22 minutes ago, Kentonio said:

We don't have a very big stadium. Arsenal are selling nearly 20,000 more tickets than us each game.

Stadium size has become quite irrelevant to income nowadays. for example Arsenal finances break down as such:

Gate- 100m

Broadcasting-198m

Commercial- 91m

Retail and Licensing- 26m

Property Development - 1m

Player Trade- 7m

£423m for Arsenal

If we compare Chelsea (As we do not have this years financial report from Chelsea):

Gate- £70m (Same as last season)

Broadcasting- £165m (£151m for the league, £2.5m for the FA cup and £11.5m for CL group stage) 

Commercial- £110m (£60m Nike, £40m Yokohama, £10m Carabao) 

Retail- £26m (Assuming the same as Arsenal)

I don't know what the last two are for but I am assuming Chelsea have similar incomes as well- £8m

 

This comes out at £379m for Chelsea. As you can see, arsenal are mainly beating us because they have £32m more in broadcasting then we do. How they have achieved this whilst finishing 5th I have no idea (And it seems odd that it is so high compared to our own revenue from broadcasting) But their stadium is completely negated by the fact that we make more in commercial deals. The numbers are odd.

1 hour ago, Total-Football said:

 

 

Pogba - £89m + agent/signing on fees(£10/15m) + wages  £300K = £50m per year (5 year contract)

Bakayoko/Drinkwater/Barkley - (£40m+£35m+£15m) + agent/signing on (£12m) + wages (£100K x3) £300K = £50m per year

De Bruyne - £60m + agent/signing on  (£10/15m) + £250K = £39.5m per year

Roughly the same price but the quality of player is much worse. 

 

 

 

 

Good post but it's not that simple.

First of all if we signed one player to £300k a week it'd result in the wage bill increasing by about £1m per week over the next 18 months because a rising tide lifts all boats. Hazard and arguably Courtois would want parity and every single squad member who are on £80k-£100k would be wanting to be topped up to £150k or so to stay in line with their ratio compared to the top earners.

Secondly, the squad did need filling out and that's largely down to the manager. You're not telling me this board that according to most on here are tighter than a nun's ... wanted to sell Ake and replace him with the more expensive Rudiger. Or that they rathered send RLC, Abraham and Musonda on loan and buy replacements instead.

Thirdly, Drinkwater and Barkley are HG and we needed to get some in. Both are more than capable of being good squad players.

Lastly and I know people hate this but in the business world it makes sense when you're trying to work within a budget to spread the risk when buying assets and as far as the business side goes that's what players are, they are assets.

4 minutes ago, startedwithglenn said:

Good post but it's not that simple.

First of all if we signed one player to £300k a week it'd result in the wage bill increasing by about £1m per week over the next 18 months because a rising tide lifts all boats. Hazard and arguably Courtois would want parity and every single squad member who are on £80k-£100k would be wanting to be topped up to £150k or so to stay in line with their ratio compared to the top earners.

Secondly, the squad did need filling out and that's largely down to the manager. You're not telling me this board that according to most on here are tighter than a nun's ... wanted to sell Ake and replace him with the more expensive Rudiger. Or that they rathered send RLC, Abraham and Musonda on loan and buy replacements instead.

Thirdly, Drinkwater and Barkley are HG and we needed to get some in. Both are more than capable of being good squad players.

Lastly and I know people hate this but in the business world it makes sense when you're trying to work within a budget to spread the risk when buying assets and as far as the business side goes that's what players are, they are assets.

If we are trying to keep the wage bill down by refusing to sign players with a high wage, we aren't doing a very good job of it. Man City spend £12m a year less then we do on wages and United spend only £8m more then we do. Seeing as they both have multiple players making more then our top earner, the question begs, why isn't their wage bill substantially higher then ours. 

If the manager refused to play the youth players as squad players then that's on him and we can directly blame him for that. I'm not of the opinion that the board is being particularly frugal (£200m investment shows they are not) I'm arguing that they are spending the money poorly.

Loftus-Cheek>Barkley and Chalobah>Drinkwater. Both younger, on less wages and no added fees needed to be spent on either.

That's the problem, the football side of the club is being screwed over because the woman in charge is running it like a business in every sense. She doesn't understand football and yet has almost complete control over footballing matters. It would be like a CEO of a company taking control of a construction project and making themselves head engineer, despite not having a clue about engineering or project management.

 

15 minutes ago, startedwithglenn said:

Good post but it's not that simple.

. Or that they rathered send RLC, Abraham and Musonda on loan and buy replacements instead.

Lastly and I know people hate this but in the business world it makes sense when you're trying to work within a budget to spread the risk when buying assets and as far as the business side goes that's what players are, they are assets.

 with the loans I am understand the loan club are picking up the wages and we get a fee for the loan deal which makes sense on a financial level and for player development .  There were rumors Le Arse paid us a fee to allow Batman to go on loan to Germany ....

15 minutes ago, Total-Football said:

If we are trying to keep the wage bill down by refusing to sign players with a high wage, we aren't doing a very good job of it. Man City spend £12m a year less then we do on wages and United spend only £8m more then we do. Seeing as they both have multiple players making more then our top earner, the question begs, why isn't their wage bill substantially higher then ours. 

If the manager refused to play the youth players as squad players then that's on him and we can directly blame him for that. I'm not of the opinion that the board is being particularly frugal (£200m investment shows they are not) I'm arguing that they are spending the money poorly.

Loftus-Cheek>Barkley and Chalobah>Drinkwater. Both younger, on less wages and no added fees needed to be spent on either.

That's the problem, the football side of the club is being screwed over because the woman in charge is running it like a business in every sense. She doesn't understand football and yet has almost complete control over footballing matters. It would be like a CEO of a company taking control of a construction project and making themselves head engineer, despite not having a clue about engineering or project management.

 

A lot of City's big earners are the older members of the squad coming to the end of contracts that were signed a few years ago, the likes of Yaya, Aguero.

They've shipped a lot of high wage earners off the books over the last 2-3 years too and if you look at their signings they are almost all of a young profile and so stands to reason they are not coming in at peak-level wages.

Plus most of their signings under Guardiola have been GK's and defenders who command lesser wages. City will see a spike in their salary levels when the likes of de Bruyne (who I think resigned recently or is about to for £200k or thereabouts, jesus to £150k), Sterling, Sane etc are all up for renewals or when they sign a marquee attacking player(s) in their mid-to-late 20's that will demand the absolute top level salary.

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by startedwithglenn

I reckon post Conte we will go to a back four.

It will be interesting to see who steps in until the end of the season.

Get it wrong and Europa or worse next season.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Tea Bar Boy said:

 with the loans I am understand the loan club are picking up the wages and we get a fee for the loan deal which makes sense on a financial level and for player development .  There were rumors Le Arse paid us a fee to allow Batman to go on loan to Germany ....

Yes you're totally right on both counts, we get a loan fee and the wages are paid but for example if everybody had gotten what they wanted in the summer I think :

- The board would have gladly passed on say a £3m loan fee for Abraham and had him as part of the squad

- Conte didn't want Abraham in the squad and wanted to spend £20m+ on a 32 year old Llorente.

3 minutes ago, startedwithglenn said:

A lot of City's big earners are the older members of the squad coming to the end of contracts that were signed a few years ago, the likes of Yaya, Aguero.

They've shipped a lot of high wage earners off the books over the last 2-3 years too and if you look at their signings they are almost all of a young profile and so stands to reason they are not coming in at peak-level wages.

Plus most of their signings under Guardiola have been GK's and defenders who command lesser wages. City will see a spike in their salary levels when the likes of de Bruyne (who I think resigned recently or is about to for £200k or thereabouts, jesus to £50k), Sterling, Sane etc are all up for renewals or when they sign a marquee attacking player(s) in their mid-to-late 20's that will demand the absolute top level salary.

Isnt that the way forwards then? Sign young players with world class potential who are willing to take a lower wage. We seemed to be doing that with the Hazard/Oscar signings but then just said screw it and gave up on the whole idea. 

Just now, Total-Football said:

Isnt that the way forwards then? Sign young players with world class potential who are willing to take a lower wage. We seemed to be doing that with the Hazard/Oscar signings but then just said screw it and gave up on the whole idea. 

It's 100% the way forward and it's what the board did do and if you ask me still want to do.

Courtois, de Bruyne, Lukaku, Salah all worked for that strategy. That's half a team that were originally signed for peanuts, the problem being we are trying to run the club properly with a long term strategy but are entrusting these assets to short term managers.

Some haven't worked, van Ginkel, Baba and the likes.

There are others who fit that strategy and could still play roles like Batshuayi, Zouma, Kenedy.

So really the main problem with the board is that they are not matching their managers well with their vision for the club. For the club vision, and this sounds outrageous but it is actually true, Brendan Rogers would be a much better appointment than Simeone would for the next coach but history tells us it's only the latter would be considered of the two.

Watching this thread for the 2am meeting!

Why are so many sure the sack is incoming? It did not after Bournemouth so why after this humiliation and not that one?

Those asking conte to walk...lol you are funny. Any of us willing to walk away from an 8mill payoff? I think not.

 

Also it seems to me the majority on here more blame conte than say the board or the players. Now the players got more blame for jose losing his job so why is conte not being given the same benefit of the doubt. Least we are not getting close to the drop zone right?

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by axman2526

Sad this is, really. Not sure where it all started to unravel. Perhaps the handling of Costa in the summer started the ball rolling, who really knows?

The team has never looked quite right all year long. Slowly you could see the life draining from Conte on the touchline match after match. No longer managing each pass, etc. Not celebrating goals. The press conferences have become the snow ball rolling down hill that cannot be stopped. Conte is consumed by it. Coaching a large English club, in London no less, is one of the most pressure packed jobs you can take. The pundits dream up story lines and then watch to see if they can play out over time. They can be the ultimate haunt if you allow them.

2018 has been as horrific as mystifying as to where this has all come from. It seems to coincide with the opening of the January transfer market. Though Conte has a point we need an upgrade with 2 or 3 world class additions, the majority of these players did win the title last year, even if extremely as overachievers. Perhaps this has not sat well with the core players. No doubt the desire, passion, etc has been missing all of 2018. The Norwich games were just awful, only Norwich did not even have talent enough to beat us.

I have been a huge Conte supporter and fan. I hate to see it end this way so quickly. Was hoping for three years at least.

Unfortunately, I think we can all see clearly now. With the divide created by Conte and the Board, and perhaps with the players now too, this needs to end and soon. The last two matches have to be the worst two back-to-back match performances from Chelsea in 25 or more years, especially considering the competition. Other than Hazard's wizardry, we looked like a bunch of League Two players playing Watford in the 4th round of the League Cup. I believe the players are doing him in now. He even eluded to it in the post match comments, something to the effect in England, players can get the coach sacked, but not elsewhere.

Oddly, with the right manager, we could revive the rest of the year and squeak into the Top 4 I think. Need some life breathed in. New training methods. New tactics. New formation. I know, eventually a lot of new players, but that is another topic for another day.

The next couple of days shall be interesting. I just cannot see him surviving much longer.

He is a great coach. An honest man to a fault perhaps. But this is a tough job. It is not for everyone.

 

 

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

Also it seems to me the majority on here more blame conte than say the board or the players. Now the players got more blame for jose losing his job so why is conte not being given the same benefit of the doubt. Least we are not getting close to the drop zone right?

 

See my comments above. I am not sure he did not lose the players as the January transfer window opened. He talked a lot in the media about needing "players". Meanwhile, his current players overachieved to win the title last year. Every match since January 1st has had the same feel. How we have not lost more is beyond me. We look woeful. Something happened between the players and Conte. You can see it on the touchline. So perhaps many may feel he has brought it on himself. Jose is doing it a bit at United right now as well.

6 hours ago, Chelsbear said:

Look at him tonight. Anyone thinking he wants to be here is needing to go to specsavers

its over, he wants out and the players know it so have downed tools just like Jose all over again.

we have no choice but to relieve him 

Unfortunately, but I think you're correct. He looks like he's done. This is a disaster. 

The board carries a large share of the blame for not backing him in the transfer market, but this doesn't explain being destroyed by the likes of Bournemouth and Watford.

The only problem is, who can we get at the moment that can turn things around, and quickly. With our upcoming schedule it'll be a tough task for anyone. But something needs to be done, and soon.

 

The only person I can think would be Jody Morris. There’s only 12 games left bar cup games so would have to be someone internal. 

I think he’s done but the timing is strange. We have one game left before Barca. 

Been a long time since I posted on the forum, but I want to say a few things here. For me, these are the facts.

1. Toxic goings on.

I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but clearly things aren't exactly harmonious at the club. I'm not saying Conte has fallen out with the players, but it seems to me that they've stopped trying for him. Why? Because it's nailed on he's leaving, that's why. Why bother trying for a man whose days are numbered? This could be one way of looking at it, yes, but on the whole...these type of players who think like this are toxic and need dumping fast. That leads me to point two.

2. Many of the players aren't fit to wear the shirt.

I've been saying it for a while but we do need a mass clear out in the summer. The quality isn't good enough (Cahill as our captain is a joke, to be honest), but more importantly...the passion is gone. I don't see Terry, Lampard or Drogba esque big figures. Ironically, one of the few guys who seemed to care and give 100% all the time has been loaned out (perhaps never to return). Michy Batshuayi. Absolute madness loaning him out. This leads me to point three.

3. The board are clueless.

Conte has been treated like a joke by them and Roman. I used to look at Conte and see a good manager who cared about the club. Now...he's not the same anymore. The passion has gone, and I can't blame him. Anytime they've given him anything with one hand they've took with the other. I'm not saying Conte is blameless (some of his choices have been poor this season), but on the whole...he's been let down big time. He's been disrespected, and I do not blame him for walking out (which I'm sure he's going to do in the summer (if he lasts that long)).

Well, that's everything. The whole club is lacking direction at the moment. At this rate, we're not gonna make top 4 and we're going to be spanked by Barca.

Dark times ahead once again guys.

Woke up this morning to see I was right to go to bed at half-time. Can't say I'm surprised at result.

Conte is not  bad manager. Just a very stubborn one. This is a man who last season after Arsenal's spanking said I don't care what formation we play but something has to change and then switched it up.  Now all of a sudden he can't switch things up and goes into the same formation with the same set up and tactics?

I said the other day Hazard part of our problem and was nearly chewed up. He is great don't get me wrong but holding on to the ball a tad too long just because he can doesn't do the team any good. I saw it happen several times in the first half as well. Teams have figured this out and just crowd him out now whilst others get back in position.

Well my assessment is the board is willing to spend money but not just on what Conte wanted there is no future with him long term at Chelsea. They are buying squad fillers now and when the next man comes will give him who he wants. Conte refused to commit from the start of season and all that has happened afterward is a consequence of his decision.

And Emenalo no longer here otherwise he would gave been taking a glorious berating from the fans now. Lucky man, dodged that one.

So who do we blame now guys?ha

Contes post match interview definitely feels like a good bye. Saying “I give my best but the club can make their decision”. He’s downed tools. 

One thing is for sure, we must get top 4. Our finances won’t take another hit of missing CL. We got away with it but of winning the league. Should Conte go, the person who comes in needs to be told to prioritise the league. Missing out could also have bigger implications about players signing new contracts and new players signing up. 

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by JM7

All the talk of the clubs income by people is quite right, and competing with the Manchester clubs will be difficult, some great passionate posts,. But we haven't played those sides recently, we have played a poor Arsenal, Watford, Bournemouth, Norwich, Leicester, Southampton, Stoke, Brighton twice, Newcastle, we were fortunate at Brighton away and scored 3 early goals against Stoke, none of these teams have a bigger income!!! Sad to say in the end the managers job is to pick a team, motivate them, get results, and if he can play attractive football, Conte has failed in all of this, over the last few months not just the last two games, tactically and team selection has been a shambles recently, players also need to take some blame obviously, but I am afraid the axe needs to fall this morning and quickly. Thanks Antonio. But my club comes first, "boys in blue division 2"

4 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Why are so many sure the sack is incoming? It did not after Bournemouth so why after this humiliation and not that one?

Those asking conte to walk...lol you are funny. Any of us willing to walk away from an 8mill payoff? I think not.

 

Also it seems to me the majority on here more blame conte than say the board or the players. Now the players got more blame for jose losing his job so why is conte not being given the same benefit of the doubt. Least we are not getting close to the drop zone right?

He picks the team. He has other options than the likes of Cahill and Baka who once again were abysmal last night.

He also has no plan B. If things arent working or sh*t hits the fan full on, he doesn't change the shape or ask players to do things different, it's just a Straight  swap for 'fresh legs'.

He also continues to isolate our best attacking player up front on his own as a false 9 whilst he has forwards twiddling their thumbs on the bench.

The board arn't blameless but he has hit a wall. 

As for the players, how would you feel playing week in week out with the likes of Baka, you think it's not a distraction to possibly have next to no confidence in a team mates?

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by Blue Exile

What’s the point of giving him next game? It’ll only be the same performance. 

If we dont get top4, we lose hazard (maybe Thibaut), thats for sure. 

Thibaut can be replaced, losing hazard can be a major blow for us.

Looking at the way we are performing and conte is acting, I wont mind him getting the sack right now to protect our very near future.

I don't like this situation at all but now feels about the right time. If the players were still giving 80-90% then perhaps another miraculous change in system could do us the world of good but sadly it looks like the players have turned there backs on another manager.

I would love Conte to be given the time and maybe some backing from the board but top 4 seems so crucial for the clubs finance, Tibo and Hazard that to get a fresh face in now could get us top 4 (3rd/4th).

Then in the summer a bit of an overhaul with the squad, we need some leaders back in the team that are strong mentally and feel pride wearing the shirt and don't simply see us a pay cheque.

Edited February 6, 20188 yr by DukesOfHazard

3 hours ago, Chelsea Buzz said:

Sad this is, really. Not sure where it all started to unravel. Perhaps the handling of Costa in the summer started the ball rolling, who really knows?

The team has never looked quite right all year long. Slowly you could see the life draining from Conte on the touchline match after match. No longer managing each pass, etc. Not celebrating goals. The press conferences have become the snow ball rolling down hill that cannot be stopped. Conte is consumed by it. Coaching a large English club, in London no less, is one of the most pressure packed jobs you can take. The pundits dream up story lines and then watch to see if they can play out over time. They can be the ultimate haunt if you allow them.

2018 has been as horrific as mystifying as to where this has all come from. It seems to coincide with the opening of the January transfer market. Though Conte has a point we need an upgrade with 2 or 3 world class additions, the majority of these players did win the title last year, even if extremely as overachievers. Perhaps this has not sat well with the core players. No doubt the desire, passion, etc has been missing all of 2018. The Norwich games were just awful, only Norwich did not even have talent enough to beat us.

I have been a huge Conte supporter and fan. I hate to see it end this way so quickly. Was hoping for three years at least.

Unfortunately, I think we can all see clearly now. With the divide created by Conte and the Board, and perhaps with the players now too, this needs to end and soon. The last two matches have to be the worst two back-to-back match performances from Chelsea in 25 or more years, especially considering the competition. Other than Hazard's wizardry, we looked like a bunch of League Two players playing Watford in the 4th round of the League Cup. I believe the players are doing him in now. He even eluded to it in the post match comments, something to the effect in England, players can get the coach sacked, but not elsewhere.

Oddly, with the right manager, we could revive the rest of the year and squeak into the Top 4 I think. Need some life breathed in. New training methods. New tactics. New formation. I know, eventually a lot of new players, but that is another topic for another day.

The next couple of days shall be interesting. I just cannot see him surviving much longer.

He is a great coach. An honest man to a fault perhaps. But this is a tough job. It is not for everyone.

 

 

Great post CB. With regards your final comment I really do hope that you are right, that the issues that have snowballed have each had their own causal effect upon the overall state that we now find ourselves in. I do have some sympathy with Conte. He wanted top class additions, but we needed a number of reinforcements of a standard that he could work with. We didn't get either. Then his high intensity training sessions and the fantastic high pressing, explosive football from last season could have been replicated on all fronts. But with a squad chock full of average players who can't pass into runs, can't receive the ball on the turn, need two and three touches to get the ball under control, it was doomed to failure. Now the few players that we can rely upon look burnt out and frankly pi$$ed off. A recent press soundbite that the players complained at the intensity of the training sessions recently is telling and seems to have gone under the radar.

My real concern is for the integrity of the game. I have always said Chelsea is the best job in football. Claudio Ranieri joked himself that he was a made man from the point of getting sacked by Chelsea. Having cleared his name from the whiff of a match fixing scandal within what historically has been a corrupt legal system, I really hope that the system is not being played here, with Conte already sick of the continual negative press (when was there a piece in the press recently about team selection, tactics etc of a positive nature like last season? Spurs away maybe.), family not settled in England, issues with the transfer policy and the perceived inadequacies of certain board members (but lets be honest we are all paying sirloin prices for mutton in this market). If, as it appears Conte is intentionally goading the board into sacking him with his negative team selections, his on field tactics that appear to leave us totally hamstrung, and his constant and increasingly implausible, press mutterings, because he has got his eye on the severance package and a job waiting for him to fall into, well then I think that could be a very unsavoury precedent being set.

If there is any possibility that this is true and I were RA, I would employ Guus or anybody as a Director of Football over his head and starve him out, frustrating him so much that he walked. I know its bloody minded and would potentially hurt the team more, but we can't be put in a position where clubs are potentially being held to ransom.

10 minutes ago, DukesOfHazard said:

I don't like this situation at all but now feels about the right time. If the players were still giving 80-90% then perhaps another miraculous change in system could do us the world of good but sadly it looks like the players have turned there backs on another manager.

I would love Conte to be given the time and maybe some backing from the board but top 4 seems so crucial for the clubs finance, Tibo and Hazard that to get a fresh face in now could get us top 4 (3rd/4th).

Then in the summer a bit of an overhaul with the squad, we need some leaders back in the team that are strong mentally and feel pride wearing the shirt and don't simply see us a pay cheque.

I dont see how we can have "Another" overhaul of the club. 

Alonso, Palmeiri, Zappa, Rudi, Andreas, Luiz, Baka, Kante, Drinkwater, Barkley, Morata, Giroud. Thats 12 players off the top of my head that I can say were bought less than 2 years ago.

We sure need a couple of world class players. Selling off cesc, willian and pedro with some young world class talent is the only logical solution i can think of. Other than that, our average players being bought are dragging us down, currently. And conte is not helping the situation my simply moaning and making it worse.