10 hours ago, Spudulike said:

Interesting reply. There are things about our teams that we ignore or skirt over. I can't see Spurs ever abandoning a 'sensible' wages and buys policy - we won't make marquee signings and, tbh, everyone is for sale for the right price. It's a limiting factor on our ambitions. 

Re. Hazard, his performance in JM's last season epitomised everything wrong with player power in today's game.

He had a hip injury.

45 minutes ago, Argo said:

He had a hip injury.

There were issues though. I recall Hazard blanking Mourinho when he was taken off in a match. And the issue of how serious the injury was was a matter of opinion. 

20 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

There were issues though. I recall Hazard blanking Mourinho when he was taken off in a match. And the issue of how serious the injury was was a matter of opinion. 

No doubt there were issues but i also have no doubt who caused said issues. Hazard went down again within two games under Hiddink, the Dutchman realized Hazard was struggling so eased him back from a sub for 6 weeks which in my opinion was a masterstroke. 

I have never been an advocate of the player's downing tools line, both AVB and Mourinho both apparently done little wrong and were sabotaged by player's practically going on strike so they got given a second chance with Spurs and United respectively yet all the problem's that triggered there sacking's at Chelsea are still there with a totally different set of player's.

7 hours ago, Spudulike said:

Agreed. The one thing I've taken from the Chelsea (under JM) and Leicester stories is that it's essential to buy new players in the closed season to ensure the regular players - even if they make up a very good squad - are challenged for their places. 

One thing that surprised me a bit yesterday was the CFC players not looking gutted after the match. Was that just me thinking that? 

I agree Spud - not sure what to put that down to. Is it that nowadays the FA Cup is a sad second to the League; is it that the foreign players don't "get it" about the Cup or the Double? I wrote yesterday that we were playing like it was the Charity Shield. As we all saw they just weren't up for it and lacked the urgency and desire shown by Arsenal.

I'm convinced you have to change something season to season or you just get found out - especially in attack. Any team that fails to inject something different to what they did this season is going to have a tough time.     

6 minutes ago, Argo said:

No doubt there were issues but i also have no doubt who caused said issues. Hazard went down again within two games under Hiddink, the Dutchman realized Hazard was struggling so eased him back from a sub for 6 weeks which in my opinion was a masterstroke. 

I have never been an advocate of the player's downing tools line, both AVB and Mourinho both apparently done little wrong and were sabotaged by player's practically going on strike so they got given a second chance with Spurs and United respectively yet all the problem's that triggered there sacking's at Chelsea are still there with a totally different set of player's.

I'd forgotten about how Hiddink handled Hazard: good point.

Player power needs dealing with in some way, in general terms not just at CFC. The relationship between multi - millionaire players and their manager is something I don't understand. I know that a team relies on, for example, Hazard playing well, but there's still a basic employer/employee relationship where you try your best to work well. Payet's, drop in form at West Ham and subsequent move was a classic example of a player saying 'F*** you' but the clubs don't play hard ball, they let it happen. 

God knows what happened with JM. There are so many rumours but it looks bad and you now see JM investing time in player relationships at Utd perhaps based on what happened at CFC. Even he's had to adapt. 

23 minutes ago, carrickblue said:

I agree Spud - not sure what to put that down to. Is it that nowadays the FA Cup is a sad second to the League; is it that the foreign players don't "get it" about the Cup or the Double? I wrote yesterday that we were playing like it was the Charity Shield. As we all saw they just weren't up for it and lacked the urgency and desire shown by Arsenal.

I'm convinced you have to change something season to season or you just get found out - especially in attack. Any team that fails to inject something different to what they did this season is going to have a tough time.     

I have to agree there. In my mind's eye I imagined CFC players laying on the pitch in devastation but it was some handshakes and cheerio. I don't get that and I don't think it's just a CFC thing. I love the Cup and it didn't fit feel like a special occasion, which is gutting. 

Being interested in winning deffo helps as, despite what the pundits said, Arsenal didn't play brilliantly. They worked hard and it covered a lot of weaknesses. Mertesacker, Sanchez, and Ospina stood out for ability. The others mainly worked hard. 

Edited May 28, 20179 yr by Spudulike

6 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

I have to agree there. In my mind's eye I imagined CFC players laying on the pitch in devastation but it was some handshakes and cheerio. I don't get that and I don't think it's just a CFC thing. I love the Cup and it didn't fit feel like a special occasion, which is gutting. 

Being interested in winning deffo helps as, despite what the pundits said, Arsenal didn't play brilliantly. They worked hard and it covered a lot of weaknesses. Mertesacker, Sanchez, and Ospina stood out for ability. The others mainly worked hard. 

Mertesacker had a flawless game but we played to his strengths. I don't know where Hazard was half the time and we rarely attacked down our left side with Haz and Alonso getting in behind them. Disappointing. 

I expect that for Chelsea next season the CL will be the players' main interest and that could be reflected in indifferent league and cup performances. I'd expect Spurs to be mainly focused on the league, treating the CL as a nice bonus.   

On 5/28/2017 at 21:52, Spudulike said:

There were issues though. I recall Hazard blanking Mourinho when he was taken off in a match. And the issue of how serious the injury was was a matter of opinion. 

Judging by the way Mourinho has berated some of his players this season for not playing through injury (Jones & Smalling) I feel like Hazard was probably in the right here

Sometimes I watch this and laugh
 
 

Love it!

Ovrebo a Man whose name should go down in infamy. And it would do if I could spell it properly.

Great idea. His name could become synonymous with duff referring, just like Captain Boycott gave his name to boycotting.

Overboing! Or even Over Boing!

I don't see the big deal with half and half scarves.

Don't like them? Don't buy them.

They're just a souvenir for those that don't go to matches often. 

McEachran is still the biggest talent to come through our academy and we should have done more to blood him into the team.

39 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

McEachran is still the biggest talent to come through our academy and we should have done more to blood him into the team.

He's talented, but if it was all about natural talent alone Costa wouldn't be a football league player and all those freestylers would be PL players.

Josh had 2 problems:

1 - He was unlucky. He was coming through under Carlo and then he got the sack. Then AVB barely gave him a chance, and in the 2 cup games he started, he got taken off early in both because of red cards, and never really got another chance

2 - Attitude. Some players work hard to make it, others coast. Josh coasted and found himself coasting straight down into League 1.

David Squires is a hack

7 hours ago, Alpha Blondy said:

David Squires is a hack

You could say that about everyone from that awful rag the guardian. 

On ?28?/?05?/?2017 at 22:44, Spudulike said:

I have to agree there. In my mind's eye I imagined CFC players laying on the pitch in devastation but it was some handshakes and cheerio. I don't get that and I don't think it's just a CFC thing. I love the Cup and it didn't fit feel like a special occasion, which is gutting. 

Being interested in winning deffo helps as, despite what the pundits said, Arsenal didn't play brilliantly. They worked hard and it covered a lot of weaknesses. Mertesacker, Sanchez, and Ospina stood out for ability. The others mainly worked hard. 

I think there were too many distractions, winning the league and the celebration, JT going and the celebration. Conte not changing the team are all potential factors.

Re your earlier post re Payet, I heard he had an affair and his partner said move or she would.

Hazard being injured reminds me of Robben getting injured. Sometimes with players like JT playing through with drugs managers expect all to do the same, though each experience pain differently.

 

 

On 12-5-2017 at 10:30, Bobbywoodhogan said:

Are there any Football related opinions you have that could be deemed unpopular by either the masses or even just on here?

I will start:

- I don't think it was a mistake to get rid of KDB or Lukaku. Reasons been we got good money for them. KDB hasn't exactly set the world a light at Man City and Lukaku has developed into a better player than he would have sat on the bench for us.

- I still don't believe Ryan Bertrand is good enough for us. Sure he looks a solid LB at Southampton but I'm not sure he would handle it playing consistently for a top 4 team.

- I don't and won't hate Mourinho. I find the Mourinho thread in here damn pathetic tbh. People are obsessed with him. Everything he says or does certain people jump on. It's really sad and actually shows many of them are hurt that he now managers a rival team. Now don't get me wrong the man himself I lost respect for a long time a go but I don't see the benefits in jumping on everything he does or says. Oh and he loves his current team he's managing, so f**king what? Any manager loves there team and wants to be successful. 

 

I don't agree, Bob.

On 5/28/2017 at 16:56, carrickblue said:

 

I expect that for Chelsea next season the CL will be the players' main interest and that could be reflected in indifferent league and cup performances. I'd expect Spurs to be mainly focused on the league, treating the CL as a nice bonus.   

I do as well unfortunately. I don't think some will be too bothered about winning the league if we find ourselves too far behind come January. I know Conte wants to win everything but I don't  doubt he'd rather win the champions league. It could have blown up in United's chasing face chasing the EL trophy but in a similar situation I think Conte makes the same call

Edited June 24, 20179 yr by TheChelseaBlues

Not sure if it is unpopular but we should never have sold Schurrle. Was a great player to have a round the club, would be much happier with him coming on as an impact sub than Willian.

On 23/06/2017 at 12:22, Krc-fan said:

 

I don't agree, Bob.

Replying a bit late here but it's ok to disagree. Although I do find you overrate KDB and Lukaku but that's your perogative.

On 6/22/2017 at 12:34, RIP Mourinho said:

McEachran is still the biggest talent to come through our academy and we should have done more to blood him into the team.

Well said that man.

We now have young George McEachran to pin our hopes on - lets hope he get's a fairer ride and learns from older brothers mistakes.

Mason Mount is the one who looks the most promising at the moment, hope he gets a chance to show what he can do.

29 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Mason Mount is the one who looks the most promising at the moment, hope he gets a chance to show what he can do.

I agree. Was going to post about him but seems pointless right now as at only 18, he's unlikely to get anywhere near the first team for a while and will no doubt be going the Vitesse / Championship route for the foreseeable future. 

7 hours ago, Bobbywoodhogan said:

Replying a bit late here but it's ok to disagree. Although I do find you overrate KDB and Lukaku but that's your perogative.

No problem, Bob.

Better late than never.

How are you by the way?

 

Uhm. I don't have any opion about Lukaku since he joins Man. U.

KDB is still a very good player but he plays in a wrong team.

 

But what is that about you? No so long ago, you asked everyone to go on. You have made even a special thread, I believe. To forget KDB and Mourinho and now you start this thread. That's a little bit strange, my perogative. Something deep. But you're still my friend. Sooner or later we are going to drink a beer. Always welcome in Genk!