18 Jan 2018 00:18:51
Really getting tired of all this now. Don't think we can just blame the board think them and Conte need to share the blame. Had enough of seeing us spend 20 million plus on squad players I. e Drinkwater and Zappacosta and now we're linked with Carroll. Never understood over the years why we didn't just play the likes of Ake, Chalobah and RLC more and then just get two world class players. We desperately need a change of tactics perhaps 4-3-3 again but we need to do something different. I understand if the club see the Sanchez deal as too much for a 29 year old but why on Earth are we not in for Mahrez he's there for the taking? No one with concrete interest yet either. He's the right age, left footed and will ease the burden on Hazard. He'd make a perfect RW if we go back to a 4-3-3.

These Carroll rumours are making me sick as well. If it was up to me I'd sell half this squad. Van Ginkel and Loftus-Cheek are better than Bakayoko and Drinkwater and they were about 40 million less. Fabregas isn't mobile enough now. Willian and Pedro are good players but not good enough for us. Batshuayi just doesn't move enough. Zappacosta should just not play football.

Personally I would sell Zappacosta, Moses, Drinkwater, Bakayoko, Batshuayi, Fabregas, Willian, Pedro and Kenedy. Bring back Van Ginkel and RLC who have better all round games than Drinkwater and Bakayoko. Then target maybe three class players who would start for us I. e Alex Sandro, Mahrez, Icardi and Vidal. From what I've seen of Sterling, Ampadu and Hudson Odoi they're more than capable of being options if trusted. Musonda needs a loan desperately to prove himself. Hudson-Odoi is special though he is a match winner and I'd capable of goals and assists something which we are sorely lacking right now.

Sorry for the rant but I hate seeing us waste money on absolute dross. Our youngsters are better than most of these average players we are targeting then save the money and go out and get two world class players who will genuinely improve us.

1.) 18 Jan 2018
18 Jan 2018 01:52:11
Have tou been reading my mind? I agree 100% with what you said.

2.) 18 Jan 2018
18 Jan 2018 03:36:39
Spot on, we've been wasting money over the years time and time again on players that weren't needed if they'd just look at what we have in the academy or what they were sending out on loan. It's shocking we're going after Carroll yet have Tammy out on loan and Hudson-odio in the academy. If Carroll is one Conte wanted then ok, but there should be no stopping us going for the likes of Mahrez and Sandro. We're too intent of going after these medicore, middle aged players for £15-30m just soo they can hopefully do a ok job and be sold on in the future for similar or bigger sum.

3.) 18 Jan 2018
18 Jan 2018 10:13:06
Think jury is still out on RLC to be honest. Hasn’t set the world alight at Palace in my opinion. Bakayoko needs time. French League is so easy compared to Prem. We’ll see a different animal next year. He started well enough I thought, just gone off the boil like 90% of the players.

I’m afraid youth football is 100% different to first team football. So players that look fantastic in youth football, can easily struggle with the demand of 1st team pressure. You have to negotiate it slowly. You can’t just chuck a young player in and expect them to cope with that straight away. That could easily mentally break a young player. Manager has to make sure they are not only physically ready but also mentally prepared. It’s very different playing in front of 200-300 people at a youth game to 40,000+ in a 1st team game.

You are right though, we’ve been making terrible transfer choices in the last few seasons and something has to give. Personally I’m not sure what direction the club want to go in, one avenue is to use the academy players more (but don’t expect champs league football straight away) or go out and buy class players and spend the money. At the moment they seem to be trying to do a bit of both and it’s not working, as the players they are buying aren’t good enough. Batshuayi should never have been purchased, Morata will come good, no doubt about that.

There’s a lot more questions then there are answers at the moment at Chelsea.

4.) 18 Jan 2018
18 Jan 2018 18:03:31
Good shout Adam I personally would be ok with intergrating the youth over the next few years and just trying to get in the top 4 if possible
Build a nice new foundation for a young exciting team.