1 hour ago, dkw said:

It's not even in the top 20 worst ever. 

Exactly, how fortunate we are compared to some of our squads in the 70's 80's 90's

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

Surely this is the worst transfer window we have gone through, ever? (So far)

The replacements we've signed are great players, but as you all can see our depth is shocking. I can't remember the last time we had such a lack of depth, and Scott is our only available midfielder aside from Kante.

The club fully knew we had tough games coming up early in the season, instead of making sure we're prepared for the crucial games we are left with what we've got now. The situation could have been avoided and I've never seen us look so unprepared! We knew Bakayoko and Hazard wouldn't be available so we should have signed another midfielder as soon as Matic and Chalobah left.

I could go on forever, I'm praying for no more injuries or suspension this weekend. We'll probably get something out of the match this weekend but it doesn't mask up the serious issues we've got.

Sort it out!

Ever is a bit far.

Certainly under Roman it's one of the poorest but still short of 2015 when we brought in Hector and Papy. In terms of squad depth it's probably worse than that though 

1 hour ago, Osgood is Good said:

Exactly, how fortunate we are compared to some of our squads in the 70's 80's 90's

 

Windows didn't exist in those days though. I think this window thus far has been spectacularly bad. Yes we've signed Bakayoko and Morata, but they'll be replacing Matic and Costa, so it's pretty much like-for-like. We've got a decent back-up in Caballero, one that City didn't want to keep as back-up, and we've signed Rudiger and recalled Christensen, at the same time losing Zouma, Terry and Ake.

 

We haven't signed any WBs with the season underway and tough games looming, including City, Arsenal, Everton and Spurs. Even if we sign some players they'll need some time to bed in. We haven't replaced Chalobah, and if we lose Morata for any length of time we're probably in a lot of trouble.

 

We're certainly not stronger than last time round, our squad is much smaller, we have more games as a result of Europe and our rivals have strengthened. Then take into account the sale of Matic to Utd which our manager has said he was against. It's pretty unbef**kinglievable. Yes we'll buy players in the next 2 weeks, maybe as many as 5, but you rarely get a bargain towards the deadline and everybody knows we're desperate so we have no bargaining power, and very few of those purchases if any will be our first choice.

 

Not to put too fine a point on it, we're desperate. Our current squad boasts 15 senior outfield players. Yes we've come a long way since the old days but times have changed and in the present context the board have done a spectacularly bad job this summer, whatever happens. Our manager is in a rotten state of mind and that's no way to be starting the new season and it's scarcely what he deserved after his efforts last term.

 

I'm sorry but the board have got a lot to answer for in my opinion. What's Conte's net spend since he joined the club? He's got every right to feel aggrieved.

 

Jesus Christ are we mad? We've got one of the best managers in the whole wide world. Back him. A happy Conte will reap dividends for this club. We really do everything to sabotage sometimes.

 

Edit: I hope I'm wrong but whoever we sign in the next two weeks I fear irreparable damage may have been done in terms of the relationship between Conte and the board. Shame because it was all so f**king unnecessary. 

Edited August 16, 20178 yr by Davey Baby

Spot on Davy.

The board have once again outdone themselves in terms of the disaster that 2015 was. We are shockingly poor at backing outanagers after initial success and only money and money alone mean we continue to get them. The way we treat them compared to other clubs is pretty woeful really. 

 

Can we just sign someone already???!!!!!

Don't hold your breath for new signings unless you want to disappoint your family and let them plan a funeral. We will start September with the exact same squad as we have now. We are just having a hard time accepting it.

So in the wake of City bidding 18m for Johnny Evans this could be their back line this season when Kompany's unfit.

 --------------------------- Ederson----------------------------

Walker---------Stones--------- Evans-------------- Mendy

That is a piss poor defense even worse than Arsenal's in the late 00's and it would cost almost 200m to assemble, yet this is the model we should apparently be following  

This is why for me, I expect us to win the league again.

4 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Surely this is the worst transfer window we have gone through, ever? (So far)

The replacements we've signed are great players, but as you all can see our depth is shocking. I can't remember the last time we had such a lack of depth, and Scott is our only available midfielder aside from Kante.

The club fully knew we had tough games coming up early in the season, instead of making sure we're prepared for the crucial games we are left with what we've got now. The situation could have been avoided and I've never seen us look so unprepared! We knew Bakayoko and Hazard wouldn't be available so we should have signed another midfielder as soon as Matic and Chalobah left.

I could go on forever, I'm praying for no more injuries or suspension this weekend. We'll probably get something out of the match this weekend but it doesn't mask up the serious issues we've got.

Sort it out!

we've signed great players, but we've had the worst window? lol 

2 hours ago, doctorblue said:

Wenger again today saying the Oxlaide Chamberlain is staying with the club this year...think he needs to put in a transfer request to get the ball rolling...

he didn't say it with uber confidence. i wouldn't be surprised to see him go, but who knows maybe the club will keep him. 

3 minutes ago, enigma said:

he didn't say it with uber confidence. i wouldn't be surprised to see him go, but who knows maybe the club will keep him. 

Wenger said he didn't want him go, rather than saying he definitely wouldn't. Still could go ahead I think. 

We sign good players and let go good players, thats the way i see it. The problem is we let too many players leave and didn`t replace them accurately.
I just don`t know after Ancelotti and Jose fiasco, and this summer, how can anyone still defend the board. This is what amaze me.

And City have ready bad CB, but their wingbacks are pure class, a lot better then ours. And to be fair our CB is not so great either. After the 13 games run, we concede goals after goals.

But if you look at City depth, and the PL is a marathon, not a sprint destination, you will know how much infront they are compare to us. Same goes for United.

Again, why our so "great" board didn`t even try for Matiudi ? Because he is 30 ? He would have give us so much option, and would be great, and Juve took him for 15-20m.
And there is people saying they are doing good job.

And to bring 3 new good players, could be good window if you don`t lose anyone or let 3 average or not so good players go. That`s the way i see it.

To bring 3 new and sell 15, it`s a disaster waiting to happen.

 

1 hour ago, Davey Baby said:

 

Windows didn't exist in those days though. I think this window thus far has been spectacularly bad. Yes we've signed Bakayoko and Morata, but they'll be replacing Matic and Costa, so it's pretty much like-for-like. We've got a decent back-up in Caballero, one that City didn't want to keep as back-up, and we've signed Rudiger and recalled Christensen, at the same time losing Zouma, Terry and Ake.

 

We haven't signed any WBs with the season underway and tough games looming, including City, Arsenal, Everton and Spurs. Even if we sign some players they'll need some time to bed in. We haven't replaced Chalobah, and if we lose Morata for any length of time we're probably in a lot of trouble.

 

We're certainly not stronger than last time round, our squad is much smaller, we have more games as a result of Europe and our rivals have strengthened. Then take into account the sale of Matic to Utd which our manager has said he was against. It's pretty unbef**kinglievable. Yes we'll buy players in the next 2 weeks, maybe as many as 5, but you rarely get a bargain towards the deadline and everybody knows we're desperate so we have no bargaining power, and very few of those purchases if any will be our first choice.

 

Not to put too fine a point on it, we're desperate. Our current squad boasts 15 senior outfield players. Yes we've come a long way since the old days but times have changed and in the present context the board have done a spectacularly bad job this summer, whatever happens. Our manager is in a rotten state of mind and that's no way to be starting the new season and it's scarcely what he deserved after his efforts last term.

 

I'm sorry but the board have got a lot to answer for in my opinion. What's Conte's net spend since he joined the club? He's got every right to feel aggrieved.

 

Jesus Christ are we mad? We've got one of the best managers in the whole wide world. Back him. A happy Conte will reap dividends for this club. We really do everything to sabotage sometimes.

 

Edit: I hope I'm wrong but whoever we sign in the next two weeks I fear irreparable damage may have been done in terms of the relationship between Conte and the board. Shame because it was all so f**king unnecessary. 

I understand your frustration with the transfer situation, however going back to my post, we are extremely fortunate to have the players we currently have, as opposed to the utter crap we have signed during the times I mentioned. You can't be saying that you would prefer our squads of the late 70's or most of the 80's. Surely.

So taking into account that in your eyes we've only signed like for like replacements with Morata, and Bakayoko, we still have a fantastic first eleven, would you not agree ?.

Two or three more decent squad signings and I think we will be OK, we won't win the CL but have a chance at the PL. Unlike most I am not writing us off yet. We showed enough in the 2nd half against Burnley, to suggest that the dressing room is not lost like the Jose final half season.

Agree regards the board not backing the manager, but Roman/board never have had a long term manager, so to lose Conte after 2 - 3 years was always going to be the case. We have had some fantastic managers over the years none of them have been allowed to build over a period of time. Correct me if I am wrong, but even Bates was a hire and fire Chairman and longevity was not something associated with a Chelsea manager.

I am not defending the board, but they have a financial agenda, and neither you nor I or anyone else on the forum can change their agenda. We now at least have a team of talented players which is a far cry from this squad being "the worst ever" as one of the posters said. As @dkw said "It's not even in the top 20 worst ever" and I agree.

 

Im just trying to say that the board has gotten the club in a dire situation, with the squad so thin and we had to rely on youth players to cover the bench. I don't remember the last time we had to do that. Sold so many players and signed a few players, even just to compete for all four trophies looks a mammoth task. With the squad as it is we're going to suffer massively with the game load and injuries etc.

I wonder who's going to be on the bench this weekend...

2 hours ago, Osgood is Good said:

I understand your frustration with the transfer situation, however going back to my post, we are extremely fortunate to have the players we currently have, as opposed to the utter crap we have signed during the times I mentioned. You can't be saying that you would prefer our squads of the late 70's or most of the 80's. Surely.

So taking into account that in your eyes we've only signed like for like replacements with Morata, and Bakayoko, we still have a fantastic first eleven, would you not agree ?.

Two or three more decent squad signings and I think we will be OK, we won't win the CL but have a chance at the PL. Unlike most I am not writing us off yet. We showed enough in the 2nd half against Burnley, to suggest that the dressing room is not lost like the Jose final half season.

Agree regards the board not backing the manager, but Roman/board never have had a long term manager, so to lose Conte after 2 - 3 years was always going to be the case. We have had some fantastic managers over the years none of them have been allowed to build over a period of time. Correct me if I am wrong, but even Bates was a hire and fire Chairman and longevity was not something associated with a Chelsea manager.

I am not defending the board, but they have a financial agenda, and neither you nor I or anyone else on the forum can change their agenda. We now at least have a team of talented players which is a far cry from this squad being "the worst ever" as one of the posters said. As @dkw said "It's not even in the top 20 worst ever" and I agree.

 

 

No, of course our squad is better than ones of earlier eras, that goes without saying, but I don't agree about our first XI, I don't think it's fantastic, I think there's an awful lot of room for improvement, and I bet Conte thinks that too.

 

Yes, we won the league last year but for me that was more down to the manager's brilliance than anything else. I don't think we had any right to win the title and nor did anybody else before the season started. Half our team of last year could have been upgraded this summer, that's why Conte's going after Sandro, it's not because Alonso's a bad player, it's because we can do better. Last season we had less games and less injuries than our rivals. This season we need a bigger squad and a better team. We've got neither, in fact we've got a smaller squad. That's why I think it's been a spectacularly bad window. Sure, our team is a far cry from being our worst ever, but the performance of the board this window is as bad as I can remember. We failed to get first choice targets in Lukaku and Danilo, we sold Matic to Utd against the manager's will, and we've let go of loads of players and brought in only four, and that's before we factor in the players we lost last winter.

 

Edit: Like you I'm not writing us off, as I believe in this manager, but sadly I'm writing off any chance of Conte and the board having a harmonious relationship, and we all know how that will play out in the end, which for me is a great shame and is all-too-typical of Chelsea, as you've said.

Edited August 16, 20178 yr by Davey Baby

8 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

IMO - we now have Ox, Cancelo and Drinkwater in the bag just waiting on Turkish attacking midfielder, Tom thought this might be Nuri Sahin.

Take with a pinch of salt as I may be wrong.

Suspect the club wants one press unveiling.

The "Turkish attacking midfielder" could be Yunus Malli though. Spurs were interested in him a summer ago.

11 minutes ago, Davey Baby said:

 

No, of course our squad is better than ones of earlier eras, that goes without saying, but I don't agree about our first XI, I don't think it's fantastic, I think there's an awful lot of room for improvement, and I bet Conte thinks that too.

 

Yes, we won the league last year but for me that was more down to the manager's brilliance than anything else. I don't think we had any right to win the title and nor did anybody else before the season started. Half our team of last year could have been upgraded this summer, that's why Conte's going after Sandro, it's not because Alonso's a bad player, it's because we can do better. Last season we had less games and less injuries than our rivals. This season we need a bigger squad and a better team. We've got neither, in fact we've got a smaller squad. That's why I think it's been a spectacularly bad window. Sure, our team is a far cry from being our worst ever, but the performance of the board this window is as bad as I can remember. We failed to get first choice targets in Lukaku and Danilo, we sold Matic to Utd against the manager's will, and we've let go of loads of players and brought in only four, and that's before we factor in the players we lost last winter.

 

Edit: Like you I'm not writing us off, as I believe in this manager, but sadly I'm writing off any chance of Conte and the board having a harmonious relationship, and we all know how that will play out in the end, which for me is a great shame and is all-too-typical of Chelsea, as you've said.

We have a great first eleven IMO as demonstrated by winning the league. Yes credit to Conte but also the players. There is no way Roman was going to sanction upgrades (which would mean WC players) on half of our team as you would've liked. In today's market that would have equated to around 300 - 350 million and we are not going to spend that amount. I expected 2 WC wingbacks to greatly improve the side and challenge in the CL. That's all I think we need for the 1st team, and also 1 or 2 CM squad players (obviously not WC). Replacing Alonso and Moses would mean they are also squad/cover players.

My biggest gripe with the board, is once they have identified their targets, the low balling apparently starts and we become embroiled in a long drawn out stalemate. It is obvious to all, apart from Chelsea, that it is a sellers market.

To me it's not as bad as is being made out, plus the window hasn't closed yet. Let's see what happens and if we are in the same position squad wise, when the window shuts, then we are in the sh*t for injuries/suspensions cover.

 

We were missing 4 first teamers vs Burnley. Sure the club have themselves to blame for that but pretty much any club in England would be looking bare on the bench if they had 4 starters out. It looks worse than it is, which is still pretty bad. At least 2 players are needed for us to be competitive playing 2 matches a week. 

Not 2, but 4. And this is atleast in a perfect situation - 4 player is almost good.

No way we will have good season(top 4 finish and leaving CL group stage) with just 1-2-3 new signing.

Whatever you look it, the team need 2 WB, 2CM, and even with that the team is limited. 1 more top winger would be good, and third striker, so we have option for different system with 2 strikers infront.

If we buy 2 new CM we willl have only 5 midfielder, the defence will be okay, but our attacaking options will suck. Conte could not switch and use different systems, cause we lack players.

If you can see old replies, before 1 or 2 months, we was speaking we need 4-5 new players, and that was before we sold so many more players and bring no one ...

Depth is for that, to cover injuries, that is why it`s so important to have decent depth and qualities on the bench. Almost always you will have injuries in the team.

 

15 hours ago, ducavis said:

Wasn’t it Conte that farmed out RLC, Chalobah, Zouma etc because he gave them no reassurance?

Fan keep blaming the board when it is Conte who has dropped the ball. Things wouldn’t  look this dire if he had kept RLC & Ake. We have spent big on 3 players which is close to the business City/Utd have done, I don’t think see how feasible it is to sign 6/7 players in one window. 

RLC & Ake were not ready in Conte's mind. Whether he's right or wrong is irrelevant, as a manager he's responsible for performances and results while the board is responsible for providing him with the players he needs. He kept his part of the bargain last season and expected to be rewarded with better transfers.

United/City have spent significantly more on their squads over the last few years though and they're not done yet. Our title win belies the fact that our squad was, and still is, very small and now that we've sold even more players, it's got worse. Look at City bench last week: Toure, Sane, Silva etc. and look at ours. Season is a marathon and we're already significantly short both in depth and quality.

The board has messed up, that's all.

13 hours ago, doctorblue said:

Wenger again today saying the Oxlaide Chamberlain is staying with the club this year...think he needs to put in a transfer request to get the ball rolling...

The player's got one year left on the contract. He may be just using Chelsea's interest to squeeze more money out of Arsenal for a new much improved deal.

Not saying it's the case, but it happens all the time.

I guess we can all sit back and admire the transfer disaster that is unfolding before our eyes; how are Spuds fans feeling not having signed a single player, Liverpool not getting all their supposed targets. Apart from City and United none of our rivals have really signed any 'world class' players or even 'great' players when you think about it. Everton having spent around 130 mill haven't added a world class player that would be enough to threaten the top 6 apart from maybe Liverpool; so what players we did buy are 'good buys'; where we have f**ked up is selling before buying which is mystifying to all of us on here.

A pure guess on my part, but did the Board believe that some of the players targeted had more or less committed to coming then because of Agents and how prices suddenly sky rocketed, teams reneged on any handshake deals in order to get more money?  then did the knock on effect of the Neymar deal pretty much killed any chances we had of getting any supposed world class players at the fees we had anticipated and therefore blew up our budget numbers causing us to be somewhat frugal in the market.....or is this truly a display of total incompetence by the Board?

I don't have any special, behind the scenes information...

 

But based on the previous actions at Chelsea....

 

1. There will 100% be new signings before/at the end of the transfer window. While I'm upset that we've let players go before sourcing replacements, there is no way we are going to end the transfer window with a squad this light on depth. Like last year, we may not get our ideal choices, but we will get someone and they will be chosen to fit our tactics.

 

2. Most of the signings will be under 25 years of age (given we've shown a clear preference towards younger players). This apparently is contrary to what Conte wants who prefers the tried and trusted. But with Mourinho selling Lukaku, De Bruyne and Salah last time, the board is likely to be keen not to give Conte too much control on transfers.

 

3. Don't be surprised if we sign Sanchez last day of the window. He's said previously he wants to play champions league football and stay in London. He won't be the nailed on first team starter at Manchester City or PSG, but he would be at Chelsea. Given he has less than 12 months left on his contract, I'd say a move to Chelsea is more than 50% chance.

 

 

Sanchez, lol. Man wake up from your dream.

Sanchez, lol. Man wake up from your dream.

Why not?  

 

Arsene isn't stupid. He will sell Sanchez by the end of the window if he can't somehow convince him to sign a new contract (unlikely).

 

If he were Man City bound, he'd be there by now. He wouldn't be a nailed on starter there either.

 

PSG have Neymar and maybe Mbappé. If Mbappé joins they aren't likely to be as interested.

 

Sanchez has said he wants to play champions league football and remain in London (I'll try find the article).

 

I'm not saying it will happen, but I think it's a serious possibility (over 50% chance)

 

 

 

What world class players have City and Utd bought this year? I mean Lukaku? Or maybe its Lindeløf who showed how far off the mark he is against Real that he was replaced by Fat Phil Jones? Is Matic somehow world class now? City have bought to youngsters off Monaco who both look promising a Real Madrid cast off and Kyle Walker. The same Kyle Walker who pass benched for Trippier to close out the season. The one world class player they were linked with was Sanchez anf he is still at Arsenal last time I checked