That is fair though I and I imagine others are surmising that with the dramatically increased support he is in line to get, Torres will be far more productive than either he or Drogba were this last season. Drogba scored 13 goals last season whilst Torres scored 11 so he isn't exactly far off though he did play more often.
Chelsea transfer activity
- Thread starter Team Brian GB
- Start date
That is fair though I and I imagine others are surmising that with the dramatically increased support he is in line to get, Torres will be far more productive than either he or Drogba were this last season. Drogba scored 13 goals last season whilst Torres scored 11 so he isn't exactly far off though he did play more often.
Oh my fecking god.
I must have imaged his performance in FA cup final, or the home leg v. Barca, or the CL final goal.
What a load of shit, in total denial.
One thing I don't understand is how rude posters often become when somebody has a different opinion to them.
I am spelling this out plainly, Chelsea is revitalising its squad, it is dramatically increasing the creativity of the midfield and the effectiveness of players who go out to the flanks, the lack of which in the last couple of years has stifled our strikers but it quite clearly will not do so any longer.
So £35m for an 'unproven' Belgian player and now this.
Quite clear Abramovich and his representatives are calling the shots; always have done and will continue to do, no matter how much money he pays to get Pep.
I agree with some of this GB, but the idea that you're not weaker without Drogba around is just delusion.
Drogba was a big game player, probably the best at it out of all the footballers I've seen.
But he was in serious decline over the last couple of years and as Brian rightly mentioned the stats. Him stepping up in big games was tremendous help for the team but for long periods of time in less important fixtures he appeared disinterested, and at times, a spent force.
The man is a club's legend and so will be remembered but he was in no shape to carry the team like he used to a few years back. In that respect it was the right time for both parties to say goodbye.
But he was in serious decline over the last couple of years and as Brian rightly mentioned the stats. Him stepping up in big games was tremendous help for the team but for long periods of time in less important fixtures he appeared disinterested, and at times, a spent force.
The man is a club's legend and so will be remembered but he was in no shape to carry the team like he used to a few years back. In that respect it was the right time for both parties to say goodbye.
That front four of Hulk, Mata, Hazard and Torres is amazing.
and Marin
You could just as easily be talking about Torres here.
Replacing Drogba with Torres, as last year proved, is a step down.
On paper. If Hulk and Hazard both turn out to be good signings and Torres finds himself again.
Real Madrid once had Zidane, Figo, Raúl, Ronaldo and Beckham in the same team and they lost the league to Valencia and got knocked out of the CL by Monaco.
Stop over reacting, I'm not saying Torres is amazing, I'm saying collectively it looks great. That three behind him look very, very formidable.
I meant on paper obviously.
I don't rate Hulk so higly personally.
Just that you included Torres in an "amazing" front 4, I don't get it, the guy has looked like a spent foce for 2.5 years.
Drogba is 34, Torres is 28.
There's still a chance for the Spaniard to turn things around, especially with better creative attacking players around him.
There's always a "chance". But you lot said the same last year when you brought in Mata.
2,5 years is a long time time being shit to just suddenly become a great footballer again.
To be fair I would rate our future front four of Tony V, Kagawa, Nani and Rooney as better than Chelsea.
It's a decent point Brian, but i also take Guybrush's point too. Drogba is one of the very few players in the world, who on his day is simply unplayable. It doesn't matter how good the defenders are, if he is in the mood, no-one can keep him quiet for a whole 90mins.
However well the rest of the Chelsea team played in this years CL, he is the one who allows them to keep such a tight shape, because he is still very effective even with no teammates within 50 yards of him. Now he is gone, you no longer have that in your armoury, and you will find it much tougher against the technical European sides because you now have nothing that they cannot cope with.
Make no bones about it, the reason you beat Barca this year was the same reason you should have beaten them a few years ago. Drogba, he allows you to bypass Barca's midfield and play from the edge of their box. No-one else could give you what he did imo.
So generally you may be right, Drogba did not play at his highest level over the season, so in the majority of games he wasn't that important. But make no mistake, in the biggest, most important matches he made the difference so often, and that is what you will badly miss. In that regard Guybrush is spot on imo.
Time will tell.
If Torres continues to struggle even with better service, someone else will take his place. Sturridge, for example has been vocal about his preference to play in a center.
Chelsea will obviously be stronger next year, despite losing Drogba. It's not even debateable.
With the chances Torres is going to get playing ahead of those three, he could have a great season. Part of the issue with Torres is confidence, so if he starts finishing off some chances created by Hazard etc, then I think his all round game would improve.
With the chances Torres is going to get playing ahead of those three, he could have a great season. Part of the issue with Torres is confidence, so if he starts finishing off some chances created by Hazard etc, then I think his all round game would improve.
Put it better than I ever could, cheers.
It's not?
So any new signings are guaranteed to fit right in and Torres will suddenly remember how to play football again, ok.
It's very debateable imo. Only time will tell.
I doubt Guardiola will come to Chelsea to coach a team bought by Abramovic and Emanalo.
Cheers guys, i would like the tagline "in the know". thanks.
Yep, well put. With all the quality that Hazard will bring, i'd be delighted if Chelsea went into the new season without a new striker, even then, there's no guarantee that he'd fit in immediately. Drogba gave them a totally different dimension and posed a threat not many strikers can replicate.
Yeahh, it really isn't.
If you think the first team is better than the second then you don't have a clue.
----------Mikel-------
---Lampard--Meireles--
Ramires-----------Mata
---------Drogba----
---Ramires--Mikel---
Hulk---Mata---Hazard
--------Torres------
How is the first nearly as talented? Mata and Ramires out of position, Lampard hyper-ventilating in the middle.
The second team has exceptionally talented players out wide which Chelsea have severely lacked. Torres will be swimming in chances with those three behind.
You can think Drogba is better than Torres, but he isn't so much better that his loss overrides the obvious improvements to the rest of the team.
This, Drogba was a one-man Plan B. Chelsea will look better and sexier but will lack that option when things are not working out.
The thing I most feared/respected about Chelsea was that no matter how badly they were doing, they could always turn on the old Mourinho spine and grind out the result. Mourinho's legacy leaves with him.
I think the second team is more talented, the first is more likely to win you something.
The second team looks like it'll get very exposed too. Plus, they have a guy up front who's been shite for 2,5 years. And as I said earlier, I don't rate Hulk that highly.
Now hulk is someone I've seen numerous times. In the flesh and on tv.
Can honestly say I haven't seen him do anything to make me think he's worth 40 odd million.
Chelsea are miles behind us.
Can honestly say I haven't seen him do anything to make me think he's worth 40 odd million.
Chelsea are miles behind us.
I don't rate Hulk that high either, he seems incredibly selfish. But he is still a huge improvement on what they have and there is no question that he is a great footballer, his statistics on Portugal prove that. He's not worth 40m but I think he is being under valued slightly in this thread, with his physique he could tear up the Premiership.
Nahh they won't be exposed at all, strange you would think so. Ramires and Mikel is as solid a two centre mids as you will find.
Nahh they won't be exposed at all, strange you would think so. Ramires and Mikel is as solid a two centre mids as you will find.
Hulk is the sort of guy that will take 100 shots and hit the corner flag, but then take 1 shot from the halfway line and break the crossbar in half and take the net with him.
Personally i think the portuguese league was too easy for him, he needs the step up.
Yes 40m is alot, but then thats what porto do.
Personally i think the portuguese league was too easy for him, he needs the step up.
Yes 40m is alot, but then thats what porto do.
I don't see Ramires as a "solid" central midfielder.
And I think they'd get very exposed down the flanks with that team. Hulk and Hazard won't be doing loads of dirty work to help out full backs.
I'm not sure. I think most people would have said the same about Mata, Silva or Nani for example, but they all put a shift in defensively.
Has Hulk already signed for Chelsea?
I've watched enough of Hulk and Hazard though, both much more Ronaldo than Silva. Maybe in a team like Chelsea they will realise that they aren't the man and will put a shift in.
We'll see, as I said, I think that team will be more "talented" than last seasons, but I have serious doubts about Torres and Hulk, I think Hazard will fit in quickly but we don't know. Only time will tell.
But the fact is, there are certainly grounds for a debate.
That's about one goal a season then.
Mikel
Ramires Lampard
Mata Hulk Hazard
Ramires Lampard
Mata Hulk Hazard
Oooh 2 Lampards... Nice
This is the first time I've read the words "Mikel" and "solid CM" in the same sentence.
He might have had a few good games this season, but honestly, I've seen him looking as "clueless" a DM as I've ever seen. And he gives the ball away far too often.
He's young enough to do a "Lucas Leiva" and turn it around, but that'd be the other position I'd strengthen in that team - unless Romeu develops well.
He might have had a few good games this season, but honestly, I've seen him looking as "clueless" a DM as I've ever seen. And he gives the ball away far too often.
He's young enough to do a "Lucas Leiva" and turn it around, but that'd be the other position I'd strengthen in that team - unless Romeu develops well.