Antoine Griezmann

[ChelseaFC12 134]

Our new #9? Hopefully.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/12/chelsea-close-in-on-antoine-griezmann-transfer-as-jorge-mendes-enters-negotiations-5193616/#mv-a

[Pizy 18,368]

There is absolutely no way we'd pay those fees being reported. I don't believe he really has a clause that high.

[Liuxas 121]

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/576705/Chelsea-Atletico-Madrid-Jose-Mourinho-Antoine-Griezmann-Jorge-Mendes-Deal "Mendes apparently has close links with Atletico CEO Michelangelo Gil Marin, and is confident he can negotiate a £35m move for Griezmann to Stamford Bridge this summer."

[Namika 922]

Matic

Koke - Cesc

Griez - Costa - Hazard

Would be amazing.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

There is absolutely no way we'd pay those fees being reported. I don't believe he really has a clause that high.

I read that his clause is only due for Spanish teams. For European clubs that clause is of no relevant.

The one thing we absolutley need to add to our squad is a goal scoring midfielder. It's no wonder we started to struggle for goals once Schurlle left and Oscar got out of form. Having just Eden and Costa to score goals (from open play) is too predictable and easily countered by opposing teams.

I read people thinking the likes of Koke will transform our squad but he is just another supporting player (albeit a great one) but he will find it hard to assist for goals if we have so few players actually looking for one. Therefore i believe someone like Griezmann will have a much bigger impact on the team so I am all for this one, even if he would cost quite a hefty sum of money.

But considering we only paid 32M for Costa, who was arguably their most important player I don't think we will spend much more on Griezmann

Griezmann is fantastic player, his movement, acceleration, finishing as well as technique is fantastic also he showed numerous times how good his timing is whenever to get behind the line or jump for the ball in the right moment (that's why he scored quite a few goals with his head despite 1,76m height)

However he's not creative player. He is goalscorer through and through and his top-notch technique is very misleading in that regard. He only has 24 assists in 253 games in his professional career. Especially I remember last France friendlies when they struggled massively with lack of creativity upfront. Griezmann isn't creative as he isn't dribbler. He has as few as 0,8 dribbles per game !

Now I really don't think he could play as a right-winger. Ok, we can say that he will play as a second striker. But firstly, that would need quite a shift in formation to accommodate both strikers like Diego and Griezmann on the pitch. And the second thing is that I think we actually lack creators. There would still only be Hazard and Fabregas to create. Willian has plenty positive things about him apart from doing football things <30 metres from the goal. We know how easily Fabregas is taken out of any big game on top of his massive downhill in second part of the season. All responsible on Eden then ? I really wouldn't like that to be the case.

Of course Griezmann would score goals and that's great but Griezmann alone is absolutely not enough, we certainly would need someone super-creative on top of that to get closer to elite level. I think there's good chance that we will sign Koke as well. Then we can talk about getting to the next level.

I think we're close on signing Griezmann. I read that Atletico have already everything prepared for signing Vietto and they see him as a replacement for Griezmann. Which would mean that they are serious about possibility of losing him. Now Mendes apparently is involved as well. And it's coincide with the fact that our target Dybala is going to Juve, so it seems that we fasted things a bit now.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Matic

Koke - Cesc

Griez - Costa - Hazard

Would be amazing.

Koke and Griezmann wont be here together, its obviuos, i suggest to people to stop thinking about it.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

Of course Griezmann would score goals and that's great but Griezmann alone is absolutely not enough, we certainly would need someone super-creative on top of that to get closer to elite level. I think there's good chance that we will sign Koke as well. Then we can talk about getting to the next level.

I agree that we need another creative/technical midfielder, probably a CM, i would like us to go after Gundogan or Kovacic if we cant get Koke or Pogba (though he isnt creative).

And about Griezmann playing RW, why not? he would play the same way Schurrle tried to play, and dont forget Griezmann strong foot is his left.

[Laugh1ngMan 393]

Griezmann is fantastic player, his movement, acceleration, finishing as well as technique is fantastic also he showed numerous times how good his timing is whenever to get behind the line or jump for the ball in the right moment (that's why he scored quite a few goals with his head despite 1,76m height)

However he's not creative player. He is goalscorer through and through and his top-notch technique is very misleading in that regard. He only has 24 assists in 253 games in his professional career. Especially I remember last France friendlies when they struggled massively with lack of creativity upfront. Griezmann isn't creative as he isn't dribbler. He has as few as 0,8 dribbles per game !

Now I really don't think he could play as a right-winger. Ok, we can say that he will play as a second striker. But firstly, that would need quite a shift in formation to accommodate both strikers like Diego and Griezmann on the pitch. And the second thing is that I think we actually lack creators. There would still only be Hazard and Fabregas to create. Willian has plenty positive things about him apart from doing football things <30 metres from the goal. We know how easily Fabregas is taken out of any big game on top of his massive downhill in second part of the season. All responsible on Eden then ? I really wouldn't like that to be the case.

Of course Griezmann would score goals and that's great but Griezmann alone is absolutely not enough, we certainly would need someone super-creative on top of that to get closer to elite level. I think there's good chance that we will sign Koke as well. Then we can talk about getting to the next level.

I think we're close on signing Griezmann. I read that Atletico have already everything prepared for signing Vietto and they see him as a replacement for Griezmann. Which would mean that they are serious about possibility of losing him. Now Mendes apparently is involved as well. And it's coincide with the fact that our target Dybala is going to Juve, so it seems that we fasted things a bit now.

I see him as replacing what Schurrle did but with a better overall game through his superior technique (i see him making a lot of similar runs that Schurlle would in his compilation videos).

Don't think it's a problem he is not creative. Right now we have Willian there who ain't any better at it. Hazard/Oscar/Cesc are supposed to be that.

Don't get it in general why people think we need someone creative? We have seen that we have more than enough creativity against a parked bus with Cesc pulling the strings. He just needs people to make runs and we'll be fine. The one thing that has been missing this season is not creativity (which cost us the league last season) but control in midfield in the big games and our lack of a decent counter attack (which is something Griezmann will impact as well)

But if we are after Griezmann, the one thing that i have begun to ask myself is, why it doesn't seem we were trying to get Depay. He is used to playing right wing, no? He seems stronger than Griezmann, a better dribbler and has the same nose for goals, plus he would have cost less

[Open 45]

Enjoyable to watch, would love him here. He'd have to keep his feather haircut-thingy, though.

[Open 45]

He scores an insane amount of headers.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

I see him as replacing what Schurrle did but with a better overall game through his superior technique (i see him making a lot of similar runs that Schurlle would in his compilation videos).

Don't think it's a problem he is not creative. Right now we have Willian there who ain't any better at it. Hazard/Oscar/Cesc are supposed to be that.

Don't get it in general why people think we need someone creative? We have seen that we have more than enough creativity against a parked bus with Cesc pulling the strings. He just needs people to make runs and we'll be fine. The one thing that has been missing this season is not creativity (which cost us the league last season) but control in midfield in the big games and our lack of a decent counter attack (which is something Griezmann will impact as well)

But if we are after Griezmann, the one thing that i have begun to ask myself is, why it doesn't seem we were trying to get Depay. He is used to playing right wing, no? He seems stronger than Griezmann, a better dribbler and has the same nose for goals, plus he would have cost less

Depay - I think the same why we didn't sign Griezmann in the last January. Then Chelsea were not sure to pay 30m€ for someone unproven at the top team. Maybe it's the same thing again.

Also Depay is very much a winger who would directly block Hazard. I don't think he would play as right winger at all though Griezmann seems even more unlikely for that.

I genuinely do believe that we need another creative player. I read that Fabregas will supply all those balls ... but Fabregas isn't enough. We already saw two trades from him, going massively downhill in the second part and very ineffectiveness in the big games. When you look at other teams they have many fantastic providers. I saw Fabregas and made my mind and my idea is that he eventually HAS TO be dropped for the big games. He is simply not good enough either for no. 10 role or in the middle to face strong opposition. He isn't elite player and has too many flaws to rely on him solely for the assists. Let him do his job and be the best flat track bully for the first part of the season you can imagine.

So in the big games it will always comes down to Eden. I think we need another reliable, top class provider. Reus would be ideal because he is goalscorer, dribbler and provider in one. And he has fantastic hair as well !

But if we go after Griezmann instead, who isn't creative and isn't dribbler, I think we need to secure another source of chance creation. And that means another player.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Looks like it could happening now

[Laugh1ngMan 393]

Depay - I think the same why we didn't sign Griezmann in the last January. Then Chelsea were not sure to pay 30m€ for someone unproven at the top team. Maybe it's the same thing again.

Also Depay is very much a winger who would directly block Hazard. I don't think he would play as right winger at all though Griezmann seems even more unlikely for that.

I genuinely do believe that we need another creative player. I read that Fabregas will supply all those balls ... but Fabregas isn't enough. We already saw two trades from him, going massively downhill in the second part and very ineffectiveness in the big games. When you look at other teams they have many fantastic providers. I saw Fabregas and made my mind and my idea is that he eventually HAS TO be dropped for the big games. He is simply not good enough either for no. 10 role or in the middle to face strong opposition. He isn't elite player and has too many flaws to rely on him solely for the assists. Let him do his job and be the best flat track bully for the first part of the season you can imagine.

So in the big games it will always comes down to Eden. I think we need another reliable, top class provider. Reus would be ideal because he is goalscorer, dribbler and provider in one. And he has fantastic hair as well !

But if we go after Griezmann instead, who isn't creative and isn't dribbler, I think we need to secure another source of chance creation. And that means another player.

I agree with you about the big games, but you are not gonna fix that by adding more creativity but with control and killer instinct or a special moment by someone (a la messi against Bayern Munich).

Creativity is something you need against a parked bus. But in big games there is usually enough space so that you don't need that killer pass. It's more about making sure you are not being outplayed, gain control and finish them off with the few chances you get. I am not yet convinced that Cesc really contributes to any of that.

There is a reason why we were so good at the big games last year with Luiz/Matic in midfield and Ramires/Hazard/Willian/Striker as an outlet. Cesc doesnt really contribute anything to that imo. But neither does any other creative player like a Mata or Isco etc.

Koke might be an upgrade on Cesc in that situation but mainly because he is a hybrid between a Luiz and Cesc, not because he is purely a creative player

[nadavTKL 1,787]

There's this guy Ben Fairthorne on twitter, he reports on Chelsea from time to time, he now tweets "Mourinho has been with Mendes this afternoon - Griezmann is a done deal."

He's been right about Depay-United when everyone said Livepool are favorites.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

There's this guy Ben Fairthorne on twitter, he reports on Chelsea from time to time, he now tweets "Mourinho has been with Mendes this afternoon - Griezmann is a done deal."

He's been right about Depay-United when everyone said Livepool are favorites.

Great news if true.

[Laugh1ngMan 393]

Really feel this is happening. Alot of rumours and it makes alot of sense. Really excited about this. Not looking good for cuadrado though if it goes through

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

We got our 3rd choice striker when Costa - Remy injured together curse strike again.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Very, very interesting indeed. I'm refusing to get too excited until another top journalist/media outlet report it.