Our goalkeeper was blameless for the Atletico goals and made some great saves. Courtois, on the other hand was the best Chelsea player on show. A couple of times I didn't even see what he'd done until the slomo replay !! He must be wondering why he's apparently coming to us after that display. On the other hand can't say Costa impressed me at all. Even with our defence over run 2nd half, he didn't look too flash to me. I'd prefer Cavani. Ba, Eto'o and Torres are free to go whenever they wish for mine. Thanks , but no thanks. Hazard needs assistance, he can't do it all himself. Willian is promising but is not there yet. Schurrle is a good player with more to come. Rambo can leave as well. Luiz is a keeper for me, and a seller for many, I know. Azpi is a right back or fill in left back. Cole is definitely worth another season with Bertrand as back up. Ivan was awesome against Pool as CD and can alternate with Azpi and the CD position. He looked knackered mid 2nd half. JT looked unfit. Even so, he is another contract away from the end for me. One more year will see him out and we need to play or bring in some young quick skill to eventually replace him. Cahill is a good, steady but not often enough great CD and a very good club man. That leaves us with this scenario for mine, to upgrade the squad with 2 quality players for each position. I am counting Matic, Oscar and Salas as already in. 2 new strikers 2 new midfield controlling type players, 2 new CDs. Do we have any already on the books?? Probably. Will they get a chance?? Probably not. Van Winkel might. Too many players to go through everyone but Lamps will feature less often and Mikel might be a goner as well. Lessons ?? We can't realistically expect to compete in all competitions. Prioritise and play the youngsters/fringe players in the 2 deemed less important. Bring more youngsters through and break the "lesser teams " hoodoo. Tiredness towards the end was definitely a factor for several players. Too many games. Expect a clean out and buying spree. First, go and win the PL.
We've just bought Zouma and have Kalas at CB. Would love even one controlling regista, CP. Koke or Modric would be nice too! Failing that another Matic type would be nice too! How about Arturo or even Alonso? Agree we need two new strikers. Keep Ba or Eto. Jose is building the squad: we are nearly there
We were beaten by the better side, I'm sorry to say! We'll never know how things might have been had Coutois not been allowed to play, but we have to pick ourselves up and battle on! Pray for our 2 rivals to slip up in the PL,eh?
Unlikely. Looking forward to next season already. Very optimistic. Jose is shaping his squad and we are nearly there
We can't win them all eh guys..but like jose says we'll come back stronger next year-fpr me we just need a new cm and maybe 1 striker alongside ba and lukaku...feels bad now but the best team won, and we should remember we've achieved a lot thos year!!!
Nice Sun-style attention grabbing headline. He said: "Chelsea aren't set up to play football. Chelsea are set up to counter-attack - a little bit like Real against Bayern. I don't know what we lacked. After scoring, we had the game in our hands. Maybe they wanted it more than we did." Which is true. We go again
Ultimately it was a tight game decided on a couple of key moments. We were far the better side in the first half but the goal before half time changed the game completely. Such poor defending which is a shame given our last 2 defensive displays. Even at 2-1 down, if the Luiz header goes in we are 1 away with plenty of time left and the whole complexion of the game changes again. Who knows how Atletico would have reacted etc. We move on. This is the cut throat of knock out football. A C.L semi and probably taking the title to the final day is not a bad first season for Jose. We now need to ensure we bring in the 2 key top class players in central midfield and up top that can take us up to the next level. Courtois and maybe Lukaku and Piazon back and we will have a very good squad.
CP: I wouldn't expect Jose to bring lots of kids through, you'll just get disappointed. One or two maybe. Also you will be disappointed if you expect a buying spree. Neither is needed or will happen
I don't think Courtois not playing would have made any difference. The saves he made where fairly routine. The one from Terry looked good, but it was straight at him, I think any goalkeeper would have been dissapointed had they not saved that
Disagree with the OP claiming no blame on Schwarzer, thought he could have collected the floated ball for the first. As for this season, it has been one of transition, had we got a top calibre striker at the beginning of the season I would have said we would win the Prem and get to the semi of the CL, we nearly achieved both without one. Torres, Ba and Eto'o, all the wrong side of 29 when the next season starts. We need to sign at least two strikers, as it keeps looking likely that Romelu won't be coming back. A star signing and a decently priced striker who can score. Wilfried Bony would have been a great signing last year for the 13m Swansea paid, can finish, good in the air and has a decent first touch. Costa might be the big signing we make, but an injury to him and we are stuck with non-hopers again. We missed Matic big time last night, and Lampard's experience would have been key. Ramires can only run and run, we need someone who can make something happen with the ball as well. Rumour's of the Vidal for Ramires swap would be welcomed. It is a shame for Ramires after all the promise of that goal against Barca in 2012 he seems to have gone backwards. If Luiz leaves, which I am against as he has once more shown his higher desire than others when we are losing, another midfielder, in the mold of Koke would be very welcome, but with Costa and Courtois possible Stamford Bridge players next season, prizing him away as well would be hard. Van Ginkel needs to be getting game time soon to bring his development on. What has happened to Oscar, such a brilliant season last year, began brightly this year but then given the keys to Mourinho's playmaker role completely drops out of form when Mata leaves. I hope he stays on as he has a very bright future, but he needs to start upping his game, especially against the lesser teams. As for next season as long as none of the five of Oscar, Hazard, Willian, Salah or Schurrle leave, this is the only position where nothing needs changing. At the back the emerging presence of Kalas and Zouma coming in should make us fine at CB, hopefully one of these can start to outperform the older heads and make a starting place their own. Cole for me, although still a quality defender, might need to move on for financial reasons, we cannot keep him as a bit part player on the wages he currently commands. A younger fresher left-footed left back would be welcome, Shaw starting to seem overpriced but Moreno looks decent enough value and promise. Bertrand, Moses, Marin, Romeu to be sold and the likes of Piazon, Thorgan Hazard, Atsu and Traore to be loaned out, hopefully locally this year. That is jut my assessment of how things have gone this year, and my ideal squad would look something like this. GK - Courtois, Cech* , Blackman FB - Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Moreno CB - Terry, Cahill, Zouma, Kalas CM - Vidal, Matic, Luiz, Lampard, Van Ginkel AM - Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Schurrle, Salah ST - Costa, Lukaku, ??????? *Cech would have to be content with playing back-up, otherwise another experienced keeper could come in if we have to offload him. Only 3, maybe 4 signings which is not complete overhaul and would make the squad evolve with some fresher blood in.
Fair assessment. I think in Van Aarnholt or Bertrand we have a decent understudy to Azpil who I think has been an absolute revelation this year and no reason why he can't stay at left back with Ivan right back. We also have Wallace out on loan in Italy who potentially could cover right back too. In terms of signings, priority is a striker and in my mind, a midfielder to control the ball and compliment Matic. an Alonso type would be perfect. Someone who is a fantastic passer but can also do a job in the middle of the pitch. If only Josh had progressed as we'd hoped as he'd be ideal and save us about 30 million!
Do we all think Jose plans to play the same system again next year? It wouldn't surprise me if Oscar left and he wanted to play more of a 4-3-3. i know they're similar but i just think he'd prefer the extra midfielder, a bit like he used to play the first time here with the two wingers, which we have plenty of. As for LB i've seen Vitesse a few times and PVA is really good going forward but defensively he's the complete opposite, definitely needs a bit of a work. Bertrand should come back though (i hope). If he wants to play 4231 then i think we'll see one new centre mid but if he fancies 433 then i think we might get a couple of them. I also think we'll get 2 strikers and keep one of the one's we have, probably an extra year of Eto'o, unless nobody wants Torres. I'd obviously bring Courtois back but i don't know how i'd work it with him and Cech. You can play them on form but i can't imagine us having both of them lasting too long. I'd think maybe something like this: Courtois/Cech/Blackman Iva/Azpi/Cahill/JT/Zouma/Kalas/Bertrand/LB Matic/Van Ginkel/Lampard/CM/Ramires Hazard/Willian/Schurrle/Salah/Oscar Eto'o/ST/ST That's 24 without Mikel, Torres, Moses, Marin, Romeu, Ba, Lukaku and Luiz!
One or two would be more than fine EC, but 3 or 4 getting some game time with future years as a view would be even better. Think our buying spree will be for quality not quantity. One top end striker and midfielder will cost us what 5 players cost 5 years ago !!!!! Seems like 50 really is the new 30 !!!!!! Like you, next season is already shaping up as amazing.
Don't think you have to spend 50 million on players (though that is what the top strikers at least are going for), just the right 25-35. Hazard I think was just over 30, Mata around 25, Matic 20, Negrado I think was about 30, Modric about 30, Fabregas about 35. Think this is the level we need to pitch at. 2 players around the 30 million mark and then sell a few of the fringe/loanees to help finance. The likes of Ba, Marin, maybe Torres, etc will fetch a few quid plus we still have money left over from the January deals in theory. Just not comfortable spending 50 million plus on one player again! especially with FFP etc. If it's is true re Fabregas possibly leaving Barca, wonder if that's worth a punt. He's played more advanced for Barca but was quality for Arsenal in central midfield and now has more experience as well. Stick Fabregas and say Costa in our starting 11 with Courtois and maybe Lukaku back as well, that's a pretty decent squad shaping up
The problem Fabregas has is that Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta are near untouchable with their cult status. Everything for next year will depend on Jose's formation. 4-2-3-1 Oscar stays and we sign one central midfielder, back t the old 4-3-3 and Oscar leaves I reckon, with 2 central midfielders being signed.
Probably need the squad capable of playing both formations ideally. Think you pretty much have to play 4231 against the top sides in Europe nowadays. Really need to keep Oscar. He is world class in the making but has been burnt out by too many games in the last 2-3 years (club and country). I think he can play in either formation as well. He either plays number 10 or the more attacking midfielder of the 433 (i.e Lamps old position).
Just read Hazards quotes and thought I would have my two pennies worth. I admire Hazard almost single-handedly he destroyed us at SoL earlier in the season. We have Adam Johnston not as good as Hazard but often guilty of the same fault. Watching your game against A madrid, I said to my son, Hazard may not be fit and should not be playing he is not tracking back. To my mind for two of A Madrid's goals he should have marked the player crossing. I mentioned Johnson cos' he has the same problem often switches often when marking near out own penalty area. So I think it is a bit rich him coming out and whinging now, he should look at the mote in his own eye. As for strikers, Wickham for £50m, got to be better value than Torres
