Pereira? Is he any good?

Followers

August 9, 201114 yr

The Telegraph is big on us trying to buy Pereira, but do we need a wing back as opposed to a winger? I can't see where this guy would fit into the team.

August 9, 201114 yr

No, you see, we just sold a left wingback who can also play on the wing, and AVB used to manage Porto, so we must be after Pereira. Isn't it obvious*?

*Warning: logic may not be obvious to anyone but a journalist short on column inches.

2 weeks later...

August 18, 201114 yr

Just when we were feeling good about ourselves yesterday being linked with a world class wide forward and Harry showing signs of loosening over Modric. Pereira appears again. Jason Burt (who was the first to report it and has pushed it ever since) is now suggesting we might like to have a deal in place in the next few days.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/8707741/Chelsea-planning-swoop-for-Joao-Moutinho-and-Alvaro-Pereira.html?

Does it make any sense? No, we've just sold a similar player who was unhappy because he lacked gametime. We also have two exceptional young left backs who have just signed long term deals. Bertrand in particular looks like he has the ability to fill in for Ashley should the need arise.

But here it is, a guy who has never appeared for AVB other than at left back possibly being signed to replace a player who was surplus in the first place and potentially stand in the way of two very promising youngsters. All the while taking up a squad place that we don't have.

Either we've learned nothing from the past six seasons or Jason Burt's sources have been significantly misleading him.

August 18, 201114 yr

I notice he (Jason Burt) also throws Joao Moutinho into the mix The actual headline reads:

"Chelsea planning swoop for Joao Moutinho and Alvaro Pereira"

I think it was you who wrote elsewhere that the press can't help but link us with Porto players. The general approach would appear to be to name as many Porto players as possible, in the hope and expectation that we might actually eventually sign one of them.