31 minutes ago, chi blue said:

who? I take it not the clown that played in goal for Brazil last night!

Yeah, no chance we sell Courtois to RM for anywhere near that amount either. 

 

Bring in manager with attacking focus.  Buy defenders and goalies.  Great strategy!

I get that Allison is insurance because Thibaut is always on the verge of moving back to Madrid and that Rugani is a Sarri+board type signing to replace either Cahill, Luiz or Zouma but it still grates me that after 2 windows, we haven't been linked to a proper RW.

Regardless of what happens to Willian, Pedro needs to be moved on or at least have a proper competition. I think it's pretty clear that Musonda doesn't look to be suited at the PL and Hudson-Odoi needs proper minutes instead of being a 88th minute sub or something.

Some pretty substantial rumours that golovin is going to coming here now. 

I think he would be great in that hamsik role assuming sarri comes in. 

I think we still need a jorginho type though.

Kante Jorginho Golovin would be pretty well balanced I think. Jorginho does appear city bound, although that has seemed to rumble on, so maybe all hope is not lost.

I agree - if we could gazump City to Jorginho and get Golovin I'd be extatic.

Doubt that we'll go for Jorginho. He'd be at great addition though. 

Sarri will likely play a 4-3-3 formation with one attacking minded midfielder. This role could suit both RLC, Cesc and Golovin, while the to wide positions would be ideal for Bakayoko, Kante and possibly Seri, if we manage to snap him up. Golovin would be interesting IMO as he's got a defensive focus to his game as well, meaning he could play all over the midfield. Same could arguably be said about RLC due to his brilliant physiqu.

There's definately a huge potential in our midfield options this season. With players like Mason Mount, Pasalic and Van Ginkel coming back from loan, it would also be fair to give them a chance in the pre-season.

Kenedy could turn out to be a great backup for Willian and with Hudson-Odoi as a step-in for Hazard on the left side, I can't see the major need for another winger.

2 hours ago, Hanzen said:

Doubt that we'll go for Jorginho. He'd be at great addition though. 

Sarri will likely play a 4-3-3 formation with one attacking minded midfielder. This role could suit both RLC, Cesc and Golovin, while the to wide positions would be ideal for Bakayoko, Kante and possibly Seri, if we manage to snap him up. Golovin would be interesting IMO as he's got a defensive focus to his game as well, meaning he could play all over the midfield. Same could arguably be said about RLC due to his brilliant physiqu.

There's definately a huge potential in our midfield options this season. With players like Mason Mount, Pasalic and Van Ginkel coming back from loan, it would also be fair to give them a chance in the pre-season.

Kenedy could turn out to be a great backup for Willian and with Hudson-Odoi as a step-in for Hazard on the left side, I can't see the major need for another winger.

While RLC does have a brilliant physique, I'm yet to figure out where exactly he belongs on a pitch. Both at Palace and in the national team he's played futher forward and not in the midfield two. Both Hodgson and Southgate clearly rate him very highly but neither seems to trust him in a role that demands first and foremost postional awareness and defensive responsiblity. He doesn't cover a lot of ground without the ball, rarely presses the opponent and quite often looks static.

Golovin is the opposite of that. He is quick, fast and works extermely hard on both ends.

Edited June 29, 20188 yr by abramovich

Spot on! While I do see a future world class player in RLC, he needs to work harder and clarify his role on the pitch - and for the team. He can be so lovely to watch offensively! He just needs the ambition to track back and lead the first - or second - line of pressure off the ball at times.

As I wrote on the RLC-forum, I genuinely believe that he has the potential to suit a role of a Pogba/Milinkovic-Savic kind of player. He has great technique and physique, which means it often comes down to his tactical awareness and approach, along with his will to put his heart upon his sleeve for the club. 

The annual James Rodriguez rumour is doing the rounds as apparently he won't be going back to Bayern Munich next season for the second year of his loan following the appointment of Niko Kovac as their new manager. 

I'd take James

8 minutes ago, jack_super_class said:

I'd take James

Same here.  With Conte, eh probably not.  But with Sarri, I think we could use him.  Probably as part of the midfield 3, you think?  Doesn’t really have the pace to play RW IMO but he can whip in some crosses.

 

58 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

Same here.  With Conte, eh probably not.  But with Sarri, I think we could use him.  Probably as part of the midfield 3, you think?  Doesn’t really have the pace to play RW IMO but he can whip in some crosses.

 

He doesn't have to be pacy if the opponent drops deep anyway. That being said, a midfield of Kante, James and Golovin is interesting to say the least.

8 hours ago, Hanzen said:

Doubt that we'll go for Jorginho. He'd be at great addition though. 

Sarri will likely play a 4-3-3 formation with one attacking minded midfielder. This role could suit both RLC, Cesc and Golovin, while the to wide positions would be ideal for Bakayoko, Kante and possibly Seri, if we manage to snap him up. Golovin would be interesting IMO as he's got a defensive focus to his game as well, meaning he could play all over the midfield. Same could arguably be said about RLC due to his brilliant physiqu.

There's definately a huge potential in our midfield options this season. With players like Mason Mount, Pasalic and Van Ginkel coming back from loan, it would also be fair to give them a chance in the pre-season.

Kenedy could turn out to be a great backup for Willian and with Hudson-Odoi as a step-in for Hazard on the left side, I can't see the major need for another winger.

Van Ginkel is injured iirc. Everything else I agree with except the winger scenario. Kenedy is a left winger and Hudson-Odoi is still raw where the PL is concerned. There's a part of me that wants him to play for us but rotating with Hazard is going to be a bit difficult. I'd rather him play week in week out in the PL to develop further which I'm not sure we can give that to him. Would love it if the new manager is willing to give him a shot though.

9 minutes ago, Deino said:

He doesn't have to be pacy if the opponent drops deep anyway. That being said, a midfield of Kante, James and Golovin is interesting to say the least.

True, and we could also play him more inside as a RF.  That midfield would be fun to watch, that’s for sure.

In an interview with BBC Sport, former Argentina international Pablo Zabaleta has revealed Messi’s Chelsea allegiance.

Zabaleta spent three years playing for Espanyol and he admits that he would often spend his downtime playing Messi at FIFA.
 
“I was better at Playstation than Messi,” he said.

“He was Chelsea, he used to play with Chelsea a lot.

“I was living in Barcelona city and he was living 30 minutes away from the city, we were playing on the internet.”

On 28/06/2018 at 16:07, TheChelsRVA said:

Bring in manager with attacking focus.  Buy defenders and goalies.  Great strategy!

You can't believe it, but for me Sarri is the best defensive coach manager in the world. Juventus-Napoli 0-1 was the biggest defensive team's performance I have ever seen, 3 received shots, no one in target. Then, his teamplay is amazing, ok, but his defensive work is absolutely fantastic, although his team always defends in the opposite half pitch.

However, Alisson is more adapt than Courtois for his play, he loves to play with a techinical goalkeeper like Ederson, Reina, Neuer or Alisson too.

^^ i'll believe you when he completes his first contract without getting sacked

I have a dejavu. I had this discussion just three years ago, I give you a spoiler: after two months everyone fell in love with Sarri. Moreover, it’s not exactly true: in both cases he got sacked because he was more ambitious than clubs. 

Edited July 1, 20188 yr by Raff_Sarrista

Rumours today  says that Ronaldo is going to Juve ...

Edited July 3, 20188 yr by DidierDrogbalala

On 30/06/2018 at 11:16, Raff_Sarrista said:

You can't believe it, but for me Sarri is the best defensive coach manager in the world. Juventus-Napoli 0-1 was the biggest defensive team's performance I have ever seen, 3 received shots, no one in target. Then, his teamplay is amazing, ok, but his defensive work is absolutely fantastic, although his team always defends in the opposite half pitch.

However, Alisson is more adapt than Courtois for his play, he loves to play with a techinical goalkeeper like Ederson, Reina, Neuer or Alisson too.

Sarri sounds exactly like Conte. We already have him. 

13 minutes ago, evissy said:

Sarri sounds exactly like Conte. We already have him. 

I vaguely recall someone pointing out 2 years ago when Conte was rumoured to be our new manager that he had the same annoying traits as Mourinho. Our deja vu is having a deja vu, it seems 

Oh god, in a few years we'll sign Mourinho for a third stint, won't we ? 

DiMarzio linking us to Mateo Kovacic

On 04/07/2018 at 13:32, mwblue10 said:

DiMarzio linking us to Mateo Kovacic

Yea I saw that, good player, now that juve has Ronaldo surely they have to sell players I'd start looking to them instead of Real

1 hour ago, ScrubsLaneCFC said:

Yea I saw that, good player, now that juve has Ronaldo surely they have to sell players I'd start looking to them instead of Real

Dybala? 

5 hours ago, ScrubsLaneCFC said:

Yea I saw that, good player, now that juve has Ronaldo surely they have to sell players I'd start looking to them instead of Real

If Real are actually interested in Courtois, it may be possible for us to get Kovacic as part of that deal.  Swap deals are rare, I know, but I think it’s a good move for us.  Kovacic as a deep lying young playmaker, Kante as the engine, Golovin attacking and making plays.