1 minute ago, Xfaxtor said:

What does Grankovskaia have to do with the players we have bought? Shes a negotiater for cryin out loud 

Exactly. She doesn't shortlist these players she tries to buy them. Pretty sure she doesn't control the budget either.

we think we're bad but I kid you not - there is an Arsenal fan on Radio 5 Live in tears about what is happening to his team ; man up for God's sake

45 minutes ago, ducavis said:

Outspent. But we have outspent Utd. 

Man Utd: £147m

Chelsea: £257m

City: £263m 

 

 

 

LOL. City have a squad that cost well north of £600 million. Nobody has ever had a squad like that in English football and that's why they are so far ahead in the Premiership. Give Guardiola Stoke or Huddersfield to manage and he would do sweet FA.

17 minutes ago, Blue Exile said:

I'm finding it hard to criticise the players as it must be f**king soul destroying when he reads out the team and you know exactly what is coming.

Conte is on one gigantic sulk now and with every team selection he makes he's flicking two fingers to the board. Sad times.

I feel this way too..
I'm sick to f**king death of Conte whining on about the ambition of the club.. Ambition !!  Where was the f**king ambition in that set up today ???  Were like a minnow club going to a big side in the cup, absolutely pathetic.
I fast forwarded the game just to see the goals (well goal) as i couldn't bear to watch us play like that.
That was dreadful, utterly gutless and if Conte cant pick a side with some intention of winning a game then I for one will not be sorry to see him gone.
 

5 minutes ago, TheBluesBrother said:

 

 

LOL. City have a squad that cost well north of £600 million. Nobody has ever had a squad like that in English football and that's why they are so far ahead in the Premiership. Give Guardiola Stoke or Huddersfield to manage and he would do sweet FA.

Not disputing that but we aren’t exactly paupers which is the narrative Conte is peddling. We have spent almost as much as them, but we have brought in 8/9 players as against there 6. 

Edited March 4, 20188 yr by ducavis

This is the worst football I've seen Chelsea play in my lifetime of supporting them. We thought Jose was defensive, but jesus christ...

I'm glad I didn't watch it. Sounds like slow torture. Conte is too stuck in his ways. I watched the Barca VS Atletico Madrid match. Atletico defended like lions and only a superb free kick from Messi separated the teams. Costa scored in the last 10 minutes but it was  ruled offside. Of the two teams I'd say Man City are better but we  will come under the cosh in that second leg. Judging by today we need to pray for a result.

Be careful of what you wish for, Benitez is hovering.

4 minutes ago, TheBluesBrother said:

I'm glad I didn't watch it. Sounds like slow torture. Conte is too stuck in his ways. I watched the Barca VS Atletico Madrid match. Atletico defended like lions and only a superb free kick from Messi separated the teams. Costa scored in the last 10 minutes but it was  ruled offside. Of the two teams I'd say Man City are better but we  will come under the cosh in that second leg. Judging by today we need to pray for a result.

If we can show a bit more bravery, we can get a result in Barcelona, but we can only keep our fingers crossed if we set up in the same way as today.

Edited March 4, 20188 yr by Osgood is Good

If you thought that performance sucked (and boy didn't it) know that that kind of game is the norm with Allegri. 

Some call it defensive. I call it antifootball at best and an absolute disgrace at worst.

Has to be a change this summer - the constant moaning in the press is embarassing, the tactics are piss poor and now next season we'll likely be playing in Kazakhstan or some other Europa sh*thole.

Dejected. And this one is on the manager.

 

The travelling fans should have their tickets and travel refunded for being put through that dross.

19 minutes ago, ducavis said:

Not disputing that but we aren’t exactly paupers which is the narrative Conte is peddling. We have spent almost as much as them, but we have brought in 8/9 players as against there 6. 

 The difference is that Man City have bought top players to add to a very good squad they had last season. We have relied on some Russian tart who was a CEO at Abramovic's Oil company in Russia to buy our players and she's bought some real duds.

39 minutes ago, carrickblue said:

we think we're bad but I kid you not - there is an Arsenal fan on Radio 5 Live in tears about what is happening to his team ; man up for God's sake

There's always someone worse off.

This is the first time I have actually questioned Conte’s commitment and it’s now totally obvious that he wants out as soon as he can. A totally boring, negative, set up with absolutely no game plan. Hazard as a false 9 was never going to work here. Ok it was only 1-0 but I think City could have stepped up a gear if they really wanted.

Taking Hazard and Willian off first shows to me he’s trying to p*ss everyone off and force the club’s hand.

The average players that performed so well last season like Moses, Alonso and Pedro were shocking and you can see they have no confidence which is clearly coming from a manager that couldn’t care less. Last season with his drive and enthusiasm he turned them all into world beaters. He’s done the complete opposite this season. I feel even Christiansen, who was performing so brilliantly for most of the season is been seriously affected from all this negativity.

I get Conte is totally frustrated at the board just the same as José was after he won the title. The board or who ever is buying the players needs to realise that quality not quantity is what is required. The club needs to act because we are destined to become a mid table team at this rate. Will be interesting to see how the rest of the season pans out.

4 minutes ago, TheBluesBrother said:

 The difference is that Man City have bought top players to add to a very good squad they had last season. We have relied on some Russian tart who was a CEO at Abramovic's Oil company in Russia to buy our players and she's bought some real duds.

when you look at the purchases made by our direct competitors you can usually see what they are trying to achieve, like bits of a jigsaw 

but too often with us we're all scratching our heads at why we are buying Ross Barkley for example or Drinkwater or even Giroud - they all look like panic buys; it feels as though we're not landing the players we really want and we are constantly making do with a second best option.

 

5 minutes ago, TheBluesBrother said:

 The difference is that Man City have bought top players to add to a very good squad they had last season. We have relied on some Russian tart who was a CEO at Abramovic's Oil company in Russia to buy our players and she's bought some real duds.

She is only negotiating the figures, Conte is responsible for requesting players for positions he needs filled & making recommendations. Of the 8/9 players we signed this season, 4 are from Serie A (Morata included). That just says to me that he has some input. Drinkwater & Barkley were quota signings to meet homegrown needs. I think both players became a necessity because he decided to get rid of Chalobah/RLC/Ake.

People are entitled to their opinion, which is interesting as so many different players are not liked/ wanted yet Conte gets the flak for picking a team. I understand that he upsets fans playing without a central striker.

His problem started in the summer with not getting any of his targets. Everyone has differing opinions on players and we’ve spent a lot of money in the end on players Conte AND fans don’t want. If we sack Conte a new manager will think twice about our current squad and future signings as nothing within the club will change.

Despite losing to both Manchester Teams away,  i am disappointed as the rest of you but I remain optomistic about this squad and the manager, I think we have a great foundation to build on. I hope Conte is given the chance but I think they will reach an agreement at the end of the season. 

But this is still a fine premiership winning squad and a great club we can do it again we did, less than a year ago. 

Come on you blue boys, everything to play for! Stop  either Liverpool, Spertz or Man Utd getting into champions league would make my season ! 

3 minutes ago, carrickblue said:

when you look at the purchases made by our direct competitors you can usually see what they are trying to achieve, like bits of a jigsaw 

but too often with us we're all scratching our heads at why we are buying Ross Barkley for example or Drinkwater or even Giroud - they all look like panic buys; it feels as though we're not landing the players we really want and we are constantly making do with a second best option.

 

 

Yep it's mind boggling.

2 minutes ago, ducavis said:

She is only negotiating the figures, Conte is responsible for requesting players for positions he needs filled & making recommendations. Of the 8/9 players we signed this season, 4 are from Serie A (Morata included). That just says to me that he has some input. Drinkwater & Barkley were quota signings to meet homegrown needs. I think both players became a necessity because he decided to get rid of Chalobah/RLC/Ake.

 But she didn't get most of the players Conte asked for barring Morata and he's turned out to be crap and maybe Rudiger who hasn't been so bad.

I blame Oscar. 

3 minutes ago, TheBluesBrother said:

 But she didn't get most of the players Conte asked for barring Morata and he's turned out to be crap and maybe Rudiger who hasn't been so bad.

He is part of the problem though. This is his first job outside of Italy, so I doubt he is knowledgeable of players outside Serie A (most Italian players play in Serie A, so even as national team manager he never had to travel to scout his players). Read somewhere a while back that after the Pogba transfer saga, Italian teams would rather sell their players within the league than sell to Premier league teams especially. 

Now let’s look at the players he wanted;

Nainggolan: he has acknowledged he is settled in Italy and doesn’t want to move.

Bonucci: He never wanted to leave but his son’s illness forced that move within Serie A

Koulibaly: Napoli’s owner De Laurentis is notoriously difficult to negotiate with so this is a non-starter.

Sandro: Juventus had no need to sell, and I think a director said unless the player forced the move he wasn’t going anywhere. Sandro never pushed for the move, maybe he was more worried about is €m loyalty bonus. I know some fans have suggested the club should have bid £60m+, but if Sandro isn’t actively trying to force a move what can you do?

Walker & Van Der Dijk: Both players only wanted to play for Guardiola & Klopp respectively. Conte doesn’t have that draw other top managers have, and I haven’t seen one player bar the Italian national team players saying they want to come to play for him. 

Conte has also publicly said he doesn’t get involved in transfers. He just makes recommendations, and switches off his phone. How is that meant to work? Klopp tapped up Van Dijk, if you don’t want to sell your ideas and the club to a potential signing you can’t turn around and moan if the club can’t sign said player.

This game had an air of inevitability about it as soon as the Team sheet was announced. 1-0 defeat flattered us, TBH.

I think we will draw at home to Palace. Be easily beaten at Barca. And lose at Leicester away 2-0 in the cup.

Then Conte will be sacked... hope i’m wrong but can’t see things improving, at this time?

 

10 minutes ago, cuppaT said:

I blame Oscar. 

Bring him back, he can't be any worse than what we have currently.....................no hold that thought

Thank God we are not Arsenal fans. Carry on like this and we will be in the same boat.

What an absolute sh*te I just watched. Alonso slow. Moses can't pass, cross or shoot. Why didn't Giroud start? He could win the ball then pass it to William and hazard for a counter. Bring morata on with at least 20 mins to go. What was the point of fabregas? Pedro had 4 big chances to put a player through to goal and misplaced all of them. Shambles. No chance of finishing top 4.sad