Are these made for replacement for the African Nation's Cup?

[octville]

We know that no players would want to play stop gap roles for Mikel, Essien, Kalou and Drogs when they return to the African Continent for their nations, so i was wondering if we are going for Lulinha, Royston Drenthe and Nicolas Bendtner for 2nd half season action even though we see them as long-term investment?

We need attacking players, since only Mikel and sometimes Essien are considered for the holding role in midfield. Any signing must understand that while they are given chance to play, there are really there for the long haul and must accept the restoration of the starting eleven of these Africa bound players.

I just hope we do not waste our fund to buy Nicolas Anelka. He has discipline problems and did anyone see how he miss the open goal from 8 m with both the defender and keeper out of sight?

Meanwhile,Chelsea have good qualities in the reserves and the academy which will be good for the future.

Who among the reserves are ready to make the step up? Anthony Grant ( England U-19)? Michael Mancienne ( England U-21)? Also, we have a great talent in Ducthman Patrick Van Aanholt.

I think Scott Sinclair and Ben Sahar ( is he still with us?) have good prospect too.

[The Moos]

If I'm not mistaking Mancienne is loaned out for the entire season and not just half of it like Sahar and Sinclair is. So I really doubt he'll be back soon. I don't think we need him just yet either. None of our defenders will leave for the ANC and we got enough cover there as it is.

And as for Anelka. Why shouldn't we buy him? He has had problems with discipline before but he's way more controlled nowadays. He's more mature and probable one of the best strikers in the premier league.

And as for him missing that open net this weekend that could happen to anyone. I bet even Lampard or Drogba has made big errors like that in their careers.

And let's not forget that Anelka, despite his blunder, has scored seven goals so far and is just one goal behind the leaders.

Would be a pretty darn good replacement for Drogba if you ask me.

Lulinha

- Apart from the fact that he's considered really good on FM08 (but the game have been wrong many times before) and that he's one of many to be branded "the new Ronaldinho", what do we really know about him? Young talent perhaps but can he really come and take a place in the starting eleven? He's an attacking midfielder too and I really think both Lampard and Ballack are ahead of him there.

Drenthe

- Real just signed him. What are the odds that they will sell him immediately? If we want him I guess we would have to spend a s*itload of cash and I don't think he's worth that. Also, we have Malouda, Cole and Sweepy. None of whom will leave for the ANC.

Bendtner

- Nicklas (yes, that is his name) is a good prospect and would Arsenal really sell him to us? Maybe if we paid twice as much as he is worth but do we really want to do that?

We don't actually need him at the moment. If we want young offensive talents then there are others.

As for our own talents.

Grant

- Hasn't evolved into a really good player if you ask me. Not one who can take a place in the Chelsea starting eleven as it is.

Van Aanholt

- Great talent but still way to young and inexperienced to play for the first team. Maybe in a few years he will be ready.

Sinclair

- On loan but will soon be back. Good prospect who could perhaps fight for a place in the first team but he probably wont get to play that much unless we get a few injuries.

Sahar

- Still with us but on loan. As with Sinclair he will be back soon. Both will be able to play against QPR and I hope they will. Sahar might be able to play for the first team but I doubt he'll get that much time on the pitch. Good backup though.

[Dorset]

Lulinha, Drenthe and Bendtner are no more than Press ‘flavour of the month’ players and the month of December just happens to be the closest to January. The Gunners would be foolish to part with Bendtner when they (allegedly) have no qualms about spending vast sums anymore - it’s only Wenger’s insistence that there is no need to open the purse that’s stopping a shopping spree. In such circumstances why part with a solid, but as yet unproven, back-up player to a rival club when you don’t need to?

Should the Dane play the Diarra card and seek a move we’d have to measure his attributes and price with those of, say, a silkier Kenwyn Jones or a sulkier Anelka and my descriptions tell you which one I’d prefer. Didier’s absence is now going to be extended and Jones is the nearest I have seen to a potential long term replacement who is already plying his trade regularly in the Premiership. Of course, Huntelaar has the best reputation of the overseas contingent, making the expectancy level for him greater in the short term, and his arrival would mean the axe immediately falling on either Sheva or Pizarro, as one of them simply wouldn’t get any game time at all. Jones, on the other hand, would be more than happy to play when required and listen and learn from Drogba on his return.

Talk of Lulinha is just that as far as I’m concerned, but if the Carling and FA Cup rounds are going to be littered with £15m starlets like Nani, Anderson, Walcott and the next ineffective winger who catches Benitez’s eye then who am I to complain - let’s have one ourselves. If it’s Lulinha so be it…hmmm, seriously, I’d really rather up the ante for the mighty midfielder Modric myself and promote Scott Sinclair when any flank position becomes available.

Talking of positions becoming available, Drenthe is only ever going to get a better look in with us than at Real if we dispense with either Malouda or one or other of Bridgey or Ashley Cole. Not going to happen, unless you buy into the speculation surrounding the Frenchman or the Media’s hounding of Wayne for daring to have a bad game for England. Anyway, isn’t our problem supposed to be on the other side of the defence? According to most of us, with no Essien to fill in and nobody nailing the RB berth down, a defender with a right foot should be arriving after Christmas to solve all our problems. My note to Santa asks for Alves, but the last time I wrote a note to him it was for an action man Tevez and some other kid up North got him instead!!

[djc026]

I dont think the likes of sinclair and sahar are ready yet, especially come January and we are still in the title hunt, we will need all the points we can get for when the African boys return and push on.

They have decent potential but or best bet is to buy. Problem is best time to buy is summer and Mourinho semed to bring in the likes of Sidwell and Pizarro as cover, who may not be sufficient. I say best time is summer because in January the type of quality we should be buying is champions league and these players are not going to be available, 1) due to being cup-tied and 2) they generally dont leave in january window.

From looking at reports their seems to be some Russians/Croatians on the way, one of which who played in centre md against England looked good but again are these a Drogba/Essien?! Other thing now is with Grant in charge we are not sure what type of player he may like/can attract and now Abramovich has a new manager will the funds be readily available again?

I think we need attacking players, as we need them anyway, Sheva is not good enough and i reckon he will go. As for a right back it may be worth waiting until summer and evaluating all options!

[Guest]

Should the Dane play the Diarra card and seek a move we’d have to measure his attributes and price with those of, say, a silkier Kenwyn Jones or a sulkier Anelka and my descriptions tell you which one I’d prefer. Didier’s absence is now going to be extended and Jones is the nearest I have seen to a potential long term replacement who is already plying his trade regularly in the Premiership. Of course, Huntelaar has the best reputation of the overseas contingent, making the expectancy level for him greater in the short term, and his arrival would mean the axe immediately falling on either Sheva or Pizarro, as one of them simply wouldn’t get any game time at all. Jones, on the other hand, would be more than happy to play when required and listen and learn from Drogba on his return.

I have a strong strong feeling that Grant and Ten Cate are taking us down the Barcelona route with our football and will be buying Huntelaar as our Drogba replacement. I beleive there is the same inevitability surrounding this transfer as there was with Saloman Kalou. It's not a matter or if, but when.

[octville]

Berbatov -

1. Proven EPL calibre

2. Not signed by Ramos

3. Not Champion's League tied

4. May be swapped with Scheva, whom i believe is keen to stay in London because his spouse love it

[loz]

Berbatov's stock is massively inflated in my opinion.

He had a decent season last season, no more than that. He may have scored over 20 goals but half of them came in the domestic cups and the very weak UEFA Cup and he often disappeared in games when they needed him most.

So after that season (which I admit was a more than accceptable return for a debut season) the chips were down for Spurs and we saw what Berbatov can be when things are not rosey - his goals dried up, his performances plummeted and he was petulant. The man has very little backbone and almost bugger all fight about him - not a replacement for Drogba at all.

[Tim]

Totally agree Loz. Because he scored some really eye catching goals, people seem to think that he was a goal machine last season, but as you have pointed out, that simply wasn't the case. At the top level of football, we need players who perform week in week out, and this would appear to be one of his major failings, from his time in Germany through to his unfortunate move to Sp*rs.

He kinda reminds me of Eidur towards the end of his time with us, as on his day would run the show, but would also sometimes let games pass him by.

Having said that, Eidur is one of my favourite ever Chels players, and I would have him bck in a heartbeat, so not very consistent logic from me there....

[djc026]

I agree with last two posts, Berbatov is not going to be good enough in a 4-3-3. He goes missing and when things aren't going his way he starts throwing toys out of the pram. Plus Spurs played £11 million for him, so how much would they want from us?

We need someone who is in mould of Drogba but perhaps younger, afer all Drogba has on more than one ocassion hinted at leaving and maybe in the summer he will. Therefore it may be a longer term replacement we need just for African Nations and when he is injured.

[Essien's Strike]

yeah what price for guddy now huh... pshh

that lulinha is awesome because he can do the seal dribble on his shoulder!!

anyways well be fine with sidwell and pizarro. no sweat.

[Guest]

Thats not Lulinha, I can't remember his name off the top of my head tho.

[Essien's Strike]

maybe it was gio dos santos...

[Alan]

Kerlon I think it is. Rumours were that Man U were after him.

[Essien's Strike]

kerlon does the seal dribble on his head already, were talking about the latest seal-dribbler :)

this one does it on his shoulder its hilarious..

oh hell hang on ill find a youtube

[Alan]

Ah right, didnt realise there was another.

[Guest]

Neither did I