August 2008

[coco]

Where do you see the club come August ?

I'm sure Avram will be staying on, but i fear the axe is going to fall on the squad, without mercy.

I expect Frank to stay on now, so he can stay close to his mother and father at this hard time.

SWP to stay, as he's a player that can turn a game around from the bench, and we need players like him.

Out:

Carlo (his choice)

Ferreira (out of favour with AG)

TBH

Sidwell

Malouda (hopefully will follow Drogba)

Drogba (Inter Milan - and will be a huge failure),to technical for him)

Shevchenko (AC Milan)

Pizzaro (Accrington Stanley, on loan)

In:

Franco Di Santo

Scott Sinclair

Branislav Ivanovic

1x keeper (2nd/3rd choice)

1x Right wing midfielder (1st choice)someone who can cross.

1x Striker (our 1st choice forward to replace Drogba).

I want to see Avram out, but i really cant see it, mind you i didnt see Jose leaving last year, so who knows?

[glory55]

Let me see!!!!!

I predict a ticket freeze and a over-rated player arriving at Chelsea,purchased at an over the top price,simply on his performance in Euro 2008.

[Tim W]

Bankrupt and relegated to div 3 after RA throws his toys out the pram and we're still stuck with Drogba and Malouda.

[Mr Chelsea]

Bankrupt and relegated to div 3 after RA throws his toys out the pram and we're still stuck with Drogba and Malouda.

bank rupt division 3 and drogba i could cope with

but please, please not malouda

[callista]

Where do you see the club come August ?

I'm sure Avram will be staying on, but i fear the axe is going to fall on the squad, without mercy.

I expect Frank to stay on now, so he can stay close to his mother and father at this hard time.

SWP to stay, as he's a player that can turn a game around from the bench, and we need players like him.

Out:

Carlo (his choice)

Ferreira (out of favour with AG)

TBH

Sidwell

Malouda (hopefully will follow Drogba)

Drogba (Inter Milan - and will be a huge failure),to technical for him)

Shevchenko (AC Milan)

Pizzaro (Accrington Stanley, on loan)

In:

Franco Di Santo

Scott Sinclair

Branislav Ivanovic

1x keeper (2nd/3rd choice)

1x Right wing midfielder (1st choice)someone who can cross.

1x Striker (our 1st choice forward to replace Drogba).

I want to see Avram out, but i really cant see it, mind you i didnt see Jose leaving last year, so who knows?

I think Avram should be moved upstairs back to where he can't harm anyone - DOF please. I have no idea which coach the club will go for but Rykaard seems the obvious pick as Roman seems in love with all things Dutch.

I think he may by then have bizarrely managed to win us a CL trophy and have a medal hanging in his locker at work - just the kind of ironic thing that would happen.

So Grant will still be our manager next season God help us but possibly with Rykaard on gardening leave waiting in the wings to take over if need be.

I think the squad will be savaged mercilessly with a lot of players either choosing to leave because they have had their fill of Grant and can't stand the idea of another season under him or the club want them to go because they feel they are no good or believe they will become trouble makers.

OUT

Drogba

Sidwell

Malouda

Pizarro

Sheva

SWP

Carlo

Paulo

POSSIBLE DEPARTEES

Ballack

Lampard

Steve Clarke will also leave from the coaching staff.

As for incoming I think we can expect a host of Dutch players and Grant (or should that be Roman/Arnesen et al) will try to pick up players seen as being more creative and flash - and he'll spend millions doing it.

[TomP]

Ok, the big one to start with:

Manager - Grant Out (probably upstairs), Hiddink In

With the squad, I think we have the balance right, but we need to make a few changes of personnel. I'm assuming that Drogs will leave and Frank will stay.

Belletti Out - Alves in (18 mil)

TBH Out - Macciene promoted (if good enough - if not, then we need to pick up a young centreback who IS good enough)

Sidwell Out - replaced with young central midfielder who will push Mikel for a place (5 mil)

SWP Out - Ribery In (20 mil). Note - not Malouda - SWP has had his chance, Malouda hasn't.

Pizzaro Out - youth player promoted (whoever is the most ready out of Sahar, Sinclair, Di Santo, Kakuta)

Shevchenko Out - Gudjonson in (2 mil)

Drogba Out - Benzema in (25 mil)

If Frank does not sign his contract - Van der Vaart or Modric In

Team to win the quadruple next season (in Hiddink attacking 4-2-3-1 formation):

.....................Cech.........................

Alves.........JT..........Carvalho.....A Cole

............Lampard......Essien...............

.......Ribery.....Gudjonson....J Cole.......

.....................Anelka.......................

7 sub Bench - Carlo, Alex, Ferriera, Ballack, Kalou, Di Santo, Benzema

I think we could get away with all of those signings for less than 70 mil (which is what ManU spent last summer), we would get at least 40 mil of that back from sale of players, we would be promoting at least 2 youth players, and we would have one of the best managers in the world.

Sorted.

[mad_mac]

you would bring in Guddy, and Benzema, and still play Anelka up front by himself? I doubt we will bring Guddy back, nor do I want him back (too many good memories from his time here). Also, I don't think Anelka can play upfront by himself

Out: Sidwell, TBH, SWP, Belletti or Paulo, Carlo, Drogba, Sheva, Pizzarro, Lampard

I also fear that one of Essien, Carvalho, or Ballack will leave too

From this, we will certainly need a central midfielder or two. And we will certainly need to come in with one striker

I think Ivanovic, Mancienne, Di Santo, and maybe Sinclair will be given a chance (especially if we are heading down the route of 7 subs).

Big name signings? Alves, Villa, Huntelaar, and Van Der Vaart....2nd string keeper

Scott

[TomP]

you would bring in Guddy, and Benzema, and still play Anelka up front by himself? I doubt we will bring Guddy back, nor do I want him back (too many good memories from his time here). Also, I don't think Anelka can play upfront by himself

It is all assuming we got Hiddink as manager :)

Playing up front alone in Hiddink's system is not really the same as up front alone (completely and terribly isolated) in Mourinho's system. He would get support from all three central attacking midfielders (none of them are supposed to be wingers - width would come from overlapping fullbacks).

Also, Hiddink tends to swap (often on the fly, mid-match) between a 4-2-3-1 and a 3-5-2, so there would definately be room for 4 strikers in the squad in a 60 match season.

[mad_mac]

fiar enough mate, I just think if we brought in a striker like benzema, that they would play upfront, or Huntelaar, but not Anelka

Scott