2 minutes ago, charierre said:

Its a mystery to most of us too. The additions so far have been good but haven't strengthened us. Having let so many squad players leave we're arguably weaker now than the previous season which is leaves our strategy open to scrutiny. If the intention was to integrate more youth team players,why let the ones who are closer to PL level leave? We are short of home grown players within the squad, which brings the likes of Drinkwater into focus. Is he good enough? Time will tell. Might gut feeling is, if we were to sign him, he would fall short of the required standard in the same way Scotty Parker did. A good professional that provided he is content with a bench role will do a job for us, albeit an expensive recruit for what he will ultimately bring. 

Baffling mate. Is Roman getting bored, thinks winning is too easy and wants to see how the managers get on with loads of drama for a laugh

I'd actually be quite happy if we get this done (although I think I manage to convince myself all potential signings would benefit us).

He isn't as classy (nor as good)as Fabregas but has more legs on him to get around the pitch. Decent option to have when hopefully we are looking at 60+ games and Cesc has inevitable mid season slump.

Knows the league, seems responsible and determined. Get it done Chels.

42 minutes ago, abramovich said:

Baba is sh*te. If Conte saw any future for him at Chelsea, he wouldn't be going out on loans. The only reason he hasn't gone on loan this time is because he's still out injured.

I would have said the same of Victor Moses and Alonso two years ago.

That said, I was being faceiscous. He hasn't played very well in a chelsea shirt that's for sure.

Just now, BordeauxBlue said:

I would have said the same of Victor Moses and Alonso two years ago.

That said, I was being faceiscous. He hasn't played very well in a chelsea shirt that's for sure.

The Moses example is quite relevant here. Conte had time to assess players when he took over at the club and, unlike Moses, he saw nothing in Baba to convince him the Ghanaian was good enough for the club.

Foxedup speaking a lot of sense.

Just now, abramovich said:

The Moses example is quite relevant here. Conte had time to assess players when he took over at the club and, unlike Moses, he saw nothing in Baba to convince him the Ghanaian was good enough for the club.

You're quite right there actually.

We're so f**ked if Alonso gets injured - how incredible is it to be saying that?

Baba was 21. Didn't play that many games. In a new league. Was in Chelsea side that was imploding and all over the place. 

Imho, people here exaggerate somewhat about how poor he was. He had a few good games and definite showed some signs he could be useful. 

Positionally not great, and a little weak physically, but those things can of course be worked on.

 

I quite liked Baba, think he could do well under Conte. 

How? Last season Conte didn`t want him and send him on loan ? He was injured and it`s still injured, he will need recovery time after that, and to bring hes form back and get fit to play, but in that time it will be January and we will loan him back to Schalke ....

And what is right now Drinkwater for 40m. or stay with empty hands? Great work board, next time don`t buy anyone till 30 august, and then start doing your job .... If there is a coach arround ....

 

 

 

 

Nah, Baba was pony.

Awful positioning and couldn't tackle for toffee.

Always lots of revisionism about players who flunked at Chelsea (see Salah, Caudrado and Jes Hogh) 

Salah another one who was young and inexperienced and immature mentality wise - and not really the right fit at the time.

He's going to be a top player for Liverpool, just as he was for Fiorentina and Roma. (And even Basel, tbf).

Yes, he's got holes in his game, and is a little erratic, but he is a dangerous player who is always improving.

I think Traore is another who will shine now at another club. 

It's not a surprise so many of the players do well away from Chelsea with the game time and support they get.

(See Matic, Lukaku, Sturridge, De Bruyne, Salah, Bertrand, Romeu)

Edited August 30, 20178 yr by Sun zhi

Drinkwater will be a steal at 40M. Right now our only creative midfielder is Cesc. He is magical and has a magic hat but is liable to fatigue. Drinkwater will definitely help with the midfield balance and i also feel like his game will improve just by training with better players like cesc kante and baka. I remmeber when lampard was bought by ranieri and people were saying he was a waste of money and had done nothing in West ham but he worked his socks off and improved with better competition at chelsea. I see Drinkwater in the same mould mentally. A hard worker who is willing to fight for his place unlike some Arsenal w**ker who is scared he will get benched at chelsea so wud rather try his luck at liverpool

2 hours ago, Sun zhi said:

Baba was 21. Didn't play that many games. In a new league. Was in Chelsea side that was imploding and all over the place. 

Imho, people here exaggerate somewhat about how poor he was. He had a few good games and definite showed some signs he could be useful. 

Positionally not great, and a little weak physically, but those things can of course be worked on.

 

On the contary, i felt people tried to convince themselves about him out of the desperation to see Ivanovic dropped. I think Jose would have actually dropped Ivanovic if Luis stayed, however the reality was Luis wasn't the better option in 14/15 and despite how bad Ivan got in 15/16 he was still a better option than Baba.

41 minutes ago, Sun zhi said:

Salah another one who was young and inexperienced and immature mentality wise - and not really the right fit at the time.

He's going to be a top player for Liverpool, just as he was for Fiorentina and Roma. (And even Basel, tbf).

Yes, he's got holes in his game, and is a little erratic, but he is a dangerous player who is always improving.

I think Traore is another who will shine now at another club. 

It's not a surprise so many of the players do well away from Chelsea with the game time and support they get.

(See Matic, Lukaku, Sturridge, De Bruyne, Salah, Bertrand, Romeu)

Can't argue with KDB.

Matic, to early to say, but regardless he had enough chances with us.

The rest just simply found their natural level.

i think this will go through atleast as the player seemingly want to join us...

Was and still am uninspired by this potential signing & now Going to have to pay way over his value on DD - the Thais are defo in the driving seat on this negotiation.

still saved a bunch of dosh by dippers doing us a favor, DD better than AOC imo

 

Not very excited. 

But dont mind either if price isnt any more than 30 m ideally 25...

it wud be insane if we paid him the 40m we got for matic...

We won't pay 40mill and the foxes won't drop their price. He will stay there am pretty sure. Only deal I think we probably will conclude is Llorente unless something goes wrong there with their bid for Bony. 

7 hours ago, foxedup said:

£40m is expensive, but that's the price we set. You want him you pay it, you don't want him you don't. If you'd done your business early we'd probably have accepted far less. But to do any deal to replace him now, it's going to cost us a fortune and we'd have to massively overpay ourselves to get someone from another club. You've made your own issues this summer I'm afraid.

Agreed that the Board messed up.  It takes a rival fan like you to point it out while the board die-hards here say otherwise.  

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

We won't pay 40mill and the foxes won't drop their price. He will stay there am pretty sure. Only deal I think we probably will conclude is Llorente unless something goes wrong there with their bid for Bony. 

Fee rumoured to have been jacked up to £45m, which I expected them to do. We can still sign 2 non-HG players so I don’t understand why we are getting ripped off for British players.

2 minutes ago, ducavis said:

Fee rumoured to have been jacked up to £45m, which I expected them to do. We can still sign 2 non-HG players so I don’t understand why we are getting ripped off for British players.

Makes sense. Later in the window less they want to sell. I expect he stays there we sign no one. A suggestion that, when I made it weeks ago, was laughed off.

 

23 minutes ago, abramovich said:

 

Just won't get sanctioned unless we get a replacement.

2 minutes ago, foxedup said:

Just won't get sanctioned unless we get a replacement.

Then please get a replacement. 

2 minutes ago, didierforever said:

Then please get a replacement. 

And tell us who that replacement is going to be, so we can sign him instead.