Ballack and Robben signed by Madrid for 40 million!!!

Hardrada wrote:
You don't think Malouda was a Robben replacement ?

No, because if I was Jose and wanted to play a 4-3-3, I'd play with both, Malouda and Robben. Those would be my first choice wingers.

kas wrote:I don't think we have the best squad. 3 of our backups are Belletti, Oleguer, and Jorquera. Another 2 are 19 (Giovani) and 16 (Bojan) years old. Enough said.

Inter, Man. Utd, Chelsea, and Bayern are the 4 best squads IMO. The "2nd tier" would include Barça, Liverpool and Milan. Third tier would be Madrid, Lyon, Valencia, Arsenal, Atletico, and possibly Porto.

I was looking at your squad and I reckon you are very strong at CB, but not so much at full-back.

Further up the pitch is quite interesting. For the remaining 6 places you have 8 incredible players (ie generally better first teamers than us). But beyond these 8 it's not all that promising, as far as I can work out.

kas, post a first choice/second choice line up like I did so we can compare.

Sheffield gunner wrote:My biggest concern for the Chelsea midfield in Europe is that it lacks someone who can pass the ball well and spread play effectively. At the highest level in Europe I think it is crucial to have someone who can do this and who can dictate the tempo of the game with their passing. I think Ballack may have been the man who was meant to do this, but it hasn't worked out. The Chelsea central midfield lacks finesse in my opinion.

Even in his 'crappy' last season, Ballack had some good matches for Chelsea in the CL, scored a few important goals also.

In a 4-3-3, "finesse" in the centre might become less important, if you focus on wing play that is, with quality wingers able to beat their man and put the crosses in, but it still is necessary. So I fully agree.

I guess ours would be:

Cech/Cudicini

Ferreira/Johnson--Carvalho/Alex--Terry/Ben Haim--A Cole/Bridge

Mikel/Makelele(/Diarra)

Essien/Sidwell--Lampard/Woods

J Cole/SWP------------------Malouda/Kalou

Drogba/Pizarro(/Sheva)

Only area where we're probably weak now is the 'Lampard' position if Ballack goes. Then again, that shouldn't be a problem because Lampard only missed 1-2 games a season, and when he leaves/retires, Woods should be ready to step up hopefully (if he isn't, push Mikel forward and play Diarra DM).

S4P wrote:

Only area where we're probably weak now is the 'Lampard' position if Ballack goes. .

& right back surely, despite Ferreira being good in the cup final.

S4P wrote:I guess ours would be:

Cech/Cudicini

Ferreira/Johnson--Carvalho/Alex--Terry/Ben Haim--A Cole/Bridge

Mikel/Makelele(/Diarra)

Essien/Sidwell--Lampard/Woods

J Cole/SWP------------------Malouda/Kalou

Drogba/Pizarro(/Sheva)

Only area where we're probably weak now is the 'Lampard' position if Ballack goes. Then again, that shouldn't be a problem because Lampard only missed 1-2 games a season, and when he leaves/retires, Woods should be ready to step up hopefully (if he isn't, push Mikel forward and play Diarra DM).

Very strong in DM, weak backup in CM IMO.

Mourinho did hint ; 4-4-2 could be played next season ?

Owen wrote:

S4P wrote:I guess ours would be:

Cech/Cudicini

Ferreira/Johnson--Carvalho/Alex--Terry/Ben Haim--A Cole/Bridge

Mikel/Makelele(/Diarra)

Essien/Sidwell--Lampard/Woods

J Cole/SWP------------------Malouda/Kalou

Drogba/Pizarro(/Sheva)

Only area where we're probably weak now is the 'Lampard' position if Ballack goes. Then again, that shouldn't be a problem because Lampard only missed 1-2 games a season, and when he leaves/retires, Woods should be ready to step up hopefully (if he isn't, push Mikel forward and play Diarra DM).

Very strong in DM, weak backup in CM IMO.

Yep - which is why if Lampard gets injured we will have to go 442 with Essien-Mikel or whatever, which would certainly be a passable 2 man central midfield.

I think the one thing which could really fcuk us over is Essien getting injured. We can cope without him during ACoN just about, but if he's unavailable in CL I would be worried.

Don't forget that both Essien and Mikel (and Drogba) won't be there during the ACoN.

blutgraetsche wrote:Don't forget that both Essien and Mikel (and Drogba) won't be there during the ACoN.

Nope, but there's only 4 Premiership and 1 FA Cup match that they miss. Yeah that's an important part of the season, but they won't miss the CL.

Our scheduled league matches are:

Birmingham A
Reading H
Portsmouth A
Liverpool H

Liverpool game is the only real hiccup there, although it's at home which makes me twice as confident. Makelele, Lampard and Sidwell in midfield with Pizarro and/or Sheva up front should cover that schedule no problem.

What if any of those midfielders is injured during those weeks?

blutgraetsche wrote:What if any of those midfielders is injured during those weeks?

Then we're running into the realms of speculation.

Also, if Mikel is still suspended by Nigeria, he won't be playing the ACN.

Well, it's your club. I thought that Mourinho learned his lesson from last year, when injuries cost you quite a few crucial matches.

Whatever, just hope these new rumours are true for a change.

blutgraetsche wrote:Well, it's your club. I thought that Mourinho learned his lesson from last year, when injuries cost you quite a few crucial matches.

Which is why we have brought in 5 players and are only selling 2. If the injuries are as bad as they were last season, we will be very unlucky.

excellent news if true


robben is probably the only chelsea player I worry about when facing them (drogba included)

ballack was never going to be used properly with jose as manager and flump on the scene so him going has very little effect on chelsea ... in fact it actually simplifies things for them

Obviously Robben is the big capture because we really need help on the wings. I am a huge advocate of Guti but we can't only have him as the creative midfielder especially because it looks like the youngsters such as Granero are going to need a little bit more time to get their feet wet, maybe by going on loan.

Even if this is true, I still think there are a lot of holes and a lot of players that el Gomina needs to get rid of.

You scared me!!! Damn! I thought they were already bought by Real Madrid....Lol!


Chelsea F.C. will never do it.

Maybe if Real Madrid would want to give 2 players for M. Ballack, But still won't work IMO.

It will happen, both Robben and Ballack will move to Real, Chelsea won't replace them, everyone will be happy. It's karma, it can't be avoided.

blutgraetsche wrote:Chelsea won't replace them.

As I have already said this evening, we don't need to replace them.

Exactly, that's why everyone will be happy, which actually is the reason why it (hopefully) will happen.

blutgraetsche wrote:It will happen, both Robben and Ballack will move to Real, Chelsea won't replace them, everyone will be happy. It's karma, it can't be avoided.

Never!!! N E V E R!!!!!!!!!!

kas wrote:

S4P wrote:

kas wrote:Marca, generally the most reliable sports paper, is saying that Madrid have made a bid of 40 million euros for these two, and it is likely that Chelsea agrees. So it is not done by any means, but it's now a distinct possibility.

I'm pretty sure Chelsea will bargain some more though.

What's their to bargain for? If they're offering £10m for Ballack I'll personally fly the plane to ensure he gets there safely.

No! You need to extract as much money as possible from the scum. If they're making good signings, they should at least be ripped off while doing so.

Absolutely right Kas. Chelsea should be reported for such an outrageous failure to rip them off. They deserve a hefty fine for it.

EMP wrote:

kas wrote:

S4P wrote:

kas wrote:Marca, generally the most reliable sports paper, is saying that Madrid have made a bid of 40 million euros for these two, and it is likely that Chelsea agrees. So it is not done by any means, but it's now a distinct possibility.

I'm pretty sure Chelsea will bargain some more though.

What's their to bargain for? If they're offering £10m for Ballack I'll personally fly the plane to ensure he gets there safely.

No! You need to extract as much money as possible from the scum. If they're making good signings, they should at least be ripped off while doing so.

Absolutely right Kas. Chelsea should be reported for such an outrageous failure to rip them off. They deserve a hefty fine for it.

£85m for both of them.

Peruvian Souljah wrote:

EMP wrote:

kas wrote:

S4P wrote:

kas wrote:Marca, generally the most reliable sports paper, is saying that Madrid have made a bid of 40 million euros for these two, and it is likely that Chelsea agrees. So it is not done by any means, but it's now a distinct possibility.

I'm pretty sure Chelsea will bargain some more though.

What's their to bargain for? If they're offering £10m for Ballack I'll personally fly the plane to ensure he gets there safely.

No! You need to extract as much money as possible from the scum. If they're making good signings, they should at least be ripped off while doing so.

Absolutely right Kas. Chelsea should be reported for such an outrageous failure to rip them off. They deserve a hefty fine for it.

£85m for both of them.

Far too lenient. Take some points off them as well.

Forget that, €40M and the deal is done!

Schuster will get the best out of Ballack, that I'm sure of. And Ballack will be extremely motivated to prove his critics wrong, and to have a great season before the very important EC 2008, which probably will be his last major tournament.

Then Who the hell is Chelsea F.C. going to get with that much money for those 2 players as replacements?!

Nobody. According to S4P and Hadrada, both Chelsea fans, that won't be necessary, since they are more or less obsolete (scroll back).


Newest rumours say Deco, but I still can't see Barcelona selling him.

Owen wrote:kas, post a first choice/second choice line up like I did so we can compare.

1st choice:

Valdes

Zambrotta-Puyol-Milito-Abidal

-----------Toure----------------

--------Xavi------Iniesta

----Messi-----Etoo----Ronaldinho


2nd choice:

Jorquera

Belletti-Thuram-Oleguer-Sylvinho

----------Marquez-----------------

----------Deco-Gudjohnsen-----

-----Giovani----Bojan-----Henry


(of course, Xavi/Iniesta/Deco are all swappable, as are Marquez/Toure, and Henry/REM)