You can't really claim all that when Lukaku hasn't ever been given a chance by Chelsea. 2 starts was it that he left on? If he'd played two seasons and had a bad record then fine, but when he's not had a chance how can you claim he's never done it at Chelsea?

Chelsea made a big mistake in loaning him to Everton in the first place. Having scored so many for West Brom, why wasn't he playing for Chelsea last season? Lets face it, Chelsea's strikers were all appalling last season and Lukaku up front instead of Torres could have won Chelsea the league.

IMO it all boils down to a lack of compatability on a personal level between Mourinho and Lukaku. Doesn't go anywhere other than that for me. Mourinho wouldn't play him because he doesn't like him. The fact he scores goals for fun doesn't seem to sway him. Mourinho has said some ridiculous things about Lukaku's attitude and ambition, yet his report card from both West Brom and Everton has been impeccable. And surely demanding first team football and moving on loan to lesser clubs IS showing ambition as he wants to prove his worth? How on earth is he supposed to do that when he's watching Fernando Torres trip over his laces or equally watching Diego Costa banging 30 in?

So Lampard to City then? Seems bizarre to me. Firstly, he's not good enough to get in their team and secondly why destroy your legendary status at Chelsea to have a run around once every three weeks for City? I could understand it if this was World Cup year and he was trying to stay involved for that, but now that's over, why do it?

I think it's a Man City decision, rather than a Lampard one. I think once put to him by Man City he feels he's got to show loyalty to the people who are now paying his wages, but I don't think he'd have signed up for this if they'd said they were doing it from the start.

Personally it doesn't destroy his CFC status for me. Nothing can do that. As far as I'm concerned he's too old to do a job at CFC any more so I don't see him offering much to City either. I think City can afford to do it because it's part of their giant FFP con and I don't think we were willing to mess around with one for him.

IMO Demba Ba has a right to feel let down by not getting enough of a chance at Chelsea. Daniel Sturridge was completely and utterly screwed over by CFC. But Lukaku never really showed anything at all that he was worthy of being a Chelsea player.

He may have only got 2 starts, but that was partly down to never looking worthy of a start when he came on as a sub.



I'm pretty clear in my dislike for Torres. The piece of business I most wanted this summer was to get rid of that steaming pile of excrement. I'd have definitely been happier if we'd shipped Torres out instead of Lukaku. That applies to Ba as well. In fact I think pretty much any PL striker in England would have scored more than that scouse ****.

But having said that, it's moronic BS to think that just because Lukaku knocked in 15 for Everton he could have done a similar job at Chelsea. Teams simply don't play against Everton like they do against Chelsea. My dislike of Torres is mainly down to the fact that he hides too much, I absolutely hate that. Lukaku though didn't hide, he just looked lost. Just like he did in the World Cup.

I think if Lukaku had stayed at CFC then Ba would have left instead. I think instead of Lukaku earning his place as our starting striker, he'd have just struggled to get on the pitch in the same way as Ba did.



Arsene Wenger came up with the self-serving cack that we wouldn't loan Ba to them because we were scared that they were competitive. IMO it had nothing to do with that. We were more than willing to let Ba go to Arsenal but we had to change our plans because Lukaku was playing up and wanted to go out on loan again.

I think the loan last season was better for Lukaku, better for Chelsea and better for Everton. I think if Lukaku had stayed at Chelsea he'd have just struggled like Ba did.

Lukaku did have a decent return last season. But nearly all of his goals came in the first half of the season. In the second half of the season the goals dried up completely. That doesn't matter too much if you're Everton and you're not winning anything anyway, but to Chelsea who were aiming for a title/CL win it would have been murdering us.

IMO there isn't a personality issue between Mourinho and Lukaku, there's a quality issue. If Lukaku was good enough for CFC we'd have been keeping him. We don't think he is going to be good enough so he's gone.

I think Mourinho's issue with Lukaku last season was that Lukaku was often running his mouth about Chelsea pushing him out when it was Lukaku who pushed for the move. Lukaku needed to just let his goals do the talking but the stupid kid wanted to run his mouth as well.

As a club I think CFC have done very well out of Lukaku and I'm happy with his sale and the price we've got for him. If Lukaku continues to grow and becomes a PL great then it will go down as a mistake. I trust Mourinho to make that decision.

I don't think we'll see him turn out against Chelsea. Or many, if any, other PL clubs unless there's an injury crisis. I think its more about maintaining his fitness during the MSL close season. Not having to traipse from one club to another as Beckham did. He'll probably play a couple of Capital One Cup games, it will be useful having him on the bench for CL games and he might play in the final group game if its a dead rubber.

I can understand the New York club wanting Lampard to be fit at the start of the MLS season.

It will be interesting if City's front line misfire at the start of the season...David Villa anyone?!

He's foreign, City couldn't fit him in within the quota. Besides Jovetic seems to have put his injury problems behind him. Looks sharp, like a new signing.

What a pointless thread.
I know one need not read it, but I can only deduce that the creator (the egomeister) likes the Xfactor and other airheaded nonsense.
Come on you Clarets.

So, here we are on the eve of a new Premier League season. Anyone care to venture any predictions?

Top 4: Chelsea
City
Arsenal
Man Utd

FA Cup: Chelsea
League Cup: Spurs

Feel a bit sorry for Palace fans, Pulis walking 2 days before the season starts

Their survival odds must have just plummeted.

Also, I see on BBC Sport that Man Utd got Ander Herrera a cake for his birthday. Hope they made sure to shake his hand and tell him how much they love him as well.