Chelsea Legend 11

Anyone know how much we sold him for?

You make it sound like we have two pure strikers on our roster, we don't. The interest in Lukaku at 75m() and the assertion that Costa isn't going anywhere is enough for me to its likely this will be the case more often then not. As I've addressed in another post, how we set up, in my head at least, will nullify this problem. if you stretch that defense by using this width we've been playing with it will take pressure off of the strikers and provide them with more room to operate in the channels. It will also give mean less pressure on the ball at the point of attack because there are more bodies up the field to account for. That's what I saw in the preseason and why I think Lukaku and Costa can coexist. Goal stats mean little? Are you joking? You have to be joking... When we won the title with Costa banging them in what else did he do but score? Its about presence in the box and ability to score goals. Morata at Juve played under an entirely different system than the one we are trying to employ here. Are you advocating that our interest in Lukaku is not Conte's?

Looking forward to this. I know its not about the result or what Milan will try to do but more so about what we are trying to drill home; having said that Conte should have a very very good understanding of what Milan will try to do. It'll be interesting to see if he tries to take away what they do well(I'm not sure what that is) and if we attack their weaknesses.

So you're willing to sacrifice an entire season and perhaps start the managerial merry-go round again because you don't want to buy Lukaku? Do you think the price for a striker will soon drop? Morata scored 9 goals and Real Madrid want 75m for him. When you get over the number(which in isolation is absurd) is he not one of the better strikers in the prem? I say Kane, Aguero, Sturridge? Vardy? Costa, then Lukaku somewhere in there. Given his age and association credit he adds value beyond just goalscoring.

Can you show me where anyone has said passion is the sole reason to have someone in the team?

Please give me some insight as to who you'd like instead?

Really interested to know who you guys want instead?

In a world where click bait has value.

Hazard can be played there from time to time. There will be situations where he can exploit defenses

For a number of reasons. First there is more than one way to skin a cat. Second he adds to our association trained pool and is a proven goalscorer. Where Lukaku is poor in the build up and has a poor first touch, he is very good in the air and plays off the shoulders of defenders extremely well. I'm of the belief that the width we are playing with will provide more gaps in the back for Costa AND Lukaku to exploit. This is what we saw last year Absolutely no width leaving Costa marked by two defenders and Hazard basically lost on the left trying to cut inside to a crowded midfield. In this system when we're in possession our wingers hug the touchline and pull defenders away from the middle of the pitch, thus providing more space in the channels for Lukaku and Costa to exploit. Thats what I've noted in the preseason and LOVED about the two striker system. A system where if you have a guy who is good in the air(Lukaku) and a guy who is a goal poacher(Costa) can co-exist mainly because they don't like to occupy the same space and who will be matched up 1 v 1 with most defenders. In my head, which doesn't really account for much in the grander scheme of things, this can be very dangerous. If they double up on Hazard with a RB and a winger you leave Costa 1v1. If you tell the RB to stay home and help crowd out our strikers you leave Hazard 1v1 with a winger.... If you re-position one of your two holding midfielders to deal with one of our strikers it leaves more space and time for Fabregas to do what he does best....

And what part of the preseason so far have you seen us utilizing our strikers with their backs to goal? Everything I've seen had our strikers playing off the shoulders of defenders looking to get in behind. That part of Lukaku's game is undeniable, he is an absolute nightmare in this instance. I will also agree his link up is poor but if the scenario of having Lukaku and Costa marauding in and around the 18 while being serviced by Hazard, Cesc and Willian isn't appealing I can't be sure what you guys are looking for from our 4-2-4 system? He's homegrown, a Chelsea supporter, he's scored a boatload of goals already.... What striker in world football can say that they've scored 50 premier league goals before turning 23? Have you seen the going rate for strikers these days? Morata scored 9 goals last year and Real Madrid want 75m for him.... LOL. Its not the perfect scenario but given our already shaky association status and Costa's injury woes, coupled with our inability to score last year I'm finding it hard to have a problem with Costa and Lukaku with Michy coming off the bench.

In a perfect world this is true, you'd want a more technically gifted partner up front. I'll leave it right there though, I still think a Costa/Lukaku partnership would cause all sorts of problems in the prem.

We will have 3 strikers for two positions not 3 strikers for 1... Michy will see plenty of action while he gets acclimatized to the Prem.

what if we keep them both?

What part makes little sense the fact that he's already scored 50 prem league goals at the age of 23 or that he is also homegrown and won't be subjected to brexit?

They are similar but they don't like to occupy the same space. Lukaku is also a threat in the air and much faster. They can work together its just not the ideal partnership.

And please give me a fucking break! Anyone who doesn't feel a strike force of Costa, Michy and Lukaku won't give the premier league fits! Ya but we're better off with 9 goals Morata at 75m.... Tongue the back of my balls with that offer.

You should turn off your bluetooth you will conserve more battery power.

We'll see but I always knew this was on.

I don't rate him at all in fact I don't rate any defenders that come out of the Spanish league. England is a different animal you need a high level of physicality to play here.

So not true. You guys need to exhibit more patience. The centerback market isn't all that deep and if you LISTEN to what Conte is saying we aren't going to just buy for the sake of buying like we did last year. We have identified who we want (Koulibaly) and we will be patient with this decision. The other names being bandied about should tell you how poor the market is. Mustafi? Stones? Maksimovic? Lindelof? If we end up with any of those names are defense will not improve from last year. IF/when Napoli secure a replacement we will have our bid for Koulibaly accepted, that much I believe to be true. And no you don't pay over the odds for an unproven defender when it comes to the Premier League. What we have offered is more than fair and the reason it hasn't been rejected is because Napoli are looking for a replacement. Pogba and Stones are about as done as Koulibaly.

People throwing out random words out of context. LOL. Lukaku is passionate about Chelsea! Anyone that doesn't see that has been living under a rock or drinking way too much grappa...

I think he was desperate to leave because Jose wasn't going to give him a chance.

Gomez left because he took 1 chance out of every 5 created for him, it had nothing to do with his touch. He was a beast against small teams and a mouse against big clubs. I don't see why you're talking about Gomez though, Lukaku and Gomez aren't even close in comparison

You're not the only one. I want those who are passionate about the club! Lukaku has his warts but he wants to be here and that is more than enough for me! Especially since he's homegrown and scores loads of goals!