Socrates

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/3169497/massimiliano-allegri-says-alex-sandro-is-staying-at-juventus

Blimey. Looks like City are having to pay well over the odds to secure their targets. Crazy for a left back, no matter how good he is.

Excellent signing. Think he'll work well in our system. Hold up play much better than either Costa or Lukaku. Works hard, great finisher, and will settle in with our Spanish contingent. Is it right we paid much less than what Real Madrid were asking United for him?

Here's an interesting recent article on Morata and his statistics... http://www.calciomercato.com/en/news/amoyal-46207

Aguero? Well he's injured a lot. Past his best. We should've bought him five years ago. I think it's nailed on.

Not sure I buy the thesis that we weren't ever interested in Lukaku. Doesn't look like we had a plan other than Lukaku. Conte burned our bridges with Costa in an attempt to force the Board's hand and it's now backfired. Looks like we're trying to assess our options. And Aubameyang has come top of the list despite the fact that he's not much of an improvement over Costa. Think the Board and manager have handled this really badly. All of a bit of a cock-up to be honest.

Chelsea close in on £65million Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang swoop... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/chelsea-close-65million-pierre-emerick-10801255?1

Scouting report on Rudiger from the England-Germany game last March: http://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/transfer-news/scouting-report-chelsea-manchester-united-12783712

If the club don't have the same ambition as the manager, then the manager is entitled to walk. We've been down this road before with the Board failing to adequately recruit over the Summer. The Board have time to get their act together, so hopefully this is just a warning shot from Conte. It might be the kick up the backside the Board needs.

Is Lukaku the best striker we can get? Be a bit disappointed if we ended up signing Lukaku to be honest. He's been decent for Everton but we sold him for a good fee and there's no way he's tripled his value since he left. I'm just speculating here but Lukaku doesn't strike me as a Conte signing. And we really should be going all out for the manager’s targets.

We were a total shambles first half. Players were off the pace and lacked intensity. We looked shellshocked after their first goal and never really recovered. The ref screwed up in not noticing the handball but we were lucky really to be only a goal down at half time. Can't help feeling that Conte got his team selection wrong in not starting Fabregas over Matic. But we were outplayed and outfought all over the pitch. Much better second half but Moses sending off made it difficult. We did well to get back in it but we switched off and it was all over really. It just wasn't our day.

There was no reason for Conte to sacrifice a cup competition in order to give so many first-choice players a rest. Start the game with your near first eleven, go a couple of goals up, then you can rest the likes of Costa, Moses and Hazard. But to make seven changes was suicidal from Conte. I still don't think he understands just how competitive English football is and unless you perform at your maximum, with your strongest possible side, you will get nothing from the game. Instead, he puts out a weakened side thinking we’ll find a way to win. It doesn't work like that unfortunately.

Why are some of these players even starting? It's nonsense. We've got nothing else to play for and Conte gives a runout to some of these clowns.

Any reason why we're playing a second string line-up? Are we saving ourselves for the Champions League?

Not good enough. We had the chances to finish that comfortably. Ref didn't help. But we were casual. Weak finishing and sloppy defending. You don’t win the league with performances like that.

Hazard's had a shocker today.

Well Hazard screwed that up. Christ.

What a mess.

What on earth were we thinking? It's enough to make a grown man weep.

Have to say the idea is growing on me after initial doubts. The crucial thing is that there's not too many ball-playing centre backs out there and Conte must feel that Luiz can fit into the style of football he wants to play. Luiz's style might well suit us under Conte in a way it didn't under Mourinho who had us play a more defensive formation. Luiz is quick, good on the ball, with an eye for a pass, and good going forward. We're not buying him to just stay back and defend. We've got Cahill for that. That's not what Conte wants him for. Although Luiz can defend too when he's focused. So, overall, I'm inclined to trust the manager on this.

Well I don’t know what we're playing at to be honest. I guess we made a profit of some sort. Hope he shows the discipline, tactical awareness and steady calm we all know he's capable of. *cough* A cheeky bid for De Bruyne anyone?

Got to hand it to our Board. Three transfer windows to come up with a centre back and we are in talks to bring back David Luiz. What the hell, maybe Conte can turn him into Bonnucci... It can happen.

This is a good one: Chelsea make sensational £32m move to bring David Luiz back to Stamford Bridge just two years after PSG exit http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3765683/Chelsea-make-sensational-32m-bring-David-Luiz-Stamford-Bridge-two-years-PSG-exit.html#ixzz4Iq5dXTcD

It's all well and good saying we are not going to pay over the odds for certain players. But if we had paid the 30m for Luke Shaw and the 45m for John Stones I reckon the Board would be pretty pleased right now at picking up two promising English defenders for the next ten years.

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2016/8/30/12705482/abramovich-chelsea-transfer-window-mismanagement