bjd

Great player - would be a cracking signing and would improve us without question. He'd be a first XI player, the fans would adore him and would fit in brilliantly

Odds on him kicking a ball for Chelsea ?

I get what you are saying but lets be realistic. Lets look at some of the names you mentioned. Varane ? I mean where did that come from ? Hes a Real Madrid first choice defender, as if! I never understood why that name was being banded around. Pogba ? Thats a £70m transfer. Rules us right out. He is only going to end up at 1 or 2 clubs, maybe 3 if you inc PSG. Never going to happen. This Summer was always going to be about adding some strength in depth. Anyone thinking otherwise prob need to reassess their expectations. Whats wrong with Song or Alderwield in that respect? They would be perfect. We all want the big superstar names but that isn't where we are at the moment. We cant act too spoilt.Things are very, very rosy. We are the luckiest fans in the world.

Yes it's a massively dissapointing Summer as League Champions isn't it?

Well let's wait-and-see but I can't help but think you're in for disappointment, certainly in regards to RLC. It's interesting you bring up Zouma, as I think he is the perfect example to backup my argument. You see, we have all these heralded youth players, but yet the one young player who has broken into the squad to feature on a regular basis is a youth player from another clubs system! What does that say!?

Its revisonism at best! I mean how many young players were debuted last season ? 4 ? Christensen, Solanke, Brown and RLC - have i missed anyone ? Of those only 2 started games - Christensen and RLC. Christensen against Shrewsbury and Braford in domestic cups and RLC in dead rubber matches when the League was won. All other appereance from them and the other pair were token 10 min jobs at the end of matches. How many of these 4 players do we expect to see next season play often ? None. Maybe at best we may see RLC for 6-8 games. Maybe, and even then that will be bucking the trend, which i guess is a start! Personally i think Mourinho has already got his excuses in for RLC anyway. I know it sounds blunt but its just not going to happen, im done kidding myself. The youngsters are there for the club to loan and sell at a profit these days, and there is no evidence to suggest anything else, however much id like it to change.

We've been through it all before! It's all down to the pressure of winning, which is why blending in youngsters isn't risked by Chelsea managers. Mourinho isn't the only one of course but with him in charge it's even less likely. There is a difference between playing a youngster for a one off in a Cup game and bringing someone on for 5 mins at the end of a match and calling that breaking through into the first team anyway. It's just not going to happen. Not with Mourinho - never has and never will. It's part of the deal, along with trophies and controversy and cautious football. There is no evidence in his career to suggest he nurtures young talent, we did this before on another thread and someone came up with 3 names over a 13 year period as if it was proof! I'd love to be wrong of course but it's just not going to happen, kid yourself all you want.

But only if the youngsters 'on the cusp' actually play. Which they won't. Certainly not with Mourinho in charge anyway.

Well said TBBThere is not one Chelsea fan I have come into contact with who thinks Falcao will last more than the year. And he won't. Whilst I appreciate all the comments about no risk etc etc it still narks me a little. We all know how it's going to end.

Yep City away second - good stuff

Get a grip! Can't say I'm thrilled with this deal but let's get some perspective.

He's got a hell of a lot to prove before Madrid would even consider him, and I'm stunned we have done just that.

I do hope we don't go down the Torres route of , he needs a pre season, it's the formation , it's the service etc I can't do that again... The big difference here of course as someone has rightly pointed out is that we have a get out after a year and he won't be first choice meaning that the club we not be totally fixated on pandering to his every fail. Still I find it all perplexing really, there genuinley cannot be many Chelsea fans who think this is going to work out. Hopefully the club know something we don't!

Except it's very obviously just not one bad game is it? If we 'can't judge players on international games' (why not incidentally?!) then it's down to their club form which doesn't help your argument one bit when it comes to Falcao. He's been woeful at Utd. All the signs currently point to him being finished and washed up - and we know them better than anyone having been through it all before.

I suspect he probably is trying to impress but just doesn't have it in him. At times he reminded me of my Grandad stumbling up out his chair to put the kettle on. I honestly think if he does come in then it's a backwards step, even as a third choice replacing 36 year old Drogba. Baffling.

Just watched the game too, thought Falcao looked like Torres on a bad day and even less mobile. Mark my words this will be a disaster of a signing and that we can all see it a million miles away makes it all the more baffling.

That's because it's clearly not 'bringing players through' is it? Obviously though Mourinho is not the only one at Chelsea who hasn't done it. Id love for it to happen to RLC I really would. Unfortunately he will have to buck an undeniable trend, both within the club and with Mourinho too. I maintain that what happened yesterday reeks of nothing to do with 'tough love' etc but simply Mourinho getting his excuses for next season in early.

Yep, let's see dkw! Will certainly be interesting to see how it plays out, I know where my money lies though. I'd agree we have (seemingly) lots of young talent, I just have my doubts Mourinho is the man to bring them through, and I'm simply basing that on his career so far.

It's not that he doesn't have a great record of playing youth , it's more like he doesn't have a record of playing youth! What happened today is Joses way of saying 'I want Tiago'. Let's see what happens, I'd be thrilled to be proved wrong.

Never has and never will! Despite that we kid ourselves, every time!!

Ok that's 3 - but in 12 years at 4 clubs. And how many of them were the clubs own youth products? Like everyone else I hope this is Jose's way of making sure he doesn't go the same way as Josh. But you can't avoid the facts, he simply doesn't play youth. I'd be stunned if RLC is anything other than a Carling Cup player next year, and I simply base that on everything we have ever seen from Mourinho! I would love to be proved wrong, but I don't see it. Fingers crossed.

Well I hope you're right. Time will tell. He's never played youngsters. Anywhere. So, I wait with baited breath but hoped to be proved wrong.

The cynic in me can't help but think that this is Jose getting in his excuses early for playing no youngsters next season.

The Champions Best first team player: Hazard Best youth player: Tammy Abraham Best new signing: Costa Best sale: Luiz Best/favourite goal: Oscar v QPR Favourite Costa goal: Hull away Worst/most disappointing player: Cuadrado Favourite moment: Fabregas v QPR , the moment I knew it was on Moment that left you outraged: Adams foul on Hazard at Stoke Moment your gut wrenched: Frank scoring against us Moment you thought WTF?: Bradford final whistle Spaniard of the year: erm strange one. Azpi? Other teams Best player: the Bradford centre forward that crucified us Best new signing: Cambassio Worst new signing: Mangala Funniest result: MKD beating Utd, Monaco beating Arsenal Favourite goal: Charlie Adam, I was on the half way line! Favourite moment: Manes 3 min hatrick Best Gerrard moment: so bored of the Gerrard nonsense/infatuation. Glad it's all over.

The difference this time certainly compared to 2010 was that our game was meaningless and had nothing riding on it, I understand it was shoved into Sky 1? Well fair play , I mean they weren't even obligated to show it at all. They aren't obligated to show our celebrations and other fans funnily enough aren't that bothered either, just like we weren't with Man City last year. Utd before etc I was lucky enough to to be there today (and it was great!) And I can understand frustration if they didn't show enough but I'm sure there will be enough footage doing the rounds in the next 24 hours. Sure SKY are twats most of the time but I don't think we can get too precious about this.