Chelsea Banter 2

17 Oct 2026 07:39:12
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Manchester City - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

16 Oct 2026 15:17:30
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Manchester City - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

15 Oct 2026 07:39:17
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 6 - Quick Round Up

14 Oct 2026 21:28:59
That Man City keeper is totally useless, so many wanted him but honestly, Bobby Sanchez was so much better and he is now toast. Well done to the sporting directors for not signing him when offered. Just shows most fans, me included, don't have a scooby do.

14 Oct 2026 22:36:07
Sham City do have a good keeper. He is playing for QPR.

15 Oct 2026 09:07:52
Tom

I watched him playing for Sheffield Wednesday and he was outstanding in a very poor team with a lot of surrounding noise around him.

Shame our SD's don't go/watch championship games.

15 Oct 2026 11:05:27
I think you will find we have an army of scouts watching games all over the world Bill including championship games. The belief is that Mike Penders is the future so we don't need to chase another young prospect in that position. Young Teddy is also very good, have you watched him at all?

15 Oct 2026 14:43:34
EbW

Both of our young GK's may or may not be what we need as a no.1 Charles plays consistently week in week out and has done for a while now.

15 Oct 2026 14:59:01
lucky old Man City then Bill having that level of quality.

15 Oct 2026 17:53:12
I guess it depends on what happens yo man cheaty.

14 Oct 2026 16:37:52
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 6 - Quick Round Up

14 Oct 2026 09:25:52
I do not believe any current version of FFP is fit for purpose. I also don't believe that salary caps are workable and may not even be legal. I'm also not a fan of dictating to owners what they can and can't spend of their own money.

I do believe in securing the future of all football clubs. To that end I remain convinced that all owners should have a secure bond held in an escrow account that covers all the salary costs for a period of no less than one year.

The latest report from the so called independent regulator will create headlines and certainly there is cause for concerns but as I have never met a regulator with any business sense, I am probably more horizontal than most other observers.

14 Oct 2026 10:47:53
Tom, The real reasons behind Financial Fair Play (FFP) were to protect the economic motivations of Europe's traditional football elite which included the so called red cartel in the UK.
While officially introduced to prevent clubs from going bankrupt and to curb hyper-inflation, critics, analysts, and football figures note that its practical and structural function was to act as a protective barrier for established, historic clubs against "new money" takeovers.
They accepted Jack Walker at Blackburn Rovers was a one-off but when Roman came along alarm bells sounded and when the saudi's came in at City and PSG the established elite went to work.

Look at clubs like Newcastle who are now restricted from spending the billions Roman invested early on. I think all genuine football people, myself included would like to see all clubs protected from financial ruin, look at what Ridsdale nearly did at Leeds, he nearly wiped that club out, but on the other hand what is wrong with another Jack Walker coming along and funding a club to achieve the impossible? a balance has to be found but I fear the established elite, and we are now in that group, will always get there way.
ED01, I know we have spoken about this in depth previously and you have strong opinions on what happened at Leeds.

{Ed001's Note - the Saudis have been nowhere near either Citeh nor PSG. You do realise that Arabs are different in the same way Europeans are right? Emiratis, Qataris and Saudis are not the same, they don't even particularly get on and are busy fighting proxy wars against each other all the time. So to talk about them like that is very offensive.

It is a difficult path, but they have clearly set about, first and foremost, ensuring no new money can break the monopoly. There should be a middle ground which protects clubs against reckless spending. Tom suggested an excellent method of a bond.}

14 Oct 2026 13:26:42
Ed, I am pleased you agree that a bond would potentially solve part of the FFP question.

I did send a proposal to the Premiership and the FA, neither acknowledged receipt. Just to clarify my bond suggestion was different for each football division.

I personally do not care for the term "elite" but I repeat, I have no problems with "any" owner spending whatever they can afford. As long as the club itself has a secured future.

{Ed001's Note - the only thing that should matter is ensuring the club's future is safeguarded, then they should be able to spend what they like. But while the rules are in place, and the teams sign a contract to abide by them, it is the way it is.}

14 Oct 2026 13:52:29
Thanks for clarifying the ownership ED01. I shall research the ownership in more detail next time before posting but my main point was the fact that the so called elite clubs want to stop new money coming in which makes a mockery of competitive football and is why the same few clubs keep winning the big competitions like the Premier League and the Champions League.

{Ed001's Note - I always enjoy when a new name appears and starts competing at the top level, personally. I don't understand why they want to stop it, it lowers interest if it is the same old teams every season.}

14 Oct 2026 15:39:07
Ed, I agree completely the long term security of the club should always come first. I also think it is outrageous when we have situations when employees of a club are not paid.

{Ed001's Note - that should certainly never happen!}

15 Oct 2026 09:12:51
I agree with everything being said, the only thing for me is that man cheaty could afford to spend billions and not flinch, you might as well give them the title before it starts then players from other clubs and fans can go off and have lively holidays and come back the end of may.

15 Oct 2026 09:52:31
A club can only have 25 players and having the supposed best players doesn't always make for the best team.
There are plenty of top players around and it might mean more home grown players getting a chance.

12 Oct 2026 07:39:15
{Ed's Note - MCR has posted a new article entitled, Effort Has to Be Liverpool's Bare Minimum

11 Oct 2026 22:48:11
I was really sad when Maresca had a bust up with Lawrence in November and the club backed the wrong man. Lawrence has now moved on but we lost Maresca who is an elite coach and could of carried us onto the next level.

You lot know my passion, an good english lad from the east end who puts it all on the line. I had some battles with Alonso and hated him as a player but hope he comes good.

12 Oct 2026 08:51:23
As far as I can tell Maresca chose to "back" another club. I doubt many Chelsea supporters will lose any sleep over it, so goodbye.
I'm sure he will enjoy managing Sham City whatever division they are in.

12 Oct 2026 09:42:38
Absouetly agree Tom

The poor man's Pep did not want to be with us as soon as Man Cheaty tapped him up once they new Pep was leaving.

Leicester fans were glad to get rid and so are we.

13 Oct 2026 12:45:54
Bill, the Leicester fans would love him back mate, he got them promoted to the Premier League and since leaving they have dropped to 17th in league 1.

13 Oct 2026 12:51:55
I would laugh my socks off if Sham City are playing Leicester in the League next season.

13 Oct 2026 15:07:34
JT

when Maresca left, Leicester fans mostly said they were happy to see him go due to his boring tactics.

14 Oct 2026 08:10:44
Bill, those same fans would love to watch his football again rather than hurtling towards league 2 which is where they are at the moment.
Tom, would be very funny wouldn't it to see Leicester play Cheaty in league 2 next season.

11 Oct 2026 22:14:33
Further to my match observations yesterday. Bournemouth brought a lad on called Rodriguez. He looks like a player to keep an eye on. Not frightened to control the ball in tight situations and a nice first touch.

11 Oct 2026 07:39:22
{Ed's Note - OptimumShots has posted a new article entitled, Who Are the Two Mystery Groups Interested in Buying Everton?