29 Dec 2021 23:13:21
The harsh truths are that this squad is far from the title. As good as Jorginho and Kovacic look there's a reason we haven't won a league since Matic left or before that when we had Essien/ Makelele who had defensive nous. I'm not a Jorginho fan and never will be but I'll always appreciate what he's done he's just more suited to European football hence why we looked better in the champions league. City and Liverpool are far and ahead of us because they have Fabinho and Rodri at the base of their midfield's. Just look at how City couldn't beat us in the final because they played with no recognised defensive midfielder. Next season we should be pairing Kovacic with a Rice/ Tchouameni with Kante being used sparingly managing his game time.

We have no adequate cover for James or Chilwell and have 4 centre backs out of contract next summer. If I was the club I would put everything into a Rudiger and Silva renewal just to make things less uncertain surrounding the club. Christensen can go as far as I'm concerned he can't lead a defence and doesn't seem to know what he wants or if he's waiting for Barcelona to come in.

The club in the next two windows needs to find buyers for players who are not good enough for us anymore. That's Alonso, Barkley, and RLC for one whilst finding permanent buyers for the likes of Batshuayi and Emerson. Also other players out there who may as well have there contracts terminated like Baker, Baba, Kenedy and Miazga.

Decide what long term system we want to use 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 and buy a midfielder with Pace n Power to give us something different whether that be Rice or Tchouameni.

If you want to play 3-4-3 you need 4 wing backs in the squad who all are quick and have an engine to get up and down the field not the Marcos Alonso types.

See what happens with our attackers apart from Lukaku, Mount and Havertz any of the others could be sold if the inconsistencies continue. I could definitely see Pulisic leaving he hasn't looked happy for a while or Ziyech for that matter. Gallagher could easily replace Ziyech and what's he brought to the club so far.

I remember when fans used to whinge about the likes of Kalou and Malouda only scoring 10 a season what we'd do for them now.

There are big decisions to be made. We have had no luck with C.V. or injuries but we should still be beating teams like Burnley and Brighton at home convincingly.

We just need to trim down this depleted squad and be a bit ruthless with players who aren't good enough for a title charge.


1.) 29 Dec 2021
29 Dec 2021 23:33:34
Buying Lukaku will not cover up the same weaknesses as last season. TT has picked a team and shape to cover up those issues as any good manager should.

A decision was made that Dave was good cover for James as a RWB and the same with Alonso and Chilly at LWB. I would have chosen Emerson over Alonso al day long but the club chose differently.

My guess is the Saul signing was seen as cover in many midfield positions and let’s not forget wax heralded as a brilliant piece of business by most fans and pundits.

I don’t want us to play three at the back, I want us to sign a Rice type player, I want us to sign a left footed or two footed left side CD.

I await the next two windows with interest.


2.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 00:08:17
I would prefer to see a back four Tom but we’d still have the same issues then. Azpi and Alonso haven’t got the legs no more and our attackers aren’t doing enough. It’ll be an interesting couple of windows. It speaks volumes of our scouting when our best players are a 37 year old Thiago Silva who we got for free and academy products James and Mount.


3.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 00:50:28
We won champions league and got lukaku and thought we were in good position, end of year and we have 37yr old defender, 3 defenders out of contract leaving on a free. No adequate cover for wingbacks, no winger to score more than 3 goals this season and another year of top scorer being a DM who can’t defend and only scores from penalty spot, we haven’t changed formation because most our CB’s can only play in a 3, our best midfielder is picking up knocks and missing more than his playing, and the last two months we’ve had a kinder fixture list than our rivals and only won once in 5 at home and not put one decent performance since juventus, correct me if I’m wrong?

{Ed002's Note - What? There is wing back cover - Alonso is covering for Chilwell. There is cover in the 25 named players for all positions. If Alonso gets injured there is cover for him. If Chelsea buy a LWB now it will be as an Alonso replacement for the summer and they will not buy for the sake of it. None of the CBs are constrained to playing in a "3" only.}


4.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 01:06:41
Adequate wingback cover, alonso we’ve been trying to move in for two years, Cho pulisic aren’t wing backs nor is Saul, and rudiger looks better in a 3, as does Christensen, and chalabah we haven’t seen in a two, azpi is slowing and isn’t the threat he was, and I’d personally wait until we can get our preferred target than try get someone in now, or a loan if possible would suit,

{Ed002's Note - The club are looking to replace Alonso this summer - I have explained that. None of the players are constrained to only being able to play as a back two. They did just fine as a three winning the Champions League last season.}


5.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 01:24:34
My concern is We seem a way of competing for the title over 38 games, and we’ve invested a lot, it’s not my money so I shouldn’t care, and I’m more concerned with players at the club now than potentials, dropping lots of points and looks like another top 4 fight than title,

{Ed002's Note - That is down to injuries and the impact of the pandemic - not the lack of cover.}


6.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 05:24:57
Well said.


7.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 05:43:43
Ed the issue is quality of replacements available and not the quantity. The system we play depends on sucess of certain positions like a super quick wingback, all action mf etc. Unfortunately replacements like Alonso ( neither quick not can pick a pass on the run), jorgi (Cant be mobile and can't pass when pressed) . Our last title win had a mf of matic and kante. One protecting the backline and one pressing the opposition winning balls in dangerous area. Then we had hazard ( boy I miss the wizard) and Costa who can bully any defender and score. Of the above 4 we only have a half fit kante and Lukaku who can do what was done then. That's the issue now. This team unfortunately is unbalanced in my view and that's getting shown more due to injuries, fatigue and C.V. related sickness. tuchel has so far been able to mask the weakness with tactical tweaks. But there is a limit to that and that's getting exposed on a regular basis now. Sorry for the long post. But felt it needed to be said.

On the bright side you have said there exists interest in dest, touchameni among others whose additions I think would help us to plug the gaps that exist today.

{Ed002's Note - The players you mentioned won the Champions League. The Jorginho you all hate so much was an integral part of the team that won the Super Cup and Euro 2020 and was voted UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award and he was placed third in the Ballon d'Or. The issue seems to not be the quality of the players but a lack of understanding of the game by the fanbase.

The club are aware of the problem covering LWB and may be in a position to try and do something in January with players in mind and a potentially very good youngster being considered. They will not buy to appease the fans or for the sake of ut.}


8.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 09:20:25
If the team is unbalanced now then it was unbalanced at the start of the season.

It’s only a few weeks ago we were supposedly good enough to win the League with this squad.

We are NOT playing well. It happens. We have to trust in TT to find some solutions. It never changes no matter who the manager is.


9.) 30 Dec 2021
30 Dec 2021 12:03:05
Thanks for adding more optimism ( i. e
Youngster being considered for first team in jan) . Again I don't hate jorgi. I have always said he is suited to European football but not the league. He is a champion player no doubt but has limitations which in turn is not helping the team to get best out of other players. I once again agree that lots of us are commenting on what we are seeing on the telly or during the match. But for me that's because of passion towards the club and no Ill intention is intended against any player. Sometime you can get the best player but that person may not suit the way the club plays. Shevchencko comes to mind. I am intentionally excluding Torres as he was not the same after his injury. I am seeing jorgi the same way. Great player, tries so well and gives in 100 percent every time he wears the shirt. But sometimes that is not yielding intended results.