What needs to be done in January

[whinni09 37]

Areas of focus would be a centre back with pace and good anticipation to sweep behind him.

Could that be a player like Hummels? Or am I way off?

[Badboy 1,526]

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.

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.

If you really think we would sign a player based on youtube vids and the next Drogba tags from the media then you need help. This guy was being watched by the scouts for some time and they felt we could not allow for him to get taken away and i'm happy for it as i think he will strike a partnership with Danny in future. Do i think drogba is Jesus no i don't do i think Drogba is the greatest Target man i have ever witnessed well....... 217 goals and 68 assists in 355 games including 40 goals in 78 games in Europe says he is easily one of the most complete Strikers of his generation. He has averaged 40 goals and assists in 7 seasons since joining the club Strikers hardly ever get assists but he and Henry have revolutionized that.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

If you really think we would sign a player based on youtube vids and the next Drogba tags from the media then you need help. This guy was being watched by the scouts for some time and they felt we could not allow for him to get taken away and i'm happy for it as i think he will strike a partnership with Danny in future. Do i think drogba is Jesus no i don't do i think Drogba is the greatest Target man i have ever witnessed well....... 217 goals and 68 assists in 355 games including 40 goals in 78 games in Europe says he is easily one of the most complete Strikers of his generation. He has averaged 40 goals and assists in 7 seasons since joining the club Strikers hardly ever get assists but he and Henry have revolutionized that.

No,, one of the big reason Lukaku was getting noticed was becuase he had a great amount of physical strenght that is very mature for someone his age. Coupled with the fact he was playing in a weak league means he could mask any abilities he may be lacking. He is still a big risk becuase the main point is can he develope other abilities? But how can he do it if his on the reserves? Its crazy that we paid so much money forr a reserve player who might have the maximun ability of Carlton Cole. Another player who was getting rave reviews as youngster becuase of his physical strength.

[eldo 868]

No,, one of the big reason Lukaku was getting noticed was becuase he had a great amount of physical strenght that is very mature for someone his age. Coupled with the fact he was playing in a weak league means he could mask any abilities he may be lacking. He is still a big risk becuase the main point is can he develope other abilities? But how can he do it if his on the reserves? Its crazy that we paid so much money forr a reserve player who might have the maximun ability of Carlton Cole. Another player who was getting rave reviews as youngster becuase of his physical strength.

Maybe Belgian league and EPL are not the same? Maybe he 's not yet used to the pace of EPL?

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Maybe Belgian league and EPL are not the same? Maybe he 's not yet used to the pace of EPL?

Buts that what I'm sayiing, was the Belgium league just making him look better then he actually is?

[jmarlow 458]

OUT

Kalou

Anelka

Malouda

Bosingwa

Mceachran (Loan)

IN

De Bruyne

Godin

Krasic

ilicic

Wishful Thinking

Modric

Kaka (Loan)

Lucas

Villa

Robben

[eldo 868]

Buts that what I'm sayiing, was the Belgium league just making him look better then he actually is?

At what level does he need to be when he is 18? Ronaldo?

[GodZola 630]

Ffs, there's a difference in what we require & what are going to get, as there was no clear out of the 'old guard' in the summer do you expect us to do it in January? It ain't going to happen!

Changes are required but it won't & cannot happen overnight, there will some activity in January but nothing like people are expecting, next summer however will be the time when you will see the most of the changes but it won't stop us from investing again in Jan 2013 - even then fans will be screaming 'we need so & so'

I've already said you have to trust AVB's judgement as he has done well with the players he has brought to the club, he just needs the time & patience of everybody associated with the club especially the hierarchy.

[Madmax 9,219]

First things first - the manager needs to come out and admit publicly that we've got a massive problem with this squad. It's unbalanced, it's too short on quality and has too much mileage. None of this 'we've got faith in them, we're still competing in 3 trophies, the team is good enough' bollocks.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I can't believe people are dissing Lukaku already, give him a break he's only played about 4 games and being subbed. Plus he's only 18.

He's being criticised because he isn't Neymar, basically.

[zolayes 14,489]

the problem is too big to me sorted in January . The transition is going to be more painful than most of us imagined. We had 3 years when we didnt strengthen

our squad . That combined with changes of manager and changes of policy are largely responsible for our current situation.

IMO we have no option but to stick it out and rebuild our squad. In recent games I have seen a lack of hunger ,determination and fight.

I blame the players NOT the coach

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The first thing we need to sort out is that every one on the pitch, lately, seems to be there because he has to, not because he wants to. In the carling match, except for Rayn and Oriol, no one was showing any remote interest in winning the match (To be fair Lukaku was trying, it's just he's not ready to play first team football yet). That is what worries me most with our current situation.

[francozola 2,040]

First things first - the manager needs to come out and admit publicly that we've got a massive problem with this squad. It's unbalanced, it's too short on quality and has too much mileage. None of this 'we've got faith in them, we're still competing in 3 trophies, the team is good enough' bollocks.

But how can a manager say that? Managers don't do that. They either just say "we need reinforcements" or they say what AVB has been saying so far but it doesn't mean that they mean it.

[Amblève. 4,995]

Tell the fans at the Bridge to show their pride even if we lose.

[Madmax 9,219]

But how can a manager say that? Managers don't do that. They either just say "we need reinforcements" or they say what AVB has been saying so far but it doesn't mean that they mean it.

Sometimes people need to be put in their place. It's better than making deluded statements like this squad has the ability to win the league. A public rebuking will show the players who's boss.

[Krypt 241]

the problem is too big to me sorted in January . The transition is going to be more painful than most of us imagined. We had 3 years when we didnt strengthen

our squad . That combined with changes of manager and changes of policy are largely responsible for our current situation.

IMO we have no option but to stick it out and rebuild our squad. In recent games I have seen a lack of hunger ,determination and fight.

I blame the players NOT the coach

Good post , we have left it to late and now we are seeing the effects of piss poor club management , this needed to be addressed seasons ago but never was.

We cannot make dramtic changes in Jan , especially with desperate inflated prices. i think if we can get a right winger in jan that will do , then danny can lead the line.

[Kojo 4,676]

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.

Absalute brilliant post!, please post more. Lukaku is also sort of like a poacher, he will be in the exact situation Torres is in, Torres at liverpool got throughball, throughball, throughball. At Chelsea he doesn't get any of it, he's had 2 throughballs this season, 2 against united, 1 goal, the other he could of put away easily if he was on form. Lukaku is in the Torres situationl, they get a pass with there back to goal, they have no assistance.

Look at Robin Van Persie, scores every fucking game, you put him in the Chelsea squad i garauntee you he wont score, he would be lucky to get 10 a season with our team. And that Javier Hernandez wouldn't even get 4, he is good at making runs and finishing, but that's all he does, Hernandez never drops back!, even now when United arent on form, Hernandez will still get assistance, but Hernandez is a poacher and that's all he will ever be, just like Darren Bent, there not special players, you wont see them taking on people or scoring wonder goals, but they will score many goals.

Lampard isn't a player who puts in throughballs, and dictates the game with his passing, obviously he will do it now and again, he made a good pass in the valencia match, almost made a very good long ball to drogba in the liverpool match, but that is it... in about 16 games this season that's all i can remember him doing, and there will probably be more than i've mentioned but no way is it enough. Ramires is like that but he isn't in a wasted position, because he does have an important role and can benefit the team now and again. And we definitely need a winger, for Lukaku/Torres, Sturridge is to one footed, he may of raped Wolves, but he did that against Bolton and then look what happend when he played against better sides. Even against Wolves you could see he wasn't using his right foot when it needed to be used, otherwise he could of assisted Ramires perfectly. And we would of been 1-0 against Arsenal in 1 minute.

[eldo 868]

Sometimes people need to be put in their place. It's better than making deluded statements like this squad has the ability to win the league. A public rebuking will show the players who's boss.

I'm pretty much sure they can do that in his office. Do we need more media attention?

[zolayes 14,489]

there have been games where we have been dreadful in the first half but much better with more effort in the second . Perhaps he has a hairdryer like

Fergie

[Madmax 9,219]

I'm pretty much sure they can do that in his office. Do we need more media attention?

Wouldn't they have done that already? I'm sure he doesn't believe it for a moment when he says the squad is good enough. Why not try something different? He afterall does get paid for making the tough choices. A bit of innovation never hurt anybody.