New Season

[capriccioso 2,545]

True, one day, someone will come along and knock Drogba off his perch. There's only 2 players in history that can confidently say we'll never be surpassed, Pele and Maradona.

[Spike 12,049]

True, one day, someone will come along and knock Drogba off his perch. There's only 2 players in history that can confidently say we'll never be surpassed, Pele and Maradona.

Messi and Ronaldo belong with those freaks. I think no one will truly appreciate these two untill they retire. How many modern players can boast over 100 goals in less than three seasons? It took Drogba eight seasons just to reach 100 league goals.

[Bridge Soldier 9]

If Argentina win a World Cup and Messi plays a big part in that, he'll certainly be discussed in the same breath as Pele and Maradona. He's done everything else, breaking records at an alarming rate. Barring some sort of sudden decline, the international glory is all that's really missing.

[Spike 12,049]

In my mind Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cryuff are the best players ever, followed by Maradona.

I never bought into Pélé, I don't doubt his ability but I think he just an old bastard frantically trying to hold onto his past glory.

[BlueDutchy 63]

If there would be a best player ever, and in my opinion there isn't, it would be Cruijff imo. His 65th birthday was this week and it received a lot of media attention. In VI (Dutch football magazine) was an extensive report about his life and it also mentioned that Michels wasn't really the inventor of total football and Cruijff should have got more credit for the invention of Total Football. He 'invented' (not on his own) this while he still was a player!

I am probably biased by my dutch nationality (although I am not a proud Dutchmen) but the man is really a genius/God when it comes to football. He is annoying but he didn't become an idiot like Maradonna and Pele. Guardiola even gave him credit for Barca's current achievements.

Furthermore, I do believe Drogba is one of our best strikers ever and when the day comes that he leaves us. We should gave him a beautiful farewell.

[warnie_666 1,081]

In my mind Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cryuff are the best players ever, followed by Maradona.

I never bought into Pélé, I don't doubt his ability but I think he just an old bastard frantically trying to hold onto his past glory.

Zidane has to be mentioned in that list. He was mesmerizing. No one pulls off the Roulette move like he does.

France were shit in Group stages of the 2006 WC and Zidane Turned it on in the knock outs.

Player of the last decade and a half

[Kojo 4,676]

I made this post in the General Transfer Talk. I've updated the stats. If anyone wants me to make something like this again but with different players I will.

The following players will bring us sucess.

Yohan Cabaye

Newcastle United

Position - CM (Regista)

Appearances - 35

Goals - 5

Assists - 9

The French Xabi Alonso, in my eyes. He sublime passing technique, Free Kick accuracy and contributes a lot defensively. We currently have no player that is similar to Cabaye in our squad and a Regista is absolutely pertinent to our future success.

Esteban Granero

Real Madrid

Position - CM (Regista)

Appearances - 25

Goals - 0

Assists - 1

The much maligned Madridista's first two seasons at Real Madrid were fantastic, however he has found himself out of favour this season. He is very similar to Cabaye, however with a Midfield pair of Cabaye and Granero will not only offer a lot in attack and defense but will control the tempo and of games. Though it should be said Mourinho is regretful that he has put Granero in the situation he is in.

Mathieu Debuchy

LOSC Lille

Position - RB (Attacking)

Appearances - 33

Goals - 5

Assists - 1

A position that has felt the wrath of Chelsea fans since Paulo Ferreira's second season. Debuchy is your typical modern Fullback, likes to attack and is obliged to defend. Luckily he has great stamina so he attack and defend with ease. Better the Gregory Van Der Wiel and less injury prone that César Aspilicueta, Debucy may be our only hope to fill the dreaded RB position.

Eden Hazard

LOSC Lille

Position - Winger / AM (Trequartista)

Appearances - 43

Goals - 18

Assists - 14

No young player in Europe (maybe besides Mario Götze) currently generates such a massive circle jerk among fans. Fast, technical, dynamic, genius, there simply isn't enough adjectives to describe the Belgian. Every knows want he can do, and everyone knows why he is a desitable transfer.

Edison Cavani

S.S.C. Napoli

Position - Striker (Target Man)

Appearances - 38

Goals - 31

Assists - 5

El Matador... if Juan Mata is a matador for his agility and nimbleness; then Cavani is a matador because of his tenacity and ferocity. He reminds me a lot of Drogba but truly is a completely different animal, but mark my words he will surpass Drogba if he signs for us. Work ethic, stamina, power, pace, technique; he is complete.

Ezequiel Lavezzi

S.S.C. Napoli

Position - Winger / AM (Trequartista)

Appearances - 37

Goals - 11

Assists - 9

Lavezzi is the most important player in Napoli. His stats don't scream it, but his pace, passing and dribbling contribute massively to every scoring oppurtunity created by Napoli. Think David Silva except ten times faster and is mostly restricted to the wing positions, he is that good.

Excellent work.

[mnmontero 78]

why everything needs to be bought so it will bring success? I believe it needs to be taught.

[warnie_666 1,081]

We have torres therefore i dont want a similar striker. Hence Cavani to replace Drogba.

I dont want Lavezzi he wastes alot of chances. A richer version of Kalou.

Id take Cabaye over Modric. He is cheaper and IMO had a better season than Modric.

One of Hazard or Kagawa would do.

A RB too please.

[Jype 6,398]

I dont want Lavezzi he wastes alot of chances. A richer version of Kalou.

What the fuck man?

Lavezzi is an outstanding player and while he may not be a clinical finisher like Cavani that doesn't mean he's not a good player. If you'd watched Napoli you would know he creates most of their goal-scoring chances and that's exactly what Chelsea is lacking at the moment.

And what's wrong with Kalou?

[Ollie 4,400]

We need a quality central midfielder and 1 more winger imo. We need hulk or Hazard and we need a midfielder that has Lampards eye for goal.

I really like Gylfi Sigurdsson, i've watched him closely a lot because i keep thinking 'Frank Lampard' when i see him. He is as close that i have seen to Lampard. He plays the same position, has the eye for a goal and a pass and he's so influential in what his team does. He's also very young and he wont cost much. I think he's a fantastic player and one that could rule our midfield for 10 years. He's apparently worth like 6-7m so get him now before he's worth 20m+

[Spike 12,049]

Zidane has to be mentioned in that list. He was mesmerizing. No one pulls off the Roulette move like he does.

France were shit in Group stages of the 2006 WC and Zidane Turned it on in the knock outs.

Player of the last decade and a half

I don't know how but I completely forgot about Zidane, one of my favourite players of all time.

[MGuerreiro 252]

We need a quality central midfielder and 1 more winger imo. We need hulk or Hazard and we need a midfielder that has Lampards eye for goal.

I really like Gylfi Sigurdsson, i've watched him closely a lot because i keep thinking 'Frank Lampard' when i see him. He is as close that i have seen to Lampard. He plays the same position, has the eye for a goal and a pass and he's so influential in what his team does. He's also very young and he wont cost much. I think he's a fantastic player and one that could rule our midfield for 10 years. He's apparently worth like 6-7m so get him now before he's worth 20m+

Gylfi is outstanding, but he does however play the same position as Mata, behind the striker. Maybe he can be deployed in the two man midfield behind Mata, but I'm not sure that would compliment his abilities. And as much as I like my fellow Icelander, he's not as good as Mata (very few are). But he would be more than a welcomed signing, just not quite sure where he fits in our starting XI. For 10m he would be an outstanding squad player, but that would be a waste of talent.

[Ollie 4,400]

He has the same senses as Lampard and i really do believe he could play where Lampard plays and do the same job. All he's gotta do is do what he does now but start of a bit deeper. His price will treble/quadruple in a year or 2 so someone has to pick him up now while Swansea are still stuttering on the value. He is a true goalscoring midfielder, we need a true goalscoring midfielder and already premiership proven imo. These talents are toooo rare.

And shit i actually completely forgot about De Bruyne. Looks like it's Malouda & Kalou out, De Bruyne and Marin in. Loving it already.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Spike I don't share the Xabi Alonso comparisons you drew to Cabaye. The Frenchman is good, has a good eye for a pass, but not near as strong as Alonso. I personally don't want players like Cabaye here because they sit too deep and we've got enough deep-line players already. Mikel, Essien, Lampard & Romeu. That's also why I don't really want us to pursue Modric any more because it seems the direction these players would take this club's style is counter-attack only.

We need players like Ozil, not the man himself because that's an impossible task, but we need to find players like him. I was happy with Marin because he's a winger but he can also alternate with Mata with playing that no10 role. I've heard he's not as effective there, but it gives us a more attacking option. While I would like the club to give Kakuta a run-out there I know it won't happen so we'd need to go scouting for them.

For example, I've heard good things about the Serie A player Sebastian Giovinco & Josip Ilicic is also getting good reviews. These guys will give us that midfield attacking option that Lampard gave us for the majority of his Chelsea career. In my opinion if we get these types of players we'll have a very good squad depth because we're covered quite well right in the middle of the pitch. It's the final third where we're suffering. I maintain we need another specialist winger (who doesn't have no10 ambitions) but an attacking midfielder is very necessary.