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18 Jun 2024 17:54:54
I see we are now being linked to Openda.
Very good player.
1.) 19 Jun 2024 14:32:19
Osimhen or Omoridon or Openda or any other striker with an 'O"? somebody at the club probably said at some point to some journalist over a beer that the club were thinking about signing a striker whose name begins with the letter O. Or Oh, Duran. Yeah maybe it is him.
13 Jun 2024 20:05:00
Depending on what rumour you prefer. Apparently Palace interested in Noni and Hutchinson.
1.) 13 Jun 2024 23:24:22
think it would be a great move for hutchinson tom.
2.) 14 Jun 2024 07:53:29
Poch re Hitchinson, only if it's a loan deal with no option or obligation to buy otherwise it's not a great move by our club.
3.) 15 Jun 2024 19:42:31
Loan for Hutchinson surely.
04 Jun 2024 09:16:02
According to reports Sesko is either joining us or going across to the other side of London.
I can't say I know a lot about him but the reports are good and in the clips he looks class but then they all do in the clips.
1.) 04 Jun 2024 10:25:50
He’s very good and his upside potential is massive. It’s hard to describe him but if I had to pick I’d see he’s similar to Giroud but with pace. Sesko’s good in the air for a striker something which Jackson doesn’t have yet.
2.) 04 Jun 2024 21:43:49
Barnet, all strikers should be good in the air.
03 Jun 2024 14:39:36
I see that some news outlets are linking us with Kerkez. I can't say I've seen a lot of him but I thought he was poor against us last season.
1.) 03 Jun 2024 16:39:52
If we are investing in a left back I would go for Robinson at Fulham. Very good player who can player LB or LWB. Fast and physical too.
2.) 03 Jun 2024 23:11:56
Robinson? Fulham is the NEW Brighton. Brazilian media Globo have linked us and Spurs to have made an approach for Rodrigo Muniz of Fulham. 30 to 40 million - apparently.
3.) 04 Jun 2024 05:58:43
Don’t believe everything you hear celery or you won’t give poor Ed a break the amount of questions you ask him. Tosin was free also. Every premier league team has a couple of players ready for big clubs.
Palace being one with Eze and Olise.
01 Jun 2024 13:08:39
I've said May times how crap I am at remembering names but while on holiday j got talking to a Dutch guy who said he has a football agency.
I asked him about any signings Chelsea might be interested in Holland. In a flash he said we are very interested in a CF from Feyenoord I think called Gimenez.
1.) 01 Jun 2024 21:34:12
I guess it's goyeres. Maybe we could be loosing lots of strikers during afcon with osihmen. will have to wait and see.
TomB's banter posts with other poster's replies to TomB's banter posts
26 Jul 2024 07:11:59
So many pundits have spoken about our new managers style of play and in particular the so called "inverted full back. " It obviously escaped there notice but several times last season Poch had Cucarella do the exact same thing and with great effect. Granted this wasn't a tactic used in every game but it's hardly a ground breaking tactic.
I'm more interested to see how we move the ball forward when being pressed and how quickly the transitions happen.
1.) 26 Jul 2024 09:43:20
This is a big issues with maresca and isn’t me being negative as lots of Leicester fans will say so, the football when it works, when a team presses and we play through will look great,
When a team doesn’t press, and sits, it’s a lot of sideways passing, keeping it for the sake of keeping it, wear the opponent down and be patient,
Like Sarri, pattern play playing through opponent, only works if opposition falls for traps, for this reason we may not make loads chances v teams who sit, which would be most teams as its been our weakness since Costa, that’s why we need someone clinical in front of goal, not someone with potential who’s below 23y/o, titles are won on clean sheets and goalscorers, GK / ST HAVE TO BE PROVEN.
2.) 26 Jul 2024 11:58:58
Perhaps the most interesting thing to keep an eye on this season is how rigidly Maresca sticks to his 'philosophy'. Will he be willing to move away from things that don't work, or will he rigidly stick to what he wants to see? Is he going to be pressured to put the money on the pitch, and if so will he do as he's told even if the returns aren't there?
The squad is the squad, tactics can't cover up everything. I know it was only one game in pre-season, but no one seems to be making a huge fuss of the fact that Colwill was played at LB v Wrexham in the same way that they did when Poch did it. I wonder why that is? Poch beat Wrexham 5-0 in pre-season last year btw.
I think the inverted fullback idea will be discarded if it starts costing us games in the way it did at Leicester. You can't lean on the excuse that the players aren't good enough to execute your vision when your managing the calibre of players that are in a good Prem squad.
3.) 26 Jul 2024 14:40:41
RBD, the Colwill at LB for that game was interesting and it made sense because James could comfortably take the inverted role when we had the ball leaving a solid three at the back.
For me Cucarella and James are ideal for that inverted role and they will be able to take it turns. The plus is both can slot into a three at the back as well.
When I’ve seen Arsenal play with an inverted FB it always seem to be on the left side with white staying as a rigid FB and that allows Saka to play further up the pitch without having to worry who is behind him.
Anyway, I can’t wait to see how it works out in a few weeks time.
4.) 26 Jul 2024 14:46:08
I don’t get why inverting a full back would cost you games. It ensures the centre of the pitch has sufficient numbers to defend against transition and dominate the ball.
It’s not really different to Gusto pushing on, two holding midfielders and the rest of the back three shuffling across from a 4-2-3-1 starting formation - except maybe less running and a shift in where the width comes from. Either way, you are attacking and defending with 5.
I think we will have to get used to playing patiently. The whole point is to bait the defending low blocking into coming out to challenge, then hitting hard and fast.
5.) 26 Jul 2024 16:02:58
Exactly right FD77, I couldn't of put it better myself.
6.) 26 Jul 2024 16:21:24
FD77, the natural response to that is that it doesn't matter if the the centre of the pitch is full of players if the opposition just play it into the spaces out wide where the fullback would usually be. And then you end up with your CB having to defend the channels directly against a winger, while the player who has spent their career doing this is stranded in midfield. So you end up with both your CB and RB/ LB being asked to a do a job neither is used to when defending.
And I suppose my next question would be, if you end up attacking and defending with 5 regardless, then why shoehorn your RB or LB into midfield when you could just play them in their natural position where they are best?
It seems to me that all you have done is drag a load of players out of position for minimal gain, and ironically, dragging players out of position is exactly what the opposition want to do to us.
7.) 26 Jul 2024 18:22:04
RBD, we did use Cucarella as inverted FB a few times last season under Poch and it did work very well.
For me, it will be about pace of transition.
8.) 26 Jul 2024 22:52:22
RBD, you are right about CBs having to cover in the wide positions, which is why you want people who can play at FB or CB and/ or those with pace. So, Cucurella is well suited, Fofana has pace to burn…
It’s going back, but when Venables played 3 at the back in Euro 96, Pearce played LCB which worked because he had both the presence to play that role and was comfortable when dragged out wide.
If Fofana is dragged wide when the ball is played into the channel, his key role is to hold the winger up so James can drop in at RCB. If it’s Cucurella inverting, that role falls to Colwill.
It’s not new, as you said before. If Gvardiol and Ake can do it, neither of whom is a FB profile, I don’t see why Chelsea’s CBs can’t.
9.) 27 Jul 2024 00:55:24
TomB Cucurella did work well when inverting but I’m not sure it suits either James or Gusto (although I think James is capable of it) but it removes their greatest strength which is overlapping and putting crosses in.
10.) 27 Jul 2024 03:45:54
Waste of another few season appointing Maresca.
11.) 27 Jul 2024 04:02:56
fuser, I may be wrong but I think James played a lot of games in midfield while on loan and got good reviews. I think he would work well as an inverted FB.
Gusto, I’m not so sure about but he is young and I’m sure he could adapt.
24 Jul 2024 23:10:43
For those that don't know, Simon Johnson is following the Chelsea pre-season tour. I'm sure other journalists will be there but he, in my opinion, is one of the more competent and he is a Chelsea fan.
1.) 25 Jul 2024 09:41:16
Top journo and a top man.
21 Jul 2024 11:30:38
What a wonderful summer of sport we have had. It's helped fill in th gap between our last game until the start of a new season.
With Ascot, Wimbledon, The Open, Euros, Cricket, Olympics and glorious Goodwood coming soon we really have had a marvellous summer sports festival.
1.) 21 Jul 2024 11:49:56
Tom, have to disagree about some of the sports. Since players like Borg, McEnroe an Connors hung up their racquets it’s a bore fest . I can’t stand golf. Apart from the athletics and boxing the Olympics are a poor watch BMX, shooting . The racing is good and enjoying the cricket especially Mark Wood’s two overs where every ball was 95 mph or more. Each to their own.
2.) 21 Jul 2024 18:47:08
We are all different love all sports as long as it doesn't involve a car, bike or a horse.
I Personally wish there was a longer cap to the Premier League starting again . Mainly to give the top players a decent rest.
3.) 21 Jul 2024 21:55:53
Seymns, I agree about bikes and cars but I like horses. As for players getting a rest; don’t care. My late father worked on building sites into his seventies; no sick or holiday pay: no tears shed hear for millionaire footballers who used tiredness as an excuse for lack of mentality.
4.) 22 Jul 2024 07:15:13
The skateboarding in the Olympic will be pretty impressive if you have never seen that done before also.
19 Jul 2024 09:13:31
I will be gutted if as reported Kante goes to West Ham. One of my all time favourite players and always seemed like a genuinely humble and nice man.
I think he would be fantastic with our young players but as much as I like him as a player I can't see it making sense for us.
1.) 19 Jul 2024 10:43:26
Tom, yes Kante was great for us but as you said we have to move on with a new coach. Nice to see Eden modelling our new kit; he seems to an affinity with the club. I would like to see a few players moved on especially those with big wages.
2.) 19 Jul 2024 11:41:25
I would love Kante to return to work alongside our new young players but it won't happen. Looks like Malang Sarr maybe moving on and as I understand he is on fairly high wages compared to the new players.
15 Jul 2024 22:52:54
For those interested can I suggest a Quick Look on the official Chelsea website. It will give those interested a glimpse at our new managers hands on training methods.
I know it's only a glimpse but I have to admit I'm quite excited at what I've seen and what we might expect next season.
09 Jul 2024 15:24:52
Jimbo, you are spot on mate. I’m not sure what “reasonable or competitive” means in the terms of contract offer but my guess is not one singe poster has a clue either.
In some people’s eyes the club should just give him a package that he can get elsewhere. The problem with that method of “non negotiation” doesn’t take into account that all clubs needs are different.
09 Jul 2024 14:44:47
Standard, what is a competitive salary? Is it the same as Enzo, Chuka, Palmer, Lavia, Ugo or Caicedo?
I may well be wrong but I think it’s more of a problem of the new owners paying some players to much.
Personally I would only pay players a base salary with the majority being performance related.
I also believe that the club has offered CG a contract as per the Ed quote. If CG doesn’t think it’s enough he doesn’t have to sign it. I don’t want him to leave but I’m fed up with the saga and can I also add, if the club don’t value the player as much as fans or as much as he values himself it doesn’t make them wrong or bad people.
09 Jul 2024 14:06:14
Sorry that post was sent to soon.
Ed has been referenced as saying the club have made CG an offer.
The club have made no comment and I’m not aware of the player making any comment other than him reportedly saying “he wants to stay. ”
So, it’s not a question of any supporter having to “trust the clubs version” because there is no club version.
09 Jul 2024 14:01:06
Yet again you use phrases such as “truth” and “trust” as if you are some sort of oracle of fact.
09 Jul 2024 12:29:14
I should have added that as virtually every player in the squad is playing better than Sterling they should all be getting more than him! hahaha.
27 Jul 2024 04:02:56
fuser, I may be wrong but I think James played a lot of games in midfield while on loan and got good reviews. I think he would work well as an inverted FB.
Gusto, I’m not so sure about but he is young and I’m sure he could adapt.
26 Jul 2024 18:22:04
RBD, we did use Cucarella as inverted FB a few times last season under Poch and it did work very well.
For me, it will be about pace of transition.
26 Jul 2024 15:22:23
I like the little I’ve seen of Guiu and I think if we be a good player to “mix things up. ”.
26 Jul 2024 14:40:41
RBD, the Colwill at LB for that game was interesting and it made sense because James could comfortably take the inverted role when we had the ball leaving a solid three at the back.
For me Cucarella and James are ideal for that inverted role and they will be able to take it turns. The plus is both can slot into a three at the back as well.
When I’ve seen Arsenal play with an inverted FB it always seem to be on the left side with white staying as a rigid FB and that allows Saka to play further up the pitch without having to worry who is behind him.
Anyway, I can’t wait to see how it works out in a few weeks time.
24 Jul 2024 23:01:04
Bill, injuries happen to all ages but let’s try and be positive about next season’s injury issues.
Enzo is a World Cup winner and Caicedo is now an experienced professional. Palmer is an International and Colwill will be playing his thirst season in the top tier of football.
We have young squad but there is plenty of experience within it. There is no need to make it an excuse before the season starts.