2 minutes ago, Boston Blue said:

Yes there is, but that chance increases if we use the same combination of existing players and mixing in a few unproven youth players.  Especially as those around us buy players and get better.

I don't think we should be in a one year CL/one year EL rotation.  The financial differences make it harder to plan and buy, and make us less desirable for potential transfers.  We belong in the Champion's League every year.  

 

Whatever gave you that idea? There are at least 5 other clubs that think the same, how are we going to decide between them all? Oh I know, a league competition, and the first 4 can enter the Champions League!

5 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Whatever gave you that idea?  

Some guy by the name of Roman.

5 minutes ago, Boston Blue said:

Some guy by the name of Roman.

He told you?

5 minutes ago, Valerie said:

He told you?

Personally.

4 minutes ago, Boston Blue said:

Personally.

Thought as much. He must have been ready to throw in the towel the times we didn't qualify, eh. What stopped him, did he say?

7 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Thought as much. He must have been ready to throw in the towel the times we didn't qualify, eh. What stopped him, did he say?

He definitely threw towels.  Strained a rotator cuff when he threw a towel so hard in 2013.

I'm a bit torn on whether we should appeal or not.

On one hand it will be almost certainly another transition season of inconsistency's, there's also a lot more top quality players openly available than there usually is (we could challenge for the title immediately if we somehow pull of Pepe, Jovic and a quality LB even with Eden's likely departure).

On the other hand if Cech as a director is part of a long term plan we may be better off accepting giving him the season to get his feet under the table and identify strong targets to take the club back to the level we use to be from 2020 onwards.

Of course there's always the risk with the top 4 spot but I feel even this squad without Eden could get it. We will be much more use to Sarri's tactical demands next season and the three clubs we have to fend off aren't exactly pulling up trees. Spurs are likely to lose Eriksen, United are a dysfunctional mess to the point they make us look as structurally organised as City/Liverpool and Arsenal barely have any money to spend.

I feel our decision whether or not to appeal and get a stay should be based on what players are attainable. If Pepe and another player of that ilk are interested in joining us i would say we should get the ban suspended immediately but if all the stand out players have their hearts set on moving elsewhere we should take the short term hit and regroup.

We certainly are not able with this squad to get Top 4 again without Eden Hazard. Unbelievably naive to believe so.

 

Hazard was the heart and brain of our squad. We are just an empty shell if Hazard goes and we do not replace him adequately. Lets be honest, we arent getting anyone close to Hazards talent anytime soon. We need to rebuild with 2 or 3 players who can hopefully fill the void. In todays market that means £200M spend. Hazard will cover half of that. 

I think there is definately some overrating of our youth players, take hazard out of this side and we are pretty average. We also have big injuries to 2 potential key players, and if sarri goes, we  ack at square 1, with a manager trying to implement his tactics, only this time he cant bring in his own players, our best player has gone, and alot of the squad is on the decline. 

Maybe Abraham, Mount, and James can pick up the slack, but its a big ask to go straight from the championship to competing at the top end of the premier league, and champions league. 

I think top 4 next season with a ban and a change of manager, is an absolute pipedream. 

 

16 hours ago, big blue said:

I think there is definately some overrating of our youth players, take hazard out of this side and we are pretty average. We also have big injuries to 2 potential key players, and if sarri goes, we  ack at square 1, with a manager trying to implement his tactics, only this time he cant bring in his own players, our best player has gone, and alot of the squad is on the decline. 

Good points above.

RLC was our young standout player and CHO showed glimpses of potential. RLC looks EPL quality though will always miss a number of matches due to his injury issue. CHO maybe is EPL quality though would need more time to be sure of that.

It has turned out quite fortunate to have Pulisic joining us unknown to the EPL which means defenders will have to think more. Willian and Pedro can still put in a shift and Giroud and Tammy would probably get us through a season, though top 4 would be challenging.

Not sure where we go from here after Sarri, not convinced by Lampard though if it does happen, happy to be proved wrong.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Strider6003 said:

Good points above.

RLC was our young standout player and CHO showed glimpses of potential. RLC looks EPL quality though will always miss a number of matches due to his injury issue. CHO maybe is EPL quality though would need more time to be sure of that.

It has turned out quite fortunate to have Pulisic joining us unknown to the EPL which means defenders will have to think more. Willian and Pedro can still put in a shift and Giroud and Tammy would probably get us through a season, though top 4 would be challenging.

Not sure where we go from here after Sarri, not convinced by Lampard though if it does happen, happy to be proved wrong.

 

 

 

 

I know the club probably thought the ban would be suspended during the appeal process, but we really should have made a couple more signings in january like the pulisic deal. 

Maybe Sarri would be more keen to stay if we had tied up the midfielder he was after, and a replacement for hazard. 

We seem totally unprepared for this ban, when the investigation has been going on for 2 years. 

16 minutes ago, big blue said:

I know the club probably thought the ban would be suspended during the appeal process, but we really should have made a couple more signings in january like the pulisic deal. 

Maybe Sarri would be more keen to stay if we had tied up the midfielder he was after, and a replacement for hazard. 

We seem totally unprepared for this ban, when the investigation has been going on for 2 years. 

I thought it was just a year didn't know it had been that long.

1 hour ago, big blue said:

I know the club probably thought the ban would be suspended during the appeal process, but we really should have made a couple more signings in january like the pulisic deal. 

Maybe Sarri would be more keen to stay if we had tied up the midfielder he was after, and a replacement for hazard. 

We seem totally unprepared for this ban, when the investigation has been going on for 2 years. 

Signing Pulisic in Jan was evidence of some forward planning.

45 minutes ago, Backbiter said:

Signing Pulisic in Jan was evidence of some forward planning.

Its obviously nowhere near enough though.

2 hours ago, Backbiter said:

Signing Pulisic in Jan was evidence of some forward planning.

I think more so with regards to Hazard leaving rather than the transfer ban, though.

There still is not a definitive answer by anyone at the club or in the media over whether we have actually notified CAS of our intent to appeal, or filed an official appeal.

Makes me wonder what we plan on telling potential Sarri replacements about who they will have to work with.

 

If we've not appealed it then Petr Cech is going to have an easy first year as Sporting Director. 

Jovi? to Real official

9 hours ago, ForeverCarefree said:

If we've not appealed it then Petr Cech is going to have an easy first year as Sporting Director. 

A no pressure year to evaluate what he has, and what he'll need?

It is a perfect time for Cech to step in. He has his work cut out for him even with the ban. I hope we plan years ahead so this means next years summer as well and a projected view on who we could buy then. 

Btw Petr coming in is such a positive thing this whole Sarri-Eden-Frank?-some-manager deal doesn't sound so bad. 

54 minutes ago, evissy said:

It is a perfect time for Cech to step in. He has his work cut out for him even with the ban. I hope we plan years ahead so this means next years summer as well and a projected view on who we could buy then. 

Btw Petr coming in is such a positive thing this whole Sarri-Eden-Frank?-some-manager deal doesn't sound so bad. 

The potentially huge positive for me is that Cech has a great relationship with Abramovich, and presumably will have a direct line into him, rather than having to go via some stooge like Marina, Tenenbaum or Buck. I also think that Abramovich might actually listen to Petr, and act on what he says  ?

 

53 minutes ago, enigma said:

 

Surely that is nonsense. We have already been punished, this would be an extra punishment on top just to be spiteful.

11 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Surely that is nonsense. We have already been punished, this would be an extra punishment on top just to be spiteful.

I kind of expected to be made an example of after Barcelona and Atletico's bans. 

53 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Surely that is nonsense. We have already been punished, this would be an extra punishment on top just to be spiteful.

You cannot believe what you have just wrote Scott. You know better than that. One rule for the favorite clubs of the powers that be, another for us. Frisk and Obrevo were surely not sent to be spiteful right? lmao.

Edited June 5, 20197 yr by axman2526