OhForAGreavsie

I think the real flaw in the strategy during this transfer window may, and I stress may, have been to over estimate the amounts achievable from the sales of Jackson and Nkunku. I say may because, until the window closes, we can't really know whether or not the club has accomplished what it set out to do. It is possible that, had the club realised it might not achieve the necessary value from those sales it may well have reordered at least one incoming transfer. If the club genuinely saw Gittens as a higher priority than Simons or Garnacho then fair enough. If they miscalculated however, then that error is going to put our squad development back at least 6 months and probably more.

There could be logic in selling Jackson for a lower fee than the club's estimate of his true value if that sale then allowed us to complete the purchase of a priority target. If, however, that deal can only be completed at a fee which does not allow us to complete the purchase of a priority target then what would be the point of proceeding? If all we do is lose money, and value, while still being unable to bring in the players we want, we may as well just hang on to Jackson or any other player in a similar situation.

It's 50-50 that the fixture might be at home, which would be the ideal situation for Satpaev. In any case I meant only that a match against his parent club would be nice for the lad and for CFC fans similar to the way the Palmeiras game was. If we can avoid a 7000km trip that's good but, if it gets dumped on us, it gets dumped on us. We play the hand we're dealt. Meanwhile, I know absolutely nothing about the lad so I have no opinion about his chances. Your points about the challenges he faces are obviously correct however.

Now let's keep fingers crossed that his team finds its way onto Chelsea's fixture list.

Do you know why Penders wasn't in the squad for this game?

Agreed. Like PSG for example.

I think there might be something to what you say here.

Let's hope something happens to give Gittens a confidence boost.

Football fans will be football fans.

Where was the story that he had been having an affair with a female employee of the club. There was Simon Jordan's comment that he knew the real reason and that, in his opinion, the club had no choice but to dismiss TT. I even came up with a conspiracy theory of my own about who is the woman might have been but it's pure speculation so I'm not going to post it.

I don't agree about our preseason. Parts of the Leverkusen game were good but we were terrible against Milan. I was stunned when I read praise of that performance.

Not least of course because any buying clubs are aware of the pressure we are under and will be determined to exploit that. Just like we would, and in fact are doing, they will leverage whatever advantage they can to agree deals which are advantageous for them. With time on their side they are happy to sit and watch the clock wind down.

No prizes for guessing who is the only one of those I know anything about. 🙂

I feel that Rogers best position is 8. Although I would give him that role in our first choice lineup, I don't expect the club would agree about this. In any case it would imply finding the right move for Enzo and I don't see any indication that the club is ready for that step.

And in the CWC has won something that Arteta, or Arsenal come to that, will quite probably never win.

It's intended to be a sanction, a punishment in other words.

They are just testing the water to see if we have become desperate enough yet. Clubs are clearly expecting that we will eventually have to cave.

Remember it well. TSO was adamant it happened, BG was adamant it did not.

I'm reluctant to condemn him without knowing what his thinking is in doing this.

With that wording it can't be. The translation is something like, " Chelsea are thinking about thinking about attempting to sign a player." 🙁

Weren't there reports that he is determined never to play for Chelsea again? If that is the case then that's a possible answer to the question.

Good decisions by both clubs. Chelsea are right to have made the approach, Juve are right to have said no.

Nor me.

This implies that you think Maresca going public could have the desired effect and cause the board to do as he asks. I'm not convinced. That's not to say that the board might not move for a centre back in the market, but I do think it makes it less likely. Why would they want to be seen to reward foot stamping? Especially since, in this case, the board's decision will be made by two directors who are specifically employed for their footballing knowledge. They would both have to accept their decision being overturned by the manager's opinion. If that can happen then what's the point of them? The only way to redeem this situation in my mind is to imagine that this is some kind of choreographed routine they have dragged up between them. A routine concocted to give cover to the SDs if they reopen negotiations for a player having previously walked away because of the price. The trouble with that scenario is that it makes their negotiating position even tougher than it would already have been if they had just gone back to the table on their own initiative.

Maresca isn't forgetting him and Maresca wants a new CB. This tells us something. Whether that something is a judgement on Aaron's level of play or his level of experience is a matter for speculation but I'm disappointed that Enso has gone public with his frustration. I know he's a pretty straight talking bloke, but I don't see what good it does to cast doubt on his existing players and on his relationship with the board.