BaneIvanovic

So of the people you've mentioned, we have ... Lampard - 35 years old, doesn't have the legs nor is he defensively minded hence would need another player alongside him that'll hold Ramires - Poor end to last season and isn't really suited to playing in a 2 man midfield and isn't good enough defensively. Essien - Not the player he once was, doesn't have the physicality nor the passing ability to play the holding role effectively and wouldn't be a starter in any case. Romeu - Not proven and is coming off of a long layoff. Isn't an improvement on Mikel and would probably need to seek a loan move to progress as a player. Luiz - A CB who I think is a poor midfield option especially in the bigger games/against the top end sides. Chalobah - Could do a job and feature but is only young so a loan move might be in the best interests of the club and Nate. Oscar - Could be dropped deeper but would need a defensive man next to him because I still think his strengths lie in being a prominent figure in attacking the opponents final 1/3. De Bruyne - See above as it pretty much applies to KdB too. So, yes we do have midfielders but it's not the rosy situation that you're trying to paint out. Just picture any two of these midfielders being our starting central midfielders for a 50+ game season in which we'd be looking to mount a serious title challenge and juggle doing well in Europe.

Yeah, I can I dread to think about our midfield if we don't get in a DM. This is just such a stupid move, totally unneccesary - even if we bring in a DM, Mikel should be kept on rotantional purposes as he's vastly superior to Essien and Romeu (Ramires and Lampard can't play that role) - so we're basically losing a player in the part of our side that was already wafer thin in terms of numbers. Cracking logic.

Well, it looks like he's off :( What a shambles. "I'm very pleased with Galatasaray's offer. I have played at Chelsea for a long time and it's now time for me to leave. I asked Drogba for advice & he told me that Istanbul is a fantastic city, that Gala is a huge club & that I have to make the move. I'm still only 26 and it's great to receive an offer from a club playing CL football and doing well in the competition. Talks have reached an advanced level between CFC/Gala. CFC wont make the move difficult. Regarding my salary there wont be a problem. All that is left is for the clubs to reach an agreement."

Well, he's laughing with all the medal's he collected along the way.

Ugh. I can't bear to think about the possibility that the waste of oxygen will be wasting a spot on the bench and will be on a handsome £175k p/w whilst doing benchwarming duties.

To be fair, BILD are fairly accurate when it comes to transfer news and stuff like that but I've not been able to find this story on their (BILD) website so I call BS too.

It wasn't Barry though, it was Yaya. Every single game, too. I understand Barry's purpose though because without him remaining stationary as a holding midfielder, it doesn't give Touré the licence to roam up the pitch.

I don't think Barry's bullied anything in his life.

I'd keep Mata, pretty much a no-brainer. (But both are staying despite Marca's/AS'/Mundo's etc efforts to say otherwise)

There were elements of luck in the assembly of that side as that 92 youth generation that produced Giggs, Scholes, Beckham, Butt, the Nevilles is one of those blessed generations that only come once in God knows how long (Like Barca's players born in 87). As many have mentioned above, Ferguson paid vast amounts for some of his British/English lot which have reaped the rewards in some cases but haven't in others. Buying domestically (ie. English/British) ensures that you're overpaying for these types of players and frankly, why pay such amounts if you can get better talents in from abroad and for cheaper? We've certainly had our share of English players in the sides down the years so it's not as if we've neglected such buys but I feel that we shouldn't be going to great lengths to ensure that there are a certain amount of English players in the side. If they're good enough, they'll make an appearance in the first team but if we're being honest I know that I'd rather spend £18m on a Schurrle than £15m on a Zaha.

They could but they'd not play the role anywhere near as well as Alonso would. Passing up on a proven, world class midfielder in Alonso who has been a key figure for his national team and club side would be naive*. *This is all hypothetical though as the likelihood of him coming to Chelsea is very slim.

He would significantly improve this side.

I would take Alonso in a hearbeat, obviously, but would steer right clear of Parker. £25m for Cesc? How and why would that happen. Even if you look at simple numbers, why would Barca sell him for a loss despite him entering his peak years.

Alonso coming is a fantasy. Scott Parker has deteriorated as a footballer in the past 18 months. Or, better put, his severe deficiencies in his game have been more evident in this time span which have shown why he should be nowhere near a top 4 side (or a side having aspirations of being a top 4 side). Oh, and he's turning 33 this year. If Mikel was to be sold, we should be looking to get £17-20m for him

Because there is no need to get rid of Mikel - as he's the best DM we have at the club - and we lack depth in that particular position. Oh, and £13m is nothing.

No, no we wouldn't.

His job's not to score. Pretty sure Maka only scored once, and that was the last game of our 1st title winning Mourinho year when we got a 90th min pen vs Charlton and he scuffed it but slotted the rebound away.

I seemed to have missed the memo about how performances vs Tahiti are a barometer as to how good you are. The Nigerians arrived today and look fatigued/jet-lagged and it took them 70 odd minutes to take the game semi seriously.

In fairness, that was more injury related as opposed to just a sudden erosion of the player's ability as has been the case with Sneijder and Torres

Sneijder can jog on, tbh. Mourinho simply cannot bring back his 2010 form. His decline is probably the only thing remotely similar to Torres' one.

Players like Pardo, Oli Torres, Veloso etc are what I'd quantify as such picks and my original point stands about the majority of them not being actual defensive midfielders - nor are they particularly realistic. A whole host of them are primarily deep-lying playmakers or different types of CMs that aren't primarily defensive minded which isn't what we should be looking for as long term KdB or Oscar could eventually drop deeper and be Lampard's successor(s).

Half of them aren't even defensive midfielders, and a lot of them sound like FM/FIFA picks - imo.

And? I was just replying to the 'pulling the strings' part. Yes Thiago and Illarramendi have been great but Isco's been their standout player and most influential

Isco's created more chances than anyone else at the tourament

Brazil's best player on the park ... again.