Chelsea other posts

09 Oct 2024 09:07:57
Congratulations Cole Palmer. It's what happens when you play for the mighty Chelsea.

08 Oct 2024 09:12:59
4th place going into the October international break and making progress in the cup competitions is something I believe most of us Chelsea fans would of taken at the start of the season. I like Enzo Maresca, he is confident, articulate and ruthless. A hands on coach who is adaptable and yet has a clear way of playing. Partnerships are forming and the players look comfortable and relaxed as they share minutes on the pitch. I think the next set of fixtures will give us more indication as to the level we are at in regards to the top 3 above us. For me, we are not quite there just yet as I'm sure all three above us would of found a way to beat 10 men with 20 minutes to play. Fine margins but the top teams get over the line, think Drogba and Lampard getting last minute winners in the Jose era of dominance, Utd under ole red nose and his Fergie time, City with Kun and Kompany and Arsenal this season with late late goals. We need to find that to complete the jigsaw in my opinion but nonetheless I'm sipping from a glass half full.

08 Oct 2024 13:30:54
I totally agree West Side however I think we are still far too open at the back for my liking and if we do that against the top clubs, we will get well beating.

08 Oct 2024 13:42:21
I think Lavia will come in against the better sides Bill assuming he is fit. Probably go with 2 CDM's at the expense of a winger or Enzo.

08 Oct 2024 06:08:53
Ed002, with 777 Partners going out of business, does BlueCo hold an interest in acquiring their shares in any of the clubs under their portfolio (Red Star, Genoa, Hertha BSC, Standard Liege, Vasco Da Gama, Melbourne Victory, Sevilla)?

{Ed002's Note - There is progress being made on a further acquision but it is not something we need to discuss here.}

03 Oct 2024 09:58:29
John Duran has 6 goals in 9 games (from only one start) .

Samu Omorodion has 5 goals in 5 games (three starts) .

Our scouting network is right up there with the very best.

I suspect both will cost rather more now if we were to pursue them.

03 Oct 2024 13:28:30
West Side I wanted SO, not Duran

You are right to big up our scouting team but why were we unable to secure at least one of these two players?

03 Oct 2024 16:39:33
Bill, I think we had a much preferred target than tbe two players mentioned. If I remember correctly wasn’t there an issue with the proposed SO transfer?

Anyway, I’m happy enough with the strikers we have at the moment.

03 Oct 2024 18:13:40
Totally agree Tom,

The point I was trying to make was that West Side was correct about our scouting team yet we missed out on both (not sorry about Duran though) .

06 Oct 2024 16:02:39
Who did we get.

01 Oct 2024 06:03:16
Now I am not saying "we are back! " But I would be interested to hear if some of the people we called negative Annie's. Opinion on the squad at the minute.

Is jackson still a donkey
Is caicedo still a donkey and we needed rice instead.
We are paying sterling a fortune and improving arsenal at the same time.
The recruitment team need the sack for buying 100s of players

For one yes jackson is a donkey. Every now and then but more times than not at the minute showing signs of becoming a top player.

Caicedo is not a donkey and if he carries on the way he is. I will be glad we never got rice.

As for sterling. Well I don't like him. Never have. He showed his true colours trying to snatch the penalty last season. So selfish!
He is not improving arsenal and never will.

The recruitment team. Let's see. Palmer, Gusto, caicedo, sancho (if we keep him for £20mil after we got £60mil for mount that is great buisness at the moment) don't like him but maduke is looking great. Then we still have the likes of lavia, William est, kendry to come into the squad.

As most of us said it takes time but I for one would be happy with 4th this season. Hopefully win the only remaining cup in Europe we haven't won. And a good cup run/ win. Thing look like they are on the up. BUT! We will fall again we aren't quite good or consistent enough for city and probably arsenal yet.

01 Oct 2024 11:04:08
Jsfinchy, I just love the debate/ argument. I’m also happy to be referenced as “woke” because I don’t think it’s necessary to dish out personal abuse to fellow posters, players, managers or the owners. I’m pretty sure that view is just a me thing.

We have won a few games and like you I’m not getting carried away. I haven’t changed my view in how this season will pan out but my expectations for next season will be a lot higher.

I am really looking forward to being at the bridge this weekend and that hasn’t always been the case over the last few seasons.

01 Oct 2024 21:28:26
Great comments jsfinchy and I totally agree with you. Some of the rather silly and repetitive comments from the two of them were laughable and rather child like but hey ho. The great thing is though the recruitment team are actually doing an amazing job and it great to see.

02 Oct 2024 12:16:34
I saw a Facebook post last night. It was people slagging off the recruitment team and owners for buying palmer when the news broke.

The owners have done it again buying another young product we don't need.

He will just get loaned out like the rest.

Why are we buying a man city reject. There is a reason they don't want him.

Just give mason mount the money he wants to sign contract instead.

It just goes to show how fickle us football fans are. Would we swap. Palmer for mason. Connor, havertz. He'll no. Again it goes to show how much we all don't know about the football world.

02 Oct 2024 14:49:46
jsfinchy, you are correct we are, in my opinion, very fickle, biased and all very clever with the benefit of hindsight.

02 Oct 2024 17:50:36
We are tomb but. Most are OK with owning up when they was wrong. An the ones that don't are the ones that irritate me.

The one calling caicedo a donkey and waste of money. At least just say yeah I was wrong he is starting to look like the player we brought. Instead of just saying " I've never said that"

I can't stand noni. But I have to admit he is looking like a decent asset at the minute. I feeling the same with noni as I do Bruno Fernandes. Just just can't stand that guy.

05 Oct 2024 09:08:27
Personally, I think our recruitment has been mixed but there has undoubtedly some successes . I seem to recall being battered when I was suggesting that Mount was overrated and Sterling was an expensive mistake but don’t get too excited he will be back on £300k a week next summer. Sancho and Felix have a lot to prove both have talent but seem to lack consistency. Desia and Bads have not lived up to expectations and I have mentioned the goalkeeper issue repeatedly. Palmer has been the outstanding signing but the elephant in the room is : how long can we keep him without competing at the highest level?

05 Oct 2024 16:16:08
No recruitment team at any club gets it all right. There will always be hits a misses.

I’m not sure what elephant will be in the room next season. I think we will sell Palmer at the end of the season regardless if we qualify for the Champions league.

05 Oct 2024 16:16:08
No recruitment team at any club gets it all right. There will always be hits a misses.

I’m not sure what elephant will be in the room next season. I think we will sell Palmer at the end of the season regardless if we qualify for the Champions league.

05 Oct 2024 17:46:35
Tom, why would we sell Palmer at the end of the season I was postulating that if we don’t start being realistic challengers for trophies in the next couple of seasons it might happen. I am just concerned about our lack of ambition. Remember this is the club that:
Had the longest unbeaten home record in the league
Least goals conceded in a CL run
Highest number of clean sheets in PL
Least number of goals conceded in PL
First team to score 100 goals in PL
First team to win 30 PL games in a season
Only club to “hold “ Europa league and Champions League at the same time.
Only London club to have won CL.

05 Oct 2024 19:09:31
I’m not sure why you would think there is a lack of ambition from owners who have spent about £1.3bn in transfers.

Just for the record I do NOT want us to sell Palmer and I have no evidence that the club wants to sell him it’s just my gut feeling and when I look at the young talented players we have within our structure, I think something might have to give.

05 Oct 2024 21:39:01
Tom, I have no idea about the ambition of the owners; spending money doesn’t necessarily correlate with ambition. They certainly haven’t shown much ambition with our summer signings. Actually, I was more concerned about the the ambition on this site.

05 Oct 2024 22:21:18
I’m now sure how the owners can demonstrate more ambition. When Roman splashed the cash it showed ambition. The present owners have made more early day mistakes in my opinion but Roman made mistakes over his term as our owner.

I also see ambition from virtually every poster. I personally want to see our team improve from season to season and I crave some management stability for obvious reasons.

06 Oct 2024 08:55:08
Tom you make it sound like the new owners started with a low base, when they took over we were a successful club. Yes, Roman made mistakes but still collected trophies. Manager stability is fine if you have the right coach not just for the sake of it.

06 Oct 2024 10:37:45
I have not made it sound like the new owners started from a low base, that is just your misinterpretation.

My opinion is and will remain that the squad needed a massive overhaul. Others will see it differently but we had a succession of managers who described the squad that the owners took over as “mentally weak. ”

No fan can be sure if we have ever signed a right manager but I personally think they should be judged over a couple of seasons not a couple of months. Also, the reason I will “always” say I want stability is because that would indicate progress/ success.

22 Sep 2024 12:25:29
There been talk in the papers / by pundits about Chelsea selling first teamers who are doing well when they hit peak value. It's irritating me.

Sure it's not how the club would put it, but I think we are buying three types of player:

- Those for the first team squad immediately
- Those viewed as having a high enough ceiling to make the first team squad
- Those unlikely to make the squad, but whose value is likely to increase enough to secure a profit

Players can go between those categories, but that model allows Chelsea to invest for on the field performance now, future performance and commercial return.

DDF always appeared to be one bought for future sale; Kellyman could go either way; Palmer clearly bought with the first team in mind.

Thought of like that, it sort of gives a lie to the "what are we doing with 100s of players" nonsense.

Football pundits struggle with the idea of change, particularly those who never left the 90s Premiership bubble.

22 Sep 2024 15:00:21
FD77, you raise some interesting points. The last time I looked 41 players were sold, loaned or released from our club in the last window.

I have no idea what the clubs BP is and the owners certainly don’t have a duty to make public there plan. I’m sure pundits are no better informed than us fans when it comes to all things Chelsea but they get paid make comments and so many just appear to say things to shock.

22 Sep 2024 19:46:27
The hierarchy seem very fixed on buying players for the future whether for the first team squad or to sell on in time. I personally doubt that any of or summer signings will significantly improve the first team this season. If say, Palmer continues to show his last laseason’s form and we got a big bid for him, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was sold particularly as we have two alleged Brazilian wonder kids coming in the summer.

22 Sep 2024 22:08:11
Did you enjoy our win yesterday Jimbo and the progress the club are making under the new owners?

23 Sep 2024 09:31:38
West side

I'm assuming when you are talking about the owners progress you are referring to the team and not the fact we have no front of shirt sponser or any real movement on the situation with SB.

Regarding the team, yes they are improving and we have very talented youngsters but the defence us still open and against the top teams, the problems will he highlighted.

We still have no leaders for when the going gets tough.

23 Sep 2024 09:52:56
Cheer up Bill as all we can focus on as fans is the football and that is going in the right direction. Just 2 defeats in 20 premier league games, back to back clean sheets, goals from our striker, oodles of talented players and a very good young head coach. ED02 has explained on a number of occasions that the redevelopment/ move from SB is complex. As fans we can only be patient. ED02 has also explained that negotiations are in place for a FOS sponsor. These people are seriously wealthy and very astute business people who will get these things sorted. It doesn't effect us fans so why worry? Be happy.

23 Sep 2024 14:04:12
West side

It's nice that the team are playing well and I must admit at the moment, I was wrong about my opinion of our coach.

That been said we have to be critical when it's due otherwise the thought process is that all is well and we know at present, that's not the case therefore the owners/ recruitment team need to be called put so fat we as a club and business continue to improve further.

23 Sep 2024 15:08:01
Totally correct Bill if they have done anything wrong but right now they are proving to be getting a lot right. Of course things could always be better but we are running under the radar at the moment with this squad of players and as they mature and adapt to Maresca's playing style they will improve further. The squad needed a major overhaul and it has happened, some will need to move on but the core is coming together and these owners have deep pockets and won't stop until we are right back at the top of the tree. I actually think we shall win the premier league again before that other lot on the north of the smoke do and that will be hilarious to see the pundits move into meltdown.

23 Sep 2024 16:30:40
Totally agree West Side.

I think if you had their defence with our midfield and attack we would run away with the league.

23 Sep 2024 17:09:02
Early days but Colwil could be the anchor in defence that we had with JT. He is improving all the time.

23 Sep 2024 18:05:11
Agree Tom

But at this point let's be honest Colwil would not get into the Arsenal back line at present.

23 Sep 2024 19:01:09
Maybe not today but he may well do at the end of the season. Also, is Timbeeeeeeer better than Cucarella or is White better than a fit James or Gusto? Maybe not much in it.

23 Sep 2024 19:58:06
Totally agree with you Bill about our midfield and forwards being better than theirs. Their centre backs are the best pairing in the league though so we do need Tosin or Fofana to step up or maybe the young Argentian who is joining next year will prove to be the answer alongside Levi who is the best youngster in the league in his position.

23 Sep 2024 21:38:47
Tom, westside

Good points made by both of you.

Colwill will be a top CB, but not at the moment. RJ and Gusto are both really good LB's, their fitness is am issue though espically RJ.

When they are both out of action, we have a real issue.

23 Sep 2024 23:40:42
Yeah the biggest issue being you don't know they are rb's ??.

24 Sep 2024 08:48:51
That was a joke before anyone take offence.

24 Sep 2024 08:59:06
None taken JS, don't know my left from my right probably the reason I keep getting lost.

24 Sep 2024 11:26:16
WSOTS I didn’t see the game on Saturday only the highlights on MOTD. Yes there is some improvement insomuch as we are beating teams we should be winning against. I am not rushing to judgement either way: usually by Xmas you can have an idea about how things are panning out.
Tom, I agree about Colwill, I have always believed he is a class player. Yes, Reece is better than White but that is irrelevant if you have only played a handful of games in the last two seasons.

24 Sep 2024 14:00:54
That is a fair comment Jimbo about waiting until Christmas. I hope we are mounting a title challenge by then but at least competing for top 4.

19 Sep 2024 13:01:20
Ed002, any updates on BlueCo acquiring new clubs as part of their multi-club strategy?

{Ed002's Note - Nothing significant at this time, but efforts are being made.}

20 Sep 2024 08:42:58
Ed

Any updates on Blue Co obtaing a front of shirt sponser or the SB stadium issue.

{Ed002's Note - Talks continue over both.}

20 Sep 2024 13:17:23
Thank you ED.

18 Sep 2024 16:16:39
Adios and thanks again to the editors.

18 Sep 2024 16:40:24
Have fun and I hope you settle down well back in the UK.

19 Sep 2024 08:20:10
Am I missing something here, has Standard left the site and what would it have to do with moving to the UK?

{Ed002's Note - Yes and nothing.}

19 Sep 2024 12:25:17
That’s a shame. I thought he was just moving to the uk.

19 Sep 2024 13:21:26
Standard has left, not heard from Matt recently.

I know that they have moaned about the owners, players and the project but unless we have fans who look at things both positive and negative when it's due, the site will become somewhere where we won't be interested in logging onto.

Other clubs on this site moan about players owners etc but we seem to lose the ones on our club site.

19 Sep 2024 13:31:21
Bill, you are spot on mate. It’s normal to have different views and it’s what’s this site is all about in my opinion.

COG loves an argument.

19 Sep 2024 14:16:16
They are both trolls and have been called out for being so by the ED's. Why do you encourage that?

19 Sep 2024 15:08:33
WSOTS, to a certain extent we are all trolls.

I’m not a fan of censorship and on this site I trust the editors to edit and if necessary censor.

22 Sep 2024 01:44:50
I’m not a fan of excessive censorship but I will say it was becoming unbearable with the amount of stuff being posted based on twit rumours and things posters were making up in their own heads and then commenting on. There’s plenty enough to have your opinions both positive and negative on without having to make up or believe random stuff.

23 Sep 2024 20:06:57
Fuser you are very right there.

24 Sep 2024 14:46:28
Fuser, I am not sure where the line would be drawn between excessive censorship and censorship. Obviously, there are standards that must be adhered to on this site. Personally, if people want to re-cycle social media garbage it doesn’t bother me. As for things being made up, it could be argued that any comment about the club is “made up” as they are generally opinions not necessarily based on fact- nothing wrong with that.

14 Sep 2024 22:00:09
Taking three points when they are not deserved is always welcome.

Caicedo was for me far and away our best player.

Sanchez good performance and good pen save.

Sancho, good cameo.

Tosin, played well and looks solid enough.

Disasi was poor.

Fofana looked better at RB

Nkunku took his goal so well. Very pleased for the lad.

15 Sep 2024 07:18:52
No he didn't fofana was absolutely crap in both positions out of position and couldn't string a pass together
Fofana and colwill is not a great partnership at all
Tosin made a big difference when he came on.

15 Sep 2024 08:42:15
It’s about opinions and I think he played better at RB than he did at CH but that wouldn’t be hard. Tosin as I have said before played well in a conference game and was unlucky not to keep his place.

Colwil is looking good regardless of who he plays with.

16 Sep 2024 13:58:51
Tosin had one poor moment when [assing directly to a Bournemouth player that might have resulted in a goal but looked comfortable on the ball and has potential for long pass to get side on attack that would make him v useful if he settles.

He looked unsettled when pressed I thought. But was definitely an improvement on Fofana on Saturday night at least at CB, . Fofana just v undisciplined re positioning imho though not lacking pace, bravery or heading ability.

14 Sep 2024 19:53:19
Maybe just maybe we should of brought jhon Duran!
Wow what a goal.

15 Sep 2024 08:56:12
He would not be available for many games, too many concerts in the pipeline.

Seriously though, 99 times out of a 100, that shot would go wide of the target.

15 Sep 2024 10:42:37
Our scouts rarely get a mention on here but they really can see a player in the making. A shame the sporting directors opted not to sign him because I imagine his value has now soared.

13 Sep 2024 13:28:13
£9.7m pounds will be paid this season for Raheem Sterling to play for Arsenal, a team currently higher than us in the table.

Goodness me.

13 Sep 2024 14:03:02
The troll is back ?.

13 Sep 2024 16:07:13
jsfinchy, thanks again for looking up the facts regarding the historical Caicedo comment.

As I’ve said on this subject before, I wonder what the amount is we have saved on the Sterling loan. The manager didn’t want him in the squad, big call but one I respect.

13 Sep 2024 22:24:52
Js finchy calling me a troll is an easy way to ignore someone else's opinion. If you want to call me a troll, go ahead.

Tom, again I have no idea what you're talking about.

Back to the sterling point, are you seriously trying to somehow paint that as a win? We are paying a transfer fee to improve a competitor for one season, and then we still have said player for 2 more years on 350k who we have alienated from the squad.

That is utterly bizarre to me and if you don't think so, happy to ccoversate. But I must admit your condescending tone and constant high horse mentality is very boring and pushing posters away.

14 Sep 2024 03:02:25
Your the one pushing posters away your getting boring pretending you don't know what you have said which is very contradicting.
And it's easy to call you a troll you are correct. You come here constantly to bleat on about what's wrong with the club. Yet again I find myself thinking your a child throwing your toys our of the pram because you haven't got what you want.
Sterling hasn't even kicked a ball for arsenal yet but he has somehow made them even better. Yet he has been a disaster since signing. You have slated him in the past as well.
And if they allowed me to post your comments on these players I would.

As I repeat it's getting boring you contradicting yourself to suit your narrative.

14 Sep 2024 06:32:35
People are allowed differing opinions js finchy.

Regarding sterling, I've actually overwhelmingly posted in support of sterling. It's my opinion that it's silly to pay 60% or whatever of his wages when he improves another team. If you don't want to have a discussion regarding that, sure, don't worry. But on a forum I thought differing opinions was okay?

14 Sep 2024 07:06:33
I wouldn’t have a clue what the perception split is of Sterlings wages but clearly the manager decided he didn’t need him in his squad. The club didn’t or couldn’t sell him, so loaned him out to cut down on there wage bill. No club as yet (maybe Saudi) have come forward to offer paying his full wages. So the club decided to take AN amount of his wages off the balance sheet rather than take a full 100% hit.

14 Sep 2024 07:09:29
No you never again like the ciacedo donkey comment but it won't let me post what you say about sterling.

So again you are factually wrong and just making it up to suit your agenda.

14 Sep 2024 09:16:01
Standard is entitled to post whatever he likes if you don't agree
Dont reply or you can call him a troll and argue its so boring

I used to love this site it used to be a really good laugh and no PC crap

Its become a boring can't say that
tomb show
Its actually become woke on here a football site has become woke
I never thought id see the day when chelsea fans did that
Fly the flag standard.

14 Sep 2024 11:03:50
I agree with Gianfranco

I don't always agree with Standard or Matt for example likewise sometimes I don't for example agree with Tom however, we are all fans and want the best for our club and everyone will have different views on how that should happen.

Me, although we gave a really good young squad, I believe that we need experience in the no.9 position, at the moment the jury is out on the new medical department despite injuries to Lavia and both our right backs although so far Fofana has stayed injury free.

I also would like to see no players coming or indeed going in January and very few in the summer.

As you know, I cannot for the life of me understand why we unable to obtain a front of shirt sponser.

The in-house issues with our owners are also now a problem as is the problem with the ground whether it's staying or moving on, my preference is the latter.

14 Sep 2024 11:41:06
It is very naive to believe that all posters on this site are fans Bill. It is very obvious that some are just trolling.

14 Sep 2024 12:09:41
If “woke” means being careful about the words you use then call me woke. If woke is not being abusive towards players, managers, owners and fans then call me woke. Im also not bothered about people with different views to mine and I’m happy to take criticism but it works both ways.

Standard or anyone else can say what they like as far as I’m concerned but of course don’t start moaning if people have a different view. Again it works both ways!

14 Sep 2024 13:29:13
Tom

Perhaps I am nice but I visit others sites and the trolls tend to disappear for a while then come back, Standardxisxa, regular.

I think we are all in agreement that we all have differing views and we won't always be right, that will be the point where hands go up and admit we were wrong and I know Tom you do exactly that.

14 Sep 2024 14:08:33
Bill, I have not said he is a troll but certainly others have. What I did do was look up the definition of troll and trolling and as I have said that was quite interesting.

Also Bill I like to be convinced/ certain before I jump to a conclusion. I have made so many judgments about players over the years and I’ve got lots wrong and just a few, by chance, right.

There are generally two sides to every story as well as reasons why people make certain decisions. The owners have made mistakes, as all owners do but I am certain of one thing, they want the best for CFC.

14 Sep 2024 15:00:41
Thanks for the support lads. That's all I'll say. I think it's unfair to say I only post negativity because I actually do post lots of positive also. I think we have some very talented players. But I'll also post my thoughts. At a time where the club are not making good moves. It's understandable that tgere are posts criticising the regime.

When we were poor under lampard (transfer ban era) I believe I was overwhelmingly positive because despite the negatives, we were on the right trajectory.

I'm not too sure we are under this new regime.

14 Sep 2024 17:57:39
As for the Sterling deal, no loan fee, paying the majority of his wages. I would describe it as damage limitation basically kicking the can into the long grass. Someone mentioned that the coach didn’t want him in the squad; he said the same about Chilwell and he has been included in the 25 man PL squad!

14 Sep 2024 18:19:01
Jimbo, damage limitation is a good description of the Sterling situation. The Chilwell situation is different in my opinion because it would appear (can’t be certain) that a club couldn’t be found for him. So I guess it make sense to have him in the squad and on standby.

14 Sep 2024 19:05:29
Tom, it does make sense to have him in the squad but I wonder how much game time he will get unless we have a lot of injuries.

14 Sep 2024 20:50:29
Jimbo, I guess it will depend on injuries and maybe a cup game or two.

15 Sep 2024 07:31:09
'Damage limitation'. Or, we use a player who's highly respected although admittedly, out of form. Instead of forking out 60m on neto who I'm sure is a great player, we either save that or invest that in a striker/ GK if possible.

I do understand that's difficult but I personally would not have loaned oyt sterling if it meant we improve a rival, while paying more than half his wages.

15 Sep 2024 08:47:20
If Sterling plays well for Arsenal then we are more likely to get a reasonable transfer fee. I wanted us to sign him but he had two poor seasons.

I will judge the loan decision not on how Sterling performs for Arsenal but on how Neto and Sancho perform for us.

15 Sep 2024 10:40:00
The Sterling deal to Arsenal was good business, a high chunk of wages off our budget and with the quality we have in those areas he was never going to get a game. Past his best and as Tom rightly says if he does well for them we increase our chances of a fee next season.

15 Sep 2024 10:58:31
Complete insanity to say its good business.

(And because for whatever reason certain people don't understand this, this is simply my opinion and I'm not saying you're wrong, just disagreeing)

15 Sep 2024 11:25:06
I suppose it would have been good business to have him sitting in the stiffs on full wages.

The manager made a choice, after that choice
was made a decision had to be found. Given the time available this was the option chosen. It’s not perfect but it’s not insanity ever.

Just for the record I would I would have put Mudryk out on loan rather than Sterling but then given the signings of Neto and Sancho I would have sold/ loaned Mudryk and Sterling.

Decisions have to be made and they will NEVER make
everyone happy but teams have always changed / evolved. It’s just what happens.

15 Sep 2024 14:38:37
And your first point exemplifies why it was absurd for maresca to have a bomb squad and completely alienate certain players from the squad. Certain players that I'm pretty sure, the request came from above.

If it was a choice between raheem sterling contributing to chelsea on 300k, or contributing for a rival who are currently better than us, for 200k, I think the majority know what the good decision and poor decision is. Utterly absurd.

The only explanation that seems logical is chelsea put sterling in the bomb squad, thought there'd be more interest, and then realised they'd alienated a player who didn't want to reduce wages, so had to go into 'damage limitisation' and just get what we could. Overall, poor.

(Again, obvious disclaimer, I don't know exact wages and wage contributions, but the most reported wage split seems to be chelsea paying the 'vast majority of sterlings 300k wages)

15 Sep 2024 15:48:12
The manager didn’t want him in the squad. I’m not sure what is so difficult to understand. I have seen no evidence of manager interference from the owners concerning this decision.

I’m not sure what more explanation is needed. Once the decision was made it was about getting as much of his cost off the books. Jimbo got it spot on when he described it as “damage limitation. ”.

15 Sep 2024 23:50:14
If you read slower you'll understand why it's difficult for me and others to understand the 'decision'. I've just explained that I believe it came from above, which some reports have also stated. The only person who can tell us that's incorrect is ed2 Id he knows the answer.

Weird that maresca said he prefers other players When sterling thrived in the same system under giordiola. Weird that maresca had him playing in every friendly until he was just dropped. Why wouldn't he just play youth products before then?

I know you know this and instead prefer to play dumb, but it's a genuine possibility. Regardless of who's decision it is, it's a bad decision on whoevers behalf and is part of the reason why this club has gone nowhere but backwards after the massive investment. Brain-dead decisions which should not be made by professionals.

16 Sep 2024 03:57:42
You moan about others reading your mind (impossible) and yet then try and read the mind of not only me and other posters but also people involved in decisions at the CFC. That is truly bizarre.

Can I suggest YOU read more slowly.

The manager came out and said it was his decision, there has been no evidence to suggest that decision was influenced by the “owners. ”

It is not a decision I agree with (regardless who made it) but after it was made, it was about “damage limitation. ” Time will tell if it was a good decision. He is still a CFC player and can be sold in the future or more “unlikely” come back to CFC as a squad playe. I hope that isn’t the case now as that would almost certainly mean Sancho and Neto have had poor seasons.

I have said many times on this site it wasn’t the decision I would have made (you apparently agree) but when it was made it was made, there probably wasn’t much more the club could do that would satisfy all parties concerned.

Senior people at all organisations make decisions. If this was a good one or a bad one only time will tell. You on the other had have made your mind up now that it was a bad one. I may not agree with the decision but I will wait and see if it’s a bad call by those decision makers. I’ve said my opinion will be based on the performances of Neto and Sancho more than the performance of Sterling.

As far as the club going “nowhere” is concerned that’s an opinion you and others are welcome to. Under our current owners the club had a shocking start. Partly down to them. The second season was a marginal improvement but was just about at the upper end of my expectations. This season I expect further improvement (3rd-5th) but not challenging for the premiership title. Next season I will expect us to title contenders. Other clubs are not and have not stood still and waited for us to catch up. I’m my opinion it was going to take time. While it hasn’t been helped by mistakes, I remain confident that in my lifetime I will see us pick up more trophies.

20 Sep 2024 10:16:29
True we are getting some more of Sterling’s wages paid but not as suggested a high chunk; most reports suggest that we are paying two thirds of his salary. The reality is that we were desperate to move him on and Arsenal saw a an opportunity to bolster their squad relatively cheaply; no loan fee or future financial obligations. As I said before a classic case of kicking the can into the long grass. We will have the same issue to deal with next summer . I am not sure where this transfer fee will come from given his previous indications that he wants to stay in London.