The Official Chelsea Thread [Vol 3]

[jcremonini]

TEKNOPUG said:

jcremonini said:

TEKNOPUG said:

It's all budget. Jose, Klopp, Poch, Conte, hell even Wenger would all have City winning the league this season.

Sorry - don't agree one bit.

If it was 'all budget' then why aren't ManU winning ? They've spent just as much as City and yet are miles behind. And, if it was just budget why haven't City just gone out and bought the most expensive players in each position ? Don't forget, as well, that when City go knocking at the door for a player their club can add 30% to the transfer fee knowing they can afford it.

The simple fact is that when you look at City's spending they have bought well and have not broken any transfer records in doing so (57m for Laporte is the club record IIRC). They have also transitioned into a young team and one with strength in depth no other team can compare to.

Suggesting anyone could win the league with those players is a great disservice to Guardiola. The very notion that Conte, Klopp or Poch would play the same way as they do under Guardiola (when they don't play the same style of football in their respective clubs) and , yet, would still win the league is just wrong (you need the right players in the right positions playing the right way to win things).

Providing we ignore the fact that City have spent more than United since Fergie left (City have spent the most in the league over the same period) and that City have the highest wage bill in the whole country....and that both Pellegrini and Mancini also won the league with City (and with the biggest budget and highest wage bill) and that Pep has always managed the club with the best squad (inherited at Barca) or the biggest budget/wage bill in the country (Bayern/City)...then yes, I'm sure it's all about Pep and no other manager would be able to win the league with City's resources this season.

You are still doing him a massive disservice. Let's look at your statement that he (somehow) inherited the best squad at Barca. He may well have inherited a decent bunch of players but many of them did not fit his style and he rebuilt the team. He made the decision (uncomfortable for their fans at the time) to sell off the likes of Deco , Eto'o Ronaldinho plus others. He changed the way the squad played football and introduced a much more disciplined team. The idea that he somehow just inherited the team and sauntered his way through his tenure is preposterous.

I'm not even a City fan but have to admit that is absolutely the way the game should be played and all credit to him and them. I don't let tribalism get into the way of my view.

RIP to Ray Wilkins btw. Far too young.

[trackdemon]

Very sad indeed; far too young. Was on the radio just a few days ago RIP Butch

[smn159]

jcremonini said:

I'm not even a City fan but have to admit that is absolutely the way the game should be played and all credit to him and them.

Maybe just me but I find it dull watching City these days. Technically excellent of course, but it's like watching an exhibition game rather than a proper match.

[Blib]

Very sorry to hear of Ray Wilkins' death.

I dimly remember an interview where in reply to a question about his current team he said, "I'm still doing the same, passing it backwards and sideways, just backwards and sideways".

A great, great player with a really dry wit.

RIP.

[Russian Troll Bot]

Utter ste. Again.

[dsmith1990]

Looking forward to this season being over, same old script every bloody game.

Flicks and tricks galore, fail to hurt the opposition or take any chances created. Make some sort of basic error and throw away 2-3 points.

Joe Hart made one save of note before they scored. Not good enough in the slightest.

[Sparkyhd]

dsmith1990 said:

Looking forward to this season being over, same old script every bloody game.

My sentiment entirely.

If it hadn't been for wanting to show my respects to Ray Wilkins I wouldn't have bothered going.

Kante is the only one you can rely on to turn up.

Can't wait for the clear out to begin.

[jammy-git]

Sparkyhd said:

Can't wait for the clear out to begin.

Surely it'll be fine once a new manager comes in and the players start putting in some effort again to try and impress the new guy?

[Sparkyhd]

jammy-git said:

Surely it'll be fine once a new manager comes in and the players start putting in some effort again to try and impress the new guy?

I know you're being cynical but we need a clear out, starting with Hazard. I know wherever he goes he'll be brilliant, just like Sala and De Bruyne, but for us he's just not cutting it so I'd like to cash out.

[GloverMart]

Wish I had a pound for every time Hazard ran into a dead end today. I'd have a shed load of money, thought he was poor.

[968]

Sparkyhd said:

I know you're being cynical but we need a clear out, starting with Hazard. I know wherever he goes he'll be brilliant, just like Sala and De Bruyne, but for us he's just not cutting it so I'd like to cash out.

He will go. Along with Thibaut, Willian and Morata. The team will be eviscerated totally. They’ve seemingly got no plan ahead for what happens after the inevitably sack Conte. Each game is more depressing than the last.

[jammy-git]

You want to sell all your best players? It doesn't seem like Abramovich wants to bankroll Chelsea any more, how are you guys going to afford buying a new XI?

[Ascayman]

jammy-git said:

You want to sell all your best players? It doesn't seem like Abramovich wants to bankroll Chelsea any more, how are you guys going to afford buying a new XI?

Could always call back some of the 469 players they have sent out on loan.

[968]

jammy-git said:

You want to sell all your best players? It doesn't seem like Abramovich wants to bankroll Chelsea any more, how are you guys going to afford buying a new XI?

I don’t want to sell them, but it’s unlikely they’ll stay. I think Abramovich will buy substandard replacements and we will slide into mid table mediocrity

[Wadeski]

Cheerful again, 968!

I'll be honest, if we can get a "project" going over the life of the new stadium construction that includes:

- Setting clear expectations on spending for the manager & fans (so no Mourinho / Conte strops we haven't bought a 120 mil striker)
- Making a CL place the objective, a la Arsenal
- Giving Europa league runs and the FA cup decent priority
- Blooding the youth players and developing a close-knit team
- Giving a manager a decent period to run a project

I would be quite happy.

[trackdemon]

968 said:

I think Abramovich will buy substandard replacements and we will slide into mid table mediocrity

Seriously?

[monty999]

We've been here before, all doom and gloom, end of the world, finishing about 10th in the league ! Roll on next season probably with the next messiah (whoever that may be ). This is modern day Chelsea for ya, highs and lows with no inbetween. Personally, I'll take the lows on the chin as that makes winning so much more special, how boring would it be to just be 2nd or 3rd every year, 1st then 8th suits me fine.

[trackdemon]

And 968 is the greatest exponent of doom and gloom on this thread. Is there an easy way to block posts?

[gadgetmac]

trackdemon said:

And 968 is the greatest exponent of doom and gloom on this thread. Is there an easy way to block posts?

There is, I believe you simply look down the far left column and ignore everything to the right of any name you don’t like the look of.

I do it all the time.

[Sparkyhd]

Despite this

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/6005215/di...

there were still 3,000 pricks remaining in the away section.

Edited by Sparkyhd on Monday 9th April 22:11