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Forget Clattenburg, Robin van Persie made as much difference during Manchester United’s 3-2 victory at our place recently. As Torres laboured, the Dutchman who cost half the £50million we shelled out, was a constant threat - as he has been all season. Even when he fails to hit the onion bag Fergie has Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck to rely on to provide a goal. In contrast, our only other forward option is Daniel Sturridge . It was even more apparent, that before the Liverpool game kicked off, Manchester City showed what wealth of talent they have at their disposal up front once again with Sergio Aguero and super sub Edin Dzeko securing a late comeback win against Tottenham. Carlos Tevez played, while Mario Balotelli was left in the stands! So it made the performance from Torres, so typical not only against his former club but from the first time he pulled on a Chelsea shirt, all the more disconcerting. On occasions he looked pumped up and dangerous but, tellingly, there was no end product. Given we rely so heavily on Mata, Oscar and Hazard to create and take chances and from the likes of Cahill and Terry at set pieces to give us more goals than we continue to concede, you have to think 'burn out' will come with the Christmas period and World Club matches coming up. As our system has only room for one striker, unlike City and United - three not four strikers of that calibre are required. I would recall Lukaku for a start and then make five bold moves in the January transfer market. TWO strikers IN - TWO OUT and sign a player that if needed can let us play the system Spain played when they won EURO 2012 or give our three stars a rest now and then. Willian is open to a move to the Premiership and his performance against us against Shaktar reminded me of Aquero's in Madrid before Man City beat us to the punch. He would be my final piece of the midfield jigsaw. It looks clear Lampard and Cole are off in the summer, we are losing experience rapidly in such as short space of time but as financial fair play goes are shaving shedloads in wages. Drogba (How we miss the big fella), Anelka, Alex, Kalou, hopefully Malouda as well - all the biggest earners of the budget. I would sign Falcao at the drop of a hat and Torres, who once said two years into his Liverpool contract he "Will return in the later stages of his career to his hometown club" would jump at the chance to rejoin Athletico in part exchange and I am even more convinced Athletico would soften the blow by thinking the same to please their own fans who are the most passionate of people. Danny Sturridge for me, has got too big for his boots and has not developed into the player his loan spell at Bolton led many of us to believe. He can go with my blessing in January wherever his ego decides. The otther striker signing, well Cavani has to be in discussions here, proven over a few seasons in Italy and Robbie might just need a fellow countryman to keep the knives away or Guardiola off Roman's mind in the summer.

We have all the players we need in build up's we just need a proper striker / Torres loves running about joining in with the 3 top boys but has forgotten he is there to score - Falcao and Hernandez are the best options ( We should have bought Hernandez pre season - we have no chance now ! )

When United signed Van Persie, with Rooney and Wellbeck there - I suggested we should take a punt on Hernandez - not a bad shout now !

Benzema on loan anyone ?

Today was the 'wake up call' we needed. I was waiting from the first minute for Torres to be withdrawn and the Liverpool contingent to have another laugh on his behalf. Without a top class striker we will fail to beat the better sides - without Drogba we have NOTHING defenders can worry about. They handled Oscar, Hazard and Mata better than most this season. These three are going to be our future and already frighten the life out of opposing managers but will be approaching 'burn out' by Christmas because without them we cannot challenge for anything unless we buy that top class striker to ease the pressure on them. Mikel played very well again and Ramires alongside is looking the part. We need 'that Shaktar' player ! Plus Falcao and then we will be talking 'scary' Moses and Marin ( What has happened to him ? He is fit ) can mix it up - and Lampard maybe can show his experience as an impact sub or in the way Fergie handles Giggs. I don't think Sturridge is the answer and as I said last week Torres is not the player we thought he was and is possibly a bigger waste of money than Shevchenko.

We just have to get used to it - this thread is pointless. Anyone can see Torres is not the player Liverpool had in his prime. We were mugged for 50 million end of.

Moses has premiership experience and Marin has not - always a no brainer to me with the likes of Hazard and Oscar adapting. Marin was a cheap buy on his early 'German Messi' billing, what was overlooked by many was his 'injury situation' that has hit his progress and reputation. One wonders if they got a blinding deal with De Bruyne taking the bundeslega by storm !

I do not class Zola to be in this period you are talking about - Saying that, if he is not in your Chelsea team of all time guys you are on another planet ! Cech Ivanovic Carvalho Terry A.Cole Makelele Lampard Essien Mata Drogba Robben

I was brought up with the great 1970 team and Ossie was one of the reasons behind me supporting Chelsea. But we have to get real here. That team won the FA Cup once and the Cup Winners Cup the following season before losing to Stoke in the following seasons League Cup. Zola and co. in 1997/98 equaled that and the 3 Premiership Title's , many FA Cups and Chanpions League HAS to put those boys in the top spots. I agree 100% Didier Drogba deserves not only now but in the future to be regarded as the best Chelsea player of all time. Quite simply without him many of those glorious moments would have not happened. The guy performed like no other Chelsea player when it mattered. Drogba, Lampard and Terry have to be in the top 5 - as do Zola and Osgood. I have a feeling in 10 years time Oscar will break into that group.

The other option is to play as Spain did without a striker as in Euro 2012

Remodez, composure wise I feel Danny snatches at shots, particularly when trying to shift the ball to his favoured left foot thus losing that smooth finish.

Before Moses made his first team debut for Palace he had an outstanding goal every start for England U17 youth set up as a Centre Forward, his raw pace frightening international defences to the max. His development at Palace though less prolific saw him score bicycle kicks and tap in's making the gamble to take him to Wigan a safe one. Of course he has continued that wide birth to produce three excellent Chelsea performances out of the top drawer. He has a lot more pace than Torres, more awareness and composure than Sturridge. With Hazard, Oscar and Mata clearly our best three - I believe adding Moses to a Central role would be breathtaking ...

That referee's still fall for Fergies mind games. The new guys have the quality, belief and determination to succeed as the old guard. We need someone to challenge Torres, Man City have Tevez, Aguero, Balotelli and Dzeko United have Van Persie, Rooney, Hernandez and Wellbeck BRING IN FALCAO AT ALL COSTS ROMAN

We have to tempt Athletico with a January bid. I have a strong feeling the Premiership title is RDM's main objective this season and I am convinced he is the man to finish off the chances created by the likes of Mata, Oscar and Hazard. I am going to be blunt and bold as this text 'FERNANDO TORRES HAS TO BE PART OF THE DEAL' The guy in my mind is a liability when it comes to converting or creating chances and for that reason should play no part in our bright new future. He is at the age and presence of mind when there is only one way to go and that is downhill. I really thought this could be his season with Didier out of the picture. How wrong I was and I am one to admit my mistakes. So should Robbie for pinning his faith in him and not buying the top quality striker we desperately need just because it would upset him. We cannot hide behind his gameplay in a system where we have goals all over the pitch. The old Fernando Torres created goals out of nothing, now as his misses against Spurs and others suggest, he cannot convert when he is given chances on a plate. Athletico would jump at it I am certain, quite how much Torres is worth is anyone's guess but his 50 million price tag makes laughable talk - comparing Tesco's with the local corner shop in a country village. He has been given more slack with Chelsea fans than any player in our history. Yet even Adrian Mutu made more of an impact in our colours. Along with our signing of Shevchenko we were mugged by the selling club for a player admired by Roman. Let's hope the hat rick in the Super Cup Final hurt him enough to feel the same about Falcao.

1 Zola 2 Drogba 3 Lampard 4 Terry 5 Osgood 6 Nevin 7 Cooke 8 Wilkins 9 Chopper Harris 10 Speedie 11 Elliott Who needs a keeper with that lot !

I cannot think of a player in our history who Chelsea fans have supported and wanted to succeed more than Fernando Torres. This season the manager has backed him to such an extent he has bought players to suit his game and discarded the 4-3-3 that was made for the finest striker in our history Didier Drogba. I think when players rely on a 'burst of speed' to find the space they need, when they lose it they have to adapt. This is the stage we are at with Fernando. We have not seen the type of goal he scored against us, the direct run from an angle, the instant acceleration and expert finish. Neither has this been seen on the International stage. I hope I am wrong but I am seeing comparisons with Kerry Dixon here. When Kerry lost that half a yard his workrate increased more than it did when Speedo was doing all his work in his prime. He drifted out wide to get involved and his goals dried up in his later years as a pro, even to the stage when he was not considered for the Chelsea Veterans ! Fernando has players around him who will create chances, Mata, Oscar, Hazard - what he needs to do is stay central and make runs, the same runs he made when he first joined us and he was never delivered the killer ball. He is a goalscorer, make no mistake, but he has lost half a yard and Liverpool knew that when we signed him. The problem for Robbie and Roman is whether the 'Torres Euphoria' every time he plays is good for the team or our quest to win title's. There cannot be any excuses anymore, Lukaku has come off the bench twice and had one full start, 3 goals for West Brom. Sturridge as a centre forward scored plenty for Bolton. Bolton and West Brom are not Chelsea.

The guy cannot do anything right in most people's eyes, he was outstanding in the Champions League but his bad games are highlighted so much. Saying that you have to question,given Essien's excellent performance against Man City - I just wonder if that could be the mistake of the season not Mikel's last night.

I am for the first time going to critisise Fernando - along with Mikel they were the weak links in our side. He gave everything that cannot be questioned but he drifted out wide far too much and looked far from the man we need to convert chances with the likes of Oscar ( now will the disbelievers listen ! ) Hazard and Mata in our ranks. Ok they played 3 at the back - but Torres never once looked like penetrating the lines with a run in between them. As for Mikel - did you see Essien against Man City ????

AVB had the chance to assess the squad in the summer and was aware the club wanted to reduce the age of the squad. He was told to 'wheel and deal' and instead of doing what Jose did and bring the likes of his Porto players to the club to ensure a safe and secure start to life as Chelsea's new boss I'm afraid Davey Boy he decided to take on the likes of Lampard and Ashley Cole in the dressing room to his cost. Chasing Modric to the tune of 40 million and buying Meireles last minute proved his misjudgement of the squad, What he should have done was to be bold from the outset in negotiations and told the board to g o all out for Moutinho and Falcao and built his team around them. If that meant selling Torres or Drogba even Lampard he would have got respect, Instead we got a Clueless manager out of his depth who in my eyes is the best appointment Spurs could have had !

It just shows in reality how clueless AVB was anyway. He had him in his last season at Porto and failed to move for him. In short we could have had him before he went to Athletico.

Think he will end up at Man City but expect Roman to make a move especially if Sturridge signs for Liverpool as expected in January.

My feeling was strong throughout. The asking price was always the stumbling block and Chelsea were never going to pay what Porto wanted.

At least we know 22 million gets Moutinho and he wants a decent wage. We have Mikel, Romeu, Lampard and Ramires capable of being the two holding which is a player for each position so I fail to see that we are 'light' in the department. A little restricted offensively if Lampard and Ramires are out though.

This is not an AVB situation guys, RDM knows exactly what to do and I predict a solid winning reaction at QPR next time out. Firstly let me say this final on transfer deadline day was always going to cause dressing room and managerial upheaval. Daniel Sturridge as Malouda, Beneyoun and Essien was not originally named in the squad for the game. I know for absoulutel certain Danny Sturridge was wanted as a direct replacement for Andy Carrol at Liverpool. Chelsea agreed to a loan deal though providing we could agree a deal for a striker on deadline day and this is why along with Essien he travelled to Monaco. Chelsea were negotiating for Remy before the Champions League draw as it became clear Porto and Bayer were not going to play ball over Hulk and Schurrie, this after Sturridge refused a new contract and told Chelsea he wanted a move to Liverpool. RDM agreed to let Essien on loan when Gourlay and co. failed to compromise with West Ham over Beneyoun. The mooted move by Arsenal was correct but Chelsea knew of Jose's interest and preferred the move to Real Madrid as did Michael for that matter. Sturridge was then placed on the subs bench late on with Essien and Malouda left out of the squad even though they travelled. The reason being Chelsea in desperation for the signing of Remy offered Malouda in part exchange - then loan. This to the point Gigi Salmon on Chelsea TV was holding out for news for at the time Chelsea intended keeping Sturridge and signing Remy late in the day. So what I am saying is just maybe the squad lost focus a little on the game and RDM was making decisions on deadline day whilst preparing for the game - hardly helpful don't you all think ? My only conclusion from what was an awful performance all over the pitch is that Ramires should never play in the three behind Torres. Ok he did well in the Nou Camp and other games in emergency on the right but he is a box to box player with terrific lungs to get up and down and must be in the two in front of our defence. Quite where that leaves Lampard and Mikel is anyone's guess but Romeu and Meireles must be licking their lips in anticipation. As for Ivanovic he looks sluggish in this system and like Bosingwa before him gets caught up the pitch far too often. Call me mad but I would like Luiz right back and JT alongside Cahill at QPR with Mata, Oscar and Hazard behind Torres. As for Sturridge I want him out of Chelsea in January and I am certain RDM feels the same. Get behind Robbie lads - he won us the Champions League and saved our existence !

We have signed someone - will be announced live on Chelsea TV before midnight according to link via Sky - but that is Sky for you !