Ballack To Chelsea

[mozo]

Looks like Michael Ballack is to be unveiled as Chelski's first big-name signing this summer.

BBC Sport

I reckon it's a good signing, but they'll struggle to keep their many creative midfielders happy.

Ballack and Lampard in the middle is a mouthwatering prospect though!

[The Batman]

he is good, but i'd rather have Gerrard.

apparently, the transfer had origiannly stalled because Mourinho said he wasn't guaranteed a 1st team place every game and Ballack had a strop.

[Redhyde]

It just means that now there are four players for three positions.

Ballack, Lampard, Makelele, Essien will be a fascinating battle for the big game starts.

Eidur can kiss his Chelsea career goodbye though.

It does raise a question as who do Bayern get to replace the irreplaceable as they did with Ballack for Effenberg.

[The Batman]

It just means that now there are four players for three positions.

Ballack, Lampard, Makelele, Essien will be a fascinating battle for the big game starts.

Eidur can kiss his Chelsea career goodbye though.

It does raise a question as who do Bayern get to replace the irreplaceable as they did with Ballack for Effenberg.

rumour has it, is that Gudjohnson is off to Blackburn because Hughes wants another forward to partner Bellamy, and Bellamy wanted Gudjohnson

[bcfcphoenix]

Seems like Bayern will try to sign Lincoln from Schalke, at least thats the latest rumour.

I'm in agreement that Eidur Gudjonsen will be the man to leave Chelsea in that position. Though Makelele may also be phased out with his impending qualification for a pension. Don't forget Ballack is not necessarily an attacking player, and can do say a Xabi Alonso role very well.

FC Bayern will struggle to replace him I think.

[Nibor]

Signing a 29 year old central midfielder for £120k a week seems stupid to me.

They needed a young class striker before they needed a midfielder, and if they were going for a midfielder they should really have bought for the future IMO.

[Redhyde]

It doesn't matter when they have that much money.

He's an improvement on what they've got so it's a good signing for them.

[bcfcphoenix]

Signing a 29 year old central midfielder for £120k a week seems stupid to me.

They needed a young class striker before they needed a midfielder, and if they were going for a midfielder they should really have bought for the future IMO.

I think Lassana Diarra is their prospect for the future mate.

Also Essien is quite young.

Plus the way they've been snapping up 16 and 17 year olds from all across the land, and from Portugal, one or more of them has to be a top quality midfield prospect.

[Nibor]

It doesn't matter when they have that much money.

He's an improvement on what they've got so it's a good signing for them.

I don't think he's that much of an improvement if at all to be honest. He's over rated by virtue of being the only player fit for the world stage that Germany has produced in the last 10 years. Their central midfield 3 are a pick of Essien, Lampard, Makelele, Cole and Diarra. I don't think adding Ballack to that is going to make a significant difference as it is.

Adding someone like Torres to their front line however would have made a much bigger difference IMO.

They're not going to be buying every player under the sun any more - the special one says so! - they're going to be buying 2 players or so each close season, and I think they just brought in an expensive one who won't add much.

[Redhyde]

Joe Cole doesn't play there anymore for Chelsea.

Diarra i don't know enough about but if one of the main 3 are injured he won't be starting in an important game now.

Maniche has left in that position so Mourinho brings one in.

I don't think they're weak anywhere else apart from up front. so that's their second signing. I know they won't be signing everyone. But they do have the money to sign pretty much anyone they want in the two/three that come in.

Ballack is a proven world class player. It can't hurt to have him there.

I don't think Torres fit into the system btw.

[mozo]

I don't think he's that much of an improvement if at all to be honest. He's over rated by virtue of being the only player fit for the world stage that Germany has produced in the last 10 years.

Nonsense. I take it you haven't seen much of Ballack over the years? He's a special player.

[WTFiGO!?!]

Nonsense. I take it you haven't seen much of Ballack over the years? He's a special player.

Spot the half Craut!

[Nibor]

Nonsense. I take it you haven't seen much of Ballack over the years? He's a special player.

Umm. I've seen him play many times in the past few years. He's a very good player, but he's not a big enough improvement on what they have to make any difference, and he very definitely is overrated simply because the other German players are shocking. I think signing a player who's probably already peaked on a four year deal for so much money is stupid.

[harry__bcfc]

will be good to see him in the prem! not sure how he wil get on though

[bcfcphoenix]

Umm. I've seen him play many times in the past few years. He's a very good player, but he's not a big enough improvement on what they have to make any difference, and he very definitely is overrated simply because the other German players are shocking. I think signing a player who's probably already peaked on a four year deal for so much money is stupid.

I think it was a three year deal.

Also a lot of German players are pretty decent - Deisler and Podolski spring to mind straight away. I know I'd love to have a quality forward like Podolski in the England squad right now.

And you could argue that Makelele had 'already peaked' as he was the same age when they bought him?

Be interesting to see either way - it's another big ego, let alone another midfielder.

[mozo]

Umm. I've seen him play many times in the past few years. He's a very good player, but he's not a big enough improvement on what they have to make any difference, and he very definitely is overrated simply because the other German players are shocking. I think signing a player who's probably already peaked on a four year deal for so much money is stupid.

You mean the recent World Cup Finalists?

To be fair, we shall see next season. If Ballack has a considerable impact, I'll bring it up again. If he doesn't, I won't

[CiderHider]

:@ Ballack, i hate him already.. he had the nerve to come out and say "Chelsea have more ambition the ManU" Just goes to show that he knows NOTHING about Man U, he may aswell have said, "I joined Chelsea for the 130k/week and the £2mil signing fee, yes i'm a whore.

Man U would never offers them kind of wages to an ageing crout...still though, another world class player in the Prem, good for the game i suppose.

Gerrard is twice the player of Ballack, but Gerrard snubbed them, fair play to him.

Shev next to Chelsea 100%, don't be surprised if they sign another quality player up front aswell, Gudjohnson will be off, so will that idiot Drogba hopefully.

I'll be hoping he has a nightmare WC, for two reasons now.

[mozo]

:@ Ballack, i hate him already.. he had the nerve to come out and say "Chelsea have more ambition the ManU" Just goes to show that he knows NOTHING about Man U, he may aswell have said, "I joined Chelsea for the 130k/week and the £2mil signing fee, yes i'm a whore.

Man U would never offers them kind of wages to an ageing crout...still though, another world class player in the Prem, good for the game i suppose.

Who wants to join Man U? Look at them: Crazy Glazers, Fergie losing his touch, Ruud on his way, lack of squad depth, aren't winning owt etc etc...compared with Chelsea (money, squad, manager). This crout knows which he'd choose

[Guest Ron]

You mean the recent World Cup Finalists?

We played the best team in the world on the way to the World Cup Final. If we had the path to the final that they had we would have been there easily.

[CiderHider]

Who wants to join Man U? Look at them: Crazy Glazers, Fergie losing his touch, Ruud on his way, lack of squad depth, aren't winning owt etc etc...compared with Chelsea (money, squad, manager). This crout knows which he'd choose

Well the jury is still out on the Yanks, we will see how much Fergie is given to spend this summer, that will certainly give us an idea of how ambitious they are for tropheys still.

Nah, Fergie's not losing his touch, he's just getting old. Still a master tactician imo, but how does he compete with Mourino, who has a bottomless pit of money and already a world class squad of players?

I think most managers would struggle not to win silverware with Chelsea, "just go and win lads" all you need to do.

There is no doubt that this is the era of Chelsea, every dog has it days, but when Roman get bored, or just decides he's had enough with his toys in London, then who could/would possably take over with a wage bill higher than the NHS??

Chelsea are a big Club now, but they are noway near as famous as Liverpool & Manchester Utd, and never will be, you can't buy history, even with Romans millions.

What goes around comes around, it will be Bristol Citys era soon...you'll see!

Ruud has got to big for his boots, i never liked horsehead anyways.

[The Batman]

i think he's a good player, but i honestly think he can't cut it in the prem from what i've seen in the champions league / bundesliga and for Germany.

don't get me wrong, i think he's good, but i don't think he can carry his form onto the prem, he's past his prime age, it's the quickest league, bit of a step up from the bundesliga to the prem, if he does stand out, it is because he's playing with the best squad of players around him. if he went to Man Utd and won them the league, then i'd hold my hands up and say "yeh, he's quality", but he's gone to the league champions and he'll only look good because he's playing in the best side.

I'll take a stand here and say "IF CHELSEA DO NOT SIGN A FORWARD, THEY WILL NOT WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEXT YEAR", so they would not have improved with Ballack playing for them.

Gerrard is soooooo much better, if he had Ballacks role in the German side and Ballack had Gerrard's role in the England side, Gerrard would be so much more effective. but he cant do it for england because he's the more defensive of the 2 centre midfielders :@

[bucksred]

Ballack, along with Hammann, and Lehmann are the only quality players Germany has, and although I hate to admit ANYTHING to do with Bayern Munchen is good, he is their only truly international standard player, and will combine with Lampard a treat, and so long as he don't do a Stuka impression every five minutes will emulate Klinsmanns success here

GOD, I hate admitting anything positive about Bayern!!! :@

[Nibor]

You mean the recent World Cup Finalists?

They lost the first time they faced a decent side.

To be fair, we shall see next season. If Ballack has a considerable impact, I'll bring it up again. If he doesn't, I won't

I might though

He'll play well no doubt but well enough to justify the £6m a year that could be better spent on a quality young striker or a centre half to replace Gallas?