Rumoured Arturo Vidal

[sherry33 234]

Calm down guys, we cannot buy every players. If MU couldn't get Vidal, they will find another target. I think we should buy what we needs most.

We need a CM

[Melanicus 5,208]

Calm down guys, we cannot buy every players. If MU couldn't get Vidal, they will find another target. I think we should buy what we needs most.

Assuming we get Luis, box to box midfielder is the only position we need to upgrade. Vidal or Pogba are perfect for this position, if we get one of them we will surely win the league. We should hijack this move, because you simply don't get world class midfielder for 40m in this inflated market.

[bababoom 4,478]

We cant buy everyone, if some people had their way we would have already signed Kroos, Pogba, Sanchez and Vidal...

some reports say we are still after a midfielder so lets wait and see what happens.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

If they do sign Vidal and a CB like Hummels, then I can't see any sizable difference in quality between us and them. That's why we have to stay active and hungry in the market. Courtois, Costa, Fabregas and Luis is amazing business. Every single one of them are world class. But all this talk of Torres staying, Drogba coming back, Lukaku likely to be sold, Ba going on loan (really?) is not ideal.

We still need a competent alternative to Costa and perhaps one more luxury signing like a Pogba or Di Maria for all our weaknesses to be covered on all bases. Still 7 weeks to deal. I hope we don't fuck up from hence forth.

[sherry33 234]

If they do sign Vidal and a CB like Hummels, then I can't see any sizable difference in quality between us and them. That's why we have to stay active and hungry in the market. Courtois, Costa, Fabregas and Luis is amazing business. Every single one of them are world class. But all this talk of Torres staying, Drogba coming back, Lukaku likely to be sold, Ba going on loan (really?) is not ideal.

We still need a competent alternative to Costa and perhaps one more luxury signing like a Pogba or Di Maria for all our weaknesses to be covered on all bases. Still 7 weeks to deal. I hope we don't fuck up from hence forth.

If we want to win trophies another CM would surely not be a luxury buy.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

We need a CM

I think we filled that in with Fabregas. Also Tiago seems very likely as a backup. With Matic, Van Ginkel, Ramires, Mikel, I don't think we badly need another one. Except one is leaving or we change to 433 formation, which I couldn't see it happening at the moment.

[sherry33 234]

I think we filled that in with Fabregas. Also Tiago seems very likely as a backup. With Matic, Van Ginkel, Ramires, Mikel, I don't think we badly need another one. Except one is leaving or we change to 433 formation, which I couldn't see it happening at the moment.

We have enought CM but how many of those listed deserve to start?

Fabregas might play CAM untill Oscar or Willian get some form for all i know..

[Fernando 6,375]

I think we filled that in with Fabregas. Also Tiago seems very likely as a backup. With Matic, Van Ginkel, Ramires, Mikel, I don't think we badly need another one. Except one is leaving or we change to 433 formation, which I couldn't see it happening at the moment.

I agree, I don't see the need for Vidal.

If anything, the only player we should get is Pogba to play a 4-3-3.

But at the moment we can do that with Ramires and be fine. Yet with Pogba it will be better.

Giving the business we done and if Juve sell Vidal I doubt Pogba would be sold this transfer window.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Assuming we get Luis, box to box midfielder is the only position we need to upgrade. Vidal or Pogba are perfect for this position, if we get one of them we will surely win the league. We should hijack this move, because you simply don't get world class midfielder for 40m in this inflated market.

And then they will said we are buying the league again, lol. F*** that, let's buy what we want

Just don't think we need another CM really bad.

[Melanicus 5,208]

And then they will said we are buying the league again, lol. F*** that, let's buy what we want

Just don't think we need another CM really bad.

Nobody should give a fuck what the say.

We should buy what we need and we need box to box midfielder.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

And come season start, there will be complaints on here about Ramires' horrendous passing, indecision in the final third and poor ball playing skills. For me, he's a good squad player, nothing more. The Fabregas signing could mean one of two things.

(1) Jose is looking to change the formation to a 4-3-3 with a midfield trio of Matic, Fabregas and Ramires. This means Oscar drops to the bench, which is not so unlikely, (when you consider his end of season form. Yes, Jose said he's his "10" but he also said David Luiz was his starting CB then he blundered against Cardiff and got dropped). Jose also won't play Oscar on the right wing.

In this system, Matic plays a Makalele role only with more dynamism to his game and Ramires is the Essien type player, high energy guy, though an obvious downgrade. Fabregas is given license to roam forward, score goals and make assists like Lamps.

(2) Jose is looking to keep the current 4-2-3-1 double pivot system with Fabregas next to Matic in the pivot and Oscar as the "10". This is the one most Chelsea fans want to see as it means Ramires is dropped and we can see Oscar, Hazard, Willian, Fabregas all on the pitch at once. I favoured this set up a couple of weeks ago, but the more I think about it, the more I doubt it.

Fabregas hasn't played there since 2009. He never played there for Barca. His defensive stats are also not great for a player in that role. Most importantly, he will be wasted there as it's a deeper role and he can't effect the game as much with his final ball and amazing through passes (I saw on here he has the highest through pass ratio in Europe). His deep-lying playmaking skills are inferior to a Xavi or Gundogan. It's one of the reasons he didn't fit in at Barca. Instead, we put Oscar in the "10" role and he's really not a creative player. Plus Mourinho is a very pragmatic manager. I have some doubt Fabregas was bought to play in the pivot.

In the second case, signing Pogba makes perfect sense as you play him next to Matic and play Fabregas as a "10". That's certainly stronger than any combination we have right now.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

We have enought CM but how many of those listed deserve to start?

Fabregas might play CAM untill Oscar or Willian get some form for all i know..

As I said earlier, I could see it happening only if one of them is leaving or we change to 433. About Ramires, well Jose has confirmed he will not be sold. Mikel, we have rumour about him couple months ago, but it is dead now, after he said he want to stay and Fabregas signing will not threatened him. Basically he is happy to stay even know he is most likely will only start from the bench. I think Jose will be happy to keep him.

Matic, Van Ginkel, Ramires, Fabregas, plus Mikel and possibly Tiago are decent enough in my opinion. Of course An 'upgrade' would be very welcome, but I just don't see it happening at the moment, unfortunately.

[The Skipper 20,593]

(2) Jose is looking to keep the current 4-2-3-1 double pivot system with Fabregas next to Matic in the pivot and Oscar as the "10". This is the one most Chelsea fans want to see as it means Ramires is dropped and we can see Oscar, Hazard, Willian, Fabregas all on the pitch at once. I favoured this set up a couple of weeks ago, but the more I think about it, the more I doubt it. Fabregas hasn't played there since 2009. He never played there for Barca. His defensive stats are also not great for a player in that role. Most importantly, he will be wasted there as it's a deeper role and he can't effect the game as much with his final ball and amazing through passes (I saw on here he has the highest through pass ratio in Europe). Instead, we put Oscar in the "10" role and he's really not a creative player. Plus Mourinho is a very pragmatic manager. I have some doubt Fabregas was bought to play in the pivot.

Regarding this scenario (midfield 'three' of Matic, Fabregas and Oscar if you will) I think Dion summed it up perfectly in one of his posts in the Fabregas thread:

I reckon Fabregas should be used in a 4-3-3 interchanging positions dynamically with Oscar depending on the situation or the team we're facing. Let's say we're playing against a side that has a Mata type of player as their cam and a creative player at the pivot, a deep-lying playmaker if you will - in the mold of Pirlo or Xabi Alonso. In this kind of situation it would be wiser to have Fabregas deeper than Oscar, that way he will avoid their pivot which more likely than not are better at defending than their CAM, which is Mata-esque, providing him more time on the ball to make plays and impact the game and at the same time we can use Oscar to shut down their deep-lying playmaker. If we're playing a team that park the bus or doesn't have a particular strong creative player in their pivot than Fabregas would play further up the pitch and so on. The reason why deep-lying playmakers were ever used was to avoid defensive midfielders in the first place, so it makes sense. Besides, Fabregas has some of the best long balls and through balls I have ever seen, he would definitely work fine there.

I also believe Oscar and Fabregas are tactically smart enough to make these transitions or cover for each other seamlessly throughout the match. In the game vs. Colombia, Oscar played almost as a pivot player, covering for players from the back going forward all the time, which means he could cover for Fabregas whenever Fabregas saw an opportunity to bomb forward.

This 4-3-3 would consist of Matic, Fabregas and Oscar in the middle, Hazard, Costa/Ba/Lukaku and Schürrle/Willian upfront. A scary line-up in my eyes.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Vidal is much better when he has the license to join the attack, get in the box and score some goals.

We already have Fabregas for this, Pogba is a better fit for Chelsea, but he isn't going to leave this summer imo.

So I think there won't be any significant CM signing.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

About the 433 formation, I think we could only just speculate about it at the moment. Let's see what Jose will used in preseason matches after everyone coming back. I don't see any indication yet Jose will change the main formation for upcoming season.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Regarding this scenario (midfield 'three' of Matic, Fabregas and Oscar if you will) I think Dion summed it up perfectly in one of his posts in the Fabregas thread:

It's an interesting suggestion. It will be similar in some sense to what Ancelotti did at Madrid last season with Di Maria and Isco when he played them as CM's to accommodate for his 4-3-3 set-up. Problem is I highly doubt Mourinho will play Oscar in this role. He is far more of a pragmatic coach and always likes to set-up his teams in a very regiment manner. It also limits Oscar's attacking game. He won't be able to play as he would in a "10" role as he'll be always worried to cover for Fabregas and vice-versa. I like it though, especially against the weaker, bus-parking gods of the Premier league.

These two formations are very related though. What's the difference in a 4-3-3 with Fabregas playing that "Lampard role" and a 4-2-3-1 with Ramires and Matic in the pivot with Fabregas as the "10". Just a matter of slightly more/less defensive responsibility. So Dion's idea makes a lot of sense. Oscar and Fabregas can alternate as "10" in a 4-3-3.

[Strike 6,958]

Manure really fixing their CM problem with Herrera and Vidal...

unbelievable how Manu didnt sign a CM for 5 years and then went out and got Fellaini last season

[DH1988 1,193]

Mega signing

Baffled if they get him for the £35m mentioned, thought Juve would play hardball for 40-45m like they would for Pogba.