7 minutes ago, TomCFC85 said:

I like the sound of that. 
I can see it now.

"Chelsea fans have chosen John Ruddy as their dream signing of the season. DonAntonio remarked "He's the guy, we've been looking for" while TomCFC85 responded "Ruddy rhymed with Goody so he must be good" 

To be fair though, at least they referenced us, I got no problem with that, I actually messaged WAGNH on FB about poaching 2 theories from us, in the exact sequence we discussed published an hour after we posted it, twice in in the same week, even using the same terminologies posters used, they gave it all the oh we never even heard of shed end and other posters on FB said yea bollocks you're a chelsea page and haven't heard of the shed end forum,  they private messaged me playing innocent,  and I said look no probs discussing what fans are discussing thats normal but you have to give the forum credit otherwise it's not journalism it's plagiarizing. Wonder what @coco thinks....can we get fancy badges for pushing the brand ? 

22 hours ago, doctorblue said:

Remember we're not just buying for this season but for those in the future too...

I think you've misunderstood my point. It's fine buying for the future, but it's clear that we are not even buying for this season. If we were buying for this season we wouldn't be buying another centre-half for 60m when we are lacking players in every other position.

Edited August 6, 20178 yr by KentPaul

I'm actually quietly confident this will happen.
The odds have increased, the player wants to leave and Southampton would rather sell to us. 

I have two reservations about this one.

1. I worry about how Christensen will view it. If VVD means Azpi is seen as more of a double sided WB and Christensen stays #4 in the CB pecking order behind Cahill, Luiz and VVD then I am good with it. If it means he drops to #5 and is also behind Azpi then I think we'll lose him and i'm 100% against that happening. If we could get him tied to a new long term deal and a PL loan then i'd be okay with that as a comprimise.

2. If it's been the choice of VVD or he's left Southampton little choice than for him to train alone I don't like it. It's a bitch move and I always much rather see players handle themselves with total professionalism.

7 minutes ago, startedwithglenn said:

I have two reservations about this one.

1. I worry about how Christensen will view it. If VVD means Azpi is seen as more of a double sided WB and Christensen stays #4 in the CB pecking order behind Cahill, Luiz and VVD then I am good with it. If it means he drops to #5 and is also behind Azpi then I think we'll lose him and i'm 100% against that happening. If we could get him tied to a new long term deal and a PL loan then i'd be okay with that as a comprimise.

2. If it's been the choice of VVD or he's left Southampton little choice than for him to train alone I don't like it. It's a bitch move and I always much rather see players handle themselves with total professionalism.

 

I would worry about Christensen too if sign Van Dijk. There's no way he's signing a new deal unless he gets regular games for us. He has big clubs wanting to buy him. I already think he's fed up with Chelsea.

 

He's had 2 years of regular games in Germany, done remarkably well, he comes back and he's fifth in the pecking order, sixth if we buy Van Dijk. He won't be happy.

 

Regarding Van Dijk's "bitch move", a club can turn round to a player at any time and say, "Sorry son, you're not in our plans, find yourself a new club."

 

It seems to me in this case the player has said, "Sorry club, you're not in MY plans, find yourself a new centre-back."

I think Christensen will look to leave anyway. Rudiger seems to be Conte's preferred alternate option, based on pre-season, and his father has talked openly about him not coming back to Chelsea to sit on the bench.

17 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

 

Regarding Van Dijk's "bitch move", a club can turn round to a player at any time and say, "Sorry son, you're not in our plans, find yourself a new club."

 

 

But they can't turn around and say "you're not in our plans so we're going to stop paying you" which they are contracted to do.

He is contracted as a professional footballer for Southampton FC and until he's told otherwise should act as such.

Our interest may be because of Andreas leaving. I am sure he is seen as 5th choice, Chelsea don't sign a 30mill plus CB to leave him out for a youth player. 

Maybe Conte doesn't rate him. If we do sell i hope we put a buyback in.

Breaking news: Virgil van Dijk hands in transfer request at Southampton.

Its for Liverpool apparently 

liverpool will most likely get him. they can offer him first team football over us

Just now, enigma said:

liverpool will most likely get him. they can offer him first team football over us

We can also offer him first team football. VVD would walk into our first team. 

Need to get him. One of very few of Contes first choices still on the market.

1 minute ago, benjsross said:

We can also offer him first team football. VVD would walk into our first team. 

over whom? we also have rudiger and christensen sitting on the bench. only so many cbs we can have. 

1 minute ago, Sindre said:

Need to get him. One of very few of Contes first choices still on the market.

he's messed about in the transfer market. it seems we went after rudiger because we couldn't get him, and now he hands in a transfer request which he could have done sooner. i feel he's preference is liverpool because he will get most chances there. 

He only wants liverpool

Just now, enigma said:

over whom? we also have rudiger and christensen sitting on the bench. only so many cbs we can have. 

I think we'd go: Van Dijk - Luiz - Cahill

Azpi to start at left wingback considering how poor Alonso has been in pre-season and against Arsenal.

1 minute ago, TheChelsRVA said:

He only wants liverpool

Although Christ knows why.

Just now, Sindre said:

I think we'd go: Van Dijk - Luiz - Cahill

Azpi to start at left wingback considering how poor Alonso has been in pre-season and against Arsenal.

i don't like the idea of azpi at lwb, he offers a lot less going forward but yeah defensively he's solid. 

He can get into our first team easily. Luiz is the only one whose place isn't in danger at this point, VVD has got more upside than Cahill and better suited to playing as a CB than Azpi. 

I wouldn't be bothered if he ends up going to Liverpool, we already have a lot of centre backs. I'm up for him replacing Christensen but if not then that's also fine with me.

It would be the most damning verdict on our loan / youth system to date if Christensen ends up getting punted out for a £50m VVD.

1 minute ago, BordeauxBlue said:

Although Christ knows why.

It always seemed odd to me why he would want to go there. These days Pool isn't even guaranteed to play in the CL regularly, let alone compete for trophies.

4 minutes ago, abramovich said:

He can get into our first team easily. Luiz is the only one whose place isn't in danger at this point, VVD has got more upside than Cahill and better suited to playing as a CB than Azpi. 

Azpi is one of the four players i consider an untouchable in our squad.