Pretty strategic move by the club to formally announce it. I'm guessing the terms aren't what he wants but now the decision is his.
Yes but smart move by the club for PR purposes. At least look like they want to keep him while JT can get more overseas.
Only Traore in the first 11 for youth (unless you count Baba). Abraham, RLC, and Tomori on the bench. Only 2 hours until this garbage is over.
Pretty good first half. we were the better team. LC GK has been unreal. Traore has struggled a bit but hazard has looked good. I dont think it is surprising that we look better with mikel out of the lineup. He just never really does it for me. I rate him exactly like mourinho does. As a guy who comes in at the 80' to kill a game.
Terry officially back. http://www.espnfc.com/chelsea/story/2875344/john-terry-signs-new-one-year-contract-at-chelsea
Was being sarcastic because we were so awful on the pitch this year but Roman has not opened the purse strings lately like he has in the past. Our net spend past 2 years is less than stoke. After this abysmal year though most think he will go back to the old Roman and throw money at the problem
Lukaku want to come back apparently. I didn't like the way he left (can't really blame him though), but I've always wanted to see him get more than the 10 or whatever appearances he got when he was with us.
Not 100% sold on Lukaku especially not for 65 mil or whatever. His attitude was shit in the latter part of the season but he's obviously a talented player. For that kinda money I'd say Lewandovski or bust but no way that happens without Champions League.
What's the Brazilian issue with team chemistry that the press is squawking about? Didn't Costa try to choke slam Oscar like 3 months ago?
Apparently our Brazilian contingent's sunny disposition won't mesh well with Conte's draconian training regimen, or so the press says. Also at WAGNH calling the Brazilians "The Samba Cabal".
I'm perfectly fine selling Oscar to the highest bidder(China money would be nice). Mourinho wanting Hazard is funny, seems like whether or not they hate each other depends on the day of the week.
What about guys coming back from loan? Van Ginkel, Cuadrado, Pasalic, Djilobodji, and Andreas Christensen; they all had very solid seasons. Van Ginkel really deserves a run in the first team. I think we should try and get Solanke and Baker loaned to lower tier premier league teams. Boga, Munsonda, and Piazon should get more aggressive loans. It's pretty ridiculous, I really don't think this loan system can be sustained. There's still Chabolah, Nathan, Moses, Ake, Stipe Perica, John Swift, and Patrick Bamford (where was he this season?) So many promising players...
Van ginkel was shit at stoke and great in holland. Good not great player. Doubt he ever makes it at Chelsea. Probably sell him this summer. Same goes for Moses. Bamford is an interesting one. I really like him but he has struggled with premier league loans. People seem to forget though that when we take on a loan (falcao and pato for example) we don't play them if we have nothing to play for. Same goes for every team except vitesse with we loan out to. Musonda should and will go back to Betis. It was a great loan and one more year and he is a first team player. Christensen could play for Chelsea this season but his loan was for 2 years. Gladbach will play him a lot again and he will be back with Chelsea after this season Solanke is an interesting case. He is arguably the most talented of all of the great youth players we have but his contract expires after next season. We can't lose him for nothing. I wouldn't be shocked if a new extension included him staying with the first team (for better or worse). Abraham is a player who uses his physical tools more than skill to dominate the youth divisions. That takes time to translate to the premier league when you can't do that. Solanke has a lot more skill and I don't think he would do any worse than our 3rd striker last year Baker is the one guy I really want with the first team. RLC was the "chosen one" from the youth squads but I always thought baker was a better player. We didn't try and buy deli alli because we thought they were too similar and we liked baker. Not saying he will be alli but he is the kind of player that does so many good things. Kind of like lampard in the sense that you wouldn't carve out the prototype player with him in mind but he just makes plays. He uses both feet incredibly well, is a free kick master and has a knack for goals out of the midfield. No idea what happens with cuadrado. I think ake gets a chance during summer to impress conte or gets sold. Boga will get loaned out and that might be out most critical loan. One of the few players with true first team potential. I also think we need to look long and hard about offloading oscar. We might also sell Mikel, matic and a few others. The new thing for top sides selling top youth is the buyback clause. We didn't have it with lukaku or KDB. I expect it to be used moving forward
RavenNole Thanks for the insight. Always appreciate your posts on the squad and youth. I'm interested in seeing how much Conte is able to change tactically in his first year. Thoughts on Willian's future?
Any chance we wrap up Kante ahead of Euros? Seems like great business which is a little weird these days.
I'm excited. Y'all see the video where Conte's yelling "I'll kill you, I'll kill you!" over and over to the Italy defense after Lukaku's shot the other day? Some of our players are in for a rude awakening. From what I've read, he treats the Italian NT like a meritocracy. He does not give a shit how good you have been in the past, or how hallowed your name is among the fans. Whoever seems to have the right mentality is who makes it in the squad, so this could bode well for our fringe players.
His tactics so far in the tourney have me really excited for the possible improvement he can make in our side, on the flip side watching Fabregas today was brutal just like all season
Hey guys. My wife and I will be in London for the weekend when the Blues play Burnley. I've been watching for when the exact dates & times will be announced. Any advice on how to get tickets? I've read about becoming a member and going that route so you can try to buy before the general sale. Just wondering what to expect.
I got whored via ticket brokers but the service was excellent (tickets delivered right to my hotel, easy transaction) and the games were awesome so no real complaints.
Might actually go to that game as work is pretty light and the pound is currently shit. I'll go through Chelsea in America and my True Blue account in all likelihood. Friends of mine have used brokers before and it wasn't too bad if it's not a derby or big club.
Unclear how Conte is gonna mold the team but impossible to not be excited at his tactical knowledge and implementation.
Seems to be lots of smoke. 33 million seems like a lot but like him as both a compliment and replacement for Diego (for inevitable hamstring pull).
If diego is gone we would need another striker as well. I don think this signing if it happens changes that. Conte plays a lot of two striker