Since we have already made a couple of purchases, what are we all now hoping for by the end of the window?

I think we are heading towards a 424/442 with the amount of strikers we seem to be getting linked with.

GK courtois Begovic (any)

Dr azpiliucueta ivanovic

Dc terry zouma Cahill (new signing)

Dl (new signing) baba

Mr Willian Cuadrado

Mc kante fabregas Matic rlc oscar

Ml hazard Pedro Kenedy

St Costa (new signing) batshuayi traore

 

Are you happy to kill the promising careers of Kenedy and even more so Traore. Surely they wont get any sort of useful minutes at 3rd and 4th choice.

Traore is interesting. His case. He clearly is heading towards greatness. I really hope Conte sees that and gives him a proper chance right away. If we use 2 strikers he might have a shot.

Costa, Batshuayi, Traore and a new signing would be a nice foursome. Naturally the new signing needs to be strong as well.

Are you happy to kill the promising careers of Kenedy and even more so Traore. Surely they wont get any sort of useful minutes at 3rd and 4th choice.

Killing careers lol

Personally I would get rid of Cuadrado but I think conte likes him, and I can't see any other winger being sold, so Kenedy is probably going to down the pecking order anyway.

Traore will get plenty of minutes if we play 2 up top.

4-4-2/4-2-4

 

GK Courtois Begovic (any)
Dr Azpiliucueta Ivanovic Aina
Dc terry zouma Cahill Maksimovic
Dl J.Hector *Azpilicueta
Mr Willian Cuadrado
MC Kante Fabregas Mathudi rlc 
Ml Draxler, Pedro *Hazard
St Hazard, Batshuayi, Costa, Traore

 

Sell Oscar, Matic and Mikel  (60mil) + Christensen (20mil with a buyback clause)

Buy J.Hector (22mil), Draxler (35mil-40mil), Maksimovic (18mil), Mathudi (30mil)

 

-----------------Courtois-------------------

 

Azpilicueta----Zouma--Maksimovic----J.Hector

----------------Kante----Mathudi/Fab--------------------

Willian------Hazard---Batshuayi/Costa-----Draxler

GK: Courtois, Begovic, Blackman

 

RB: Azpillicueta, Aina

CB: Zouma, Koulibaly, Cahill, Terry, Ivanovic

LB: Rodriguez, Rahman

 

CM: Kante, Fabregas, Matuidi, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek

RW: Cuadrado, Willian

LW: Hazard, Pedro

 

ST: Costa, Batshuayi, Remy, Traore

 

Buy: Koulibaly, Matuidi, Rodriguez

Sell: Oscar, Matic, Mikel

Loan: Kennedy, Moses

We are quite possibly a left-back away from having a fairly decent squad (assuming we go with the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 which I think would best suit our current players). We'd have a fair number of different options in midfield and attack too:

 

GK: Courtois, Begovic

 

RB: Aina, Azpilicueta

CB: Terry, Ivanovic, Cahill, Zouma

LB: New signing

 

DM: Kanté, Mikel

CM: Chalobah, Matic, RLC

AM: Fabregas, Oscar

 

WF: Hazard, Willian, Pedro, Cuadrado, Kenedy

 

CF: Costa, Batshuayi, Traoré, [Rémy]

We are quite possibly a left-back away from having a fairly decent squad (assuming we go with the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 which I think would best suit our current players). We'd have a fair number of different options in midfield and attack too:

 

GK: Courtois, Begovic

 

RB: Aina, Azpilicueta

CB: Terry, Ivanovic, Cahill, Zouma

LB: New signing

 

DM: Kanté, Mikel

CM: Chalobah, Matic, RLC

AM: Fabregas, Oscar

 

WF: Hazard, Willian, Pedro, Cuadrado, Kenedy

 

CF: Costa, Batshuayi, Traoré, [Rémy]

Moses to be sold or loaned?  Think he's probably shown more than Cuadrado in pre season, but I think it will be more likely Kenedy is loaned and Moses/Cuardo stay.

There is absolutely no way we don't have another defensive signing in the works, it would be irresponsible on such a level for Conte to go into the season with the only those defenders.  Presuming Papy and Miazga are going on loan as well.

Still so much deadwood lying around. Hopefully we get rid off them by the end of the window. Oscar, Pedro, Remy are a must leave.

 

GK - Tibo, Bego (HG), Blackman (HG)

Def - JT (HG), GC (HG), Azpi, Aina (HG), Iva,Zouma,  Tomori (HG), Kenedy (HG) 

DM - Kante, Mikel

CM - Matic, Cesc (HG), Chalobah(HG), RLC (HG)

Wingers - hazard, Willian, Moses (HG), Cuadrado

Strikers - Costa, Batshuayi, Traore (HG)

 

Thats 12 HG/U-19 spots out of 24 spots.

Wont sweat much if Costa leaves. The way he is playing, he wont be missed at all. Squad is simply based on a 4-3-3.

Buying a new LB would mean making Aina our 4th choice FB and no play time. Moreover, with Ake, we can take our chances on not buying a LB and actually relying on youth.

Similarly with Andreas in the wings, Aina-Zouma-Andreas-Ake can be our long term back 4. With the likes of Azpi, a new CB and one of JT/GC staying next season. We can have a good defence. Right now i feel its all about damage control. Its a fragmanted squad. Hopefully, Conte can give us an identity and have the right profile of players for the right job in a year or so.

This season, for me, is all about that top 4 spot, a good cup run and youth integration - traore, chalobah, aina, RLC. Next season we can take it a step or 2 forward. 

You're pretty close to what the squad will be IMO. Real question is in the backline. With Zouma out for such a long time we need to either sign a new CB or a new fullback to move Bran into the centre.

Other than that not sure there will be too many changes. RLC might go on loan to get some minutes. I think Pedro is probably more likely to stay than Cuadrado just because of the amount of suitors.

As it stands this would be my ideal squad...

 

GK: Tibo, Begovic, Blackman

FB: Azpi, Ivanovic, Aina, Rodriguez

CH: Zouma, Cahill, Evans, JT, Tomori

CM: Kante, Fabregas, Mikel, Mascherano, Chalobah, Maia

AM: Cuadrado, Willian, Hazard, Pedro, Moses, Oscar, RLC

CF: Diego, Batshuayi, Traore, Bamford

 

IN

Mascherano (for Matic assuming he leaves)

Evans (assuming we don't sign Koulibaly, not ideal but we're desperate)

Rodriguez (for Baba)

Maia (as a potential replacement for Mikel or if Chalobah doesn't make the grade)

 

OUT

Miazga (loan), Kenedy (loan), Remy

 

Preferred starting XI (4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1/4-5-1);

 

                            Tibo

     Azpi -- Zouma -- Evans -- Rodriguez

                 Kante -- Mascherano

Willian/Cuadrado -- Oscar/Fabregas -- Hazard

                      Diego/Batshuayi

Edited August 10, 20169 yr by the special one

Mascherano hasn't played as a midfielder for a near decade.

 

As it stands this would be my ideal squad...

 

GK: Tibo, Begovic, Blackman

FB: Azpi, Ivanovic, Aina, Rodriguez

CH: Zouma, Cahill, Evans, JT, Tomori

CM: Kante, Fabregas, Mikel, Mascherano, Chalobah, Maia

AM: Cuadrado, Willian, Hazard, Pedro, Moses, Oscar, RLC

CF: Diego, Batshuayi, Traore, Bamford

 

IN

Mascherano (for Matic assuming he leaves)

Evans (assuming we don't sign Koulibaly, not ideal but we're desperate)

Rodriguez (for Baba)

Maia (as a potential replacement for Mikel or if Chalobah doesn't make the grade)

 

OUT

Miazga (loan), Kenedy (loan), Remy

 

Preferred starting XI (4-2-3-1/4-1-4-1/4-5-1);

 

                               Tibo

     Azpi -- Zouma -- Evans -- Rodriguez

                 Kante -- Mascherano

Willian/Cuadrado -- Oscar/Fabregas -- Hazard

                      Diego/Batshuayi

 

 

Evans? Is this some young Brazil wonderkid you're talking about because surely you're not on about Johnny Evans?!

Evans? Is this some young Brazil wonderkid you're talking about because surely you're not on about Johnny Evans?!

 

As I said above, not ideal but if we can't sign Koulibaly I'd take him over Kone personally. Sorry if it appears I'm undermining Cahill/JT but I think we're that desperate.

Mascherano hasn't played as a midfielder for a near decade.

He plays there for Argentina on occasion.  

Mascherano hasn't played as a midfielder for a near decade.

 

I may be mistaken but he still plays DM for Argentina? Even if not I think we need a DM who can cover for Kante who I hope isn't played exclusively as a holding DM... his box to box presence for Leicester was a key component of their success last year imo

Edited August 10, 20169 yr by the special one

The odd appearance a few times a season for Argentina, he spends more than 90% of his season playing as a CB. I don't think that's what you want if you are looking for a midfielder.

In any case he's at Barca and a few weeks ago signed till 2019 so it's pie in the sky stuff.

I'd rather we sign nobody than johnny evans

Looks like the squad is starting to take shape. What we have so far:

 

Foreign: 13 (+3)

Courtois

Ivanovic

Zouma

Azpilicueta

Kanté

Mikel

Matic

Oscar

Hazard

Pedro

Willian

Costa

Batshuayi

(Eduardo)

(Rémy)

(Cuadrado)

 

Homegrown: 5 (+1)

Begovic

Cahill

Terry

Fabregas

Moses

(Chalobah)

 

Under-21: (born after 2nd January 1995)

Aina

Loftus-Cheek

Kenedy

Miazga

Tomori

Solanke

Let's hope Solanke's contract is sorted soon...apparently his step-dad agent was demanding £50k a week and a guarantee of first team football...

Edited August 26, 20169 yr by doctorblue

Eduardo

Eduardo

Eduardo

-------------

Djilobodji

Hector

Ben Haim

Ivanovic

Del Horno

Marcos Alonso

-------------

Pedro

Pedro

Pedro

Oscar

Oscar

Benayoun

Mikel

----------

Torres

Torres

Torres

Kezman

Kezman

Pizarro

Sutton

Pizarro

Sutton

Eduardo

Eduardo

Eduardo

-------------

Djilobodji

Hector

Ben Haim

Ivanovic

Del Horno

Marcos Alonso

-------------

Pedro

Pedro

Pedro

Oscar

Oscar

Benayoun

Mikel

----------

Torres

Torres

Torres

Kezman

Kezman

Pizarro

Sutton

Pizarro

Sutton

Does di Santo not make your squad?