Non-Chelsea Transfer Pub

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't see how anyone would think Fellaini would help us. He's an attacking central midfielder bordering on playing as a second striker which we don't need at all. He is the player Everton is playing around so Fellaini is taking 3.7 shots a game (by comparison, no Chelsea player has taken more than 2.5 shots a game.) He has real strengths as a player (great in the air, very good at finishing) and massive weaknesses (He doesn't position himself defensively well and fouls way way too often. 3.1 fouls a game for an attacking midfielder is insane). Where would he play at Chelsea? How would he fit into the side? Doesn't make any sense to me.

He's an attacking midfielder RIGHT NOW. He's playing there because that's where Everton need him. He sees himself as a DM, when Everton bought him he was a DM and when the club first started looking at him he was a DM. It's getting fairly tiring explaining the same point over and over again. In fact on a forum that's supposed to be full of football supporters, it's somewhat laughable if I'm being honest.

The 'massive weaknesses' you alluded to are wrong in my opinion too. I saw little wrong with his defensive positioning when he was playing that DM role.

In my opinion, he would replace Mikel in the team because he offers a lot more in terms of passing ability, defensive strength and as I've said before, I like his attitude. I think he has something about his personality that Mikel doesn't. He's stepped up and done a job for Everton this year.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

I sudo do! Barca have huge problems playing against counter-attacking teams. They are also very weak in the air and need to always get behind the opponent's defense line. Messi is key here, because of his dribbling. They've struggled against Inter and Chelsea a few times. This is not about quality whatsoever since they can usually beat United without problems.

Other possession sides haven't had Barca's luck btw.

People talk about Barca, which have prob the best players in the world. Do you really think Barca would be that much weaker if playing in a vastly different way? Or would Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, still provide an edge that any style and side can benefit from?

Things are cyclical; soon enough a more pragmatic team will become very successful and others will attempt to do the same.

Ok, i wasnt sure about writing Barca actually, and i can agree about the things you said about them. The thing with Barca is that they have such great players, and they are playing their game so good that even if you know what they are going to do its very very hard to stop them. So i think they can let themselves be so one-dimensional. "Do you really think Barca would be that much weaker if playing in a vastly different way?"- well, yes. not sure if i got you question but yeah their game suits their players perfectly. And about the second one, Messi would be imposible to play with in any team imo, dont know about iniesta and Xabi. but again i dont realy understand how its relate to our topic.

But you havent said anything about the other teams i've mentioned, i dont see them as one-dimensional at all.

And about your last sentence- "pragmatic" could mean alot of things, first i need to understand what you mean about pragmatic. for example i dont think Chelsea's Morinhou was that "old fashion" because Morinhou shared with the football world some great and new ideas back than that been use in todays top teams, and i think that team, in its prime, would still be succsusful today with this kind of football because it was a fantastic team. "old football" for me is what Man U is playing this season- labs from the wingers every other attack. You can see alot of it in England. So i dont think it will ever go back to that. Thats against evolution of football. its like going backwords in terms of pure football skills for a player. You need to understand im not talking about "Play like Barcelona", thats not the point, the point is about attacking faster with more creativity and skills for a player, other crucial point is pressure game. Dont forget Real Madrid's coach is Morinhou, and they are not playing possession game, so its not about it, not what im talking about. My point is we need to go to one direction, if we want to play the more modern football we need to play with different central midfielders.

[Superblue 6,370]

Read somewhere that Diame at West Ham has a release clause of £3.5m!

Now I like Fellaini but he isn't worth £25-30m. Diame would be an excellent buy for that price if true. He would suit Benitez's high pressing game perfectly, and he's very sound on the ball too. This isn't just based on him single handedly destroying us for West Ham last week, he has been their best player all season and was also underrated for Wigan last season.

January is difficult for us because we are out of the Champions League and we currently have an interim manager. Is there any point spending £20-30m on a player who possibly a new manager next season doesn't fancy?!

When we could feasibly buy Demba Ba and Diame for a little over £10m, beefing up our options in two areas we are lacking, and who come with Premier League experience.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Read somewhere that Diame at West Ham has a release clause of £3.5m!

Now I like Fellaini but he isn't worth £25-30m. Diame would be an excellent buy for that price if true. He would suit Benitez's high pressing game perfectly, and he's very sound on the ball too. This isn't just based on him single handedly destroying us for West Ham last week, he has been their best player all season and was also underrated for Wigan last season.

January is difficult for us because we are out of the Champions League and we currently have an interim manager. Is there any point spending £20-30m on a player who possibly a new manager next season doesn't fancy?!

When we could feasibly buy Demba Ba and Diame for a little over £10m, beefing up our options in two areas we are lacking, and who come with Premier League experience.

Very sensible

Way too sensible for our board though

[bluesman2610 1,338]

Read somewhere that Diame at West Ham has a release clause of £3.5m!

Now I like Fellaini but he isn't worth £25-30m. Diame would be an excellent buy for that price if true. He would suit Benitez's high pressing game perfectly, and he's very sound on the ball too. This isn't just based on him single handedly destroying us for West Ham last week, he has been their best player all season and was also underrated for Wigan last season.

January is difficult for us because we are out of the Champions League and we currently have an interim manager. Is there any point spending £20-30m on a player who possibly a new manager next season doesn't fancy?!

When we could feasibly buy Demba Ba and Diame for a little over £10m, beefing up our options in two areas we are lacking, and who come with Premier League experience.

If this is true sign him up..been a huge diame supporter for some time now.. he is a beast of a midfielder i would welcome him into our team with open arms..unfortunately he is not "big name" enough for most around chelsea for this to actually happen

[bluesman2610 1,338]

Very sensible

Way too sensible for our board though

You stole my thunder haha

[The only place to be 11,313]

i dont think Chelsea's Morinhou was that pragmatic

Very sensible

Way too sensible for our board though

If it's £3.5 million and his wages aren't too bad then it's probably worth a punt. Him and Ba for around £10 million (or one-fifth of a Torres) wouldn't be bad business.

[Muzchap 8,966]

You stole my thunder haha

Sorry dude

I will delete my post for some 'authentic' Maple Syrup

After reading the fitness thread, I'm eating all my shit now, as gym in the new year

Maple syrup got battered this morning mmmmm

[bluesman2610 1,338]

Sorry dude

I will delete my post for some 'authentic' Maple Syrup

After reading the fitness thread, I'm eating all my shit now, as gym in the new year

Maple syrup got battered this morning mmmmm

nothing like the real authentic stuff too good..good on you for giving it up though..you are a better man than me

[OneMoSalah 8,754]

Read somewhere that Diame at West Ham has a release clause of £3.5m!

Now I like Fellaini but he isn't worth £25-30m. Diame would be an excellent buy for that price if true. He would suit Benitez's high pressing game perfectly, and he's very sound on the ball too. This isn't just based on him single handedly destroying us for West Ham last week, he has been their best player all season and was also underrated for Wigan last season.

January is difficult for us because we are out of the Champions League and we currently have an interim manager. Is there any point spending £20-30m on a player who possibly a new manager next season doesn't fancy?!

When we could feasibly buy Demba Ba and Diame for a little over £10m, beefing up our options in two areas we are lacking, and who come with Premier League experience.

Always thought Diame would had made a decent free transfer.. pity the board probably though "Lets buy some 12 year old ex Colombian army general turned footballing super star!"

Ba would be a good buy too, honestly hope hes on the list still a risk though with that knee of his.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

i've changed my words to "Old fashion", because im not sure im 100% know what "Pragmatic" means.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Lets try to buy Aubameyang and Fernandinho. Both are good and have great season, also they wouldnt cost more than 35mio combined (15+20m). Aubameyang has some great atleticism for his height, reminds me of Ibra a bit.

About Diame/Ba. It would be worth a punt, but I think there is no chance board would go after Diame, while Ba will probably stay at NCU...

[Marvin123 484]

I don't see how anyone would think Fellaini would help us. He's an attacking central midfielder bordering on playing as a second striker which we don't need at all. He is the player Everton is playing around so Fellaini is taking 3.7 shots a game (by comparison, no Chelsea player has taken more than 2.5 shots a game.) He has real strengths as a player (great in the air, very good at finishing) and massive weaknesses (He doesn't position himself defensively well and fouls way way too often. 3.1 fouls a game for an attacking midfielder is insane). Where would he play at Chelsea? How would he fit into the side? Doesn't make any sense to me.

He has been a defensive mid for years mate,

And was brilliant there

[communicate 2,703]

He's an attacking midfielder RIGHT NOW. He's playing there because that's where Everton need him. He sees himself as a DM, when Everton bought him he was a DM and when the club first started looking at him he was a DM. It's getting fairly tiring explaining the same point over and over again. In fact on a forum that's supposed to be full of football supporters, it's somewhat laughable if I'm being honest.

The 'massive weaknesses' you alluded to are wrong in my opinion too. I saw little wrong with his defensive positioning when he was playing that DM role.

In my opinion, he would replace Mikel in the team because he offers a lot more in terms of passing ability, defensive strength and as I've said before, I like his attitude. I think he has something about his personality that Mikel doesn't. He's stepped up and done a job for Everton this year.

He is not an organizer which we need, I much prefer if we get somebody like moutinho to play as our tempo setter

[BlueLyon 9,359]

He is not an organizer which we need, I much prefer if we get somebody like moutinho to play as our tempo setter

Isnt Moutinho best in 4:3:3, not in double pivot?

[Rmpr 8,977]

Isnt Moutinho best in 4:3:3, not in double pivot?

Moutinho can play either way. He just needs a DM to protect him sometimes...

[communicate 2,703]

Isnt Moutinho best in 4:3:3, not in double pivot?

If modric/arteta can play in that position, i am pretty sure moutinho can play there also. It will make us slightly weaker defensively but let's see how he play in epl.

[communicate 2,703]

Yup just think back to the Arsenal invincibles it was all about physical power, then Barca turned it on its head.

We need to find our own system - then let others copy, or try too!

I'm still of the opinion, winning at any cost - I don't care how shit the play is as long as our goals column is greater than the opponents.

I don't want us ending up like a modern day Arsenal...

I don't think we try to replicate barca, it's all about getting the best of our players. We signed all these fantastic playmakers, we cannot player power football anymore. We need to play slightly more possesion football which oscar and mata thrive on. Does it make us play slightly like arsenal/Barca, yes it does but we have no option.