He was earning around 120k at AM before he upped his contract. We could have easily doubled it if we hadn't added all the deadwood. No matter how happy a player is, double money talks. We never were after him which is what i don't understand.

Pogba was never close to joining us. We maybe put in a bid on Aug 31 which had no chance of happening. Also, if the reports were true, we bid 90M for Pogba. United got him for 89M + add ons which might push up the price by 10-20M more.

I have no allusions that we need to outspend everyone every year. We don't have 150M to burn each summer. My point is we aren't really utilizing oyr money. We keep buying 10 pedros instead of 1 griezmann. I just brought in Griezmann as an example. Maybe he was ungettable but there were other better players than Salah, Cuadrado and Pedro. Add them all up and they cost 60M, money which could have been well spent on quality instead of quantity. An overhaul of our transfer department especially that high school girls coach needs to happen. His gambles really haven't paid off bar KDB and Lukaku (whom i still think cannot play for Chelsea).

 

Did it ever occur to you that maybe we're buying 10 Pedros in hope that 2-3 or, if we're lucky, five will turn out to be between solid to very good for us instead of spending that money on 1 Griezmann is because players of Griezmann's caliber are notoriously difficult to acquire even if you have big money to spend? And if you spend all that money on 1 Griezmann, what do you have left to fill other holes in your squad? 

 

Do you really think United got Pogba because their negotiating team is so great? They can buy three Pogbas in one window and still be OK financially. We can't afford even one.

 

I do agree about us needing to utilize our money better, but I think it has more to do with better talent scouting. Identifying the right talent before he becomes a well known name and his price quadruples in size is what we should be doing.

I will agree to disagree. Players like Pedro will only play back up and will never really be a difference maker. Arsenal had the same strategy until they finally wisened up and started investing in players like Ozil and Sanches. Talented players are tough to acquire but then don't aspire to be a top club and start firing managers who don't cater to your lofty expectations.

U want to be considered a big club, pay up or fall by the wayside.

Really don't understand this desperation to sign a centre back to the point where we are bidding over 50million for a guy who is completely unproven at the highest level with next to no experience of playing against top strikers. Everyone laughed at City for paying 50million for Stones but atleast he was English and at a young age with bags of potential and some experience in the PL. IMO 50 million for Koulibaly is a greater risk and he could easily turn out to be Mangala 2.0 and at the very least will take a while to adjust from Serie A to the PL. We should really be going all out for a top left back (Rodriguez) so that Azpilicueta can revert to his best position with Aina as back up and Ivanovic can be used as a CB/not at all. We would then have a threat from full back on both sides and I could see us scoring quite a few goals from crosses with the likes of Costa and Bats as Ivanovic's crosses don't tend to beat the first defender.

 

If we somehow do not sign a top left back and instead throw all our at money at Koulibaly, prepare for another season of teams walking through the right side of our defence whilst we are overstacked with centre backs.

Really don't understand this desperation to sign a centre back to the point where we are bidding over 50million for a guy who is completely unproven at the highest level with next to no experience of playing against top strikers. Everyone laughed at City for paying 50million for Stones but atleast he was English and at a young age with bags of potential and some experience in the PL. IMO 50 million for Koulibaly is a greater risk and he could easily turn out to be Mangala 2.0 and at the very least will take a while to adjust from Serie A to the PL. We should really be going all out for a top left back (Rodriguez) so that Azpilicueta can revert to his best position with Aina as back up and Ivanovic can be used as a CB/not at all. We would then have a threat from full back on both sides and I could see us scoring quite a few goals from crosses with the likes of Costa and Bats as Ivanovic's crosses don't tend to beat the first defender.

 

If we somehow do not sign a top left back and instead throw all our at money at Koulibaly, prepare for another season of teams walking through the right side of our defence whilst we are overstacked with centre backs.

 

Interesting posts well made mate. I really wish we would make LB a priority too, Dave really needs to be playing on his natural side. I don't think I can take Bran getting torn to shreds on the right for yet another season. Watching him against Montero last season still gives me nightmares.

the only reason i can think of why the club's not going all out for a full back is that conte's still trying to implement three at the back

 

that or ivan has some serious emenalo nude pics

the only reason i can think of why the club's not going all out for a full back is that conte's still trying to implement three at the back

 

that or ivan has some serious emenalo nude pics

 

You joke but I wonder if he had something on Jose last season, he was picked even when he was absolutely shocking. Dr. Eva/Jose dirt? Imagine that scandal.

Interesting posts well made mate. I really wish we would make LB a priority too, Dave really needs to be playing on his natural side. I don't think I can take Bran getting torn to shreds on the right for yet another season. Watching him against Montero last season still gives me nightmares.

 

 

My thoughts exactly. A lot of people wrongly assumed that the cause of our defensive crisis last season was our centre backs when in fact it was Ivanovic and the complete lack of protection from midfield. With Azpi at RB and Kante at CDM, I really don't see why we can't go into the season with Zouma/Terry/Cahill/Ivanovic as our 4 CB's, this too in a season with no European football hence less games and less chance of injuries. 

Really don't understand this desperation to sign a centre back to the point where we are bidding over 50million for a guy who is completely unproven at the highest level with next to no experience of playing against top strikers. Everyone laughed at City for paying 50million for Stones but atleast he was English and at a young age with bags of potential and some experience in the PL. IMO 50 million for Koulibaly is a greater risk and he could easily turn out to be Mangala 2.0 and at the very least will take a while to adjust from Serie A to the PL. We should really be going all out for a top left back (Rodriguez) so that Azpilicueta can revert to his best position with Aina as back up and Ivanovic can be used as a CB/not at all. We would then have a threat from full back on both sides and I could see us scoring quite a few goals from crosses with the likes of Costa and Bats as Ivanovic's crosses don't tend to beat the first defender.

If we somehow do not sign a top left back and instead throw all our at money at Koulibaly, prepare for another season of teams walking through the right side of our defence whilst we are overstacked with centre backs.

Agree with all that good post

Groundhog day doing the same thing like last summer expecting different results

Really don't understand this desperation to sign a centre back to the point where we are bidding over 50million for a guy who is completely unproven at the highest level with next to no experience of playing against top strikers. Everyone laughed at City for paying 50million for Stones but atleast he was English and at a young age with bags of potential and some experience in the PL. IMO 50 million for Koulibaly is a greater risk and he could easily turn out to be Mangala 2.0 and at the very least will take a while to adjust from Serie A to the PL. We should really be going all out for a top left back (Rodriguez) so that Azpilicueta can revert to his best position with Aina as back up and Ivanovic can be used as a CB/not at all. We would then have a threat from full back on both sides and I could see us scoring quite a few goals from crosses with the likes of Costa and Bats as Ivanovic's crosses don't tend to beat the first defender.

 

If we somehow do not sign a top left back and instead throw all our at money at Koulibaly, prepare for another season of teams walking through the right side of our defence whilst we are overstacked with centre backs.

Great post, we have a great LB at the club but he is an even better RB, it's crazy. I have been banging on about the same thing for a while. I would rather Chelsea save there money from a desperation bid like City have with Mangela and Otamendi for an unproven premier league player. Williams was 12m or Fonte at Southampton, might be 32 but premier league experience and just won the euros. Good short term options plus Zouma come back.

I would even throw the money and get Bertrand back.

6 days to go, no closer to a CB.  I predict Lamine Kone from Sunderland (or similar level player)

 

Ricardo Rodriguez would be a good addition though, think we need a ST if Remy goes too, but we'll f**k that up

6 days to go, no closer to a CB.  I predict Lamine Kone from Sunderland (or similar level player)

 

Ricardo Rodriguez would be a good addition though, think we need a ST if Remy goes too, but we'll f**k that up

Dave--Zouma--kone--Rodriguez wouldn't be behind any of our rivals, it's acceptable and allows conte to play the pressing game he likes. 

Dave--Zouma--kone--Rodriguez wouldn't be behind any of our rivals, it's acceptable and allows conte to play the pressing game he likes. 

 

I would rather play Terry than Kone, Terry is a better player, no matter what the age difference is. Kone is not the calibre of player we should be signing, we may as well just stick to what we already have than waste money on him.

Evening Standard are reporting that Maksimovic is close to signing for Napoli for £26m which should release K2 to us...

koulibaly, tonelli, mangala, maksimovic, albiol, 

 

surely that's too many starting caliber center back for one team

(Imagine this guy turns out a massive flop after all this. Would be so bad it might even be funny.)

(Imagine this guy turns out a massive flop after all this. Would be so bad it might even be funny.)

 

For?

My thoughts exactly. A lot of people wrongly assumed that the cause of our defensive crisis last season was our centre backs when in fact it was Ivanovic and the complete lack of protection from midfield. With Azpi at RB and Kante at CDM, I really don't see why we can't go into the season with Zouma/Terry/Cahill/Ivanovic as our 4 CB's, this too in a season with no European football hence less games and less chance of injuries. 

 

 

Agreed, once Zouma is back he's nailed on, Terry and Cahill can rotate for the other spot, in the long run I do feel this should be sorted though, Terry can still do a job, but he can't be expected to hold down the fort game in game out at his age, plus having a slow player in defence does somewhat mean we have to sit deep, which isn't ideal. But a left back is a must, if Ivan is nailed on right back for another season I may cry, almost every single goal we concede comes from Ivan standing in totally the wrong position. Teams left wingers must be licking there lips when they play us. 

Evening Standard are reporting that Maksimovic is close to signing for Napoli for £26m which should release K2 to us...

I'll believe it when I see it. Feels like he has been close to signing now for the last week or 2.

Evening Standard are reporting that Maksimovic is close to signing for Napoli for £26m which should release K2 to us...

 

completely bossing milan's front line right now

^ hehe... Scouting both Ramagnoli and Koulibaly.

Sweet finish from Naing

Suso with a screamer. Few times now Koulibaly seems to have gone up trying to nick the ball and left spaces behind him. Not a fault for the goal, though.

Edited August 27, 20169 yr by Kante Conte

obvious that he has planned the first half to be a "please buy me im the real deal" audition for chelsea and the second half to be a "please sell me im sh*te" audition for napoli