OhForAGreavsie

How does today's rumour about Saul Niguez play into this? Do you believe it's true that Atleti want to sell and are prepared to do business at less than his buyout? If so should buyers be on guard?

Highlights of the win against Man City which should be viewable everywhere: -

Got to laugh.

The FA Women's Super League is, as expected, shaping up to be a three horse race between Arsenal, Man City & Chelsea. The head-to-head clashes among the big three are therefore crucial. Good then that The Blues were victorious in this afternoon's meeting with City. The come from behind 2-1 win exactly matches the result we achieved against Arsenal. We leapfrog City into secod place, two points behind Arsenal but we have a game in hand on both of our rivals. Highlights in this BBC page. (May be viewable in the UK only):- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50686369 Our goals (Should be viewable wherever you are): - Official report: - https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/12/08/women-s-report--chelsea-2-man-city-1?cardIndex=0-0&fbclid=IwAR2e9lECMh0SslidheKPGJ6ZDrzLICi3QY0LZAdtqvmDwC-YbbF3qxq-INg

Correct of course but nothing to prevent us simply making a binding agreeing to sign a player after what would have been the end of the transfer ban. Technically different to a buy and loan back, but effectively the same.

I suspect that are are rules in the articles of association The FA signs with fufa on behalf of its affiliated clubs that would prevent such action. When the charge was first made I did a post stating my belief that, if there was not such a regulation, fufa's lawyers would not allow them to impose the ban until any appeal had been heard because loosing the appeal might then cost fufa tens, if not hundreds, of millions of pounds in compensation.

The statement makes me wonder how the CAS would have ruled had we asked for a stay on the ban. I felt all along, even up to today, that the ban would be overturned altogether and not just reduced. This was not based on any evidence, but only on the belief that we could not be so stupid as to get caught doing something we had been warned about before. I wonder if the fact that we had already served the first half of the ban allowed the CAS to take the easy option and reduce it, rather than set it aside altogether. fufa's behaviour in this causes me to believe that there are some unintelligent people making decisions there. People whose intellect is not sufficient to control their emotions. They hate us, they buy into the enemy of football lie, and are determined to find a way to single us out. We may have let them off the hook by failing to ask for the ban to be stayed while the appeal ran its course.

I really, really, can't stand fufa.

Well, if City are prepared to let him join us that will tell its own tale anyway I suppose.

I agree about Chillwell, lot's of issues getting that done. If he should eventually go to City however, I'd look at taking Angelino as an alternative. Meanwhile, is Barcelona Dembele in the same, 'big factor at his club'. category and would people here look seriously at him? I was desperate to try to get him during the season he was keeping Jeremie Boga out of the Rennes team. if his agent is to be believed, he turned us down back then. If true, then my guess is that concerns about being condemned to the loan army played a part in that decision, but that fear has probably gone away now. Do people still see him an elite player, and should we push for him?

If your friend is right, and De Virj is their best defender, then why wouldn't they say no to an offer? Is it the case that they just have to bring in money no matter what?

We do have positions requiring upgrade so, if we can find the players to achieve that, let's get it done. This is not an emergency situation however. Let's treat this as a page turned and a chapter closed. We have 'squad' players by the bucket load. If we go to the market it must be for quality only. If we can't get recruits with top level technical quality, plus the required positional abilities and physical attributes, then we stick with what we have. Shop for excellence, or don't shop at all.

Looking every inch a man who believes his own hype tonight. Trying to do more than he looks capable of achieving at the moment.

When it comes to the quality element of our team, Kova is at the very heart of it. He may only have signed a few months ago but extend his contract now please Blues.

I came here to say this. We were not much short of a shambles for the last 30-35 minutes. On Lamps. A lucky point in the end.

Valencia dominated the second half and run out deserved 2-1 winners. The defeat eliminates our U19s from this season's eufa Youth League. The lads did what they could but there isn't the same quality in this group as in previous generations that tackled this competition with a swagger.

1-1 in the U19s game away to Valencia now. Henry Lawrence's goal makes the score line a better reflection of the play. We've been the better side so far.

And now a keeping error from Carlo Ziger has gifted Valencia a goal and given our lads a big task to tackle.

The 19s are also in Valencia for a match in their version of the Champions League. We lie third in the table currently so this is a must win fixture. The game is ten minutes old and we've already had a golden chance to go ahead but Billy Gilmour had his early spot kick saved. It wasn't a great effort in all honesty.

Reaction to the Blues win at Birmingham: - https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/11/26/women-s-reaction--two-happy-blues?fbclid=IwAR3ztuuAm12Rmf3t4PmYQZbnOMEdYkU9EsRrZ6fkT2whFvdiGB6D7bHCFts Next home game for the women is the top of the table clash with Man City at Kingsmeadow on Sunday 8th December. The game is nearly sold out so only a few tickets are still available: - https://www.chelseafc.com/en/tickets---membership/buy-tickets?team=women&pageTab=GENERAL ADMISSION

That's probably a part of it but if flattery is to have any hope of being effective it has to be believable, and Jose is telling the truth. For 'only' 36,000 they always made a heck of a noise at Three Point Lane. A much better atmosphere than at The Bridge for example. As for their new stadium, I am deeply, deeply envious.

It really is time for this myth about Marina's responsibilities to end. There is no evidence whatsoever that she makes any football decisions. Bruce Buck, speaking recently: - "In terms of being involved, in looking at new players, talking about whether to extend players' contracts... [Mr. Abromovich] was always intimately involved in that from day one and is just as intimately involved now."

I missed the Spurs game on Wednesday because I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Chelsea Foundation anti-semitism event at The Imperial War Museum that night. I was at the game in Solihul yesterday however, when the Blues hit Birmingham for six. Highlights: -

Agreed, if it was true, but it isn't. The gun was never pointed at us. Obvious case of an agent doing his or her work. Not a snowball in hell's chance that we're in for this bloke.

Big Pete's role does seem to be pretty loosely defined but I've never had the vibe that it involves identifying transfer targets. I hope the club is building a 'boot room' type knowledge group that it draws upon but we'll see. For now it's just guesswork what Pete gets up to beyond the publicly announced liaison role. If anything.