BaneIvanovic

World class means that you're the best or amongst the best (ie. top 5) in your position, which Hulk is not (you may think so, but the general consensus would be that if one was asked to name the best 5 wingers in the world, he wouldn't be on that list. I don't see why stats have that much of a bearing because football isn't played on paper and it's easy to do well vs the likes of Rio Ave, Leira, Setabul etc when the standard of the Portuguese League is poor an nowhere near the quality that Valencia comes up in the Prem, Lavezzi plays in Serie A (could go on, but you get the point).I'm not saying I'm saying he's gonna fail. My point about the Hulk transfer from the beginning was that he was overhyped/overrated, not a neccessity to the team, would cost too much and the money spent on him could be used more sensibly on other aspects of the side.

So you're telling me you think £38m for Hulk is a good deal?I don't think there's a Chelsea fan out there that can say that represents value for money or a quality deal. For what it's worth, Lavezzi just turned 27 and Hulk will be 26 in July so there really isn't that much of a difference in terms of age too. Just saying.

I think you've misunderstood. I was saying there are players in the Portuguese League who haven't been able to do well in stronger leagues yet have done well in the Portuguese League (for instance, Aimar, Javí Garcia and Saviola at Benfica) and there have also been transfers of players from the Port. Leauge that have been flops/unsuccesful abroad (Cissokho, Quaresma, Lucho etc).I'm not doubting Hulk has ability it's just my point is that he's nowhere near worth £38m, and most likely never will be, which is why this transfer strikes me as weird (if it were to go through) as it wasn't needed.

Please stop. Please. As much as it pains me to say this and praise Utd, Valencia is heads and shoulders above anyone else at RW in the Prem (Hulk included, if he is joining us). Also, I noticed in the first post I quoted that Nani was somehow an elite winger and in the bracket of Robben etc despite being on the bench for a good part of this season, yet Tony doesn't make that bracket when he's been incredibly influential to Utd since his return from that leg break he had.Hulk isn't world class and we'll have to agree to disagree about the Lavezzi>Hulk argument. I don't think asking me why the board picked Hulk over Lavezzi is a sensible arguement because I'd counter with why did the board think that blowing £38m on Hulk was neccesary when whilst where hitting that ball park, in terms of price, we could get Cavani, Higuain if we want a big name ST or why wasn't that money more sensibly invested into transfer targets in other areas of the side (Namely RB, CB, and to an extent, CM)

He's been horrific for Real Madrid. If you're gonna go about it that way, you can also name names of players who've gone from the Portuguese League abroad and have flopped or that players that have flopped in stronger leagues have gone to the Portguese League and are starts there. The fact of the matter is that it's the Iberian SPL as Benfica and Porto are, by far, the two strongest sides in the league there (Sporting have been mediocre for a while now) ergo they have the best sides in that league and I'm sure you can connect the rest of the dots

She sells seashells on the sea shore.

Lewandowski/Kerzakhov but from the favourite sides, Torres. Gomez won't start for Germany, RvP will probably play outwide because Huntelaar is the better striker for the Dutch National Team.

Antonio Valencia is the best RW in the Premierleague so I really don't know what you're on about. Hulk is definitely not miles ahead of Lavezzi. How much of Lavezzi/Napoli/Serie A have you watched (just out of curiosity)? Ditto to how much of Hulk have you seen? This is the same Lavezzi that tore us apart at Naples and looked dangerous at the Bridge. Lavezzi has consitently been putting in good stats (12 assists and 10 goals on average since his arrival at Napoli) in the same period where Hulk really has only had two good seasons (ie his last two, with the AVB Porto season being his breakthrough season). Lavezzi has shown he is more than capable of cutting it at a higher level and has done so consistently in Serie A as opposed to Hulk who's had two seasons in the Portuguese League and whenever he's given a chance to show the world what he can do (ie. in the CL) he never turns up. Lavezzi over Hulk anyday.

I'd take those stats with a pinch of salt in all honesty when you're playing in the Portuguese League and are playing for a side that has dominated that league for a while now.My two cents - if we were going for a RW (which I don't think we should be) then someone like Lavezzi would fit the bill better than Hulk (although a RW really wasn't neccesary as we have Marin but oh well.

Funnily enough, he's nowhere near worth £38m for starters. The next is that he's not a necessary signing and I would rather have Marin start (as that's what we signed him for) than shelling out over the odds money for some Brazilian bloke who can hack it in the Portuguese League (for the best team in the Portuguese League) yet when he comes up against good opposition, he becomes anonymous.Oh, and he's not incredible

Yeah, his No.1

Would rather see £38m be chucked in a stove than it to be spent on Hulk

In short, no. The players leaving us have alleviated a fair bit of our wage bill and the amount of money we made from winnnig the CL means that, iirc, we're close to breaking even this year (or on course to do so next year). Also, big clubs will always find loopholes for the FFP so it'll be no problem.

Good finish. Lovely misplacement of the pass by Mata in the build up

Just had a chance to look through the past few pages and I'd thought I'd chip in to somethings. Hulk article by the telegraph - I'd be surprised if that story wasn't made up because no other sources have confirmed a similar story AND I wouldn't be surprised if the article was based on Hulk's agent's tweet about a possible transfer to Chelsea. Hazard's conduct - completely blown out of proportion, as is done often in the British media. I mean they were bloody non-events that have no indication on what type of person/player the guy is. Also, with regards to his wages, I haven't seen the story direct from L'Équipe so I dunno the full contents of the article but he's alleged contract is to average 100k p/w post tax (so 170k p/w raw). If it's 100k p/w raw, that's great stuff but either way I don't think that should have a real bearing as we've cleared our wage bill quite vastly with the departures of Kalou (:(), Bosingwa and Drogba

--------------------Cech--------------------------- ---Ivanovic-----Luiz------Terry/Cahill----Cole ------------Mikel-----------Rambo------------ Marin---------------Mata-------------Hazard ---------------------Torres---------------------- Promote Kakuta to the 1st team as a squad player and would provide natural width - one of the few players at the club that we have that do it, keep KDB as he can play AMC and AML when needed (ie. Carling Cup games, early FA Cup games, CL group games) and is an option for rotation when Mata/Hazard/Marin need a rest. Lampard will get less game time, sadly, but will still be a very good option to have off the bench/play the big games. Outs - Lukaku (loan), McEachran (loan), Essien, Paulo, Turbull. Ins - VDW (or someone of that level to be a backup to Ivanovic), Ricky Van Wolfswinkel or Giroud (as another striking option - ie. rotation) Wouldn't mind if we get in cheeky bids for Javí Martínez, Wilian and Lucas though

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/video...tbal/1.1313570 - National coach about being late for training: 'He made a mistake, he needs to buy the champagne tonight. For the whole team. He made a mistake, okay, he needs to give back to the team. Kompany will choose the champagne'. - Fellaini comments: "Great choice from Hazard. Chelsea is a big club. They're the champions of Europe. But Hazard needs to answer the rest of the questions. - Hazard said: 'Je parle pas' -> 'I don't talk'. - Hazard will talk after England - Belgium and first on Chelsea TV. - National coach: 'After Wembley, he'll go to London, do his medical and after that there will be a press conference.' - National coach again: 'I don't have a problem with Hazard twittering. He promised to announce which club, he did. No problem.' I highly, highly doubt he's going elsewhere tbh, especially with the above being said. This leaves us needing a RB and ST (squad players) and we're pretty much sorted for the coming season. Also, if I had to pick between Lucas Moura and Hulk (ie. buying them) I'd go for Lucas every day of the year.

Shreeves is too busy telling members Utd and City that he will not be taking his talents to Manchester

'Eden Hazard has announced that he is set to sign for Chelsea. The 21-year-old Lille playmaker will join the newly crowned European champions for £32m on a five‑year deal worth £100,000 a week after tax. The Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, who does not have a permanent manager at the club, drove the purchase personally, in what is a stunning statement of intent.' Quote from the Guardian Article regarding the transfer - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/28/chelsea-eden-hazard-lille

I don't think his wages will be more than 150k p/w - I mean, the papers were reporting 100k, 170k and 200k p/w so y'know we'll wait and see but I don't see it as a problem as we don't give out silly wages any more and the fact that Drogba's leaving, along with Kalou and Bosingwa has definitely left room in the wage bill (Essien and Malouda must be taking pay cuts if they're staying beyond 2013).

Given we still have Malouda and Essien in our books, he's a squad player at least. He's got enough quality to be a starter and he's probably one of a few 'natural' wingers in our side now. He's better than Kalou (and I love Kalou)

Marin can play on the right.I'm guessing, if we play 4-2-3-1 the 3 will be Hazard-Mata-Marin but nobody will be fixed to their position and there will be constant shuffling and roaming by them. That being said, Hazard is incredibly dangerous when cutting inside onto his right foot.

The Brazilians (or their media in fact) aren't that pleased with his attitude. By attitude I mean his workrate - ie. he is very lazy on the pitch - which is something you can't afford to have.I understand why Sturridge gets stick, however, he flourished on loan at Bolton and was f**king immense under AVBs system (which gave him leeway to not have to be a two way player and do some defensive work at times) so to say Hulk has done a better job isn't the best comparison because you're comparing a player who's at his peak (or near enough to it) with a young player who is full of potential and has so much to learn. Hulk hasn't been as good this season as he was under AVB even though he's been the focal point of the Porto side with the departure of Falcao. My point of the matter is that Hulk isn't a neccesity now and isn't worth the £35m or whatever the reported prices are

I'd probably have Marin on the right and drop Ramires to CM. I'd also have Kakuta on as a squad player (ie. for roatation, CC games, FA Cup games vs Lower opposition and the odd CL game vs the likes of Genk and Zilina) meaning we'd have good depth out wide, at CM, at CB and at LB leaving the RB, ST spots with room for backups. Also, I still dunno how Turnbull is at our club

Yeah, I heard the papers saying we're after him for around £8m which would be fantastic (if he's ok with being a backup, as I think he's too good to be one but hey ho if he's good with that so are we). I think Lukaku needs a loan spell, tbh, and I think having 3 ST options is always safer than 2 especially given Sturridge's versatility which means he can play wide. I'd have a go at getting Ricky Van Wolfswinkel from Sporting. Hulk and Sturridge are very similar players. Both don't track back, both have a good left foot and both operate at a shoot-first policy of playing. Hulk is a selfish player who has a poor attitude and whilst his dribbling can get him round fullbacks and defenders in the Portuguese League it won't be the same on a higher level. Just look at him when he faces a decent full back who can defend and is positionally astute - Hulk goes anon (look at this years CL games and the EL games vs Citeh). I'd prefer to have Sturridge over Hulk because in Sturridge you have an abundance of talent that just requires words in his ears as to pass more often and he's great whereas paying over the odds money for an overrated Brazilian bloke is not the way forward. Given we've got Hazard, I don't expect another 'big name' signing for the remainder of the season, to be frank, and can see us getting another RB and maybe ST so that we've got strength in depth everywhere.