3 hours ago, Chelsbear said:

How do you know that?

The board shelled out 100 million and will want a return from that. Him not playing isn't going to be an option for them. 

Our board is ruthless and relentless when this happens, no way does this end well for us in terms of Tuchel. 

Happy to be proved wrong but don't think I will be. 

I might be wrong here, but I imagine that Tuchel would have felt confident the board were onside with this decision. There is a lot of communication, Tuchel is a company man. 

The board don't want players to talk like that to the press even less than Tuchel would. 

Lukaku will be reintegrated anyway, he's not being excluded permanently. 

23 hours ago, forbzy said:

Why not rest players against Spurs in the League Cup? Prioritize players for the league.

Don't talk soft lad! It's Spurs in the cup. Rest nobody!

Great effort for a comeback. However he needed us to win and now Rom will add more pressure on him imo.

3 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Great effort for a comeback. However he needed us to win and now Rom will add more pressure on him imo.

At risk of being accused of having an agenda, no way do we play with such intensity with him on the pitch.

18 minutes ago, Argo said:

At risk of being accused of having an agenda, no way do we play with such intensity with him on the pitch.

Not saying we would. However he can simply say "you dropped me and we did not win", regardless of whether he would have helped or hindered our chances is debatable, no matter what you and I think.

11 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Not saying we would. However he can simply say "you dropped me and we did not win", regardless of whether he would have helped or hindered our chances is debatable, no matter what you and I think.

He'd actually be a good asset if he knew his place like Oli did but unfortuently he has the ego of CR7 without the ability to back it up.

Edited January 2, 20224 yr by Argo

40 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Great effort for a comeback. However he needed us to win and now Rom will add more pressure on him imo.

He'd have been a nice option from the bench. Still not convinced Havertz will deliver the numbers in terms of goals. This is what will test the manager most, we need goals from our frontline to challenge. Liverpool today were battered but because their forwards always looked like they might score it kept them in a match that they should have lost.

39 minutes ago, Argo said:

At risk of being accused of having an agenda, no way do we play with such intensity with him on the pitch.

The last two games he played he was our best player. Kai Havertz is never going to score enough goals.

Just now, jack_super_class said:

The last two games he played he was our best player. Kai Havertz is never going to score enough goals.

It's a catch 22.

Not even I will doubt his ability to finish when he gets the chance, but the modern game requires so much more. Even the elite poacher (RVN) was ditched at United and it was very much the right decision.

3 minutes ago, charierre said:

He'd have been a nice option from the bench. Still not convinced Havertz will deliver the numbers in terms of goals. This is what will test the manager most, we need goals from our frontline to challenge. Liverpool today were battered but because their forwards always looked like they might score it kept them in a match that they should have lost.

We need to source wide forwards to get the numbers. Hopefully one of our players will evolve to be that man (Mount maybe? I still have hope with Werner on law of averages alone).

City won the league rotating with midfielders playing false 9 and Liverpool ran away with it despite Firmino not scoring a goal at Anfield until the last home game.

In theory with our striker record we should be the biggest benefactors of the general false 9 shift 🤣😅

 I'm afraid that Lukaku not being on the pitch after how he has been acting made life for Tuchel much more difficult.

We spent 100m and now we're not even going to play Lukaku so we're actually going backwards, this means that we're a worse team than last season because practically we don't have any new signings now. I think that  it's going to be pretty hard to stay in the top 4, Tuchel now must fully commit to Havertz being a false 9 and only a false 9 and while I'm sure that Kai can deliver in the big games, we somehow must find ways to beat the smaller teams without Lukaku's contributions.

3 minutes ago, Argo said:

It's a catch 22.

Not even I will doubt his ability to finish when he gets the chance, but the modern game requires so much more. Even the elite poacher (RVN) was ditched at United and it was very much the right decision.

I always feel in a team you can let off one player though in defensive work if he makes up for it in attack. We did it for Hazard, Utd did it with Ronaldo under Sir Alex. Lukaku is capable of scoring 18-20 open play goals that could win you a title.

1 hour ago, jack_super_class said:

I always feel in a team you can let off one player though in defensive work if he makes up for it in attack. We did it for Hazard, Utd did it with Ronaldo under Sir Alex. Lukaku is capable of scoring 18-20 open play goals that could win you a title.

I do actually agree but for me there in lies in issue, Rom doesn't offer the level (in terms of combined output and general play) those two do. Hazard (with a bit of help from Courtois) got us a title when the rest of our squad was done (2015).

3 minutes ago, Argo said:

I do actually agree but for me there in lies in issue, Rom doesn't offer the level (in terms of combined output and general play) those two do. Hazard (with a bit of help from Courtois) got us a title when the rest of our squad was done (2015).

I agree, im not saying Lukaku is Hazard/Messi level in ability and talent. However in our squad and how poor our attackers can be i would give Lukaku more leeway. 

6 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

 I'm afraid that Lukaku not being on the pitch after how he has been acting made life for Tuchel much more difficult.

We spent 100m and now we're not even going to play Lukaku so we're actually going backwards, this means that we're a worse team than last season because practically we don't have any new signings now. I think that  it's going to be pretty hard to stay in the top 4, Tuchel now must fully commit to Havertz being a false 9 and only a false 9 and while I'm sure that Kai can deliver in the big games, we somehow must find ways to beat the smaller teams without Lukaku's contributions.

I'm off the belief that Lukaku will eventually return to the team. I don't think TT will leave him out for too much longer max another game or two.

I just don't expect him to start for a little while, I honestly think Thomas is a fair man and will punish him but not in a vindictive way after all Lukaku and Tuchel have the common goal of wanting Chelsea fc to do well. At some point apologies would have been made and we move on. 

As far as the summer is concerned I'm not certain where we go from here it could be a Costa situation where Rom is off next season, we have to use a Morata type of loan or an outright sale.

1 minute ago, LongtimerLurker said:

I'm off the belief that Lukaku will eventually return to the team. I don't think TT will leave him out for too much longer max another game or two.

I just don't expect him to start for a little while, I honestly think Thomas is a fair man and will punish him but not in a vindictive way after all Lukaku and Tuchel have the common goal of wanting Chelsea fc to do well. At some point apologies would have been made and we move on. 

As far as the summer is concerned I'm not certain where we go from here it could be a Costa situation where Rom is off next season, we have to use a Morata type of loan or an outright sale.

It just escalated too much for my taste. I'm actually happy if Tuchel makes Kai into a world class false 9, he's a massive talent and he's only 22 so there is time to learn that position.

We would then just need a nice winger that can score 10+ goals in the PL and for that I have hopes because there are many talented wingers out there. I still expect a huge battle for the top 4 this season, it would be great if Tuchel manages to find common ground with Lukaku but the way this is going I'm skeptical about it.

It all depends which side  Roman falls..

The loser in that one is on borrowed time, I hope he supports TT.

9 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

It just escalated too much for my taste. I'm actually happy if Tuchel makes Kai into a world class false 9, he's a massive talent and he's only 22 so there is time to learn that position.

We would then just need a nice winger that can score 10+ goals in the PL and for that I have hopes because there are many talented wingers out there. I still expect a huge battle for the top 4 this season, it would be great if Tuchel manages to find common ground with Lukaku but the way this is going I'm skeptical about it.

In theory between Pulisic, Mount and Werner I believe we can have that 10+ goals each or at least 15 combined goals and assists. They all have the potential it's just about fulfilling it.

I think regarding Lukaku I can definitely see what you mean and there's no denying we press better without him and arguably look better vs teams we're more evenly matched against. Its just the games against the lower placed teams where we struggle to get through the back 5,  I think TT knows we'll need Lukaku for these games.

Regarding the UCL I dont think we need Rom to defend our title, I think he helps the cause but we could win it again without him and I believe Tuchel will probably feel the same way.

8 minutes ago, LongtimerLurker said:

In theory between Pulisic, Mount and Werner I believe we can have that 10+ goals each or at least 15 combined goals and assists. They all have the potential it's just about fulfilling it.

I think regarding Lukaku I can definitely see what you mean and there's no denying we press better without him and arguably look better vs teams we're more evenly matched against. Its just the games against the lower placed teams where we struggle to get through the back 5,  I think TT knows we'll need Lukaku for these games.

Regarding the UCL I dont think we need Rom to defend our title, I think he helps the cause but we could win it again without him and I believe Tuchel will probably feel the same way.

I think CHO's numbers in chances created can make up for his finishing as well, and he's only going to improve given his age much like Mount

 

If Lukaku really wants out than Vlahovic would be a really good shout, getting similar Serie A numbers whilst being much younger and in a worse team

1 hour ago, Argo said:

It's a catch 22.

Not even I will doubt his ability to finish when he gets the chance, but the modern game requires so much more. Even the elite poacher (RVN) was ditched at United and it was very much the right decision.

He was ditched cos he was a bit of a twat towards the rest of the squad not his numbers. Years later he apologised to SAF unexpectedly.

The guy made the right decision today by omitting Lukaku from the squad and benching CHO, can’t fault him on those choices. 

1 hour ago, chelseablueboy said:

It all depends which side  Roman falls..

The loser in that one is on borrowed time, I hope he supports TT.

Has to support his manager on this 

4 hours ago, Argo said:

He'd actually be a good asset if he knew his place like Oli did but unfortuently he has the ego of CR7 without the ability to back it up.

100 per cent 

3 hours ago, Gem said:

The guy made the right decision today by omitting Lukaku from the squad and benching CHO, can’t fault him on those choices. 

Sorry but what was CHO's involvement in the Lukaku story?

6 hours ago, loz said:

Don't talk soft lad! It's Spurs in the cup. Rest nobody!

Fair enough. But only because I don't want Spurs winning anything. The League Cup has lost a lot of luster since the 80's sadly.