Star

Yeah just caught that :angry:

Guys, those debating the Sturridge in or not should be looking at AVB's pre-season more closely. I may be wrong but Sturridge at this moment in a 4-3-3 can only get in right sided because we have no other right sided/winger in the squad. Anelka and Kalou are options but neither for me are as good as Sturridge in that position or have the ability to cut in on their left with confidence in the way great players do. (Thinking Messi here!) Centre Forwards are perm any one from three, Torres, Drogba or Anelka. Those saying Sturridge should go on loan on that basis are correct in my mind. It's the same in a 4-2-3-1 ... Sturridge has to be part on the squad in the right of the three to provide pace and width. This will all change if we buy a quality right winger/right sided player - if we don't we will win nothing this season of note, talking Premiership or Champions League here. United have Nani, Valenciia and Young. City have had Mancini only saying yesterday Johnson's injury last season cost them big time mid season. Spurs have Lennon yet along with Arsenal are going for Mata. I'm not saying Spurs or Arsenal will be threats, just saying the right sided player is a key role in World Football and we have no player in our squad that really is an out and out player in that category. We should have been in early for the likes of Sanchez, it didn't need a pre-season evaluation of our squad to know that, the 'kin squad list on Chelsea's website says that! Gourlay is really getting on my tits, it's obvious AVB and Roman have identified targets in that position, Mata, Hazard are possibiilties, he needs to get on with his job rather than flirting with the media in Asia.

All I can say is that the guy who had all in the time in the world for him as a kid at City 'Kevin Keegan' has said all along his best position was on the right of a front three, causing teams trouble with his speed, skill, an ability to cut in and hit the target from anywhere. What we saw at Bolton, was the ability to pick the ball up from deep and worry the life out of defenders. His goal per. start ratio is 'right up there' He is ready, good enough for a start, a must for our first team squad this season and 'kin miles better than Kalou!

One of Gourlay's two signings in the next ten days

Reports coming out of Arsenal tonight are that Cesc Fabregas is torn about leaving Arsenal knowing that he is not a guaranteed starter at Barcelona, meanwhile Sami Nasri is refusing to sign his latest contract offer. Knowing that Nasri can leave on a free next season, forget the mind games Wenger might play, there is no way the 'Golders Green' side of the Arsenal board will turn down a huge bid if contracts are not signed soon. For me, Nasri and Sneijder are the only two players that would be the perfect foil for Torres. Age wise Nasri fits the bill more and I could see him and Josh tormenting defences for years to come. Modric at 35 million is a joke in my opinion. He is a good player, but I know plenty of Spuds fans who reckon he isn't all that he's cracked up to be. To me he is a bit like Beneyoun but not as good as a young Beneyoun at West Ham. Nasri however is loved by every gooner I know and the vast majority would gladly lose Fabregas and keep him given a choice in the ideal world. With City ready to take aim, I believe we should fire in a 38 million offer to make Arsenal think.

Not sure about Honda, but I agree with the rest .... A certain Wesley S at Inter is my one and only choice as the door unlocker ! Played in a World Cup final and a Champions League Winner ... 25 enough said.

My take is pretty clear on this one. the club saw attacking options when Drogba retires of Torres, Neymar, Lukaku and Aquero with Sturridge thrown in. Out of this world on paper, but like the game is played on grass, our negotiating tactics must be considered different to our competitors. Maybe inept and without conviction. AVB will fancy Lukaku, but he has enough on his plate integrating his current centre forwards to worry about signing him. However, the option of buying and loaning back or to the likes of Bolton would be my choice. Otherwise he will end up at Arsenal and cause us problems for years to come! Will flirted with Torres as we did Aquero at Athletico and we have done with Neymar. When Torres signed for Liverpool I was slightly stunned and disapointed. They moved in, got him with the minimum of fuss. I felt the same with Aquero, we have made bids in the past though in this case, yet in come City - done in a matter of days. Neymar, once made available will go to Barcelona or Real Madrid, job will be done in days too. We are really desperate to get a creative midfielder and a winger or two. As all the options out wide go, only Hazard left ? We get in a money debate as we did Ramiires, Luiz and Torres and let us not forget when we was done (thankfully!) by City for Robinho. AVB is being cute, keeping current players on his side, but I'd bet everything I have got, knowing his attention to detail and tactics, he already knows and the club know who he wants. Sanchez 23 million to Barca' was a snip, we however, will pay through the nose for either Pastore or Modrc and take it to the wire, when Wesley at Inter cards on the table can be purchased for 35 million! Let's also not forget City will be buying more players, we needed to act when their eye was on Aquero, but what was we doing ? Negotiating a deal for our keeper to go to Athletico! We seem to be great in getting rid or loaning out players within days of deciding. But when it comes to buying we seem to get stuck in the mud!

I have had it on good authority that he is on his way to Arsenal for 14 million. Mate works at Sky. :unsure:

That's what I thought, but after watching the re-run of yesterday's match we definately played it second half. With the chances of us not signing a winger at close to odds on, .......................... Drogba .................................. Pastore ............ Modric .............. Sturridge......... ................Ramires ............. Lampard.......................... Somehow I cannot see how we will sign both though ....

It's a flexible 4-3-3 that to me plays out at 4-2-3-1, AVB is a tactical master so width is created by the wide players in the middle 3 at times, when reverting to 4-3-3 the full backs get forward. He talks a lot about the NO6 role as well. Think it is more to do with not having an out and out winger in our squad than his Porto way, see what the transfer market brings ...

When you consider Liverpool have bought Suarez, Henderson, Adam, Downing and Carroll off the sale of Torres, they are perhaps in a better position. However, only Suarez of the above would get near our squad. As for Torres's form, well look at today - with confidence he would have got on the end of Danny Sturridge's cross and scored. For me, on tour so far Torres has performed as he did last season for us. I am certainally not writing him off, only a fool would, but he has to realize he is at Chelsea and we have bigger and better players than he had at Liverpool and like Spain he is no certainty to start unless he starts proving by goals that he is back to his serious best. A Torres from two years ago had the pace to get by a defender and score by himself without a bleedin' through ball let's not forget that. Sturridge was brilliant today, made his own goal and his movement was top drawer. I believe if we do not sign a winger, AVB wiil go Malouda, Drogba, Sturridge at Stoke.

Can't remember much but standing on a box toward the corner of the bottom of the old East Stand adjacent to the Shed. Season ticket holder with my dad early to mid seventies in old West Stand, briefly the benches ( concrete one's ) but the Shed eventually all the time 1980 onward. Whitewall in the main, Tea Bar sometimes. Hope to be a season ticket holder in 2012, looks like we will be living in Hammersmith this time next year.

I think this really sums up the ludicrous situation AVB has been put into. Adam Johnson was the homegrown player we should have signed from Middlesbrough when we signed the hopeless Turnbull. The club knew that the homegrown rule was coming into play and though I haven't got the time to work out 'our current squad situation I would guess the homegrown situation is holding things up with regard to movements in. 25 players, 20 staff and 83 other personnel went on tour. We are now half way through pre-season and if anything is clear it's we are going to play 4-3-3, AVB played this at Porto and has so far. I like the way AVB gets off his seat on the touchline, the way the notes are scribbled by Di Matteo and Holland. I am confident tacticly we are in good hands, I really hope he is given time to build a dynasty. He isn't going to pair Drogba and Torres pre-season says as much as the stringent, though more flexible than Carlo's 4-3-3. We just have not got a wide man with enough quality to match the rest of Europe. Until we do, no manager will deliver the European Cup to Roman's door. Let's face it, Sanchez at 23 million was a snip in today's market, good luck to Barcelona they will be unstoppable for years to come in my opinion. Meanwhile we get a kiddy who let's face it again would have been kept if likely to be the successor to Xavi or Iniesta. Aquero signing for City was a killer for me, he could adapt to a 4-3-3 no problem. Hazard, Pastore, Modric, Lukalu have all been linked, we know that Romelu the kiddy from Barca' is one of Gourlay's two signings in the next ten days. I hate to say it but Liverpool look a lot stronger for selling Torres. Red Nose has played a blinder in signing Jones, a player I highlighted last season as THE homegrown player every top club should be looking at. With Smalling and getting rid of the donkeys in 0'Shea and Brown, adding Young and the snip in Hernandez we are up against it. I just hope AVB has a an unearthed winger in mind and an alternative to Modric planned.

I knew of him in the early 80's ... I think he was on the England scene at the time. .The chant' Eccles is our leader' springs to mind. Or 'Icky' A flying jacket and goggles ring a bell, my memory may be a bit hazy but Bolton away when Walker saved us he tried to kick off.

The game went it went mental was in the 80/81 season. We used to always win at Cambridge, in the main 1-0, as you say Pop Robson scored the winner once, Gary Johnson seems to ring a bell as well. From the walk from to the station there was a sort of park thing with a concrete tunnel that was a nightmare leading to the terraces about six steps high at our end. It kicked off long before we got in the ground not there, but on the road leading to the Cambridge end. When we got to the ground the turnstiles were jammed with Chelsea and they let us all in because it was by then kicking off outside their end. Think the gate was declared as 8,000 or so, it was complete bollox. We were jammed in like sardines and loads of Chels climbed floodlight pilons and were standing on top of the stand to the left of us. It was typical of the East at that time, was once at Norwich and they crammed thousands of us in that poxy end next to the Barclay End with wire separating us from them. It was Micky Greenaway superb in the stand on the left always singing but never in our bit, it was hillsborough waiting to happen. Back on subject, I'd say West Ham by a country mile as the scariest both home and at pikeypark. Cardiff away and once at Newcastle make up my top 3.

Remember going up there shortly after Milllwall tore the plastic seats out at Luton. We were in the terraces below and Chels' tore out the seats above and missed the pitch by 'kin miles!

The most I've ever seen before a game at a Chelsea away game in my life. The wall went shortly after Kerry headed the winner if I remember correctly, Sheff Wed slipped up at Cardiff and we were champions .... Been trying to catch a video of this game for ages ....

I was there, could be forgiven for being the cameraman! Was sitting in the stand facing play as per. the video. Had a look a your 'you tube' site mate, top stuff and great memories of when we took thousands away!!

John Coady, early eighties, from Ireland, scored against QPR once if I remember, played about 7 or 8 games then went home ?

Young Brazilians are always going to be a risk, especially in the Premier League. I cannot see Manchester City taking a risk, given what happened with Robinho. AVB in turn, seems pretty intent in making transfer decisions, something not every Chelsea Manager in Roman's reign have had the balls to do. The trouble is, the next Pele is always around the corner and history says the high majority flatter to deceive. Neymar looks the real deal. I guess Luiz and Ramires will know better than most, with our Brazilian connections and restaurant down the Fulham Road we must be in with a chance. AVB however, is going to access the squad. He will know already what we need, his attention to detail is immense, thus a creative midfielder and a pacey wideman are going to be on his wishlist for certain. I strongly believe the decisions made regarding Drogba, Anelka and Malouda will determine the final targets as the August deadline nears, in the same way we need to act quickly to integrate players before the first game of the season at Stoke. AVB will be close to Spanish football, given his time in Portugal. It is also is natural for Managers to try and settle themselves in at high profile clubs with players they trust and know will bring a new dimension to the team. In this case however, AVB knows the players at Chelsea, for that reason I would say Drogba will stay, why would we then need any Porto striker ? Anelka and Malouda for me are the most likely players to move on. Not really part of Jose's regime, thus no contact with AVB in the past. Aquero for me, has to be in his plans. Argentinians historically adapt to English Football. Sanchez is another possibility, not because his is Chilean but Robbie's eye for Italian football could come into play. As for a creative force. Josh will get his chance, but is not ready for Champions League Football. AVB needs to go a long way in the competition, let's not kid ourselves. Is Modric the answer ? Was Modric on the radar before AVB arrived ?? Personally I feel Modric is not. Sami Nasri, Wesley Sjneider .... is Thiago at Barcelona too young ? Whatever happens, this transfer window is gonna be a 'yellow bar' sky sports couple of months for Chelsea fans again!

A masterstroke by AVB and for Robbie to take a step down from management proves his love ( not that it should ever be questioned ) for Chelsea FC. We have a great management team in place, AVB was my choice ahead of Hiddink from the outset and the appointment of Stevie Holland is also an astute addition. Holland worked with Dario Gradi at Crewe, old time Chelsea fans will remember the influence Dario had at Chelsea in the old days. I read somewhere Gradi saying Holland was brilliant with bringing kids through there, thus Josh might get more game time this season. I really hope AVB is given time, there is no doubting his qualities or Robbie's for that matter.

As I said the other day there has been stupid money for Uncle Harry. Its gonna be Hiddink on Monday next week with Van Basten No2 - will be abroad on honeymoon so will see if my ton on Hiddink at 5/1 comes up !

This is only a rumour, but it has come from within the Club, a guy that works in the Megastore department! it's all over the corridors at the Bridge today that Guss Hiddink will be our new manager and Marco Van Basten will be our new coach. it kinda explains Ray Wilkins sudden departure, to bring a replacement in like Van Basten then would have under minded Carlo more than sacking Wilkins himself. also suggests the knives were out for Carlo long before our season went tits up, that is a disgrace in my opinion - a Dutch conspiracy with Arneson heavily involved ?

There is absolutely no chance of Aquero signing for Real Madrid. The hatred between the two sets of fans which I witnessed at first hand in Madrid when Aquero bagged a couple against us in the Champions League will see to that. Much like when Torres left them for Liverpool, his statement today will see him coming to England. We have been in for Aquero in the past, as we have The pull of playing with his fellow countryman and the wages City pay will be the defining factor if they go in for him. City for me are odds on to get Alexis Sanchez, a player we desperately need in my opinion. To lose out on one player wouldn't be a disaster, but for City to get both, our Premiership chances next season will go up in smoke before the season has started and any manager Chelsea get will be under pressure and facing the bullet before the season ends. That's why I believe the Carlo decision was taken swiftly and correctly in that respect so we can go about planning our player in's and out's swiftly and ahead of our competition. We have been persistent in our attempts to sign Aquero, I hope the Manager situation ( ie waiting for Hiddink !!! ) doesn't get in the way of a crucial summer re-building tweak !