Real sign Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, CFC sign...

[ozboy]

Ross Turnbull. I'd say its about equal

one ross turnbull equals any number of ronaldo kaka benzema etc. After all ross is an aussie isn't he so those guys might as well give up now.

[PloKoon13]

The difference is that Ross Turnbull is more likely to win something next year.

[jordanl5182]

Ross Turnbull. I'd say its about equal

one ross turnbull equals any number of ronaldo kaka benzema etc. After all ross is an aussie isn't he so those guys might as well give up now.

He's English...

[Sheva]

I agree, Real Madrid have bought 3 stars and in my opinion thier best signing of the season is Raul Albiol as he's a solid defender and he's spanish! However you can't just replace most of your squad and expect them to play amazing football. There are alot of ego's in that Real Madrid squad, even Kaka has one.

Im sorry but 200 odd million on a new squad won't beat Barcelona and maybe David Villa, they are the best side in La Liga by a long shot even with the signings of Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema.

Real have the names but they need too show how much of a team they can be on the pitch.

Edited July 2, 2009 by Sheva

[The Moos]

So what if Real has signed 4 big names (I count Albiol as one too even though he might not be as famous as the other three) and we've only signed Turnbull. It's just the beginning of july and we have lots of time to sign more players.

On the other hand we might not want to sign lots of players. We have a good strong team and, hopefully, a manager who can make the team win some titles.

We've signed a backup for Cech - something he has wanted us to do since we sold Cudicini.

We're also going to sign Zhirkov (we can't fail now, can we?) which ads some cover on our left side.

Even if that is the only signing we'll get we will still have a starting eleven that will look like this:

Drogba - Anelka

Malouda - Lampard - Essien - Joey Cole

Ashley Cole - Terry - Alex - Bosingwa

Bench:

Turnbull

Zhirkov

Ballack

Mikel

Ivanovic

Di Santo

Stoch

And that is if we do sell Riccy and Deco. If not then we might have Riccy in the starting eleven and Alex on the bench too.

Not a bad team if you ask me. Sure we might not have signed 3-4 big names, but why spend a fortune when we don't really have to. And if we go on and beat Real Madrid then it would be so friggin sweet.

We're also rumoured to sign Pato (though Milan don't really want to) and Aguero (even if it's been quite about him for awhile now). There's also a small chance that we will sign Villa (though I doubt it will happen).

Imagine if we get 1 or even 2 of those players. That would be amazing. We could then actually start with our big player in big games - Drogba - and the last seasons top scorer - Anelka - on the bench. I doubt we would, but we could.

Would however like to see a backup for our right wing. I guess Zhirkov or Malouda could play there, but it's not exactly their natural position.

There's still lots of time to pursue players who will strengthen and broaden (is that the correct word?) our squad. And then we have to pray that we don't have as many injuries as last season. Especially around the time of ACN when we will be without Drogba, Mikel and Essien (what a nightmare ;) ).

[PraetorianGuard]

We definitely need to sign another experienced forward, and perhaps a midfielder for the ACN.

[ozboy]

The team was old last year and will be older this year. You have to keep investing. We will have a good team but will it be good enough without some refreshing.

Whether its Pato or Aguerro or Ribery we need a new first team regular or two who lowers the average age.

Personally I think Drogba's best is behind him. And I also believe that Lampard/Ballack/Essien/Mikel is either too defensive not sufficiently creative if we play Mikel or too old if we play Ballack regularly.

For sure just spending money doesn't buy success. However its rare to win at the highest level without talent, teamwork and energy.

[Orangutan]

Unfortunately it appears that Real is the 2nd favorite team of every footballer in Europe.

[rahul]

Unfortunately it appears that Real is the 2nd favorite team of every footballer in Europe.

Are we the first? :D

Edited July 3, 2009 by rahuldotchelsea

[evissy]

Are we the first? :D

Unfortunately we are not the first but we are in good position right after Real, ManU, Barca, Milan, Inter, Scum, Spuds, Bayern, Arsen*l and Lyon for any star in the world. We oughta get one soon :P

[ducavis]

Bench:

Turnbull

Zhirkov

Ballack

Mikel

Ivanovic

Di Santo <<Sturridge

Stoch

Dont know why I feel this bench looks awkward, however won't it be wonderful to only see one defender on the bench.

[mad_mac]

I'm quite glad that so far we've only signed two young promising players. It shows a sense of ambition and forward thinking by the club. I say let the media circus fawn over all these Real signings, and in the meantime we can pick up the extra 2 or 3 players that we need and be done with it.

I think we will start the transfer window with a couple of signings, and then off load a few others as the transfer window continues. I don't think the squad will be completely settles before they leave for the US.

Scott

[dkw]

I'm quite glad that so far we've only signed two young promising players. It shows a sense of ambition and forward thinking by the club. I say let the media circus fawn over all these Real signings, and in the meantime we can pick up the extra 2 or 3 players that we need and be done with it.

I think we will start the transfer window with a couple of signings, and then off load a few others as the transfer window continues. I don't think the squad will be completely settles before they leave for the US.

Scott

when do they leave for the US?

[mad_mac]

Not sure when they leave, but they play Seattle as their first game, and that is the weekend of the 18th of July. Got my tickets already, and would love to see a couple of the new boys in action

[Maksimov]

Bench:

Turnbull

Zhirkov

Ballack

Mikel

Ivanovic

Di Santo <<Sturridge

Stoch

Dont know why I feel this bench looks awkward, however won't it be wonderful to only see one defender on the bench.

I doubt Zhirkov will spend much time on the bench if he's on form and physically fit to play.

[Star]

As I tried to explain in my Ribery and Villa post, I really feel we were never seriously considering a marquee signing.

If we were to analyse our signings so far, both our young signings were primed for the European 'Home Rule' , our keeper is ideal for the bench as he hasn't a hope in hell of taking a fit Petr Cech's place, whilst Sturridge can come off it and offer something different.

Zhircov is the cover for Ashley Cole that we needed, but unlike Wayne Bridge is able to seriously challenge for a starting place in direct competition with Malouda, despite how well the latter played at the back end last season, he was often the only option as opposed to the alternative.

With Shevchenko, virtually committing himself to the cause ( I used the word lumbered because he's hardly ever set the world alight here!)

It's clear as it can be Ancellotti is thinking of pairing either Stiurridge or Sheva or Di Santo ( if he isn't loaned out ) with Anelka when Drogba is banned in the Champions League and away with Kalou ( If he isn't at Arsenal by then ) at the Afican Nations.

All this John Terry business has really opened my mind, the facts are the likes of Drogba, Ashley and Joe Cole are sure to pen deals to tie them to the club as Obi Mikel and Malouda have.

In the past we have let top players in limbo toward the end of their contracts, whilst struggled to offset signings and reclaim transfer fees.

As a top club we shouldn't have to wind down negotiations as we did with the likes of G****s and Lampard and lose money and loan out players as we have with the likes of Crespo and Shevchenko.

JT and Lampard were the first, like a lot of Chelsea fans ( including myself ) to say if we were to seriously think of regaining the Premiership Title and winning the Champions League we needed a couple of players to make that difference. I wanted Benzema, Ribery and Tevez, but it's clear by the USA Tour the only players that suit the diamond system Ancellotti is bedding down are PATO and PIRLO.

AC Milan are not stupid, but Roman isn't either.

JT has been told we were in for two players but come up short. They were Kaka for certain, the other is debatable but one thing is sure in my mind we didn't have a cat in hells chance of getting either and maybe just maybe the club knew that.

Cue Ancelloti's system and Ribery wouldn't suit it, or Villa in my opinion.

PATO is the real deal that could. Anywhere in the attacking third, a top top young player.

PIRLO is the Milan wage bill with a couple of years left at the top and a player Carlo admires who can play at the base of a diamond and provide cover for Mikel and Essien when they are away.

IF Chelsea are in the money game, a HUGE bid for Pato and i'm talking 60 million would possibly nail him.

But are we prepared to do that ( despite him having sell on value at his age ) I think not.

Are we prepared to pay the 35 million Milan want for Pirlo, again I think not, but make no mistake if a deal can be done to suit both parties it will be done.

If Pirlo comes on the short side of 15 million, Chelsea would have made Ancellotti's day and spent very little this summer compared to other clubs vying for success.

Despite the clubs open intentions to get that marquee signing they will have got away with spending sh*tloads,

I am very confident that Carlo will deliver us the Premiership this season, but we might come up short again in Europe.

That is why we are .... Blagging our way to success !!!!!!

[Eggy McMuffin]

So you don't think Ribery is good enough to play at the tip of the diamond?

With a side looking something like this...

Cech

Bosingwa Carvalho Terry Cole

Mikel

Essien---- Lampard

Ribery

Drogba Anelka

I'm fairly sure that's where he would have played had we signed him. It also gives us an easier way of moving into Plan B, which I'm fairly confident would be a 4-3-3.

I don't really agree at all with your assertion that we're 'blagging our way to success', because that implies that we're not good enough to succeed. If we're not good enough to succeed... we won't. Football isn't Poker, you can't bluff.

[Uno]

Its in the press that Munich want the same that Madrid paid for Ronaldo for Ribery. I cant see Roman paying that for anyone.

[Star]

So you don't think Ribery is good enough to play at the tip of the diamond?

With a side looking something like this...

Cech

Bosingwa Carvalho Terry Cole

Mikel

Essien---- Lampard

Ribery

Drogba Anelka

I'm fairly sure that's where he would have played had we signed him. It also gives us an easier way of moving into Plan B, which I'm fairly confident would be a 4-3-3.

I don't really agree at all with your assertion that we're 'blagging our way to success', because that implies that we're not good enough to succeed. If we're not good enough to succeed... we won't. Football isn't Poker, you can't bluff.

Fair point, Ribery could play behind the front two and plan B would be ideal with Ribery wide.

But there is no doubt Ribery is better on the wing and we have the likes of Joe Cole to also consider at the tip, who arguably would be better, Pato would be more versatile in any case.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be adverse to Ribery being signed, but the system Carlo has played, in training and on the USA Tour has been the diamond, with 4-3-1-2 his possible alternative if his Milan days are anything to go by.

I play a bit of poker, not consistently well I hasten to add, but think there is a slight difference to blagging and bluffing - in this case they were saying they were going to splash the cash, JT I know for a fact expected them to ( He told me as much at the Chelsea Player of the year Awards and so did Jason Cundy, when Kenyon to my Mrs to be that we were signing Zhircov and another Russian I cant remember his name)

Therefore they blagged the fact they were going to spend big but it wasn't a worry because they knew Ancellotti would change our system of play to suit basically what we had to get success, who would have thought Turnbull, Sturridge and Zhircov honestly would have put us in with a chance of winning the title ? We will go off the bookies favourites, I know Utd have drifted because of Ronaldo going, but there has been significant money on betfair in our favour since Ancelloti's appointment.

We will win the league i'm sure, whatever happens.

[Star]

Its in the press that Munich want the same that Madrid paid for Ronaldo for Ribery. I cant see Roman paying that for anyone.

That's what i'm getting at,

I don't think Roman had any intention of buying big from day one of Carlo's reign.

Pato is the clearest example, if he wanted to make a point, please Ancellotti or just put the likes of Man City in there place, a world record bid would secure him.

He won't, well I think he won't !

We are more likely to as i've said to end up with the ageing Pirlo, let's hope for his sake we can negotiate a better deal than we did for Shevchenko !!

[TheWestwayWonder]

That's what i'm getting at,

I don't think Roman had any intention of buying big from day one of Carlo's reign.

Pato is the clearest example, if he wanted to make a point, please Ancellotti or just put the likes of Man City in there place, a world record bid would secure him.

He won't, well I think he won't !

We are more likely to as i've said to end up with the ageing Pirlo, let's hope for his sake we can negotiate a better deal than we did for Shevchenko !!

Well, I think its fair to say Roman is done running a football club like that. Right now, we are a better team than Man City, and have achieved more than them in recent history. We dont require the kind of expensive, scattershot signings they have secured.

I would rather not just make a world record bid because we can, or because we want to send a message. If Roman wants to start a war with the Al Nayan family, he will lose, period. And I think by this point it should be pretty widely accepted that we were making a play for both Pato and Sergio Aguero, but in a world with a weak pound to euro rate, and Real Madrid making everyone think they needed to start the bidding on young stars at 80, we were just not going to get them for something reasonable.

I am glad that sense has prevailed and we addressed problem areas, like depth up front and a new winger out wide, and are moving forward without significant alterations to what has been a proven forumula. Last year, we were jobbed out of the CL final. We have a pretty great team.

Not that I wouldnt be flipping my lid if we landed Aguero, I absolutely would. But if its between unbalancing a great team now (remember Sheva and Ballack!) vs. landing that young star in the coming years when our team needs a new focal point....and when that player happens to be cheaper, I will take option two.

[ozboy]

Waiting for player prices to come down hasn't been all that successful in recent years. Despite the world's biggest financial crisis in 70 years transfer fees went up.

Overall the outcome is that UK teams weakened and Spanish teams strengthened. Currency probably does have a lot to do with that as well as where players actually feel comfortable living.

The big thing this talk of stars always misses is the the young talent.