You are not sure how having 4 guys for one position makes sense?

I would take a look at the squads we are competing against and the strength in depth in the striker area and say it is one of the key areas where we are inferior to our opposition.

 

We would still only have 4 strikers, one of them Torres and one of them Drogba who I am sure would not expect to be included every week.

Four strikers is way too many. Jose doesn't even like to have a big squad. If I remember correctly, Jose likes to play with around 21 players.

Cech

Courtois

Schwarzer

Azpiliucuta

Ivanovic

Felipe

Mikel

Ramires

Matic

Oscar

Hazard

Schurrle

Willian

Salah

Torres

Costa

That is 17 non homegrown players, and there's also possibly Romeu to come in. So I'm not sure whether we can sign drogba without moving on 1 or 2 of these players. If we were planning on keeping both Cech and Courtois, then the 3rd choice keeper should have been homegrown.

This is also assuming lukaku counts as homegrown.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Van Ginkel doesn't qualify as u-21, so we already have 18 non-homegrown players in the squad.

Edited July 25, 201411 yr by footballoholic

I don't see all of Mikel, van Ginkel and Romeu staying this season, even if one or two of them go out on loan. 

 

They all fulfill the same role within the squad so I think we're a bit overstocked on central midfield players at the moment. 

How on earth is 4 strikes 'way too many' ?

 

A I missing something here. Look at who won the title last season...... how many strikers did they have?

How on earth is 4 strikes 'way too many' ?

 

A I missing something here. Look at who won the title last season...... how many strikers did they have?

 

Difference is I suppose that City often play a system that deploys two strikers so they've a bigger requirement.

 

Where we almost always play with one up top unless chasing a game we don't need as many forwards. 

 

In truth we could probably survive with just two with Schurrle and Salah being emergency strikers if needed. 

^ 4 for one position is too much, the other teams you are referring to play with 2 at the same time so having 4 makes sense. City have Aguero, Negredo, Jovetic and Dzeko; you can play 2 at anytime (maybe not Dzeko/Aguero) and they compliment each other. Same with Utd with Hernandez, Rooney, RVP,and Welbeck; any two they play compliment each other.

I might be wrong but we have too many AMs and play 'One' on top, I just can't see any of the four; Costa, Lukaku, Drogba and Torres working in the same way. Unless you are chasing a game and go gung-ho like we did last season throwing all 3 on, I don't think any of that four can work in tandem.

Reckon Lukaku will go out on loan again and Drogs will come back to fill the gap.

Difference is I suppose that City often play a system that deploys two strikers so they've a bigger requirement.

 

Where we almost always play with one up top unless chasing a game we don't need as many forwards. 

 

In truth we could probably survive with just two with Schurrle and Salah being emergency strikers if needed.

^ Thank you! took it right out of my mouth, and Fabregas has played in a False 9 position for club & country.

I don't see all of Mikel, van Ginkel and Romeu staying this season, even if one or two of them go out on loan.

They all fulfill the same role within the squad so I think we're a bit overstocked on central midfield players at the moment.

Even if 2 out the 3 leave, we still will have to lose another player to make room for drogba. Unless we are managing to sell torres, I don't think it would be viable to have a 4th striker.

If we go with Costa, Torres, drogba, we are injury away from having to rely on a 36 year old drogba, and torres.

We had four strikers back in 05-06 under Jose Drogba, Crespo, Carlton Cole and Gudjohnsen (admittedly he played AMF a lot but he played at centre forward still)

We had four strikers back in 05-06 under Jose Drogba, Crespo, Carlton Cole and Gudjohnsen (admittedly he played AMF a lot but he played at centre forward still)

None of the current for can play anywhere else, apart from costa, I don't think any of them are best suited to even play in a 2. Looks a little overkill to me.

Cech

Courtois

Schwarzer

Azpiliucuta

Ivanovic

Felipe

Mikel

Ramires

Matic

Oscar

Hazard

Schurrle

Willian

Salah

Torres

Costa

That is 17 non homegrown players, and there's also possibly Romeu to come in. So I'm not sure whether we can sign drogba without moving on 1 or 2 of these players. If we were planning on keeping both Cech and Courtois, then the 3rd choice keeper should have been homegrown.

This is also assuming lukaku counts as homegrown.

You've forgotten fabregas who counts as homegrown

I agree City may play a different system however they have, in my opinion, 4 very good strikers. We would not have 4 strikers equal to the quality they have.

 

We would have Torres as one for a start and a 35 year old Drogba who as I said previously would hardly be expecting to be involved in every game.

 

As for Schurrle & Salah (?) playing as emergency strikers- judging on how successful this has been in the past (with Hazard also being tried) I would say this is the exact thing we should be trying to avoid. It has been a complete disaster whenever we have tried shoe horning players up top and just because they may have done it for their country it doesn't mean it will work at Chelsea.

 

I understand Forever Carefree you are just providing examples for emergency situations but that was kind of my point initially, we would be adding strength in depth so that we didn't have to resort to this.

Didi has just posted a goodbye tweet to Gala...

God, the thought of drogs coming home is turning me on!

God, the thought of drogs coming home is turning me on!

Even if 2 out the 3 leave, we still will have to lose another player to make room for drogba. Unless we are managing to sell torres, I don't think it would be viable to have a 4th striker.

If we go with Costa, Torres, drogba, we are injury away from having to rely on a 36 year old drogba, and torres.

 

Lukaku counts as an under 21 player though doesn't he?

 

I'm undecided about Torres right now, there's a lot of noise about him going but I just don't see why anyone would invest that much into him. 

 

I think Mikel could leave personally, I think there is set to be at least one fairly senior player leaving to make sure the squad is fully balanced. 

I wonder whether Didier will also take on the Eto'o 'old man' celebration?

I wonder whether Didier will also take on the Eto'o 'old man' celebration?

I bet Jose wouldn't want to joke about Drogs' age..

I can picture it now. It's a chelsea vs Barcelona in the CL final, we're 2-0 down with suarez scoring both, we go in at half time, Drogba goes absolutely f**king mental and starts throwing stuff around trying to get the players riled up. Second half we go out there, players with their new found motivation and costa chases down suarez, they get into an altercation, costa throws snot in suarez' face, suarez retaliates and bites costa, both of them get booked. We go on to score 2 goals, suarez then deliberately dives and receives a second yellow; he gets sent off and lukaku comes on, but before he does, drogba tells him something, he comes on and scores the winning goal just like drogs did in 2012.

Ahhh, bisto!

Ohh man can't wait to see him again as a blue! Arsenal player's probably would have pee'd in their pants after hearing this news.!

Cech

Courtois

Schwarzer

Azpiliucuta

Ivanovic

Felipe

Mikel

Ramires

Matic

Oscar

Hazard

Schurrle

Willian

Salah

Torres

Costa

That is 17 non homegrown players, and there's also possibly Romeu to come in. So I'm not sure whether we can sign drogba without moving on 1 or 2 of these players. If we were planning on keeping both Cech and Courtois, then the 3rd choice keeper should have been homegrown.

This is also assuming lukaku counts as homegrown.

 

Despite what the club are saying i just cant see us having Cech and Courtois next season. I dont see it. Personally my money is on Cech leaving before the window is out, it'll hurt (for everyone) but i think its the way forward.

 

If i had to put money on someone else going from that list it would be Mikel. The new contract for Romeu was something none of us expected and doesnt bode well for Mikel. Unless of course Romeus contract was just an effort give him some resale value. Who knows what will happen but im pretty sure we will have a few more departures and arrivals before 31 Aug.

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/7/25/5936347/didier-drogba-says-goodbye-to-galatasaray

Been mentioned before but Didier says goodbye to Galatasary on Twitter.

I can picture it now. It's a chelsea vs Barcelona in the CL final, we're 2-0 down with suarez scoring both, we go in at half time, Drogba goes absolutely f**king mental and starts throwing stuff around trying to get the players riled up. Second half we go out there, players with their new found motivation and costa chases down suarez, they get into an altercation, costa throws snot in suarez' face, suarez retaliates and bites costa, both of them get booked. We go on to score 2 goals, suarez then deliberately dives and receives a second yellow; he gets sent off and lukaku comes on, but before he does, drogba tells him something, he comes on and scores the winning goal just like drogs did in 2012.

Ahhh, bisto!

 

LOL

Edited July 25, 201411 yr by PraetorianGuard