Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

Sky say they will be showing it first' but didn't say live.

gonzovision wrote: »

Come on Sky..... I'm trying to look busy here

Are you watching (reading!) the live update?

http://www.skysports.com/live-chat/0,26855,16983_6716007,00.html

Features Editor:
Still no sight of the new boy as yet. Reports that Roman Abramovich is making some late adjustments to the script are unfounded at the time of going to press.

Robbie confirmed as assistant, Stev Holland is now first team coach.
Great news getting Rob back.

No new players until the present players are assessed.

Sky Italia report City have pulled out of the race for Sanchez

Some of the interview here.
Pleased that they are not rushing into buying, but could we not miss out because of this?

Features Editor:
Di Matteo could be a shrewd appointment. A Chelsea man who is well liked at Stamford Bridge and knows all about the culture of the club. Should be a decent soundboard to throw ideas at. 10:10
Features Editor:
He went on to say it'll be up to the press to think up a name for him and to judge him. He has been quick to emphasise that he feels he is just a part, however important, of a bigger organisation. No ego.
10:07


Features Editor:
When asked about the 'Special One' comparisons he replied 'maybe you should call me the Group One as I am about bringing people together'. Get the feeling he'd rehearsed that line. 10:04


Features Editor:
Villas-Boas spoke of Di Matteo's appointment when asked about what brand of football he hoped to bring to the club. He said: "If you see the technical staff in front of me, and my appointment of Roberto, these are people who like the quality of the game and have a philosophy. It's not just a case of winning it's a case of flair."
10:02


Features Editor:
One early observation and it's no real surprise, is how articulate Villas-Boas is. His English is first rate, better than half of his Premier League counterparts!
Shrewd move when quizzed on Sir Alex Ferguson - says it's not a case of competing with him or other Premier League bosses. It's all about bringing success to the club as a whole. No mind games as yet then... 9:56
Features Editor:
On Drogba - he says he is happy with the whole of the squad. Nothing specific player-wise but he has to make 'wise decisions'. Plenty of time to judge the market and is waiting for 'the Russians' to get back. 9:54


Features Editor:
Villas-Boas admits that trophies are key and there is no getting away from that fact. Says he is just 'one gear' in this big club. Says pressures are no different than at any big club.

9:53

MUSEIST wrote: »

I am really very pleased with robbie as assistant, thats an excelllent decision imo and will be very popular with the fans. Also confirmed christophe lollichon (SP) as goalkeeper coach, happy with that, him and cech work well toghether.

I thought he had gotten axed?

I was hoping he would be kept because in any interveiw Cech gives he speaks so highly of Christophe.

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Yep I posted that, looks like the journo guessed wrong!

Thank christ.

Cech was in top form last year and was back to his best if you ask me, we need another top season fromthe big man next year.

:pac:

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Its nearly killing me waiting to see what player changes in and out are going to be, and if Josh and Danny are going to have more of a role.
Of course, its the tricky tightrope of needing success whilst blending in youth, but surely Josh and Danny wouldnt be to disruptive?
I cant see him starting Josh because of his age, but maybe on the bench getting the odd 20 mins when we are 5 -0 up would help?

I must say I like the ways things are moving. For me all the right things are being said and done, just hope he produces the expected results

I'd hope josh and Danny got more competitive game time, I'd do a job if Chelsea we're 5-0 up at home to a bottom of the league side, the passion and intensity would be gone from the game and from both teams.

What I'd like him to do is to drop some big names if theyre not performing and give the young guys a chance if they have impressed in training.

Like if Danny, Josh or Kakuta we're on top form in training for a few weeks and Torres, Lamps, or the like were'nt performing he should give the young guys that impressed a chance, it would encourage the senior palyers to play beter and not get dropped and the young guys would push hard realising they could get a game if they produce the goods.

In fairness to Carlo, he gave Kakuta a lot of games and Kakuta was good in parts, hope AVB does the same this year and the young guys respond and take their opportunity.

So it looks like Sanchez is gone to Barca for 26 Million Euro and 11 Million add ons. :eek:

Shame, would have been a good addition to the squad.

gavredking wrote: »

So it looks like Sanchez is gone to Barca for 26 Million Euro and 11 Million add ons. :eek:

Shame, would have been a good addition to the squad.

Yep, I wonder who our realistic options are?

Neymar to RM probably
Modric would cost silly money. Pastore the same
Aquero? Although I dont think he has developed as much as previously thought
Thiago? He's said he is happy at Barca
Probably end up with Falcao
Mata?
Lukaku?
Snedjer?

Not many of the much sort after names left, and then it would take silly money.

Maybe AVB has someone unusual in mind.
Things should be become clearer in the next week or so.
Could be no-one!


PURCHASES ON PAUSE
Posted on: Wed 29 Jun 2011

Andre Villas-Boas insists there is no rush to move in the transfer market, and says he wants to assess the current Chelsea squad before adding to it.

The new manager will meet the full squad when they return from their summer break on July 6, and will be making no decisions on players' futures until that point.

'Everybody will be in on July 6. Unfortunately for Vitesse we had to make some changes to pre-season and we decided to delay a couple of days the beginning of pre-season,' he explained, referring to our cancelled friendly in Holland. 'Everybody is in for July 6 to start and we go from there.

'I am more than happy with the actual squad,' he added. 'It is nothing new that when a manager comes, radical changes are expected. I think at the moment and bearing in mind the success this club has had in the past six or seven years, we have to judge things carefully and make wise decisions.

'I am counting on everybody to come in from last year and then make the best decisions. We have plenty of time in the market to judge the market and approach it in the way we see valuable for the team in the end, with no fuss in the changes we might need to do or not. They are top quality players and I want them back as soon as possible to start making decisions as soon as possible.

'The amount of trophies we won in the last six years is a good reference to start from. Trying to push ourselves this year will be a massive challenge. The most important thing is to raise players' ambitions and motivations to be successful. From the experience I have they are able to do it, I spoke to a couple of them on the phone and they are willing to come back and start this new life. Most of them told me this is a fresh new start and they are willing.'

Villas-Boas rejected suggestions that having finished last season empty-handed, the squad will not be good enough to pick up silverware this time around.

'I don't agree because... Chelsea had the opportunity to go to Old Trafford and if they hadn't suffered a goal in the first minute, what would happen?' he asked.

'The game is so unpredictable, anything can happen and Man United are always a competitive team for trophies and have gone in the past four years to three Champions League finals. The reference is just there for us, so I don't feel the team falls short of quality because we are up there, but I agree minor changes can be done and we can put some input here and there in certain sectors.

'My confidence is for them to return to me and judge from that. These are players that deserve this respect from me. Up to August 31 we have plenty of time to make a wise decision, but I just don't agree on the fact we are short of quality because most of the players here have won a lot in their careers and still have the hunger for success.

'The main thing is for us to consider and value what we have at this time in the club which are top quality players which in the past have won three Premierships, three FA Cups and two Carling Cups and players that have played five Champions League semi-finals and one final, so this is the kind of quality you have.'

The 33-year-old was also asked about Fernando Torres and whether he plans to mould the side around the Spanish forward.

'We faced this question more or less last year when we arrived in Porto with a striker the quality of Falcao, so it is the same,' he explained. 'In pre-season he didn't find the back of the net and ended up frustrated in the beginning.

'We didn't tune the team to provide to him, we tuned the team as a whole and in the end Falcao found the net and built on to another 30-goal season, and 60 goals in two seasons, so this is a question of fine-tuning the team, not fine-tuning a player so this is what we will try to do.

'The quality is amazing from every single player of Chelsea Football Club but the most important thing is for us to fine-tune the whole of the team and the organisation of the team, for them to perform for the team.'

Naturally, there were a list of names put to the new manager as possible transfer targets, though he prefers to keep quiet and assess what is already at his disposal first.

'I wouldn't like to speculate on players that don't belong here. It is not fair for me,' he said. 'It's easy to move in the market where we want to. We have that kind of power and you know the kind of moves this club does, so I wouldn't speculate on names.

'All of them are interesting players - [Luka] Modric, Falcao and [Fabio] Coentrao. All of them are top quality players, if they can add to the squad or not I will prefer to make the decision after, on those or any other players we shortlist. There is no running away from it - everybody in first and then decision-making. At the moment we are stopped in time regarding the market.'

The Portuguese also confirmed that John Terry will continue in his role as captain, so long as he earns a place in the side first.
'When John is available for sure he will take the captaincy as long as he challenges for a place as any other player challenges for a place,' Villas-Boas said.'He is the reference of captaincy for this club for the last years, as well as Lampard, as well as Petr Cech. The most important thing is in the dressing room within them, finding different leaders and responses, and absorbing them from different people. John represents the successful history of this club in the last six or seven years and for sure will continue to be like that.'

Willie Stroker wrote: »

Some good signs.

That blokes a bit of a bull-shotter though

I can confirm that yesterday an offer of 50million euros arrived from a foreign club


The highly-rated playmaker has been linked with a host of leading European sides this summer, with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona all reportedly in the race to sign the 21-year-old Argentina international.
Zamparini, who said they have received an offer of 50million euros from an unnamed club for Pastore, admits it is highly unlikely the player will be at the club in the coming campaign.
"The possibility that he (Pastore) stays next year is 10 per cent," said Zamparini to in Corriere dello Sport.
"He is now in Argentina, calm and preparing for the Copa America.
"His agent is evaluating three or four offers.
"I can confirm that yesterday an offer of 50million euros arrived from a foreign club.
"The player has no preference regarding his destination.
"For me he is worth more than 50million euros because in two or three seasons' time, his price will be double."
Pastore, is under contract until June 2015, joined Palermo in 2009 from Huracan for 19million euros and was the team's leading scorer in Serie A last season with 11 goals.

Pastore would be my second choice for attacking midfielder after sanchez...very skilfull from what i've seen of him and good eye for pass and goal too

gavredking wrote: »

Palermo have resigned to the fact they will lose him, after paying nearly 20 Million for him they are trying to make a 100 % profit on him by shipping him for 40 + Million. Fair play to them, its smart business.

I personally dont think hes worth it, but would be good through the middle though.

Would you take him for 30 mill then?

Interesting how PVB named these 3 [Luka] Modric, Falcao and [Fabio] Coentrao

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/8607008/Benfica-defender-Fabio-Coentrao-tops-Andre-Villas-Boas-Chelsea-shopping-list.html

Hopefully PVB is looking at him as a left winger, rather than left back. Otherwise PVA or Betrand will be off. PVA has already said that Chelsea had better not sign anyone else in his position or he'd be off, when he signed a new contract.