Chris Gundleton

Wilkins was sold to fund the East Stand debt. Mata was sold because he wasn't rated by Jose who preferred Oscar (madness). He hardly featured for us in Jose's first season back so I couldn't blame him.wanting out in January from being your main man, in previous two seasons, to squad player. Ironic that Mata ends up playing for Jose at Man United. I would say it was only Matic who forced a move for a reason that was never clear (was a regular in Conte's team). Wilkins and Mata in their prime, Matic was nearer the end.....

And I mean sick as in the bad sense as I am an old man and not up to date with yoof speak….

If Reece was the home grown forcing a move then that would make me feel sick!!!!

I wanted to keep but have thought in the past…. Crap first touch. Always thought he was a round peg in a square hole when playing in a front 3 (not skilful enough to be a winger). Rather have a proper winger if we play 4-3-3. Pressing is a strong point but would say his stats are not great (goals and assists for an attacking player). Would have preferred him in the middle 3 of a 4-3-3. Thought he was lucky to get his 2nd player of the year award as I thought Thiago Silva was nailed on for that (was shocked when at the Bridge for last game of that season that Mount was named player of the year). When your Dad is your agent always trouble. The same with Christensen but his Dad did us a favour, Christensen was absolute sh*te….

Won the Champions League on merit for the second time in the history of the club.....

With Scolari I recall players saying they weren't fit enough. A lot of players liked him but there were concerns that he had no idea what was needed fitness wise for a club team in the Premier league as he was used to managing Brazil and Portugal where player fitness was with their club sides...

For all those youngsters who have never witnessed a relegation season, right now feels like one. For those who have witnessed one, doesn't this feel like the year we went down in the play offs?!!?. That season, we had a decent start and then went on a terrible run of like 25+ games without a win. I reckon we're in the same position in the league now, as then, at the same point in the season. The one big difference though was that team still scored goals but still lost or drew. I recall one game we were 3-0 or 4-0 up against the mighty Oxford, ended up 4-4! That season we had Clarke and Dorigo at fullbacks, as good as James and Chilwell, still went down. A "nice man" manager in Hollins, like Potter, who out of his depth Uncle Ken stuck with for too long and made the change to Campbell too late. Still went down. Each week thinking we're playing someone sh*t at the Bridge today, like a Charlton, thinking today we will win, we didnt, still went down. Yesterday has proved to me that we must act immediately because right now, I can't see us scoring against anyone so when we play someone like Forest at home, where we should be thinking "win"... it won't happen.... I don't want to be at that point, near the end of the season, where we need a win, at the Bridge, to stay up. That would be the Newcastle game, we won't win it. Speaking of Newcastle, 1st half yesterday was like watching Newcastle under Bruce. 11 men behind the ball and hoping that Saint-Maximan, read Madueke, might be able to do something!!! Final comparison to our last relegation season, Ernie Walley = Potter's fat, short-arsed lower leagues side kick!

Potter's fat, short arsed Scottish sidekick winds me up too. The look of that guy just screams to me "lower leagues".... Nothing against Scots, my all time favourite player is Stevie Clarke, but Potter's mate, no f***** way.

I was one who wanted to give Potter a chance, based on what I was seeing with Brighton, but we must be the most boring team to watch for a neutral. When we're not playing, I might watch the odd game on TV but there's certain teams I won't bother with as I know it will be dull. I think that is us now for the non Chelsea fan. I've had a season ticket since 1982, so have seen a relegation season, but in every season you always get at least a handful of exciting games, even when we used to finish lower middle. The football has been boring for some time but even under TT when it went stale I thought there were games in that period which were exciting (Liverpool home, Madrid away) even Spurs at home this season. I just think that with TT, he could get the team up for it in certain games but the other games, boring. With Potter I don't see us being up for any game. It's like TT, 25% exciting games, and with the rest boring but likely to get a result (such as Everton away this season), with Potter, 0% exciting and any crunch game, or something on it, guarantee loss. That is what worries me......

Shame he's not right footed. Would have been perfect cover for Reece....

I'm 50 next February, had a season ticket since 1982, and like you I like wingers taking on his man. Mind you, I kind of like all things nostalgia like proper music for example. I even collect panini football stickers ha ha....sad.... Actually, I posted a while back about rating our wingers from Clive Walker onwards, as he was the first winger I saw in real life. For me, that's attacking football. I can recall, non Chelsea football, that I believe is similar to what you mean. Back in 92, when Denmark won the Euros they played counter attack but every time Brian Laudrup and another guy called Fleming Poulsen (something like that) would run at the opposition, every opportunity. Good to watch. I was super excited when we signed Laudrup a few years later and was so disappointed when that didn't work out. Another example is when watching other Prem matches on tv, I would prefer watching players like Darren Huckerby having a go at United etc.....

One other thing on Poch, who I'm not against by the way. In my eyes, Potter is no different to when Poch was at Southampton. Spurs took a punt on him and Poch got his decent reputation from that. Maybe Potter can do the same??? Point is a lot of the no for Potter I would assume would have said no to Poch when he was at Southampton.......

Watching the odd BHA game on Sky, they are a good watch. Their problem was similar to ours before it went to s*** in that they don't finish chances. Unlike us, they create a ton of chances playing a system similar to us but with a more direct style (no Jorginho type at BHA). Put it this way, if BHA are playing one of our direct rivals for top 4 etc, I think they have a good chance at winning. Plus his record in Sweden was like getting the equivalent of Bury 5th in the Prem from the lower leagues, winning the FA Cup and qualifying for Europe. Potter would be my choice. No flash in the pan with BHA. Would be refreshing to go another route for once....

…and to add that Christensen letting his team mates down on the morning of a cup final is unforgivable. He’s a professional sports person and if his mental state means that on numerous times he will let his team mates down by not wanting to play, he shouldn’t be a professional sports person and should do something that is less stressful for him. That is what would happen in the real world if your job is not for you. A player who won’t let you down is an upgrade…. I don’t think Christensen was underrated, as some posters here suggest. An underrated centre half for me was Alex. Gutted when AVB, got rid. Another I thought was underrated was Emerson Thome.

…..and I could also list a number of goals that were down to him playing on the right of a three. Most annoying were goals where he made a mistake but faked an injury straight after. Yes, he played well when he came on in the champions league final, but way too many mistakes in him to be classed as any good. Fofana is a clear upgrade.

How anyone can ever rate Christensen is beyond me. Just because he looked good for about 12 games prior to the Barca f-up and had a little chat with Pep, post match, in that run when City beat us at the Bridge doesn’t mean he was any good. Remember, he was in the middle of a back three, that in the previous year made Luiz look world class when before then, the pundits all thought Luiz was s***. The point being that in conte’s system, the middle of the back 3 is piss easy…. Any centre half is an upgrade on Christensen, shocking defender…..

Had a nightmare day at work today but I laughed out loud with s**** himself clause. Feel better now - thank you

Dave Mitchell....

I like TT and with him in charge I am confident that we will always be competitive if not pretty on the eye. Real Madrid away last year, we almost pulled it off, under Frank we would have been smashed. My issue, and I do think this is about not taking risks on the orders of TT, is when the wing back doesn't put a quick ball in. Cucu did it once on Saturday and Sterling almost scored but the amount of time James stopped and passed back drives me mad. I hate to say it, but on the evidence of TT at Chelsea I would think twice about signing if I was a striker. Drogba would have been up in arms in the current set up with no quick ball. I also mentioned under the Gallagher thread, that if TT managed the Mourinho squad, first time around, he wouldn't play Frank. He'd have Makalele and Essien. Frank would have had to make do with playing out of position, in a wide position, or not playing at all (although as another poster mentioned, I would like to think that TT sets the team up based on the squad he has and would have played 4/3/3).

I fear for Conor. He doesn't fit TT's system and I think he knows it. Conor is a 4/3/3 midfielder and doesn't fit in a two. I think he is behind RLC in that position too... I don't think prime Frank Lampard would play or work in TT's system. TT would probably have Frank playing as one of the wide players in the front 3 which would be madness. TT would have gone with Essien and Makalele as his two in the middle. Personally, if we keep the same formation, I think Kova is the best of all our players in the middle two.

That’s system is still wingbacks so imo cucu is a good signing as we need more than just James and Chilwell to play 3/4/3 or 3/5/2…

If we played 4/3/3, we’d all be banging on how we need 4 quality wingers (two to start and two quality back ups). TT is not going to change to a back 4. Those fans who keep talking up a back 4, forget it. Therefore, we need 4 quality wing backs…. Those who argue that we don’t need both Cucu and Chilwell would definitely be talking about decent back up wingers if we played 4/3/3. What’s the difference!!!!

Please NO!!! Would be a Zappacosta/Drinkwater panic buy…..

I believe this would be an excellent signing. If TT continues with wing backs, and our season last year fell apart when both our first choices got injured, this makes perfect sense. I want to move to a back 4, but if TT has us playing, with wing backs, like he did at the start of last year, I’d be happy as I thought we were a good watch up to the usual Christmas wobble…..

Ok, let me rephrase. I would suggest that there is a higher chance of starting the season badly with a poor pre-season. I want you to be right but I'm not getting that feeling. This feels like Mourinho, season 3, 2nd time, and Conte season 2. I recall in those seasons we were poor in the Community Shield too, all.under cooked when the season started, and before you mention it, I know we lost the Community Shield in 2010 too..... just stands to reason that if you have good results in pre-season you're more likely to start the season better. It's not just fitness or not all the 1st team.playing that contributes s to a poor pre-seaon. There's always something else going on......