Blue Colored Sky

What...? At the very least Diego Costa is still scoring and doesn't allow his drought to grow to hours and counting. He is in horrible form but still scores quite regularly and we can look forward to him getting into form. While with Nando and Sheva there was little to no hope. Nonetheless, Diego should really start hitting some form, come on, he's at his peak and doesn't have health issues, has proper rest so what's the hold up?

Do you see that Chelsea are mostly linked with centre-backs since Conte arrived? I just don't see Chelsea not signing established CB. We have 3 starting CBs with average age of 29 and then there's presumably Zouma, Ake and Christensen with average age of 21. That's big gap and with JT departing I see Chelsea going after experienced player. For me it's further down the line of list of priorities but trying to predict I see centre-back arriving ahead of any other position. I think that Ake will be sold though it can be Zouma depending on home-growns in the squad. Also it's so hard to predict and put up the summer transfer window when all of Courtois, Fabregas, Hazard and Diego Costa can leave. Or none.

If we need half of new first XI it's hard to say that we're close to having the best squad ever. Yeah, Chelsea never had squad that you wouldn't want to replace a player or two, however I still see more really well drilled machine than genuine top class players all over the pitch. I dread to think if we treat the summer to buy a player or two for depth. We can slip to 6th easily.

Should I point out how Chelsea should score more in the first leg against Liverpool in 2006-07 semi-final? What if Robben wasn't injured in 2004-2005 semi-finals? What if Gudjohnsen scores at the end of that second leg from glorious chance? And then there are huge official faults in 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11. That one solitary trophy is not enough. Actually, only post 2012 campaigns don't hold many regrets and referees mistakes. Which makes me think, would we be so competitive each and every year had Chelsea won the trophy let's say in 2005?

Hahaha, I want half of this team binned or relegated to the bench before the start of next season, that's how much I rate this squad. Our league position says everything about our coach and nothing about the squad. We have minimal depth and yet it's not an issue, credit to Conte that we have excellent injury record.

http://www.101greatgoals.com/news/chances-isco-moving-premier-league-high-marca/ There's a small market opening up for offensive positions offering quality we need. Players like Isco, James, Griezmann, Alexis Sanchez, Bernardo Silva, Lemar, Bernardeschi, Berardi are on the move probably with the right offer. If Chelsea somehow end up with Candreva, Perisic or Calhanoglu... Would be taking the piss clearly. But we tried to sign Biabany FFS.

How likely is that Napoli and your president De Laurentis will sell either of them? Because last summer Chelsea wasted whole window chasing Koulibaly only to buy David Luiz on the last day.

Apparently, Chelsea dropped interest in Kolasinac so there's other option for the club. Who? Maybe Ghoulam actually.

He's horrible off form and I wrote it here two years ago, when he's not in his best his link up play is average on good days or very very poor like yesterday. It was a shitshow, he'd be solely to blame as he was helping Swansea a lot. Ridiculous amount of moves that he killed that were instigated by Hazard/Cesc and looked promising. Yet he doesn't let drought grow despite his form. He doesn't have that pressure when everyone is counting hours since he last scored. Diego is in good health and can play regularly without breaks so he can build some form but he needs to do this quickly. It cannot continue as he becomes burden for the team. Generally when he's on form his link up play is good, he can do sweet cushion passes even to fast the attacks. Now it slows the attacks at best or completely kills them and his chest layoffs are so hilariously bad now. I hope it's not second half season syndrome but if in the next two games nothing improves then he needs to be dropped. His general play is now so bad that even I think Chelsea should consider offers for him and I'm full Diego Costa in guy.

A bit like Carvalho used to do. Honestly, it's so good to watch. Christensen used to do that a lot in development games, I remember one particular action when he ran across whole pitch and had great shot at the end at Man United away (at Old Trafford?). He can do this but was so reluctant to last season. I don't watch Gladbach much now but I see even his passing is more positive now, all good when he's growing his confidence up at senior level because he certainly has all qualities to be one of the best playing centre-backs. It's amazing that Chelsea have him for free this summer because he'd cost a lot.

Pretty good, however the most important news is that he is finally stepping up and joins attacks numerous times in the match. He's so good at this and he looks to have confidence now to do this in senior football, at least in this match. Oh, and he just scored a goal!

True but Champions League football could be our bargaining chip if there's fight for the player. We're scratching the surface at the moment as I'm not sure Chelsea are that interested and I can't figure out why Man United would want him.

Lol, he's not their slave. And Chelsea have excellent relationship with Mendes on their own, having let him negotiate transfers on their behalf.

Only Vidal is remotely close. He's the only player who's pretty fast, deceptively strong, has the height and leap to win duels and is pretty, pretty good operating the ball under pressure. Still glimmer of hope we get him.

I didn't for a second think about Romagnoli as someone who stands against Christensen. Such a different players for different roles. I don't see Christensen fitting in that left side. Ok Cahill plays there for the moment but we want to replace him, right? On either side of the three you need all action guy, who likes combat challenge. Preferably he'd be left and right footed for respective side. At our level he needs to be comfortable with the ball. Romagnoli is just perfect player for that LCB, I kid you not, I can't think of any better for this particular role. He likes to challenge, likes to have many defensive actions per game, he's big, good on the ball, left-footed. On the other hand Christensen isn't the guy to perform many combative actions in a game. He's someone to read the game and adjust, bring calmness and be first distributor of the team. He's fitted to that central role in a three. I think if he wants guarantees over playing time next season, we need to push David Luiz out to the side and slot Christensen centrally. I don't think it's particularly great to do anything with David when he finally found his call in life though. Chelsea need to figure out how to keep Christensen happy with repeated reports that he wants guarantees over playing time and not break something that works. It's not easy but as I said, I don't see AC as starting LCB.

Yes. Next time write longer posts, please.

I have a feeling the only one Monaco player Chelsea will buy/Conte wants is Bakayoko.

He's home-grown BTW. Could be important. Chelsea love to pay for experienced youngsters to block path for their own. I see it's happening.

Because there's many indications that Christensen will stay. He's simply the best of the 3, most experienced, full international, used to playing in this system. He can be back up to David Luiz at worst for a start. Unless he really wants to go. Honestly I think Ake will leave if he won't play. There will be good offers for him and the club. He's most likely to be third choice for LWB as I'm pretty sure Chelsea will look to buy starting left centre-back and unless Ake overtakes Cahill he will be third choice.

The biggest problem for Kurt is that we won't actually miss him. We still have lots of great young centre-backs in Christensen, Ake, Tomori, Clark-Salter and even Kalas and Omeruo aren't sold yet. If he was left-footed and semi-decent with the ball it's whole different story. He's not home-grown unlike Christensen and Ake and that may have huge bearing. I think it's between him and Ake.

I see suggestions that we won't buy another centre-back because we're set in this position. Fools. Centre-back will be one of the key positions to strengthen for Conte. I just don't see how it's supposed to work. 3 older guys in Cahill, David Luiz and Azpilicueta and 3 very young guys in Christensen, Ake and Zouma. We currently have average age of back three at 29, those 3 young guns are under 22 on average. You can't say that will work for Conte? Chelsea are sure to get one player between these two worlds and that's youngster who will be sacrificed. There's a case for anyone but Christensen is for me most likely to stay. There was already big offer for Ake and I see it's opportunity for player and the club if Ake won't be more than FA Cup deputy. But Zouma looks so suspicious and he has non-homegrown status against him which may or may not be important, it depends if Fabregas and Begovic move on alongside JT and be replaced by non-homegrowns. For me, Chelsea will look to make a room and/or money by moving on Ake/Zouma and buy mid 20's guy. Still think Koulibaly would be absolutely perfect and there are ramblings about Virgil Van Dijk as well. We can throw Romagnoli into discussion while doing a deal with Milan for Pasalic. Kostas Manolas can be cash cow for Roma in the summer as they have budget hole due to lack of Champions League this season (so transfer would need to happen before July to be recorded on current books). That's couple of options for something which IMO will happen and Chelsea will sign centre-back.

Haha good to have fellow Bernardo Silva aficionado here. I jumped on a bandwagon just this season but there's still plenty of space here.

Worth it. I used to watch Monaco only for him and Glik but since we're linked with almost anybody from them I pay attention to all of them. One signing and this right-winger/right-forward thing can be solved, finally. He set ups so many chances or pre-chances, can keep the ball and straight away would be one of two most technically adept player here and that's what we need. Chelsea will have to adjust a bit though. I hope it's not a hoax and this doesn't mean that Candreva or Perisic is coming.

That's the kind of young player we should go for. So often we try to buy young players who are just more established and that's their only advantage over our lot. Here's the player we actually don't have at Chelsea. Fast, hard working playmaker. If we can't get world-class players now we should buy next generation of them. Add to that his contract runs out next year and Chelsea excellent relationship with Borussia M. and we should be frontrunners here, right? No. Sounds too shrewd to happen. We'll try with Veratti and end up with some decent, experienced squad player from Serie A.

Begovic Azpilicueta - JT - Zouma Moses - Chalobah - Kante - Fabregas - Ake Hazard - Batschuayi That'd be my XI. Hazard as the second striker, finally sharing the pitch with Fabregas from the start. Batschuayi deserves a game, there's no special need to rest Kante, Honestly there's a risk we lose if he's rested and we put some experimental midfield. Can try with Aina if Moses is tired or slightly injured.