Celery1989

I've got a few close mates who are Arsenal fans and I've ridiculed them at times over the last few years, but I can't help but feel a bit sorry for them now. Losing RVP to ManU must feel like a kick in the boll*cks for them. I personally wish the Juve move had happened as now the gap between us and United is a bit greater. I still think Arsenal will find a way to finish in the top 4 though, they've got a better squad and I think that Giroud and in particular Cazorla could really flourish with them.

Do they not teach you how to spell or punctuate in the North?

I was a massive fan of Makelele. He was the best holding/defensive midfielder to ever play the game. Difference between him and Mikel is that Makelele was awesome defensively and didn't suffer from regular concentration lapses. Makelele simply bossed games, Mikel doesn't.

Exactly, and its not like Mikel makes up for it in attack. But as the Mikel brigade would say he has a 98% pass completion rate which apparently makes him indispensable to the side. Honestly, what does Mikel actually do consistently well other than passing the ball 5 yards left or right to Lampard?

Torres - The least bad of a pretty poor bunch on the day.

In my opinion this season is crucial to Mikel's future. In the last 3/4 months of the past season he was excellent and looked as if he was finally developing into a solid DM. However if he slips to his old, lackadaisical ways then he's got to go for me. He's been with us for about 5 years now and we've already been very patient with him. If Mikel flops, I'd love to see us get Schweinsteiger. Fellaini would be great too. Don't know much of M'Vila except that he's exceptionally highly rated in France.

I'm glad that's over. A LOT of work to be done both in attack and defense. Torres looked quite sharp I felt. Luiz and Mikel didn't seem to give a sh*t today but then I suppose that's understandable given the context.

BERTY!!

What a waste of time this game has been. We look crap in all facets of the game. And to top it all off the only good RB that we have is now suspended for 3 games.

Seriously, why don't Sky release their own Video of it? They all the footage and therefore the rights as well as an incredibly talented production team. Given how many how great all the promotional football montages they've done over the years, I'm sure they'd do a great job.

This would really piss me off actually if it were to happen.

Cavani would be a fantastic signing in my opinion. If he were to come I think he would supplant Torres pretty quickly as the no.1 striker.

Is this thread a joke?

If the rumours are true, Everton would be a great place for Lukaku to be this year. David Moyes has a good track record in blooding youngsters and Everton's style of play would fit Romelu quite well - The Toffees generally like to get crosses in and mix a bit of creativity with physicality. I just don't want Lukaku to go to Stoke where they will make him into nothing more than a battering ram.

I can't see this being true, it makes no sense. Azpilicueta is more or less a done deal from what I've read and will join Ivanovic, Ferreira and Hutchinson as the RB's - 1 of the latter 2 to leave? Then on the left side we have Cole and a perfectly capable backup with lots of potential in Bertrand.

I've watched it countless times and every time Drogba takes the penalty I think to myself "please don't miss" haha.

Congrats to Piazon if the reports are true. Sadly I don't see him playing much other than in the Carling Cup or against a minnow in the FA Cup.

He's too old and simply not good enough. We already have Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Marin as direct competition, as well as Ramires who played on the right of the 3 last year. Moses is also set to come in to compete for one of the 3 positions behind the front man, and we even still have Malouda on the books (surely he's gonna leave!). Also, the Times are reporting that Piazon will be named in the PL squad too. So simply there are too many players who are younger, currently better or with greater potential ahead of Benayoun in the pecking order.

I went last year but not going this year. The one across the street from the train station is ok and they'll let you in. Didn't see much else of the place because from there it's a 2/3mile walk through a big industrial estate to the ground.

Agreed. Juan also seems like a quite a likeable guy and in that sense is a good representative for the club. He's also one of the few footballers who puts social media to good use and in that way can help the club to connect to the fans.

Amen. He was the only consistently productive player we had during the AVB reign whilst most of the squad faltered. Without him, I don't dare to think how far we'd have sunk pre-RDM.

For what it's worth a number of sources on twitter, some more reputable than others, are saying that it will be done by the end of the week.

I take it you mean this guy: Football Agent 007 â€@EPLAgent007 Cesar Azpilicueta has agreed terms with Chelsea. I've been told 80k/week, 4 year deal and the fee is £8 million. #CFC Supported too by this French Journalist who's also in the know: Francois Piraux â€@F8Piraux Not confirmed by clubs but it's very close. No reason to fail. #Moses#Azpilicueta #CFC

I always felt he was going to miss. I'm happy that he can now come back to Cobham and get ready for the season.

I was at City @ home, as good as its been in a while.