12 minutes ago, dkw said:

Pre season results are pretty meaningless the majority of the time, but winning is better than losing obviously. 

Managers can easily talk down defeats though, and they rarely effect the players.

I played in a pre season game once and we lost 8-0, we played the same team 3 weeks later on the season opener and battered them 5-0. The teams were almost identical too.

In fact the best teams often start the competitive season quite slowly and then gradually accelerate. Look ar Man C the past couple of seasons, one back and one out from the rails. 

17 minutes ago, dkw said:

Pre season results are pretty meaningless the majority of the time, but winning is better than losing obviously. 

I'd agree dkw but the manner of a defeat can change that. The 0-4 hammering by Arsenal being a prime example. It was so one sided and high-lighted problems in so many areas. 

1 hour ago, just said:

I'd agree dkw but the manner of a defeat can change that. The 0-4 hammering by Arsenal being a prime example. It was so one sided and high-lighted problems in so many areas. 

Yeah that's an outliers obviously, getting taken apart by one of your rivals so comprehensively like that is piss poor.

I know it was against 10 men but that second half was the best football we've played in a long time

 

 

 

 

If we are to sell Conor we are pretty light in midfield and with wingers as well. CHO is certain to leave as well. Ziyech is leaving as well.

Left side: Mudryk and Sterling

Right side: Madueke and Angelo (who is said to be going to Strasbourg on loan), Moreira

10: Nkunku

Pivot: Enzo, Casadei, Andrey Santos, Chukwuemeka, Hall.

If we are going to the season with almost solely with young players I am in awe and congratulate the owners for balls but I just don't see it being something Pochettino is expecting.

Striking a deal with Brighton for Caicedo is just a start in my books looking at how thin and inexperienced we are.

We need: a midfielder, a 10, right sided winger maybe a striker and a new number 2 keeper. Something like that.

As a team we are so young and so inexperienced together these positive results can be very important. City losing every pre season games is different to us and makes no difference to them. 

Our team doesn't still know how to win as a team. We absolutely in these circumstances prefer to win these games as well. 

Arsenal catapulted to an excellent season with a young squad that had failed previous season after a brilliant pre season mainly trashing our side on the way.

1 minute ago, evissy said:

As a team we are so young and so inexperienced together these positive results can be very important. City losing every pre season games is different to us and makes no difference to them. 

Our team doesn't still know how to win as a team. We absolutely in these circumstances prefer to win these games as well. 

Arsenal catapulted to an excellent season with a young squad that had failed previous season after a brilliant pre season mainly trashing our side on the way.

You are looking so far ahead mate. Your expectations are bound to not be met. One step at a time. We aren't anticipating a title challenge. At all. The goal realistically should be 5th at the very least, with good cup runs. Inexperience is going to play a big part in some inconsistencies this season, but with the talent we have and having no Europe, we should be seeing a lot of progression on the pitch and our aim will be qualifying for Champions League. 

Having a good manager means a lot more than having a team filled with experience. Look what happened last season. 

11 hours ago, evissy said:

As a team we are so young and so inexperienced together these positive results can be very important. City losing every pre season games is different to us and makes no difference to them. 

Our team doesn't still know how to win as a team. We absolutely in these circumstances prefer to win these games as well. 

Arsenal catapulted to an excellent season with a young squad that had failed previous season after a brilliant pre season mainly trashing our side on the way.

Nah, pre season game is just pre season. It is good for cardio, for manager to try stuff. That is it. 

Arsenal catapulted into the top after Arteta recalled Saliba (why he sent him on loan in the 1st place is beyond me) and brought in zinchenko + Jesus. 

16 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

You are looking so far ahead mate. Your expectations are bound to not be met. One step at a time. We aren't anticipating a title challenge. At all. The goal realistically should be 5th at the very least, with good cup runs. Inexperience is going to play a big part in some inconsistencies this season, but with the talent we have and having no Europe, we should be seeing a lot of progression on the pitch and our aim will be qualifying for Champions League. 

Having a good manager means a lot more than having a team filled with experience. Look what happened last season. 

Not expecting us to challenge in any front next season. I have said here many times we should be looking at a 5-8th place finish. Just saying as we have a completely new side with mostly young players any and every victory is big be it pre season or the season itself. The group develops a habit of winning together. 

Pochettino said also we need to win. That is the aim. Any game you go into you try to win. Pretty basic stuff but sometimes it is good to say it out loud. Especially now when us on the outside have low expectations for the team. 

17 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

You are looking so far ahead mate. Your expectations are bound to not be met. One step at a time. We aren't anticipating a title challenge. At all. The goal realistically should be 5th at the very least, with good cup runs. Inexperience is going to play a big part in some inconsistencies this season, but with the talent we have and having no Europe, we should be seeing a lot of progression on the pitch and our aim will be qualifying for Champions League. 

Having a good manager means a lot more than having a team filled with experience. Look what happened last season. 

If we get a top gk and a top dm and Jackson shows that he is a top st, we should be a title challenger

I’ve got no expectations at the moment apart from playing better football next season and being a bit more clinical in attack.

I don’t think we can challenge for the league with Kepa as your number 1 goalkeeper and I don’t even think we could even challenge for a top 4 spot without buying Caicedo or a midfielder just as good.

As it stands with the players we have today I see us finishing around 8th, I’m sure Pochettino will want a bit of strengthening before the season starts in just over 2 weeks time.

4 hours ago, Bob stark said:

If we get a top gk and a top dm and Jackson shows that he is a top st, we should be a title challenger

I don't believe that for a second. Arsenal made a pretty great push for the title with a young squad but was eventually beaten by amazing treble winning City. 

You don't just win titles by newly assembled squads. The League is so tough. Look at the competition. City, Arsenal, MU, Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle all have pretty much the same squads they had before but with couple of new signings. 

We have a coach that just started and our starting 11 is changed by 70% and it looks almost every player is young. 

If we win the title it pips Leicester achievement and it means all the big guns have failed.

No one will be beating Manchester City to the title never mind Chelsea. I think the min expectation should be 6th-7th this year and to get top 4 would be a good first season.

I’m worried about Kepa as he he’s always liable to give away a cheap goal from nothing but mainly quite excited to see how this new team shapes up. 
 

I think Pochetino should target the cups this year with strong teams in each round. Would get the monkey off his back about not winning anything early. 

Might take a year or two but this current squad has a lot of potential. Moreso than the last one

I didnt know where to put this post, but I'm actually looking forward to this season. Think we've got rid of enough players and got some bright prospects... Besides the players, Im hoping the Pochettino will be our star signing. Looks like he's got a point to prove so is hungry. 

 

Just now, olderschoolcfc said:

I didnt know where to put this post, but I'm actually looking forward to this season. Think we've got rid of enough players and got some bright prospects... Besides the players, Im hoping the Pochettino will be our star signing. Looks like he's got a point to prove so is hungry. 

 

Completely agree. I think we are a bit light in some areas but hopefully that will be sorted soon enough.

Above all else I just want to enjoy watching Chelsea again. I didn't enjoy watching us all of last season, or the back end of the season where we were sanctioned.

Hopefully with Pochettino's high intensity, high pressing style of play it will make us enjoyable to watch again!

19 hours ago, evissy said:

I don't believe that for a second. Arsenal made a pretty great push for the title with a young squad but was eventually beaten by amazing treble winning City. 

You don't just win titles by newly assembled squads. The League is so tough. Look at the competition. City, Arsenal, MU, Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle all have pretty much the same squads they had before but with couple of new signings. 

We have a coach that just started and our starting 11 is changed by 70% and it looks almost every player is young. 

If we win the title it pips Leicester achievement and it means all the big guns have failed.

Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal are the top 3 teams to look out for, Newcastle is building a strong squad too and there is Man Utd that always wants top 4 just like we do so I say top 6 should be a decent season for us, though it all depends on Pochettino.

When all said and done things just need to work for us but for example even when it didn't work for Conte we still got to be in the top 5 which was then improved a bit by Sarri the next season so we should be looking at a high level of expectation since it looks like the 4th spot could be challenged. 

33 minutes ago, drjonesy1994 said:

Completely agree. I think we are a bit light in some areas but hopefully that will be sorted soon enough.

Above all else I just want to enjoy watching Chelsea again. I didn't enjoy watching us all of last season, or the back end of the season where we were sanctioned.

Hopefully with Pochettino's high intensity, high pressing style of play it will make us enjoyable to watch again!

Yeah, agree with that... I doubt we'll be challenging for the title. Would love to see us push for a top four spot among the teams around us. Definitely think we should be qualifying for the Europa  league. Would love an FA cup run and day out in Wembley. 

I'm happy to stick with what we've got player wise, think we can see where we're lacking over the next few months and try and work some deals for January. I would like to see us bring in a stopper. If Inter are going for Martinez, I think we could hijack that quite easily, think we need a a bit of a loon between the sticks.

Either way, fingers crossed. Here we go. 

Pochettino watching like a proud dad

 

 

11 hours ago, Dubair said:

No one will be beating Manchester City to the title never mind Chelsea. I think the min expectation should be 6th-7th this year and to get top 4 would be a good first season.

I’m worried about Kepa as he he’s always liable to give away a cheap goal from nothing but mainly quite excited to see how this new team shapes up. 
 

I think Pochetino should target the cups this year with strong teams in each round. Would get the monkey off his back about not winning anything early. 

He won the league and Cup in France.

Reece’s audition went well, Pochettino proving very tactile, I think it’s between him and Chilly, and Enzo as a dark horse?

Boy how Pochettino would love a Cesc type, creator and experienced pro, how about , not much hope of that.

54 minutes ago, Ballack & Blu said:

Boy how Pochettino would love a Cesc type, creator and experienced pro, how about , not much hope of that.

If we keep scoring 4 or 5 goals a game then I'm sure we can live with the absence !

1 hour ago, Ballack & Blu said:

Boy how Pochettino would love a Cesc type, creator and experienced pro, how about , not much hope of that.

Enzo??? He's probably the most creative player we've had since Fabregas left. 

48 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

If we keep scoring 4 or 5 goals a game then I'm sure we can live with the absence !

Last season we scored 38 in 38 PL matches, to go from 1 goal per game to 4 per game...