venom2011

I admire your optimism but I don't think Kalas, in his 2 appearances, has really proven anything. Let's look around at the CB options at 3 other clubs this season: Man U: Evans Vidic Ferdinand Smalling Jones City: Demichelis Kompany Lescott Nastastic Pool: Agger Skrtel Flanagan Sakho Toure Those are all proper options, with good experience and who can be relied upon to play at least 15 games. If we go into the season with Kalas and Zouma as backup, we will regret it as soon as there's any injury. They have no top level experience. CB is not a position i think Jose will gamble with.

If we sell Luiz and Terry has a lengthy injury we're down to 2 senior players, one of whom is not a regular in the position. It will depend on whether Jose thinks he can get by with Kalas and another youngster who has barely played this season. I know I wouldn't be confident with such inexperienced backup.

Asked about Mangala, Mourinho added: "We can't. We signed [Kurt] Zouma [for £12.5m], who is even younger and a comparable figure." Porto are a selling club. They will try to flog him off to Russia for £40 million. But at a decent price, quite a bit lower than than what we will get for Luiz, he is a top buy.

Wouldn't mind him at the club (if the price is right) purely because he will add experience and efficiency to our attack. But I'd prefer three bona fide strikers. He's not someone anyone should trust to lead the line especially in this league. I do agree that we need a versatile option like that - Suarez, Rooney, Aguero - who can contribute well in all attacking positions, but don't think Lavezzi is that guy.

I think it simply boils down to nobody in the attacking band besides Hazard and Eto (arguable) being anywhere near clinical. Mourinho has spoken of his frustrations at the little things that seem to go wrong at the end of a move. A wrong choice, poor movement, poor finish etc. All have been guilty, even Hazard, but this is not strange given the quality and level of experience of our options. It would naturally improve even without new signings, but add a quality finisher or two and we'll be dynamite next season.

As can Schurrle...

That's a fair argument. Schurrle is older and has much more top level experience but on pure ability alone I greatly admire Salah's qualities. I've wanted him here from the moment I saw him in a Basel shirt. He is technically strong which combined with his pace makes him a serious threat. I wouldn't worry about his output just yet given his lack of experience. Schurrle though I've always seen as a more efficient Ramires - a work horse, with average technical ability but with clever movement and finishing.

Expressing an opinion is different to arguing an alternative viewpoint. If you're going to quote me and argue a point then the least you can do is provide sufficient reasoning.

Add that to Hazard creating 92 chances - highest in the league I think. Bodes well for next season.

Yeah, but not 4 strikers who are essentially same. I can't see all three in the squad next season. Right now I'd take Mandzukic over Lukaku on ability alone but he and Costa are similar so that counts in Lukaku's favour. Either way we're much better off than in the last few seasons so I couldn't really care which way the club decides to go.

Solid, well-constructed argument.

At the end of the day if some team are offering £30 million for a centre back who is better suited to a midfield role but doesn't score and plays the odd amazing pass, then you grab with both hands. Sure this is an oversimplification of what he offers, and I will always appreciate him giving 100% whenever he's played, but replacing him with a midfielder/defender valued (fairly) at £30 million will ultimately improve the team.

Would he want another year? I think Jose underutilized him this season - for whatever reason - and he could easily be 1st choice at a few top clubs.

Is Lukaku on this forum?

His name is Barkley, Ross Barkley. I'd be very happy with Costa, Remy (after Arsenal medical), Barkley, and a LB. Sell Luiz, Mikel, Ba and loan Torres. Done and done.

I honestly don't mind what he does as long as he stays out of trouble with the FA. The thing about guys like Costa and Suarez is that the always give 100%. Would take that over someone like Balotelli any day.

If. Paying close to Hazard's fee for anything other than the best left back in the world is ridiculous.

Something even Loki would struggle to do.

Was feeling amped for next season and then this. Thanks Jose :'(

Agreed. Wanted him last season. A poor man's Toure (which Is not a bad thing) with the capability to get better as he grows in to the league. He is a complete midfielder, coming into his prime, who can contribute well in the final third - the exact profile of the player needed to partner Matic. I'm a sucker for seeing two powerhouses in the middle of the park. Seeing Matic and Luiz together just reignited that desire.

Why? Because you have decided that's how all players should be judged? Every single club buy factors in a hypothetical scenario of the future quality of a player. Luke Shaw for 25mil? 'No thanks, he's done nothing.'

I seriously rate Willian. And it's not about what he's done but what he's CAPABLE of doing. In this first season he has shown glimpses but I fully expect his output to improve just purely because that is what Jose wants as well. I see a guy with great technical ability and work ethic (pretty strong for his frame as well) and that with some adjustment to his mentality and decision making, will become an absolute beast for this club. The Willian you see now might not be worth 30mil, but the Willian I believe he'll become can be worth more.

Oh my. What have these professionals been doing all this time? Low. Hard. Corner. Goal. So simple.

Yes. They do have their moments when everything clicks but by and large have relied on magical moments from Aguero, Toure, Silva, Nasri etc. For a team with such talent - and more importantly these players are in their prime - to just about sneak 2* league titles only serves to highlight my point. City should have strolled the league during these last three seasons.

It's very obvious what Jose wants. We've seen a slight evolution of the game again. Physical domination, technical domination and work rate. A team that exemplifies all these areas, and has the requisite quality across the board, will be dominant. Someone like Matic ticks all the boxes, whereas someone like Mata, as good as he is, only ticks one. It is no surprise that Atletico is having a stellar season because of this philosophy (Dortmund at their peak as well) and ultimately I think it's close to what Jose wants us to be. Man City are about the closest in the league to this philosophy but they're far too individualistic and will never properly dominate. Looking forward to a massive season coming up.