robsblubot

I'm calling the way I see it and I liked what I saw from him. Yes, it would be a bet, but a club who pays 19m Euros for a 29yo leftback I reckon can afford a few "cheap" bets. I'm basing on the 5m price tag he's got. Fullbacks rely on pace... meybe he's going to be just a tad slower next season. And perhaps much slower int he following season... who knows?! Around 30 anything goes esp concerning pace and power. Look a torres... just as injury-prone and lost all his pace way before 29... I'm far less optimistic about the team and the current crop of players than most around here. I don't think the back line is good enough. It's very convenient to say we did not beat the weak (even lost some) sides because we did not have a proper striker, but it's a fantasy and the results IMO prove that. And I am not so sure Fabregas is going to be enough to push forward when we are facing teams who put 11 men behind the ball. What I don't see is anyone from the defense line capable of pushing forward. That push can come froma fullback, or even from a defender with a bit more care and cover, but we've got NOTHING attacking wise from the back line. They are excellent in defense and pretty poor going forward except set pieces. Azpi can pull a cross here and there, but is hardly attacking. Luis might provide that, but in the games I've seen from him he was more of a defensive fullback.

Janmaat was a bit better than decent in this world cup... and he's only 25 which means he may still be improving as a player. Yep... I don't think the difference between him and Filipe is 15m Euros worth. I'd love to be proven wrong once/if he signs for us. Yes, I think Chelsea goes either too young or two "ready", but misses on the "good buys" territory... like Andre for example.

Disagree on Filipe being a sure bet. And I think we are overpaying for him by a wide margin. Rather have 2-3 5m bets than a 20m bet. Wasn't he injury-prone at some point too? Filipe Luis has had his best season ever and it was only a season when surrounded by talented others. The worst time to acquire a player is after his best season ever, or immediately after some important achievement, like the Spanish title. The best player they got is Godin, who's better than both our CBs.

Janmaat on the right, azpi on the left and Iva in CB. that's a 5m for a 25-year-old international. As opposed to 20m+ for a 29-yo left back.

Janmaat is too good for Newcastle!!! Hijack the deal?

Reckon he's no longer good enough to be second striker though. He can be 3rd and more coach than player, but not second. The way Costa plays, very physical, he's bound to pick up injuries.

We’ve learned nothing new about David Luiz this World Cup What’s that? He’s a bit error-prone? His positioning’s all over the place? It’s true that Luiz had two truly abysmal games, but previously he’d been enjoying a fine tournament. PSG are a laughing stock for shelling out £50m to bring him in from Chelsea – but they knew all about his strengths and weaknesses when they signed him. Laurent Blanc won’t be doing cartwheels, but he’s seen nothing from Luiz that he didn’t already know. https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/the-rio-report/seven-truths-david-luiz-jo-brazil-picked-222003177.html

Khedira is a lot better than Ramires going forward, but Ramires is better defensively. Ramires can be a pretty good ball-winning cm when instructed to do that dirty job.

Same about his game. Reckon his heat map from Benfica time and his heat map today should look very similar too. Did PSG buy him despite of his heat map or because of it? I have to assume we don't know better than professional scouts and coaches who do this 24/7 and get well paid for it. Like Benitez said, David is a peculiar CB with virtues and weaknesses, it's up to the coach to deal with it, or not. Now, one thing we can all agree about is that it makes no sense to name him the skipper: it exacerbates his weakness, which is concentration. He can barely stay focused on his own shit, much less organize a defense. On the same token, Thiago Silva is also not captain Material, for different reasons.

Brazil historically plays with attacking fullbacks... and occasionally with flamboyant CBs, but it's obvious the defense lacked balance esp with the 2-men midfield sitting in front. This has only worked when playing with 3 defenders and/or 3 sitting CMs (like in 02 which had both). Once again, not saying it's the right way to play... just one way to play. Balance is always needed though. Ramires can be sold, but I doubt Mikel will want to leave, unless we cover part of his wages for a long time (until his current deal runs out). Dudes, I didn't say he is no good because Scolari did not pick him... Just his call up wasn't that obvious that pundits and analysts did not fight for him... even freaking Maxwell went. Brazil Played 4231 with 2 attacking fullbacks! How crazy is that?

20m for a 29yo left back who didn't make this Brazilian squad. 50m for a 21yo star of France and Juventus who's prob not even playing at his personal best... Sounds about right to me. Plus, signing Pogba, may put pressure on the other CMs to go look for greener pastures elsewhere.

Great player - just have my doubts about the price, when considering his position and age. Still can't believe Scolari did not take him.

Honestly the only reason some are lenient with him, and rightly so IMO, is because he's 22. Of course he's expected to improve... that's expected by Chelsea and Jose (as he has alluded to already).

yeah Gary is also cheering on every goal from the comfort of his couch.

There is nothing to defend. Was he man marking? How do you know? Did you know he played the entire world cup on the left and then swapped with Dante because Thiago did not play? Did you ignore that bit too? So, again, it's his mistake, so it's one down... now what?! That's 1x0 in my book, but I guess you see the game differently. Defenders do make mistake... you know that right? Gary did too. Whatever you guys should really make some money out of your knowledge. You could've saved PSG millions... even if you get a small percentage of that money.

No you are right. David Luiz is awful and this 5x0 is all his fault. He's been awful in the world cup. He did not help Brazil reach the semis. All teams and scouts are insane. Only the English know how to defend. That's what I've learned listening to this fantastic English commentator, truly insightful. England conceded 4 goals in 2 games because of the midfield. But, Brazil loses to Germany because of that clown called David Luiz. That makes complete sense. This forum is amazing... I'm learning a lot about the game.

consider that Brazil is here, playing in the semi final because of him. Where are your fantastic defenders who, contrary to awful DL, know to how defend again? Did you know he swapped positions with Dante? Of course not. Did you see every goal by Germany was scored by a open man? Of course not. Whatever. You clearly don't know why you lose, by losing I mean losing to glorious Uruguay (not Germany), so please spare me your insight into the game.

If you think David Luiz is responsible for this, I'm so very sorry. I think we should just play with defenders and attackers... football would make much sense to some members here. I guess understanding the midfield can be hard to some.

Good game by Oscar. Produced some good quick flicks too (in addition to the defensive play mentioned above). With Neymar's injury, now it's all on Oscar. All good to me because Oscar is better than Neymar... there I've said it.

True, but all youngsters will have off games like he just did. He wasn't shit alone and he was't playing in a vacuum: he was facing fantastic midfielders and a better team on the other side. If we supporters, and Chelsea as a club, cannot accept poor form and off-performances from youngsters, then we should not be targeting anyone younger than 26.

Pogba vanished against a better midfield. This is how it goes with youngsters... no matter how promising they might be.

Rumor has it that Chelsea has actually made an offer of around 17M Euros for 25-year-old Charles Aranguiz from Chile, but until we have more info it might just be agents doing their thing. Interesting if true... strength in depth for the CM position... would suggest a system change IMO (to 4-3-3/451).

good point. I will add one more difference: Torres was overplayed at pool while Fabregas has been underplayed by Barcelona. So, he might actually be quite fresh and a more rounded player at that. Just wait and see.

They (Barca) still miss CBs in quality and quantity, but Suarez will improve their side tremendously because he can like no other pure striker out there. (OT) Newcastle has signed Siem De Jong, who's actually a pretty good attacker. If things don't work out for him as a footballer, reckon he'll do just fine in the porn industry (with that name of his).

"Holandês Piet de Visser, responsável por levar Ronaldo para o PSV, é o espião de Roman Abramovich no futebol futebol sul-americano" Piet de Visser, who found Ronaldo#9 for PSV, is scouting South America for Roman Abramovich. He has identified Charles Aranguiz as a great prospect/player. He's a CM, key player for Chile, but has just been acquired by Brazil SC Internacional with a 4 year deal, so he won't be that cheap.