robsblubot

LBs are too reliant on pace and players don't get any pacier as they age; so this guy is going to be fairly expensive at 19m.

it looks like Jose doesn't rate Lukaku, unfortunately. Torres and Ba while Lukaku goes on loan... it makes no fucking sense to me. ^^ yeah big question mark on contract... thought he had another 2 years left.

Dudes! He's 22! He's only not wearing #10 because coach wants to put more pressure on Neymar - that's really the only reason. (Oscar started as #10 for Brazil)

Have to confess I'm not a fan. He's got good technique, but he's also so very slow... No urgency in his game just like Mikel. Romeo has better range of passing than him though. Regardless, we can't really employ a DM week in and week out as our system really needs two rounded players in the center. Reckon Matic is as defensive as it's going to get, and I'd not call him a DM, but more of a deep lying/ball winning mid. Although not as slow as Mikel, Matic isn't the paciest of mids, so we need someone with some pace next to him. Ramires has the pace, but not the technique. OK maybe not pace, but mobility.

agreed. I thought the same of Modric though, but he's done well after moving deeper. Thing is, if the player has enough technique, he can make the football move quickly, like Modric does, then avoiding physical confrontations - well most of the time. Out of the CMs we are being linked with, Fabregas would have to be the least exciting.

that's a perfect succinct description of Ramires' game.

Any information on what the fuck happened?! Have we made an offer at all and he just took the better one? I'm not going to put this on the club until I know more. He certainly did not deserve anywhere near the deal he's had in the past (key player and all), but no offer would've been very harsh.

Good young player. If we wanted to improve over what we have immediately though, then I'd rather go for Diego Godin... Along with Ramos, best defenders in champions IMO.

There is no decision (official one) to be made. There is no need to talk with the player - despite his claims. He has two years left on his contract, so he will show up like any other player and play for the club. He wants assurances? There is no such a thing at a top club much less to a nobody like him; he's a good young prospect, nothing more. If later Chelsea decide to loan him out or sell him, that's a different discussion. If anything his constant and frank talks with the press can only hinder his feature at the club. He hasn't really been given a shot at Chelsea. I'm just concerned that Jose might grow tired of constantly hearing Lukaku's considerations on the press.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/03/jose-mourinho-chelsea-oscar-dip-form Tactics play a part too... Brazil plays with more possession and with way more players committing forward. For Chelsea, the attacking players often don't have much support. Oscar has to work harder when playing for CHelsea than for Brazil, which he has done like Jose says above. He just does not have the consistency just yet - plus nagging injuries played a part too. The dilemma for me is very different: I read on this forum a lot of folks requesting us to employ youngsters. Then some, even same folks, complain about the lack of consistency from our most promising young talent. Well, that's part of the package. Either we buy players who are ready (like Jose says: who don't need to improve), and then we will have a limit to the talent we can acquire (Messi will never come) or we try to build our own Messi.

perhaps because he was injured a lot in the conf cup when I got to watch him. AFCON performances don't really mean that much to me though - opposition are usually too weak.

need to loan them out as they need games. Been unimpressed by him when playing for Nigeria, but he's still very young.

I like Tiago, but he's a bit past it. This signing only makes sense if Mikel is leaving.

Agree to disagree then, because for me the gap between the two players in terms of technique is immense. Really don't think much of Thiago Silva aside from his reading of the game - obviously pretty important skill for a defender. I think you need to watch Brazil more because David Luiz is the player designated to carry the football forward by Scolari, which is the obvious choice for pundits and fans alike. Thiago Silva has no long ball to speak of, while Luiz has assisted Neymar and others a number of times. His passing has been pretty impressive for Brazil. They've both been very impressive for Brazil - best CB pairing I've seen in many years; too bad the rest of the team isn't at the same level. Interestingly, we haven't really heard whether PSG will employ him as a CB, CB/CM, or CM. People just assume he's going to be employed as a defender. Zolayes, Yup Scolari and Benitez are also special ones... Besides, if Jose did not get the best of DL and sold him for 50m imagine if he had... Watch out Bale! We will see who was right in the next few years.

hmm makes no sense to spend so much on a defender just to loan him out for ever... Kalas seems like a promising young defender, but nothing special so far. He fared well when called upon, but was well protected in very defensive setups. Less so in the last match, but that was the strangest of the season...

Barbara hits the nail on the head. I read somewhere that Thiago Silva's perfect reading of the game makes David Luiz look good. Well, that's absolutely right! David Luiz also makes Thiago Silva look good by being able to actually play football once they regain possession. Thiago Silva is short for a defender, only decent aerial ability, very pedestrian and unimaginative on the ball. If you watch Brazil play you will notice that Thiago never carries the ball forward, it's always Luiz. Thiago Silva and David Luiz make a perfect pairing in my book because they complement each other very well. The unit has no flaws even if individually they do. Oh well he's gone - move on. Back to strategy, it is very strange to me that Jose could not did not want to use a player like Luiz. Jose's last CL win included the DL in his team, which was Lucio (similar deficiencies too). He would be the one carrying the football out of defense. I haven't seen Zouma play, but from what I hear he isn't that player either. Take our CBs for instance: they are essentially the same player x 2. They lack tremendously in certain areas, especially the ones related to going forward: pace (high defense line), proactive defending, technique, and vision. I know that the typical English view is that defenders defend, but that's wrong. The same way CAMs and strikers have to defend, defenders have to create too. I am actually very concerned that I am still going to see a lot of Matic dropping way back to receive a short pass from our defense - one of the drawbacks of employing a deep defense line. Those are precious seconds that the weaker sides playing @the bridge will gladly take.

Not sure we'd be allowed to offer him lower wages before his current deal runs out. By waiting until he's a free agent many possibilities open up such as player2coach.

actually, I wouldn't be surprised if all Brazilian players involved in the world cup performed much better next season, regardless how well Brazil perform in the world cup. They've been under a lot of pressure, not to mention busy with preparations. One thing is to question whether the player is consciously preserving himself for the world cup in home soil, another is whether he is unconsciously doing so. I personally believe that for most of them, it is the latter.

the first (toddlers) was made up, but TS and DL played along and took a similar photo.

He's played so few games (did not finish many either) under Mou - would not be surprised if he does leave.

They are capable of moving into the midfield (more pace) in a high(er) defense line. This helps the team in many ways: shorter passing, overlaps, interceptions in midfield, fewer touches to get to opponent's goal. Out of the top 4 we employ the deepest defense line.

David Luiz will improve PSG tremendously. They are overpaying for him because they have to; they are the new rich and as such they have to attract talent by overpaying for them. DL is one of the few players of that caliber (don't fight the evidence - market value) that is available and PSG is taking advantage of that. I personally feel is the right move for them, esp if they keep Silva as DL and Silva have played very well together. Like I said many times before, DL aside, I dislike our CB pairing. It hurts us esp when playing weak sides at home as both are incapable of contributing to attacking play; they are also uncomfortable playing a higher defense line. From what I've heard, Zouma is also a breaker, not a maker, so I am actually concerned that we will have just as much difficulty in breaking these smaller sides with our without better strikers. I'd like us to go for Phil Jones, who could cover for the RB as well. Someone a bit pacey who can make runs forward from the back is needed IMO.

agree please STFU! From Bull Durham movie:

Bizarre statement and BBC coverage about his fucking birthday.... Beam me up...