Having read reports of Barton and Enrique threatening to leave if the Fat one does not sign players or goes back on his word, I cannot help but find it all too convenient. Barton is someone who has claimed he owes the club his life while Enrique has said he loves the place and would really only leave if his boyhood team (Barca) left, which is fair enough. My theory is certain influential players (including Nolans comments) have colluded to kick Cashley up the ar$e and into gear. Could well be my mind working in over drive, but things do not make too much sense and this seems "logical" to me.
Hope you're right mate but I think these players genuinely will look to leave at the back end of the transfer window if we don't start to see new faces soon. We aren't asking too much really. A top striker, maybe up to the 10-15 million mark (Pavlyuchenko, Rodallega, Gervinho sort of ilk) and then the likes of oxlade-chamberlain or connor whickham would add strength and depth to our stiking options. Another right winger would be useful and then some defensive cover for Jose. Personally I would have loved Samba to come in the Jan window, I think he's head and shoulders above Willo and Taylor but I doubt he'd leave Blackburn now due to them not needing to sell. So we are talking 5-6 players, maybe only 2 or 3 of them need to be proven prem quality and the rest can be young prospects.
To be fair, the players have every right to ask where the club is going. Neither you or I would work for a backwards thinking company! There needs to be commitment shown from above. A pipe dream this may be, but Drogba is going to be available for about 20million. He is good friends with Tiote so you never know (I am allowed a bit of delusion). Sign up a good defender, maybe try to re sign Distin or Samba at the end of the season! You have some good shouts there but Whickham would be too expensive for what he is.
Don't think you're deluded at all, I'd already come to that conclusion myself. Drogba or Anelka will be likely toleave Chelsea in the summer. I wouldn't pay anywhere near ã20 million for him due to his age but his wages are far too likely to be an issue. I reckon he'd go for 10-15 million but to another club that will pay 80k-100k per week. I don't think he's worth that and he looks totally shot to bits since he recovered from malaria.
No way would we pay Drogbas wages, and I don't think I'd want us to, unless its a short term deal on vastly reduced wages. He'll be 33 at the end of the season, which is vastly older than other 'spent force' pricy strikers we've signed in the shoddy recent past (just done a quick Google, Kluivert is only 34 now! Sign him back!) and would hark back to a stupider transfer policy of 'buy high, sell low, or not at all because they're old and knackered (Viduka, Owen)'.
Do you remember when Drogba played for Marseilles and they tore us a new one? That's when we should have been in for him.
What about Benzema? Sure there are issues regarding him and Ben Arfa but I am sure they are over it now. Benzema wants to leave Madrid too! I think it would make one hell of a statement if we got in someone big. Wages again could be a problem but you just never know. I thought Ben Arfa was never going to come to us!
Drogba would be an horrific signing. Extremely overpriced, high wages and past it. We'd spend a fortune for him, have him for a few years until he retires or burns out and then get absolutely no return for him. Waste.
****! Didn't realise he was so old. Looks past it this season anyway but could still do a job for a couple of years. Just don't think for one minute it'll be us. Benzema and Ben Arfa were apparently tremendous together on the field but I don't know how serious their issues are. Would be very risky going down that road, it could destroy team spirit if they were to fall out.
Hopefully Graham Carr can pull another one out the bag. A striker version of Tiote would be great. Benzema I think would cost too much both in fee and wages, the Spuds were looking at him but I think he'll want Champions League club.
