What needs to be done in January

[Thor 2,745]

We'll be able to get Modric for less than the 40 million they rejected recently I believe.

The only reason the bid was rejected was due to the deadline being on the day, and the Spurs not having enough time to find an adequate replacement. I think it would be well worth it splashing out 30-35 million for Modric. He's creative, strong on ball, not overly fast, but agile and quick.

There have been talks that we are looking at getting Lucas Moura, a Brazilian along with a few other big English clubs. The guy is a star and only 19 years old. Already been called up to play for the Brazilian team in the 2011 Copa America Cup. He's much like Ramires although not as good defensively, but far better on the ball. I think he'd be perfect with Mata, Modric, Ramires, Romeu and looking at getting Di Maria, or any other legitimate right winger. That pace and creativity in the midfield would be fantastic in my opinion.

[bombayblue™ 55]

Wholesale changes are possible to a certain degree as if we lose top buck earners like Anelka, Malouda, Kalou etc.

Anelka is supposedly making 95-100k a week, by losing him you could get a player for 12MP on 60k a week with a 6 year contract.

If we lose 4-5 such players, we have an automatic budget of 50-60MP. Put in 15-20 MP and you could get 3-4 quality players of 21-24 age.

[EskWeston 696]

We badly need a winger and a creative midfielder. But more importantly than that we need the balls to be able to drop the older players and really build for the future. I would be happy to see us let anyone go if it meant the future was being built. The fact is in January it will be very hard to bring many if any top players in, so don't expect wholesale changes then but we are going to need something.....

We are being let down by our senior "pros" and we need to sort that out.With a dynamic midfield of Romeu, Ramires and Meireles at the weekend we played so much better. But when we bring in Malouda and Lamps the supply to the forwards disappears and the pace drops off. Over the next 2/3 transfer windows we need to let go and replace Malouda, Anelka, Drogba, Kalou, Bosingwa, Cole and reduced roles for Lampard and probably Terry too.

[Tomo 21,751]

any senior players that get too big for their boots and start thinking their bigger than the club should be shown the door immediatly.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

AVB's tactics is about through balls and players should be spread out wide(atleast a reasonable distance apart), none of which is happening !

sell the under performers ...

[Fulham Broadway 17,367]

Agree with Aroop and Esk above. What is lacking is the attitude as well.

Wheres the passion ? We all know there are players that are looking ahead to MLS,punditry and retiring in the sun, and they need to move on. For what AVB might have in tactical nous he lacks in bollocking players and motivation.

Say what you like about the land of savages (Scotland) but they have a knack of producing better managers than players when it comes to getting the best out of players. Dalgleish, Ferguson and McInnes who has turned round Bristol City, without changing any personnel. he did say to them though ''You've got f**king Bentleys and Maseratis in the car park, now play as if you've f**king earned them''

I am not saying AVB has to go, but pampered multimillionaires need special motivation

[Tomo 21,751]

We need to go back to Jose style signing's, players who have won nothing or very little and are hungry and have everything to prove.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

We need to go back to Jose style signing's, players who have won nothing or very little and are hungry and have everything to prove.

:goodpost:

seriously ... they are the kind of players who wouldn't want to miss a great opportunity to win something at a big club. They will want to make the best out of their opportunities

[Clevemayer 764]

sell anelka, sell kalou, sell malouda...

if drogs don't prolongers his contract, sell him too

buy hazard and Hamsik, get Töre back or buy agbonlahor...

this could be an solid basis to play 4-3-3 as AVB wishes too...

sell bossy and buy an rightback asap

sell Ferreira...

[Henrique 9,133]

sell anelka, sell kalou, sell malouda...

if drogs don't prolongers his contract, sell him too

buy hazard and Hamsik, get Töre back or buy agbonlahor...

this could be an solid basis to play 4-3-3 as AVB wishes too...

sell bossy and buy an rightback asap

sell Ferreira...

Agbonlahor...LMAO

[Billy. 2,742]

Only problem with this is that we need to start from jan 1st but we will wait until 30th

[Nic! 301]

I really get why so many fans are upset with Lukaku. But get some perspective, please. I know I'm biased. I'm Belgian, Anderlecht fan and Lukaku fan. But that doesn't mean I can't be objective about him.

Lukaku IS better than what you've seen from him so far. I think his performance against Norwich was closest to how I rate him currently. His other performances weren't good, but in every game Lukaku played he was not worse than any other striker on the field.

Agreed,his first touch is not good. It will improve, but it will remain his weakest point. The thing is, how he's played at the moment just highlights this lack of skill. Lukaku shouldn't be played with his back to the goal. He needs to be played in space, with through passes. Because his combination of pace and strength while running is something you almost never see. How raw in his skills he might be, if he's played right (4-3-3, with him in the point with two REAL wingers next to him) he will score goals.

Lukaku is deadly on the counter-attack. Just watch some goals of him on YouTube. Or his goal against Russia with Belgium: http://www.youtube.c...bpsjLoEA#t=339s

And by the way: you haven't paid 18 million pound for him yet. Chelsea paid 13 million, but it could get to 18 depending on how much goals/appearances he makes. It's a performance-based clause.

[francozola 2,040]

The overhaul that is required CANNOT happen in january. It is impossible to sell and replace so many players in one go in January.

IMO our biggest priority should be an attacking midfielder. Strikers will score when you create opportunities. We are hardly creating any. Lamps is dire. Ramires is all energy very little creativity. Meireles is good but not "great" but he should definitely be playing over lamps right now. We need a creative midfielder that knows what to do with the fucking ball. All we see now is midfielders getting the ball and either passing it sideways or running 5 yards and then a defender comes to close them down and the entire move breaks up.

Modric won't happen. If they wouldn't sell him for 40+ million that we offered, no way will they sell him in Jan. And why would he leave? Spurs are like a better team than us. I know it's still spurs and they'll probably screw it up but they're looking much better right now.

[Tomo 21,751]

While we are on the topic of Villa players am i the only one who thinks Albrighton would be a decent buy for the right price?

Watching Villa last season he was comfatably outperforming Young and Downing.

[Badboy 1,526]

Hang on a minute. We keep complaining that the likes of Josh and Bertrand are not developing by being stuck on the bench. So we pay £18 million pounds for a youngster to stay in the reserves and not develope. Doesn't make much sense.

Also if we are going to complain about Torres not living up to his price tag and blaming him for every defeat. Then I see no problems complaining the fact that we paid £18 million pounds for a fucking reserve player who currently has the first touch of an elephant hooked on drugs. £18 million pounds to do nothing. Does not matter if he is 18, you don't pay £18 million pounds for potential.

This deal was an investment for the bloody future not now. I said this back on the old forum to everyone about Drogba back in 04-05 target men need time, Chelsea fucking fans just don't learn. Drogba still has a first touch like a elephant on drugs that makes very little difference to a TARGET MAN. Crouch has a much better first touch then Drogba but Drogba shits all over him as a player, Torres was bought for 50 million pounds he is used to this fucking league he is 27 years of age and the worst thing is he is a pace based player which means he is fucked in 3 years time. We bought Torres for NOW and he is playing like a donkey !

[Blue Armour 4,477]

The overhaul that is required CANNOT happen in january. It is impossible to sell and replace so many players in one go in January.

IMO our biggest priority should be an attacking midfielder. Strikers will score when you create opportunities. We are hardly creating any. Lamps is dire. Ramires is all energy very little creativity. Meireles is good but not "great" but he should definitely be playing over lamps right now. We need a creative midfielder that knows what to do with the fucking ball. All we see now is midfielders getting the ball and either passing it sideways or running 5 yards and then a defender comes to close them down and the entire move breaks up.

Modric won't happen. If they wouldn't sell him for 40+ million that we offered, no way will they sell him in Jan. And why would he leave? Spurs are like a better team than us. I know it's still spurs and they'll probably screw it up but they're looking much better right now.

Couldn't give rep because of the quota limitation, but fully agree with your post

[Blue Armour 4,477]

This deal was an investment for the bloody future not now. I said this back on the old forum to everyone about Drogba back in 04-05 target men need time, Chelsea fucking fans just don't learn. Drogba still has a first touch like a elephant on drugs that makes very little difference to a TARGET MAN. Crouch has a much better first touch then Drogba but Drogba shits all over him as a player, Torres was bought for 50 million pounds he is used to this fucking league he is 27 years of age and the worst thing is he is a pace based player which means he is fucked in 3 years time. We bought Torres for NOW and he is playing like a donkey !

Drogba and Dzeko are proof of this...

[whinni09 37]

Ok, this wasen't a thread about who does what for the money they got purchased for. Lukaku was a investment for the future, but I do agree that it was a bit too much money for him.

The thing we need to do in January is to sell Bosingwa, Anelka and Kalou. They do only take space in our squad.

The players we need to buy is, Maggio as a right back, Hazard/Götze as a winger (free role, like Mata) and Modric. All three will give us some speed and movement, especially in the midfield where we will have Modric and Hazard/Götze running free. I do think many people have forgotten the quality that Maggio has, he will give us an enormous amount of offensive football as an rightback, but he's also quite good in defence.

If we are going to play the offensive football that AVB want us too, we need alot more movement in our midfield, that's just it.

And ofc, Maggio is 29 but I saw it as a purchase for 2-3 years forward, could be bad but it's the kind of player we need on the right back. Would be better if we found a younger version of him.

[Superblue 6,372]

On the basis that we are talking about a rebuilding job which is likely going to span a couple of seasons, I would look at in January snapping up a couple of players in their early 20's who have the potential to make an impact in the 2nd half of the season, but are also given the breathing space of being purchased in January to 'bed in' before the following season.

I don't think these players need to be world beaters for £20m+ each. If we could nab 2 or 3 in January for about £20-25m combined, the rebuilding continues. Despite not playing great against us, I'm talking about players like a De Bruyne (£8m?) as opposed to a Di Maria (£25-30m?).

Areas of focus would be a centre back with pace and good anticipation to sweep behind him. Somebody who if we are going to perservere with it, can help us play this high defensive line to good effect, a left winger/front man who will allow Mata to play as our central creative player, and a young striker, preferably one with lightening pace to play off the last man.

Having written the above which makes so much sense to me, why am I so worried we will splash out £30m on Kaka and another obscene amount of money at the next 'past great' striker!

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

This deal was an investment for the bloody future not now. I said this back on the old forum to everyone about Drogba back in 04-05 target men need time, Chelsea fucking fans just don't learn. Drogba still has a first touch like a elephant on drugs that makes very little difference to a TARGET MAN. Crouch has a much better first touch then Drogba but Drogba shits all over him as a player, Torres was bought for 50 million pounds he is used to this fucking league he is 27 years of age and the worst thing is he is a pace based player which means he is fucked in 3 years time. We bought Torres for NOW and he is playing like a donkey !

Good god calm down, I know you think Drogba is Jesus Christ who must be worshipped without question and Lukaku is some sort of his second coming that must be not be subject to criticism but your letting those lens get in the way in reality. The fact is that we paid £18 million pounds for nothing more then "potential" that just sits in the reserves and does nothing. Infact the only reason we got him was become he was seen as Drogba part two, and not becuase of his actual abilities. I have nothing against the guy, I'm just questioning the clubs idea of spending huge amountts of money on a player that was never going to get a starting place. The club has to justify that he is worth it and play him, and sell Drogba and Anelka to show he can step up to the plate. At the moment he looks like he was just baught for mundane reasons.

Also its a pathetic excuse to say that he needs time becuase he is a target man. Infact its becuase of his stength and his ability as a target man that he was getting notice. This is a curse for people like him becuase his target man abilities have already develope but his other abilities like skill and passing take longer to fully develope. When Heskey was a youngster he was getting rave reviews becuase he had exactly what Lukaku had, strength and target man abilities that were very matue for his age. Of course Heskey is a shit player becuase his other abilities are bad. ave we just paid £18 million pounds for thhe next Heskey. I hope not.

By the way, Drogba was 27 when he came, are you saying he was underveloped by that age? Pathetic excuse and a cover up of the fact that he is inconsistant in his performance. Dzeko just took 7 months tto settlle, Drogba took 2 years.