awtysst

Maybe you are missing my point, but I am not thinking about this year, I am thinking about the future. The team as constructed cannot win CL or PL. I care about longterm success. This season is pretty much done. So I think its time to begin the youth movement and bring in younger players who play the AVB style of play. If you commit that much money to a young coach like AVB you must let him bring in his players. DD hasn't been our best, Sturridge has. But, no I would give Lukaku a shot. He needs PL games and now is the time to get him out there. The season is gone. Let's give Lukaku the starts and see if he can grow with starting PL time the way Sturridge did last year. Now is the time to get the kids some regular work and bring in more young hot shots to create chemistry and give AVB time to see where his best lineup is. I say let AVB buy who he needs and then give him the rest of the season to work out lineups. By the beginging of next year, Chelsea will be in a MUCH better position to challenge for trophys. They will have had time to gel, develop chemistry, and will be players who can play the attacking AVB style. DD's agent has pretty much said DD turned down the Chelsea extension becuase it was only for a year and DD wants one last big contract. PSG has big bucks and could offer DD that contract he wants. The team won't win PL or CL with DD. They will be battling for 3-5 all year. I would rather finish a little lower and give Lukaku and Sturridge more time than finish slightly higher with DD and not develop Lukaku, I bet a reasonable offer could be made for him. Besides isn't a little money better than 0. I just don't see DD as valuable to the team anymore. He

Let's look at DD's stats. In 10 PL games he has 21 shots, 2 goals, and 1 assist. It's not that great. But its more than that. He looks out of sorts, he does not seem interested, and he is not the same DD. This team is not going to be a player in CL this year as constructed. AVB cannot run his system becuase the players he has cannot run it. Torres has looked sporadic partially becuase the MF cannot get him the ball fast enough. The MF at Chelsea play the older long ball style rather than the fast quick pace that AVB wants. DD cannot play quickly. He is an older larger, physical presence who thrived on getting the longball and shooting it in. That does not work in AVB's system. I would like the team to advance in CL, but even if they do, I don't see them doing much in it now. I would absolutely get players who are CL tied this year and give AVB time to let his guys gel over the remaining PL schedule. Here is the situation: DD will not resign with Chelsea in the summer. If Chelsea does not sell him in January he will leave for free in summer. I would rather sell him and get some cash rather than get zilch for him in summer. I would go on a selling spree and sell the players that won't help long term like Anelka, Alex, DD, and Malouda. With that plus extra cash, I would sign a solid Defensive CB, a better WB(to replace Boswinga), a winger and more attacking MFs. With a better CB and WB, AVB can run the high line D. With more attacking MF, AVB can put Torres in there and see if improved service helps him. If not, then put Sturridge in the middle and let Mata and the new Winger flank him. DD is on his way out anyway, may as well begin the rebuilding process now rather than later.

See I have never understood this line of thinking. He was paid a good salary and he delivered. But he has done next to nothing recently. He is getting up there in age and its time to get younger, faster, and more creative. Drogba did well but its time for him to be moved. He is going to leave for nothing in summer, so it makes sense to sell him at get some value in January. I don't see this as an issue of respect, I see it as what is doing what's best for the team. I don't cheer for Drogba, I cheer for Chelsea FC.

Phew. Into round 4.

Come on Blues. Get it done!!

In the words of Bender: Well, we're boned.

Quick sub to get Drogba in?! Maybe get Alex a Luiz wig and pass him off as Luiz II?!

Perhaps heading to penalties.

I am from the U.S. so I did not get much of a chance to see matches outside of the Mexican teams on the Spanish channels. I don't speak Spanish, so that did not help. While I played a bunch of soccer in my youth and was pretty decent, (played through high school) I never really had a team to cheer for. MLS started and I tried to watch that, but it lacked the quality of the NFL and MLB so I never payed much attention to it. My first foray into the game was in the 2002 World Cup. I was in college at the time and my roommate/best friend was a very knowledgeable Portugal fan. He helped me to understand the finer points of the game and I walked away from the 2002 WC with a better understanding of what was happening. I pretty much forgot about the game until the 2006 WC where the US had a disastrous tournament but at least my then girlfriend, whose family comes from Rome, was happy. This time I followed the US team through qualifying and payed attention pretty much solely to the US national team until the 2010 WC. My old roommate from college and I flew to Europe for the 2010 WC and we took in the game in pubs, public squares, amongst the people. I really got into it and wanted to follow it more. I figured the only way to do that would be to have a club team to support. When thinking about my team, I realized that I had to go with EPL since 1) They have the highest quality of play 2)they are shown a bunch here in the US and 3) the content is in English so I can follow it. I then began researching teams to figure out who I wanted to cheer for. I then called up my old roommate and he encouraged me to cheer for Chelsea. He became a fan when Mourinho was the coach. So, I chose to support Chelsea mainly becuase I would have a friend to talk about it with. I am really glad my roommate was not a West Brom fan!!!

Right and 40 could have possibly gotten them both Damiao and Ruiz. With two additional strikers, Adebayor can slide into attacking MF role and they can get service from deep MF Sandro. They would not only get two additional great players, but would improve their locker room. Now they will probably have to sell him in January for about 22.

Well not only does he have a mad player, but a mad fan base. They were booing Modric in the last home game. They know that Modric isn't worth 40 million, and would have been thrilled to get that much for him. Spurs could have gone out and bout 3 really good players with that money and improved their team and lockerroom,. Instead, they have an unhappy player, a lockerroom in chaos, and a fan base that doesn't support their best player. I don't think Levy could have mishandled this situation even more if he tried.

Me too.

Lets see how we did: 1. Right 2. Wrong 3. Wrong 4. Wrong 5. Wrong, Wrong, half right(i put down sell and he was loaned. Half point since he is gone) 6. Wrong. Wow. I got only one and a half right. But I beat my at least 1 mark!

source?

Too late. Maybe its just a way for him to show the club he doesn't like the way they treated him during the transfer window.

Unless AVB is going to experiment with a revolutionary lineup of all Forwards and Defensive players! You have heard of the 4-4-3, well say hello to the 5-0-6!!!

Dodged a bullet there. If Man U or City got him, they would have run away with the EPL this year.

That was the one I thought would happen. I guess it still can, I mean all they have to do is call up Porto and offer them the buyout. Maybe that is the deal they will pursue with 30 minutes left?

Doesn't look like anything is happening. Ribbery looked to be the big rumor of the day, but he wouldn't make sense. Unless AVB is putting all of his eggs into the Premiership or FA Cup and is disregarding CL, Ribbery really does not make much sense. Oh well.

Here is what ESPN SOccernet said 1)the agent of Alvaro Pereira has claimed Chelsea are in ongoing negotiations with FC Porto to try and reach a deal before the close of the transfer window. 2) Chelsea are said to be considering a swoop for 17-year-old Everton sensation Ross Barkley

Sorry, I meant hopefully I get one addition, not just the 3 subtractions.

My predictions: 1) Chelsea will acquire Raul Meireles to spell relief for Lampard and be a box to box MF. 2) Chelsea will acquire Joao Moutinho to be the playmaking MF that AVB deeply desires. 3) Chelsea will acquire Kevin De Bruyne and immediately send him out on loan, like they did for Courtois. 4) Chelsea will acquire Alvaro Pereira and have him as a backup to Mata and Cole 5) Chelsea will sell Alex, Malouda, and Yossi 6) Chelsea will acquire the versatile Juan Vargas. Ok, I am hoping to get 1 of these right!

Bennayoun and 13 mill to Lille for Hazard. Make it happen CFC!

Modric asked to be left off the lineup prior to the game. He clearly wants out. The home fan s were even booing the guy. The Spurs are in a lose-lose position. They can get rid of Modric to Chelsea and lose in the public spotlight or they can keep him and have a toxic lockerrrom where he doesn't want to be there and the home side is booing their best player. I say, its time to play hardball with the Spurs. Offer them a deal of 25 million, take it or leave it. If the Spurs refuse, publicly talk about how they refused our final deal and we are now moving towards other MF targets. Modric will be even more pissed at the Spurs, the Spurs fans will be upset, and the owner will then be in a bad spot. At that point he may try to offload Modric at the 25 million price tag!

Thanks! I am just learning the game and getting a better understanding of positions and formations, Do you see anyone out there that Chelsea could realistically get, outside of Modric, that would fit the bill as the creative MF they need? Would Raul Meireles be an adequate creative MF for the team?