Troymclure

Wouldn't mind if Sturridge spent one more season on loan at a good prem club. Got a good year of game-time then he could slot into the front line here next year.

Hamsik + maybe Sahin(think he's more of a CM though).

There is the risk of injury from any international tournament. Though like all internationals I think the ACN is a net benefit for the players (quality match experience etc). But i'd like to see it happen every 4 years from a club perspective. I guess by having it every 2 years they do increase the quality of african football. It gives a whole bunch of players a chance to play in a top level competition and will be good for their development. Though to be honest I think African football is at the level where they can hold it every 4 years now. Heck the vast majority of the top national sides are all playing in top domestic leagues now and while it would help some of the lesser known players get exposure and experience I think they could hold it every 4 years and still do fine. Of course, that's from a Chelsea perspective, our players are top o' the game already and while I'm sure they enjoy and want to play in the ACN I do think we'd be better off if it was every 4 rather then 2 years. ps:- Moutinho, haven't seen him play or heard much about him. Though he's good on FM!

ACN is annoying from a footballing perspective. Losing a top player midseason is never a good thing. But it's not all bad either as it does mean that our African players will play less games then players playing in the Euros will. if a player plays in the euros they barely get a holiday between seasons whereas the african players do get that break which is important for rest/recovery etc.

Ok good point about homegrown rules, figure it's easiest if they're english but it's definitely not a requirement. . Still we will need a certain amount of HG players in the squad to play in the champs league so we do need to take it into consideration with futures singings. Though if we get a few come through the academy then it's all good. Just something we need to be aware of.

Depends on what formation we're going to play really. If we play a formation similar to what porto were playing then we could possibly do with another CM. Though we've got lamps/mceachran + mikel/essien/ramires/Zhirkov/Malouda) Don't know if we need another forward either. If it's porto's 433 then we've got Drogs or Anelka who can play the centre striker/falcao role. Torres/Sturridge who can play Hulk's position and then Malouda/Kalou on the left (though they'll have to stick to the touchline more). Oh and add in Lukaka+Zhirkov hopefully so we're fine for forwards atm. Though Boas may decide to bring in some new players anyways. Defensively the team is pretty sorted. Or if we go 442 diamond then we'll need another CM preferably an attacking mid in the pastore/modric/ganzo mould. Neymar could certainly work we could go a narrower 433 but i do agree we could probably get another attacking RB then. To be honest the team is good atm, so if we're going to bring someone in they should be top o' the game or potential to get there. Neymar, Pastore, Modric, Ganzo, Lukaka etc. Oh and I really think we need to hang on to sturridge, he did damn well at Bolton, future England international, we need English players and hopefully he can push on and turn into a bit of a force at chelsea. Him and Mceachran + Bertrand and maybe we should be looking at some young english talent to qualify for homegrown players rules in the future.

Critiscism of Emeleano due to race? Er not likely. I can see how people are a bit dodgy about someone going from head scout to assistant manager. Having said that, reading profiles on our new manager is making me realise that this is not an unusual path to take. I guess most people just figured it goes scout>couch>assman>manager etc. But Boas was Mourinho's opposition scout (not even head AFAIK), now he's managing Chelsea after setting some records at Porto. /shrug While I'd like to see more stability at the club in terms of staff it's hard to argue with some fairly stellar results since Roman has taken over. Look at Man City for proof that lots of cash does not always equal instant success.

Ok so it's not soccer but... it's kinda hard to top Wayne "Buck" Shelford. Played for the NZ All blacks... "Playing the second Test against a physically intimidating French side, Shelford found himself at the bottom of a rather aggressive ruck on 20 minutes. An errant Les Bleus stud found its way to his groin, where it somehow managed to tear his scrotum, leaving one testicle hanging out. This alone would leave most men screaming in agony and heading for the nearest hospital. But not Shelford. He calmly instructed the physio to stitch him up. The French public were gobsmacked as an over-eager pitchside cameraman filmed the stomach-turning surgery, and even more so when Shelford returned to the field and carried on playing... " From his hall of fame inductee page ^^. http://www.therugbyforum.com/features/trfhof/140-hall-of-fame-inductee-wayne-qbuckq-shelford

We used to use inverted wingers when robben/duff would switch flanks.

Pep has only ever signed one year contract extensions. Read a few reports saying it was because he holds himself to a high standard and doesn't want a payout if he is fired for some reason. With the bonus being that if he does really well then he gets an improved contract the following season. Ie. It's not a "he's going to sign for someone else next season" thing, it's just how he's always managed.

I'd like to see Carlo get another season. He's had one good one bad so far. He's definitely a quality manager. European cups with Milan, a double his first season in England, no doubts he's a top class manager. But it may be he's just not right for chelsea at the moment. Another season to find out works for me. If he does go I'd like a Mourinho + Zola management team to come in. Give Mourinho a chance at long term club management, with Zola in there as a chelsea legend + maybe a bit of added flair.

For the front three we have. Kalou, Drogs, Malouda, Torres, Anelka, this season. 5 players for 3 spots meaning we're actually a player down vis a vis two players for every spot to allow for rotation + injuries. Next season we'll have the same 5 + sturridge and katuka and possibly another forward or Treq. Which would be 8 players for 3 spots... that is slightly problematic. I think given some of our players are aging it could still work as more rotation would make sense... but 6 at most 7 players is probably a bit more ideal. I wouldn't mind seeing katuka+sturridge and maybe Mcechrean(if he's ready) go out on loan for one more year, get a heap of first team football then come back the following year ready to slot straight into the forward line. I think sturridge could do that next year, but another year of playing as a main striker in another premiership team could be just as good for his development and would mean we can keep the experienced heads around the club as well. Looking at say arsenal and man u, man u has kept some experienced heads around the club and continued to challenge the whole time. Arsenal didn't and spent a few years not challenging... it's obviously not just down to that but I think that squad rebuilding should be done gradually while keeping experienced heads about to help the new or younger players settle into the chelsea way of doing things. Though I do realise there are financial considerations and if we need to sell one of our current forward line at the end of the season I can understand the rationale.

Ok i'm a just before Roman chelsea fan. And i only started supporting chelsea because of football manager ^^. I grew up in NZ and Aus and soccer is not real popular down here, was hardly ever on tv, no organised teams at any of the school i went to. I grew up supporting the All Blacks hardcore (some of my most distinct childhood memories are of watching the all blacks on tv) and then when i was about geez 20 or something, a friend got me onto football manager, despite not liking soccer at the time I decided to give it a go... That game is like heroin but more addictive... I managed millwal, oldham, couple of other lower league teams. Then finally decided to manage a team in the premiership after learning the ropes. And due to the presence of highly rated young guns carlton cole and leon knight I decided to manage chelsea. I played a 523 with wingbacks, had carlton cole, leon knight and ronaldinho up front with wayne rooney as sub or mc. I was officialy into soccer. (The world cup being on TV down here the previous year i think probably helped a fair bit). So I'd just started managed my first prem team on FM and though i didnt' know much about soccer I was thinking that geez I might start following this game, FM is good. So I figured i'll start supporting chelsea as they were the only team in the prem I knew about and weren't a top table team at the time, then Roman bought the club and i was cool, this should be interesting. So I continued to research some of the players, ie Zola, Desailly, Jimmy Floyd and Eidur... I followed Claudio's season, was pleased to see some FM players I knew join the club and got caught up in reading soccer news and generally following the progress of the team. And then the mourinho years when I started to download highlights of the internet and Carefree Chris's season reviews... And thus finally I was officially hooked as a chelsea fan.

I hope he stays, he had his best ever season with us... last year. He's not past it, he's just having a bad year probably in no small part due to Malaria. Also he's one of my favourite chelsea players and so I'd like him to stay.

Good article, he made some damn good points that i very much agree with. Of course I'm probably not a "real fan" by most peoples standards either ^^. Ie. I support chelsea, i want us to win everything every year. I also have no problems with any of the other teams in the prem. I don't hate tottenham, or arsenal, in fact my biggest rivalry team is probably liverpool, yet i found myself saddened by their recent downturn. I think I want every other team to do as well as they possibly can, that way it makes us even better when we beat them :). Aka i'd rather us win the 100m final at the olympics then the 40m drunken stagger down at the pub. (well that and I realise that the people who support other football teams are also... people, just like the people that support chelsea, as a result i can't hate or not wish well of any other team). All of which is much as in this article.