Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

Johner

Papers have us making a £30million pound bid for Rooney. I know it won't happen but I would actually love it if we did sign him.

grumpymunster

McDave wrote: »

Ramirez is just not up to speed. Doesn't seem to have a brain in his head. He can't complete a 5 metre pass. I'd put him on the market without delay.

Bringing on the next to useless Benayoun yet again in a vital match is proof as if we need it that Rafa isn't top drawer. I can't see any circumstances under which he can stay.

Regardless of the number of games played, this squad has been well rotated, and we should have made a better fist of attempting the win. To have secured 4th, and ideally, 3rd, would have enabled us to advance planning on all fronts. As it is, everything is still up in the air. Typical of a profoundly inconsistent and frustrating season.

Have a lot of time for Ram and took his goal very well. Was unfortunate when he slipped. Won the ball and played a big part in the goal at OT no we have a lot bigger problems than RAM

MaroonAndGreen

Pity we couldnt hold on for the win, but im content with the point!

Much better point for Chelsea than it is for Spurs anyway

Duck Soup

Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but if we win against Villa away on Saturday, we're pretty much guaranteed top 4. That would leave us 3 ahead of Tottenham in fifth, with our goal difference +34 and Spurs +18 and only one match left for each side.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/tables

So just beat Villa then.

MaroonAndGreen

Duck Soup wrote: »

Okay, correct me if I'm wrong, but if we win against Villa away on Saturday, we're pretty much guaranteed top 4. That would leave us 3 ahead of Tottenham in fifth, with our goal difference +34 and Spurs +18 and only one match left for each side.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/tables

So just beat Villa then.

With Villa in a relegation dogfight and the Europa League final coming up.. I can see Saturday's game being really tough.. And chances are that Rafa will rest a few players too, expect to see Luiz, Ramires, Hazard, Mata, Cole etc possibly rested.

A win tonight would have given us so much comfort going into the Villa game, but everything is in the balance now!

Villa have great motivation for Saturday, their last home game of the season, and if they win it will make them mathematically safe.

It'l be tough, and we'l need brilliant performances from the lads that are brought back into the team.

Its a bigger game than alot of people think! We arent that sitting very comfortably in 3rd at all if we dont win at Villa.

Lets hope for a crucial 3 points.

KTBFFH

MaroonAndGreen

Neil Ashton just tweeted: Wayne Rooney asks Manchester United for transfer. Chelsea make their move.

Not an awful reliable journalist, but hes not the only one reporting it..

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

GavRedKing

Just back from the pub, thoughts?

We were the better team marginally but couldnt score the goals when it counted Ramires falling, Hazard ballooning a similar chance the Sig scored from for Spurs.

All in all its a point and nothing changes, OUR qualification is still in our hands at this stage.

Mata didnt play well, in fact he was one of our worse performers which is weird for him, Hazard was my MoTM, he had the beating of Walker nearly every time he went down the flank and taking him off, unless he was injured or got a knock was silly.

The goals we conceded were stupid, Adebayor travels about 30 yards with the ball and nobody closes him? Stupid defending, Lennon was covered and Cole and Luiz were covering LB so Cahill/Ivanovic should have engaged Adebayor.

2nd goal, well worked but Luiz fell asleep, Sig runs off him and Adebayor flicks it inot his path and he kept his head well to find the corner but Luiz really should have done better and tracked.

As I said its a point gained and it brings us closer to our goal.

We play at 12:45 Saturday so if we win were home and dry before Arsenal or Spurs even kick a ball.

GavRedKing

Phoenix wrote: »

Would rooney make a huge difference to us? :pac:

He would to the wage bill, no need for him IMO.

the_doctor199

The Mirror reporting Rooney too..

Chelsea have gate-crashed Bayern Munich’s attempt to sign Wayne Rooney.

Blues' billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has personally sanctioned a stunning £30million move for the unsettled Manchester United star.

Contact has already been made between Chelsea, United and Rooney’s representatives.

And if, as expected, David Moyes takes over from the retiring Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of the Old Trafford giants, it may be too late to stop the move.

Moyes and Rooney have had a troubled relationship in the past and even though it has improved, speculation about the Scot’s arrival is unlikely to encourage Rooney to stay.

Champions League finalists Bayern remain keen to add Rooney to their growing roster of stars.

Their interest dates back several months and they are believed to be close to a deal.

But Abramovich has told Rooney’s representatives he is determined to sign the England striker as a statement of intent to co-incide with the planned return of Jose Mourinho for a second spell as manager.

Chelsea are confident they can hijack the Bayern deal and appeal to Rooney’s desire to stay in English football.

Rooney is the kind of muscular, physical forward Mourinho favours to lead the line and is seen as a high-profile replacement for Didier Drogba.

He is also available at the kind of price Chelsea are happy to pay, and is seen as the first step in Mourinho’s attempt to launch a title challenge next season.

Tubbs4

Hope we don't get Rooney as Lukaka if given a chance is younger and be hungrier. Chelsea and big signing strikers are hit and miss.
SAF did not play him as much and most signing from man u turn out to be over the hill.
Last was Veron that we got I think.

Panthro

We don't need Rooney.

Andersonisgod

Lukker- wrote: »

You can't be serious? Kept Bale quiet all night, counter attacked superbly and capped it off with a goal? One of our most important players.

I thought tonight we saw the very best and the very worst of Ramires. The late charge into the box for the goal, storming past Parker in the process, was classic Ramires. The amount of times he won the ball back, charged about the pitch and doubled up with Oscar and others to win the ball back was great. Helped clog up the space where Bale normally operates and assisted Azpilicueta in dealing with him in the first half.

But then there is the other side, got caught on the ball too often. Far too slow and ponderous on the ball. Too often mis-places easy passes. A bit clumsy, that fall when he was in on goal kind of sums that up.

In a big game he is great to have, when there is space to attack there aren't many better central midfielders at charging into it quickly and taking opposition players out of the game. Still his technical skills do hinder him. A great option to have in the squad, particularly for games like tonight, but I am not sold that he should be the starting central midfielder under Mourinho.

LanceStorm

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Neil Ashton just tweeted: Wayne Rooney asks Manchester United for transfer. Chelsea make their move.

Not an awful reliable journalist, but hes not the only one reporting it..

broke the Torres story, so has some history with us, also now lots of other journos jumping on the bandwagon!

Blue Shamrock

Think Rooney would be a decent signing think he could fit in well with our other attackers but hope he doesn't come in at the expense of Lukaku

the_monkey

I said on Sunday I'd be happy with 4 pts from United and Spurs game, we got 4 but I'm not happy.

Looking at the next 2 fixtures I'm not confident at all, I think we can get max 2 pts out of them - Villa away we never win and we always draw with Everton.

Spurs and Arsenal have easy 6 points each, so 2 pts for us and 6 for them leaves us 5th.

Bye Bye CL .

And Benitez bringing on Yossi ???? WTF???

More and more I'm convinced he's f*cking it up for us with 4th spot,
he has nothing to gain from finishing 4th - NOTHING.

He won't be here next season so why should he care?

Wait till you see next week at the EC final, he won't make any silly
decisions then - of course not, cos he wants that cup for his CV.


When I think now of those 2 pts dropped at Anfield.

Sickened.

Not to mention the 5 from QPR ... but this is un-thinkable.

DazMarz

the_monkey wrote: »

I said on Sunday I'd be happy with 4 pts from United and Spurs game, we got 4 but I'm not happy.

Looking at the next 2 fixtures I'm not confident at all, I think we can get max 2 pts out of them - Villa away we never win and we always draw with Everton.

Spurs and Arsenal have easy 6 points each, so 2 pts for us and 6 for them leaves us 5th.

Bye Bye CL .

And Benitez bringing on Yossi ???? WTF???

More and more I'm convinced he's f*cking it up for us with 4th spot,
he has nothing to gain from finishing 4th - NOTHING.

He won't be here next season so why should he care?

Wait till you see next week at the EC final, he won't make any silly
decisions then - of course not, cos he wants that cup for his CV.


When I think now of those 2 pts dropped at Anfield.

Sickened.

Not to mention the 5 from QPR ... but this is un-thinkable.

Shut up.

3 points from 2 games is eminently doable. Add to the fact you explicitly said "I'd be happy with 4 points". We got 4 points. Problem? Fair enough, it might have been better to draw on Sunday and win tonight, but so what? We are still hot favourites to finish in the Top 4 now.

You and Andersonisgod should meet up some day, or just start a thread together for the lolz. It would be priceless.

Andersonisgod

DazMarz wrote: »

Shut up.

3 points from 2 games is eminently doable. Add to the fact you explicitly said "I'd be happy with 4 points". We got 4 points. Problem? Fair enough, it might have been better to draw on Sunday and win tonight, but so what? We are still hot favourites to finish in the Top 4 now.

You and Andersonisgod should meet up some day, or just start a thread together for the lolz. It would be priceless.

Wait what? When I have ever been as ridiculously pessimistic as he was in that comment there?

For the record I fully expect us to get top four. Away to Villa won't be a stroll in the park, given that they are battling near the bottom of the table, but it's entirely winnable for a squad with the quality of this Chelsea one. Home to Everton might be tougher but again, if we really needed to, I think we are capable of getting 3 points from it. That being said the mid week Europa League final could take it's toll.

Anyway I honestly haven't a clue how I've been lumped into the same category as "The_Monkey"

DazMarz

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Wait what? When I have ever been as ridiculously pessimistic as he was in that comment there?

For the record I fully expect us to get top four. Away to Villa won't be a stroll in the park, given that they are battling near the bottom of the table, but it's entirely winnable for a squad with the quality of this Chelsea one. Home to Everton might be tougher but again, if we really needed to, I think we are capable of getting 3 points from it. That being said the mid week Europa League final could take it's toll.

Anyway I honestly haven't a clue how I've been lumped into the same category as "The_Monkey"

Not because you're pessimistic at all. Just because I think it would be priceless.

Andersonisgod

DazMarz wrote: »

Not because you're pessimistic at all. Just because I think it would be priceless.

I'll take that as more of a compliment than an insult.

GavRedKing

4 points from Spurs and Utd is what most were hoping for but we got them arse ways.

It shows the importance of beating Utd that we never really had to win tonight, but just not lose.

Look if we get 3rd or 4th who gives a bo**cks if we do it be the skin of our teeth or at a canter, of course we'd love to stroll to a top 4 finish but in this league its not going to happen, especially when you have o play the best part of 70 games in one season with a thin enough squad.

I've said it before, we're best placed of the current 3rd/4th/5th place teams to finish in the top 4 because its all down to us, Spurs need to hope we or Arsenal drop points, Arsenal all they have to do is match spurs results and they finish top 4.

Its far from crisis at the moment, if we lose to Villa then we can start to panic and look over shoulders....if Arsenal and Spurs both win that weekend.

GavRedKing

Andersonisgod wrote: »

Wait what? When I have ever been as ridiculously pessimistic as he was in that comment there?

For the record I fully expect us to get top four. Away to Villa won't be a stroll in the park, given that they are battling near the bottom of the table, but it's entirely winnable for a squad with the quality of this Chelsea one. Home to Everton might be tougher but again, if we really needed to, I think we are capable of getting 3 points from it. That being said the mid week Europa League final could take it's toll.

Anyway I honestly haven't a clue how I've been lumped into the same category as "The_Monkey"

Villa are 5 points clear of Wigan and they're playing them last day of the season, they're practically safe at this stage following Wigans loss at Swansea.

DazMarz

I don't think Chelsea will lose to Villa, barring a meltdown of epic proportions. Even with a slightly weaker starting XI, I still think that Chelsea will be good enough to do Villa. 3 points from 2 games. Eminently doable.

GavRedKing

DazMarz wrote: »

I don't think Chelsea will lose to Villa, barring a meltdown of epic proportions. Even with a slightly weaker starting XI, I still think that Chelsea will be good enough to do Villa. 3 points from 2 games. Eminently doable.

Agreed, I'd actually rather we done it at Villa so we dont have the nerves of the last day.

Rafa will rotate for that game so I'd expect :

Cech
Azp Ivan JT Cole
Lamps Ramires
Moses Yossi Oscar
Ba

the_monkey

Remember 3 pts from 2 games is at least one win.


I can't see us win either ...

Andersonisgod

GavRedKing wrote: »

Villa are 5 points clear of Wigan and they're playing them last day of the season, they're practically safe at this stage following Wigans loss at Swansea.

True, making our chances of beating them even better. See, I'm hugely optimistic.

Killinator

Quite frankly if we don't get 3 pts out of the 2 remaining games then we don't deserve CL football next season, we've already beat both teams this season so no excuses

GavRedKing

Killinator wrote: »

Quite frankly if we don't get 3 pts out of the 2 remaining games then we don't deserve CL football next season, we've already beat both teams this season so no excuses

We destroyed Villa 8-1 was it?

Now Villa have had an up turns in fortune and they wont die so easily but even with a weakened squad we should get a result at the very least btu I cant see why we cant win either.

Players playing against Villa will still be hoping to swing Rafas decision to play in Amsterdam a few days later.

Killinator

GavRedKing wrote: »

We destroyed Villa 8-1 was it?

Now Villa have had an up turns in fortune and they wont die so easily but even with a weakened squad we should get a result at the very least btu I cant see why we cant win either.

Players playing against Villa will still be hoping to swing Rafas decision to play in Amsterdam a few days later.

Exactly, we hammered villa at home and fought out a big win against Everton away.

Villa are down fighting relegation and we're fighting for a 3rd or 4th spot.
Basically we're the better team this season and it's not disrespectful to expect a win, even a slightly 'weakend' team should handle the job and to tell the truth we should be expecting 6 pts from the 2 games but obviously 3 and we're singing.

GavRedKing

That's the spirit.

Id rather be in our position going into the last 2 games then Spurs put it that way.

dfx-

DazMarz wrote: »

Shut up.

Careful.

I can't believe the negativity in the thread. It was a decent result that keeps Chelsea in pole position for top three with a team in good form. Why the panic

DazMarz

the_monkey wrote: »

Remember 3 pts from 2 games is at least one win.


I can't see us win either ...

Why? Give me one good, goddamn reason why Chelsea won't beat a Villa team that were dispatched 8-0 in December and that were fighting relegation for ages but are now "safe", giving them less reason to be scrambling for points. You seriously don't think Chelsea can beat Villa? Give me one reason.

And Everton. Beat them already this season in Goodison, a place nobody likes going to. Add to that, they have NOTHING to play for. Absolutely nothing. Can't get Top 4, are safe as a house in the League and will probably finish above Liverpool. Chelsea are playing at home, final game of the season, possibly parading the Europa League trophy for the fans. If (big "if" too) Chelsea do not get a win against Villa, then a win against Everton becomes a must, and Chelsea will do it. They will know what to do.

I seriously cannot see Chelsea getting less than 3 points from those 2 games. Not a hope.

And I say again; give me one good goddamn reason why Chelsea will draw/lose both games. And not the usual hyperbolic crap about "WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH" that is so common, but good, sensible, coherent reasons.

Thanks.

GavRedKing

dfx- wrote: »

Careful.

I can't believe the negativity in the thread. It was a decent result that keeps Chelsea in pole position for top three with a team in good form. Why the panic

No negativity on my side.

As I've said, we'll end up playing 70 games or such, with a paper thin squad and if we can finish top 4 and win the EL that will be a good season IMO.

We're also odds on to finish top 4 given our points and GD over Spurs, if we dont finish top 4 then we can all have a moan and whinge but at the moment we're not in a bad place really, would we like to be higher, of coursem who doesnt want that but we've to make do with what we got and thats an excellent spring board for next season if the right people are kept and brought in.

DazMarz

dfx- wrote: »

Careful.

Cool, cool... no genuine offence intended

GavRedKing

DazMarz wrote: »

Why? Give me one good, goddamn reason why Chelsea won't beat a Villa team that were dispatched 8-0 in December and that were fighting relegation for ages but are now "safe", giving them less reason to be scrambling for points. You seriously don't think Chelsea can beat Villa? Give me one reason.

And Everton. Beat them already this season in Goodison, a place nobody likes going to. Add to that, they have NOTHING to play for. Absolutely nothing. Can't get Top 4, are safe as a house in the League and will probably finish above Liverpool. Chelsea are playing at home, final game of the season, possibly parading the Europa League trophy for the fans. If (big "if" too) Chelsea do not get a win against Villa, then a win against Everton becomes a must, and Chelsea will do it. They will know what to do.

I seriously cannot see Chelsea getting less than 3 points from those 2 games. Not a hope.

And I say again; give me one good goddamn reason why Chelsea will draw/lose both games. And not the usual hyperbolic crap about "WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH" that is so common, but good, sensible, coherent reasons.

Thanks.

Someone said, if we dont beat Everton or Villa we dont deserve 4th

Killinator

GavRedKing wrote: »

Someone said, if we dont beat Everton or Villa we dont deserve 4th

I did, and I stand by it.

The team know what's on the line, if they cant muster a win then it's tough s*it better luck next year.

DazMarz

GavRedKing wrote: »

Someone said, if we dont beat Everton or Villa we dont deserve 4th

Big time. If Chelsea cannot get at least 3 points on the board from those 2 games, I doff my hat to Spurs and Arsenal as they climb above Chelsea. They will deserve it more. They will be up there on merit.

Should the disaster happen and Chelsea only scrape 2 points, 1 point or (horror of horrors) 0 points from the final 2 games, there are no excuses and no hiding places. Chelsea will not deserve to be in the Champions League, having known in their hearts and souls what needed to be done. If the ball is dropped (moreso by the players) then they will only have themselves to blame and deserve not to be dining at European Football's top table.

But it will not happen. There is no way in hell. Add into the mix, I have a sneaky feeling that Stoke (needing a single point to secure their Premier League status) will get a point off Spurs this weekend. Don't ask me why, but I just have a sneaky feeling about it.

But that is besides the point. Chelsea's players know exactly what is needed in the final 2 League games of the season and if they want to be playing Champions League next season, they will do it. They know now that the end is in sight. They're tired, they're sore, they're ready for collapse. It's running on fumes and burning through adrenaline time. But they will do it. They know what needs to be done. 3 points, 3 itty-bitty points, and they've done it.

And they will do it. Their recent form suggests they will do it. Yes, Villa have been in good form, but playing against their fellow relegation candidates. Need we remind ourselves of the thrashing they endured in Old Trafford at the hands of the Champions? Yeah, different circumstances await on Saturday, but at the same time, against a bigger side, Villa will not have enough. They are leaking goals for fun at the moment. Cast your minds back to December. 8-0. Nuff said.

Chelsea have the most powerful hand going to the river. Very little chance of getting rivered here, unless Arsenal get that case card to fill their house, and said card simultaneously fills Spurs' quads... and our flush gets hammered. But not a chance. No way.

dfx-

Just checked the form table there, Chelsea are top, 4 wins and 2 draws from 6 games including United and Tottenham. There's no reason to worry.

GavRedKing

dfx- wrote: »

Just checked the form table there, Chelsea are top, 4 wins and 2 draws from 6 games including United and Tottenham. There's no reason to worry.

That win at OT was huge for us, had we drawn there and tonight we'd be sweating it for the last 2 games but barring a collapse of epic proportions we should finish top 4.

DazMarz

GavRedKing wrote: »

That win at OT was huge for us, had we drawn there and tonight we'd be sweating it for the last 2 games but barring a collapse of epic proportions we should finish top 4.

100%.

Fergie's final troll to Arsenal and Spurs was glorious...

Killinator

DazMarz wrote: »

Chelsea have the most powerful hand going to the river. Very little chance of getting rivered here, unless Arsenal get that case card to fill their house, and said card simultaneously fills Spurs' quads... and our flush gets hammered. But not a chance. No way.

"sniff" that was "sniff" that was beautifull man

GROUP HUG!

GavRedKing

DazMarz wrote: »

100%.

Fergie's final troll to Arsenal and Spurs was glorious...

Hopefully about 2:45pm Saturday we'll have won and nailed a top 4 finish on, then we can look forward to Amsterdam.

I'll just leave this here as a reminder.

DazMarz

Killinator wrote: »

"sniff" that was "sniff" that was beautifull man

GROUP HUG!

No prizes for guessing that I am a poker player (well, I like to think I can play) and a former poker dealer. Known as "The Scourge" during my poker dealing days for the amount of pure coolers I threw out on the table.

But yeah... damn... :cool:

Mikeyt086

Oscar.

I just feel like talking about what a great little player Oscar is, and how good I think he can become. It is ridiculously rare to see a Brazilian player come in and have an impact in his first season in English football, it's even more rare when they are 21 years of age. His touch is an absolute piss take. The reason he is has such success in attacking areas is because he often plays the game with a perfectly still football in front of him, because he stops it dead most of the time, it really is special to watch. His footballing brain is clearly well advanced, but his total lack of fear is even more impressive to me, he doesn't really give a **** about who he's playing against, and not in a "Yeehhh blud I'm gonna murk u wit my skillz!" way like so many over-confident young continental wingers/attackers, but in a respectful, calm and calculated manner that makes him really difficult to predict. Couple that with an imperious Brazilian technique and you have a player that is not that far behind Mata and Eden Hazard in terms of effectiveness for Chelsea, and those two are considered comfortably in the top 10 players in the world at their position.

As for the player he can become? Jesus. Look at the praise I have heaped on him above, and think about how all of that was done with, lets be honest, the body of a 15 year old boy. Most of you should remember the transformation Cristiano Ronaldo went through. As a United fan, I saw the potential and new that if he became an elite athlete he would be devastating, many fellow United fans (pre-Beast mode) wanted him gone because he was a skinny one trick pony, but he hit the gym and came back from the 2006 World Cup as one of the best players around and continued on to one of the best players of his time. I think Oscar can achieve a similar status if he grows into the body of a true athlete, but the difference is, if he doesn't he is still an absolute Rolls Royce of a footballer.

This may seem a bit odd, and it kind of is, as I don't really like Chelsea football club at all, and there are many Chelsea players who I have a strong dislike for, but I know a class act when I see it and I am not so bitter that I can't overcome my bias to tell people about it. Oscar is a player I really enjoy watching and I think he is destined for great things.

DazMarz

Big time. Oscar is some player. The ONLY drawback to him is that you could knock him over with a well-aimed fart. He needs to bulk up a bit and go wiry a bit like Ramires.

He is going to be the next Kaka. Only better. Cos he'll be in the Royal Blue.

GavRedKing

Hazard is our trump card, and hes only 22.

/Drools

MaroonAndGreen

I think Oscar is a lot tougher than ye give him credit for. He holds off challenges pretty well IMO. And has worked really hard on the wing defensively too

GavRedKing

If Hazard is fit to play against Villa I hope he does start, Lowton or Bennett wont be able to deal with him at all.

Andersonisgod

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

I think Oscar is a lot tougher than ye give him credit for. He holds off challenges pretty well IMO. And has worked really hard on the wing defensively too

I'd agree with that. I'd say that of the three behind the striker, he works the hardest off the ball. He's actually quite a good tackler, he isn't very strong but he seems to have a good technique when it comes to tackling, somewhat similar to Ramires.

I remember seeing him play for for the first time with Brazil against Denmark in a friendly and I said then that he would end up at Barcelona or Real Madrid, players of that caliber so often do. It was a special performance that day, anyone who saw that game will probably remember the slight Brazilian number 10. He continued to impress in further friendly performances for Brazil and then played brilliantly at the Olympics, by which time everyone was aware of his talent and Chelsea and Spurs were in the hunt, I was over the moon when we got him.

I still think his best position is behind the striker, when he is given the freedom to drop deep, receive the ball and dictate the play. He has so many qualities and talents. It's been an impressive first season in England, he's been excellent in Europe and his influence has been growing more and more in domestic games as the season has gone on.

He will be a great player, no doubt about it.

Mikeyt086

GavRedKing wrote: »

Hazard is our trump card, and hes only 22.

/Drools

The reason I didn't make a similar post about Eden Hazard is because from a physical point of view he I don't think he add another dimension the way Oscar can. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't need to, Hazard is a world beater, plain and simple, and no doubt he will improve as a player the way Mata has to be one of the most feared players in Europe, but I don't see him growing physically the way Bale and Ronaldo have, to add the ability to bully defenders who are smart enough to negate their cleverness. Oscar can do that, and it scares me.

My hope is that one of your next 5 or 6 managers pisses them off and they bail. :pac: