Blue Colored Sky

Really do think that we're going to sign 3 more significant players. Don't count me on that but it's calm before the storm. Basically we have to sign a player every 4 days, sounds crazy but lots of buisness in general is left late in the market. Real didn't sign a player(bar Morata) even though they have transfer ban for 2 years. Something is wrong here.

The second striker in Conte formation was creative player - either Vucinic, whose passing was excellent, or Tevez. I just cannot sensibly understand what is with these links with Lukaku. You still think that James is not for Conte liking ? We basically defend with strict 7 players so the 4 left should be of highest attacking skills. We won't cut it with 1-2 players.

Due to prolonged saga and massive transfer fee, people may be treat for surprise that he isn't world-class.

If he's available, he should be our no.1 target. I can't stress enough how important is to have someone besides Hazard. We've seen on Monday that with the right protection we can achieve defensive solidity even with Iva, Cahill and JT. But with basically just 4 players left to create, those 4 players should be elite in attacking sense. If Conte couldn't fit James into this Chelsea side, he'd lose greatly in my eyes. But reality is that he could fit him w/o losing defensive solidity. The most important thing is that James is not playing in Hazard position, therefore he fits here perfectly.

Wouldn't be the bad back-up option. We still can sign Manolas (when that clause expires) or Koulibaly next summer. He's really good at football.

Chalobah as a CB ? Incidentally, I saw the last 3 matches he played there, he was nothing short of disaster in each of them. Everything was just so bad I don't know where to start. Really you don't want to see that at West Ham game. I will be amazed if XI will be diffrent than this : Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, JT, Azpilicueta, Matic, Kante, Oscar, Willian, Hazard, Diego Costa

Conte confirmed 4 months before the start of the season, Kante and Batschuayi signed before the start of pre-season. Your argument is flawed.

Yeah, amazed what people can do to place Chelsea at the top again.

http://gianlucadimarzio.com/news-cat/torino-mihajlovic-ieri-maksimovic-non-si-e-presentato-allallenamento-senza-avvisare-deve-chiedere-scusa/ Maksimovic skipped the training without informing anyone. Mihajlovic (Torino coach) calls for apologise and says "that there are things that cannot be repaired" hinting for the move.

K2 is late bloomer as well but still he joined European side Napoli at the age of 23 while Kone couldn't get out of Lorient until he was 27.

Victor Lindelof is a nice back-up plan. Fixed price at 30m€.

Yeah, it can't be coincidence. Even after all this banter from fans, all this slagging off, Oscar must be very talented player to command such opinions from various managers. However if Oscar really fails this time, Conte will bin him in no time. Admittedly, I still fight with the thoughts that he can be our Modric even though I know it's no 2012 anymore. Can't help that. This certainly is THE TIME.

Yet Chelsea still spend close to the limit without breaching any rules. We certainly did well considering the circumstances. Buying the likes of Hazard, Oscar, Diego Costa, Fabregas, Filipe Luis, Matic, Willian, Schurrle plus Courtois, KdB from loans. Great additions when you look at the constraints. The situation is different from 2015 and now especially because Yokohama deal, new Premier League & Champions League deals, Carabao sponsorship and then Nike. It's way better spending power and we certainly try to spend that. If we're serious about introducing 1 youngster a year into the serious role in the first team, we'll be okay.

When he puts Oscar in and benches Fabregas. Conte tried to fit Oscar in both 4-2-4 and 4-3-3. Conte said: “Oscar is an important player and the season when Chelsea won the title he was fantastic. “Last season was bad for all the players – not just for Oscar. He is a good player with a great talent but he can improve a lot. Looks like Oscar is given another year. Otherwise he wouldn't be here. Let's see if he deserves this shot or Conte will get rid of him.

He meant that if Koulibaly does move from Napoli it will only be for Chelsea. Is it meanigless when this very forum shat themself when Arsenal and (especially) Everton were mentioned ? Plus the floating stories that Mourinho is looking for another CB.

Seriously, the only spot that he may ever take at Chelsea, the left-back, has widely opened for him, yet he's loaned out. I have hard time to believe that he make it here if he leaves now.

Papy Djilobodji was higher rated defender than him in France. And he's 27 already, going into 28 mid-season. I know centre-backs often leaving it late to blossom but come on. Plus he's not even cheap, I read they want 18 million pounds for him.

He was good in 2 games, unlike Fabregas he had whole summer off plus whole pre-season behind him to make a start here. Plus Conte is a fan and we may finally see 4-3-3 that Oscar begs to play in.

Small step but positive. Scenes when Napoli buy Maksimovic in place of Albiol and not Koulibaly. This thing absolutely has to be resolved before Serie A starts on 20th of August.

Nah Nizaar is a good guy. Actually it was him who got these quotes from Koulibaly agent.

I understand what you're saying but Mikel isn't player like Torres that Chelsea are desperate to get rid of. He'd still improve half of this league midfield line and he's still just 29. Therefore I can't understand low bid. We can sell him to decent team for good money. Remy is 29 and on even bigger wages than Mikel, do we accept 3m€ for him as well ?

Ashley Williams cost 11m£ and he's 32. Big wages ? He signed his contract in 2012, during those 4 years wages went up massively. If this offer is real they're having a laugh. Mikel is 29, not 35. Any Premier League team would pay 12-15m£.

FFS. This new contract extension with release clause for next summer sounds too sensible. Napoli give themself a year to find replacement and Koulibaly is happy because he has rise and a transfer next year. Hopefully Chelsea have offered pure gold to his agent, don't underestimate power of agents these days.

He is 20, goes to a team that has far better players than Vitesse with whom he can improve his link up play, will play in the Champions League (probably) under the coach that knows him well and adores him. IMO there's 25 goals season on the cards for him. Good move. He still looks raw even though has obvious great talent. It's natural he will improve with playing time. Though I think he is the best striker in the club to play that SS role if we're playing with 1 striker formation then opportunities are slim with the fewest games to play I can remember. The two caveats are that 1. Chelsea are hot on getting Bazoer from Ajax for some time if Traore will be hit for Ajax I can imagine some stupid idea like giving him away as a makeweight and 2. He has 2 years left on his contract, when he's back he has one, so I don't know if he will want to come back. If you can sell striker for 32m€ after good season at Eredivisie (Milik) I can see Chelsea doing so. And how exactly will be spot for him next season if we're signing a striker ?

Good. Matic is frustrating atm but I still hope that Conte's going to revive him. We forget how good he was between 2012-2014. Still remember when people were frustrated about him not being able to play in Chelsea midfield in 2014 Champions League knock-out stage and what difference he would make to our chances. If he won't improve then we just sell him next year, it's as simple as that. Still don't know what's got him, remember when he said he didn't celebrate goal against Sunderland because he has his reasons ? Weird.