What needs to be done in January

[Billy. 2,739]

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 21,681]

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 4,168]

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 4,168]

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 6,331]

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.

[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.