Paddy

f**k me, I resemble that remark ???

Absolutely correct - I said the other day how mad it is that we put all of our hopes on a new keeper who has played exactly 2 games for us, but such is our desperation in the alternatives, likewise with Silva and he had a mare v WBA !! It’s fuc’ing depressing reading all the comments on here and although I didn’t see the game, I’m sure that the criticism levelled across the board is accurate-ish, but the truth is that - the newbies apart, that jury has yet to come in, the rest of the team are ....... ordinary really ? On his day Kante might get into the Liverpool or City side, but the rest..... I doubt it - how much of that is the coaching staff and how much is the talent of the players , guess it’s some of both, but I personally don’t see the quality needed to be anything better to be top 4 contenders and that’s not a gimme by any stretch of the imagination . FL has got his excuses in early by saying that, like Klopp, he sees this as a 4 year project before a PL title is achievable, so sit back, buckle ya belt and enjoy the mofo roller coaster of a ride and I guarantee there will be tears along the way ??

Early night then !

Might yet get to watch MOTD ?

It’s an interesting thing to consider - if selecting players to buy is influenced on their likelihood of playing international football? I mean, assuming that Jack Butland is good enough ( that’s a matter of conjecture for me ) he last played for England in 2018, don’t think he makes the England squad these days, so does that make home more “attractive” to a club? I was advocating the buying of Martinez who went to AV, but if he was playing out of his skin for us , would the Argentinean FA come knocking and pick him ? Course they would, but I never considered his likelihood or not of getting a call up or where his home nation was located in the world, in my wanting him to replace Kepa ? Bit like Silva, you cannot trivialise the journey and time zone differences between the UK and South America, it knocks the bo!!ocks out of you for days in my experience, add a factor in for his age and so no wonder he’s not available, but I guess that his desire to continue to play international football was known and taken into account when he signed ? Similarly the African lads and the African cup of nations, could end up losing Mendy and Ziyech for a couple of weeks when that is on. Suppose the bottom line is that you want your players to be good enough to be selected, but unavailable when called for ? Fergie always seemed to manage who played and when for their countries ? It’s kinda ironic really that Spain keep the faith with Kepa, wonder what Azpi thinks about that ? Anyways, it’s Saturday - COYB ?????

I don’t really know about your second paragraph? ; ........likely to cover space behind the defense when we play a high line, against teams who play with a low block and look to hit us on the counter it is vital we have a athletic and quick keeper who is able to fulfil that role. You may well be correct but I don’t think I’ve personably seen that from Kepa , nor is it the thing I want most from a keeper either ? Alls I know is that, IMO, first and foremost you absolutely have to have your GK to have a decent shot to save ratio - from what I’ve seen when Kepa plays, nearly every shot on target is a goal and when he plays I suspect the back four feel the same - it’s not just that he has lost confidence, he just doesn’t ‘command’ his area and doesn’t give the team playing in front of him any confidence either. I can’t help but believe that @ £70 million + , frank has been told to continue with Kepa, no way will that be allowed to be written off just yet ?

Don’t see that happening, he was the replacement keeper, and therefore no.2, for the Palace game, so if Mendy is out then, unfortunately, I think it means Kepa is in ? Like I’ve mentioned before, I think FL is under pressure from upstairs to keep Kepa as an option because, presumably; (a) someone believes he has something to offer and will eventually come good ? and / or (b) by keeping him in and around the first team, his residual value won’t be too badly affected and somebody at some club who is suffering from major memory loss and a broken television might be desperate enough to buy him ? What a terrible state of affairs when we put all our faith and hopes on a keeper who has played exactly 1 game for us !!!!!!! ???

I am so capable of getting carried away with the spend amount without necessarily looking at what we got for the £200 million that I realise I need to take a step back to properly consider the squad notwithstanding who’s gone and who remains now that the window has shut. It’s too early to say what the German boys will bring, average ratings for Werner and slightly better for Havertz from the forum, seen some glimpses but nothing to get too excited about yet and definitely nothing so far (IMO) to justify the £120 million that they cost, but it is very early days so hopefully they gel, find their best positions in the team and come good. Thiago Silva - I didn’t see the game live on Saturday, so it’s difficult to judge , but forum members give a good account of his performance , so that's a positive, but he is 36, will he play the whole season? - hope so, but FL may need to pick the battles that he plays in and nurture Christensen and Tomori for the future ? Anyone know anything about Sarr and Mbuyamba ? Ben Chilwell, MoM on Saturday and something of a known commodity having played for a while in the PL and he’s still young at 23, don’t have any concerns with regards to his ability or attitude. Ziyech, apart from the friendly against Brighton , I haven’t seen him play, but he did look like he was lively in that game and he was good for Ajax v us in the CL - but too early to tell how he will assimilate into the team? Mendy - well he couldn’t do any worse than poor Kepa, I feel for him, it’s not his fault that some fool at CFC sanctioned the £70+ million that he cost and Bilbao musta had some party once the contracts were signed - given the choice I would have forced him out, on his ability alone he wouldn’t get a sniff near the squad but factor in what was paid for him I suspect FL is under upstairs pressure to continue with him ? What’s left is the “team” from last year minus whoever has been sold or loaned, the trick is to select an eleven that can play together and in a formation that works. As I said in an earlier post, it’s a funny old season so far and when you consider, but for WBA’s early Christmas presents from us, Kepa’s personal Christmas gift to the micky’s and Jorginho’s penalty miss, we would be 4 points further up the table than we are now. Are the newbies enough to make a difference between 4th and achieving better ? PL winners ? I don’t see it but who knows what a 10 or so unbeaten run will do for us !!!! think I saw FL get his excuses in early by reminding that Klopp’s “success” was over a 4 year time frame - he’s almost certainly right, I don’t yet see the quality of players from positions 1 through 11 to sustain a winning PL campaign. That said, I’m excited about this year and really hopeful that we will give a decent account of ourselves - realistically, top 4, probably at 4 for me this season.

Whatever it is that is causing their problems, I think he definitely contributes to it and long may it continue ??

In the words of Jimmy Greaves (for those that can remember that far back) ; “ its a funny old game Saint “ , sure is, who could have predicted Liverpool, both manc teams & Leicester all getting stuffed this weekend past, Leeds having a go and getting rewarded and Everton and Villa unbeaten !!? unbelievable - well done Ross Barkley btw, partly sad to see him leave ? International break is a bummer for us, but a lot of the traditional top six teams play each other in the immediate resumption of the PL on 17/10 and the following weekend, including us v MU , so lots of 6 pointers, but first we need to get past S’hampton, who are well organised and no mugs under Hasenhuttl who, IMO, is decent, but we need to be putting these guys to the sword if we are genuinely top 4 contenders, especially at home ( despite there being no crowd, I still think playing at home is an advantage - isn’t it ?) so I look forward to FL’s team selection on the basis that everyone returns from international duty unscathed - team moral must be high and the players looking forward to getting back to their day jobs after 4-0 on Saturday and a decent team performance ? Someone on here mentioned that when we play the mancs 24/10 and that they may have a new manager by then and benefit from the bounce that that tends to bring - seriously hope not - gotta keep Ole in the job !!!

Incidentally, I read with interest your comments regarding Hudson oh-dear and completely agree with your analysis of his play, obviously not from this game having not yet seen it, but from early performances - what you’ve said he played like is what I have seen too - makes me wonder if the right loan deal can be set up , say with Bayern, that him moving away from the comfort of everything that is safe and home and family, that it might be good for his development as a person as well as a footballer, because, IMO, he defiantly lacks confidence ? It might not make any difference in the end, but I don’t think he’s a top 4 prem or CL standard player as it stands ?

Unfortunately I didn’t get to see the game due to commitments - like others, Saturday lunchtime fixtures are a problem for me,- but your review of the games seems measured , I won’t really get to judge based on the edited bbc highlights, so , at face value, your comments are useful - thanks for taking the time

First time in ages that I will look forward to watching match of the day !!!

Well I confess I’m confused at your use and understanding of the word NEVER ? You said initially; ‘“.............Zouma NEVER gets the timing wrong and turns it into a penalty ..................” In a further post a few hours ago, according to you , never meant a period of time NOT greater than 6 years previous to 2020 and a continuance into the future, seemingly without end ? However, in your latest post at about 16.30, it’s only up to this Saturday and the palace game !! Re-read our exchanges - Zouma going to jail ffs !!!!!! and Saturdays game v palace have NEVER (that’s my understanding of never not yours) been up for or formed part of the discussion - stick to the point !!

You’ve complete misunderstood the metaphor , there was never any suggestion that he should go to prison ffs. Any footballer , professional or otherwise, as long as they are on the pitch is capable of conceding a penalty and given the nature of last ditch, goal saving tackles, even more so, to say that a particular player will NEVER concede a penalty is ridiculous, especially if the player in question plays centre back . So to be clear and for the record , are you saying that because Kurt Happy Zouma (did you know his middle names is Happy ? ? - marvellous thing is google) hasn’t committed a mistimed tackle in the penalty area in the last 6 years (although he may have done previous to 2014 ?) that he is incapable of doing so between now and the end of his professional football career ?

Well bless you, I’ll take it in the spirt and gecko in which you maintain it is intended.

Hmmmmmm, this all started because you took issue to my observation that whilst recognising Zouma’s last ditch, goal saving double tackle as world class (forget the reason behind why the tackle was necessary) and further suggesting that the next time he does that it could be a mili second mistimed and result in a penalty and a straight red. In response you said that Zouma NEVER gets his timing wrong - I gave you an example of when he did and it was SO badly mis-timed that he fractured the other players fibia, tibia and dislocated his ankle and got a 10 match ban as a consequence - you said that it didn’t count because it didn’t happen in the last six years , hence the metaphor regarding the Yorkshire ripper being released because he too hasn’t murdered anyone in the last 6 years !!!!! Got f**k all to do with performance.

Ah sorry, please don’t beg, it’s unattractive and it doesn’t work !

Well it’s hardly 20 years ago, but by that logic the Yorkshire ripper should be released because it’s been 40+ years since he hit anyone on the head with a hammer and killed them ???

Didn’t he get a straight red and a 10 match ban when playing for st etienne for a mis-timed tackle that fractured the other player tibia, tibia and dislocated an ankle ?

Off the pace, so that’s what it was, there was me thinking he didn’t give a f**k ?

You are right of course, very unlikely that 100 million+ worth of German ‘talent’ will be getting splinters, especially as the sign off on their purchase may not have been from FL himself? , so pressure may be brought to bare, but having said that, there was was £200 million plus on the bench last night at KO time !! Havertz gets picked ahead of ????? based on he cost £75+ million and not on his performances so far - granted 3 goals but against championship relegation likely’s to L1 ? However, he must be persisted with so we get to see what all the fuss was about - hopefully that prophecy gets fulfilled? The reality of things at the moment is that NO one, including the Chelsea management team, knows the best formation or, generally, the players ideal positions, but you can only piss with the cock that you’ve got, so let’s hope to God “they” get it right on Saturday - I like either line up , it excites me and whets the appetite .

In truth, having only seen the defensive players ( new and old ) in the matches so far this season and with the varied combinations FL has picked , it’s difficult to understand how the pairings work together, but I wouldn’t play 4 at the back, at least not with the combinations of 4 that are available to us - it doesn’t seem to work ? I have to assume that Rudiger is gone and that Silva still has “it” at 36 ? I want to love Zouma and I sort of do - what a double , goal saving tackle that’s was last night by the way !! , but next game does he get the timing wrong and it’s a penalty plus a red? At times he’s big and awkward but he has a great heart and shows spirit and commitment , so we are left with a choice between Tomori and Christensen ? I have always rated Alonso, not so much as a left fullback, but as a wing back he’s capable, he has wonderful close ball control, great left peg and is good in the air. Chilwell - £50 million and seeing him play for Leicester, I hope he comes good for us. Azpi, nuff said. James is young and has a tendency to pass backwards rather than look for the forward ball or take the full back on - hope that part of his game grows ? I’m really confused about the German contingent, not seen enough of them to know where their best positions are, but I haven’t been overly impressed with either so far if I’m honest ? Having said that , they have been amongst the goals ? TA - can’t fault his effort and on his day he can be ok, bordering on good, but he’s not Didier. MM - he has something about him, but he isn’t good enough yet to play 30+ games a season, and yet again I don’t know his best position, but it’s definitely not as a winger. RLC - this guy is so frustrating, he seems to have it all, big, rangy, strong etc but he mostly looks less than interested and I suspect he has a “ too cool for school” attitude ? Ziyech - to be determined, but looked ok v bright in the pre-season game Pulisic - he really does have something about him, don’t wanna put too much pressure on him, but hopes are high ? Mendy Tomori or Christensen, Silva, Zouma Kante Chilwell/Alonso , Kovasic, James/Azpi Ziyech Pulisic Werner/Havetz its a long season, so plenty of opportunity to rotate . Big worry is the defensive midfield role - only got Kante worth a damn at the mo ?

Can’t believe that anyone in there right mind would pick hudson Oh dear through choice, you might as well only send out 10 players, cause he won’t contribute to the performance - for what ever reason he’s shot, his bottle has gone, even HE doesn’t even believe in himself. You saw it last night, he receives the ball on the half way line and it’s begging to get pushed forwards down the line for him to take on the full back, but he bottles it every time, he won’t take anyone on, instead he takes the pass and gives it straight back - what’s the point of a playing a winger who isn’t able or capable of being a winger ?? We have plenty of ‘to you, to me , to you’ sideways and back passers without the wingers playing that game too. Sorry , but if Bayern are interested, rip their arm off and unload. Wenger is not a winger, it’s pointless playing him in that position , it was hopeless last night and the rub of it all is that because our “wingers” didn’t/can’t/wouldn’t play as wingers, it made Giroud’s selection a nonsense - the hairy french one is never gonna do or be anything other than a target man, who holds up play and scores goals from inside the six yard-ish area from quality service via the flanks - if you don’t give him service he’s just a passenger - we were playing with 9 effective players last night. I worry that people (me most of all) are putting too much hope into the return of Pulisic and Ziyech to turn our game around, I hope it’s true but they are not Messiah’s , their just very naughty boys ?

Totally agree