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I reckon so, they're obviously in the market for a striker so it's either him or Cavani.

I think it'll be Costa tbh can't see Roman forking out 50m+ again after what happened with Torres. With Costa having a £32m buy out clause i can't see them forking out 20m for a player who's not 20m better then Diego.

I think that he will fit right in as well and i believe he will join us in the summer too.

I believe Jose Mourinho has said in the last week or so that he wants to buy a striker in the summer Hero so i think you are right.

I have been thinking about it for quite a long time, it could mean that Demba Ba is on his way out of Chelsea. I think Eto'o is out of contract at the end of the season so that would leave Torres and Lukaku (rumours are flowing that Lukaku could be sold to fund the Diego Costa deal). I think we might look for another striker too but who that might be i am not sure.

I have been thinking of who we could get in as a striker IF we don't get Diego Costa and there are options available of course but again i am not sure who it would be.

Mario Mandzukic/Balotelli/Falcao

RVP?

To be brutally honest I forget Demba Ba exists

 

I only have three sets of votes from Zebs league and only three (including mine) from my league

I'd just go with that tbh, let's see who is willing to do what and replan for season 2.

Petr Czech #overrated #Courtoisisbetter

2-1 set up the 2nd leg nicely, 3-1 probably stretches it out of reach.

Real through comfortably

I get criticism for saving shots with my feet when in goal, if Cech had left his left foot where it was he'd have saved Pastore's shot.

Question of the day (as its so quiet). Seeing as v2 are finding their best Sports film, what is your personal Top 5 Sports Films?

Mine are Dodgeball, Baseketball, Happy Gilmore, Cool Runnings, The Longest Yard

I have seen Cool Runnings and Happy Gilmore out of the ones you mentioned, I don't think that I have seen the others.

I think Cech has a few years left in him yet, I'm saying this because I saw a lot of talk about him being replaced with Courtois next season which is fair enough.

What do you think will happen in the summer to the Chelsea squad Marky?

The risk with Chelsea continuing to play Cech over Courtois is that he may leave permanently. Courtois is nailed on as Chelsea number 1 for the next decade, unless Chelsea mess things up.

I think Courtois is off permanently at some point. Seems they want Darlow to ride the bench now.

Holymiky wrote:What do you think will happen in the summer to the Chelsea squad Marky?

Very little. Deadwood cleared, bring in a new striker, and a few of the players currently out on loan joining the first team squad. The likes of Piazon, Courtois, Atsu, Lukaku, and also Van Ginkel returning from injury.

Lukakus off next season as well it seems, possibly permanent

Zouma is joining as well of course.

I think the main striker is likely to be Diego Costa.

I'd be wary of the Dutch FA investigation into Vitesse's link with Chelsea, I could see that esculating to a big punishment for Chelsea if it's found they've been instructing Vitesse to drop points intentionally.

Hero wrote:I'd be wary of the Dutch FA investigation into Vitesse's link with Chelsea, I could see that esculating to a big punishment for Chelsea if it's found they've been instructing Vitesse to drop points intentionally.

I wouldn't read too much into that TBH. I doubt Vitesse have been dropping points intentionally, if they have then it's going to be impossible to prove Chelsea Football Club have anything to do with it, and the issue of ownership being a problem if Vitesse make the Champions League can be got around the same way it was years ago when Abrahmovich had links to CSKA Moscow, by signing the company in charge to someone else.

Holymiky wrote:Zouma is joining as well of course.

I think the main striker is likely to be Diego Costa.

Zouma too, although he's on loan so falls under my comment on loanees joining the squad  

Diego Costa has a £32m release clause, either Chelsea pay that or offer £40m plus Torres 

Is there a worse transfer in PL history than Torres?.

Zlatan to Barca has it beat but it's close

GSC wrote:Is there a worse transfer in PL history than Torres?.

Zlatan to Barca has it beat but it's close

Zlatan top scored and Barca won the league in his one and only season there  

Also Andy Carroll for £35m has to be on the list.

He was also shipped out 12 months later for a significant loss

GSC wrote:He was also shipped out 12 months later for a significant loss

Because he had a big bust up with Pep, not because he wasn't being successful.

Although I do agree with you considering the fee and that he just didn't fit into their style.


On the flip side, Seamus Coleman for £65k has to be one the best transfer deals done

I knew that you meant all of the loan players Marky, I was just thinking out loud mate.

Holymiky wrote:I knew that you meant all of the loan players Marky, I was just thinking out loud mate.

  

My argument GSC is that Torres to Chelsea is far worse than Zlatan to Barca. Not that Zlatan to Barca wasn't a flop. He was actually successful and they recouped some of the fee, plus had some little Argentinian fella to replace him with.

Chelsea spent £50m on a player who in three years has done very little to justify that price tag. With the exception of his goal at the Nou Camp in the Champions League semi final.

Marky wrote:

Holymiky wrote:I knew that you meant all of the loan players Marky, I was just thinking out loud mate.

  

I just feel that we need a striker for example Diego Costa who will get plenty of goals for us. We have 24 players on loan I think, including Thorgan Hazard. We have players who I feel will be in the first team after 2 years or so too.

GSC wrote:Is there a worse transfer in PL history than Torres?.

Zlatan to Barca has it beat but it's close

my vote for the worst transfer in PL history

David Bentley

15m fee - with about half of it go to spurs bitterest rivals

5 years on 50k a week

released so no transfer fee back

Don't think it beats Torres. Chelsea are getting no return, while Liverpool at least got a season of wages and 15m from West Ham

Bentley also bad, but Torres more costly

Andriy Shevchenko?

Fellaini could potentially be up there.
Anderson, £20m for a lot of Greggs pasties
Veron, total cost of £43.1m for Utd and Chelsea
Bebe, £7.4m for a player SAF had never seen.

Shevchenko's a great call Fernando! I can still recall one of his only goals against Crystal Palace where Gabor Kiraly (He used to wear Jogging Pants instead of shorts) spilled a weak shot between his legs...

How about Francis Jeffers? At the time, Arsenal paid a big fee, now I couldn't even tell you if he still plays or not

What about this season? Andreas Cornelius? Stayed at Cardiff for less than 6 months after joining for £8 Million. Was sold back to his old club and Cardiff still lost out on money. Dani Osvaldo has to be another candidate, for £15 Million he's managed to get himself suspended by the club.

feel like its a waste of time logging on nowadays tbh lads

Just to confirm, the season has finished now and we aren't writing tactics at the moment?

No tactics today, not sure exactly what's happening, needs Gregers to stand up and end the uncertainty.

right well you know where to find me, am offski

I've had a look but to be honest the whole sub section looks a mess and harder to follow than this site! I have just registered though, considering it.

Firstly apologies, losing Zebs and with my health problems it has been hard

NO TACTICS DUE THIS WEEK

League to restart next week with one combined league (if people are interested)

Greggs League

Spartak v Santos
1-1, 0-2, 2-2

= 3:5 = 1:1.66 = 1:1

Result = 1:1

The game starts out with both teams testing each other out until Damiao manages to get a header at the near post. In the second half Spartak Moscow manage to get a few chances to equalise but Damiao is too much for the defence of Spartak Moscow and manages to get a second goal to finish the game off.

Spartak Moscow Feedback: Good line-up, i like you defenders however i feel that the power of Damiao will be able to cause problems in your defensive area.

Santos Little Helper Feedback: Good line-up - I like the switchup in setup today with Hernanes playing in the hole, i feel that this works well. The only thing that could of possibly happened to expose you i feel is the duo of Movsisyan and Drogba from Spartak Moscow getting in and amongst your defence.


Spartak good - overall a strong side
bad - 2 sitting midfielders gave anderson too much space to go forward

Santos good - silvio a good replacement for wallace
bad - nothing too bad, anderson perhaps, but that is likely down to injuries

Fener v Rotterdam
1-1, 1:1, 1-3

= 3:5 = 1:1.66 = 1:1

Result = 1:1

Fener good - coped well with injuries
bad - would replace kadlec

Dam Good - a fan of the 2 young wingers
bad - would look at alves

This was the game of the 2 strikers as Emenike opens the scoring for the home team early on. Mandzukic gets free and scores an equaliser early in the second half. Plenty of chances throughout the game for a winner for both sides but nothing happens from them and the game ends in a draw.

Fernabache Feedback: I like your 4-3-3 style but i do feel that the wide players can cause you problems due to the more central system that you play thats all.

The Rotterdamned Feedback: I like the use of different ideas in defence for example the zonel marking system however i do feel that this could cause problems, especially as Mandzukic is as good as he is in the air.

Lazio v Lille
3-0 default win

---

Zebs League

1 match only due to default wins

Lyon v Torino
2:2, 1:2, 1:1, 1:1

= 5:4 = 1.25:1 = 1:1

Result = 1:1

Game feedback: Two solid sides, cancelling each other out a little but both sides have a lot of strength going forward, a very entertaining score draw for me as both sides impress.
Lyon feedback: Good scouting with good plans to get at Torino, although getting Taarabt to defend is easier said than done! I feel you need to improve at CB but they did a decent job on Sturridge limiting his impact. I like the midfield trio of Gourcuff, Gonalons and Lallana. Maybe an idea in future to play Lallana on the left and Taarabt at AM if you want your LM to track back.
Torino feedback: Decent setup, same as last week and the week before... While there's no reason to change it if it's working, your opponent scouted you easily and was able to use it to his advantage. Same strong wingers and striker means goals but weaknesses at fullback contribute to you not being able to turn it into a win.

Not much to desperate either side really with both looking to stifle the opposition. Taraabt will fizz in and out of the game and will tend to fall asleep defensively at times, with Lyon having more success from the middle. Clint Eastwood's pace will throw them a lifeline with Sturridge always posing a threat. Score Draw.

seriously no comments since last night..

think its time to give up lads

To be fair we are in the middle of a break!

Well if no one minds would anyone care if i took over the league? 

If not then ill pop up a sign/continue sheet and then we get started.

Go for it. Although I wouldn't be keen on a full reboot, I'd want these existing teams to continue.

If you have any vacancies then I'm available

yeah go for it nando, great idea!! Im in