I'm not sure how big of a presence Luis Filipe had at Chelsea. He was a squad player who didn't play very much, which is exactly why he left.

 

Cech wasn't going to stick around as second choice. He's too good for that. Drogba knew it and the club knew that he could no longer perform on the level that he did in his prime, so it was inevitable that he left.

 

Replacing leadership is not easy and it's not something that can be bought. It's very rare that a player comes in to a club and becomes a leader right away.

 

I'm glad we agree.

Leicester have three times the net spend that we've had over the last two seasons.

Net spend is an overrated and overused metric. Wages are just as important if not more important. Suppose Club X have a net spend of £30 million and wages of £5 million; Club Y have a net spend of £5 million and wages of £30 million.

Which club "spent" more? Based on net spend, Club X by a large margin. But Club Y's expenditure is actually greater because the wages cannot be recouped. Club Y are poorer by £30 million forever. In contrast Club X are only poorer by £5 million forever. The £30 million in net spend may not even be an expenditure in the long run, as they might profit from it (the same applies to Club Y's net spend).

I don't know why net spend continues to be the primary metric of club spending. It really doesn't make sense.

Edited March 3, 201610 yr by offside

My last thought about this evening is that no one is truly in form. All sides can lose to other sides (except Villa) on a given day. All that's certain is that Leicester have the title to lose and that pressure is getting to some teams.

Least you have a nice easy 3 points this weekend coming up spud :)

I'm glad we agree.

Then how do you blame the club for not replacing those leaders? Weren't you saying the club have weakened the squad from last season?

Net spend is an overrated and overused metric. Wages are just as important if not more important. Suppose Club X have a net spend of £30 million and wages of £5 million; Club Y have a net spend of £5 million and wages of £30 million.

Which club "spent" more? Based on net spend, Club X by a large margin. But Club Y's expenditure is actually greater because the wages cannot be recouped. Club Y are poorer by £30 million forever. In contrast Club X are only poorer by £5 million forever. The £30 million in net spend may not even be an expenditure in the long run, as they might profit from it (the same applies to Club Y's net spend).

I don't know why net spend continues to be the primary metric of club spending. It really doesn't make sense.

Net is a common primary metric in finance because it gives you the end picture.  

 

Gross gives you such a big picture that its hard to use the information effectively.

 

Ideally net spent would include salaries in addition to the transfer fees.  I suspect, in consideration of inflation etc, that even salaries have gone down considering some of the names going out vs coming in.

 

However, more important than net spent is just viewing how the club supported the successful managers.

 

Point is, this is the second time in a row when a CFC manager has won the double and essentially had their hands tied behind their backs due to the board or whomever has decision making authority when really they should of been supporting that manager to win the next one.

 

Carlo: Ballack out, Belleti out, JCole out, Deco out, Carvalho out, only Benayoun and Ramires in.......and then his #2 sacked without warning..... That was how he was supported going into the season and a few months after it satrted after winning the double

 

Mourinho had no improvements coming in except maybe Pedro who was clearly a last minute panic buy after the season started awfully, this despite how poor the last half of last season went.  Despite the fact also that we just jettisoned two of our biggest leaders when we only had 3 left (now 1) and mental strength was really the major factor to winning the title last season (oh, the difference between Hazard this season and last LOL).Publicly undermined regarding the transfer of a major player amongst other rumors that would suggest it was clear Mourinho held little authority aside from picking the team.

 

 

Mourinho might not be a long term manager but this club isnt an environment thats conducive to long term managers no matter what their personality is and no matter what success they bring.  Even RDM who delivered the CL/FA double didnt get any real support, got axed for a manager we all despised the second the board/owner felt they could justify it.  Funny because some would have Rafa as a success here despite taking the team backwards in the league from where RDM had them....and ya, im going to say that RDM stood a good chance of lifting the EL with essentially the same squad who lifted the CL with him

Edited March 3, 201610 yr by Barry Bridges

Net spend is an overrated and overused metric. Wages are just as important if not more important. Suppose Club X have a net spend of £30 million and wages of £5 million; Club Y have a net spend of £5 million and wages of £30 million.

Which club "spent" more? Based on net spend, Club X by a large margin. But Club Y's expenditure is actually greater because the wages cannot be recouped. Club Y are poorer by £30 million forever. In contrast Club X are only poorer by £5 million forever. The £30 million in net spend may not even be an expenditure in the long run, as they might profit from it (the same applies to Club Y's net spend).

I don't know why net spend continues to be the primary metric of club spending. It really doesn't make sense.

 

I get your point in a theoretical context but what you seem to be doing is disassociating wages from transfer spend - the link being that a more expensive player will generally command a wage in line with that. You're also touching on amortisation and the impact of wages and fees over the lifetime of a contract and you do have a point, BUT we've actually had a low net spend not just over one year but over three years (the example I cited with Leicester was over two).

 

The reason net spend is a useful metric (not the primary one but a useful one) is because it can give a snapshot of the new capital investment into the playing squad. It obviously requires context but so does just saying 'we spent x amount in January'. 

 

The bottom line is we failed to acquire the players we needed if the aim was to make the squad better and we arguably let it get worse. You can't do that in professional sports.

 

Then how do you blame the club for not replacing those leaders? Weren't you saying the club have weakened the squad from last season?

 

I've spoken elsewhere about leadership and whilst it can be tough to find new leaders, it's not impossible. Leadership is not just experience, it's the ability and willingness to put your hand up and take responsibility in a situation. Cech and Drogba exemplified that but they aren't the only players like that and not all players who possess that trait are over-25.

 

But if we are going to have a weaker squad in that sense, surely the club had to improve in other areas. Maksimov's point was that replacing like-for-like in a positional sense is enough and I disagreed.

Edited March 3, 201610 yr by ShedEnder91

Least you have a nice easy 3 points this weekend coming up spud :)

Have a like axman :-)

However, I think we need to be cautious as Arsenal must respond after yesterday's defeat by Swansea. The loss was bad timing for Spurs as all the cliches about the importance of Saturday's game are now true. Wenger must be seen to get an improvement out of his team after a loss of a potential 6 points in their last two PL games. A loss on Saturday and I don't think Arsenal can win the PL and, with teams behind them playing well/getting results, their top four finish might even be at risk. Sat will show the character of Wenger's players. I hope to God we win, less for our own sake but more to show that, behind the facade of 'good footballing' Arsenal is run by cynical businessmen and money outranks success in importance.

(Just getting off me soapbox about the Gooners)

Edited March 3, 201610 yr by Spudulike

Here we go...

 

 

What is that guy going on about from 1:38 ? I think he has his dates mixed up. Arsenal didn't win the league 2008 or 2012 and the players he is talking about were long gone before then.

Duplicate

Edited March 3, 201610 yr by Spudulike

What is that guy going on about from 1:38 ? I think he has his dates mixed up. Arsenal didn't win the league 2008 or 2012 and the players he is talking about were long gone before then.

I'm afraid some Arse fans have their head up their ... arse.

What is that guy going on about from 1:38 ? I think he has his dates mixed up. Arsenal didn't win the league 2008 or 2012 and the players he is talking about were long gone before then.

 

I was thinking that too. That guy always spouts garbage. Earlier this season he was having a go at Wenger for keeping Sanchez on the bench in one of their losses, now he's done a 180. Its actually kind of nice to see their fans get so flustered and nonsensical.

wengers little lemmings

A damning indictment of Billy Jones:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/mar/03/emmanuel-eboue-short-term-sunderland-deal-trial-sam-allardyce

What is that guy going on about from 1:38 ? I think he has his dates mixed up. Arsenal didn't win the league 2008 or 2012 and the players he is talking about were long gone before then.

 

Must have been a United fan back in 2008, that's where we won the double - League/Champions League and the League in 2012.

Sky Sports Breaking News: Arsenal Goalkeeper Petr Cech out for up to four weeks

That is a massive blow for them and can I just say I hate seeing the words Arsenal Goalkeeper Petr Cech together

Edited March 4, 201610 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

That's a problem.

Indeed.

For some reason I cant help thinking Arsenal will beat Spuds

Edited March 4, 201610 yr by Chelsbear

For some reason I cant help thinking Arsenal will beat Spuds

I wouldn't be shocked mate it's all nicely aligned for Spurs to win but they f**k stuff up as much as Arsenal do. Personally I think a draw would br good aslong as Leicester win.

I wouldn't be shocked mate it's all nicely aligned for Spurs to win but they f**k stuff up as much as Arsenal do. Personally I think a draw would br good aslong as Leicester win.

True Bobby.

I couldn't believe they messed up when Arsenal got beat the other night.

I'd love Leicester to do it but it seems too good to be true.

Won’t be good seeing any London team lift the title so I’m pinning my hopes on Leicester or Man City to somehow put together a string of wins which looks unlikely.

I’ll stomach Spuds winning it so Arsenal miss out however as it would literally destroy those deluded goons.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3476224/US-mogul-secret-talks-big-five-Premier-League-clubs-says-Manchester-United-deserve-European-qualification-ahead-Leicester-regardless-position.html

 

Disgusting story, Keep your yank hands off our game.

I  would never watch top tier football ever again if that happened.

Have a like axman :-)

However, I think we need to be cautious as Arsenal must respond after yesterday's defeat by Swansea. The loss was bad timing for Spurs as all the cliches about the importance of Saturday's game are now true. Wenger must be seen to get an improvement out of his team after a loss of a potential 6 points in their last two PL games. A loss on Saturday and I don't think Arsenal can win the PL and, with teams behind them playing well/getting results, their top four finish might even be at risk. Sat will show the character of Wenger's players. I hope to God we win, less for our own sake but more to show that, behind the facade of 'good footballing' Arsenal is run by cynical businessmen and money outranks success in importance.

(Just getting off me soapbox about the Gooners)

No cech and their best center back out as well. Think it is a banker as long as your lot show up spud.

Think watford will surprise the foxes too. Could be a big weekend for you.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3476224/US-mogul-secret-talks-big-five-Premier-League-clubs-says-Manchester-United-deserve-European-qualification-ahead-Leicester-regardless-position.html

Disgusting story, Keep your yank hands off our game.

Not the foxes fault we were sh*t at the start of the season. Is our own fault just as it is Liverpools and uniteds they are where they are.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3476224/US-mogul-secret-talks-big-five-Premier-League-clubs-says-Manchester-United-deserve-European-qualification-ahead-Leicester-regardless-position.html

Disgusting story, Keep your yank hands off our game.

This is why no one plays American sports outside of America.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3476224/US-mogul-secret-talks-big-five-Premier-League-clubs-says-Manchester-United-deserve-European-qualification-ahead-Leicester-regardless-position.html

 

Disgusting story, Keep your yank hands off our game.

 

Anyone who thinks this should even be considered should be kept as far away from the game as possible. The worst thing about this is that the fans of the clubs will be tarred with the same money grabbing brush as the d**khead self serving executives despite the fact the fans of those clubs don't want it anyway...... well tbh liverpool and arsenal fans probably think they've got a divine right but no one else. It sounds tacky but the people who come up with these ideas are genuinely the enemies of football and represent everything wrong with sport in general.