Rafael Benítez tells Ryan Babel's agent he is free to leave Liverpool

Would he be a worthwhile signing (depending on the fee)? I think he would, I know he's got a tendency to run down blind alleys (just like Kalou), but I think he's got a lot of potential (still only 22) and we know he's got a hell of a shot on him, also I'm guessing that he would like to prove Benítez wrong. Obviously there's the argument that if he wasn't good enough for Liverpool then he certainly isn't good enough for Chelsea, but I reckon he could come on leaps and bounds under the right coaching and could go on to be quite a player.

Edited May 27, 200917 yr by sweet waffle

Flop.

I am not sure if he is right for us .

2 years back when he signed for pool , i thought it was a fantastic transfer for them . He has given glimpses but hasnt lived upto it , largely due to sh*tty upbringing in pool .

We wont take a risk like this .

I dont see any place for him in the team. He's not an out and out winger, doesn't have dazzling pace...a poor man's Joe Cole? How is he going to make us any better. This is one of the most crucial times for the club and all the transfer dealings should be measured. We cant take a risk like Babel at the moment.

& would Joe Cole be a poor man's Mess i

& would Joe Cole be a poor man's Mess i

you really have a bug up your arse over joe cole dont you. what exactly is your problem with him?

As a football fan & a Chelsea supporter I think he is overrated but I hope he proves me wrong next season. Talent undoubted but application and consistency doubted problem is he is our most creative players and bar Lampard & Essien the best of a bad bunch IMO

Who cares?

We already have Kalou misfiring.

As a football fan & a Chelsea supporter I think he is overrated but I hope he proves me wrong next season. Talent undoubted but application and consistency doubted problem is he is our most creative players and bar Lampard & Essien the best of a bad bunch IMO

hes hardly overrated mate, weve missed him massively this season and he was playing superbly well at the start. who exactly would you replace him with then, realistically.

I won't mention the Kaka's, Ronaldo or Messi but realistically

Frank Ribery, David Silva, Robinho, Robben, Arshavin,

Nasri, Sneijder, Modric

I won't mention the Kaka's, Ronaldo or Messi but realistically

Frank Ribery, David Silva, Robinho, Robben, Arshavin,

Nasri, Sneijder, Modric

ribery and silva ill give you, but not the rest. robinho has hardly been wonderful at city and has a terrible attitude. robben is far too injury prone and again has a terrible attitude. arshavin is still unproven, hes had 2 or 3 good games since getting here but were yet to see how he copes with a full english season. nasri and modric? not a chance in hell. undecided on sneijder as ive seen him play fantastically well in a winning side but disappear in a struggling one. the only player in your list i would 100% take over joe cole is ribery, and even then hes not exactly a like for like swap.

I think the world of Joey Cole but I do agree that he's overrated by Chelsea fans. He just hasn't consistently proved to be as good as we would like, a large problem is injuries but for me his biggest problem is that he's never had a manager to play him in the middle of the park where he could really do some damage to teams, it seems that no manager since his relegation season with westham has ever had the confidence in him doing that.

I honestly think it's done him no favours moving to Chelsea.

Thank You. I actually think him not playing in his favoured position is down to his discipline as a player, as you would need two defensive midfielders in the current Chelsea squad assuming you play him with Lampard. This is because it would be like playing Ronaldo in the midfield, as they have no defensive qualities.

I still insist he has the talents but for a former child prodigy, he has come short.

He'd have done much more in the centre of our midfield than Ballack ever has, and that for me is a problem. Cole proved at westham that he's more than happy to get stuck in and make tackles as well as being very creative.

Getting back on topic.......

I wouldn't touch Babel with a barge pole. Complete waste of time.

We do need some quality and pace out wide, but he isn't the man to bring it.

Joey gave an interview recently where he said he will be talking to the new manager for a more central role and not on the wings , not sure if he'll get it though . He said he is ready for competetion and has always prevailed whoever it was in all these years at chelsea

We have got a gazillion threads debating the merits of Joe Cole.

Can we keep this one for talking about why we shouldn't go within a million miles of Ryan Babel please?

Thanks.

We have got a gazillion threads debating the merits of Joe Cole.

Can we keep this one for talking about why we shouldn't go within a million miles of Ryan Babel please?

Thanks.

I wouldn't go within a million miles of Ryan Babel because Joe Cole is better

mediocre

I wouldn't go within a million miles of Ryan Babel because Joe Cole is better :P

BAN HIM!!!!!!!!!

I'd like to but I can't. We run a policy of tolerance towards the afflicted on this forum ;)

I'd like to but I can't. We run a policy of tolerance towards the afflicted on this forum ;)

I resemble that remark!

Flop.

seconded, just another for the brilliant Rafa's scrap heap. No wonder the poor little whale cant compete financially

I would rather go for one of the young crop of Bosnian wingers coming to the fore right now. Babel never really convinced me

No need for another wide player with undelivered potential. We already have Kalou and Malouda

Never do business with that fat Spanish waiter, end of business! The guy is not good enough at Anfield, what makes him good enough for us? Let Man Citech add him to their collection of expensive non performers.