I'll probably get slated for this but I genuinely think we have very little chance in the league & will be battling Arsenal/Spurs for 3rd & 4th.

Obviously hope I'm wrong but with our back four, I don't think I will be.

Kante us class but he can't cover for 3 players at the back that are slower than my nan.

If we make the CL spots, I would be surprised.

Not slating Conte one bit. This year is supposed to be for damage control.

Hopefully, we will have a massively changed and upgraded squad this time around next year.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by didierforever

Ashley Williams joins Everton for 12m.

That's a really good move by Everton; they've cheaply (albeit temporarily) replaced Stones in an instant.

 

They are very quietly having a good window - they currently have a very strong first XI.

Seeing Stones get his big money move you can almost guarantee Lukaku will be kicking up a stink.

Merson picks us to win it?

Merson picks us to win it?

 

He's a well known Chelsea supporter.

Considering we conceded 12 goals more than they did last season it's hard to agree right now.  

 

Mangala isn't a great granted but Stones, Otamendi and Kompany is a very good set of centre backs to choose from. 

 

I'm not suggesting for the sake of spending but City to their credit have tried to address what they feel is a weakness in their squad. 

 

We've had issues with quality depth in our fullbacks for a few years now and have failed to address it. Meanwhile we've spent somewhere in the region of £80m on right wingers in the same period. 

Yeah we had a bad season, there is no doubting that, but our defensive players have been much better over the stretch.  In Stones, City have themselves a David Luiz type, as good as he is he does make a large amount of errors that lead to chances.  Otamendi and Mangala collapsed in the absence of Kompany last year, they only finished fourth.  Not doubting Kompany's ability, but we can't right off JT and not Kompany.  i think they are both extremely capable if not the two best in the league still.

We had our targets, they can't always be acquired, i don't think we are trying to low ball anyone.  If the club throw more money at players that are really only our 2nd or 3rd choice then there will be a backlash internally and externally if the player doesn't get a chance and we paid through the roof.

I think the quality in the fullbacks issue comes down to the left bank situation.  We had a perfect understudy for Ivan (Dave) and we had a perfect understudy for Ash (Bertrand). should never have sold Bertrand, but at least they made up for that mistake brought in Luis.  However our ex manager chose not to go with the natural flow of evolution and continued to play two players out of position which left us with a second left back problem as Luis wanted out.

So that's one mistake from the board (Bertrand), one correct decision by the board to right that wrong (Luis), one mistake by an ex manager (Not playing Luis) and then one mistake by the board as a result of the ex manager's original decision (Selling Luis).  I'm not trying to finger point at JM here, I'm just saying I think the board have actually been doing quite a good job at fixing up that defense but mistakes have been made.  Now we are in a real predicament because we don't have any of our last three proper left backs and the board don't want to buy a sub par player or a player that won't get a chance as the same problem will occur.  They aren't going to get someone Conte doesn't want.  There is no quick solution here and it appears it may not be solved this window.

I do find it odd that Rahman was allowed to go on loan, I was sure there must be someone already a done deal.

Good article by Michael Cox arguing that Pogba is [obviously perhaps] better suited to a 4-3-3 than their current set-up.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/09/paul-pogba-jose-mourinho-manchester-united-4-2-3-1

He's a well known Chelsea supporter.

He's a crap pundit and just wants to jinx us.

Yeah we had a bad season, there is no doubting that, but our defensive players have been much better over the stretch.  

 

Historically yes they have been better but a year is a very long time in football. John Terry will be turning 36 in December, that we've not even come close to ling up a long term successor for him yet is worrying. 

 

Cahill relies on a solid partner next to him, he rarely shines consistently on his own. 

 

Ivan's legs have gone, he's lack of pace in that fullback role sees him caught out almost every game, I still have nightmares about how easily Swansea's Montero was twisting him in knots last year. 

We had our targets, they can't always be acquired, i don't think we are trying to low ball anyone.  If the club throw more money at players that are really only our 2nd or 3rd choice then there will be a backlash internally and externally if the player doesn't get a chance and we paid through the roof.

 

No you don't always get your primary target and that's why you have contingencies. Can't get Stones? Then have an alternative lined up of a similar skill set/ability.  

 

Not strengthening the back four last summer was a failure on the clubs part and the fact that Baba and  Djilobodji have both left a year later is an admission of that. 

 

I think the quality in the fullbacks issue comes down to the left bank situation.  We had a perfect understudy for Ivan (Dave) and we had a perfect understudy for Ash (Bertrand). should never have sold Bertrand, but at least they made up for that mistake brought in Luis.  However our ex manager chose not to go with the natural flow of evolution and continued to play two players out of position which left us with a second left back problem as Luis wanted out.

 

Dave playing left back isn't an issue, he just happens to be a right footed left back is all. At this point in time he's probably played more professional games on the left than the right so at what point do we acknowledge him as a left back? 

 

It's at right back I don't think we've addressed the issue, there's been no immediate back up to Ivanovic for years now, why we've not signed anyone or bought anyone through is lost on me and it's forced our hand to continue playing Ivan even when out of form. 

 

one mistake by an ex manager (Not playing Luis)

 

Was it a mistake? Let's not forget we won the league with the fewest goals conceded that year. 

 

 

I'm just saying I think the board have actually been doing quite a good job at fixing up that defense but mistakes have been made.  Now we are in a real predicament because we don't have any of our last three proper left backs and the board don't want to buy a sub par player or a player that won't get a chance as the same problem will occur.  They aren't going to get someone Conte doesn't want.  There is no quick solution here and it appears it may not be solved this window.

 

End of the day, right now, half the first choice back four are on a 12 month contract. 

 

We've basically put a giant plaster on the back four, stepped back crossed our fingers and now we're praying it will hold together to see us through another year. 

 

We failed to sign a quality centre back last summer, personally I don't think we can afford to miss out again this year. 

 

Baba's been released and I hope that means we're aiming to sign a new full back too because if pre-season has taught us anything it's that we're still likely to concede a lot of goals this season as it stands. 

Can't wait to watch Mourinho stick Pogba into a double pivot and turn him into the next Mikel.

We have to have a few lean, sensible years, Roman has a stadium to build, that is going to be super expensive.

The players we have should be challenging, they've done it before. Maybe we can add one or two more, but Conte seems happy to work with these guys. We've less games as well, so he can work with them all week and get the best from them.

 

I don't want us to end up like Arsenal though, we can't afford to be, we will be left behind.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by Scott Harris

Thank god we didn't buy stones. I hate the English player premium. 

I don't want us to end up like Arsenal though, we can't afford to be, we will be left behind.

None of us do mate!

We are in immediate danger of being left behind with the stadium gates being 20,0000 less of even Arsenal. The club is at a critical point where serious cash has to be spent. I don't think its realistic to expect both rebuilding jobs to be navigated without some difficulties. I know the football comes first, but with the game all revolving around disgusting amounts of money, it all has to be intertwined well commercially.

Despite Roman's riches, its a serious amount of cash to front up and I don't know how he can do it without crying a little inside!

So Pogba signs for Squillions, only riposte i can think worthy.

In terms of his ability to influence the outcome of a game I think he's up there with Zidane personally. Still a crap Ramires though...

Zidane is one of the few players that, if he played today, probably would be worth Pogba's price tag. If Pogba is as good as Zidane, this might not be so stupid.

Pogba is not and never will be as good as zidanne.

i give it 3 years (maybe less) before madrid comes knocking for pogba (if he develops into anywhere near his touted "potential") and pogba goes running to them open arms. the guy already basically gave thanks to madrid for at least pursuing him in his opening statement as a utd player. 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/08/west-ham-andre-ayew-swansea-record-signing

 

With Ayew gone to West Ham (adding to an already existing lack of centre forwards), a bid being accepted from Everton for their crucial captain Ashley Williams, things aren't looking great for Swansea. I wonder whether they might be sucked into the relegation battle this season.

 

Edit: although they seem to have agreed a fee for Borja:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/09/swansea-city-agree-club-record-fee-borja-baston-atletico-madrid

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by PloKoon13

Hi guys, Good to be finally back, I hate the Internationals, Olympics and muppet season, Finally our princess is back. Regarding Chelsea, I'm not sure i share the opinions about the defense that some of you guys have, Surely Conte being Italian will virtually guarantee clean sheets for you? If Chelsea do not fall behind 8/10 points before Xmas of either City or United, I would place an in running wager on you boys winning the title, No European distractions, A sane manager with no worry of self destructing ala Mourinho, Makes for a good bet to challenge. Conte seems like a really well spoken, calm and collected guy despite the reports of him being some dictator type, Hazard will have a big year, Kante is a gem, The only worry is where Costa's head is at, Being dropped from the Spain squad and his form last year, What's his confidence like? For me it will be the top end of the field that could let you down, Unless of course you get Lukaku and then i go onto my paddy power account and stick a few hundred on Chelsea to win the league with hopefully a win/win ending, Either we pip you to the title and it's only money, Or you pip that lot to the title and i'm a grand richer.   

In my job, I work in customer services. As a result, I receive a lot of emails from customers, most of them pretty scathing and critical. An occupational hazard, I suppose. Today I received this from a customer in an email:

 

 

 

This is worse than waiting on Arsenal to buy a player in the transfer window!

 

That is the most offensive and damaging email I have ever recieved!

on pogba;

 

amazing signing, he'll be great for them eventually, but it is amazing that £100m buys you a player who for now isn't one of the top three midfield players in the world and in john stones' case £50m has bought a player who is still almost entirely potential.

 

I think in the long term both pogba and stones will be successes, but I do think that if this is the market we now live with more than ever we should be thankful for our amazing youth system and it really is time we start seeing some real integration.  a new player every season or so. that was the club's target, so this year hopefully aina (and loftus cheek or chalobah), next season surely christensen.

 

I don't think we can compete with those sort of fees and I don't want us to take a retrograde step of leaning on abramovich to make these types of moves either. if we think about the long term of the club- and I mean in the next three decades- what we need to do is remain self sufficient rather than dependent because it guarantees that we will continue to exist. 

 

for me our ability to compete at the top will be dependent (amongst other things) on keeping the edge in youth development. I've read posts bemoaning us not going for these guys and saying we should sign bertrand for £30m rather than rely on the likes of aina. I think it is crucial we do the opposite.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by g3.7

Watching highlights of the Super Cup, Marcelo and Carvajal are what you want your fullbacks to play like. Ramos has been fantastic on both sides of the pitch, and i don't really think Perez needs a Galacticos signing with Asensio & Vasquez developing nicely.

In my job, I work in customer services. As a result, I receive a lot of emails from customers, most of them pretty scathing and critical. An occupational hazard, I suppose. Today I received this from a customer in an email:

That is the most offensive and damaging email I have ever recieved!

Haha nice!

Hi guys, Good to be finally back, I hate the Internationals, Olympics and muppet season, Finally our princess is back. Regarding Chelsea, I'm not sure i share the opinions about the defense that some of you guys have, Surely Conte being Italian will virtually guarantee clean sheets for you? If Chelsea do not fall behind 8/10 points before Xmas of either City or United, I would place an in running wager on you boys winning the title, No European distractions, A sane manager with no worry of self destructing ala Mourinho, Makes for a good bet to challenge. Conte seems like a really well spoken, calm and collected guy despite the reports of him being some dictator type, Hazard will have a big year, Kante is a gem, The only worry is where Costa's head is at, Being dropped from the Spain squad and his form last year, What's his confidence like? For me it will be the top end of the field that could let you down, Unless of course you get Lukaku and then i go onto my paddy power account and stick a few hundred on Chelsea to win the league with hopefully a win/win ending, Either we pip you to the title and it's only money, Or you pip that lot to the title and i'm a grand richer.   

 

Both Mourinho and Hiddink are well known for setting up good defenses and even they couldn't fix it, it definitely needs improving and pre-season has made it even more obvious ( if it is possible to be any more obvious that is ). Ivanovic, Cahill and Terry going into the new season starting together scares the hell out of me. I'm fine with Terry keeping his place but Ivanovic and Cahill worry me. We need someone quicker next to Terry, it will more than likely be Zouma, but even Zouma isn't quite good enough yet, he still has a lot to learn and is just returning from a very serious injury. Also, Terry will need to be used a bit differently this season, he's 35 now ( 36 in December ), if we want to get the best out of him then we can't play him in every game. Not having any European football may help Terry, but i don't want us to take our chances. 

 

We desperately need someone else playing at RB, i think it will be mental to go into the new season playing Ivanovic at RB again. I love what he has given us but he was a complete disaster at RB last season, every team attacked him because they could clearly see how easy it was to play against him. He doesn't close wingers down when they attempt to cross, quick wingers easily get past him, he can't turn very well anymore and he tends to lose his focus. It's harsh but this is football, time catches up on everyone, and Ivanovic's time at RB has been done for over a year now. If Ivanovic is our first choice RB this season then we will be in trouble i think.