Apparently zidane has advised the board to go for him. He advised them on benzema before.

I just cant see it especially if they are to be believed first in que to sign Neymar as well

That's exactly what we should do. Putting Mata in the hole (Lampards/Raul's spot) makes him be a better creator. He has more options to create for.

The only potential problem with this is that Mata plays zero defense. It's not like Lampard or Meireles are destroyers back there either, but they'll at least lean on a guy and maybe go for a tackle. Mata doesn't even do that.

That's okay, as our offense is more dangerous with him the hole and someone like Hazard on the wing. It just puts a little more pressure on Romeu and Ramires defensively.

The only potential problem with this is that Mata plays zero defense. It's not like Lampard or Meireles are destroyers back there either, but they'll at least lean on a guy and maybe go for a tackle. Mata doesn't even do that.

That's okay, as our offense is more dangerous with him the hole and someone like Hazard on the wing. It just puts a little more pressure on Romeu and Ramires defensively.

A more balanced attack may be to leave Mata on the wing, put Sturridge in the Striker spot, and put Hazard on the other wing.

An interesting team would look like this:

---------------------------Sturridge----------------------------

Mata---------------------------------------------------------Hazard

New Attacking MF-------------Luiz-----------------------Ramierez

---------------------------------Romeu----------------------------------

-Cole----------------------Terry-------Cahill(addition)------------------Ivanovich

--------------------------------Cech

A more balanced attack may be to leave Mata on the wing, put Sturridge in the Striker spot, and put Hazard on the other wing.

An interesting team would look like this:

---------------------------Sturridge----------------------------

Mata---------------------------------------------------------Hazard

New Attacking MF-------------Luiz-----------------------Ramierez

---------------------------------Romeu----------------------------------

-Cole----------------------Terry-------Cahill(addition)------------------Ivanovich

--------------------------------Cech

Or even try this one:

---------------------------Sturridge----------------------------

Mata---------------------------------------------------------Hazard

------------------------------ Luiz-------------------------------------

New Attacking MF------------------------------------Ramierez

---------------------------------Romeu----------------------------------

Cole-------------------------------------------------------------Ivanovich-

-----------------------------Terry-------Cahill(addition)------------------I

--------------------------------Cech------------------------------------------

i think you will find there is only 11 players allowed in a football team at anyone time i could excuse it once but you have 3 formations with 12 players .now that is funny because you sounded so professional in the first one . sorry mate

If Real take Hazard, we could sneak a bid in for Di maria, or even go back and see if Neymar would come here as they wouldn't need both Hazard and Neymar.

Also, all this talk of Luiz in the middle is balderdash. He used to play there in Brazil and was no good. In fact, he nearly quit the game until a coach put him in defense and he shone from there.

Thanks

If Real take Hazard, we could sneak a bid in for Di maria, or even go back and see if Neymar would come here as they wouldn't need both Hazard and Neymar.

Also, all this talk of Luiz in the middle is balderdash. He used to play there in Brazil and was no good. In fact, he nearly quit the game until a coach put him in defense and he shone from there.

Thanks

Yes thank you! LUIZ ISN'T MOVING PEOPLE! These ideas have to stop. He is a center back. That is where is going to play. It is just an added bonus that he has a little pace and skill. He is already learning to calm down and eventually I see him being one of the best in the world at that spot.

Prob been mentioned before as i've read a few links previously. If he is better than Sanchez we should go for him

The only potential problem with this is that Mata plays zero defense. It's not like Lampard or Meireles are destroyers back there either, but they'll at least lean on a guy and maybe go for a tackle. Mata doesn't even do that.

That's okay, as our offense is more dangerous with him the hole and someone like Hazard on the wing. It just puts a little more pressure on Romeu and Ramires defensively.

The idea of moving Mata centrally isn't one of keeping the same shape and sticking him instead of Lampard or Meireles because that'd be madness.

It's more like the spanish style 4-2-3-1 formation, the one which Real Madrid are currently using to sweep aside any side that isn't Barcelona.

It involves two deep central midfielders, in Madrid's case these are Xabi Alonso and Diarra/Khedira. One of them is a destroyer, the other a playmaker in their set up, Germany ran it with Schweinsteiger and Khedira in the World Cup.

We wouldn't quite play it in exactly the same way. Romeu and Ramires offer a different more combative style in that role making it a little more solid even if it does mean that Ramires won't be able to make his bursting forward runs quite as regularly as he does now. One of the key advantages for us would be that it means that we have a creative player getting much closer to our central striker which would be of huge benefit to a striker who doesn't create on his own, namely Torres. The downside is that defensively it is slightly weaker. For us though it'd make us far more mobile as a team and give us greater creativity further up the field.

i think you will find there is only 11 players allowed in a football team at anyone time i could excuse it once but you have 3 formations with 12 players .now that is funny because you sounded so professional in the first one . sorry mate

I am a dumbass! I didn't even bother to count the number of players in my formation! I was thinking I was being so brilliant by finding a way to better utilize Luiz. Oh well. Glad I am not in charge of lineup choices or I would be fired on the spot!!!

I thought Luiz has been brilliant as a CB for the last few games. His only problem was that he got overexcited. He seems to be calming down to me.

I thought Luiz has been brilliant as a CB for the last few games. His only problem was that he got overexcited. He seems to be calming down to me.

We've played better as a team lately. I think it is down to that. I've never doubted his skill and I think he is going to be here for a long time.

Hazard would be just the signing I want. He can free up Mata to play a more central role which would mean we wont need Modric anymore. A midfield three of Ramires, Romeu and Mata has everything. Hazard and Sturridge out wide would give any defense a run for their money.

Randomly seen today:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2073746/Fernando-Torres-sale-Chelsea-20m-January-flop-striker.html

I know, I know it's the Daily Hate Mail but I'm hoping it really is as much bollocks as it sounds....

I am a dumbass! I didn't even bother to count the number of players in my formation! I was thinking I was being so brilliant by finding a way to better utilize Luiz. Oh well. Glad I am not in charge of lineup choices or I would be fired on the spot!!!

Or you would have been labelled a genius if we had gotten away with it....

"Chelsea are playing so well you would think they had 12 men on the pitch......oh hang on a minute...1, 2, 3.etc...)

Prob been mentioned before as i've read a few links previously. If he is better than Sanchez we should go for him

Opps, forgot to add the link, it was about Vargas

Apparently Hazard is out fall-back option if we fail to land Rodwell, if true I have no words for it.

Should be the other way around.

Neymar off the list now, Sky Sources saying hes agreed deal with barca.

I hear Barca have bought a first refusal on him for 10 million euros and if Santos sell to someone else they have to give Barca 20 million back.

How in Lord's name would you know. He agrees terms with Chelsea then Real then Barca. Sounds like a big tease to me.

I hear Barca have bought a first refusal on him for 10 million euros and if Santos sell to someone else they have to give Barca 20 million back.

So basically he is going to barca. Santos wont want to lose their 20m and Neymar would want to go to the second best club in the world.

Its only what i read, dont shoot the messenger.

Its only what i read, dont shoot the messenger.

It wasnt meant to be agressive, sorry. Probably should have put an emotion in there to make it more obvious

Apparently Hazard is out fall-back option if we fail to land Rodwell, if true I have no words for it.

Should be the other way around.

They shouldn't be considered as alternatives - they're very different styles of player.