Non-Chelsea Transfer Pub

[Strike 7,489]

Not every player on the team needs to be exceptional.

Essien has a call back clause. I'll be surprised if we don't use that.

Is it confirmed? no Official report

[Madmax 9,219]

Is it confirmed? no Official report

London Evening Standard says so.

Josh is also an option, one that has official mention.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Essien has a call back clause. I'll be surprised if we don't use that.

Our main issue is Jan when Mikel will be at the ACON, but so will Essien, so I'm not sure we will call him back.

[Madmax 9,219]

Our main issue is Jan when Mikel will be at the ACON, but so will Essien, so I'm not sure we will call him back.

Didn't he retire from internationals after his latest knee injury?

[Strike 7,489]

Our main issue is Jan when Mikel will be at the ACON, but so will Essien, so I'm not sure we will call him back.

we need depth till the summer anyway. Romeu is out for the season almost. We should get him back or get decent cover in the market

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Didn't he retire from internationals after his latest knee injury?

Yes, but I remember he returned to the NT after he came back from his last injury this year. Could be wrong though..

we need depth till the summer anyway. Romeu is out for the season almost. We should get him back or get decent cover in the market

Well that depends on the kind of solution the club comes up in Jan. If we sign a new DM (unlikely imo) we won't need Essien back. Besides Dan Levene, who knows a lot of inside stuff at the club, said this week that the club doesn't think Essien has a future here anymore..

[Superblue 6,372]

Are we overhyping the importance of an orthodox defensive midfielder?

I look at United at the weekend and they played Carrick and Cleverley in the pivot. Cleverley is a more offensive midfielder and although Carrick is good defensively and plays a little deeper, I wouldn't say acting as a defensive shield is his strong point. None of their other midfielders (Fletcher, Anderson, Scholes) are orthodox defensive midfielders either.

Real Madrid are another - the likes of Khedira, Alonso and Modric can all press and put their foot in but none are orthodox defensive midfielders with the prime target to protect the defence.

If you have two midfielders with the legs to get around the park and press, but also have the intelligence not to push forward together and leave holes, this would allow us to utilise two midfielders with other strengths that are not just sitting and protecting the back 4.

Just a thought...

[Zola kinda blue 89]

Well that depends on the kind of solution the club comes up in Jan. If we sign a new DM (unlikely imo) we won't need Essien back. Besides Dan Levene, who knows a lot of inside stuff at the club, said this week that the club doesn't think Essien has a future here anymore..

I dont really see where he has hinted this at all, but hey!

Chelsea interim boss Rafa Benitez has indicated that the club may look to sign a defensive midfielder during the January transfer window.

The Blues were dealt a blow this week when Spanish midfielder Oriol Romeu was ruled out for six months, requiring the lengthy lay off after knee surgery. The situation has been compounded with John Obi Mikel’s departure to the 2013 African Cup Of Nations imminent.

While Chelsea have a burgeoning number of attacking options in midfield, a player capable of effectively operating in the engine room of Chelsea’s midfield is lacking, and Benitez has hinted he may have to consider bringing in a player capable of fighting and retaining the ball when Chelsea concede possession.

"You need to know the players and find the balance,” Benitez was quoted as saying in The Times. If you have too many players with quality - these players we were talking about, all dynamic but cannot regain the ball - you do not have the balance.

"If you give the ball away, you have to regain [it]."

Chelsea have been persistently linked with Brazilian midfielder Paulinho, who has reportedly been a target for the club since the summer months, However, the Corinthians destroyer has previously expressed his reluctance to leave his home nation.

Newcastle Cheick Tiote has also been mentioned as a possible target for the midfield role at Stamford Bridge.

[Leif 6,006]

Oh jeeeez. Amazing stadium. What stadium is that?

[Strike 7,489]

Well that depends on the kind of solution the club comes up in Jan. If we sign a new DM (unlikely imo) we won't need Essien back. Besides Dan Levene, who knows a lot of inside stuff at the club, said this week that the club doesn't think Essien has a future here anymore..

let's be honest. he was poor last season. very poor actually. can't hide that. i wouldn't be surprised if the club don't exercise the option of calling him back

[The only place to be 11,313]

Are we overhyping the importance of an orthodox defensive midfielder?

I look at United at the weekend and they played Carrick and Cleverley in the pivot. Cleverley is a more offensive midfielder and although Carrick is good defensively and plays a little deeper, I wouldn't say acting as a defensive shield is his strong point. None of their other midfielders (Fletcher, Anderson, Scholes) are orthodox defensive midfielders either.

And United have been shit defensively this year. Look at where Toure's goal came from. Look at where Fellaini did all of his damage. Look at the games against Southampton, Stoke, QPR etc. to see how weak they are in that area. Look at the Champions League Final against Barcelona and see how they exploited the gap in between defence and midfield. Talk to any United fans and they'll tell you they're crying out for a player in that postion.

They're very much the modern day Keegan Newcastle. They basically try to outscore you because they know they will concede goals.

[Styles 9,790]

And United have been shit defensively this year. Look at where Toure's goal came from. Look at where Fellaini did all of his damage. Look at the games against Southampton, Stoke, QPR etc. to see how weak they are in that area. Look at the Champions League Final against Barcelona and see how they exploited the gap in between defence and midfield. Talk to any United fans and they'll tell you they're crying out for a player in that postion.

They're very much the modern day Keegan Newcastle. They basically try to outscore you because they know they will concede goals.

Not a bad approach to take when you have as much fire-power as they do.

In fact we tried the 'you score, we'll score more' thing earlier in the season but only have one striker and he's shit.

[termninja 5,290]

No idea on likely ins, but I'm sure the shortlist of players to be enquired about looks something like this

Falcao ('nuff said)

Higuain (rumors around for quite a while that he's unhappy at Madrid)

Ba (could come in for cheap, type of player we could really use)

Following 5 are among the best available players when it comes to DM position.

Marchisio

De Rossi

Xabi Alonso

Fellainni

M'Villa

+ some smaller name players if we fail in the people mentioned above...guys like Huntelaar (I'm pretty sure he'll end up at Arse), Markovic, Capue, Fernandinho etc ...

[Superblue 6,372]

And United have been shit defensively this year. Look at where Toure's goal came from. Look at where Fellaini did all of his damage. Look at the games against Southampton, Stoke, QPR etc. to see how weak they are in that area. Look at the Champions League Final against Barcelona and see how they exploited the gap in between defence and midfield. Talk to any United fans and they'll tell you they're crying out for a player in that postion.

They're very much the modern day Keegan Newcastle. They basically try to outscore you because they know they will concede goals.

Yeah but they arguably haven't had a player in that 'bracket' since Keane and they've been pretty damn successful since he's left, especially given the rise of ourselves and City.

[Strike 7,489]

Following 5 are among the best available players when it comes to DM position.

Marchisio

De Rossi

Xabi Alonso

Fellainni

M'Villa

+ some smaller name players if we fail in the people mentioned above...guys like Huntelaar (I'm pretty sure he'll end up at Arse), Markovic, Capue, Fernandinho etc ...

except Xabi Alonso, all others have existing long-term deals. Alonso's deal runs out in 2014 but he's 31 now. surely we'll have to overpay to get any of them.

Joao Moutinho, Fernandinho, Ettiene Capoue are more realistic targets.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Yeah but they arguably haven't had a player in that 'bracket' since Keane and they've been pretty damn successful since he's left, especially given the rise of ourselves and City.

And the times us and City won, we were pretty strong in that area. I'm not saying you can't win like that, but with the players we have we need a person who can play that position.

As for the other suggestions, Moutinho isn't what we need in my opinion and I've never really thought of Alonso as a defensive midfielder.

[BleedsBlue 1,549]

recalling Josh back would be a great decision as he would get fair amount of chances throughout the season.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

except Xabi Alonso, all others have existing long-term deals. Alonso's deal runs out in 2014 but he's 31 now. surely we'll have to overpay to get any of them.

Joao Moutinho, Fernandinho, Ettiene Capoue are more realistic targets.

I'll be thrilled if we manage to sign either Fernandinho or Capoue.

[Superblue 6,372]

I'll be thrilled if we manage to sign either Fernandinho or Capoue.

I can't see Shakhtar selling in January.

What about Wanyama at Celtic? I haven't seen much of him but he seems to be very highly rated.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Are we overhyping the importance of an orthodox defensive midfielder?

I look at United at the weekend and they played Carrick and Cleverley in the pivot. Cleverley is a more offensive midfielder and although Carrick is good defensively and plays a little deeper, I wouldn't say acting as a defensive shield is his strong point. None of their other midfielders (Fletcher, Anderson, Scholes) are orthodox defensive midfielders either.

Real Madrid are another - the likes of Khedira, Alonso and Modric can all press and put their foot in but none are orthodox defensive midfielders with the prime target to protect the defence.

If you have two midfielders with the legs to get around the park and press, but also have the intelligence not to push forward together and leave holes, this would allow us to utilise two midfielders with other strengths that are not just sitting and protecting the back 4.

Just a thought...

The midfielders who sit and protect the back four are perfect in a 4-3-3 system, where they are actually in the middle protecting the back four.

But in a 4-2-3-1 system, they are on one side of the pitch, meaning when we attack from the left, the left pivot person should support and when we attack from the right, the right pivot man should support and the left should sit back.

That is when the person that sits deep and protects the back four becomes overatted.

I can't remember any team with a 4-2-3-1 system, with a player who just sits in front of the defence. But in a 4-3-3, they are a vital part of the team.