OhForAGreavsie

Rofl was the reaction of at least one poster 18 months ago, when I said I'd rather save that money and use 19 year-old Marcin Bulka in goal.

My older daughter has some responsibilities at Border Force. If you find difficulties with your passport on your return, perhaps this post will cross your mind.

I don't disagree. My post wasn't intended to argue against anything you said here. If we can't find a player who is of the required standard, but not yet recognised as a target by clubs higher up the food chain than we are, then, as I said, we don't bother. No more wasting resources on solutions that are no solution at all.

Not by me he isn't. If we are looking to sign a striker to backup Tammy, and to push him, then we might as well not bother. We need a striker to replace Tammy.

Well, Connor has proved nothing yet re his Chelsea prospects. Don't worry though, I won't forget to remind people that I was wrong when Connor makes it here. I'm not writing Ian off at all. I'm just rejecting the idea that he's on the same level as Reece, a player you will recall I was describing as our best youth prospect nearly two years ago.

I agree re Ian, but I never like the he's regressed way of looking at a player. In my case I prefer to say something like, "I've had to reconsider my assessment."

No he isn't. Less consistent. In my opinion of course. I did not see last night's game, was at Kingsmeadow watching CFCW reach the semi-final of their League Cup. That said, one performance could not negate the less consistent assessment.

Sorry for being unclear; and there I was thinking I'd found a good turn of phrase. Before I clarify let me say I thought Mason had a very good game at the weekend. I'm not saying Mason gets it right almost all of the time. I'm saying that he ALMOST gets it right, almost all of the time. In other words, his attempts at decisive contributions almost work out, but not quite. They just fail to split the defenders, are just over hit, or are a split second too late, and so on. That's not an exhaustive list, but I hope it illustrates the opinion I'm offering. No one gets these things right all the time, but Mason's conversion rate is too low. His off the ball stuff and his willingness to play the uncomplicated continuity pass, and play it quickly, make a contribution to a lot of what we do, but inevitably there are moments where excellence in execution is necessary and, in the main, Mason is not connecting with too many of those chances. This, in my opinion, is the missing piece in Mason's game at the moment.

I think you've used the most important word - confidence. In youth football, where there was no doubt in his mind that he was a star, Callum made different, and better, choices. I'm not talking about the fact that he is obviously more likely to succeed in whatever he tries against a lower level of opponent. That's obviously true, but I'm referring to his decisions. At junior level, he would almost always make the right decision between ambitious pass, simple pass, dribble or shot, He knew he was a superior player and he just played with a swagger. At first team level he has played like a man with something to prove and he has more often made bad decisions in my opinion. This has created a self-propelling downward spiral of bad outcomes, bad reactions, and greater sense of something to prove. One of Callum's great assets is his passing. When he's at it he has great rage and weight, but this has been absent for much of his first team career. It has begun to show up in recent games but only in glimpses. If he can get to a place where he feels he belongs, where he isn't hearing groans from the crowd, then he'll be able to give of his best. He will no longer be switching between not trying anything and trying too much. He'll be able to make the right decisions as often as he did in development football. Only then will we be able to judge if Callum can transfer his youth level dominance to the big stage. For the record, I have hope for Callum but, until he unlocks the best of himself, and we can judge the real CHO, the jury is out for me.

His first few involvements after coming on against Bournemouth were poor but after that he posed a real thereat to them. Pretty much the only time we did in that game.

Then I'm guessing you mean an option to buy, not an obligation.

That's the problem with the if game; everybody else has their ifs too.

He was really good at points vs Forrest, particularly early. The way he knitted play together with those cross field runs, and multiple one-twos, was very impressive. Callum got some praise in this game, but I felt Pedro was probably better.

Everybody needs to read the post to which I'm replying and, if they find that they can't agree with it, then read it again. This particularly applies to people who don't follow Chelsea closely, and who are therefore at risk of being influenced by ill informed media assessments. As it happens Reece is the only one of our youngsters on whom I am fully sold. With the rest of them, as far as I'm concerned, the jury is either still out, or it's in and the verdict is not good.

Exactly, so no heads are in any danger at all. The club's heart was in the right place, it was for a good cause, but a bit of pragmatism was required.

This is all true. Mason's best contributions come when we are out of possession. In moments where we need precision or finesse on the ball, Mason almost always almost gets it right. It's harsh but, in world where people get paid multi-millions for getting it done, almost is not the answer.

The one really good performance I've seen from Tino so far this season was his cameo against Grimsby. When he's good, he's breath-taking but ever since April 2018, when I predicted he'd be the next big thing to come out of the academy, I've more often been disappointed by him than I've been impressed. Far, far too much upside to give up on him however. I don't know his contractual situation but, hopefully the club can get that sorted and then only consider loan offers from Napoli, or anyone else.

There is only so much football you can watch but these kids have really rewarded everyone who has been able to watch them in recent years. Tariq as much as any of 'em.

I confess I've been at the Southern Comfort but I am totally enjoying this vid. Those tackles are a lot of fun to watch.

That's beautiful.

Phew.

He broke his leg in '66 I believe. People who saw him then said he was never the same afterward. It may be so but I've seen many, many, many examples of people blaming their initial overrating of a player on a convenient injury rather than face up to their own misjudgement, so it might also be that. There were only two Chelsea players in the 1970 squad so I'm 100% sure Ossie was out there. (Now checked and he played twice in Mexico, both times as a sub.) A glimpse of The King before the leg break.

Ossie played in the 1970 World Cup. From memory it was only one or two substitute appearances but he definitely played. The 1970-71 Cup Winners Cup was too early for Butch Wilkins. He made his debut in the mid 70's.

Unfortunately, I have no sympathy for Huddy either. I know his situation made him desperate but he spent a lot of time criticising Chelsea for not helping him when he was in dire straights; behaving almost as if the club owed him and never showing any gratitude for what help they did give him. Like that hospitality work for example. I loved Huddy as a player and could perhaps have forgiven him all of that, but for the 2002 Cup Final. He was doing punditry and said that he hoped Arsenal would win. It would have been fair enough if he had said that he thought Arsenal would come out on top, we all thought that. Indeed he did say that, but went too far by going on to say he actually wanted Chelsea to loose. How dare he consider himself a part of the Chelsea family after that, and return to complaining through the media, and in a book, that the club should help him more. P.S. Marvin was a real good player who was badly underrated because getting the ball down and playing wasn't what people wanted from defenders in those days.

No 2-1 I guarantee you. After we took the lead I was waving my 'silk' Chelsea scarf in the faces of all those Arsenal urchins until one said, "That's enough now mate." My brilliant mathematical skills enabled me to work out that, not only was he bigger than 12 year old me, but there were a hell of a lot of 'em and nowhere to run. I stopped waving the scarf and shut my gob. Don't remember the detail of their second goal but their equaliser was from a penalty.