The only place to be

0-0, parked bus - Drogba. 2-0, 60 minutes - Lukaku Lukaku and Costa are similar players, Drogba offers something different in my opinion. Again, this gives us flexibility. Torres is similar to Lukaku and Costa (requires space beyond defences) so he'd be the one I'd lose.

Think it depends on circumstance. Torres or Lukaku would be second-choice starter, but off the bench you'd want Drogba in most instances wouldn't you?

Someone's off and fingers crossed it's Torres. Absolutely made up by this news, more than I thought I'd be though. Not just because he's a legend, but because I think he could be an important player for us NOT by playing 90 minutes, not even by scoring ten goals but by getting maybe one or two winners that turn 1 point into 3 points. He offers us maybe half a percent more over the season, and that's what wins leagues. But the club have a new standard of 'comebacks' in the first game of each season to maintain. Last year Jose, this year Didier....next year Who???

We've moved Drogba to the current squad....so can we move Torres to Ex-Blues?

MOVE THIS THREAD MODS!!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf: Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the return of Didier Drobga. The striker has signed a one-year contract. Drogba of course needs no introduction. When he came to the end of his previous contract in 2012 it was only weeks after he had stroked the ball from the penalty spot into the Bayern Munich net to place Chelsea on top of the European summit for the first time. His earlier equalising header in that Champions League final was his 157th goal in 341 appearances, a total placing him fourth in the club's all-time highest-scorer list. On signing his contract, Drogba said: ‘It was an easy decision - I couldn't turn down the opportunity to work with Jose again. Everyone knows the special relationship I have with this club and it has always felt like home to me. ‘My desire to win is still the same and I look forward to the opportunity to help this team. I am excited for this next chapter of my career.’ Jose Mourinho said: ‘He’s coming because he’s one of the best strikers in Europe. I know his personality very well and I know if he comes back he’s not protected by history or what he’s done for this club previously. He is coming with the mentality to make more history.’ His 34 goals in European competition remains a Chelsea record, as do his nine strikes in nine cup finals. During the Ivorian’s first eight years with the club, Drogba won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups as well as the Champions League triumph. He has been named Chelsea's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year and has won the Premier League Golden Boot twice. Since leaving Chelsea in 2012 he has played for Shanghai Shenhua and Galatasaray, memorably making a return to Stamford Bridge last season when we beat the Turkish club in the Champions League Round of 16. He has continued his international career and appeared in all three of Ivory Coast’s games at the World Cup, taking his caps total to 104 with 63 goals scored.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2014/07/drogba-signs.html DONE :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

70 minutes down, struggling against a parked bus, who wouldn't want Drogba coming on?

Schurrle doesn't rest...he just waits.

He was entering his last year of his contract. It made sense to tie him down even if you're planning on loaning him out so you can cash in either next year or further down the line. Mikel's problem is that he's unsellable apparently. He's also nowhere near as fun to have around as he used to be because those people who used to defend him and suggest he was one of the best DMs in Europe have abandoned him. He's no longer their 'favourite player' in their profiles and there's no screen captures showing his importance to the team anymore. Certain members be all like

I don't think the loan system has got much to do with Piazon's development or lack thereof. He was never really an exceptional prospect at youth level, simply a very nice, silky player who looked a bit like Kaka. The thing is I never really saw him take hold of a game at youth level in the way a Baker or Boga or even Musonda has done. His peak was probably the Youth Cup game away to Forest. Maybe he could be a 5th or 6th choice AM for us, but the reality is that we need a high calibre of player and there aren't that many around so the chances of bringing them through is slim. Someone like Bertrand is perhaps good enough for 15 teams in this league, but not for us so it's why unearthing real talent suitable for us is so tough.

Massively patronising and evasive on issues that you find uncomfortable....I'm assuming that you are uncomfortable with FGM and the near universal use of it on women in your country. One of those weird patriarchal methods of control, a way to control that scary old female sexuality. A barbarous, savage tool. But it's nice to see it being left behind in the dark ages where it belongs. I mean it was outlawed in 2008 if I'm correct and this year has seen the first prosecution for it. Was there a long line outside the court that saw 6 years pass between a law being introduced to ban this disgusting act and it's first prosecution. Having said that, I don't know if there's a law in this country against it. I assume there must be, but to us it would be outlawing ferrets driving on country roads at night with sunglasses on. It's such an alien concept. What's the appeal of it in your country? (Oh and Peace, women are broadly speaking afforded as many rights as their male counterparts in this country. We're not perfect but we don't take razors to their vaginas).

So no solid arguments as to why it's so popular then? One can only assume Chomsky has not written a book on this subject yet? Night mate.

It's not really a LOL matter is it? There's a difference between isolated incidents of violence against women (which thankfully groups like this are trying to eradicate further, although there are probably other higher profile campaigns that you could have cited) and more than NINE IN TEN women having their genitals mutilated. Why is that such a big cultural thing in your country? Any solid arguments, mate?

Firstly, it's the 'axis of evil'. It's a catchy moniker so really no reason to get it wrong Secondly, as someone who lives in the West (much like yourself) I think it's okay to give ourselves a pat on the back when it comes to equal rights for women. I don't know if you missed a question mark, but women in the West are very well treated. In fact one of the people who liked your post (Mr Seif) comes from a country where 91% of women aged 15-49 are victims of female genital mutilation. Now I know it's fashionable to bash 'the west' but let's try and be measured in our criticisms ok.

Sweet. More dead wood on the way out. One year left on his contract so can't imagine the fee would be that high, but hopefully he has a decent career.

Hopefully Mikel.

You can stop calling me mate any time you want.

You have to be joking if you think that's the case, especially when people question 'the west's' view of this conflict.

So that's not part of the Hamas Charter then?

″Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it″. Apparently that's in the Hamas Charter....and people wonder why Israel might be shooting rockets into Gaza.

Good to see some are. Would love to see him hang around the team until Winter and train with the top-class players we have. We knew what we got when we signed him and he's not going to become Frank LeBouef overnight. He's a first-class physical specimen in his first month at the club, and yet people are farming him out already.

Exactly. And pre-season is one of the best times to lay down a marker for that first game of the season. I'd see it when I played rugby and players would look to make an impression. Yes you can do that in training, but pre-season matches are a step up especially for fringe players.

Probably live with the mantra 'never again' eh?

Good loan for a player who will never make it at this club. Best we can hope for is bumping up his value closer to £10 million although recouping the transfer cost would be an acceptable return at this point.

Spot on. Integrating youth takes time and that's something we don't afford many coaches. Jose is now entering his second year with these players so he knows them fairly well. Now he can start to take a few chances throwing one or two into the settled side. Comparing Boga to Piazon is a bit unfair because Piazon isn't very good, he's never been that good and he'll never make it here....because he's just got nothing special about him. Exceptional talents are rare and Boga is one of them.