33 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

 

 

 

You would sign Bailey for 80m only to keep him on the bench?

Edited May 22, 20188 yr by T-val

5 minutes ago, T-val said:

You would sign Bailey for 80m only to keep him on the bench?

I think he should earn his spot, yes. 

5 hours ago, ozboy said:

Need a better spine , 4 players. A striker that is up to the job, a goal scoring wide player eg Mahrez or martial or Bailey, a central midfielder like lampard, run, tackle and scores, and a reliable central defender with good distribution (like Luiz was for one season)

No we need better players around them.

Our spine of Courtois, Azpi, Kante and Hazard is up there with any in Europe.

2 hours ago, abramovich said:

Looking back, it's just incredible how poor our transfer business has been lately. There's literally not a single player since last summer that made the team better. Giroud may be an exception, since he's a more reliable back-up than Michy, but that's about it. Our first eleven (Costa/Morata, Matic/Bakayoko) got worse and instead of upgrading RB position we bought someone, who's even more average than Moses. Emerson and Barkley are still question marks, but they came in injured and really haven't featured enough to be judged properly. I had some hopes for Drinkwater, given his Leicester connection with Kante but he ultimately failed to make the grade.

Bakayoko, with the exception of the last couple of games looked like a total disaster. Morata started promising but soon his weak mentality got the better of him. Being the focal point of the attack in a very physical league where refs allow far more than he's used to seemed to crash his spirit. Probably the biggest disappointment, both due the price tag and my belief in his ability.

What about Rüdiger?

2 minutes ago, Nevamind said:

What about Rüdiger?

Forgot about him. Yes, he's been solid.

3 hours ago, MANoWAR said:

One excellent striker and one average striker is a bit limiting, but maybe if we keep Bats as well 

I'm just looking at it from the perspective of the best clubs and what they have.

I think Giroud is better than average personally. 

See, what is funny/ironic is some on here suggesting we sell Bakayoko and Drinkwater for about half of what we spent on them last summer. That is a little crazy IMO. If we sell Bakayoko this summer I think it is asinine. The kid needs another year; same with Morata. Purchasing Drinkwater last season didn't make a lot of sense to me, minus another body in midfield; so selling Drinks would not upset me or surprise me all THAT much, however if they sell for something like 20-25mil would be silly. But this club has made some silly decisions in the past.

I will agree with several replies that say our biggest area of concern is the middle of the pitch. I've up on Jorgihno from Napoli and think he would be awesome next to Kante, however I don't think we will land him.

Sometimes, I wish that transfers could be as easy as they are on FIFA 17 or whatever version it is on now. 

Keeping now in mind that Sarri is coming, there is a possibility that Napoli would like David Luiz and we can get either Jorginho and/or Koulibaly depending on the situation. That italian connection could help to get a proper striker since Morata will be leaving us I think.



 

In case Courtois leaves we could get Oblak/Donnarumma, in case Cahill doesn't have that 1 extra season in him we could get Koulibaly from the Napoli connection because of Sarri.
I think that Belotti would be amazing with Hazard and Mahrez under Sarri as well.
RLC and Barkley would also have enough freedom to attack and get passes from Kanté and Jorginho and Moses has been the most effective in offensive duties.

Edited May 23, 20188 yr by Gol15

 

Here's a potential 4-3-3 XI with a back up XI that doesn't involve spending any money at all ... promoting some of the loan army and youth players ...

Fabregas, Drinkwater, Bakayoko, Pedro, Willian, Zappacosta, Eduardo, Zouma, Kenedy all on the "For sale" list, along with Baker, Palmer, Kalas, Omeruo, Hector, Miazga, Dabo, Colkett, Scott, Boga, Brown, Feruz, Piazon, Tomori, Wakefield, Kane, Rahman, Delac, Baxter, Collins and Beaney.

I thought about suggesting to buy a new winger (Zaha, Bailey), but I really would like to see Hudson-Odoi and Mount get a chance, hence resisted !

Van Ginkel and Pasalic are good all round midfielders with decent technique, goal-scoring and a bit of physical presence (both 6'2"+ ). I'd like to see what they can do in our engine room. MVG coming off a good season for PSV. Pasalic has played for three decent clubs on loan now, and kept Bayayoko out of the team when he was at Monaco. Looking for an unheralded solid 7/10 contribution every game, like we used to get from Tiago :-)

Loftus-Cheek has to play after his performances for Palace ... and Barkley would be the rotation when necessary.

Up front, Batshuayi and Giroud will score tons if they get some support from the wings and two box-to-box midfielders behind the striker.

 

2 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

 

Here's a potential 4-3-3 XI with a back up XI that doesn't involve spending any money at all ... promoting some of the loan army and youth players ...

Fabregas, Drinkwater, Bakayoko, Pedro, Willian, Zappacosta, Eduardo, Zouma, Kenedy all on the "For sale" list, along with Baker, Palmer, Kalas, Omeruo, Hector, Miazga, Dabo, Colkett, Scott, Boga, Brown, Feruz, Piazon, Tomori, Wakefield, Kane, Rahman, Delac, Baxter, Collins and Beaney.

I thought about suggesting to buy a new winger (Zaha, Bailey), but I really would like to see Hudson-Odoi and Mount get a chance, hence resisted !

Van Ginkel and Pasalic are good all round midfielders with decent technique, goal-scoring and a bit of physical presence (both 6'2"+ ). I'd like to see what they can do in our engine room. MVG coming off a good season for PSV. Pasalic has played for three decent clubs on loan now, and kept Bayayoko out of the team when he was at Monaco. Looking for an unheralded solid 7/10 contribution every game, like we used to get from Tiago :-)

Loftus-Cheek has to play after his performances for Palace ... and Barkley would be the rotation when necessary.

Up front, Batshuayi and Giroud will score tons if they get some support from the wings and two box-to-box midfielders behind the striker.

 

That looks promising and there is a lot of hope in that lineup but that will never be a reality because in case that happens to be our squad, Hazard and Courtois will abandon ship before the season starts.

.................................Courtois

.......Azpilicueta......D.Luiz...Rudiger........M. Alonso

.............................Fabregas

.............. Kantè...................Milinkovic Savic

....Pedrito(Willian)...................................Hazard 

..............................Morata 

                 

Another week, another unrealistic 2018/19 squad... 

4-3-3/4-2-3-1 (back 4, deep lying playmaker, Kante, floating #8, wingers/inside forwards, classic #9)
       
                                                          Courtois (Pope/Eduardo/Cumming)
           Azpi (Ward/James) - Alderweireld* (Zouma/Azpi) - Rudiger (Cahill/Zouma) - Emerson (Asamoah/Azpi/Castillo)
                                                           Weigl (Fabregas/Ampadu/Uwakwe)
                                         Kante (Cook/Fabregas) - Hazard (Fabregas/Mount/Gilmour)
             Willian*** (Lozano/Moses) - Lewandowski** (Giroud/Abraham/Redan) - Lozano*** (Hazard/Hudson-Odoi)

In: Lewandowski, Alderweireld, Lozano, Pope, Joel Ward (free transfer), Asamoah (free transfer), Weigl, Lewis Cook (Zouma, Mount, Abraham)
Out: Caballero, Zappacosta, Luiz, Christensen, Bakayoko, Alonso, Pedro, Morata, Batshuayi, Barkley, Drinkwater

HG: Pope, Ward, Cahill, Fabregas, Cook, Moses (U21 HG Abraham, Mount, Ampadu, Hudson-Odoi, James, Uwakwe, Cumming)

* or Raul Albiol
** or Luis Suarez
*** or Bailey

Edited May 24, 20188 yr by the special one

Manager: Laurent Blanc

4-3-3
Courtois/Pope (Eduardo)
Cancelo/Azpi (James) – Christensen/Masiello (Azpi) – Luiz/Rudiger (Cahill) – Emerson/Shaw (Azpi)
Ndombele/Kante (Pasalic/Mount) – Thiago (Drinkwater/Ampadu) – Kante/Pastore (Hazard/Mount)
Vazquez/Pedro (Hazard/Mount) – Higuain/Giroud (Abraham/Braaf) – Hazard/Kenedy (Hudson-Odoi/Mount)

4-2-3-1
Courtois/Pope (Eduardo)
Cancelo/Azpi (James) – Christensen/Masiello (Azpi) – Luiz/Rudiger (Cahill) – Emerson/Shaw (Azpi)
Ndombele/Drinkwater (Pasalic) – Kante/Thiago (Ampadu)
Vazquez/Pedro (Hazard/Mount) – Pastore/Mount (Hazard) – Hazard/Kenedy (Hudson-Odoi/Mount)
Higuain/Giroud (Abraham/Braaf)

HG: Pope, Christensen, Cahill, Shaw, Fabregas, Drinkwater, Ampadu, Mount, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi

In: Thiago (£65m/Bayern), Pope (£23m/Burnley), Cancelo (£32m/Valencia), Shaw (£16m/Man Utd), Masiello (free/Atalanta), Ndombele (£20m/Amiens), Vazquez (£40m/Real Madrid), Pastore (£20m/PSG), Higuain (£65m/Juventus), Braaf (free?/PSV), Mount (free), Abraham (free), Pasalic (free), Kenedy (free)
-£281m

Out: Bakayoko (£35m/Monaco), Caballero (£1m/West Ham), Zappacosta (£14m/FC Porto), Alonso (£32m/PSG), Willian (£40m/Real Madrid), Morata (£65m/Juventus), Barkley (£20m/West Ham), Batshuayi (£46m/BVB), Loftus-Cheek (loan/Palace), van Ginkel (£11m/PSV with buy option for Lozano), Moses (£8m/Wolves), Zouma (£8m/Wolves), Fabregas (£10m/Villarreal)
+£290m

Net profit +£9m

Edited June 1, 20188 yr by the special one

10 minutes ago, the special one said:

Manager: Laurent Blanc

4-3-3
Courtois/Pope (Eduardo)
Cancelo/Azpi – Christensen/Masiello (Azpi) – Luiz/Rudiger (Cahill) – Emerson/Shaw (Azpi)
Ndombele/Kante (Pasalic/Mount) – Thiago (Drinkwater/Ampadu) – Kante/Pastore (Hazard/Mount)
Vazquez/Pedro (Hazard/Mount) – Higuain/Giroud (Abraham/Braaf) – Hazard/Kenedy (Hudson-Odoi)

4-2-3-1
Courtois/Pope (Eduardo)
Cancelo/Azpi – Christensen/Masiello (Azpi) – Luiz/Rudiger (Cahill) – Emerson/Shaw (Azpi)
Ndombele/Drinkwater (Pasalic) – Kante/Thiago (Ampadu)
Vazquez/Pedro (Hazard/Mount) – Pastore/Mount (Hazard) – Hazard/Kenedy (Hudson-Odoi)
Higuain/Giroud (Abraham/Braaf)

HG: Pope, Christensen, Cahill, Shaw, Fabregas, Drinkwater, Ampadu, Mount, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi

In: Thiago (£65m/Bayern), Pope (£23m/Burnley), Cancelo (£32m/Valencia), Shaw (£16m/Man Utd), Masiello (free/Atalanta), Ndombele (£20m/Amiens), Vazquez (£40m/Real Madrid), Pastore (£20m/PSG), Higuain (£65m/Juventus), Braaf (free?/PSV), Mount (free), Abraham (free), Pasalic (free), Kenedy (free)
-£281m

Out: Bakayoko (£35m/Monaco), (Caballero (£1m/West Ham), Zappacosta (£14m/FC Porto), Alonso (£32m/PSG), Willian (£40m/Real Madrid), Morata (£65m/Juventus), Barkley (£20m/Bournemouth), Batshuayi (£46m/BVB), Loftus-Cheek (loan/Palace), van Ginkel (£11m/PSV with buy option for Lozano), Moses (£8m/Wolves), Zouma (£8m/Wolves), Fabregas (£10m/Villarreal)
+£290m

Net profit +£9m

That's not bad at all but I don't see the value in getting someone like Pastore.

Out: Morata,Willian,Fabregas,Drinkwater,Pedro,David Luiz,Zappacosta,Courtois...

Loan army not sure what to do with Van Ginkel and others...

In: Icardi(£100m), Seri(£40m), Oblak(£90m), Hudson-Odoi,Kenedy,Loftus-Cheek...

Coach: Sarri

 

 

Thought I'd get involved in the wishful thinking. 

Sell

Luiz 15, Zappacosta 10,  Bakayoko 25, Drinkwater 15, Barkley 20, cahill 5, Willian 30, Morata 50, Batshuayi 40, Kenedy 15, MVG 15, Kalas 5, Piazon 5.

£250m

Buy

Koulibaly 70, Weigl 40,  Bruno Fernandes 40, Bailey 50, Icardi 90.

£290m

Never going to happen in a million years. Fun playing championship manager though!

Hmm how about if conte stays?

Reports say a few players would leave so maybe his squad would be:

 

Gk: Willy, Eduardo, Blackman

Wingbacks: Moses, zappa, Alonso, Emerson.

Centerbacks: Cahill, azpi, zouma, Christensen, rudiger.

Center midfield: cesc, baka, Kante, RLC, ampadu

Wide fowards: Pedro, Barkley, hudson-odoi,  mount

Center forwards: giroud, morata, Abraham.

In: zouma (loan return), mount (loan return) Abraham (loan return) RLC (loan return) Blackman (loan return).

Cost 0

Out (All players rumoured to have issues with conte): tibo (real Madrid 30mill) willian (man United 30mill) hazard (barca 140mill) luiz (benfica 10mill) drinkwater (west ham 20mill)

Intake: 230mill

Edited June 1, 20188 yr by axman2526

13 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Hmm how about if conte stays?

Reports say a few players would leave so maybe his squad would be:

 

Gk: Willy, Eduardo, Blackman

Wingbacks: Moses, zappa, Alonso, Emerson.

Centerbacks: Cahill, azpi, zouma, Christensen, rudiger.

Center midfield: cesc, baka, Kante, RLC, ampadu

Wide fowards: Pedro, Barkley, hudson-odoi,  mount

Center forwards: giroud, morata, Abraham.

In: zouma (loan return), mount (loan return) Abraham (loan return) RLC (loan return) Blackman (loan return).

Cost 0

Out (All players rumoured to have issues with conte): tibo (real Madrid 30mill) willian (man United 30mill) hazard (barca 140mill) luiz (benfica 10mill) drinkwater (west ham 20mill)

Intake: 230mill

If that happens then you can guarantee the rumours about roman selling the club will go into overload. 

This place will be unbearable but I think we are going to have a very quiet summer transfer wise.

We signed a handful of players last summer and another 3 in January.

I don't think the club will risk too much on further transfers when the top 4 is so competitive and even with strengthening there could easily be another season without CL football/money in 19/20.

I think the view will be that we were not all that far away from top 4 this season and that the ground can be made up by a combination of a new coach getting more out of the squad and supplemented by a selection of 2/3 loan players returning.

I would not be at all surprised if we only signed a midfielder and in the case of Morata leaving a striker too.

16 minutes ago, startedwithglenn said:

This place will be unbearable but I think we are going to have a very quiet summer transfer wise.

We signed a handful of players last summer and another 3 in January.

I don't think the club will risk too much on further transfers when the top 4 is so competitive and even with strengthening there could easily be another season without CL football/money in 19/20.

I think the view will be that we were not all that far away from top 4 this season and that the ground can be made up by a combination of a new coach getting more out of the squad and supplemented by a selection of 2/3 loan players returning.

I would not be at all surprised if we only signed a midfielder and in the case of Morata leaving a striker too.

I'd be surprised if the club took that view. Especially if they hire a manager with different playing style than conte. Roman has tended to back new managers very well in the past. I'm not expecting records to be broken, but I think we will sign at 3 new players.

If conte stays then I think it will be a quiet one though, similar to the summer we had before mourinho was sacked 1st time around. 

1 hour ago, startedwithglenn said:

This place will be unbearable but I think we are going to have a very quiet summer transfer wise.

We signed a handful of players last summer and another 3 in January.

I don't think the club will risk too much on further transfers when the top 4 is so competitive and even with strengthening there could easily be another season without CL football/money in 19/20.

I think the view will be that we were not all that far away from top 4 this season and that the ground can be made up by a combination of a new coach getting more out of the squad and supplemented by a selection of 2/3 loan players returning.

I would not be at all surprised if we only signed a midfielder and in the case of Morata leaving a striker too.

I don't know, I think the opposite could happen. Roman has never been shy of making statements in the past, and with the stadium now on hold he may prefer to invest in the team. One can hope anyway, the only thing I'm certain about is that we're not challenging with anywhere near the same squad next season.

Edited June 1, 20188 yr by the special one

Is it worth investing in the team when you have the worlds most effective de-motivator at the helm? In come another four... These aren't my players either, Another season of total dross ensues.

We need to get everything in order first and that means getting shot of Conte, Only then can we start to move forward.

6 hours ago, big blue said:

If that happens then you can guarantee the rumours about roman selling the club will go into overload. 

Let's speculate further as to how conte could use those players:

Stick with experience:

 

Willy

 

Azpi 

Cahill

Rudiger

 

Moses

Kante

Cesc 

Alonso

 

Pedro

Giroud

Morata

 

A touch of the youth:

 

Willy

 

Azpi

Christensen

Rudiger

 

Moses

Kante

RLC 

Alonso 

 

Barkely

Giroud

Mount

 

Play the youth:

 

Blackman

 

Zouma

Azpi

Rudiger

 

Moses

Kante

Ampadu

RLC 

Emerson 

 

Mount

 

Abraham 

11 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Let's speculate further as to how conte could use those players:

Stick with experience:

 

Willy

 

Azpi 

Cahill

Rudiger

 

Moses

Kante

Cesc 

Alonso

 

Pedro

Giroud

Morata

 

A touch of the youth:

 

Willy

 

Azpi

Christensen

Rudiger

 

Moses

Kante

RLC 

Alonso 

 

Barkely

Giroud

Mount

 

Play the youth:

 

Blackman

 

Zouma

Azpi

Rudiger

 

Moses

Kante

Ampadu

RLC 

Emerson 

 

Mount

 

Abraham 

My god that’s awful. The team looks sh*t without Hazard.

2 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

My god that’s awful. The team looks sh*t without Hazard.

Seem to recall Conte saying he was overperforming with this squad, I think he was spot on personally.