9 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

We're all conspiracy theorists these days, BlueCo broke us 😆

Would be nice if chelsea could get their best xi on the pitch on a regular basis and fully fit. Maybe next season? 😭

22 hours ago, bluedave said:

I had a random epileptic seizure in the supermarket last week and an ambulance crew took me to hospital. The hospital was very thorough (apparently it's very unusual for a 40-something to spontaneously develop epilepsy) and I got sent for EEG and MRI scans and they found a big tumor behind my right eye that was the root cause of the seizure. I had been feeling like there was something slowly going "wrong" inside my brain for well over a year, so it was kind of a relief to get an explanation, although I'd have preferred something less drastic. I doubt I'd have even gotten the scans/diagnosis if this had happened in the UK.

They removed most of the tumour surgically on Thursday morning and I've spent most of the time since then in a kind of post-anesthetic funk. Thankfully, I seem to live in a center of excellence for this kind of delicate/advanced neurosurgery here in Germany. There will most likely be ongoing radio/other targeted therapy for months, but I feel like I'm in expert hands.

The doctors warned me there was a real risk of paralysis and speech impairment as a result of the surgery, but so far I seem to have avoided anything like that. I have a big hole in the side off my head, but other than that I'm doing surprisingly well!

That's awful. Hope you have a speedy recovery!

5 hours ago, petre ispirescu said:

Looking at Andrey Santos' role of just protecting the backline and playing it safe most of the times (and doing a great job there), imagine how a healthy, fully fit Lavia would look in that no. 6 role next to Caicedo. I think he'd be perfect there. Crazy how a muscular injury that was supposed to be healed in around 3 weeks has now turned into over 3 months out. And still counting...

He’s back training.

On 08/02/2026 at 08:59, Valerie said:

@bluedave Bloody hell, Dave, that is scary. I'm pleased to hear that your surgery went well and you feel positive about your treatment! Get well soon 😘

Thanks. It's genuinely hard to believe how fast things have moved. I'm being discharged back home tomorrow so soon after having a large chunk of my brain carved out.

I'm glad to be able to share my experience because a few weeks ago I had no idea anything was seriously wrong, just a vague sense of occasional psychological "wobblyness" that I was writing off due to work stress, poor sleep, too much booze, etc. It never occurred to me that there could be something tangible behind those symptoms, so I'd like to encourage others not to make the same mistake.

6 hours ago, bluedave said:

Thanks. It's genuinely hard to believe how fast things have moved. I'm being discharged back home tomorrow so soon after having a large chunk of my brain carved out.

I'm glad to be able to share my experience because a few weeks ago I had no idea anything was seriously wrong, just a vague sense of occasional psychological "wobblyness" that I was writing off due to work stress, poor sleep, too much booze, etc. It never occurred to me that there could be something tangible behind those symptoms, so I'd like to encourage others not to make the same mistake.

Are you happy to go home or is it also perhaps a bit scary?

Of course you thought of unexciting reasons like fatigue or stress or booze for your wobbly complaints. A hypocondriac might have run to their GP, who would probably have said Get some rest and eat more veg. You had a very raw deal, but look on the bright side: you weren't told to eat your greens 😄

7 hours ago, bluedave said:

Thanks. It's genuinely hard to believe how fast things have moved. I'm being discharged back home tomorrow so soon after having a large chunk of my brain carved out.

I'm glad to be able to share my experience because a few weeks ago I had no idea anything was seriously wrong, just a vague sense of occasional psychological "wobblyness" that I was writing off due to work stress, poor sleep, too much booze, etc. It never occurred to me that there could be something tangible behind those symptoms, so I'd like to encourage others not to make the same mistake.

wishing you a speedy recovery👍

7 hours ago, bluedave said:

Thanks. It's genuinely hard to believe how fast things have moved. I'm being discharged back home tomorrow so soon after having a large chunk of my brain carved out.

I'm glad to be able to share my experience because a few weeks ago I had no idea anything was seriously wrong, just a vague sense of occasional psychological "wobblyness" that I was writing off due to work stress, poor sleep, too much booze, etc. It never occurred to me that there could be something tangible behind those symptoms, so I'd like to encourage others not to make the same mistake.

Mudryk has clearly had a large chunk of his brain removed too but that didnt stop us spending a fortune on him. So don't give up your hopes of a premier league career!

Good luck with the recovery mate. Hoping for nothing but the very best for you.

23 hours ago, loz said:

Mudryk has clearly had a large chunk of his brain removed too but that didnt stop us spending a fortune on him. So don't give up your hopes of a premier league career!

Good luck with the recovery mate. Hoping for nothing but the very best for you.

It's seems this could be the start of my long delayed premier league career as a left winger. Every cloud has a silver lining, and all that. I'm not allowed to commit to more than 10% physical effort at anything just yet, so that puts me ahead of Garnacho straight away.

On 09/02/2026 at 19:27, Valerie said:

Are you happy to go home or is it also perhaps a bit scary?

Of course you thought of unexciting reasons like fatigue or stress or booze for your wobbly complaints. A hypocondriac might have run to their GP, who would probably have said Get some rest and eat more veg. You had a very raw deal, but look on the bright side: you weren't told to eat your greens 😄

To be honest, I'm delighted to be sent home, but it feels way too sudden, like, have I actually earnt the right, yet? I trust the doctors explicitly, but it's a lot for my poor little brain to process happening in such a condensed period.

3 minutes ago, bluedave said:

To be honest, I'm delighted to be sent home, but it feels way too sudden, like, have I actually earnt the right, yet? I trust the doctors explicitly, but it's a lot for my poor little brain to process happening in such a condensed period.

Is that poor little brain little after the surgery or was it always poor and little ?The bit that was removed was probably pretty useless anyway, meant for gardening or pingpong.

2 minutes ago, Valerie said:

Is that poor little brain little after the surgery or was it always poor and little ?The bit that was removed was probably pretty useless anyway, meant for gardening or pingpong.

It was about the size of a ping pong ball (the bit they cut out), so yeah, it was probably meant for something useless like ping pong. No great loss, and I'm interested to see how much higher functioning my brain will become now that this excess meat has been removed...

Edited February 10Feb 10 by bluedave

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Edited February 10Feb 10 by Sexyfootball

1 minute ago, bluedave said:

It was about the size of a ping pong ball (the bit they cut out), so yeah, it was probably meant for something useless like ping pong. No great loss, and I'm interested to see how much higher functioning my brain will become now that this excess meat has been removed...

Ooh, exciting times! Sort of survival of the fittest for your brain! Perhaps now you suddenly are a math wizzard or a fantastic cook!

1 minute ago, Valerie said:

Ooh, exciting times! Sort of survival of the fittest for your brain! Perhaps now you suddenly are a math wizzard or a fantastic cook!

The doctor pointed out today how it was a great example of the plasticity/adaptability of the brain that I was still relatively "highly functioning" despite such a significant chuck of real estate being taken over by the the tumour.

I'm going to use my newly liberated brain potential to develop my long neglected artistic/creative skills, I think...

.

Edited February 10Feb 10 by GarnachoCheese
Wrong thread.

3 minutes ago, bluedave said:

The doctor pointed out today how it was a great example of the plasticity/adaptability of the brain that I was still relatively "highly functioning" despite such a significant chuck of real estate being taken over by the the tumour.

I'm going to use my newly liberated brain potential to develop my long neglected artistic/creative skills, I think...

Relatively high functioning...so you still fit in as usual on this forum 🤔

1 minute ago, Valerie said:

Relatively high functioning...so you still fit in as usual on this forum 🤔

Well I'm drinking alcohol-free beer and telling myself it's for the "good" of my brain, despite what I've recently learnt, so maybe I spoke too soon?

1 minute ago, bluedave said:

Well I'm drinking alcohol-free beer and telling myself it's for the "good" of my brain, despite what I've recently learnt, so maybe I spoke too soon?

Oh don't worry, you'll go back to alcoholic ways. I speak from experience.

Just now, Valerie said:

Oh don't worry, you'll go back to alcoholic ways. I speak from experience.

I can think of many worse examples to follow, out of hand.

On 07/02/2026 at 18:53, Caps_Lock_King said:

Cant see us finishing above both, we need to be at least 4th going to Anfield, after that we finish with Tottenham home and Sunderland away

Villa last 3 fixtures Burnley away, Liverpool home, Man City away

Liverpool last 3 Fixtures Chelsea home, Villa away, Brentford home

It will be close but the fixtures after Burnley in 2 weeks could decide if we have a chance

Arsenal away, Villa away, Newcastle home, Everton away, Man city home, Man utd home, Brighton away, Forest Home

10 points minimum plus 6 points from our next 2 games 59 points going to Anfield, 5th place last season was 66 if we can get a draw at Liverpool, beat Tottenham and get a draw at Sunderland will give us 64 so will need to win at Liverpool or Sunderland

LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE GETTING LESS POINTS THEN I SUGGESTED AT THE TIME

I SAID 6 POINTS FROM LEEDS AND BURNLEY, WE ONLY TOOK 2

I SAID 10 POINTS FROM Arsenal away, Villa away, Newcastle home, Everton away, Man city home, Man utd home, Brighton away, Forest Home

ONLY 3 POINTS FROM 3 GAMES SO FAR, NEED A MINIMUM OF 7 POINTS PLUS THE 4 WE DROPPED (LEEDS AND BURNLEY)

SO 11 POINTS FROM EVERTON, CITY, UTD BRIGHTON AND FOREST, I DONT THINK WE GET THEM

I STICK WITH WHAT I SAID FINISHING 7TH AT BEST