Chelsea banter 3

19 Nov 2025 07:39:38
{Ed's Note - TheRedKop has posted a new article entitled, Why Wirtz Is Struggling to Shine at Liverpool FC?

18 Nov 2025 11:44:42
Shim Mheuka is scoring goals for fun at both under 21 level for us and under 19 level for England, the question I pose is do we integrate him straight into the first team now, give him minutes and take the chance that he will develop into an exceptional talent or run the risk that he leaves with so many other clubs wanting him?

18 Nov 2025 12:41:40
Greenaway, I have assumed we will be sending him out on loan to Strasbourg as a replacement for the lad who is joining us.

18 Nov 2025 13:13:06
More profit coming Blue Co's way.

18 Nov 2025 17:07:10
That is a good point Tom and you may well be right. Let him develop at our sister club and then come back if and when he is ready. That is where club multi-ownership can really work.

21 Nov 2025 13:35:10
I think the lad from Kazakhstan is destined for Strasbourg, I’d be very much in favour of a Championship loan for Mheuka.

18 Nov 2025 10:51:52
This season I have had to miss a few home games and I put my tickets up for sale on the Chelsea exchange. Historically when sold a payment would have been made to my registered bank account. This has now changed and the club only transfer funds at designated times during a season.

I can sort of get the savings the club can make on bank charges but I assume they will also be receiving interest on accrued funds. I’m not sure how I feel about this change of policy and have emailed the club with several questions. I await there response.

18 Nov 2025 14:28:07
Tom

It's only a business maximising as much interest as they can make, nothing to do with fans I'm afraid.

18 Nov 2025 19:54:58
Bill, well I’m not so sure. As far as I’m concerned they have use of funds and I don’t recall this being mentioned when I have put my tickets up on the exchange site.
In the scheme if things, the amounts we are talking about per season ticket holders are small. I could very easily let it go but that’s not in my nature.

19 Nov 2025 16:43:24
Tom, I understand your annoyance but given that most of us are screwed day in and day out by big corporations and local and national government what the club have done is trivial. There are bigger fish to fry. If I were you I would enjoy your concessionary ST while it lasts.

19 Nov 2025 22:40:34
Jimbo, I would enjoy my concession ticket a lot more if I was well enough to get to more matches.

Trust me I make my MP give me answers. I think it’s our duty as citizens to express our views to elected officials.

Too much time on my hands.

20 Nov 2025 16:43:31
Tom, fair play to you, organisations rely on people not having the time or energy to take them to task. Complaining is our democratic right. I too have had my battles; won some, lost some.

18 Nov 2025 07:39:35
{Ed's Note - LAUDRUPHAGI has posted a new article entitled, Raskin's Value Debate Shows Reality of Rangers' Market Position

16 Nov 2025 21:26:57
As you probably are aware I am generally unimpressed by stats. XG, shots on target ( weak shot picked up by the GL) and particularly possession. A lot had been made that Kane had exceeded Pele for international goals. These sort of stats have to be put in context. For instance, Lukaku and a Malaysian, Iranian and Indian player are all above Pele for scoring international goals.


I will never be budged on my opinion that Pele was the greatest footballer of all time and Mohamed Ali was the greatest heavyweight. Quote as many stats as you like: they can be useful but do not prove anything. As for football the team with the most points win the premier league and are the best; no argument.

17 Nov 2025 12:01:38
Well points are stats but you said you don't like stats.

17 Nov 2025 14:05:42
Well it is arguable that points are stats if you want to be pedantic. I don’t like meaningless stats like the examples I mentioned.

16 Nov 2025 11:33:13
Bill, I should have added on a previous thread the a FAB meeting did take place in October of this year. When reading the mins it would appear that the only topic discussed was ticketing. Obviously this was of interest to as I made several complaints and suggestions to the club and FAB.


Unfortunately I cannot see any mention of SB development or potential move in those FAB mins. This is very disappointing as I was told via email that this topic would be on the agenda for that FAB board meeting.

16 Nov 2025 16:58:38
Tom, all they want to do is kick the can down the road until they sell up then it becomes other people's problem, meantime we fall further and further behind aa other clubs look to build better stadia.

16 Nov 2025 17:42:20
Bill, honestly mate it’s up to you I’ve you believe that but let me give you my take and lime all of us it’s only a guess.

My guess is that rumours of a board split (not uncommon) on this issue is probably accurate. I think unless we move to a new site then I can only see SB being capacity being increased over a period of time. I think the Shed end and the East stand will be developed.

I do not believe our current owners will look to build a new ground on the current SB site.

Just as an add on I also believe we will have new owners or a different mix of owners much sooner than people think.

I repeat this is just me guessing.

15 Nov 2025 07:39:33
{Ed's Note - MrPotatoHead has posted a new article entitled, Scottish Football's European Reality Check

14 Nov 2025 16:01:08
I saw these stats which really do paint a picture and back up what a few of us have been saying for a while, Chelsea are top in big chances created (37), top in XG (20.7), top in shots on target per match (5.6), 2nd in most goals scored (21 - 2 behind City) . And this is without our best attacker and one of the best attackers in Europe who has only played 145 mins so far.

You may not be a fan of stats but people who analyze games rely on it a lot. And stats tell you Chelsea is the best attacking team in the league so far and when Palmer returns we will reach an even higher level this season, add a top level striker like Haaland and we would likely be at the top of the table.

14 Nov 2025 16:32:28
RBD, we do have a highly regarded and sought after striker from Strasbourg joining us no later than this summer.

Thanks for the stats.

14 Nov 2025 18:31:12
Not in the same league as Haaland Tom, at present, nowhere near.

14 Nov 2025 19:00:18
Bill, I know very little about the lad. Maybe he will turn out to be better than Haaland.

15 Nov 2025 08:46:21
But is not at the moment Tom wheras Hallamd is the finished article already and is somebody we need not somebody who may or may not make it one day, German spring to mind?

15 Nov 2025 09:46:47
Bill, we ain’t ever going to sign Haaland of for that matter Kane.

As I say, I know very little about the lad who is about to join but let’s give him a chance.

15 Nov 2025 10:25:34
Emanuel Emegha is 6 foot 5 inch and a real powerhouse apparently, captains Strasbourg and averages a goal every other game, just called up by Holland as well. Could be the way to go with the game starting to evolve towards the old school hoof it and let the big striker batter the centre backs plus the relentless pursuit of mastering set pieces.

Could be a decent signing Tom.

15 Nov 2025 12:30:50
Guys, I suppose time will tell but I would say the French league is far different to the prem.

15 Nov 2025 13:27:36
Greenaway, if he has now been picked for Holland I will no doubt be forced to watch him. I know there was a lot of intron him from other clubs in the last window.

16 Nov 2025 16:50:59
I doubt whether anyone on here has seen Emegha play; let’s hope he is the answer to the No 9 problem. I’m not sure why his height is relevant; many to top strikers weren’t particularly tall.

Height isn’t even that important in heavyweight boxing. Joshua 6’6” with a glass jaw and Mike Tyson 5’ 10”. If those two had fought there would have been only one result.

16 Nov 2025 18:30:54
Jimmy Greaves 5ft-8ins. Best Chelsea player/striker I have ever seen.

16 Nov 2025 19:04:42
Tom, never saw Greaves play for Chelsea but his record speaks for itself. I remember as a kid going to QPR when he played for Spurs and he handballed the ball into the net, I was behind the goal. No VAR then.

16 Nov 2025 19:48:49
Jimbo, there is that much footage of him playing. I was very young and although my Dad was occasionally taking me to the Bridge to watch Chelsea, I hadn’t yet chosen a team to support.

I can’t remember who we were playing but he was unplayable and I think scored a hat trick. That day it pushed me closer to becoming a Greaves groupie and a Chelsea supporter. I was totally devastated when the club sold him to raise money and save CFC.

16 Nov 2025 22:26:48
Tom, I have seen some footage of him scoring goals for us. I do recall an iconic photo of him on the bus to the Bridge with supporters when football players were just highly paid workers.

13 Nov 2025 22:44:42
Watched the England match- boring; did just about enough to save face. Not sure what Tuchel is up to with his press statements; presumably trying to build team spirit. However, the notion of Bellingham and Palmer not being in the World Cup squad is ludicrous: they are both the only game changers available to England. Why is he picking Rashford and Henderson, surely they shouldn't be anywhere near the final squad. Looks like he has a some nailed on starters:
Pickford- absolutely awful keeper: demonstrates the dearth of decent English goalies.


Reece- obviously best RB in the PL
Rice - obviously top class
Saka- good player but imo overrated
Kane- obviously phenomenal goal scoring record but goes missing when it counts. I would take Drogba over him every day of the week.
Guehi - good CB but not top class.
Speaking of Reece, I had a haircut today. The guy who cuts my hair is an Arsenal fan. He tried to tell me that Timber was better than Reece. The haircut went downhill as I couldn't keep still as I was convulsing with laughter. Might have to elsewhere to have it tidied up.

14 Nov 2025 07:56:24
Fell asleep before the game started and didn’t wake up until after it finished. It was like winning the lottery.

14 Nov 2025 09:14:24
First of all, TT's football is boring and several mentioned this when he was our coach, nothing has changed.

Secondly, I think internationals are boring compared to the excitement we are used to week in and week out in the PL that is when we can play games when international bodies let us due to their stop start seasons.

14 Nov 2025 13:53:40
Bill, strangely I think we will win the World Cup with TT as our manager. He might have got us playing boring football but he did set us up well for big games in knockout competitions.

13 Nov 2025 10:40:12
So who do we sign in January to push us up a level?

13 Nov 2025 13:10:23
Guehi, Haaland and Anderson.

13 Nov 2025 14:40:02
Bill, you’ve forgotten Courtois and Bastoni.

13 Nov 2025 16:20:22
I didn't want to be too ambitious Jimbo, I will save other signings for the summer.

That being said, i would not go anywhere near the traitor that is Courtois.

13 Nov 2025 16:56:17
Bill, it was always on the cards that Courtois would end up at Madrid just like Hazard. Don’t be surprised if we lose Palmer, Caecido and Enzo within the next couple of seasons.

13 Nov 2025 17:40:21
I think PSG will make a massive offer for Palmer in the summer. I think Enzo will leave if a good offer comes in from Real Madrid but only Real Madrid. Caicedo will definitely stay.

13 Nov 2025 18:07:47
Tom, wouldn’t be surprised if City tried to get Palmer back and I agree Enzo seems destined for Madrid. I don’t agree that Caecido will stay long term: he is world class and unless we up our level he may well want to be seriously challenging for big trophies. We would get huge fees for them but I worry about how it would be invested. It’s about time we brought in players to up our level and become serious contenders at home and in Europe.

The current strategy of buying young players with potential will not bring us back to the top table. I am still not convinced about Maresca but I think he is aware of where we need to strengthen and the profile of players to take us to a higher level but I fear his influence is limited.

13 Nov 2025 18:08:37
Tom

I think if hoid money is offered for Caicedo, he will go as well.

If those three players went, the owners might as well go as well as they will become the Chelsea Hlaziers and the fans will let them know where the door is and on the way out they can also take their lack of sponsorship and lake of SB decisions with them.

13 Nov 2025 18:45:33
Bill, the hierarchy are stuck in a self obsessed philosophy of bringing in young players: they have no idea how to build a squad to compete at the highest level. Frankly, it doesn’t really matter who our coach is- so despite my reservations about Maresca he can stay as long as he wants, it won’t make any difference.

13 Nov 2025 18:56:19
Think we are near the top table now World club champions in with an outside chance of the prem in the champions league.

Buying young players work Palmer Estevao great finds

Money talks but they are all on long contracts we pay quite well.

Am in a v small minority but if we had a half decent offer for Fernandez I would take it.

13 Nov 2025 19:29:29
I think we are competing at the highest level. I also believe will be at the top table for years to come.

13 Nov 2025 19:31:52
I agree with you Seymns2, we are very close to being at that top table and out of all the above much appreciated replies to my original post I think Bills comment that Haaland would be the player to take us to the next level is spot on, add Haaland to our side and not only would we be in with a great chance of sweeping up every trophy it would also mean all our top stars would stay.

Over to you Blueco. sign Haaland (or, realistically, a top striker to convert all the chances we create (highest XG in the prem) . Great thread guy's, thankyou for responding.

13 Nov 2025 19:50:19
Seymns, absolutely agree about Palmer and Estavou top players and bargains. However, we have lots of young players on loan, Sarr and Aselmino- CBs who will probably get further loans but Emegha and Paez are likely to initially join first team squad.

So please buy some experienced players in the summer. Forget, the Club World Cup, it was great to win and a fantastic performance but it doesn’t change the level we are at.

13 Nov 2025 20:34:22
Seymns, forgot to mention Quenda signed for £47 million due to join next summer.
Tom, we are not competing at the top level we are are scraping for top four. If we get within 5 points of whichever team wins the title and get to the Champions League semi finals, I will agree with you.

13 Nov 2025 20:40:16
I agree Tom, we are already a top table team. I also can't really understand this "experience" agenda. Are we talking "age" or "experience". If you want "age" and "experience" then just put Sterling back in the squad.

If you want "experience" then surely we have a fair bit of that? Reece James, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Pedro Neto, Marc Curcurella, I could go but these boys do have experience.

13 Nov 2025 22:19:47
RPD, we are not a top level team, we haven’t seriously challenged for the title for years and scraped into top 4 last season after failing to qualify for CL for two consecutive seasons which used to be a given. The point I was making is that we have brought in a lot of young players and some are parked on loan and others at their clubs who are coming in next season and whose fees with come into play in in the summer Particularly in defence, which we have ignored, you need proven players, in our case, to move up a level.

13 Nov 2025 22:22:51
Jimbo, my opinion is we are competing at the so called “top table. ” We are in a Champions league spot this season having after finishing in the top four last season. We are also still in the League Cup and will almost certainly get through to the knockout out stage of the Champions League having won the conference cup and club world champions last season.
If some people/fans are not happy with our achievements and progress that’s up to them but I’m happy enough.

RBD, I agree about the lack of experience idea being a load of tosh. I also believe that age isn’t a barrier to being a leader.
I have said in the past that we need “more” leaders but I’m gradually seeing that happening with more players. In my opinion Josh is a classic example of a young lad being given time by the manager, who is now showing himself to be not only a quality player but a future leader.

13 Nov 2025 22:58:22
Jimbo, you are welcome to your opinion but I think you are totally wrong. These young players are very talented, trust them mate, enjoy the ride, we are back. The winners of The Club World Cup, the only team to ever win every European trophy and now above the likes of the current league winners and chasing down Arsenal. Add a striker and we dominate mate.

13 Nov 2025 23:03:33
RBD, I should have also added that I liked it when “our” club was given a “unique” achievement award. “We’ve won it all” is a chant I enjoy hearing at the bridge. I think it’s very likely that we will be the only club who can legitimately sing that song in my lifetime.

14 Nov 2025 08:34:48
RPD, you are entitled to your opinion that I am totally wrong; however, I equally believe that your perception of where we are lacks objectivity. I do agree that we have a core of top players to build on.

However, I believe there are still several issues that prevent us moving up a level. Hopefully, the team will prove me wrong in the coming months of the season.

14 Nov 2025 09:22:06
I beleive that if we sell any of our top players it will stop us from becoming a top team.

You only see the city's and Liverpool's selling their top players when they are coming to the end of their careers and even then with the likes of more Salad and VVD, they fight to keep hold of them.

The constant revolving door model does not work, just ask Southampton and Wolves.

14 Nov 2025 09:59:21
I didn't realise Cole Palmer was at the end of his career Bill when Man City sold him?
Also, why are you saying we are selling all our top players when that is not the case?

14 Nov 2025 13:18:04
Greenaway,

I don't beleive that City thought that CP would make such an impact in his first season, second season so far not so much.

My post was in response to Tom's earlier post where he thought PSG would come in for CP and RM for Enzo.

I also beleive that Tom is correct, if good money comes in, players will be sold as we are now a business and not a football club.

14 Nov 2025 13:48:29
Bill, let me just clarify one thing.

The early years of the RA ownership in my opinion we were run as if the club was a rich man’s toy. In the latter years of his ownership I personally believed that attempts were being made to run the club as a business.

There is in my opinion “nothing” wrong with any club being run as a business. It does not make us “less” of a club.
I think all clubs who are owned by business people should expect there club to be run as a going concern.

14 Nov 2025 18:07:34
sorry RPD and Tom - massively disagree, top table is not challenging for top 4 its challenging for the league- if we're going to do that likes of sanchex and chalobah have to be upgraded - we need a top class GK and Cb to go for titles which should always be the aim, can sign as many 14 year olds from kazakhstan dagestan or timbuktu for all i care.

It has to be matched with signings to win here and now i. e haaland, rice, eze, vvd, alisson- we are close and i hope the club have it in them to take the final step and go for it.

14 Nov 2025 19:07:11
Kazblue, I have no problems with posters disagreeing with my opinions.
What happens at the end of the season will indicate if we are a club that continues to challenge for trophies.

Also, I personally don’t think we will be signing many players in this winter window or the summer window. I believe the club is happy with its longer term (loan) investments.

13 Nov 2025 07:39:31
{Ed's Note - RedDawn has posted a new article entitled, Why Liverpool Should Revisit The Diamond Formation