Firstly i'd like to say thats its great to see the youngsters coming up and showing potential, something we haven't seen with ex managers. But realistically Sturridge and Borini will not surffice.

Now i dont know wether Ancelotti is doing this part of a plan! so that other clubs dont suddenly notch up the prices because they know Chelsea are in the market!

If you compare the strikers available from the top 5.. we'll have Anelka & Sturridge starting, Arsenal : Arshavin , Eduardo.. Utd scum: Rooney Berbatov.. Liverpool: Torres Kuty/Gerrard.. City: Tevez, SantaCruz, Robinho, Bellamy.

Tbh i feel were at a huge disadvantage and i think Carlo needs to seriously take a look at aquisitions. PLEASE!

Just like to know peoples opinions! Is he serious!

Edited December 27, 200916 yr by Legend

I've got the exact same concerns as you have.

I think it's to soon to put it all on the shoulders of Sturridge and Borini. Mind you, they have't played a full 90 minutes or even scored a goal yet.

I know I sound a bit pessimistic, but I fear we're out of the tittlerace if we don't bring in another striker this January.

I hope not. Before the start of the season remember Bruce Buck promised a marquee signing? Well we're still waiting and as far as I'm concerned they owe us a major signing and that's not just because of what Bruce Buck said. I was absolutely amazed we didn't sign anyone else before the beginning of the season. With this possibly being the club's last chance to sign anyone for maybe another year or even longer, it would surely be just plain stupid not to make the most of this transfer window and sign as many players as we possibly can/

Edited December 27, 200916 yr by Sasserfrazz

Even looking past the debate over giving youth a chance vs. a marquee signing it would surely have been a strange decision to go through all the trouble to delay our transfer ban, just so we can decide not to sign anybody in this window. We may yet go without a ban altogether but, if it isn't overturned, we are looking at summer 2011 before we can sign anybody after this window. With that in mind I would think and hope that we are signing a player or 2. The question is which positions need it the most?

I agree, i don´t think borini and sturridge could get the job done. But if we don´t sign any new, maybe we could use some offensive midfielders. Like joey cole and malouda?

The question is which positions need it the most?

One Striker and one attacking midfielder for the tip of the diamond imo.

If we really cant sign anyone until 2011 we just need a few new players now.

Just look at the age of our players in summer 2011: Drogba 33, Anelka 31, Lampard 33, Deco 33, JT 30, Malouda 31, Ballack 34.

So many key-players over their peak, you cant outbalance that by bringing in youth-players only.

I mean you really cant expect Anelka and Drogba playing week in week out at this age. A good back-up is needed because the ones we have now are not good enough at the moment. Borini and Sturridge aren´t ready to really step in in a big match (like CL finals for example) and Kalou is just sh*t for most of the time.

If we dont sign anyone this winter I think the club is very optimistic about the whole transfer ban not beeing executed. Otherwise it would be a horrible mistake.

One Striker and one attacking midfielder for the tip of the diamond imo.

That's what i'm thinking too.

Everyone else here seems to be in panic mode and suggesting we need to reinvent the wheel.

I think quality over quantity is definately the order of the day in January.

Carlo has just re-iterated on SSN that we won't be signing anyone in January. Either the money isnt there or he is seriously deluded with his view that we are strong enough squad wise.

I don't know of anyone who is interested in seeing Carlo strip naked and run around the Bridge so if we don't buy thats one dissapointment out the way..if it had been Jose who said he'd do it though ;)

apparently we have recalled Jacob Mellis and Patrick Van Aanholt from their loan spells so looks more and more like he will be relying on our youth.

He clearly doesn't rate DiSanto though, as he is NOT being recalled from Blackburn.

But, children, what top-class striker would be willing to come to us in January to keep Drogba's tracksuit warm till he gets back from the ACN? Or is there a top-class striker available, who is not CL cup-tied, who could replace Didier? Or Nico, come to that?

apparently we have recalled Jacob Mellis and Patrick Van Aanholt from their loan spells so looks more and more like he will be relying on our youth.

Mellis has not featured much for Southampton recently so will be surprised if he gets much of a lookin. Van Aanholt has been a regular for Coventry and might get a chance or 2. Is Mancienne staying with Wolves? I wouldn't mind seeing him given a go in the defensive midfield spot as it sounds like he has done pretty well there for Wolves.

But, children, what top-class striker would be willing to come to us in January to keep Drogba's tracksuit warm till he gets back from the ACN? Or is there a top-class striker available, who is not CL cup-tied, who could replace Didier? Or Nico, come to that?

I agree. Unless we are looking at young strikers who are willing to bide their time I would say we would be better served trying to fill other positions during the transfer window. Seems like tip of the diamond is a problem position although, with the way our midfield has performed without Essien, you could argue that all midfield positions need strengthening.

But, children, what top-class striker would be willing to come to us in January to keep Drogba's tracksuit warm till he gets back from the ACN? Or is there a top-class striker available, who is not CL cup-tied, who could replace Didier? Or Nico, come to that?

This is the reason I don't think the need for a striker is as great as others think. In Drogba and Anelka we have a good partnership and I would promote Sturridge to being our third choice. Kalou, for all his sins, is as good as you are going to get as a fourth choice striker and if he is happy in that role then so be it. Borini then provides another youth option.

If I was spending in January I would be looking to overhaul the midfield. I would target Hamsik for the tip. He has proved he can play the role and he is not CL tied either. Furthermore he is more than capable of playing the left side of the diamond as well so provides versatility (and if, and when, we drop the diamond he is more than capable of playing in a 4-3-3.

I would also look to bring in a player for the holding role. I am not sure exactly who that would be though however I am not so bothered about them being CL tied as Essien, Mikel and ballack can all play there.

This would allow us to play a diamond of

..................................Hamsik........................

.................Lamps.........................Essien......

..............................ANOTHER................

and we would have Joe Cole, Mikel and Ballack as back up.

I still think Essien is wasted in the holding role and we would be much more effective with him as one of the two box to box players.

I know a lot people seem to want Aguero to play at the tip but isn't that a case of a square peg in a round hole. Aguero is a striker and normally plays with a partner - he is not a specialist at the tip of the diamond and we already have enough players trying and failing to play that role well.

I think we should sign Dzagoev. The guy seem to like us and Lampard and the russian premier league has ended now I think so he wouldn't leave his current team in the middle of a season.

He might be cup tied but we could still use him in the league.

Agree about Hamsik though. Great player that perhaps could do well with us.

Still think we should look to sign Aguero. He can play both as striker and as a midfielder. Might do wonders behind Drogba and Anelka.

Hamsik, Aguero and Dzagoev. Three young, extremely talented players. Would lower our squads average age and (hopefully) make us better.

I think we should sign Dzagoev. The guy seem to like us and Lampard and the russian premier league has ended now I think so he wouldn't leave his current team in the middle of a season.

He might be cup tied but we could still use him in the league.

Agree about Hamsik though. Great player that perhaps could do well with us.

Still think we should look to sign Aguero. He can play both as striker and as a midfielder. Might do wonders behind Drogba and Anelka.

Hamsik, Aguero and Dzagoev. Three young, extremely talented players. Would lower our squads average age and (hopefully) make us better.

Agree.

I think if all the rumours where true about Aguero agreeing terms with Chelsea, you'd be seeing a lot more activity right now, maybe even "Representatives of Aguero jet in to London" around this time. It's all gone a little bit quiet, except for Carlo saying we don't need to spend

I agree, if we were to be signing him then surely a medical would be set up and agents would be around. I dont hold much hope anymore.

I agree, if we were to be signing him then surely a medical would be set up and agents would be around. I dont hold much hope anymore.

That assumes we're signing him at the start of the window... Have patience on the matter.

That assumes we're signing him at the start of the window... Have patience on the matter.

Well the way we are playing at the moment, if we were signing him to play, we'd get him now, so it looks to me like we are either signing him now to go back on loan (and you would probably around this time start seeing more activity) or we arn't getting him. I don't remember Ancelotti being a nudist in Milan...

If we dont sign anyone then why would chelsea go to the hassle of appealing the transfer ban?

If we dont sign anyone then why would chelsea go to the hassle of appealing the transfer ban?

Because it was an injustice in the first place?

If we dont sign anyone then why would chelsea go to the hassle of appealing the transfer ban?

Maybe because we think we've done nothing wrong?

I don't know about you, but I would much rather not be banned for two transfer windows, even if the team wont sign anyone in this one.

Carlo has just re-iterated on SSN that we won't be signing anyone in January. Either the money isnt there or he is seriously deluded with his view that we are strong enough squad wise.

After yesterdays financial announcement, i don't think money is the issue at all...which leads to his delusion...which is at times worrying...we DO need to strengthen...another striker at least.