BlueLyon

I explained it here; Lukaku was not even close being good enough to leading our line. He came of good season, but he was extremely raw player. He should wait and take his chances when given, but instead decided to leave. I agree there is favorism of proven, experienced players in our team, but at one point, he would get the game time if he stayed. Should we decide to play him every game since that first everton season on loan? Not buy Costa, because we had Lukaku? Everyone knows he wasnt good enough to be starter. He would still need to prove it here, at Chelsea. United bought Ibra last summer and Rashford is still playing and playing well. Lukaku decided to leave on loan when we had Etoo and Torres, he then decided to leave permamently when we bought Costa. He could easily play games if he proven he is good on the pitch. Costa was injured and banned in quite a few games in first season. But Lukaku thought straight he has to play every game. So be it. But he wasnt good enough to start for Chelsea every week. Even now when it seems we are buying him back, Im not convinced. He will need to play well here before I make any judgement that he is good enough to lead our attack. As for Mceachran, he was promising under Ancelotti, but completely lost it on loans. If Carlo stayed, maybe it would be different, but its a big if. We cant say Chelsea made any mistake with Josh, he just didnt perform on loans.

I tried ti quote you in another thread but then couldnt find the post, anyway its basicaly same topic so I will just quote you here... I dont think we are as bad with youth as some imply. Yes we messed up with KdB big time and maybe Bertrand, but thats about it. I dont get this; player should get chance. They do get chance. But its not like they will play 10, 20 games in season. We apparently had so many great youngsters we didnt give them chance. I dont buy it. They are simply not good enough. Doing it in youth levels is entirely different than senior level. They are average on senior level, thats why they dont and didnt play more for us. Its the sad truth. We loaned several players out, to foreign leagues, to championship, to PL. Several didnt even get to play regular football. And we are to blame for loanining them out instead of giving them a chance? If they were good, they would play, they would play well and return here. And continue playing. But most didnt play on loan or played very average, thats why they got sold and we hear almost nothing about them. Lahm was loaned to stuttgart and played well. He returned to bayerna, got a game and played well. He didnt get 30 games to catch form. RLC is getting playtime and he is absolutely average most of time. How can someone keep giving him playtime? Mceachran, Boga, Solanke, Lukaku...they were loaned, but never made any serious waves. We cant just give them playtime. And when they sit on bench, they start complaining like they are the biggest stars in football. We are not ideal club for youngsters indeed, but if there was world class talent here, they would play. Again, only one of such calibre was KdB, in this case the board made big mistake. With Ake, its different, he was good but we are simply stuffed in this department. Christensen will get that role. Then there is Zouma. We all know Ake might be realy good one day and if that clause is real, we can easily get him back. The best example is Courtois clearly. He was loaned, he took his chance and he is now playing here because he is top player. Christensen has potential to be similar.

Nike also has barca and Im pretty sure they are their main brand. But yeah Nike lost United, Juve, Arsenal in past few years, big clubs on market. They will surely try to elevate us in commercials. Regarding those, I think Nike is much much better here than adidas. I love nike commercials, never mind some of most popular players are supported by nike like CR, Ibra, Luiz, Neymar, Lewa,...they all had great campaigns, while I dont remember any special from adidas apart from Pogba and Messi. Even puma and Griezmann, Aguero, Reus have better marketing than adidas. Pretty sure nike is coming here from great experience back in the days of Michael Jordan and Brazil around 2000s. They set the new standards for how to commercialize football and sport in general. But tbh I mainly expect Nike to make Chelsea campaing and to put Hazard as our poster boy, he has been kept hidden (he was playing for adidas supported club and national team, while on nike personal contract). Doubt they will give us money to buy anyone per se.

To be wingback and to own that role for a longer time, Im pretty sure you need to be Marcelo, Sandro, Alaba, Alves level in attack. They provide width, crosses, take on players. Basicaly they have to be wingers. Azpi is very intelligent, great worker, brilliant defender too, and I dont think he is poor in offense, but neither great. Solid. But I wonder if that will be enough longterm. Alonso was fine, but at the end of the day, there is plenty of improvement. He is worse defensively than Azpi, but IMO better in attack. Maybe Azpi can play this role well due to his determination and character, but we will see if he can run quickly up and down whole game and provide attacking threat on consistent basis. When he was LB, he did quite well with Eden, but now he will need to do alot more. Its true he will be playing on his stronger side now. I would never bench Azpi, but there is valid question if he can make rwb role his own, because althrough he has been brilliant as RCB, we conceded plenty goals from crosses (that was half Moses fault too) and maybe Conte wants more stability. IMO if we solve other problems; if we get some creativity from midfield, a quality RW, then Azpi can probably play RWB just fine, he is valuable asset. But atm, with Pedro, and what seems with Kante and Bakayoko in midfield, there will be much desired from wingback in dribbling, creating, crossing and linkup. We will see.

If we get new CB, then either we will play with 4 defenders or Azpi is moving to WB role. I just cant see why would Conte buy new LB and at same time think Moses is good enough. Unless we are doing something the media doesnt know. I just wonder if Azpi can play that WB role. He is not as fast or realy technical. He is perfect for 3 man defence tho and good enough to be FB, but he will need to improve in attack because if not, our left side will be much stronger and every opposition will throw more defenders to focus on Eden and Sandro (hopefuly), since Azpi and Pedro? wont be as deadly. Getting Eden a proper FB partner seems to be completed soon, but we will need quality players elsewhere because we are too dependant on Eden (and Costa when he was on form, but he is leaving) and they can just mark him out.

Well july 1st is saturday, so I would bet if anything it will be on monday july 3rd but who knows...

Im still not sure what is the fuss about him and Dybala tbh. Both are very promising players, but not THAT great yet. Both are hyped to be the next best players of the world. Eden at Lille for example was alot better IMO than those two. Dembele looked extremely raw every time I saw him. Great dribbling, but seems to lose the ball, make wrong pass, miss clean shot alot...Dybala being compared to Messi, you would expect him to dribble past few players or have killer shot or pass, but he is realy inconsistent. I would have Dybala here tho, he CAN become realy good player one day.

Where is WHS inside info when you need it

Oh I see...I thought he is returning back from loan this season.

Like Juan said, Sandro and Hazard would be amazing. Since Ashley we didnt have quality attacking fullback (Ivanovic and Azpi were great, but not realy technical) and now it seems to happen. And I always wanted Eden to have such quality player behind him, because that will make him even better. Exciting times ahead.

Juve head scout Ribalta is heading to Utd.

Lol Spinazzola is already juve player, why would they need to talk with his agent?

I dont like how almost all players we sell end up with rivals; Kdb in City, Mata in United, Salah in Pool. I dont think Salah ever was that great and didnt regret we sell him, but if he ends up as one of best pool players just like Kdb is in city, we screwed again big time.

Im surprised no one posted it here yet, but Moratta said Dani Alves is leaving. The contract will be terminated, so he will go on free. Didnt say where, but I guess its between us and City. I hope its us, but I think he will rejoin with Pep.

If we go by those comments from Marotta, Chelsea made good offer, juve doesnt want to sell, but Sandro wants to leave. I actualy think this deal is completed or will be soon, but it wont be official until we start Nike deal and juve gets replacement in mean time.

Not sure why so many have negative opinions on nike. Its not like adidas doesnt make atrocious kits. They often throw all kind of details, like those lions on current kit. I prefer having simple, clean shirt, one colour and badge. If those kits are real, we will have very nice shirt for next season. Very classy. Meanwhile take a look at home Bayern or Real kits for next season, very poor combinations. Some will say at least they are different from this season, but its still better to have similar simple kit every year than weird colours like neon blue on real kit or bayern home kit which looks very weird with those vertical stripes and sleeves. Problem with adidas is, they cant make clean shirt because they always throw those three stripes. I realy liked this season kits without stripes on sleeves, but seems they are going back to norm for next season. I loved our umbro kits, nike is the closest we can get in design.

70m for fullback is ridiculous amount of cash, but fuck it, he is brilliant player. If we can afford that money plus ~100m for Lukaku, 40m for Baka, not to mention there might be more, I think there are some exciting times for us. Even the likes of Verratti are not impossible, at least from financial perspective (not this summer obviously) .

No thank you. We have Baker who I think can be better.

Everytime I saw him, he played better. And I saw plenty of CL and europa league games of porto back then. Never understood what was all the fuss about Danilo tbh.

For me, dream summer would be Caballero, Morata (but it will be Lukaku), Bakayoko, Sandro and Veratti. Maybe get some cheap promising RB for backup. Verratti is unrealistic as it gets, but would love him here. -------------------Tibo-------------------- ----Azpi--Luiz--Cahill--Sandro---- ------Kante--Baka--Veratti-------- Pedro--Morata/Lukaku--Hazard I think Pedro is more than good for at least another season, and I think we can stick with Cahill, Luiz and Christensen until winter at least, see how Christensen does (and Ake, Zouma).

How did Baker and Nate play?

I remember alot of people saying we should get Sandro instead, at least those who saw him play. He was brilliant in porto, better than Danilo. Baba only had one good season for augsburg if i remember, there was alot of hype around him that Real wants him, I had zero clue who he is apart from reading rumours.

How reliable is guardian these days? They are saying we are stepping up for Sandro and Bakayoko.