As well as he is playing i still want Chilwell in the team.

7 minutes ago, jack_super_class said:

As well as he is playing i still want Chilwell in the team.

Chilwell is in the team unless you mean you want Chilwell Starting. I am sorry buddy but its a long season , as of today Alonso is rightfully our LWB. Chilwell will start on wednesday but against city it will be the False 3

1 hour ago, jack_super_class said:

As well as he is playing i still want Chilwell in the team.

Thought Chilwell would be the undisputed left full back this season, but in this current form Marcos Alonso is simply undropable, this formation plays to his strenghts and to be fair I cannot think of a better left wing back in Europe atm. Better left full backs in a back four? Yes, theres plenty better than him. Better wing backs? None I can think of to be fair.

I want see Chiwell play too, but it's impossible to drop Alonso right now. If there's a game tonight, pick him ahead of Chiwell again.

Chilwell will get his chances - the season is 60 games long.  Alonso is in a right purple patch.  Technically he has always been superb - always excited when he shoots or volleys something.

Alonso has spoken about opting against taking the knee this season and it's something that I think you will see happen more and more as the season the progresses. At this point I actually think it's quite a (for lack of a better word) brave choice not to knee. There's so much attention on it in the country now that it would almost be easier to just go along with it now:

“I am fully against racism and I’m against every type of discrimination, and I just prefer to put my finger to the badge where it says no to racism, like they do in some other sports and football in other countries,” said Alonso. “I prefer to do it this way and, of course, to say very clearly that I am against racism and I respect everybody.”

Asked whether or not his decision to stop taking the knee had anything to do with politics, Alonso said: “I don’t know, I just prefer to do it this way. It’s my way to do it, I think it’s another way. And maybe I think it’s losing a bit of strength the other way, so I just prefer to do it this way and to show I am fully supportive of fighting against racism.”

Alonso’s Chelsea team-mates Reece James, Antonio Rudiger and Romelu Lukaku have all been victims of racist abuse, but Alonso has not spoken to them or any other members of the squad about his preference to stand while they take the knee.

“No, we haven’t talked about it,” said Alonso. “We are in the changing room and we are like a family. I have a very good relationship with everyone, I love everyone and up to now we haven’t talked about it. I don’t think there is a need to, but, of course, if I have to speak to anyone, I will say the same thing I just told you and I don’t think there will be any problems.”

Asked if it is his intention to not take the knee for the remainder of the season, Alonso added: “Yeah, for now I prefer to point to the sleeve and that’s what I will do.”

Marcos is essential in our setup...

Or else we will be too defensive...

He is a joy to watch...

1 hour ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Alonso has spoken about opting against taking the knee this season and it's something that I think you will see happen more and more as the season the progresses. At this point I actually think it's quite a (for lack of a better word) brave choice not to knee. There's so much attention on it in the country now that it would almost be easier to just go along with it now:

“I am fully against racism and I’m against every type of discrimination, and I just prefer to put my finger to the badge where it says no to racism, like they do in some other sports and football in other countries,” said Alonso. “I prefer to do it this way and, of course, to say very clearly that I am against racism and I respect everybody.”

Asked whether or not his decision to stop taking the knee had anything to do with politics, Alonso said: “I don’t know, I just prefer to do it this way. It’s my way to do it, I think it’s another way. And maybe I think it’s losing a bit of strength the other way, so I just prefer to do it this way and to show I am fully supportive of fighting against racism.”

Alonso’s Chelsea team-mates Reece James, Antonio Rudiger and Romelu Lukaku have all been victims of racist abuse, but Alonso has not spoken to them or any other members of the squad about his preference to stand while they take the knee.

“No, we haven’t talked about it,” said Alonso. “We are in the changing room and we are like a family. I have a very good relationship with everyone, I love everyone and up to now we haven’t talked about it. I don’t think there is a need to, but, of course, if I have to speak to anyone, I will say the same thing I just told you and I don’t think there will be any problems.”

Asked if it is his intention to not take the knee for the remainder of the season, Alonso added: “Yeah, for now I prefer to point to the sleeve and that’s what I will do.”

Long winded way of saying he's getting old and early stage athritis is beginning to hurt his knees...

We all know about his technical ability on the ball, but what's standing out for me at the moment is his level of fitness. His movement has never been better and he's so full of energy.

19 minutes ago, wally said:

We all know about his technical ability on the ball, but what's standing out for me at the moment is his level of fitness. His movement has never been better and he's so full of energy.

Very true but we have to understand that this is due to his position as a wing back. He is one of the greatest wing backs I have ever seen and deserves a case study in the position at University.lol. 

If we were to change to a back 4 people will be begging Tuchel to bench him. It also helps that he as an aggressive Rudiger as cover on his inside. I just wish CHO could learn from Alonso and be like him at Wingback

“I love it! To be booed when you play away, it’s music to my ears. It might be because I have scored a few goals against them and I think they maybe have these memories in their head when I touch the ball, so yeah I love it and even more when we get the three points.”

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Marcos' form right now. I think he's discovered something within him that hasn't been there consistently since Conte's first season, I'm really impressed and plaudits must go to both him and Tuchel.

I am concerned however at his recent stance and comments surrounding not taking the knee. I understand his point of view that it's become part of the furniture and thus the thing you do nowadays before games. I understand how that can be seen as losing a bit of its meaning. I just wish however he'd take a step back and consider the optics.

I do not think for one moment that Marcos is racist however I think he himself needs to recognise what kind of message it sends and what the act of not taking the knee encourages. Already right wing platforms such as Nigel Farage etc have been praising his "act of courage against the woke".

Similarly, Marcos apparently did not inform his teammates before hand that he was not going to take the knee. Now, I don't for one second would like to speculate and put words in people's mouths but surely players like Ruidger who himself has been very vocal about his experience with racism as well as his English teammates and Tammy a couple of years ago, must have interesting opinions on the matter.

He has a right not to take the knee of course, I just personally feel he should reconsider what kind of message it sends.

Just my opinion anyway.

16 minutes ago, TomCFC85 said:

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Marcos' form right now. I think he's discovered something within him that hasn't been there consistently since Conte's first season, I'm really impressed and plaudits must go to both him and Tuchel.

I am concerned however at his recent stance and comments surrounding not taking the knee. I understand his point of view that it's become part of the furniture and thus the thing you do nowadays before games. I understand how that can be seen as losing a bit of its meaning. I just wish however he'd take a step back and consider the optics.

I do not think for one moment that Marcos is racist however I think he himself needs to recognise what kind of message it sends and what the act of not taking the knee encourages. Already right wing platforms such as Nigel Farage etc have been praising his "act of courage against the woke".

Similarly, Marcos apparently did not inform his teammates before hand that he was not going to take the knee. Now, I don't for one second would like to speculate and put words in people's mouths but surely players like Ruidger who himself has been very vocal about his experience with racism as well as his English teammates and Tammy a couple of years ago, must have interesting opinions on the matter.

He has a right not to take the knee of course, I just personally feel he should reconsider what kind of message it sends.

Just my opinion anyway.

It is obviously not something he is doing on a whim and will have already given it considerable thought.

Always loved Marcos even when there were many who didn't want him near the team. Also a lesson for Lampard in his future management career in that you can't just ostracise players because of personal differences. Both he and Rudiger could have left but are now linchpins of TTs team.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 20214 yr by hutchslongthrow
auto correction wrong!

Agreed. I don't put too much into symbolic actions like these but it's a powerful gesture nevertheless especially since all players on the pitch unite and do it the same way. Also, people who sit in the stadiums' upper rows may not be able to read what's written on his sleeve. Or are illiterate. Taking a bow so to say is less prone to be just ignored and while all/a lot of players do it in the EPL doesn't mean that all the clubs do it across different leagues...which isn't the case (think it's only the EPL in Europe?).

3 hours ago, TomCFC85 said:

Just my opinion anyway.

This opinion isn’t biased by the fact we sign him and not a certain other player is it?

Taking the knee, for me, has just become a standard bit of practice before kick off now. I’d go as far to say I don’t even notice it anymore. 

Jokes aside I strongly believe that every player has the full right to do whatever "ritual" before the match starts he wants, if he doesn't feel like going down for whatever reason I have no problem with that. I still remember when Man United had Chicharito that used to pray before kickoff on his knees, that left an impression and it looked pretty personal yet so in the open, I don't feel that way when the whole team bends the knee at all, looks like whatever lets get on with it...

8 hours ago, TomCFC85 said:

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving Marcos' form right now. I think he's discovered something within him that hasn't been there consistently since Conte's first season, I'm really impressed and plaudits must go to both him and Tuchel.

I am concerned however at his recent stance and comments surrounding not taking the knee. I understand his point of view that it's become part of the furniture and thus the thing you do nowadays before games. I understand how that can be seen as losing a bit of its meaning. I just wish however he'd take a step back and consider the optics.

I do not think for one moment that Marcos is racist however I think he himself needs to recognise what kind of message it sends and what the act of not taking the knee encourages. Already right wing platforms such as Nigel Farage etc have been praising his "act of courage against the woke".

Similarly, Marcos apparently did not inform his teammates before hand that he was not going to take the knee. Now, I don't for one second would like to speculate and put words in people's mouths but surely players like Ruidger who himself has been very vocal about his experience with racism as well as his English teammates and Tammy a couple of years ago, must have interesting opinions on the matter.

He has a right not to take the knee of course, I just personally feel he should reconsider what kind of message it sends.

Just my opinion anyway.

The "easy" thing to do for Alonso, whether he believes in it or not, would be to keep quiet and take the knee. 

Instead he's being transparent about his feelings on it. Explaining clearly, like Zaha did, why he isn't going to do it. He hasn't just stopped doing it leaving everyone to speculate on why. 

And by not "falling in line" and just keeping his head down he keeps the dialogue going about racism in football and how it should be addressed and tackled. 

And I would hope that his black and minority team mates will respect his decision about how he wants to express his views on the subject as well. 

13 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

The "easy" thing to do for Alonso, whether he believes in it or not, would be to keep quiet and take the knee. 

Instead he's being transparent about his feelings on it. Explaining clearly, like Zaha did, why he isn't going to do it. He hasn't just stopped doing it leaving everyone to speculate on why. 

And by not "falling in line" and just keeping his head down he keeps the dialogue going about racism in football and how it should be addressed and tackled. 

And I would hope that his black and minority team mates will respect his decision about how he wants to express his views on the subject as well. 

I think the fact he's got scumbags like Farage singing his praises indicates that he might have made a misjudgment. Despite his (somewhat vague) explanation, they are obviously taking as a signal he's 'one of them'.

I really don't understand why a certain kind of person considers "woke" to be an insult, anyway. The opposite meaning would be asleep/unaware, and that is somehow better? Weirdos.

7 minutes ago, bluedave said:

I think the fact he's got scumbags like Farage singing his praises indicates that he might have made a misjudgment. Despite his (somewhat vague) explanation, they are obviously taking as a signal he's 'one of them'.

I really don't understand why a certain kind of person considers "woke" to be an insult, anyway. The opposite meaning would be asleep/unaware, and that is somehow better? Weirdos.

Farage is an oxygen thief and I'm surprised that anyone pays any attention to what he has to say about anything nowadays, let alone on a subject like tackling racism in sport. 

I can only assume this was said when presenting to the remaining 5 viewers of GB News? 

Some right wing nonce misapropriating the comments and gestures of others shouldn't become a distractions of the thoughts and actions of people with more than 2 brain cells. 

37 minutes ago, bluedave said:

I think the fact he's got scumbags like Farage singing his praises indicates that he might have made a misjudgment. Despite his (somewhat vague) explanation, they are obviously taking as a signal he's 'one of them'.

I really don't understand why a certain kind of person considers "woke" to be an insult, anyway. The opposite meaning would be asleep/unaware, and that is somehow better? Weirdos.

But the BLM movement is supported by the EFF, South Africa's 3rd largest political party. A lovely, anti-racist  party who sing songs about murdering the whites and forcibly removing whites from the country.

 

I completely agree with what he's said. The issue is like some have pointed out on here, he hadn't informed his teammates beforehand, so everyone in the stadium could see him standing up whilst the rest were kneeling, and that includes his teammates on the pitch and on the bench. Not only that but everyone knows what taking the knee stands for now. So when they see everyone doing it, whether or not its lost its meaning or not, you still know.

Him standing there pointing at his badge wont be picked up by any cameras nor does it have the desired effect, that these footballers are trying to highlight. Kneeling also shuts up all the people that boo it, and have said they will make sure it gets stopped, so its like a finger up to those people as well. When our players get racially abused after matches, its not on. If you went to a theatre and the actors got abuse, they would walk off, so why should footballers just grin and bear it. Taking the knee or a similar expressive gesture has to continue until these players no longer have to deal with racism or at least until its very rare. 

I actually admire Marcos for having an independent mind, rather than going along with what everyone else is doing.

"Taking the knee" is just hollow now. The optics of it might look good to some, but there's no substance behind the stance.

8 minutes ago, Oli said:

I completely agree with what he's said. The issue is like some have pointed out on here, he hadn't informed his teammates beforehand, so everyone in the stadium could see him standing up whilst the rest were kneeling, and that includes his teammates on the pitch and on the bench. Not only that but everyone knows what taking the knee stands for now. So when they see everyone doing it, whether or not its lost its meaning or not, you still know.

Him standing there pointing at his badge wont be picked up by any cameras nor does it have the desired effect, that these footballers are trying to highlight. Kneeling also shuts up all the people that boo it, and have said they will make sure it gets stopped, so its like a finger up to those people as well. When our players get racially abused after matches, its not on. If you went to a theatre and the actors got abuse, they would walk off, so why should footballers just grin and bear it. Taking the knee or a similar expressive gesture has to continue until these players no longer have to deal with racism or at least until its very rare. 

Can you please name one country in the world with a very racially mixed population, which  has less racism than this country?

The numbers of people dishing out this online abuse out of a population of some 67 million is absolutely miniscule!  So number is "very rare' to you?

We don't have a popular political party wanting to murder the black Brits. Furthermore, why don't BLM starting calling for sporting boycotts of countries that do not have and do not want multi racial societies like ours?  You can start with every country in Eastern Europe. Japan, China, Pakistan, Indiia.

 

25 minutes ago, wally said:

Can you please name one country in the world with a very racially mixed population, which  has less racism than this country?

The numbers of people dishing out this online abuse out of a population of some 67 million is absolutely miniscule!  So number is "very rare' to you?

We don't have a popular political party wanting to murder the black Brits. Furthermore, why don't BLM starting calling for sporting boycotts of countries that do not have and do not want multi racial societies like ours?  You can start with every country in Eastern Europe. Japan, China, Pakistan, Indiia.

 

This has got nothing to do with comparing whos more racist than who, it isn't a contest, so I have no idea what youre trying to highlight exactly.

Clearly judging by your reply you think racism isn't an issue in this country, maybe you didn't see what happened after the Euro final, or the fact most of the abuse came from within, or maybe you just dont care.

I love how it's possible to block people with two clicks now.