Castiel

I'd wager Rooney leaving would be the killing blow to United though. I just hope we can fortify the title for the next 2 seasons or so, so that Fergie never beats the scoucers record. If anyone dethrones us let it be City. Us keeping him from achieving his last career goal would make those trophies all the sweeter.

So basically Carlo wants him to bulk up. Someone get this lad a bacon butty stat!

Got a source? Signing Torres is a kinda big deal.

Back to the original point I just think we can do a lot better. If we're going to buy from Milan we should be looking at Pato, not Huntelaar. Especially since we need a devastating right winger more than anything else in our offensive line (assuming we keep the 433). Of our other strike links this summer; Torres, Aguero and Pato to name the biggest that spring to mind, you can't really compare him. If it was on a free I wouldn't say no, but we can attract far better options if we're looking to buy and would be a bit disappointed if we ended up with him. Has the media forgotten that we're one of the wealthiest clubs in the world (without debts), Double winning champions of England and serious contenders for the CL title every year when they link us to these people? We reign in our spending for business efficiency and suddenly everyone thinks we're broke or something.

Brilliant read and really refreshing to see the perspective of someone untainted by the Premier League rivalry drama. I rate Drogba hands down as the best rounded forward in the world. He may not have Messi's tricks or Torres' pure goal scoring ability but as a complete striking package - Drogs is second to none. He's grown out of the theatrics but his exaggerations are part of the Drogba package and to be fair these days, when he's throwing a tantrum he's usually right (CL Semi-Final 2009). Anyway thanks for coming over and showing us the article. :)

We all knew Cole was on his way out and honestly none of the others should be a surprise to anyone either. I'll miss them all, and they've all served the club spectacularly over their time here. But its no secret that the squad needs refreshing. Next year we might see Drogba and Anelka go too which will be an even bigger deal. But this is largely Jose's squad and I'm happy on some level that Ancelotti arrived at the right time to give it one last historical campaign before he's allowed to bring his own signings in and start the next chapter in our history. I trust the new signings and academy players Ancelotti brings in, whoever they may be, will earn their own titles as Chelsea legends just like Jose's untouchables have now. Remember lads, we pride ourselves on living in the present, not the past like our rivals.

Since Arsenal is currently toothless and Citeh need at least another building season before they can be serious contenders for the title, I expect it to be yet another United v Chelsea race next season. If this happens do you think it'll seriously diminish their ability to challenge? With Rio constantly injured, they'll be stuck with Evans and Brown as their defence centre piece and the usual United unknowns who are becoming more and more insignificant while Fergie refuses to spend the Ronaldo money. VDS can't possibly go on for much longer either and that applies to much of their old guard. Is this finally the beginning of the end for them? Some irony in the fact that we'll be contending with the other side of Manchester when United finally do collapse under their own dead weight though.

Umm I wouldn't be outraged over those signings.

I hope so too, otherwise it'd be a terrible deal. I would have expected a wait to see how well he does in the world cup before selling him. Watch him carry Slovakia to the WC final now... True that. Stoch vs. Kalou? I'd have liked to at least experiment before selling him. But honestly I think this large clean out is the prelude to a few epic signings. Look at who we've been consistently linked with since January - Pato, Aguero, Torres... Some have been tormenting the transfer section since long before that. The double win may have reacquainted Roman with his taste for blood and is breaking out the cheque book to honour the occasion. The down side is the obvious question over what was the point in the academy if this is the way we're continuing to do it?

Better be getting Aguero/Pato now. Just seen it announced on the official site. I don't buy this "only good in the dutch league" BS - look at van Persie, van Nistelrooy, Robben, van der Saar... If I'm not mistaken they all got picked from the Dutch league. Just because they don't have the money of our league doesn't mean its sh*te. But Carlo has earned his right to shape his own team so we'll just have to trust he's making the right call - and to be fair to all concerned, this was most likely Stoch's decision more than ours considering his desire for consistent first team starting places which I'd be worried about giving him at Chelsea. He's promising but would you really trust him in a CL knockout against the likes of Barca/Real/Inter/United without some experience?

Agree with the outrage, he's going to United on a free, watch. It'll be their signing of the season.

Yeah now he looks more like a 12 year old.

:)

If we're getting Torres the forced partnership wont last long - the signing is intended to be Drogba's successor. We'll still need a class play maker to fit in behind Drogba/Torres and perhaps someone new on the right wing unless Kalou steps up his game again next season. I'm hugely sceptical about forcing Drogs and Torres into a partnership but if Ancelotti finds a way of making it work we'd be freaking unstoppable. We'll have to see what happens if it happens, but I can't deny the prospect of bringing an act like Torres to the bridge really excites me. The idea of ripping the scoucers golden boy away from binfield is another pro and the fact that they'll never see the money reinvested in the club is the cherry on the cake.

Can't deny he's a class act but we've got enough personality in the squad with Drogba. Can we do something the easy way for once?

Official site announces his surgery went well and he's hopeful to compete in the World Cup: http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0...2065275,00.html

They wouldn't pay the transfer fee. Fergie is on a crusade for value for money.

Spot the odd man out :D

Drogba vs Ibra would be interesting, but the novelty will wear off quickly. I'm not sure, I think he's wasted in Barca just like Messi would be wasted in the EPL. I have a feeling he'll take to the English league like a pig to muck, the only question is whether he's the successor or partner to Drogba if we do end up signing him. I honestly haven't seen him play enough to judge how well he'd do in a partnership. Of course if I'm right and he does flourish in the EPL, it'll be a steal of a signing considering how desperate Barca are to get rid of him. Perhaps his treatment there will spur his ego on to accomplish great things.

Is this Fabregas thing over now? http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/a...er-for-fabregas The whole thing is funny really with Arsenal somehow weakening themselves further, but then I remember we're destined by UEFA laws to always meet Barca in the Champions League.

I'm sorry but I don't have much sympathy. Credit to this individual but seriously. The crowd involved in the flag burning and hate chanting was substantial - Anfield looked like down town Baghdad on the news. It certainly wasn't a minority. That's an incident, like the Heysel Stadium Disaster, that should condemn that embarrassment of a club to tabloid ridicule and some kind of national shun for the rest of their natural lives. They're an embarrassment to this country, the English brand of football and the sport as a whole. It sickens me that decent clubs like Pompy have to suffer administration and relegation while Liverpool is allowed to exist. There are obviously exceptions to the rule, not all Germans in 1945 were Nazis. That doesn't excuse the rest. This will also have wider implications. The European Club giants are on a campaign to popularise Football in the US with our summer tours there - since there is a HUGE market on that continent which would only improve the sport and Americans seeing this isn't going to help the cause. The kind of damage its done to England's world cup bid is something I'd rather not think about.

We'd have to buy Pique too...

Absolutely agree. Save for big incidents like this we rarely care about the business of other clubs. We have our domestic and European rivals, and the big 3, but we don't have 10,000 page threads about any of our rivals and Chelsea fans genuinely seem to love their club more than they hate anyone else. Whereas Scoucers and especially Mancs seem to hate each other more than they love their club. Hopefully both of them are doomed to financial catastrophe and they can squabble in Division 2 for the next 20 years. With Spurs, West Ham and Arsenal if its not asking too much! :blush:

Yep Redcafe found it on RAWK. Its hard to believe they're serious, but in the context of RAWK they probably are. Relegation next season please!

We play in Europe all season. :D