J.J

If we're talking player roles we are very very versatile and (perhaps overly) stocked with talent (I'm talking where people have shown they can play) Strikers - Sturridge, Torres, Lukaku, Hulk, Piazon Wingers - Marin, Mata, De Bruyne, Hulk, Sturridge, Oscar Trequartista - Hazard, Mata, Piazon, (De Bruyne & McEachran?) Regista - McEachran, De Bruyne, Lampard, Oscar Holding midfield - Mikel, Romeu, McEachran And that's not even considering the positional enigma that is Ramires, and ill-fitting players we're yet to offload like Meireles, Essien and Malouda

Coyle and Zola would be people I trust with him if there's a viable place in the squad

Looks good from the video itt but have seen nothing else, good reputation though 22mil+ though? f**k. Do worry for Josh at this rate. Considering we just signed KdB who can play central and wide, it doesn't seem like the most necessary signing... edit; Internacional president has said no bid received, Oscar has said he's staying - so that's the end of that then?

Bertrand seems the better defender but I've always liked PvA going forward, Newcastle in the league cup a while back stands out Although that Wigan loan was a disaster (not that a loan move should define a player)

it's from Tuttosport, only believe a word of it when someone better reports it

So Lampard and Cole both have deals running out at the end of the season? Would be interesting if the club wishes to move them both on, definitely think that in the summer of 2013 losing them would be far bigger on the dressing room than the pitch. Cech, Terry and I guess Ivanovic would stand out as 'leaders' should this happen and these three all stay. edit; regarding Bertrand vs. Cole - this decade-long myth that Ashley Cole is better going forward than defending is ridiculous to me, his strength is his defending, definitely in the Chelsea years of his career, he can't actually cross! (not saying he's poor going forward, far from it, but I think this is where if anywhere Bertrand has an advantage on him)

mata ramires ivanovic sturridge drogba (he wasn't great, but f**k it, the header and penalty put him in) honestly think torres is in with a shout tbh, as are lampard luiz and cahill AND CECH!

Mikel isn't perfect, but to me the team is far better off from his presence, we have noticeably better control of games and possession when he plays imo - he can dwell a bit and obvious is a nonexistant goal threat, but offers an insurance policy when under pressure and though not perfect is the only player we currently have who fits that criteria imo (Romeu/'new' Lampard could prove to be as, or more, effective though)

He has been the missing piece of our jigsaw for years, but yeah Levy is gonna continue to be stubborn about this, we need to look elsewhere because 50 million is a joke. We do need to identify a similar player, Modric as part of a pivot would be unreal, unfortunately I imagine half our fanbase won't have any idea the real impact he'd have on our play unless they see it.

"29" lol 100% needs to go, post-injury Essien seems like the slowest player in a squad with JT and three keepers! Sad to see, but he has genuinely lost everything, and we have a pretty populated midfield with Mikel Lamps Josh De Bruyne Meireles Ramires Romeu and even Malouda all capable of playing there - like has been said, Romeu needs and deserves to play also

lol i think that you have heard something, albeit not concrete, and are sharing it with other fans, for every poster who wants to pass it off as their own little 'source' there are 5 others who read and don't comment, quietly weighing up whether or not to believe it in regards to previous reports can't speak for everyone but anything you hear would be welcome for me to read, whether right or wrong it's all part of the excitement of the transfer window tbh

Jarvis is a good player, great cross on him and would probably love to give those chances to Torres instead of Steven Fletcher. I'm not a Football Manager fan who completely overlooks the reality of ego/expected playing-time when interested in players, my foster brother always maintained that United did so well because they always had a few John O'Shea's in the club who were just delighted to be there and would put 100% in every game as a result and I think he had a point. However, De Bruyne is already delighted to be here, can play the same positions, is someone the club has already invested in and has 6 years on Jarvis, so I'm not sure I entirely get it if true.. If we sign him; I'll just remind myself that a few eyebrows were raised when United splashed 20mil on Valencia and get behind him, if we don't, I won't cry myself to sleep.

RDM didn't to play Sturridge because he pretty much played a 4411, while AVB played 433; Sturridge can be a winger at a push, but he's definitely not a wide midfielder. I think there is no debate to be had over Romeu, looked an incredible talent, loved his aggression, well-timed tackles and very quick positive passing, it wasn't so much that his form dipped last season; every fan I knew was just confused as to why he didn't play all of a sudden. I did speculate it was to keep Barca away aswell (the clause seems cloudy, Barca say they can have him for 10mil this summer, 15 next, AVB said it was only if we chose to sell) Sturridge is the interesting one. Lemme just start by saying that I'm a big Sturridge fan, we should definitely keep him. Prior to last season I would LOVE to see his stats in relation to starts and goals/assists. I was constantly calling for him to start and every time he did I felt like I was justified, last season (until January at least) he didn't disappoint either. For all this 'arrogant' talk, I actually see a player who's performance is very dependent on confidence. We're all very quick to give Torres benefit of the doubt because the media say his poor performances are "confidence issues", Sturridge's though are "selfishness". It really struck me in the Wigan home game last year. That was when I first really felt the fans get on his back, practically booing, and the performance was god awful. I didn't see an arrogant player try and absolve himself of any blame on the pitch though, I saw someone who's head dropped after every miss/sh*t pass, and Drogba walk over to him and try gee him up a good 4/5 times during the game. Regarding his age; 22, there are more matured players, but there are players like Ramires who made incredible leaps a year or so older, but he is a relatively inexperienced player in terms of games (Bertrand for example has consistently played before this season on his loans) - so for that reason I think there is a lot of improvement to come Can only hope he's willing to work on his talent, because with the right coaching he could be a very important player for Chelsea and England Also, with light of recent news I'm sure he's just looking forward to being back to playing football - I'm not entirely familiar with the disease and the viral type seems a lot less severe, but possibly missing an international tournament due to meningitis can't be nice for anyone.

was against it initially but would be a relatively cheap stop-gap for cover until kane proves ready (or not) 6.5 million and 80k a week on what, a 2 year deal? - not a massive outlay for a very experienced player of course this is all subject to how steep his decline has been, i'm not going to pretend to have watched inter religiously over the last few years

Modric will not be a Chelsea player next year imo but if he was, dkw is right, he'd fit in next to Mikel my ideal team would be that but playing Rambo on the right and the club staying about 65 million pounds richer rather than signing Hulk, but that's just me

hope so, brightest talent in our youth team imo and hopefully bertrand has set an example of patience

too late for lampard, too early for chalobah (who seems trusted with an armband in nearly every team he plays in) considering i expect terry to play for another 3 years or so (not starting, but still being "captain") i wouldn't be surprised, and would be ecstatic, if david luiz had become such a part of the club as to be able to take the role on

there was an 'eddie newton soccer school' at my primary in what must've been 1997/8ish, which he'd check up on every now and then - i remember when he first came down i was in my number 9 vialli shirt, i remember trying really hard to get him to see it aswell lol he also ran soccer schools in the area during half terms and stuff which i went to, goes to my mates mosque aswell and he says he's a really nice guy i know a lot of people who do music aswell, one who's relatively successful now wasn't always so known, and upon a group of us seeing mario melchiot in central london i went up and gave him a mixtape was nice about taking it and stuff, dunno if he actually listened though! not a chelsea player but my mum was a nurse and had to wheelchair a man into theatre for his operation once, she asked what he did and he said he was a footballer, she said "oh really? play for anyone important?" and he laughed and said yeah, when she came home she asked my dad who "david seaman" was

what a legend jason cundy is lol looking at these and other videos though, i get the feeling banter could take a dip without kalou and drogba!

quite surprised at the range and distance of some commutes tbh! 15/20 minute train from harlesden to west brompton, walk through the cemetery

went to the camp nou last year and they let people hold it up at a press conference table for photos, i was told it's the 2006 trophy but i'm sure it's any replica, looks the business though

The team is far better for Mikel's presence imo, and I've been saying this regardless of his form over the past 2 years If we're incorporating Hulk, Hazard, Mata and possibly Sturridge into a starting 11 - Mikel will be a necessity to balance that. I'm still not completely sold on Hulk though... I think everyone knows our strongest 11 as it stands, most seem agreed on a 4231 aswell the only real debates revolve around Luiz/Cahill (for me - Luiz, though I feel for Gary who'd be starting at any other club in the league imo) and who to start centre mid

best part about this one is jason cundy at 8 minutes 39 hahahahaha legend

It's a shame with PvA tbh, Newcastle in the League Cup a while back (the one where Josh wowed a lot of people, 4-3 loss) he looked so threatening down the left hand side, I was advocating his inclusion in the squad as an alternative on the left to Malouda, but with our recent summer activity it doesn't look like he has a future here.

Quality, don't really know what I'll do with it but got it anyway lol.