at the right price, could be a great signing

torres needs a rest/ backup

I see you've triggered the release clause at last. <mumbled annoyed ranting>

On the plus side, I'm glad the whole release clause saga is at an end, and on the negative, we've lost a goalscorer.

How many games do you think he's going to get for you in the long term?

His first touch still looks below par.
Don't think he'll ever be genuine top class.

He is very young, and is scoring when coming off the bench for a 2nd rate team in the top league.

I dont think you could ask much more of him, he is doing well.

Quite a few, as we only have 1 recognised striker at the moment and he cannot play 90 minutes every game.

If Ba actually signs, and starts scoring, happy days.

Ba would be unavailable for quite a few games for us. With any luck that'll mean more Premier League time for him, since Torres still only has 7 goals this season.

I know Sturridge has just signed for Liverpool but Torres will be first choice, and aren't you thinking of bringing in Falcao?

I'm a bit raw because Ba scored goals for us but in the long term I don't see him playing week in week out like he did here. Time may well prove me wrong. And watch out for his knee, it worked out for us but it is a timebomb of a problem for him. Good luck.

Torres, 14 in 31games this season.

lol thanks

him on 1 leg is better than sheva on 2

I think newcastle had a problem accommodating 2 strikers so it was very charitable for them to perhaps give us Ba.

I hope Falcao will come in the summer.

7 in the league in 19 appearances.

The fans will love Demba I bet

At the moment, I'd agree. Lukaku doesn't look any better than a young Carlton Cole.
Remember Claudio Ranieri, then our manager described Cole as being the best young player that he had ever coached, saying, "I've never coached a young player like Carlton. He's fantastic even though he hasn't really started his career yet. He has a very long contract, and, in my opinion, a very big future at Chelsea"

even with his dodgy knee some body at Newcastled really messed up when they put a release clause of just £7m in his contract . A striker of Ba's quality should of had a release clause of at least double what it was.

if cfc can pull it off, Ba and 5million in the bank for Sturridge is a good deal.

He still might not come, if his wage demands etc are too high which is what is rumoured. We will have to wait and see.

To be honest, i think he is a stop gap until we can sign Falcao, cant see him getting masses amount of game time, but we are signing a proven goal scorer in the premier league who is in good form at the moment, so even if he scores 10-15 goals for us this season he will have been a good signing, IMO. But for next season, i doubt he will be first choice. Still, its good to have options, which we have very little upfront at the moment.

I think he will get game time this season, but obviously will have to compete with Torres. Torres hasnt been that great so one of two things will happen, either Torres starts banging them in and Ba wont get in the side(which is good for us, not so good for Ba), or Torres continues to langish and Ba will get plenty of game time(and hopefully continue scoring). Im confident he will do ok with us, with our creative players like Mata he will surely get plenty of chances.

I cant see Rafa playing both of them at the same time(unless we are in desperate need of a goal in the last 10-15 mins), as it would mean changing to 442 which we then cant fit in all our midfield players.

I thought Dixon was being harsh!

the wages cannot be higher that sturridge (allegedly 3.5million a year, 70k a week) can they?

Well, perhaps I should have qualified that. We can't really know how he'll turn out eventually, same as Carlton Cole.
I remember thinking Carlton might turn out to be a "good un" as well, but I think Lukaku has already shown some deft touches in games that would indicate that he's going to be a much better player.

From what I can gather, he's surrounded by advisors who want a piece of the action. With his knee problem it makes sense to offer him terms on a salary plus a payment per game..same as Newcastle have been doing.
However, according to the Independent.. "the total could be closer to £30m once agent fees of £5m and a four-year deal worth £80,000 a week are factored in "

Ive been crying out for more strikers for at least 3-4 years. United have 4 top quality, as do city. We have Nando....Ba should be a start not the end. Falcao to arrive in the summer i suspect with a youth signing this jan maybe?

I also wouldnt be surprised to see someone like Willian or Paulinho arrive.

Edit: With our policy for over 30s and his knee i cant see a 4 year deal being offered (he's 27)

But then again so was Drogba's when he first joined.

Indeed. Happy to see the back of Sturridge.

I disagree, in my opinion he could turn out to be a very good player. He just needed a good talking-to from a couple of Abramovich's Russian heavies to get his head straight.

Turnbull; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Bertrand, D Luiz, Lampard; Moses, Oscar, Marin, Torres


Hilario, Cole, Ferreira, Ramires, Mata, Hazard, Piazon.


I don't like that at all

Funny feeling we are going to give you lot a good hiding tonight