Chelsea Banter 3

01 Nov 2026 19:10:02
So. We have 19pts after nine games and we are 4th in the league.
My first target every season is an average of 2pts per game. So, we are slightly behind my points target.

07 Nov 2026 19:02:46
Don't you mean ahead, 2pts per game is 18 and we're on 19?

01 Nov 2026 19:02:52
Now Alonso has started to nail down the 4-2-3-1 that front 4 is scary good whoever plays.

J. Pedro

Rogers Palmer Estevao



Lavia Caicedo

Put in the best pivot in the Premier League in Lavia and Caicedo.

Now who plays behind them?

01 Nov 2026 23:02:17
For me JT the back 4 should be Chavaria, Colwill, Lacroix, Acheampong.

02 Nov 2026 09:30:08
That would be my choice too whitey97, but with Lacroix out who comes in?

02 Nov 2026 15:44:41
Id hope Palestra gets up to speed and play him at right back and move Josh into the middle. But Palestra has been poor when he has featured so I think i'd have to stick with Fofana even though he is an accident waiting to happen.

03 Nov 2026 09:00:20
I think I would prefer Palestra to Fofana but shows we are not too far away if they all stay fit Whitey.

01 Nov 2026 11:48:10
We haven't played a back 3 since the Brentford game and the 4-2-3-1 is settling in now with many in game transitions, with Caicedo and Lavia the midfield anchors it really allows the fullbacks to move forward at at times yesterday we were almost 2-4-3-1 and on the front foot. When Reece returns I would like to see Josh drop in alongside Colwill.

01 Nov 2026 13:08:56
I have to say it's great seeing Josh get a run of games and he is certainly showing us what we all knew he was capable of.

It was also great to see Estavo getting game time and hopefully that continues, he is such a live wire.

Fofana, well there is nothing more to be said on him.

01 Nov 2026 13:24:33
Let's hope Fofana can show some improved form as we probably have no alternative for another five weeks.
I guess Josh can play as a CH and Palestra (poor yesterday) can play in his favoured RB position.

01 Nov 2026 09:10:24
Morgan Rogers Premier League numbers for Chelsea rankings this season:

793 minutes played — 1st
61.4 miles covered — 1st
5 goals — 2nd
6 goal contributions — 2nd
2.80 xG — 2nd
2 big chances created — 2nd
17 chances created — 2nd
1.40 xA — 1st
1.70 successful dribbles per 90 — 1st
7.80 defensive contributions per 90 — 5th
5.00 recoveries per 90 — 3rd

Priceless at both ends of the pitch. Rogers is contributing goals, creativity, ball-carrying and defensive work at an exceptional level.

Chelsea's Player of the Season so far.

01 Nov 2026 09:50:19
If I was casting my season ticket vote now for POS it would be going to Pedro by some distance.

01 Nov 2026 09:53:08
I should have added that the Roger's defensive work can be improved. He is often caught out not tracking the FB.

01 Nov 2026 10:14:37
Tom, Joao Pedro has been superb, just hope he is not out for too long.
As for Rogers, yes, he can obviously improve and he is very young so surely will do but I really like him and those numbers are very strong. I'm so glad we signed him and not Arsenal who were rumoured to have wanted him. That front line yesterday was awesome.

01 Nov 2026 12:18:46
EbW, I I've in hope that our manager and coaches can work with our young players to improve their general game. It's also important that they understand their match responsibilities.
In the past I have been critical of Palmers work rate without the ball, i cannot complain about that in yesterday's game.

It was the hardest I can remember seeing him work.
I repeat, top teams have every player disciplined and working hard. I think we are slowly getting there and that shows that shows the Alonso philosophies are working.

01 Nov 2026 08:50:39
Enjoyed the game yesterday, felt the atmosphere was a bit flat but put that down to the early kick off.
Wasn't sure how to feel at the end because really we should have been a couple behind at half time but then could have scored 5 in the second half.

A couple of things - at the time I didn't think Esteavo's goal was offside and having seen the pictures I still don't think it was.
Fofana makes basic mistakes some are so bad that you wouldn't expect a kid to make them.
Finally, Lavia had a brilliant game I just read that he won possession 14 times, more than any Chelsea player in the Premier League for 3 years, that is some stat and this game should now be his benchmark.

01 Nov 2026 11:05:21
I couldn't see the Estevao goal as offside either, there have been a few offsides recently that have been dubious.

01 Nov 2026 12:21:06
I totally agree. It didn't look offside and I have now watched the replay several times and the still photographic evidence and it still doesn't look offside to my sad old eyes.

01 Nov 2026 15:47:40
Estrevao goal looked fine from a distance and te angle I was viewing it from at The Bridge. Having watched Matvh of the Day high;ights and seen the pics that supposedly had Estevao 7cms off side (!!??? - can this closeness really be measured one way or another, so if no onfield flag surely goal should have counted? ) - they in fact seemed to show he was just onside.

Disappointing as the lad took it so well and the whole side - especially Palmer - looked utterly delighted for him.

31 Oct 2026 23:25:06
Mason Mount received a hostile reception today. People told me he had made disparaging remarks about our club which I missed. In any event, if you all remember I was never a fan of Mount, he was good for about 18 months and then for the rest of his time at the club he was very poor. Some put it down to his injury issues.

I always put it down to him being found out and believing his own publicly that he was a a better player than he was, which evidenced by his ridiculous contract demands. Rightly, the club rejected them and we sent him off to Man Utd.

He is now lucky to have a contract with big wages: when that ends he will struggle to find a club: although on his wages he is set for life.
All of our ex- top class players positively support the club or certainly never criticise it.
We are well shot of him.

01 Nov 2026 12:58:22
Totally correct Jimbo, I remember one particular poster constantly berating the club for selling him which made laugh. He is simply terrible and so is Andre Santos, in fact, whoever at the club managed to get nearly a quarter of a billion quid for Santos, Fernandez and Delap in the last transfer window derserves an early Chrismas bonus.

01 Nov 2026 13:21:16
Not many clubs sell a player who had won two POS awards from the fans.
I certainly didn't want us to sell Mount but tben in recent times I didn't want us to sell Chalaboa or Jackaon. Also, in years gone buy I didn't want us to sell Greaves, Ossie, KDB or Salah.


I can't see the point in being smart after the event after all I wanted us to sell Cucarella and I got that along with many others wrong!

01 Nov 2026 14:19:03
If I remember correctly Mount was named POS for "two" consecutive seasons. Throughout those two seasons he got unwarranted criticism some of it personal.
Again, if I remember correctly, towards the end of his time at Chelsea he picked up a bad ish injury. During this period out with injury, contract negotiations with CFC started, no agreement could be reached. We sold him to Man United and they paid him what he wanted. He then a recurrence of his old injury followed by a series of other injuries.

I have no idea if these injuries have affected his football career. I seem to remember Ed02 saying he was getting in with bad company.

I was recently told by a United fan (living in Manchester) that he has a reputation of being out and about rather than looking after himself.
I also do not recall any disparaging Chelsea remarks being made by the player but in the back of my mind I do seem to recall a member of Mounts family saying something like "he didn't feel wanted or appreciated at Chelsea."
I'm personally not a fan of booing ex players for two reasons 1) it usually comes back to bite you on the bum. 2) I couldn't care less about a player or manager who leaves the club I love.

31 Oct 2026 19:41:01
Back from the bridge. Like everyone said dreadful first half. Those around me were very dworried. However, we were like a different team in the second half: well done Alonso. As for Lavia he was superb. Hopefully he can stay fit and replicate this performance. To quote from Duran Duran he was "hungry like a wolf".

31 Oct 2026 20:23:49
My mate is a Man City fan and he says the fanbase are turning on both Maresca and Enzo Fernandez, they would rather Cherki and Foden in the side.
Looks like we did well on both fronts and picked up £150 million in the process for the 2 traitors.

31 Oct 2026 13:25:28
Fofana has to be one of the most unreliable defenders ever. The though of us again not playing with a striker makes me think does alonso no what he's doing we're not Barcelona, we play with no striker yet play the same tactics to get it wide and cross it (there's nobody there)

31 Oct 2026 07:39:07
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - A Quick Liverpool Perspective