Blue Colored Sky

The two that on this picture touch Spain borders are the most interesting ones.

We tried though ... One good source says that we offered as much that it will be very hard for Juve to receive more. Though they will probably receive similar offer next summer since Paul is young enough and his value won't drop significantly. We will be back.

I thought they want 25m€ for Tielemans but that was before Martial. Also very surprised that we heard nothing about Youri over the summer. Looked nailed on to join Atletico. And since Chelsea couldn't agree anyone it seems ideal for us to sign him and loan him out.

On the other hand I can't see anything but big summer spending next summer. We will be prepared from A to Z.

We probably just saved 130-150m€ that we were prepared to spend. As Moh says, squad gaps and money in the bank can't coexist at the same time. I can't understand why we didn't sign any CM, it's as disappointing as it can be, besides we loaned Mario Pasalic who could fill that role. Can't believe how we're still with Ramires and Mikel and Zouma as go to guys in any bigger games !

Squeezed as f***. I hope capacity will beat those of Spurs so over 61000.

Amazing prospect. Countless times I was doing "Laporte watch" when I was watching Bilbao. Are Bilbao expect to reject 50m€ offer ? They only bumped his clause recently from 40m€ to 50m€ - to still have this in affordable range. I mean, they could just increase it to 150m€ or whatever if they really wouldn't want to sell but I think they want to get more for him, that's why they only increased this clause to 50m€, which is a lot but still affordable. At least I hope so !

Will win this convincingly I think. Some players will be sacrificed though. Can't wait for the debut of our new box-to-box midfielder, whoever that will be.

Why Mino Raiola hasn't spoken recently ? Is he working on something ?

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34025310 According to this Crystal Palace attacked our right side in 50% of their attacks. Just watched MoTD. What a fucking clown Ivanovic is. What the hell was that. Why he allows players to approach the box and take a shot/cross in without any kind of pressure ? Just standing with hands in the back. The second goal, my world, what a shocking decision. Just joggling in and around the box, no initiative whatsoever, then Cahill-esque backing off when opponent starts run and he is found out of the position or he pretends to exchange position with Zouma because he was too lazy to cover the right space. That's as poor as it gets and I'm not exaggerating here.

To make things worse, in the last 20 league games Chelsea won by more than 1 goal margin only twice ! Yet some people still couldn't believe that there's a problem. We were MOANING apparently and too attached to made up concerns. There's one thing, this one week to prepare really is one big myth, right ? We had great weeks apparently, when work couldn't be better yet I can't see anything new on the pitch. Were the offensive patterns even trained ? I don't think so. Nothing new at all. Are we sure players don't receive whole week off after matches ? Because that surely were the most wasteful weeks in training recently. Zero innovation even in set-pieces which is minimum you can expect. And what about playing with 3 CBs and 2 strikers from the start ? Apparently that was an option but can't say that I saw more organization in these 25 minutes than from randomly throwing two players upfront. Most on here were pleading Jose to bring some attacking coach to learn a few new patterns of play. Jose is the best when he prepares players to commit to the cause but creativity and patterns of play are out of his reach. We can see it clearly now. And last thing is this so-called pressing. That is the most disappointing thing. I don't know why we even bother. As disorganizing as it is, it also further disrupts team shape. Everyone should stay in the low block if you don't do things properly. Because when half team do individual pressing and other stay lower then it's counter productive.

I was wrong about Willian yesterday. So wrong. I forgot about one crucial point, don't know why. I lost the plot, admittedly. The thing I forgot about ... is ... BALANCE Which makes whole discussion about his ability in final third redundant.

You can see he is scared by any bit of pace. I was staggered when he didn't want to put a tackle on Bolasie in 90+ minute and was just keeping a safe distance to him. He's finished as a full-back. He was never fast but now he has zero acceleration left. Doesn't help that the fastest players are usually deployed on the wings ... He reached Bosingwa-level of liability. Well done. Now get him out of the team.

I hope when he plays he will be used on the left side. I already see that he will be much more effective there. Not especially as a LB but left-winger, don't want to see yet another player trapped on the right wing ! (Salah, Cuadrado, Schurrle, KdB, Mata)

He doesn't have backing from the board but come on, Jose is no innovative whatsoever. I was crying inside when I saw that Pep gone with no CBs against Champions League club. Pep Guardiola constantly tries something new, whether it is playing with no centre-backs or some other crazier stuff, but he constantly switches something and try different patterns while Jose is so predictable, I mean 99% percent can say what XI we're going to field, when we went 0:1 down we knew that he will gone 2 strikers plus 3 CBs as he does every time. When some amateurs, FMs wannabes like us can say what XI we're gonna field and how we're gonna play how easy it is for professional managers ? He doesn't have a midfield steel he'd want, Essien-type player, but there's enough talent and enough variation to try something. Willian as no.10, we know he can't create and can't score yet he is automatic pick there ? What the hell, why not try him as a CM ? Or Oscar next to Matic ? Why not play with 3 CBs from the start ? The only innovative changes Jose is able to do are with defensive players, Zouma as a midfielder (Pepe in previous club) or Azpilicueta as a left-back. Yes, that's the only innovative thinking by our manager. He famously said that every big tactical evolution in football happened in 70s and modern managers can only copy what was made there. That's why for 2 years we haven't build any platform yet and why Jose is usually only known for committing players to the cause.

I tell you how to interpret this "I was giving squad projection in April and I told what we need It's irrelevant what I'm saying now when we had a lot of time to sign new players, I can't sign new players, I can only coach what I have". He's daying for some new faces, isn't he ? I'm sure new CM and CB will come.

Gone with the wind. I really hope that our enquiry and last ditch attempt to get him was just a ploy by some intermediary figure to get this Valencia move over the line. Can't believe that we could waste 6 weeks chasing after Stones and realise 4 days before deadline day that there are other CBs.

Still can't help but feel if he had Isco type player near him he would do wonders even in current form. And maybe that matches what was said above that he isn't one to inspire the team but please, we're one of the richest team in the world, how the fuck we can only have Hazard who has a clue about vision, creativity and dribbling ? I simply can't blame him until we have similar talent next to him, if Eden will still fuck things up then he has no cover in my eyes whatsoever but until then I'd focus in adding some talent to this team.

I thought that we will call for Musonda seeing such wasteful performance by Willian. IMO he would do better than him. Charly is brilliant, when we throw Kenedy and RLC in why not the best youth player in England ?

They crowded midfield and Willian was shit. He has no place against compact side. How we can play with number 10 who is everything but final third decisive player ? He circulates ball pretty well, has neat technique, but gosh he really needs some time to think over the ball. Can't expect pass, combination play or shoot whatsoever. What a wasteful player against compact opposition. IMO he can only play deeper where Fabregas is to help circulate the ball.

He is one of my favourite players. I joined here with KevinDB as my username almost 3 years ago. But hopefully he will struggle there. Not looking forward to see him play. I would like if he goes completely missing in City's games then got revitalised for NT. But sadly can't see it. When I look at him I see top player and he is top player. Will get double digits in goals and assists. Only can hope that they struggle to accommodate both Silva and KDB in the same team. KDB has to play centrally, where's Silva ? On the left but do they want to break great partnership between Sterling and Kolarov ? There will be games when City with Aguero, Silva, KDB, Sterling, Toure will tear opponents to shreds. Can see them score 6 or 7 goals in games.

We could have signed Kurzawa or Coentrao or Alex Sandro or Amavi or Darmian for similar or lesser cost than Baba Rahman. You can only think that they really have high hopes for the Ghanian when he was first and only target club pursued.

Could be another Alex Telles who was a trap to get Baba. BTW Just started following him https://twitter.com/OhPitchPleaseand he said about approach for Garay yesterday. He also add that Stones has 2 days to hand transfer request/push for the move otherwise we sign CB regardless and there's interest in Garay and Subotic.

If it's Oscar to get Pogba, I'd go for it. We have a wonderful player called Charly Musonda Jr., who is the best youth player in England currently and has similar position and style to Oscar.

I tell you what, Juventus was prepared for the sell of Vidal, Tevez and Pirlo for months ! It's not like that happened out of nowhere, there was an agreement with Tevez to let him go to Boca, they didn't stand in the way of Pirlo and as I wrote here http://forum.talkchelsea.net/topic/18028-arturo-vidal/?p=1110945decision about selling Vidal was made weeks or even months ago before it happened. I tell you this, transfers happen before it is leaked to the press. The same guy who wrote about Vidal moving (when there was little to zero rumblings about that) said that for the right price, right package and right destination Pogba will move and Chelsea made a couple rejected offers already but discussions with Juventus and agents are talking place for months. Therefore club see a possibility of him moving, otherwise they would just walk away. Another thing is that Pogba probably is open for moving here since Chelsea surely would search the basic ground first if he really is interested to move to them before making several bids. Now Juventus are closing transfer for central midfielder. If they sell Pogba they will up the bid for Isco immediately I assume. Will it happen, I don't have a clue, but the foundation for this are there so please don't say that there's no chance because for me there's at least good chance and several parties are interested in this move.