Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

DazMarz

Fantastic result tonight. Best we could have hoped for. Chelsea CANNOT drop the ball tomorrow night, at all. No way. Anything less than 3 points is a pure disaster. Win tomorrow night, and Chelsea have a brilliant chance of finishing 3rd. Back into 3rd, with a game in hand. Can't say fairer than that.

kev1.3s

I think if I had the choice I'd rather the gunners lost and took our chances with the toffies but I'd have taken the draw at the start.

Lukker-

Closing in on Schurlle.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/apr/16/chelsea-andre-schuurle-bayer-leverkusen

Also Benitez is reluctant to play Ba and Torres together because it would stop Mata playing in his favoured position in behind the striker.

GavRedKing

Arsenal drawing gives us a chance, hopefully Rafa sends out the big guns, we have 4 days until we play Liverpool away not some 14 hour journey to Eastern Europe for the EL, play the best XI and hopefully get the 3 points and put a little gap between us and the rest with a game in hand.

Come on boys, get the job done ffs.

peteeeed

Never heard of this fella , from the express

Chelsea to sign Dede as John Terry replacement

CHELSEA believe they have found John Terry’s successor and are closing in on a £20 million deal for Brazil defender Dede.

By: Tony BanksPublished: Wed, April 17, 2013

0Comments
Chelsea have been eyeing up a move for Brazilian centre-back Dede to replace aging John Terry

The Vasco Da Gama centre-back, who is also being chased by Liverpool and Manchester United, is set to be sold this summer with his club in the middle of a cash crisis.

Club skipper Terry, 32, has one more year on his contract and Dede is regarded as a long-term replacement.

Scouts have been monitoring Dede, 24, who has seven caps and is regarded as a playerBrazil will build their defence around in the future.

Long-term admirers Liverpool are ready to offer about £15m but Chelsea are ready to beat that bid and, with a strong Brazilian contingent at the club in the shape of Oscar, Ramires and David Luiz, they are confident of winning the race.

Oscar and Ramires have formed a sensational triumvirate with Juan Mata, whose masterful string-pulling has led Rafa Benitez to call for him to be named the PFA’s Footballer of the Year.

Polls close on Friday, with the winner being announced at the gala dinner on Sunday week.

Tottenham’s Gareth Bale is favourite to claim the award for the second time in three years, but Benitez believes his little Spanish maestro should be in with a shout.

Chelsea go into their 60th game of a marathon season tonight – at Fulham – in fourth place in the Premier League, ahead of Tottenham only on goal difference.

Benitez said: “He has scored 18 goals and made 29 assists and he has done that playing two games every week for months. He has been so good.

Rafa Benitez has called for Juan Mata to be named PFA Player of the Year

I would like to see Frank break the record, for sure.
Rafa Benitez
“There are good players in every team in the Premier League. Mata is our player and he’s doing really well. He is a very good professional, and his numbers are fantastic.

“I knew about him before I came here, in terms of his performances on the pitch. But it was a surprise watching him nutmeg players all the time in training. The quality he has is amazing.

“He is not a big, strong, physical player, but his game intelligence is the key. He is very clever, he finds space and he has vision.”

Mata’s close control, ability to thread a pass through the eye of a needle and cool finishing have been the one constant in a disappointing campaign for the Blues so far.

Benitez likened him to former Stamford Bridge legend Gianfranco Zola.

“Zola was this type of player,” said Benitez. “Not too big, but he had the game intelligence.”

Benitez will rotate his squad as he tries to raise morale after the debilitating FA Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester City on Sunday. Frank Lampard, Terry and Victor Moses are all likely to return, as well as their in-form forward, Fernando Torres.

A top-four place is the priority, even though they have a Europa League semi-final with Basle looming next week.

Lampard, left out on Sunday, needs just two goals to equal Bobby Tambling’s club goalscoring record of 202 for Chelsea.

But games are running out for the 34-year-old to etch his name into the history books and last night Benitez offered no promises about his place in the side.

The Spaniard, who celebrated his 53rd birthday yesterday by buying cakes for his players, said: “I have to always consider all the squad.

“The main thing is the team. I would like to see Frank break the record, for sure. But if I pick him to play it’s because he’s a good player. I’m sure he will score the goals. I think he will do it.”

GavRedKing

Dede is always been snapped up by either City or Chelsea in FM13.....he must be a good player. :pac:

I'd be in the same boat as you, didnt hear much about him really although it is good to know that we're looking at a JT replacement and a strong Brazilian CB, didnt we sell one of them to PSG.

GavRedKing

Schurrle done?

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/leverkusen-s-schurrle-agrees-23m-move-to-chelsea-in-the-summer-1.1362364

Schurrley not?

GavRedKing

Our last away win.......Stoke in January. :eek:

Jesus, suddenly I'm not too confident about tonight.

grumpymunster

Yep our away form of late is awful and we need to win the next two away, if we do I think Spurs will fold.

GavRedKing

Anything short of a win tonight could give Spurs a chance and give them added belief beofre they play City Sunday.

Anybody want to hazard a guess at tonights team?

greendom

GavRedKing wrote: »

Anything short of a win tonight could give Spurs a chance and give them added belief beofre they play City Sunday.

Anybody want to hazard a guess at tonights team?

I mata do that later

GavRedKing

Watch Hazard and Mata both be dropped for tonights game. :pac:

amiable

GavRedKing wrote: »

Schurrle done?

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/leverkusen-s-schurrle-agrees-23m-move-to-chelsea-in-the-summer-1.1362364

Schurrley not?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=83994129&postcount=2935

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=83994129&postcount=2935

Euromillions number for Friday please?

:pac:

amiable

GavRedKing wrote: »

Euromillions number for Friday please?

:pac:

You greedy fecker wouldn't just settle for the Irish Lotto

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

You greedy fecker wouldn't just settle for the Irish Lotto

I'm not getting out of bed for anything under 20 Million, although if you got the Irish Lotto numbers handy I suppose they'll have to do. :rolleyes:

grumpymunster

Sidwell & Duffer missing for the cottagers tonight, no harm in that from our point of view.

I have a horrible feeling our interim will drop Haz and Mata keeping them for Liverpool and the Thursday league cup, would be a huge mistake me thinks but you can see it happening alright.

GavRedKing

I'd say we'll go as strong as possible, hopefully Rafa sees the same, if we're winning after 70 mins then whip off Hazard & Mata.

Team I'd like to see :

Cech
Azp JT Luiz Bert
Lamps Rambo
Moses Mata Hazard
Torres


Reason being, I'd keep Ba for Sunday because then Torres will be fresh for Thursday and a fresh Ba could trobule Liverpool, same with Oscar, Moses gives us good balance on the right so I'd keep Oscar for Sunday, whip Mata & Hazard if the job is done and replace them with I dont know, Yossi and Marin or Mikel to sure up the team.

Crann na Beatha

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Crann na Beatha

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Gbear

I think the result that will lead to the least amount of aggregated misery in the Liverpool/Chelsea game would be a 2-2 draw.

grumpymunster

I know its the Daily Fail but I can almost hear Gav getting excited from here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2310527/Jose-Mourinho-tells-Real-Madrid-coaches-leave-club-summer-Chelsea-alert.html

McDave

Phoenix wrote: »

Whats Schurrle like though lads?is he any good and would he fit into Chelsea well?especially if the "Special One" comes back

The way he's being described [an attacking midfielder: http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1415580/schurrle-agrees-terms-chelsea?cc=5739], he sounds like a kind of more upfield Lampard. Someone who can fit well with the Mata-driven midfield, either on the wing, playing "in the hole", or as a centre forward. Sounds like potentially a great fit. Can imagine Mourinho would be able to make hay with him.

McDave

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'd say we'll go as strong as possible, hopefully Rafa sees the same, if we're winning after 70 mins then whip off Hazard & Mata.

Team I'd like to see :

Cech
Azp JT Luiz Bert
Lamps Rambo
Moses Mata Hazard
Torres


Reason being, I'd keep Ba for Sunday because then Torres will be fresh for Thursday and a fresh Ba could trobule Liverpool, same with Oscar, Moses gives us good balance on the right so I'd keep Oscar for Sunday, whip Mata & Hazard if the job is done and replace them with I dont know, Yossi and Marin or Mikel to sure up the team.

Hopefully. There's no point in being coy any more. Commit to sharp attack and wrap up the points as early as possible.

McDave

We've got a very tough run-in. The premiership is almost like a knock-out at this stage - i.e. we need a result every time, we can't afford to lose. But cup competitions are a CFC forte, so I'm reasonably confident. Especially after Arsenal dropped points last night. Three points tonight and we can really get some momentum behind us.

Crann na Beatha

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DazMarz

What was required was done. Delighted with the result. Puts Chelsea in a very good position going into the weekend.

GavRedKing

Good result 3 points in the bag handy out.

McDave

It was vital to get ahead of Arsenal after their dropped points last night. And we did it.

Table looking very nice now. A few more league victories and it's going to shape up well for an assault on the Europa League.

McDave

Incidentally, not only are we three points ahead of Spurs. Our goal difference is much healthier. If we can keep the pressure up for the next three league games it may not even come down to the Spurs match for us.

peteeeed

from 1 to 11 job done, moses got going near the ned, need to kick on from here and do the scousers

KingdomYid

McDave wrote: »

Incidentally, not only are we three points ahead of Spurs with a game in hand. Our goal difference is much healthier. If we can keep the pressure up for the next three league games it may not even come down to the Spurs match for us.

Mistaken there, ye don't have a game in hand on us. Both have played 32 now.

Here Precious2

McDave wrote: »

Incidentally, not only are we three points ahead of Spurs with a game in hand.

No game in hand of spurs I'm afraid

Crann na Beatha

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grumpymunster

Goal difference against Spurs effectively 4 points ahead. So glad City won tonight and ManU didn't it should keep City fully interested against Spurs on Sunday try and put a bit of pressure on ManU Monday.

Great win this evening JT and Sideshow again on Sunay with Dave back and maybe even Ash. I like Ram in midfield maybe Oscar beside him Sunday if interim feeling adventurous but more likely Ram & Obi which is a poor pairing for me.

Duck Soup

Can Mikel ever make the grade? He's been there a long time and I wince whenever I see the ball at his feet. A battler is fine, but we need much better distribution of the ball.

Caveman1

I don't understand all the negativity around Mikel, if people want the likes of Oscar Hazard & Mata roaming around tearing up defences then we need someone who is going to do the dirty work and hold back and protect the defence.

Mikel doesn't get nearly enough of the credit he deserves imo, it shows when he's in beside Ramires how free flowing the team is compared to when its Lamps in there then every pass seems to take forever.

GavRedKing

If we could put Luiz in CM next to Rambo then excellent but with Cahill out he has to play CB.

Team Sunday practically picks itself really at this stage, Ba will start, JT should start and if Ash is fit he'll replace Bertie.

More confident of a win agaisnt the Pool but our recent Anfield record isnt good at all.

Tigerbaby

I concur about Mikel. He has a sh*tty job to do, and he generally does it well. He's not going to get accolades for creative attacking football, but other teams attacks founder upon him.

Dont know about the rest of you, but I am worn out from this season. Too many games, too much stress. The team must be knackered.

Blue Forever.

X, Tigerbaby.

Lukker-

Being linked heavily with Pellegrini today. If Mourinho doesn't return he'd be my second choice.

GavRedKing

Yup, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10002227/Chelsea-open-talks-with-Manuel-Pellegrini-over-summer-switch-to-Stamford-Bridge.html

peteeeed

and jose of course

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/309771/Jose-Mourinho-s-adios-to-Real/

i think the pellagrino story has come from talksports south american correspondant who was on yesterday afternoon saying he had heard of contact between chelsea and the Chilean

peteeeed

new kit official, bit old school , not bad

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3147489/title/chelsea-and-adidas-reveal-new-201314-kit

GavRedKing

League looks a bit better now anyway, I'd gladly take a point at Anfield after we beat Fulham, if we win Sunday I think we should finish in the top 4.

If we can match Spurs result with City, whatever that maybe, we'll be laughing, however if they win and we lose its wide open again, its gonna to be a manic few weeks until the end of the season.

GavRedKing

Love the jersey, goalkeeper jersey aint great though IMO.

The_Hustler

What do we think of the new jersey lads? It's not the one that was doing the rounds on here before. I think it's nice, fairly basic. Not that different from a few of the past years though

Lukker-

Think the Chelsea board are being smart keeping their options open. You never know what game Mourinho is playing. Apparently his initial demand were flatly rejected. He'll be lucky to get what he's on at Real tbh.

duploelabs

Tigerbaby wrote: »

I concur about Mikel. He has a sh*tty job to do, and he generally does it well. He's not going to get accolades for creative attacking football, but other teams attacks founder upon him.

Dont know about the rest of you, but I am worn out from this season. Too many games, too much stress. The team must be knackered.

Blue Forever.

X, Tigerbaby.

Yes he does the crap menial job protecting the back four but that doesn't mean he has to take so fecking long to thread a pass when he receives the ball.
He has two aspects to his role, one is to spoil and protect, and yes he does that well, but his second, when does intercept or receive the ball and initiate a counter is done with such lethargy that it ruins every chance we have to counter and negates the importance of his primary role.

GavRedKing

The jersey reminds me of 2010-11 but with no red on the collar.

Lukker-

Really like that kit.