Ibime:

Lampards time is up whilst Modric feed you 3 goals and 3 assists per season? I laugh in Boko Haram.

No be the same Modric aided and abetted by pass masters like VDV and Huddlestone who copped only 38% possession in our match at White Hart Lane and were also dominated at Stamford Bridge?

What's the obsession with chasing Modric past £30m when Borja Valero and Dusan Tadic do the same job for less than £10m?

modric is better than valero and tadic.

coogar:

modric is better than valero and tadic.

Valencia is better than Ashley Young . . doesnt mean I pay three times more for Valencia than Ashley? They both produce what I need so I may pay £5m more for one or the other, after which it doesnt serve my utility.

And what makes Modric a GREAT by the way?

Do you know this ninja has never showed up at the top of Opta stats for any of the key indicators? 

Ibime:

Modric is not a hunter. At best he can make arrows for the hunters to hunt. That makes him a Xabi Alonso type character, for which I say there is no difference between copping Modric and copping Borja Valero!

Even if we agree on the latter - the fact that Modric has EPL experience makes him a more attractive proposition compared to someone who you don't know how he will adapt to the league.

In my opinion Modric is overrated - his productivity isn't close to where it should be to command such fees.

Ibime:

Valencia is better than Ashley Young . . doesnt mean I pay three times more for Valencia than Ashley? They both produce what I need so I may pay £5m more for one or the other, after which it doesnt serve my utility.

it depends on how long they have left since they signed their respective contracts. if ashley young has just signed a new contract 12 months ago for 5 years and united are buying him now, his transfer fees will triple that of valencia(never mind who is better amongst the two). all those little indices kick in when the transfer fees are determined cos the buying club must buy the remainder of the player's contract. . . .

And what makes Modric a GREAT by the way?

Do you know this ninja has never showed up at the top of Opta stats for any of the key indicators? 

only essien, danny murphy and barry ferguson made more successful passes than luka modric in the whole of last season. . . . .he's also ranked 4th in the charts of total passes. modric is the real deal considering he plays in a more advanced role than the others above him on these charts. it's easier for players in the defensive zone of the pitch to complete more passes where there's little or no pressing than the offensive zone where modric basically operates from.

as an aside, modric also has the premier league experience. can tadic perform on a cold night in stoke?

debosky:

In my opinion Modric is overrated - his productivity isn't close to where it should be to command such fees.

you can say the same for iniesta as well. iniesta has only scored 25 league goals for barcelona in 9 seasons. . . .that's less than 3 goals per season.
modric is not overrated. one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the division. he seems overrated because tottenham's attacking outlet is from lennon and gareth bale(2 superb wingers). . . . .it's similar to man utd as well(the assists come from mainly from the flanks), fletcher, carrick, anderson and scholes don't really create as such.

coogar:

you can say the same for iniesta as well. iniesta has only scored 25 league goals for barcelona in 9 seasons. . . .that's less than 3 goals per season.
modric is not overrated. one of the most technically gifted midfielders in the division. he seems overrated because tottenham's attacking outlet is from lennon and gareth bale(2 superb wingers). . . . .it's similar to man utd as well(the assists come from mainly from the flanks), fletcher, carrick, anderson and scholes don't really create as such.

I still disagree - having many passes is one thing, being able to stamp your control on games is another.

Iniesta clearly dominates games alongside better creative like Xavi. In Modric's case, he's supposed to be the main creative force, not the magician's assistant like Iniesta.

debosky:

I still disagree - having many passes is one thing, being able to stamp your control on games is another.

Iniesta clearly dominates games alongside better creative like Xavi. In Modric's case, he's supposed to be the main creative force, not the magician's assistant like Iniesta.

he's not supposed to be the main creative force - after 30 yrs, you still don't understand football. teams who use traditional wingers expect the creativity to come from the flanks. . . .this is where aaron lennon/corluka + assou ekotto/bale come into it. when modric gets the ball, they don't play it through the middle like say arsenal or blackpool. . . . .they spray the passes to the flanks and lennon or bale is expected to deliver a cross into the box.

man utd play like this. . . . .if you are expecting carrick to cop any assist, you will wait till rapture. teams like arsenal who don't really use traditional wingers rely on their pass-n-move central midfielders to dictate the play from the middle. this is where nasri and cesc come into play and then you can expect to see slide-rule through passes from the deep. it depends on how the gaffer wants his team to attack.

coogar:

only essien, danny murphy and barry ferguson made more successful passes than luka modric in the whole of last season. . . . .he's also ranked 4th in the charts of total passes.

Then I think we should sign Essien instead. . . oh I forgot! 

Modric is not high enough on the pass-list to justify his total lack of productivity. He's never made the top passers before as I remember that Scholes, Alonso, Lampard, Fabregas and even Denilson and Mikel (if they play enough games) usually top that list.

In 3 years in England,

He is not on assists-list
He is not on goals-list
He is not on chances-created list
He is not on key-passes list
He is not on tackles list

For the first time in his career, he managed to sneak in to passes list with Danny Murphy, Barry Ferguson and Essien ahead of him.

Needless to say, if Scholes, Fabegas, Lampard, Denilson and Mikel had played full seasons, he would not be on total passes or completed passes list.

Im struggling to justify £30m for him given market conditions which tell me that Valero, Tadic, Benega and Gago would cost three times less, and produce just as much - which is basically spraying passes in the midfield with no output ie possession continuity players.


Dont get me wrong, I like Modric and he maybe worth £30m if Henderson is worth £20m. . . . but he is not worth £30m if Valero, Banega and Gago are worth £10m

coogar:

modric is the real deal considering he plays in a more advanced role than the others above him on these charts. it's easier for players in the defensive zone of the pitch to complete more passes where there's little or no pressing than the offensive zone where modric basically operates from.

Thats rubbish cos Fabregas and Lampard are always in the top-5 of that list year on year and they play advanced positions.

coogar:

you can say the same for iniesta as well. iniesta has only scored 25 league goals for barcelona in 9 seasons. . . .that's less than 3 goals per season.

Iniesta (when he plays full season) would always make the top 5 of successful passes and successful dribbles

Ibime:

Then I think we should sign Essien instead. . . oh I forgot! 

Modric is not high enough on the pass-list to justify his total lack of productivity. He's never made the top passers before as I remember that Scholes, Alonso, Lampard, Fabregas and even Denilson and Mikel (if they play enough games) usually top that list.

In 3 years in England,

He is not on assists-list
He is not on goals-list
He is not on chances-created list
He is not on key-passes list
He is not on tackles list

For the first time in his career, he managed to sneak in to passes list with Danny Murphy, Barry Ferguson and Essien ahead of him.

maybe this is the reason he is now a hot-cake in the market. several big clubs are after his signature. i have always been his fan, his footballing intelligence is second to none.

Needless to say, if Scholes, Fabegas, Lampard, Denilson and Mikel had played full seasons, he would not be on total passes or completed passes list.

in one massive swoop, ibime conspired with himself to contradict himself. look at the players you have mentioned, look at their clubs. which of them isn't bigger than tottenham? if united had looked into valencia's statistics before making a punt, he wouldn't even get near united's reserve team - never mind the senior team. how can you compare modric's output in tottenham to players plying their trade in arsenal, chelsea and man utd?

Im struggling to justify £30m for him given market conditions which tell me that Valero, Tadic, Benega and Gago would cost three times less, and produce just as much - which is basically spraying passes in the midfield with no output ie possession continuity players.

it seems you have been dwelling under a cave in the last 2 seasons. if andy caroll is worth £35 million and henderson is worth £20 million, kindly tell us what modric should be worth in today's market? shouldn't be too difficult to guesstimate.

Thats rubbish cos Fabregas and Lampard are always in the top-5 of that list year on year and they play advanced positions.

fabregas - arsenal
lampard - chelsea.

2 london clubs that are bigger than tottenham. 2 london clubs that have always outscored tottenham since the inception of the premier league.
ibime, abeg compare like for like.

Iniesta (when he plays full season) would always make the top 5 of successful passes and successful dribbles

iniesta - barcelona. . . . a bigger club than tottenham. . . .why don't you compare modric to the players in the same echelon as tottenham?

coogar:

fabregas - arsenal
lampard - chelsea.

2 london clubs that are bigger than tottenham. 2 london clubs that have always outscored tottenham since the inception of the premier league.
ibime, abeg compare like for like.

But Chelsea fans seem to think the grass is greener on the other side. If you compare Chelsea's midfield to Tottenham's, you would start to question everything you believe in.


For example, a Chelsea fan may easily tell you that:

Gareth Bale is better than Malouda
Lennon is equal to (or better than) Anelka
Sandro is better than Mikel
Modric is better than Essien
Van Der Vaart is better than Lampard

I have heard Chelsea fans slaughter these players whilst the Tottenham players listed are largely praised.


Yet this is Tottenham's first-choice midfield and this is Chelseas first-choice midfield


Why shouldn't I compare Modric's passing stats to his Chelsea peers when his supporting cast can be argued to be better?

Ibime:

But Chelsea fans seem to think the grass is greener on the other side. If you compare Chelsea's midfield to Tottenham's, you would start to question everything you believe in.

chelsea have better players than tottenham but in the just concluded season, it can be argued chelsea players didn't play to their maximum potential.

For example, a Chelsea fan may easily tell you that:

Gareth Bale is better than Malouda
Lennon is equal to (or better than) Anelka
Sandro is better than Mikel
Modric is better than Essien
Van Der Vaart is better than Lampard

I have heard Chelsea fans slaughter these players whilst the Tottenham players listed are largely praised.

the slaughtering must have happened last season when chelsea were firing blanks. . . .
how can gareth bale be better than malouda when malouda was miles ahead of every winger in the league until nani stole the show last autumn?
anelka and lennon is not exactly like for like but anelka is still better.
sandro is better than mikel but which statistics back defensive midfielders
modric is better than essien? well. . . .essien is now a liability but when essien was in his peak, there's no better player in europe.
van der vaart better than lampard? 2010's lampard or 2005's lampard? which is which?

Yet this is Tottenham's first-choice midfield and this is Chelseas first-choice midfield
Why shouldn't I compare Modric's passing stats to his Chelsea peers when his supporting cast can be argued to be better?

it's a ridiculous claim to say tottenham's midfield is better than chelsea's. . . .if they are, tottenham should have finished above chelsea. only consummate tools would argue chelsea's midfield is inferior to tottenham's. one bad season does not mean all chelsea's midfielders are now spent and rubbish. 12 months ago, would you have opened your mouth to make this kinda baseless claim?

^^^ Thats not my opinion o, Im just going by Chelsea fan comments (including my own) on this thread over the last few seasons.

coogar:

chelsea have better players than tottenham but in the just concluded season, it can be argued chelsea players didn't play to their maximum potential.

the slaughtering must have happened last season when chelsea were firing blanks. . . .

But even in their worst season, Chelsea midfield outperforms Tottenham's on a yearly basis!

Chelsea fans hate their own players cos their EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHER

Could Chelsea fans have stomached some of the results Spurs posted last season?

Now Opta stats are telling us that Essien out-passed Modric, but according to Chelsea fans (myself included), Essien had a bad season whilst Modric was excellent.

Ibime:

^^^ Thats not my opinion o, Im just going by Chelsea fan comments (including my own) on this thread over the last few seasons.

it's normal to feel that way - the grass is greener on the other side and reh reh reh.

But even in their worst season, Chelsea midfield outperforms Tottenham's on a yearly basis!

Chelsea fans hate their own players cos their EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGHER

Could Chelsea fans have stomached some of the results Spurs posted last season?

Now Opta stats are telling us that Essien out-passed Modric, but according to Chelsea fans (myself included), Essien had a bad season whilst Modric was excellent.

opta stats never lie. essien outpassed modric and completed more passes than modric.

I am curious to know if Essien's pass rate will top Modric's if Carllotti was not manager and Chelsea are not trying to force everything through the middle. I am curious to know how many passes Modric will complete in a Chelsea shirt, under a manager named Carllotti who likes to play through the middle.

I am curious to know how many of Modric's passes will suddenly turn into key passes and assists when playing behind, Torres, Drogba and Anelka who will convert most passes to goals as opposed to Crouch, Defoe, Pavy. I am curious to know how many of Modric's passes will turn into key passes playing alongside a prolific Lampard bombing in from midfield.

OPTA stats are cool and all that, but are never always representative of all facts. Like playing style for example. I am willing to bet Modric tops assist list after joining Chelsea.

Do I think he should cost 30m?. .  No Should he join Chelsea? . . Absolutely. The sort of player we should be signing.

Modric can't top assist list when the likes of Cesc and Nani are still breathing.

ritchboy:

Modric can't top assist list when the likes of Cesc and Nani are still breathing.

Ok. Maybe. But he will be up there.

Villas Boas from Porto to be our next manager. I guess we couldn't get Hiddink off his contract.

How true are the rumours that the Porto manager is your next coach?

Andres Vilas Boas is trending Worldwide on Twitter

A-40:

Andres Vilas Boas is trending Worldwide on Twitter

Just checked. You are right. I set mine on Nigeria by default. I feel he is a bit young and inexperienced on top level but lets see.

somze:

Just checked. You are right. I set mine on Nigeria by default. I feel he is a bit young and inexperienced on top level but lets see.

Make una no sha wreck him career with una unrealistic expectations oh

somze:

Just checked. You are right. I set mine on Nigeria by default. I feel he is a bit young and inexperienced on top level but lets see.

Make una no sha wreck him career with una unrealistic expectations oh

33 year old manager. . whit the hard head proud 34, 31 and 30yrs old in our ranks. I hope he doesn't have a problem with discipline. I knw there are already disciplinary problem at chelsea but it may even get worse. .

Dis guy was backroom staff  (Mourinho's boy-boy ) at Chelsea before. Na so we take pay money like this for our own former employee? Kai!

Dis one wey RA want pay £13m for the guy, come spend another £4.4m per season on wages, plus hire backroom staff, I hope no be the one wey dem go sack the guy by season end, by which time they would have spent £30m on his head. In other words, they better let this guy stay for the long term in order to justify the expenditure.

Abegi, Chelsea have spent the transfer window bidding for managers whilst our rivals are copping players. Its time to start making actual player purchases.

Hmm.
I hear Guus might still have a place on the advisory/directive staff.
Meanwhile, who watched the Mikel interview on ChelseaTV? Dude made some salient points about our supposed wingers wanting to fall into the midfield to make their runs, thereby making it needless for the long passes he was known for when the season started last year.
I do hope he's upped his game coz regardless of who's going to be our coach, some people must go o.

This Villas Boas guy, I hope he heard what Gourlay had to say about any prospective candidate for the post - that the expectations of the board have not changed, and neither has their attitude to below-par performances: http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/06/18/2537442/chelsea-chief-executive-ron-gourlay-warns-potential-new-boss

Infabt,am rily vexed o.villa boas of all people.he shined for 1 season,n we r signing himwe have forgotten scolari so fast?nawa o.

We should get a coach as fast as we can and start signing players. . . get Mark hughes and Hiddink !

what are we waiting for,

I think Villas -Boas is ok---a copy of Mourinho but less controversial. Chelsea needs a young dynamic coach who is not afraid to experiments and also very hungry for success. He might turn out to be succesful like Pep Guardiola.
So I hope.

I was hoping y'all get Gus Hindick so he can be demystified

So it has been confirmed that its Villas Boas?

I hear someone say Villas Boas of all people! 
Best choice from the board.


I love Hiddink to bits but it's not strange news to know that his employment is temp. And we will be need another manager in a year's time. My guess is that we wanted Andres from the beginning but thought it may have been too early, decided to settle for Hiddink short term and then go in for him next season. However, Leonardo crossing to PSG made Inter begin sniffing. RA had to quickly come in.  How else do we explain paying 13m to release him from his contract? My opinion though!.


Andres is the perfect appointment for me. Young, charismatic manager, no nonsense manager. Tactically sound, Positive philosophy towards football. Has desire to prove. Is clearly a winner. Someone who already knows the club very well and who knows the league and country very well. Learnt from the very best. Learnt positive football from Robson and organization from Mourinho. What more can one want from a manager?

Will he have a mountain to climb? Absolutely. How does he deal with the egos? I have no idea.
We have to give him a chance. However, if it all works out, it could be bliss!.

Villas Boas?

A premature move - he hasn't had sufficient experience to make this move, especially at a pressure cooker environment like Chelski.

It's one thing to romp to Portuguese titles being the only team of note, it's another coming to the EPL. If he doesn't deliver in the first season, will he also get sacked?

If that's the case, this is another clear example of maga must pay.