Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2016

McDave

GavRedKing wrote: »

Be some craic if we beat Peps Bayern in the final and he ended up joining us afterwards. :pac:

Who of us wouldn't settle for that!

While we're on this, who's up for EPL fourth this year?

GavRedKing

McDave wrote: »

Who of us wouldn't settle for that!

While we're on this, who's up for EPL fourth this year?

I think 4th is beyond on this year.

Granted the champions will probably finish with close to a record low of somewhere in the mid to high 70's, Utd won it back in the 90s with 75 pts and I'd expect the winner this year to get in and around that.

For example, Arsenal have 42 pts and theres 54pts to play for, if they average, give or take 2 pts for every game they'll finish on 78pts and win the league so I'd say the winning tally will be 72-78pts for somebody.

Now Spurs are in 4th on 36pts which is just 1.8pts a game so if we go for a similar end of season, to match theyre current form, they'll finish 4th with give or take 64-68pts in that region.

For us to get close to that on our 23pts and 54pts to play for we have to win probably 16 of our 18 remaining games and that, IMO, is impossible.

Thats without accounting for Utd on 33pts and Pool on 30pts also being in the mix for 4th and even Leciester who have 40pts but face a struggle to stay where they are.

For me, top 4 is an unrealistic target anyway we've simply no consistency to win 3 games in a row, let alone the 8-10 games it would take before we even wonder about top 4 and putting pressure on those in and around 4th-6th.

Europa League this year is 5th and 6th, I'd happily take 7th if it was available being honest.

grumpymunster

So whats todays news

Eva unfair dismissal claim starts
Gus loves Obi
Bamford to stay and be given a shot (unlike just about every other young player we have so it seems)
ZZ wants Haz - sure ZZ can have him for Isco, Varane and James or Bale.

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

So whats todays news

Eva unfair dismissal claim starts
Gus loves Obi
Bamford to stay and be given a shot (unlike just about every other young player we have so it seems)
ZZ wants Haz - sure ZZ can have him for Isco, Varane and James or Bale.

Will Evas case also bring Jose into it? Or is it solely against the club and not Jose? Be awkward for the sacked manager to have to turn up and answer questions about the case.

Guus loves Obi, Obi loves Guus, Obi plays well against Palace, I'm a happy man, long may it continue.

If Remy is going and Falcaos crocked, Bamford might even get a shot against Scunthorpe, that would be great.

ZiZou wants Hazard, Hazard loves ZiZou, hes his idol, so it looks like a match made heaven. Throw us stupid money so Real and We'll talk shop. Failing that, Isco and Varane and 20m should do it. :pac:

redman85

grumpymunster wrote: »

ZZ wants Haz - sure ZZ can have him for Isco, Varane and James or Bale.

Straight swap for Bale please

duploelabs

Reports floating around today that Jose turned down Real before the job was offered to ZZ

GavRedKing

redman85 wrote: »

Straight swap for Bale please

He certainly suits the EPL more, I'm not a huge fan of Bale being honest, his techincal limitations have shown in Spain, hes all action, pace, strength and a wicked shot. Works in the EPL a lot of the time but in Spain, I dont think hes as good with the ball as some of the other players around him, thats not a slight on him, I just think hes better served playing in the hustle and bustle of the EPL but I dont think he'll leave Real anytime soon.

duploelabs wrote: »

Reports floating around today that Jose turned down Real before the job was offered to ZZ

That would be really surprising if true, unless he feels he doesnt want to work with some of the players that are still their that shafted him the first time.

Barr

redman85 wrote: »

Straight swap for Bale please

It would suit both clubs. Bale would be a great replacement. More goals for sure.

grumpymunster

duploelabs wrote: »

Reports floating around today that Jose turned down Real before the job was offered to ZZ

Yea was that the ex President making that statement, could be true but could be mischievous as well make the current guy look bad.

It is also being said the interim one was sacked a few days before a clause in his contract kicked in which would have meant RM would have had to pay out his whole contract. As it stands he gets a year apparently - much as I do dislike the guy he was a little hard done by there I think but the hammering by Barca was curtains really. That and the fact that RM is a madhouse.

Bugger it if ZZ wants Haz then Verane, Isco and James should be the exchange - will save a fortune too as it is an exchange no money changes hands thus tax is not levied.

GavRedKing

Hazard should still command a huge fee if Real want him, we hold all the cards though, long contract and we've no need to sell him so would take a big fee for Roman to consider it.

peteeeed

afternoon transfer gossip from teamtalk.com

Gareth Bale is a target for Chelsea, and Real Madrid boss is interested in signing Blues winger Eden Hazard (Daily Mirror)

– Chelsea are ready to lock horns with Tottenham Hotspur to sign Zenit midfielder Axel Witsel (Daily Mail)

– Chelsea will offer Patrick Bamford a first-team chance despite his unsuccessful Crystal Palace loan spell (Daily Mail)

– Chelsea flop Radamel Falcao is being chased by MLS side Columbus Crew (Daily Mirror)

– Loic Remy has been told he will probably stay at Chelsea despite being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge (The Sun)

– Pep Guardiola wants to bring Luis Suarez back to the Premier League, which could mean Suarez will make a shock switch to Chelsea, Manchester City or Manchester United (Daily Star)

GavRedKing

Some of those rumours are crazy, Falcao to Americ wont happen, his wages are crazy high.

Suarez? No hope he'll leave Barca either, not for a world record fee anyway, IMO.

The Bale - Hazard story is good click bait, Bale liked Rafa, ZiZou and Eden both like one and another, 2 + 2 = 4.

GavRedKing

GavRedKing wrote: »

Some of those rumours are crazy, Falcao to Americ wont happen, his wages are crazy high.

Suarez? No hope he'll leave Barca either, not for a world record fee anyway, IMO.

The Bale - Hazard story is good click bait, Bale liked Rafa, ZiZou and Eden both like one and another, 2 + 2 = 4.

Not that unrealistic. He can't surely expect to sustain such high level of wages in his current form anyway.

He's never going to recover his past form at this stage IMO and wouldn't be a bad choice for him.

grumpymunster

GavRedKing wrote: »

Some of those rumours are crazy, Falcao to Americ wont happen, his wages are crazy high.

Suarez? No hope he'll leave Barca either, not for a world record fee anyway, IMO.

The Bale - Hazard story is good click bait, Bale liked Rafa, ZiZou and Eden both like one and another, 2 + 2 = 4.

Sadly for Falcao I think MLS is his level now, he will never play in a major European league again. If the combined medical teams of United and Chelsea cannot get him fit I think his goose is cooked.

Lukker-

GavRedKing wrote: »

Some of those rumours are crazy, Falcao to Americ wont happen, his wages are crazy high.

Suarez? No hope he'll leave Barca either, not for a world record fee anyway, IMO.

The Bale - Hazard story is good click bait, Bale liked Rafa, ZiZou and Eden both like one and another, 2 + 2 = 4.

You are dead right about Bale and Hazard, it's just newspapers connecting the dots. I doubt there is any truth to it, Zizou is a big Bale fan. Bale definitely wasn't happy with Rafa going but that noise is most likely just an attempt to keep playing in his preferred position.

Bale is one of the only players I'd swap for Hazard but in reality, deals like this never happen.

GavRedKing

I think the issue for Falcao is not just his fitness but like Torres its the perfect storm or s**t storm of things that could go wrong has gone wrong.

He would have flourished in the EPL in his heyday and weirdly enough, or it just shows the standard of Ligue 1, he had scored a few goals for Monaco AFTER his injury and before he joined Utd.

He was never worth what Monaco paid for him and his wages are insane and now theyre stuck with a dud for the next 2 years once he goes back to them.

GavRedKing

Lukker- wrote: »

You are dead right about Bale and Hazard, it's just newspapers connecting the dots. I doubt there is any truth to it, Zizou is a big Bale fan. Bale definitely wasn't happy with Rafa going but that noise is most likely just an attempt to keep playing in his preferred position.

Bale is one of the only players I'd swap for Hazard but in reality, deals like this never happen.

Ya, I mean even in Football Manager these deals never happen, so many complications to them.

If Real desperately wanted Hazard I'd sell him this month to them under the agreement that we'd be coming in for Isco, Varane or Bale in the summer with the Hazard money.

In reality Real have a shot of the league title, where as us hanging onto Hazard now isnt going to cost us either way, we're not going to finish top 4, we wont win the UCl and we'll probably miss out on Europa League, we might have a decent run in the FA cup but that all depends on the draw.

grumpymunster

GavRedKing wrote: »

Ya, I mean even in Football Manager these deals never happen, so many complications to them.

If Real desperately wanted Hazard I'd sell him this month to them under the agreement that we'd be coming in for Isco, Varane or Bale in the summer with the Hazard money.

In reality Real have a shot of the league title, where as us hanging onto Hazard now isnt going to cost us either way, we're not going to finish top 4, we wont win the UCl and we'll probably miss out on Europa League, we might have a decent run in the FA cup but that all depends on the draw.

No if we really want some RM players I would have an agreement in place to transfer Hazard to them at a given price ONCE the players we want from RM have signed for us. Keep control of the money you keep control of the project, sell them Haz and the transfers for any players we want might run into trouble.

That is of course if Hazard actually wants to leave and RM actually want him at the no doubt inflated price we will be looking for (he has over 4 1/2 years left on his contract).

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

No if we really want some RM players I would have an agreement in place to transfer Hazard to them at a given price ONCE the players we want from RM have signed for us. Keep control of the money you keep control of the project, sell them Haz and the transfers for any players we want might run into trouble.

That is of course if Hazard actually wants to leave and RM actually want him at the no doubt inflated price we will be looking for (he has over 4 1/2 years left on his contract).

Well if Hazard has a good Euros then maybe PSG will start batting their eye lids at him too. We're going to miss the UCL for at least 1 year at the moment. The worse case scenario is to miss it 2 years in a row as that could see all kind of financial issues with sponsors, players coming and going and general revenue.

I can see Hazard leaving anyway in the summer it just depends to who and for how much.

grumpymunster

I do hope this is BS

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/transfer-talk/news/chelsea-submit-gbp45m-bid-for-stones_263612.html#$$o0jd3l&&cftO9rSEEeW7hhLQBt+LhQ$$

GavRedKing

I taught we submitted a final bid of £40m in the summer?

Or am I wrong?

GavRedKing

GavRedKing wrote: »

I think the issue for Falcao is not just his fitness but like Torres its the perfect storm or s**t storm of things that could go wrong has gone wrong.

He would have flourished in the EPL in his heyday and weirdly enough, or it just shows the standard of Ligue 1, he had scored a few goals for Monaco AFTER his injury and before he joined Utd.

He was never worth what Monaco paid for him and his wages are insane and now theyre stuck with a dud for the next 2 years once he goes back to them.

I was genuinely gutted it didn't work out at Utd because RVP would have been the last time we got a striker of his caliber IMO and lord knows Falcoa tried his heart out to be fair to him but just didn't have it anymore and especially after the injury.

GavRedKing

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I was genuinely gutted it didn't work out at Utd because RVP would have been the last time we got a striker of his caliber IMO and lord knows Falcoa tried his heart out to be fair to him but just didn't have it anymore and especially after the injury.

Ya, anytime hes taken to the field for us, hes been the same, plenty of huff and puff but little end product where it mattered.

I did see him score against Palace the day lost at the Bridge, I was seriously pi**ed off for about 2 days, little did I know then that the season was going to get so much worse.

GavRedKing

Evas case of constructive dismissal failed to reach an agreement today so a full tribunal hearing is to be setup in June apparently.

Lukker-

GavRedKing wrote: »

Evas case of constructive dismissal failed to reach an agreement today so a full tribunal hearing is to be setup in June apparently.

Failed to reach an agreement a few days ago, today was just setting the dates/time for her case in the summer.

Mourinho will apparently be a witness for the club

I wonder if she fails with her case against the club seeing as Jon Fearn has been re-instated to first team duties will she go after Mourinho instead?

GavRedKing

Lukker- wrote: »

Failed to reach an agreement a few days ago, today was just setting the dates/time for her case in the summer.

Mourinho will apparently be a witness for the club

I wonder if she fails with her case against the club seeing as Jon Fearn has been re-instated to first team duties will she go after Mourinho instead?

Jose did say both could one day be re-instated and Fearn was re-instated after Eva decided to walk out.

Had she stayed on board its very likely that she would be on the bench, unless theres more to the story.

The tabloids ran with crazy allegations alright but I'm not even going to bother with them.

What happens if shes going against Jose and the club but as Jose was employeed by the club at the time, I'm assuming theyed have to front the settlement and not Jose.

No idea though.

Lukker-

GavRedKing wrote: »

Jose did say both could one day be re-instated and Fearn was re-instated after Eva decided to walk out.

Had she stayed on board its very likely that she would be on the bench, unless theres more to the story.

The tabloids ran with crazy allegations alright but I'm not even going to bother with them.

What happens if shes going against Jose and the club but as Jose was employeed by the club at the time, I'm assuming theyed have to front the settlement and not Jose.

No idea though.

Well I think it's plausible that her constructive dismissal might get thrown out because of Jon Fearn. But she might go after Jose for sexual discrimination or something along those lines, I'm not sure if the club would be liable in that situation.

Anyways, hopefully the story will go away for the time being, seeing as neither of the 2 people involved are at the club anymore.

SureYWouldntYa

Drogba seems to have officially retired

Thankful for that, wouldn't want him back for a 3rd go and have him ruining his legacy, because it's one hell of a legacy

kev1.3s

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

Drogba seems to have officially retired

Thankful for that, wouldn't want him back for a 3rd go and have him ruining his legacy, because it's one hell of a legacy

Oh I'd say he's coming back alright but he won't be wearing the kit.
Unless we win the champions league and he goes full John terry.

SureYWouldntYa

kev1.3s wrote: »

Oh I'd say he's coming back alright but he won't be wearing the kit.
Unless we win the champions league and he goes full John terry.

Yeah you're right he's more than likely coming to the staff, thankfully

Wonder what the odds are of him taking over from the summer permanently ? He could learn from an experienced Hiddink for the next few months, and he'd have the support of the fans that I think would surpass even Terry and Lampard

GavRedKing

Ah here, I wouldnt let Drogba take over at all,not until hes proved himself elsewhere.

At least di Matteo had experience before he was given the job, it didnt end well but he done alright.

SureYWouldntYa

GavRedKing wrote: »

Ah here, I wouldnt let Drogba take over at all,not until hes proved himself elsewhere.

At least di Matteo had experience before he was given the job, it didnt end well but he done alright.

Has to start somewhere

You could say the same about players, why play a youth when x has proven himself elsewhere

I don't think it'd be the worst option especially with no obvious other big time manager out there available atm

GavRedKing

Totally different expectations from a player and manager.

As we seen only a few weeks ago, players can under perform as its usually the manager thats first to go, I'd prefer AVB back before Drogba and thats saying something, hes got no experience what so ever.

Some managers will have had exposure to at least youth football somewhere, throwing him into the deep end like that is one sure fire to be looking for a new manager in December again, IMO.

It could work out but the odds stack heavily on the side of it being a total disaster.

grumpymunster

The Drog is a very caring and intelligent person who I think knows his limitations can't see him as manager of Chelsea at the moment but who knows in the future.

Let's get to the end of the season first God knows it could go well in which case Gus might be kept with the Drog as his number 2.

grumpymunster

Fair play to Dave last Sunday against Palace

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2016/1/6/10725076/chelsea-fc-cesar-azpilicueta-injury-crystal-palace

McDave

GavRedKing wrote: »

I think 4th is beyond on this year.

Granted the champions will probably finish with close to a record low of somewhere in the mid to high 70's, Utd won it back in the 90s with 75 pts and I'd expect the winner this year to get in and around that.

For example, Arsenal have 42 pts and theres 54pts to play for, if they average, give or take 2 pts for every game they'll finish on 78pts and win the league so I'd say the winning tally will be 72-78pts for somebody.

Now Spurs are in 4th on 36pts which is just 1.8pts a game so if we go for a similar end of season, to match theyre current form, they'll finish 4th with give or take 64-68pts in that region.

For us to get close to that on our 23pts and 54pts to play for we have to win probably 16 of our 18 remaining games and that, IMO, is impossible.

Thats without accounting for Utd on 33pts and Pool on 30pts also being in the mix for 4th and even Leciester who have 40pts but face a struggle to stay where they are.

For me, top 4 is an unrealistic target anyway we've simply no consistency to win 3 games in a row, let alone the 8-10 games it would take before we even wonder about top 4 and putting pressure on those in and around 4th-6th.

Europa League this year is 5th and 6th, I'd happily take 7th if it was available being honest.

I don't think we'll get fourth either. What I meant was, who'll get fourth when we win the UCL? I wouldn't wish it on Spurs again! :pac:

GavRedKing

McDave wrote: »

I don't think we'll get fourth either. What I meant was, who'll get fourth when we win the UCL? I wouldn't wish it on Spurs again! :pac:

Ooooohhhhhh, well for that exact reason I hope its Spurs. :pac:

GavRedKing

grumpymunster wrote: »

Fair play to Dave last Sunday against Palace

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2016/1/6/10725076/chelsea-fc-cesar-azpilicueta-injury-crystal-palace

Dave is a hero.

GavRedKing

I'd be playing Bamford this Sunday anyway, dont know about ye but with the injuries our CFs seem to get, I'm sick of having a false 9.

GavRedKing

Just looking at Crystal Palaces stats in the league this year, theyve scored 21 goals and only 1 of them has come from a CF and that was Conor Wickham.

How Bamford didnt get more of a shot I'll never know, maybe Pardew taught he wasnt going to offer enough but whne you've no CF scoring goals youve got to change something.

peteeeed

on this day mikel scored a goal

https://twitter.com/CFCTransfers/status/684836046069075969

GavRedKing

Future Chelsea star Izzy Brown is 19 today.

He put up a picture of himself in a Chelsea tracksuit from a few years back, so I think hes a Chelsea fan from way back when as it seems to pre-date his move from WBA to Chelsea.

Also has a weird fact of making his WBA debut away to Chelsea and his Chelsea debut away to WBA.

GavRedKing

Its also Hazards birthday.

GavRedKing

So if the reports are true and Hazard wants out in the summer we'll probably stand to get about 70+ million for him.

With that money, who do we buy? I'd be hoping for Griezmann anyway.

GavRedKing

According to reports coming out of France, Falcao is going back to Monaco today and his loan is being cancelled.

peteeeed

falcao training with monaco this morning apparently

GavRedKing

Hes still injured AFAIK but if we do cancel his loan at least we can bring in someone if we need to and not worry about paying his crazy wages.

PErsonally, I'd give Bamford the gig, hes HG so doenst take up a foreign slot and he was POTY in the championship last year, a start against Scunthorpe and a goal might fire him in contention to stay for the year.

duploelabs

GavRedKing wrote: »

So if the reports are true and Hazard wants out in the summer we'll probably stand to get about 70+ million for him.

With that money, who do we buy? I'd be hoping for Griezmann anyway.

Considering he only just signed a new contract, I'd say we'd north of 100M for him. Apparently he's the third highest priced player in europe

peteeeed

if bamford plays on sunday that means he has to stay till the end of season?

GavRedKing

duploelabs wrote: »

Considering he only just signed a new contract, I'd say we'd north of 100M for him. Apparently he's the third highest priced player in europe

I seen that article yesterday, I think its a load of bo**ocks IMO. It had Kane higher than guys like Sanchez, Aguero, Suarez, Muller etc etc.

We'd get a serious wedge for Hazard, of that I'm certain, but theres no hope in hell Kane is worth that ,uch, unless theyre calucalting the Levy tax, where by Dan Levy bends ya over a barrel for the price of any player at Spurs.

peteeeed wrote: »

if bamford plays on sunday that means he has to stay till the end of season?

I'd play him, especially if Falcao is off, unless we've got another CF lined up but the most likely transfer this window is Teixeria who isnt an out and out CF.

I'd keep Bamford anyway but Guus is trying to steady the ship not play the youths so Bamford, Traore, Kenedy, RLC, Rahmna will see very little game time IMO.