Paddy

There’s a story about Best getting sent off v Chelsea at the Bridge, it goes that after having been hauled down yet again he turned to remonstrate with the ref who just shock his head and waved play on. During a later break in play he questioned refs decisions, frustrated at a non reply, Best asked the ref if he would send him off for swearing at him, “ of course I would, it’s a dismissible offence George “ Ok says Best, but if I only thought it, then you couldn’t send me off could you ? “No George, I couldn’t” Well in that case says George, I think your a c**t . Best gets his marching orders !! I so want that to be a true story but I have no idea if it is ?

Of course these matters will always be subjective, but I don’t remember being as excited about either player in the way I was about Ziyech after Saturday’s game ? Like many, I had great hopes for Ruben, but sadly, for whatever reasons, it hasn’t happened for him and I don’t now believe that it will at Chelsea - I just don’t think he’s capable of being at the level that is needed to play for Chelsea ? In Ziyech and some others I see potential, desire ambition and ‘what could be’ that I didn’t see when watching RLC or RB before their loans I’m afraid ?

Imagine that they were both to play out of their skins between now and May 21, to the point where we are all screaming at the club to give them new contracts for a further 5+ years, it begs the question as to why didn’t they perform that way whilst they were in the squad previously ? There may be reasons, none of which spring to mind with Barkley ? but I can’t help but feel that they have both had their chance at our level , that neither is or will be good enough to start regularly and don’t equal the quality of player FL is looking for to match his ambition for the club ? I think Barkley can have his moments when he feels like it, but I don’t think he would be happy being a permanent substitute and I actually think he’s worth more than that - he would be better off playing regularly somewhere than hardly ever at Chelsea. I fear RLC’s recovery from injuries are a problem that may never be properly fixed ? Besides, when I’m looking at Silva, Chilwell, Ziyech, James, Mount, Kante, Mendy, Havertz, Pulisic and Werner I see the potential for achievement that I don’t see with RB & RLC, I also see the clubs ambition and I believe the maturing of existing players on loan or in recovery, plus the transfer window of summer 21 will see Frank get the quality players that are currently missing and that will be needed to achieve the PL 21/22.

There’s been lots of debate of late about RLC - will he, won’t he make it ? I don’t know if he will, but there must come a point in a pro footballers career when they “know” it ain’t gonna happen, it won’t get any better and that they are on the slide down to oblivion, for whatever reason, that has to be the case with DD , doesn’t it ? He’s surely got absolutely no hope of getting another decent footballing gig given his attitude, performances and behaviour, so I’m guessing he’s got 9,600,000 reasons to stay? Might well be same with Kepa, but in his case it’s more like 40-50 million reasons not to go anywhere ?

Not so sure about that Strider - the rest of this season to deliver the PL or CL , it just seems too short a time frame for me ? I obviously don’t know Frank, but he has always come across as a sharp lad - he has be fully aware of how RA operates, after all he’s got first hand knowledge of the hiring and firing that’s gone at Chelsea, so I can’t help but think that he would have sold a vision to the board and demanded windows for recruitment with delivery over 2/3 seasons - he seems to use Klopp’s achievement over a similar period as his bench mark - well he quotes it often enough? I would like to think that he has next summers transfer window to further improve the squad with a view to being in the position to win the PL 21/22 or 22/23 - of course if we are struggling and playing sh*te football then all bets are off. I may be wrong but can’t believe he wouldn’t have made a few ‘demands’, after all, I’m guessing again, this is more about achieving for Frank than the money ??

Amazingly, I don’t believe that this piece of genius featured on match of the day - edited out, incredible ??

Not seen much on here about how well Kovacic played today - got the opportunity and took it I felt, well done Kova.

Im sorry , but I feel that you really do need to stop banging the drum that the ‘winger’ doesn’t get picked because there some agenda to victimise or that FL uses that position to accommodate favoured players and undermine someone’s confidence. It’s pretty evident that the “winger” isn’t doing anything in training to pursued Frank to play him as a “winger” and as painful as it might be , rather than take to the pitch with 10 men, Frank chooses a non winger to play in that position - that’s pretty damming and tells the story imo. You can write £10 on a piece of paper , but it don’t make it a £10 note.

He also realised their goalkeeper is Kepa in disguise !!

Well the nil monkey is off our backs now. They will come out at 100mph for the first 10 mins of the second half, let’s be switched on and ready for it - COYB

Analogy ? No comparison by me ?

Thanks. I find it interesting that Scolari as the experienced manager failed in only 8 months , whereas RDM, the inexperienced manager, failed in about 16 , gaining the CL trophy on route ? I never felt either appointment was correct at the time and I tend to agree that the CL success was as much to do with Gary Neville’s prophecy of ‘its written in the stars” as anything else? However, Frank seems to have that something about him, as Ashwin said, players seem to want to play for him, he’s intelligent, articulate, commands respect etc and knows football - I find him quite inspirational and, being half way through his original 3 year contract, I would imagine that he will be talking to Maria about his new and extended contract very shortly. Now if you’ve got your managers mixed up and your talking about a Norwegian in the North West ...................

As a matter of interest and if you can be arsed to answer - its not meant to be a trick question btw - what was your view of Scolari and also of De Matteo ?

I don't know for sure, but I would be amazed if FL was appointed just on the basis of who he is and what he has achieved in the game - although that will have played its part. As with all appointments at this level, whether its football, banking, insurance etc the interview process will have been extensive and exhausting to ensure a better than good fit for both parties and mostly it works - A large part of that process will be for the candidate to sell themselves, present their vision of how/what they will achieve and over what time frame and make their demands also. I cannot imagine that thats not what happened prior to Frank’s appointment , he will have given an account of his future and it must have been enough cause he’s in position experience or no?

Had Havertz been available for selection last night, I presume FL would have started the 11 from the Burnley game ? - shame that wasn’t possible , would have have been good to see if that team were as fluent and easy on the eye last night as they were on Saturday. A win is a win and the clean sheet is a great confidence boost for the defensive unit and goalkeeper, but V Burnley = enjoyable and exciting to watch , V Rennes = not so much? Mendy, Silva, Zouma - well done, but what a pair of stars we have in Chilwell and James - well done Mount too , he never lets us down I feel, great commitment. I wonder if Rennes would consider being our goalkeeping feeder club ?

Cant disagree with anything you’ve said.

Absof**kinglutley correct

Yeah, I imagine that his wanting to continue playing international football for Brazil was a non negotiable requirement of him signing a contract, but I wonder if being “rested” was also part of the discussions and subsequent deal ?

It’s hard to know who you mean by ‘good’ side but which good side would take him ? His performances for us are a matter of record for all to see and he’s just shown himself to be a not especially talented goalkeeper - if he were available now, knowing what I know, I wouldn’t want him near the place , not even for free . As much as I want him gone, I don’t know who would have him and I can’t see he’s worth anything like 45million, but we live in hope ?

I feel coming from a club with PL winning aspirations like Chelsea, at his age with his experience and going to Fulham who are , most likely relegation candidates, he should be the star of their show, first name on the team sheet, a can’t do without player who starts every game ? Maybe that will come, but I seriously wonder if the injury has had more effect than we realise ?

It would be great if we could offload him but who would buy him, given his recent performances, he isn’t an attractive proposition ? Also, he is on fantastic wages per week that no one else will match, will he just walk away from ?? 200k per week for 5 more years , that’s between £40 - 50 million - maybe not ?

Yeah, think you’re correct, it almost certainly would have been one of his first stipulations.

Yeah, I never thought the result v Rennes was necessarily the issue, more that the 11 that played v Burnley should continue from where they left off on Saturday. The resting Silva at club but not international level is somewhat of a dichotomy for me, because assuming he plays v Sheff Utd on Saturday, then flies 9000 kms @ 14 hours flight time to Brazil who then play 14/11 v Venezuela and then 3 days later play away to Uruguay 17/11 - game finishes 18/11 (another almost 6000 kms return flight) - presumably he plays both, then flies 9000 kms back to the UK , landing ?? Is he available for the Saturday 17th November lunchtime ko away to Newcastle, I don’t imagine that he will be, most of us would be bollocksed after a schedule like that !! I understand that he wants to play for Brazil and that his contract releases him, but if he can play back to back games for Brazil with all the travelling involved, then why not for Chelsea ? Anyways, as Coco has pointed out, maybe he won’t be able to travel with all the recent worldwide Covid protocols ?

I dunno bisright, that’s 5 changes from Saturday’s starting 11 - what’s the old adage, you don’t change a winning team ? We’ve got two home games before the international break, so no or minimal travelling involved, I would stick with the starting 11 from the Burnley game and let them play together again, let them get used to who’s playing and where, player’s need to play together regularly in real games not just training - it develops intuitive behaviour and relationships, besides, it not just us lot that are eulogising about Saturday’s performance , the players will be too, they know that the team ‘clicked’ and the formation and team selected worked - I think it’s important to be consistent in team selection, form and injuries allowing. For me, keep the 11 that started Saturday and make changes , depending on how the match is going, a little earlier that usual with Sheffield in mind - the one exception is maybe Silva , but when goes on international duty does he get rested ?

Your whole argument is predicated on him being good enough to warrant selection and that he does the things you say a winger should do when he gets his chance. You maintain that he is being left out of the team to accommodate Mount - I believe I’ve heard Frank say he selects on what players show him on match day and in training, so isn’t it possible that FL doesn’t see anything from him such that he has to pick a midfielder to play in a wingers position because the winger can’t adequately do the wingers job ? I’ve seen nothing in his recent performances to justify getting picked to play - IMO.