Stronger squad than last year?

[chelseablue89]

So Alex Ferguson thinks Chelsea wont be as strong next season because Drogba has left. Obviously this is the start of next seasons mind games but what are your thoughts?

I personal feel the squad is stronger than last season already and I think there will be at least 2 more signings, an attacking right back and a striker/winger.

[dkw]

Hmm, difficult one that. I think the squad will be stronger but its yet to be seen if the team will be stronger. Drogba going is a massive loss, he has been everything our attack has been based around for several years so it really is a huge change in emphasis. But on the plus side we have a more varied squad now through our purchases, we also have players like Ramires, Cahill, Luiz etc who will be more settled and ready to go.

[Fearnley]

I agree with SAF at times when drogba is on the pitch we look to hoof it long and more often than not the lose the ball only to be on the receiving end of yet another attack as in the FA cup final. If you look at games like Sunderland and QPR we demolished teams without him on the field simply by playing good football as we did not have the option to play the long ball so everything was along the floor

[Frank_Lampard8]

The tactics we employ will have to change but that's a given, but like Fearnley said we can still play good football without him on the field. Also we have made some great signings in Marin and Hazzard so I still think the squad is strong enough to get what we want next year, we just need to perform like we know we can.

[bluedave]

I think on balance the squad strength is about the same as last year right now, but if we sign one or two more of the players we've been linked to then things are looking pretty sweet.

Probably the most important difference for next season is in the dugout rather than on the pitch.

Edited July 8, 2012 by bluedave

[timetowaste]

We will be stronger overall by the start of the season.

[Snedger]

Definitely as you were in my opinion. Like others have said, it's already a different kind of squad with the changes of Drogs out and Hazard and Marin in but I don't really think that means we're stronger. I suppose that if KDB is brought into the squad and is a good as advertised and we do add another quality attacking player, that added to the improvements in Ramires, Luiz and Cahill would equal being stronger.

But assuming that the Manc clubs strengthen a bit, its going to be tough to give them a serious challenge to the end.

Still think a proven creative midfielder could be what is necessary to really trouble the top 2. Ie someone Modric-esque.

[Katon]

I think our league performance would be stronger next year (assuming we grab a second right-back from somewhere) as Didier didn't actually contribute that much in the league - he was very much a cup specialist last year. A full year of Cahill rather than Alex, using Bertrand to give Cole the occasional rest, and having someone who can play attacking midfield besides Mata will all make more of a difference to our league performance than missing what Didier gave us.

For the cups, I don't think our best starting eleven against good teams has particularly improved; essentially we've swapped Kalou for Hazard (good!) and replaced Drogba with Torres (not good!). At the moment all our starters are good enough that we shouldn't be embarassed to send them out in a CL final, but there aren't many who'd be clear starters for City, Barca, Real, or Bayern.

Right now, I think we're comfortable favorites for third place. Add in, say, Modric and Hulk/Schurrle, and we'd be looking a lot better.

[mad_mac]

We are certainly weaker without Drogba, but I will refuse to comment on this season's squad compared to last season's until the end of the transfer window.

IF, we get Modric (or a similar player), IF we sign Hulk (or a similar player), and IF Torres can bring some of this re-found confidence with him into the Chelsea team, then I think we could make a great case.

What I will say, is the recent signings are positive and show a great direction that the club is going in. Signing young, established - albeit in "inferior" leagues - players, is a great thing.

Scott

[evissy]

Have to agree with SAF on some degree. Take out Drogba from our last cup finals and we'd have two trophies less.

He saved our ar*e numerous of occasions so SAF has a point. The comment from him is of course a bit on a lighter side but there is a seed of truth.

We need to go back to the system we had before Drogba(or something completely different). It worked very well before. Brilliant wide players and Torres can knock them in. We are one 'Hazard' closer to achieving that. Fun to see how Mata-Hazard works. Mata was completely alone last season but now he has a creative partner in the team. Hope it works.

We are 2-3 signings away from our next seasons team so it is hard to say at this point.

[Bluehatter]

Like I have said previously, I believe if we sign hulk we can challenge for the title. One more key signing like that and I think we are ready. The manchester clubs have not strengthened yet and I can't see them signing any key players.

[CardiffBlue]

Drogba being gone would weaken any club, but I still think we're in a good place. I was really encouraged by Torres at the end of last season and at Euro '12, reckon he'll do a good job next year. Also, Ramires, Luiz and Meireles have really improved this season and we have two really good new signings in Hazard and Marin. If we get a new striker I reckon we've got a good chance to challenge in both the PL and CL.

[Damo810]

For me alot depends on hazard, and how he can settle into the team. The form of torres will have a huge impact aswell. If both of those 2 variables come good I think we are as strong as last year. With a dedicated RW I can't see any reason why we couldn't challenge for the title.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Like I have said previously, I believe if we sign hulk we can challenge for the title. One more key signing like that and I think we are ready. The manchester clubs have not strengthened yet and I can't see them signing any key players.

I think they will sign some key players, but on a limited scale. Think Moutinho will go to Man Utd, and at the very least Man City will get Van Persie.

But even still, I think we have strengthened the squad in the right areas. At striker we will definitely be weaker, but if we go into next season with Hazard, Marin, and one of Jovetic/Hulk/Schurrle, we will have much more firepower, overall.

[Spiller86]

I've said before that arguably Drogba has been the best player to ever play for this club. He is also I believe a contender for best striker of the last decade. On form he was simply unplayable. Real have Ronaldo, Barcelona have Messi, we have Drogba.

If you want to look at his contribution name a season since he has been here where we won a title without a significant contribution from him? Even the year he joined when we all thought he was rubbish he still scored 15+ goals.

We're mad if we think that we aren't weaker with him gone. Hazard can't replace him and we shouldn't expect him too. Drogba is a once in a lifetime player. We are going to need to strengthen 3 or 4 different places to make up for his absence. I think we are attempting to, but we haven't gotten there yet.

The other question is whether we want to. Do we say that the Drogba era has now been completed and instead of buying in new replacements we let ourselves grow more organically. Instead of getting in a Hulk, do we let a Sturridge or Lukaku mature into a good player? Instead of buying a Modric to replace Lampard do we put our faith in McEachran, Piazon and De Bruyne?

It's an interesting time for us. I'm very excited I hope we don't go for the quick fixes. We talk of transition. I hope that we actually engage in it this season, and at the end we still have Robbie D in charge with those 5 youngsters and others having played 15 games each, and maybe we finish fourth or fifth and win nothing. But I think there is fun to be had in the process of seeing the next generation replace Drogba and try and build something as great as he did in his time here.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Spiller86

[Mike Carefree]

The team will be psychologically stronger.Each and every player will be trebley up for securing their shirt and position number in the team..They now know what they are capable of and each of them will want to be first teamers going for the prizes on offer...This you may scoff at, but i seriously believe that we will lose no more than 3 matches in the prem next term...We will miss Drogs goal prowess, but just watch em go...4 goals to start with at wigan...I want that prem taken from the MANX WANX...

[jack_super_class]

Right now no but im sure we will be signing at least 2 new players before the season starts.For me we still need a RB,creative CM another a winger and a forward.

[Remodez]

Don't even think losing Drogba makes us weaker at all, certainly not in the league anyway. I would rather have the current team with no more additions than the one last season with Drogba.

[Scott Harris]

Well last year i don't think we were good at all , in the F.A cup we had a pretty easy run in apart from the semi final and the final , and in the Champions league we won with passion and a lot of luck. Our football last season was awful at times and there was rarely a game we dominated. So i think Ferguson is way off the mark , we are a lot stronger already with the players we have brought in.

[The Moos]

Unless Lukaku can step up and become our new Drogba (well, he can't immediately, but maybe start becoming one), then I'd say we're much stronger. However, I don't think he will, so I do miss a big strong striker. I believe any team needs one.

[just]

With the signings made we are already stronger overall as a squad. But Red Nose does have a point. Drogba was a massive player for us and it remains to be seen whether we are weaker at centre-forward. That is up to one person, Fernando Torres. Everything is being set up to service him.

[SydneyChelsea]

Red Nose has, over the past two decades, been the master of strengthening the squad overall when faced with the loss of a big individual.

I'll take his comments as a compliment.

[bluedrake55]

the drog will be missed but we are way stronger than last season by a country mile. torres backed up by sturridge and lukaku is fine. best to give gametime to the 2 so they can gain experience than to get another in. the team and squad has so many attacking and potential midfield scorers that i believe they can share the goal burden. lamps, mata, hazard, db,marin and for a defencive midfielder ramires has an eye for goal. even in defence terry,cahill, luiz, ivanovic all chipped in last season.

[Teritus]

the drog will be missed but we are way stronger than last season by a country mile. torres backed up by sturridge and lukaku is fine. best to give gametime to the 2 so they can gain experience than to get another in. the team and squad has so many attacking and potential midfield scorers that i believe they can share the goal burden. lamps, mata, hazard, db,marin and for a defencive midfielder ramires has an eye for goal. even in defence terry,cahill, luiz, ivanovic all chipped in last season.

I don't see how Ramires is a defensive midfielder?

[Guest RFC_CFC]

Tough one as Drogba leaving takes away our plan B in a way if things are not going well. No one else can provide what Didier gave us and that could be seen as a weakened squad without him.

Since last season we have lost Kalou, Drogba, Anelka, Alex and Bossy.

So far we have brought in Marin, Hazard and De Bruyne. We still need a RB, RW and maybe a striker like Falcao to be stronger than we were last year imo.