it.

Yes, but no one is asking the Mourinho/the club to buy like 4-5 players. We just need 1-2 signings to improve the starting XI, that won't harm the youth players' chances of getting into the first team, especially if we were to sell some of the dead woods and buy new players. And speaking of youth players, is Mourinho even interested in integrating them? He has talked so much about it but yet, we haven't really seen him do that in pre-season. He used a few against New York Red Bulls but hardly any against PSG and Barcelona (is he afraid because it's PSG and Barcelona?). I understand we started pre-season late and needed to get all the first team players up to scratch but if some of the youth players are going to be part of Mourinho's plan, like he has claimed on numerous occasions, you would have expected him to use and trust them more. Right now, it feels what he has said is just for show, which I guess it shouldn't be a surprise given it's Mourinho, and the youth players will only get game time in cup matches or some dead rubber Champions League games.

As ZanSnake pointed out above, Kane has signed a new 3-year deal - http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/08/new-deal-for-kane.html

The funny thing is, we can actually spend 30-35m on Stones and still buy 1-2 top quality midfielders but we're handicapping ourselves because the board likes profit so much all of a sudden and has decided to be stingy with the money. It's like we have suddenly appointed Wenger to be our financial adviser.

Wenger has taken up the 'Sit back and play on the counter' approach in the big away matches last season - just like we've always done - but because it's Wenger, no one said anything about it.

There seem to be more of that from Wenger recently, if his pragmatic approach in the big away games last season is anything to go by. Did it at the Bridge (and at the Emirates too), at City, United, LIverpool and even Tottenham. He only got 1 win from those matches but he seem to have finally learned his lesson.

.....

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/03/connor-wickham-signs-crystal-palace-sunderland?CMP=share_btn_tw Wickham has officially joined Crystal Palace...

John Stones to Chelsea: Roberto Martinez insists Everton are big enough to keep England defender

He may not be greedy but he could be ambitious.

Let's not forget that Everton allowed Distin and Alcaraz to leave this summer, meaning any CBs they are looking for could be to replace them rather than Stones.

Can you imagine we buy Stones just before the transfer window closes and the first game after that is Everton away and we put him straight into the starting XI? That would be something.

Gosh Pizy. Why are you always so pessimistic?

By your logic, it's bad that we didn't win the International Champions Cup...

It's TalkChelsea. What do you expect?

Win or lose, it's still a pre-season/glorified friendly which ever way you look at it. Yes, we would be happy had we won but we wouldn't be celebrating much about it because it's not the EPL, UCL, FA Cup or League Cup.

Yeah but the effect could just be as bad, mentally and maybe even physically.

Obviously no one likes losing but compare it to the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup or even the League Cup. He would rather have lost to them in the Community Shield than in any of the other four competitions, where the stakes are much higher and important.

No, Falcao isn't a complete footballer but you would still expect him to do some of the basics or simple things that every striker should have right. And I wouldn't call it overreaction. Would say it's valid for people to have doubts after his serious knee injury last year, poor performances at United and what happened with Torres.

It was going to be broken sooner or later and at least the defeat came in a meaningless match. His aim now will be making sure Wenger doesn't pick up the wins over him all of a sudden.

Maybe it's because taking a picture doesn't involve him exerting his hamstring...

Even when he had got the ball, he still couldn't do anything meaningful with it but of course, people are just going to praise him for the little things, cling to hope and look elsewhere for why he isn't working. It's like reading the Torres thread all over again.