Leif

I feel like he doesn't impose himself enough. Well not consistently anyway. I watched him a bit last season for his club and there were times when he looked timid, then other games he looked like the great wall of China. He needs to be a constant rock in defence; not a rock one day then a sponge the next. He's certainly better than other youngsters we've had in this position though. Better than Bruma, Manc, etc.

I think Carvajal will be better than all the young Spanish players

My eyes went wet when I saw us linked to Zouma today. Probably media BS but I hope it's true. I've wanted him here since I first saw him play. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that he's the player to replace Terry. He plays just like him. Most defenders get called a 'rock at the back' when they're tough and nonchalant. Zouma is a whole mountain, just as Terry was. He's very rough and needs to work on his positioning but he's like Lukaku in defence. He will break your legs just by looking at you.

I hate to ruffle feathers but at Isco's age Mata wasn't making this sort of noise. At Isco's age Silva couldn't get into a Valencia team lacking depth in attack and spent his time out on loan to Eibar and Celta Vigo. Isco has torn shreds through defences in the Champions League and at 21 is being chased by the best clubs in the world. At 21 years of age people who didn't follow La Liga would have said "Juan who? David who?". People who follow La Liga as their primary league all seem to maintain the opinion that Isco is the most talented player to come out of the country of his generation. I'm not saying he'll be better than Mata/Silva, but he certainly has a higher roof in terms of potential. I think Silva has got as good as he can be and Mata just has a little bit more potential to be squeezed out. The thing which separates Mata from the rest is his determination and versatility; something Cazorla, Isco and Silva don't share. But looking at it from a neutral view I do think Silva is the most gifted passer, Isco is the most gifted - full stop - and Cazorla is the better dribbler. If Mata didn't have his great on/off-field personality and hard working ethic he wouldn't be where he is now. I'm not saying Mata is the worst out of all those players; i actually think he's the best out of them; but I think the view of "HA! Isco reaching Mata's level? Never!" is silly. I think he'll surpass all 3 of Silva, Mata and Cazorla. A potential transfer to City is something to be concerned about. Hopefully he goes to Madrid though. Ancelotti would make him the most devastating attacking midfielder in the world IMO in a season or 2. Whatever he did with Kaka he can do to Isco. They share the same qualities.

I'm glad PSG have gone with a French manager but I'm sure he was like their 5th choice. I don't think he's the right manager to get the most out of their attacking players and will hinder the progress of Lucas Moura. Monaco for the title next season I think or if they retain their star players for 1 more season I think St. Etienne could surprise a lot of people. Rafa Benitez, Guus Hiddink, Michael Laudrup, Andre Villas-Boas and Fabio Capello all (apparently) rejected the job as PSG refuse to offer a long-term contract as they want Arsene Wenger to take over in the near future. Bad tactic. If Arsenal do indeed get Hig and do what seems impossible - win a cup - Arsene may even extend his stay at the Emirates. Blanc's major 'bad' point is that he's failed when it comes to managing big egos like in France's national team. The egos in Paris should be just as big if not bigger.

I've changed my view on this potential transfer a bit (nothing to do with his performances for his national team.) If I could have any striker in the world join us for free, it would be Cavani or Messi. We're not getting Messi. We can get Cavani, but the amount Napoli are demanding is obscene and there's just so much more we could do with that money. I worry that the club think Cavani will instantly fix all the midfield and depth problems magically and he'll win us the treble for every season he's here. I'd rather stick with our current strikers (look at Bayern; you don't need the best strikers in the world to win everything!) and instead focus on depth and the future with 50-odd mil. Bayern use their money in a very smart way. Shaqiri, Mandzukic and Javi Martinez all joined Bayern in 2012. Collectively their whole transfer fee(s) equates to less than Cavani's buy-out clause. Now I don't know about anyone else on here but I'd rather have those 3 players than just Cavani.

That's why I think he would thrive with us though. Jose has played a counter-attacking system at every club he's been to every single season. He's never played possession football. He's managed to play counter-attacking football while keeping it attractive. We've now bought Schurrle who is basically a blueprint of what a counter-attacking player should be which is further indication that we won't be doing any tika-taka nonsense etc. It looks like we'll be going for a style Real Madrid implemented last season with Hazard possibly in a Ronaldo role, Schurrle perhaps in a Di Maria role, Mata in that Ozil role and then Lukaku taking up a poacher's role like Benzema. Last season we were a bit of a mess. We couldn't decide whether to defend, attack, counter-attack etc. Our current players aren't built for a passing-dominant system. There's too much pace in the side now for that. So I'm positive we'll have a similar system to West Brom next season, Real Madrid, any counter-attacking team you can think of - and I think Lukaku will fit in perfectly. Regardless though, he succeeded in a counter-attacking system last season, yes, but even if we did implement a completely alien system to that, who's to say he can't thrive in it? Especially with Jose around. We have too much creativity in the side now to fail against teams who defend deep. We have the players to pick apart any system, and Lukaku just adds such a strong new dimension to that which can only improve what we currently have. It also would save us from splashing out £30-50m on a new striker, money which instead can be used to prepare for the future of our defence and deep-midfield. Sorry for the long reply. In a hyper mood.

So. About Thiago supposedly signing for United yesterday..

He averaged 1 goal every 2 games last season with absolutely average players around him. He destroyed Liverpool's defence, got a hat-trick for god sake against Manchester United and is the absolute ideal player to rip Arsenal to shreds next season with his brute force, determination and pace. When we've been playing against City a major problem has been height and strength. We've lacked both. Lukaku would even the odds a bit for us in that department. Cavani, Falcao, Rooney - they all have strength - but they don't seem to have the same level of fearlessness that Lukaku has. Lukaku will go at Kompany and Toure all game. Most players wont. He still needs to work on his first-touch but in just one season he has drastically improved his agility, stamina, pace etc. and even retained that incredible freak strength of his while lowering his body fat to the level bodybuilders dream of. I can't believe I doubted him so much when he first joined and I'm embarrassed that I used to make posts questioning his character. Paul Pogba briefly commented on Conte's 'philosophy' at Juventus which helped convince him decide to join them. I use Pogba as an example because i see similarities between his character and Lukaku's. They both want to be the best: Now I don't see why we shouldn't follow that. There shouldn't be 'youth' unless you're actually in the youth team. McEachran isn't youth, neither is Lukaku, Chalobah, Kalas, Piazon. None of them are youth players. They are men. They are footballers. Their age shouldn't dictate whether they're ready or not. Their talent and what they're able to offer our team should dictate whether they play or not. If Lukaku was 26, would some people still be screaming "He needs more experience! Loan him!" or "He's not ready to be our leading striker!"? From what I've seen of him now I'm convinced that we don't need a big-name striker to join us; because we have our own player about to become a household name. What we now need is a back-up striker for Lukaku.

Just seen the goal. Judging from the posts I thought it was some 35 yard screamer. For Mikel? Great goal. For a player in general? Nothing to jizz over. At all.

Perfect.

He made more successful tackles than any other player in our squad last season followed by Oscar who had around 86 I believe. Food for thought, sort of, maybe, I don't know. Take it how you please.

Graham said we were signing Falcao. He said everything had been agreed at one point. He also has an annoying voice. So screw him. Also said we were signing Modric. We didn't. So screw him.

Aint it illegal to just make up quotes from players out of thin air?

I think United will sign Strootman and not Thiago but let's see

Isn't David Moyes still on holiday? I hope he's not off to United Perfect Scholes replacement.

Lukaku Hazard, Mata, De Bruyne/Schurrle*; Kondogbia, Thiago. Oscar is still being bled into the team and it's up for dispute whether he should or shouldn't be a starter yet. If he can earn his place in the side then he'll be in the side, whether it's in place of Mata or Thiago. Oscar currently offers more than Thiago when it comes to pressing the opposition and getting the ball back, but that does not mean he should be in a deep role. He isn't a player who really dictates play. More an attacking midfielder than a playmaker (which Thiago is.) Oscar starts in an advanced position and then tracks back when he needs to. That'll all completely mess up if he's told to start deep and then venture forward when he likes. Why not go with that line-up (or something similar)? *(I put Schurrle on the right, despite me saying he's kind of useless there in his thread last week, as I'm starting to see a bit of Bayern in us. Under Jose he could replicate what Muller currently does at Bayern Munich which would have everybody happy. He may get his place ahead of De Bruyne, he may not. We'll have to wait and see.)

I won't post everyone it looks like will be joining them, but Fiorentina look like they'll be the most entertaining team in Serie A next season. They're absolutely stacking up on cheap yet very good players. Gomez could be joining from Bayern. They'll have a fully fit Giuseppe Rossi. Cuadrado is being brought in on a perm. deal after his successful loan. They've just signed Joaquín from Malaga. They have concrete interest in Gaston Ramirez. It seems they lead the race for Keisuke Honda (if he decides to leave.) They're negotiating a potential transfer for Jordy Clasie who's simply incredible. So that's on top of all the players they already have which helped create such a silky-smooth passing side last season. They're going to give plenty of neutrals a fun time.

I personally see Oscar, in the future, being one of the best #10's in the world. This will of course be when Mata slows down or (hopefully not) Oscar is sold. I see De Bruyne's future as a winger for the most part then possibly being moved into a central role like Schweinsteiger. Really though, De Bruyne can play anywhere. I see Thiago's future in a deep role. An Xabi Alonso role. He's a decent dribbler and a decent finisher, but a superb passer with superb vision. His absolute best role for the moment would no doubt be a centre midfield role, something he'd likely get at a team like United, but if he's under the right manager (hi Jose) and can change his game a bit I think he could be the next best thing when it comes to deep playmakers. (Just remember that Pirlo was originally an attacking midfielder and then became what is now arguably the best deep-lying playmaker of the last decade.) Oscar is great at splitting passes which cut open a defence. De Bruyne is great at whipping in a cross or cutting in and taking an accurate long shot. Thiago is great at dictating play and hitting long balls over to the flank or to a striker. So why not have all 3?

OBI, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BRING BALANCE TO THE PIVOT!!

He has nice hair

Remember that time when "This is a bullshit story, the club wouldn't let him leave" and "I'll be laughing when Jose picks him almost every game" were both consistently being posted only with slightly different words each time? Remember when the argument was "Every manager has picked & retained him and we see what he brings to the side so he obviously is good."? Well a more seasoned, experienced and better Mourinho is now letting him leave. This newer, more competent board are letting him leave. He's come out to say earlier in the season he couldn't give a fuck about the Europa League yet jumped in the celebrations like Bosingwa in Munich. He's now saying it's the 'time to leave'. Dat loyalty Thank fuck this thread can quiet down once the move is complete. Although I'm sure it'll come alive for a few hours when he scores a tap in for Gala

Perhaps a tad unrealistic, but I really do hope he can adapt to the right-hand side of our '3' and act as a workhorse winger like Muller does at Bayern. That means we keep Hazard in his better role basically playing similar to how Ribery does with Mata also retaining his preferred position. That would be balance.

Does anyone on here follow a German club? I've always *forced* myself to follow a Bundesliga team each season as I'd been trying to get more and more into the league. Last season it was Werder Bremen due to De Bruyne mainly. The season before that it was a team I thought I would end up supporting properly in the Bundesliga; Schalke. I liked their structure and policies - but it just didn't work. They're not for me at all I realised. I've no idea why. Maybe I just can't feel a proper bond with another club after Chelsea. Anyway, for this upcoming season I've decided to go for an underdog who'll likely not win the Bundesliga in this decade or any decade, and even getting a Europa League spot is a stretch: Hertha BSC (Berlin). They'll be a newly promoted team next season. They're the biggest supported club in Berlin whereas Bayern are of course the biggest supported club in Munich. It's like North vs. South (or West vs. East if my geography is completely wrong) when the 2 clubs play. I may have been mislead, but I'm under the impression that as a Bundesliga team they should have one of the loudest & most passionate crowds next season, behind probably only Borussia Dortmund and possibly Bayern. Oh, and Hertha Berlin are also a 'twinned team' with Chelsea and also blue, so there's that So again, my question: Does anyone on here follow a team in Germany?