We had a plan a few years ago. We were signing young, promising players like De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, Salah, etc... but since Jose came and went, it's hard to say what on earth we're doing. Under Conte the board seemed happy with just signing anyone to fill the squad numbers out. We've now got a squad which is kind of half suited to one style and half to another, with a ridiculous amount of deadwood.

4 hours ago, Zeta said:

We had a plan a few years ago. We were signing young, promising players like De Bruyne, Lukaku, Courtois, Salah, etc... but since Jose came and went, it's hard to say what on earth we're doing. Under Conte the board seemed happy with just signing anyone to fill the squad numbers out. We've now got a squad which is kind of half suited to one style and half to another, with a ridiculous amount of deadwood.

Emenalo.

On 11/01/2019 at 18:36, JM7 said:

Chelsea are still considering Bayern Munich’s fourth offer for Callum Hudson-Odoi of £35m, having made no progress in their attempts to persuade him to sign contract. 

This doesn’t look good. Pity because I thought Hudson-Odoi was one of our best performers in pre-season. He looked like a star in the making. It’s inexplicable that he had to wait for so long to get a start under Sarri. If Sarri had given him more opportunities earlier, he might have been more willing to stay. Sarri managed the situation badly in my opinion. Now we look like losing a very very promising player. 

Edited January 14, 20197 yr by Socrates

1 hour ago, Socrates said:

This doesn’t look good. Pity because I thought Hudson-Odoi was one of our best performers in pre-season. He looked like a star in the making. It’s inexplicable that he had to wait for so long to get a start under Sarri. If Sarri had given him more opportunities earlier, he might have been more willing to stay. Sarri managed the situation badly in my opinion. Now we look like losing a very very promising player. 

Experienced international players ahead of him, what's Sarri to do?  Agreed he could have given him more run outs, but it's difficult in a team fighting for a top 4 spot not for one floating around in mid-table.  While you could argue Spurs managed it and one or two others giving kids a chance where has it got them? and they only played them because they don't have the depth of squad we have.  Catch 22 - Managers here are under constant pressure unlike 95% of the teams in the league. 

Sven Mslintat could be on the way out of Le Arse.

Would he be worth a punt as the new Emmanalo?

Unearthed plenty of gems in recent years I think.

52 minutes ago, BordeauxBlue said:

Sven Mslintat could be on the way out of Le Arse.

Would he be worth a punt as the new Emmanalo / head of recrutement?

Unearthed plenty of gems in recent years I think.

 

4 hours ago, BordeauxBlue said:

Sven Mslintat could be on the way out of Le Arse.

Would he be worth a punt as the new Emmanalo?

Unearthed plenty of gems in recent years I think.

Signing of the season. I'd forgoe any player signings to have him come in

On 14/01/2019 at 21:25, CFCCAN said:

Experienced international players ahead of him, what's Sarri to do?  Agreed he could have given him more run outs, but it's difficult in a team fighting for a top 4 spot not for one floating around in mid-table.  While you could argue Spurs managed it and one or two others giving kids a chance where has it got them? and they only played them because they don't have the depth of squad we have.  Catch 22 - Managers here are under constant pressure unlike 95% of the teams in the league. 

This has ALWAYS been the argument and it will always have two sides to it.

Sure, you can understand the coach sticking with the experienced "tried & trusted" players. When these players are quality and performing well week in, week out (like City & Liverpool so far this season) then no-one can argue. BUT when the players are NOT top quality, and getting constant starts in the first 11 because they MAY have a good game and because of what they have done in past seasons, then that's when we are right to question and say, rather than go with same old, same old, have some balls and try something different FFS!!

As much as I detest the dippers, they are a good example - have shown faith in Alexander-Arnold & Gomez and are now reaping the rewards.

 

 

12 hours ago, BordeauxBlue said:

Sven Mslintat could be on the way out of Le Arse.

Would he be worth a punt as the new Emmanalo?

Unearthed plenty of gems in recent years I think.

This. He knows how to find gems certainly 

On 14/01/2019 at 10:16, Zeta said:

Ake's not even that good. His positioning is poor whenever I see him play.

I've never really got the love for ake, he seems to be constantly recovering from poor positioning or a rash dive in, doesn't seem to understand how to jockey players or move them into areas that are easier to defend. 

10 hours ago, dkw said:

I've never really got the love for ake, he seems to be constantly recovering from poor positioning or a rash dive in, doesn't seem to understand how to jockey players or move them into areas that are easier to defend. 

He's a Chelsea youngster who managed to become a starter in another PL club. That alone in the eyes of certain CFC fans makes him a world class star we should be going after. It's a bizarre logic, but that's very common.

12 hours ago, dkw said:

I've never really got the love for ake, he seems to be constantly recovering from poor positioning or a rash dive in, doesn't seem to understand how to jockey players or move them into areas that are easier to defend. 

I always thought he was better as a holding midfielder, play pretty well against us in cup last month in that position aswell. 

I agree with your point about his 1v1 defending, there's been quite few times I've seen on match of the day, that strikers have been able to get shots in because he isn't tight enough. 

He would be an okay squad player, versatile, and home grown, but not for £40m.

1 hour ago, big blue said:

I always thought he was better as a holding midfielder, play pretty well against us in cup last month in that position aswell. 

I agree with your point about his 1v1 defending, there's been quite few times I've seen on match of the day, that strikers have been able to get shots in because he isn't tight enough. 

He would be an okay squad player, versatile, and home grown, but not for £40m.

I would agree on the holding midfielder as he is good on the ball yet don't see him being a starter for us unless we are talking end of season when Kovacic moves on.

4 hours ago, big blue said:

I always thought he was better as a holding midfielder, play pretty well against us in cup last month in that position aswell. 

I agree with your point about his 1v1 defending, there's been quite few times I've seen on match of the day, that strikers have been able to get shots in because he isn't tight enough. 

He would be an okay squad player, versatile, and home grown, but not for £40m.

Fully agree, he`s versatile as he can play full back, centre back and holding mid so for a squad payer that would be really useful, but we already have Ampadu who can do that and looks a hell of a lot better player than Ake ever did. Better hair too.

On 14/01/2019 at 07:39, mels2309 said:

Wilson isn't worthy that 50 million

Only 13 goals whole last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB0fMUTzX9s

I wouldn't mind Wilson to come here in January and then to sign a better striker to compete for the number 1 spot, but I definitely do not agree with 50 million. That is absolutely outrageous. Why in the world do German clubs help Bayern so much with selling of players but English clubs are the exact opposite, mostly? I mean I get why English clubs don't want to sell their best players to the top clubs, it makes sense. What doesn't make sense is why German clubs constantly sell their best players to Bayern at average/decent prices. What dirt does Bayern have on all the Bundesliga? lmao, crazy to me.

 

P.S. DON'T SELL CHO TO BAYERN, PLAY HIM AND PROVE TO HIM HE HAS A FUTURE AT CHELSEA!

Reports from AS that we are targeting Christian Eriksen

Boy, it really is silly season, isn't it?

43 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

Reports from AS that we are targeting Christian Eriksen

Boy, it really is silly season, isn't it?

LMAO, I mean they might be kicking the tires on it, but really it's like they throw darts at a few different dart boards. dart board for player, then a dart board for which league the team inquiring about said player is from, then dart board for actual team. I mean what exactly is the qualification for some of these journos to pitch some of this malarkey?

Why no lol

It’s just a ploy, we’re trying to get his head turned as now he is their saviour with Kane and Son out.

On 16/01/2019 at 11:26, Spiller86 said:

Signing of the season. I'd forgoe any player signings to have him come in

Mislintat would be some coup for us.

Also, presenting English football's most "underated" homegrown player, rugby league's Jonathan Hogg.  

Edited January 17, 20197 yr by the special one

We've been tenuously linked with Coutinho:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1074821/Philippe-Coutinho-transfer-news-Barcelona-Chelsea

5 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

We've been tenuously linked with Coutinho:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1074821/Philippe-Coutinho-transfer-news-Barcelona-Chelsea

No idea how much truth is in that but he would be incredible in the role Kovacic plays for us. 

Would offer us an actual goal threat and creativity in that final 3rd,

There’s no way we would pay for him.  Barcelona wouldn’t take a loss, and didn’t he sell for something around 115m?  Agreed that he would be perfect for our midfield though.

Edited January 20, 20197 yr by mwblue10

On 17/01/2019 at 10:46, mwblue10 said:

Reports from AS that we are targeting Christian Eriksen

Boy, it really is silly season, isn't it?

Eriksen is in the final year of his contract - I would love it if we get him, A proven Premier League player and only 26 years old. Plus it would really piss off the Spurs fan.

What is not to love ? 

50 minutes ago, brownindian said:

Eriksen is in the final year of his contract - I would love it if we get him, A proven Premier League player and only 26 years old. Plus it would really piss off the Spurs fan.

What is not to love ? 

We could use him, for sure.  It just won’t happen, that prick Levy will never sell to us, no matter the contract status.