Eggy McMuffin

This has always been my plan.

Donate to go ad-free an option? I tend to turn ad block off for sites I want to support, so have no problem with this anyway, but clearly some people do, so giving them an option to still support the site and go ad-free might work.

I watched the life's a pitch stuff once about 2 years ago and regretted it. I try and avoid it whenever I can, they're just clueless and bitter.

Personally I'd count Cech and Robben as inherited. That being said, it's interesting to note how similar our squads are and were in many ways. The players to build a team around then were Cech, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard, Robben, Duff and Cole. Our fullbacks clearly needed improving on and Eidur was good, but could be improved on. Smertin also needed improving on. So in came Ferreira, Drogba, Tiago and Carvalho meaning Gallas often played at left back. He clearly identified what was weak within the squad and what was strong and went about improving where he could. Now our squad has evolved from that point and is young and has a lot of players with the potential to improve massively. Cech, Azpliicueta, Luiz, Hazard, Oscar, Mata are all either world class or will be soon and we have the Belgian trio on loan. There are more gaps in this positionally, but we have a few players who aren't young enough to build a side around, but are still good enough for at least one more year (Terry, Cole, Ivan). Basically, we need about the same number of signings and if he identifies players of the same quality as he did when he first came here we should do everything to heed that advice.

Right, now that this is done, what's the next panic about? Luiz? De Bruyne? Possibly signing Jermaine Beckford?

I can't agree with most of what you say there. When Luiz plays in midfield, he definitely doesn't sit. He rampages forwards at every opportunity. A powerhouse DM who drives attacks forwards is what Ramires is, but these players certainly are not a 'steelhouse' in front of the back four. An example of them not being a steelhouse in front of the back four is Yaya Toure. He needs Barry to hold back for him in case his run breaks down and he's caught out of position.

Why would I fake something like that?

I quit drinking and all that keeps going through my head is this.

They're about equal, but offer slightly different things. To miss out on a talented player like Schurrle would be pointless.

We've got to remember that we're only loaning De Bruyne, not selling him. Emenalo and the board have decided that Schurrle is a supremely talented young player who will improve a lot over the coming seasons and will add a lot to the squad, and it's hard to disagree with that. Leverkusen didn't want to or have to sell, but agreed to do so under the proviso that they got to borrow De Bruyne for a year. Clearly, they've come to the conclusion that Schurrle would add enough that we'll be strong with him instead of De Bruyne and that the long term future of having Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Moses, Schurrle and De Bruyne competing for 3 spaces in the side is mouthwatering enough to make a year with De Bruyne somewhere else worth it. Everyone here is free to disagree with that decision, and many no doubt will, but it's not like this is a terrible decision. It's a decision where either option would be good and would benefit the side. Remember of course that De Bruyne will get more games with Bayer and they'll be playing in the Champions League, it's another step up from where he was last year. Each season for him seems to be a step up.

Hi and welcome to the forum, I wish you the best of luck on your trolling expedition.

Oh I'm not at all saying he doesn't have a big influence when he's on the wings because like you say he's a world class player, it's just I don't think he's as influential is all. Interesting about Romeu, why do you think he's more suited to the 4-3-3? I feel like I'm just ragging on your opinions, now but I'm genuinely curious for your opinion. I'd say that Mikel is more suited to a 4-3-3 as an out and out anchor man is more effective in that formation, letting the other midfielders bomb forwards more often. In a 4-2-3-1 the role is more shared, meaning Mikel is more involved in getting forward. Also, I'm not sure about Romeu's injuries and progression either. It's a wait and see, but I'm far from hopeful considering his performances before his last big injury. This is turning into fight of the formations.

A bad season and an expensive new contract.

Mourinho has mainly been playing a 4-2-3-1 at Madrid. That is what I mean about Mata having more influence, the more he gets on the ball, the more his intelligence helps dictate our play and he will get less of that in key areas in a 4-3-3. The system Valencia used was a 4-3-3 in his last season, but I'm fairly sure the season before that they still had Silva and played a 4-2-3-1 with Silva as the central player... not that that affects this conversation much, but still. Again and it's clear we disagree on this I would say the differences are very much noticeable even when we've played him on the wing it's a noticeable difference in how much he affects the game, not least because of the defensive onus placed on a wide player. For arguments' sake though, if we were to play a 4-3-3 next year, how would you suggest it lines up? From what you're saying I'm guessing it's along the lines of this Cech Dave - Terry - Luiz - Cole Mikel Ramires - Oscar Mata--------------------Hazard Lukaku Mikel and Lukaku subject to signings of course. With Schurrle supposedly almost complete, does that mean he's just a backup to Hazard and Mata along with Moses and Marin? It would also mean that in central midfield we'd have Mikel, Ramires, Oscar, Lampard and Romeu for 3 positions, with big doubts on Essien based on what I've seen from him in the last year and the same can be said for Romeu and admittedly Marin as well. No doubt we'll make a signing in central midfield, but I'd consider us needing that with just 2 positions to play for, with 3 we might need more than that. I see the squad suiting 4-2-3-1 more than 4-3-3.

I disagree. Hazard works so well on the wing because of his pace and his style revolves a lot on direct running, which requires space something more available on the wing. Mata's best play revolves around finding space, good movement and intelligent passing which requires more time on the ball, which is more easily achieved in the centre. He isn't as good out wide because his strengths aren't played to in the same extent and he has less influence on the game. This doesn't mean that he isn't good there, it just means he isn't as good.

It's not so much that he can't work in a 4-3-3, it's that he's less effective in it and has less influence on the game. Much like Ramries is less effective in a 4-2-3-1... it's not that they can't, it's just it doesn't play to their strengths.

I think the point was more that it's not official until it's officially announced... officially.

I would say that really it's just Ramires and possibly Oscar. I'm reasonably sure Lukaku isn't going to be here next season and Lampard has lost a couple of yards of pace, which helped him get up and down the pitch. We might also find that Oscar can work as part of the central duo in the 4-2-3-1 as well. If it's between getting the most out of Mata and Ramires, Mata wins every time for me. Like I said, I see it as being an option, but the 4-2-3-1 being used more often, our squad is just built for it.

Why would he want to change to the 4-3-3 though? He's played the 4-2-3-1 at Madrid with Ozil in the Mata role. I understand having the 4-3-3 as an option we can switch to and Mourinho does like having two formations to switch between as the game situation and players available dictate. Mata is our best player.

It means that his kids are going to study at University College London.

I wouldn't say that his quality isn't good enough, it's more that he isn't technically suited to a passing game. If we go fully counter attacking, we risk making Mata and Oscar less effective, but get the most out of Ramires. He's now an option, but our squad has changed and improved to the point where he's not the first name on the team sheet. I disagree about Luiz defensively. He's very good and his mistakes are more overblown than anything about his game. I can't name a centre back who creates as many chances from open play. Not even Pique or Hummels. He likes to get in front of players and make interceptions like Carvalho did before and this style of defending is something that when it goes wrong looks worse than Cahill's almost exact opposite style of backing off which goes wrong just as often and is the reason he makes the spectacular looking blocks he does. Ramires' energy or 'engery' can be replicated and in fact has been by Luiz when he plays in midfield, but more than that the dynamism and injection of speed into our play doesn't have to be done by running with the ball, it can be done just as effectively if not more so by a pass. Mata does it often and someone who can do the same thing like De Bruyne if he comes back, or a playmaker we may sign would gives us the same impetus in our play without the drawback of losing the ball when his touch goes iffy.

Hughes is one of the few managers available right now who can get something out of the hoof ball-type players they have at Stoke. His big managerial achievement was with a Blackburn side where Santa Cruz got on the end of constant crosses from Gamst Pedersen. He'll do OK, and he'll be a stepping stone on the path away from Pulis towards better football. If someone like Martinez were to come in, they'd need to change far too much of the side for it to ever work. It's not a spectacular appointment, but it's not terrible, either. They'll probably avoid relegation and then push on to mid-table obscurity next season.

Cliff notes - Ramires isn't first choice now because of his poor passing and touch, he's a useful option to change things up, but if a good offer comes in we should consider it hard. I have thought about it long and hard, and although I want Ramires to stay as a squad option, I wouldn't be too disheartened if he was moved on (assuming the offer was good enough). As has been said in here, he's great on the counter and when he has space to run into, but his touch and his passing mean that he isn't suited to the kind of passing football that gets the most out of Mata, Hazard and Oscar. As has also been mentioned he's ideal in a 4-3-3, but again that would limit our best player, Mata. It's a tough decision as to where he fits in and for me, it's as a squad option. Mourinho likes to have two formations to switch between when called for and the 4-2-3-1 he's used at Madrid gets the most out of Mata and Hazard and the 4-3-3 to get the most out of Ramires and Lampard. Back to the 4-2-3-1, Ramires can play it, but it changes the dynamic a bit. Alongside Mikel it works better than when he's alongside anyone else, because Mikel will keep possession and help the flow (insert inane complaint about sideways passes) and Ramires' pace helps make up for Mikel's lack of it. There are of course problems with it, if Ramires loses the ball through a bad touch, over-running the ball or anything else when he's pushing forward, Mikel is exposed and his lack of pace means he can be played around. The other main problem is that there isn't an incisive passer in that duo, Mikel keeps the ball well, but won't split a defence open and Ramires lacks the passing accuracy to pick Mata out when he's finding little pockets of space behind the opposition midfield. Luiz and Ramires sort of works, but both love to go on rampaging runs and this can leave the defence exposed a bit too often. It also lacks control of the ball. Luiz is very direct and loves to get the ball forwards quickly and that gives us the opposite problem Mikel does. It means we lose possession more with the Hollywood passes going astray, when he plays in defence this works better as we're catching the opposition further up the pitch, but when the ball is in midfield the opposition have usually dropped deeper. Ramires isn't the greatest at tackling and when he's left back after a Luiz run, I never quite feel comfortable. Lampard and Ramires is one of the worst midfield duos we have (only behind Mikel and Lampard for me), it has all the weaknesses of the Luiz and Ramires midfield, but leaves us more exposed in defence. Lampard's passes do go astray less often than Luiz's but they aren't as incisive as a by-product of them being more conservative. The solution to that is of course to play him in a 4-3-3 and get the most out of him, but I'm not a fan of limiting Mata's influence on the game. It's a good option to have in terms of changing things up and even when Mata needs a rest (God knows he deserves one). Some of his performances and big goals in the past do warrant a bigger role than that, but for me his weaknesses mean that we can't keep the ball as well with him in the side and with players like Oscar, Mata, Hazard and possibly De Bruyne we have the players who thrive on having the ball and can find that little pass to split open a defence. We no longer have to play on the break to score a goal, it's just an option we have. So yeah, if next season we have Mikel, an improvement on Mikel, Lampard and De Bruyne as our central options with Luiz if necessary and Ake and Chalobah to take on Lampard's and Mikel's roles as they become ready I would be fine with that. I would obviously prefer it if we kept Ramires as option 5, meaning we can jump to a 4-3-3 to mix things up or play him out wide to make us more solid, but I would no longer class Ramires as an untouchable. Last year he was because of the dynamic of the squad, but with the signings we've since made that has changed to the point where he's now an option to change things about rather than a mainstay. The obvious question is how much and I would say £20m-£25m, considering we paid £18m or so, would be enough for me to think it's a good idea. Luckily for everyone, I'm not the one who decides such things.

KDB is more natural there than Oscar, though. The Mikel thing is overplayed because a lot of people don't like him and don't like how he slows the game down and how his lack of speed and agility means he can be played around. He still offers something, and although I have no doubt we should try to improve on him I wouldn't be so quick to assume that Mourinho will want rid of him or even that we should get rid of him. Romeu isn't going to be as good as him and although Ake might, he would be better served with a loan. Mikel will still be a good option to have when we need to close the game out or in case of injuries or even the poor form of whoever we may sign in that position.