The only place to be

Pretty much this. The type of commitment to Shaw is a massive hit on the annual finances not just this year, but the next 3 years (the amortised transfer fee would reduce after he signed a new contract around this time) and if his wages start at £100k p/w as an 18 year old then what on Earth will he expect at 22? If we went for someone like Filipe Luis then we're probably stronger as a team in the short-term. The reason many of us were so keen on Shaw was that LB seemed to be a position we weren't exactly stuffed with in the academy ranks. Now we seem to have a couple of really promising youngsters in Aina and Dasilva who are maybe 2-3 years away from consideration for the first team, whilst Ake has also been deployed at left-back this year. It puts a £30 million (plus wages) gamble on an 18 year old into context, when we could get the left-back of the Spanish league Champions (and potentially the Champions League winners) for roughly HALF of that.

I won't comment on the way the article is written because the young boy's first language clearly isn't English, but I don't think it says anything new or revolutionary. Cahill is a limited defender, Luiz is 'pro-active' in intercepting the ball higher up the pitch and looks to make more ambitious passes from the back which apparently add an extra dimension to our attack. He makes cursory allusions to our need for a more clinical striker and to Luiz's concentration levels in games which fits a certain type of 'article' about Luiz. Ultimately it's a case of stating the obvious. Luiz is capable of being one of the best defenders in the world in the right system, on his day.

The guy who wrote that used to post here regularly, often about how indispensable Mikel was to the team.

Ivanovic, Ferreira, Azpi, Cole, Del Horno, Gallas. I actually meant to say if we could get Luis then we'd have time to develop a young-un like Aina, Ake or DaSilva.

Easy with the compliments, you'll make him blush. Good point. Bertrand and Van Aanholt are both unique snowflakes, not good enough for us in their own ways.

First and foremost, especially in a Mourinho system, they're defenders. If you can't stop the guy in front of you then you won't make it at the top level - as Van Aanholt will prove. The thing is the desperation to get Shaw was based on us not really having anyone coming through. If we can get someone like DaSilva then maybe we can look to develop an Ake or a DaSilva or even Aina.

Spot on. Lamps held together that midfield at points in the season, mainly before we signed Matic. If you look at our defenders then we have a very nice spread of ages from older guys like JT (33) to guys in their prime (Cahill, Ivanovic) to guys approaching their prime (Azpi) to young guns (Ake, Kalas, Zouma). That simply isn't the case in midfield and there's also the point that Lamps could be a coach too.

This pertains to your comments on Van Aanholt and Rodriguez. Left-backs are first and foremost defenders. I think Nathan Ake probably has more chance of starting a game at left-back for Chelsea than Van Aanholt does.

And that's my point. Shaw is actually capable of putting in good crosses and looks solid defensively, but it's the composure that he does everything with that sets him apart. That's why I'd have him over Rodriguez even if he costs a bit more. I think Rodriguez would get found out defensively. Cole is the benchmark. You're more than welcome to think that and I agree he looks fantastic going forward in the Bundesliga. I just have reservations over his ability to replicate it here.

When people think of Rodriguez, I'm sure they're just imagining him making overlapping runs for Hazard. That's all well and good but the defining image of Ashley Cole for me is him stifling Ronaldo at Old Trafford. What I like about Shaw is that he seems more than capable of doing both. Although if he does join United I retain the right to renounce all comments about him, referring to him only as a gloryhunting cunt and will immediately be moving the hype train to the tracks marked 'JAY DASILVA COUNTRY'. On that note, Jay Dasilva is only two and a bit years younger than Shaw. Sign Luis, blood Dasilva and then let him take Shaw's spot in the England squad.

227 games. That's how many matches Bertrand's featured in and he's never really done anything exceptional. Even at Villa he's looked meh. Van Aanholt looks good going forward against weaker teams who leave spaces because they lack a lot of tactical rigidity. He could surprise everyone and be a good option for us but personally I think he'd get bullied way too easily and found out defensively. The simple fact is that no-one really gave a stuff about Rodriguez at 18. It's an incredible achievement in itself that Shaw is where he is, two months shy of his 19th birthday. He's composed, technically very good for his age but he also has a maturity on the pitch which is mightily impressive. That to me is what is most impressive about watching him week-in and week-out. Rodriguez is a great attacking full-back but for the amount of money being bandied about for him, there are serious concerns over his ability to stay focused for 90 minutes.

Van Aanholt has looked ok in a weaker league, yet he can also be dodgy defensively. Nice player but even when we're playing against teams who sit deep we need players who can defend. That's the reality of the Premier League. Rodriguez isn't miles ahead. He's got better stats going forward but let's not pretend that he isn't as big a risk as Shaw is, especially as he's not immune from the odd lapse in concentration himself. Defensively there are big questions about how he'd handle this league in my opinion and he's hardly going to be cheap. He's still a young player who needs developing and testing in a stronger league.

Because those clubs don't have Azpilicueta?

No, he has two years left. http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3030470/title/ba-transfer-completed

Van Aanholt is 5 years older than Shaw and has had plenty of chances to impress. Has he ever shown anything special? It's the same argument about Bertrand to be honest. Rodriguez doesn't strike me as being any further along than Shaw to be honest, despite being 3 years older. That depends a lot on the price, although he racks up stats nicely.

Big if though. I'd love to see him here and watch him develop over the next decade but it's a massively risky deal. Would love for him to force the move here on lower wages, but football's a business at the end of the day. United are desperate and he's one of the few marquee signings that they can actually get. If Southampton have got any sense they'll drag it out and let Woodward fuck it up like he did with the Fellaini deal.

Harsh. Think we're perfectly capable of winning the league with Azpi at left-back and Ivanovic at right-back. The latest rumour is that Ashley was offered a contract but on severely reduced wages and combined with the lack of playing time he simply wasn't interested which is fair enough. JT accepted his pay cut and Lamps is apparently mulling his options over which also include his wife's media career. All rumours though.

Still amazed that a young Chelsea supporter who lives so close to Cobham with his talent won't end up here. That price though and the wages. Doesn't sound too happy about the situation with the youth coaches being let go, which you wouldn't really expect to hear from someone with plans to stick around. Gutted for doddsy and Willo, helped me a lot in my development over the years, wish them all the best in their carers

I like Shaw going forward but he's not that much better than Ashley....YET. I have no problem with taking Lampard because I think he's the best choice for right now but that same logic should've applied to Cole as well. It's muddled thinking as usual from The FA.

Shaw has 1 assist this season, Cole has 2 in less than half the games. I'd have taken Baines and Cole if I actually wanted to try to win the World Cup this year, but this decision is all about four years down the line....except we're taking Lamps as well. Basically the FA are a bunch of cunts and rather than take the best players to help us win the World Cup (Terry and Cole) they're 'building for the future' by taking one 18 year old left back. Wankers, tossers, fuck-pots and shit-sticks the lot of them.

What the fuck? The one thing Ashley has always firmly understood is that football is a business at the end of the day. There's absolutely no ill-will or malice between the two parties. The idea that he's saying 'fuck you' is an absolute joke. The more you think about him, the more impressive he is in so many regards. Properly world-class, Ronaldo said he was his toughest opponent (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1227024/CRISTIANO-RONALDO-INTERVIEW-SPECIAL-Who-toughest-opponent-It-just-Ashley-Cole.html) and he took a nice penalty too. 9 major trophies since he left Arsenal....Specialist in Success.

So very little actually posted about the tactical aspect. The problem with our crossing has been a lack of decent targets. It was EXACTLY the same when Azpi and Cole were in their natural positions last season. Mandzukic off the bench against teams who defend deep would provide an excellent aerial target for our crosses, something that Lukaku simply doesn't despite his size. He would actually change our gameplan with his introduction more radically than would be the case with Lukaku whose strengths are very similar to Costa's. I have no doubt Lukaku could score a few goals for us, but in terms of tactical versatility I much prefer the options that a combination of Costa and Mandzukic bring whilst farming Lukaku out for another 1-2 seasons to improve his all round game before returning here at the age of 23 to take over from Mandzukic and hopefully provide more than he currently seems to week-in and week-out. As for my reaction to Lukaku leaving, it was based on the fact that our remaining strikers simply weren't good enough and didn't offer enough to this club. We missed him last season but if we had Costa and Mandzukic going into the new year, I really don't think that would be the case. This is one of those tricky little situations where context applies so I understand some of your confusion....I really do. So let's just agree to disagree ok and wish each other the best.

Said this a couple of weeks back and it applies ten fold having seen those Tweets. He's had A LOT happen in the last week or so and he has handled it with a level of class that shouldn't surprise anyone. An absolutely top block, a first-class servant to this club and a proper legend. Would be nice if fate could find a way to bring him back to the Bridge one more time, although he could do a lot worse than semi-retirement around the French Riviera.

This is why I'm proud this guy is our boss. Quality bloke.

Giggs has retired too. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27470554 Cunt of a man, but one of the best players in English football history. A stalwart of the Premier League and one of the stars of football when I was growing up. His longevity is astounding too and it'll be kinda weird not seeing him on the pitch. Him and Zanetti going at the same time.