3 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I'd prefer Conte just give Baker a chance instead of spending 30-40m on Drinkwater.

And not impede the development of our youth players on loan...

35 minutes ago, Michael said:

 

Note that I said "At this stage".  You guys think we're legit title contenders with our current squad and depth?

Yes.

38 minutes ago, Michael said:

 

Note that I said "At this stage".  You guys think we're legit title contenders with our current squad and depth?

Ofc we are. To say otherwise is being too negative. What we lacked are playing personnel in case things went south due to being involved in several competitions.

4 hours ago, Sindre said:

Yeah the "funny" thing is that i think it's unlikely we'll be able to buy Danny Drinkwater even. We have left it so late now and Leicester won't really have time to find a good replacement for him themselves.

They can replace him with James McCarthy, there job done. You're welcome Leicester.

3 hours ago, didierforever said:

Begovic - Cabellero (downgrade but not really an issue)
Terry - Christensen (upgrade as a player, massive downgrade as a character for the squad)
Zouma - Rudiger (upgrade)
Ake - JCS (downgrade but 6 top class CBs is too many)
Aina - Tomori (no real difference, Hence the issue. We have CL where we cant play Aina like in a league cup or first few rounds of FA cup)
Matic - Bakayoko (downgrade, potential upgrade)
Chalobah - Pasalic (upgrade, Pasalic is apparently out on loan)
RLC - Baker/Boga (upgrade)
Costa - Morata (downgrade, potential upgrade)
Solanke - Remy (Upgrade, Not sure if he is going to be in the squad by  the end of the season)

Add to it

Kenedy - Kenedy (Another position where we have needed an upgrade/back up since the end of the last season but our board has not done anything).

I dont think the point of the majority on here is "Our squad depth is lesser/better than last season". Its more like "Our squad depth is poor for a Club playing in 4 major competitions with the expectations of winning all of them". We lack any depth for RWB, LWB, CM (Cesc is barely able to play as a CM) and ST. For CM, we can play Luiz there, for RWB we have Azpi and Rudi but in most cases its square pegs in round holes. 

 

My comments haven't really been aimed at those with reasonable views and I agree we should be looking to upgrade at least 2 positions before the end of the window and could easily be 4. But there have been some extremely OTT reactions.

 

9 minutes ago, Deino said:

Ofc we are. To say otherwise is being too negative. What we lacked are playing personnel in case things went south due to being involved in several competitions.

I might be a bit too negative, but we've been here before and not that long ago.  I'm sure we were all confident of being title contenders the year after we won with Jose and look at how that turned out.

Barcelona are considering selling 24-year-old Portugal midfielder André Gomes, who only joined them last summer. (Source: MARCA) https://t.co/Fq40N4dk1d

2 hours ago, Michael said:

I might be a bit too negative, but we've been here before and not that long ago.  I'm sure we were all confident of being title contenders the year after we won with Jose and look at how that turned out.

Lack of transfer activity from the board was a problem but Jose took it to another level. 

Stagnation is one thing but his implosion on and off the field were not the board's fault at all.

It started with a stupid post-match press conference where Jose couldn't rein his mouth in and escalated all from there embroiling the club in needless issues and entering conversations that shouldn't even be had in the first place

The current squad may not be guaranteed champions but it is still a title-contending team. What Conte does afterwards with what he has determines the fate of this team. It's all well and good having concerns but to immediately count us out before a ball is kicked is a disservice to the efforts of the people at the club

It's a bit of a conundrum really..

Media blasting us for a poor window and having so few first team players but also chastising us for not using our youth. 

We've painted ourselves into a corner over the homegrown/non homegrown ratio. I hope this is resolved soon

13 minutes ago, AndyBlue82 said:

It's a bit of a conundrum really..

Media blasting us for a poor window and having so few first team players but also chastising us for not using our youth. 

We've painted ourselves into a corner over the homegrown/non homegrown ratio. I hope this is resolved soon

I wouldn't really listen to the media all that much. They don't know which narrative to go with even at the best of times.

IE, when it's Chelsea buying players: They're buying the PL at 30m when they bought Kante

 

When it's City: City just bought an exciting talent in Bernardo Silva for 40m+

 

When it's Utd: Utd just confirmed the purchase of 90m Pogba who's set to become the best midfielder in seasons to come under Jose Mourinho. The sky's the limit for this Utd team!

 

The framing of the media is subtle and yet contributes to the narrative of Chelsea will always buy the league circa 2005

20 hours ago, doctorblue said:

What about Ward Prowse from Southampton...English U21 with a top class range of free kicks and crosses 

NO, Drinkwater would be far better!

Seriously though I don't think I would be excited if he'd signed for Saints let alone a club looking to win the Champions League!

I'm hearing the odd rumour that we want Dendoncker

2 minutes ago, TomCFC85 said:

I'm hearing the odd rumour that we want Dendoncker

If this is true:
1) Called it !
2) F*UCK YES WE JUST BOUGHT THE MOST EXCITING MIDFIELDER IN WHOLE OF EUROPE

1 hour ago, Deino said:

I wouldn't really listen to the media all that much. They don't know which narrative to go with even at the best of times.

IE, when it's Chelsea buying players: They're buying the PL at 30m when they bought Kante

 

When it's City: City just bought an exciting talent in Bernardo Silva for 40m+

 

When it's Utd: Utd just confirmed the purchase of 90m Pogba who's set to become the best midfielder in seasons to come under Jose Mourinho. The sky's the limit for this Utd team!

 

The framing of the media is subtle and yet contributes to the narrative of Chelsea will always buy the league circa 2005

They've always got their narrative to spin. I don't even pay attention to their so called news these days. Just wait to see things happen/unfold. Sportswriters and sports journalists are the laziest ever. They don't investigate anything or report intelligently. Just publish whatsoever drivel seems to be the flavour of the moment or the one that seems likely to give them the "clicks". 

Take for instance the nonsense they kept spinning about Chelsea in "the Mourinho season" to borrow a phrase from Conte, after Mourinho brought on Matic as a sub and took him off again in the same game it was all about the disrespect to Matic, how Matic hated Mourinho and was prepared to leave the club if Mourinho remained as manager.........Now they gleefully report on how Mourinho and Matic have been reunited after Matic pushed for a move to be re-united with Mourinho. 

You couldn't make it up.

18 minutes ago, TomCFC85 said:

I'm hearing the odd rumour that we want Dendoncker

The majority all link him with United and PSG, we are hardly linked at all

2 hours ago, Chelsbear said:

The majority all link him with United and PSG, we are hardly linked at all

Don't we have a good relationship with Anderlecht? We have given them a few loans and bought players off them, I think musonda came from them? If he is that good we are more in need than Man U considering we just sold them matic, we should be inquiring and reminding them of pay business and reminding Man U who we just sold them and to kindly f**k off. The fact we sold matic tells me we must be close so signing someone. 

candreva a conte target

http://www.football-italia.net/107029/inter-sacrifice-candreva-perisic

No thanks...too old, and no resale value...next 

9 minutes ago, enigma said:

candreva a conte target

http://www.football-italia.net/107029/inter-sacrifice-candreva-perisic

Can play midfield as well as Moses and pedro's position. Useful, but would he lock down one position as his own, perhaps Rwb. 

3 hours ago, TomCFC85 said:

I'm hearing the odd rumour that we want Dendoncker

Leander Dendoncker is a special one!

43 minutes ago, DonAntonio said:

Don't we have a good relationship with Anderlecht? We have given them a few loans and bought players off them, I think musonda came from them? If he is that good we are more in need than Man U considering we just sold them matic, we should be inquiring and reminding them of pay business and reminding Man U who we just sold them and to kindly f**k off. The fact we sold matic tells me we must be close so signing someone. 

I don't believe it works like that, DonAntonio.

Meanwhile, the kid has contact with PSG.

1 hour ago, Krc-fan said:

I don't believe it works like that, DonAntonio.

Meanwhile, the kid has contact with PSG.

Well I mean you build business relationships with clubs, it's like anything, you may not get preferential treatment but it helps, same way when agents are close with certain managers, we just did Man U a big favour selling to a rival if we really want someone they are after especially in the same position we have sold them, we no control over them but it's not great etiquette to go head to head with us for a player in a position we are trying to replace because we just sold to them,  a friendly word in the interests of good relations in the future can't hurt, it's not conte talking to Mou, it's our board who just concluded a deal with their board so they are on good terms.

Edited August 1, 20178 yr by DonAntonio

6 minutes ago, DonAntonio said:

Well I mean you build business relationships with clubs, it's like anything, you may not get preferential treatment but it helps, same way when agents are close with certain managers, we just did Man U a big favour selling to a rival if we really want someone they are after especially in the same position we have sold them, we no control over them but it's not great etiquette to go head to head with us for a player in a position we are trying to replace because we just sold to them,  a friendly word in the interests of good relations in the future can't hurt, it's not conte talking to Mou, it's our board who just concluded a deal with their board so they are on good terms.

If the next Ronaldo comes from Vitesse, we're so going to be in there. 

 

14 hours ago, didierforever said:

Begovic - Cabellero (downgrade but not really an issue)
 

I actually think Caba is an upgrade for the role required. Caba knows how it is as a number2 filling in when required, Asmir never really cracked that transition. He was decent when covering as #1 during Tibo's injury but given our form he was for all intent's and purposes doing what he has done for the duration of his career in England which was keeping goal for a mid table/relegation threatened outfit. Last season was his first experience of being cover for a top team and i thought he was average when called upon and that's being kind, i'd like to know his save% because i would guess it was around Bravo like numbers. 

53 minutes ago, TomCFC85 said:

If the next Ronaldo comes from Vitesse, we're so going to be in there. 

 

haha I was going to comment if he was vitesse he would be ours