NickCicc

Poyet would be mad to come here for the last 3 months of the season when he is doing so well at Brighton. I think we are stuck with Rafa. Besides, I think Guus is the man in the summer, and I'd be happy with that.

What I'd like to see (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Cole; Romeu, Lampard; Ramires, Mata, Hazard; Torres What we will see (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Mata, Hazard; Torres

Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Bertrand; Essien, Romeu; Sturridge, Meireles, Mata; Torres No Terry, Lamps, Ash, Drogs. This will be the game that can be the making of Cahill, Bertrand, Romeu, and Torres.

Doubt Mellis and Billy Clifford will make it - just haven't impressed enough. I think Chalobah is the next one to break through into the squad, closely followed by Piazon and Lalkovic. After that, Feruz is my pick to make it.

What's Star's Twitter?

I thought he was MUCH better last night, those assists should give him a shot of confidence, even just a little, that might kick him on to perform even better for us. I think he should be persevered with on Sunday with Sturridge and Mata either side. Man U have weaknesses at the back that we can exploit with some smart forward play.

LOL Gigi loves it....

For the record, I think Benayoun is a fantastic signing for the purpose he is signed for. I believe he is replacing Deco in the squad, and where Deco cost us £8m and £92,000 a week in wages, Yossi has cost us £6.5m and in the region of £50,000-£70,000 a week in wages (depending which rag you believe). We have improved the squad, because he is a better, like-for-like (positionally) replacement for a player who is 2 years older and more expensive. Yossi has signed a 3-year contract which will see his career with us out nicely. No point being unimpressed with Yossi's signing because we haven't signed a bigger name yet. As far as I know, the transfer window doesn't end until August 31. The club may surprise us!

Maybe I have an active imagination, but does anyone think that we might have agreed to play Ajax in an away friendly as part of a deal to sign Luis Suarez? I heard a little rumour that Chelsea had tied up a deal for Suarez before the World Cup but could not announce until Uruguary had been knocked out. I only just made the connection in my mind :) Does it sound possible, you think?

I haven't posted much before on here, but I think I need to have a say on this. Our current problems are not related to formation - they are related to personnel. Personnel ON the field, and OFF it. ON the field, we lack a tip of the diamond player, a central midfielder who can play at the base, and in the centre of the diamond, we lack a backup striker for Drogba, and a better backup keeper. My choice for tip of the diamond is Aguero (pretty obvious really - it's plain to see he wants to come, but on his terms). My second choice for this role would be Alan Dzagoev of CSKA Moscow. The kid is quick, has a rocket of a shot, is a good passer, and young with LOTS of potential. His favourite player is Frank Lampard and he supports Chelsea. With the Hiddink connections in Russia we should be able to secure him for around 10-12m. Failing those two options, I think we should be taking a real good look at Gourcuff. A top player in the Zidane mould, he has the mix of close control, technique, and pace that we need in that position. He can also hit a fair free kick. He would be available relatively cheaply from Bordeaux (15m tops) and would be a handy 3rd choice to Aguero (who would cost upwards of 40m). The central midfielder position remains an issue and I really think we should be blooding Matic a lot harder. He has the physical & technical qualities to play those roles and is reminiscent of a younger Michael Ballack (but with pace) in the way he plays. I think if Matic is blooded, he and one other can replace Deco & Ballack in the long term. My other choice for a true central midfielder position is Marek Hamsik of Napoli. The guy is as close a replacement to Lampard that we will find, and has had a few seasons of Serie A experience now. He wouldn't come cheap, but he also wouldn't break the bank. Mark Noble would also be a decent shout for this position as a british option. Backup to Drogba - we need a striker in this position who would be happy to be a bit-part player for 1 or 2 seasons before becoming the main man, and this type of player will be difficult to find. For that reason, I think Carlo will slowly adapt the way we play so that the bustling monster of a centre forward is less critical to our style of play. Aguero would be a good candidate for a striking role (which is why he is so coveted), but Dzeko would also be a brilliant choice. For the future, theres this Lukaku chap floating around at Anderlecht (Drogba Mk II if I ever saw one), but Sturridge and Borini will be successful at our club - I am confident of that. Backup keeper to Cech really only needs to be someone who is marginally better (safer) than Hilario. We had a brilliant backup in Cudicini, but he is no longer at the club and we are worse off for it. Could it be time to blood Rhys Taylor in this position? I will give my thoughts on the OFF the field personnel issues later - dinner calls! (in Oz).

I don't see that on goal.com - link please?

B1

Right. Two things. 1) Where the f**k is tb186? 2) Could Aguero be this 'marquee' signing that Bruce Buck alluded to yesterday? Is a deal possibly all but done and just waiting to be announced?

Wheres tb186? Surely he knows a bit more by now....? He DID say that personal terms were agreed, and that only agreement between clubs was needed to finalise - either he's lying or the papers are.

I think there are three untouchables in our squad, and they are JT, Lamps and Ash. We MUST keep these three until they retire at ANY cost. They are the sorts of players you build teams around (english, and world class!).

Well, actually he has told us something which the papers are not saying. The papers gave indication of a bid, together with a storyline that his wage demands could scupper any move. However, from tb186's first post in this thread: Which suggests that wage demands ARE NOT the problem and that the two clubs coming to some sort of agreement over a fee is what is holding up the deal. Makes a huge difference in my opinion, because if tb186 is correct, it means the club (Kenyon) has baulked at a fee rather than the player not really wanting to come here!

You're a gem tb186 :P

I too do not believe we will sign both Pato & Aguero. If I had to choose, I would choose Aguero. Better all-round player and could set the league alight more than Pato would IMO.

It does seem as though it is getting serious, but I won't raise my hopes up yet. I will jizz in my pants if we sign him, but it is still just a dream. Where is Star with some concrete info when you need it :P Or even tb186 with an update?

1. Best Chelsea Player: Frank Lampard 2. Worst Chelsea Player: Deco 3. Best Opposing Player: Fernando Torres 4. Best Opposing Team: Manchester United 5. Worst Opposing Team: Middlesborough 6. Best Team Performance: Middlesborough @ Riverside 5-0 7. Worst Team Performance: Hull 0-0 @ The Bridge 8. Best Individual Performance: Essien v Liverpool @ Anfield CL QF 1st Leg 9. Most Improved Player: Malouda (2nd half of season) 10. Best Signing 2008/2009: Bosingwa 11. Worst Signing 2008/2009: Deco 12. Best Chelsea Goal: Lamps winner in FA Cup Final - the relief! 13. Best Opponent Goal Against Us: Iniesta @ The Bridge 14. Best Game: Liverpool 3-1 @ Anfield CL QF 1st Leg 15. Worst Game: Manchester United 0-3 @ Old Trafford 16. Defining Moment Of The Season: Sacking of Scolari 17. Disappointment Of The Season: Barcelona @ The Bridge 18. Player You Want Sold: Deco, Carvalho, Belletti, Miniero, Shevchenko, Hilario (out of contract). 19. Player You Want Bought: Aguero, Zhirkov, Dzagoev, Sturridge. 20. Three Hopes For 2009/2010: Mancienne promoted to replace Carvalho, Stoch to backup Joe Cole on right wing, and Ancelotti to be successful.

I believe Stoch should be getting an extended run in the first team on the right wing. He is quick, able to go past players, and scored a pretty neat goal against San Marino the other day (I know - ONLY San Marino, but you can only beat what's in front of you). How are we ever going to develop our own "Messi" etc without giving them a run of games? There are 3/4 players I hold really high hopes for, and they are Stoch, Mancienne, Kakuta and Di Santo (in that order). We NEED to keep hold of these guys and gradually ease them into the team. I'm with the quote somewhere above, the bloke that said if we bought another centre-back he would lose all faith in youth at CFC. I am totally in agreement with that. Mancienne has the talent, has the U21 experience, and SHOULD be our 3rd / 4th choice DC - competing with Ivanovic to be the first to replace a JT or Alex injury. Stoch should be Joe Cole's backup on the right. No ifs or buts or playing Anelka there anymore.

Don't want to get too optimistic but I have a sneaky feeling about this one...

Robben/Duff/Cole never played as a triumvirate. It was always Drogba + Robben/Cole or Robben/Duff either side of him. IMO we should keep Drogba, and buy ONE OF Aguero or Pato, as well as Sturridge, Zhirkov and Dzagoev. That would give us another winger, another attacking midfielder to learn from Frank, a young english striker with bags of potential, and a world class wonderkid to play alongside DD. I think we should be keeping hold of J Cole, & Malouda at this stage. We can finance Sturridge/Zhirkov/Dzagoev with the departures of Deco, Carvalho, Belletti, even Kalou as well.

Pato, Aguero and Sturridge would represent brilliant business for our forward line - but at what cost? 90m+? Don't forget there are the deals for Zhirkov and Dzagoev which are still to be done.... these won't be cheap either. I just get the feeling it's either Pato or Aguero, not both.

Which pieces of info, btw?