Backbiter

It would be nice to see his name spelt correctly.
Proper Chels.
😪

Sad news for us. He's been a very good, consistent defender. Far better than the French trio we spent megabucks on and now can't sell. I know the club have to raise money - and we've been good at that over the years - but his departure weakens the squad IMO.

Sad news for us. He's been a very good, consistent defender. Far better than the French trio we spent megabucks on and now can't sell. I know the club have to raise money - and we've been good at that over the years - but his departure weakens the squad IMO.

Sad news for us. He's been a very good, consistent defender. Far better than the French trio we spent megabucks on and now can't sell. I know the club have to raise money - and we've been good at that over the years - but his departure weakens the squad IMO.

Sad news for us. He's been a very good, consistent defender. Far better than the French trio we spent megabucks on and now can't sell. I know the club have to raise money - and we've been good at that over the years - but his departure weakens the squad IMO.

Sad news for us. He's been a very good, consistent defender. Far better than the French trio we spent megabucks on and now can't sell. I know the club have to raise money - and we've been good at that over the years - but his departure weakens the squad IMO.

I don't particularly rate Tielemans or Santos, so I'm surprised and not really concerned to see United splurging nearly £100m on them. I gather their fans are a bit underwhelmed, too. They probably look at Santos and anticipate what they've seen from Mount. Both decent players but not top quality IMO.
Mount was very good for us till his final season when injuries and contract issues messed him up. He's barely made an impact since the move.

I don't particularly rate Tielemans or Santos, so I'm surprised and not really concerned to see United splurging nearly £100m on them. I gather their fans are a bit underwhelmed, too. They probably look at Santos and anticipate what they've seen from Mount. Both decent players but not top quality IMO.
Mount was very good for us till his final season when injuries and contract issues messed him up. He's barely made an impact since the move.

Dan Burn & Djed Spence in a knockout game at a World Cup. Christ.

Went there three years ago. The people were delightful, and were happy to talk football endlessly (and knowledgeably). I had no idea they were any good at it. The islands don't seem to lend themselves to football, being very hot, windy and desert-y, and with few obvious facilities. The quality of their football has astounded me.

Went there three years ago. The people were delightful, and were happy to talk football endlessly (and knowledgeably). I had no idea they were any good at it. The islands don't seem to lend themselves to football, being very hot, windy and desert-y, and with few obvious facilities. The quality of their football has astounded me.

Went there three years ago. The people were delightful, and were happy to talk football endlessly (and knowledgeably). I had no idea they were any good at it. The islands don't seem to lend themselves to football, being very hot, windy and desert-y, and with few obvious facilities. The quality of their football has astounded me.

Went there three years ago. The people were delightful, and were happy to talk football endlessly (and knowledgeably). I had no idea they were any good at it. The islands don't seem to lend themselves to football, being very hot, windy and desert-y, and with few obvious facilities. The quality of their football has astounded me.

Went there three years ago. The people were delightful, and were happy to talk football endlessly (and knowledgeably). I had no idea they were any good at it. The islands don't seem to lend themselves to football, being very hot, windy and desert-y, and with few obvious facilities. The quality of their football has astounded me.

Cape Verde keeper Vozinha made seven saves against Spain and eight in the loss to Argentina.

Well done to Cape Verde. I completely and utterly under estimated them!
For me, the story of the World Cup.

Who would've known? Completely gassed Enzo Fernandez plays just like fully fit Enzo.

Updated

Updated

Updated

Having read the statements:
No concrete admission of 'tapping up' or legal inducement by City. It's unlikely to pass muster because Chelsea knew that Maresca was talking to City as early as October, which he could easily argue as consent. The fault is entirely Maresca's. However, there are limited rules against managers breaking their contract other than PL and FA rules against any party inducing a breach, which allow the PL/FA to apply sporting sanctions against both club and manager. This was the sticking point for City because now Chelsea had a prima facie case that they could take to the PL, sporting sanctions would likely be imposed, and that would delay Maresca's appointment. The timings made the risk untenable for City even if they had done nothing wrong (as is likely).

The above is how the rules are meant to work. By imposing a sporting sanction, clubs are deterred from inducement and must negotiate compensation in good faith to avoid action. If there was no sporting sanction avaiable, then Maresca would be able to simply walk and any compensation would need to be chased by Chelsea after-the-fact (likely years).

Two compensation payments happen because Maresca owes the residual on his contract as compensation for the breach, and City agreed to pay a fee so that we don't seek sporting sanctions.

Maresca did us dirty twice. The negotations in October might have been permitted or ignored but if he was on gardening leave then I'd bet he was supposed to inform Chelsea and didn't.

With money from UECL, CL qualification, CWC and now these kind donations from City and Maresca himself, Maresca might well be Chelsea's highest revenue-grossing manager in history. If he can take Fernandez and Gusto with him to City, Winstanley and Stewart will owe him a statue for saving their financial mess.
What a distasteful end. Maresca was a nobody before this club gave him an opportunity, and he even received unjustified support right until the very bitter end. He won't be at City past January, is my bet.

Selling our manager retrospectively for 17 mill is a good deal by Blue Co's standards.

Selling our manager retrospectively for 17 mill is a good deal by Blue Co's standards.

I’m struck by a sense that in the last 24 hours the much ridiculed and largely dismissed World Club Cup victory has suddenly gone up in estimation by the sports press and particularly City fans.

Looks like an AI image switching men into little boys.