robsblubot

In the unlikely event both Cech and Courtois stay Schwarzer won't play in either.

agreed. It's actually worse than that though, as strikers actually do get "minutes" whereas GK can only get full matches - not to mention each game has its own peculiarities. Plus tons of other variables we've been through, such as gelling with the defenders, confidence, etc. Competition does not work for goalkeepers. How do you replace the goalie after 2 clean sheets? Just because? As much as I like Cech, I'll be sick if we manage to lose Courtois. Courtois is an experienced world class youngster - it does not get any better than that.

Ki is a good player, but so is Shelvey who is still fucking 22! I've been saying Shelvey can become a pretty good player if he can find some consistency and iron out the silly decisions. He's got aggressiveness, long and short passing, and can shoot too. Certainly a CM to keep in any short list.

He was poor, but not his fault Everton handed him the #10... That's the real travesty as a player so technically limited is wearing that number. He's a poacher who can on occasion beat defenders on pace and power - good #9 for some sides and can improve being so young. Now if he himself believes to be more than that, then he will be in trouble - 2 back heel attempts in his first match looked a bit pretentious.

There are better options, more enegetic and pacier, than Mikel in that purely defensive role. Players with a bit more urgency in their game, who can actually pull a counter attack with a well-placed long ball - something I reckon Mikel can/could never do. I, and reckon TPtB, don't think Mikel can possible replace Matic unless in very specific conditions, such as the one you listed above: defending very deep. Matic moves seamlessly into a CM position and can offer something in attack, something (again) Mikel just cannot do or at least hasn't been able to. Jose may not be as much a fan of Mikel as you imply. Mikel is currently available and on a long term deal, which was signed before Jose was in charge. Such deal, with so high wages, for a squad player, is what made people suggest this had something to do with Emenalo being his countryman as well. Mikel may not be willing to leave because of his upcoming British passport and when players don't want to leave they don't.

yeah he's had just as many good matches as Frank did, hence the same number; 8 (good matches) sounds about right too. seriously though... Oscar needs to resume his development. Also, regardless whether he is developing or not, his passing completion in the final third has been innaceptible and we as a team suffer because of it. That, his passing, needs to be sorted out ASAP.

Agreed. Salah is a skillful little dude... Moses has no skill whatsoever; he runs and crosses/shoots and he needs lots of space to operate in. Don't people see his quick feet and tight control of the football at all times? No the end product isn't there just yet, and he will certainly struggle when tightly marked once the league starts, but those are the hurdles he's got to overcome to develop.

You got a point there, but consider that Oscar's work rate wasn't what it is now when he joined Chelsea. Perhaps he's been listening to Jose a bit too much? Concerning Moses, he just inst good enough for a club like Chelsea. Decent player, but keeping him or not is going to be a technicality that may or may not be about the HG quota.

fair enough... finishing and long shooting are skills Salah has to improve upon. However, my point is that speed is not only important for counter attacking. Speed of execution, being a cross, dribble, pass, or a shot, is important especially in today's game with so little space between the lines. Chelsea already had players who can shoot from afar - Willian and Andre for example. We did not have a pacey player like Salah.

It's far more difficult to do things in pace; even controlling the football can be a challenge when running at full sprint. Time on the ball is a luxury that is increasingly scarce in tight matches. Salah is an interesting player precisely because he does what he does in blazing pace.

This is also how I see him: Read more at: http://www.thecable.ng/whats-the-fuss-about-john-obi-mikel | TheCable

and with that first touch, Lukaku needs as much time with a football as he can get....

disappointing and unnecessary.

This rumor makes no sense whatsoever.... we've got too many non-homegrown players and would be acquiring yet another one?! And if it is to improve over the current CBs, then we'd be going for Godin, not Miranda; unless this is more about characteristics than quality. Still don't buy this one.

That's only partially true because it only takes transfer fees into account, not wages. However, Lampard and Cole leaving certainly helped on that front too.

all true. just that having Torres and 36-year-old Drogba as the only alternatives to Costa does not give me a warm feeling. Would Jose sign a 4th striker? Right now we are an injury away from last season's strike force.

Did not know that... still don't buy the "offers" though. That sounds like agent's hype.

Jose builds his teams for the big games. That makes him struggle against weaker sides. When you employ defensive fullbacks it's a compromise you are willing to make: defensive solidity, but missing in numbers going forward. This is simple arithmetic: chelsea will have 4 players out of 10, who are not capable to contribute in attack. I have no qualms with his team setup, but understand something's gotta give and sometimes we will struggle when facing weaker sides. Just look at the other top teams' record against weaker sides at home. Yes, we will improve with Fabregas and Costa, but not sure if enough. I also expect we won't have it as good against the top sides, because we will play less disruptive football; MAtic and Luiz were monsters in those tough away derbies. tradeoffs... Hopefully some sort of balance is struck and we win the league, even if still on the defensive side as strategies go.

offloading Mikel is easier said than done - just like Torres. They are both on incompatible wages - with what they produce on the pitch as well as their valuation. Reckon the only way to offload Mikel and Torres would be to give them away for free, so that the high wages, that the "buyer" would have to pay, work as the transfer fee.

Jose to Drogba, "I can only guarantee starts in two games: Arsenal home and away."

preaching to the choir...I was just mentioning that the club will make more out of him than "merely" shirt sales. That the calculation wouldn't be as simple as profit in shirt sales. That he is currently completely inadequate at this level, no question.

fair points, but reckon you are all missing the other aspects of marketing: market penetration and brand recognition. When Torres fans in country X wear Torres jersey, they are also promoting Chelsea as a club as well as its affiliates. Similar, but not nearly as big as Park at United. As good as Park was in defense, he was never good enough to play for United IMO. Sounds familiar?

I dislike competition between goalkeepers because throughout a season they don't get enough opportunities to prove anything. There are too many factors affecting their performances, like need to get used to the defenders and the defenders used to the them. You have to give them a good run of games, but games aren't equal. So, one play any bottom feeder at home and don't touch the football, the other Arsenal away and makes great saves or not?! Then do you judge mistakes or form? Command or reaction? Those things, what you value as a manager, should've been known from the beginning. I've seen competition between goalkeepers before, and it never works; only thing that can really settle anything is if one picks up an injury. It's very difficult to replace a GK who has had a good run, which is always not unlikely to happen at a top club.

FFP rules include wages, so having Torres as a squad player makes us a weaker team.

James is a very risky buy especially for that price... From the standpoint that one would want to buy cheap and sell high, acquiring a player after he's had a terrific season, or worse yet, a great World Cup is terrible business. On the same token, a bid for Hazard would make sense right now. Well, he did have a very good season for us, so that's only partially true. Oscar on the other hand might be a very interesting target for smart buyers.