OhForAGreavsie

If Roman was watching Chelsea outclass Salzburg last night then what game were we watching? If outclassing means beating a team because, and only because, you have better players than they do then, yes, we outclassed them. Otherwise there is a lot to be unhappy about.

Some great goals among much keystone coppery. Keppa did very well, good moments from a few others but the play in our own third is shocking. We need at least another month of preseason.

Fantasy football managers: abandon Chelsea defenders. Quick. It's the ease of it that's scary.

Don't care. Didn't even read the text. I just like the gif. 🙂

Was it you who suggested earlier that because our LB is more progressive than our RB, we could get away with playing Barclay on the left of the three? Thought that was a good idea. Be interesting to see if Frank agrees with you too.

Thanks. I'm actually in that shot. Just find the most handsome bloke you can see, then keep looking and sooner or later you'll spot my mug. The weak first attempt when Charlie was in on the keeper was more indicative of his overall display than the calm finish after the ball came back to him.

Thanks. I've made my views known on the 200 song previously. It's a good idea for a song with a great rhythm that, unlike far too many Chelsea songs, sustains really well. I'm afraid I do agree however that it is a racist reference and should not be sung. At least not with that part of the lyric. Sadly it has been sung for years, and I've been unhappy about it for years. If that wasn't the offending song yesterday, what was?

Aaron Jarvis indeed. One of his little cousins was wearing his number 27 Luton shirt. The family told me that he wasn't getting games there and, although I only spoke of his positive attributes to his relatives, I'm afraid I could see why. Great attitude, lots of physicality but not enough else was on show from him to give me confidence that he'll fulfill his ambition and climb back up the pyramid. Was thrilled when I saw the lineup for our team. Absolutely every player I wanted to see started the game. I was especially excited to see Maatsen who I had never watched live before. Sadly neither he, nor any of the others, put in a display that they'll feel pleased with. Anjorin and Brown, despite his goal, were particularly disappointing for me. I have to admit that it is not the first time I've been disappointed by Tino. I hear that he's been doing well in preseason, but not on Saturday. Maybe it was the 3G pitch, or maybe it was the physical challenge posed by the part-timers, but there were only a few moments of quality from our lads.

He isn't going to be afford time over there, so he'll have to hit the ground running once the season starts. Let's hope they give up on him too soon. Just in time for our next active transfer window in fact.

It's clutching at straws I know, but I haven't given up hoping that their move for Pepe will fall through.

What did he car park attendant do? I find it hard to think of any circumstance when I'd do something like that even if the bloke pissed me off. I don't go away, haven't done for years, and never used to outside of London anyway. Even so I was considering going yesterday but didn't. Lads I know decided to go by train because they knew parking was going to be a hassle. I went to Sutton on Saturday to watch the development team instead. Had a nice time with a few Blues, with family members of a kid making his first appearance for Sutton after joining from Luton, and with some regular Sutton fans who were more knowledgeable about their team and could fill us all in on their squad. When the boy from Luton got Sutton's first goal I was genuinely pleased for his aunt and uncle. Very enjoyable day even though our youngsters didn't play well. Did you hear the chant that media were asking Frank about after the Reading game? Was it the scored 200 one?

Agreed.

lol

Someone may have to take pity on me and patiently explain what it is I fail to understand about buy back clauses because stories like this just cause me to doubt the knowledge and/or the integrity of the journalist concerned. I know they like to imagine that they could run a football business better than the people who actually do it, but surely there must be times when reality breaks through their fantasy? All things being equal, would a selling club like to include a buy back clause in a sale agreement? Of course, it's good for them. If that's not possible, would a selling club like to include a sell on clause? Of course, it's good for them. This being so, when such clauses are not included in sales agreements is this likely to be because: - a. The negotiators have never heard of such things. If they had they'd be too busy being journalists, and wouldn't have time to earn seven figure salaries running a multi billion pound business. b. The negotiators were too busy doing their how to tie my own shoelaces homework and so weren't able to look into it. c. There was in fact a perfectly sensible reason for it. As ever with multi choice tests, one of those answers is right and the others are wrong. If there are any journalists sitting near you, don't let them copy your work. Contracts are subject to negotiation. If the player moving on is positive about the club, if he'd be happy to come back one day, then fine; the club has the leverage to get a buyback clause into the agreement. The player may not feel like that however. If he does not want to accept that option, then how is the club going make him do so? Why would they even want to resign a player who is adamant he doesn't want to play for them? Much more likely to seek to include a sell on fee but that takes leverage too. Leverage and judgement. Judgement because clauses are likely to cost some up front cash since buying clubs seek to negotiate a discount if they are included. In that sense, they are a bet by the selling club; take the bigger fee now, or roll the dice? If only there was always a journalist around to ask. I'm being harsh on journos of course. They know all of this as well as we do and probably better. It's just that they have an incentive to use the excuse for writing a story.

I suppose he could praise the Real presentation without drawing the comparison with Chelsea but, honestly, I'm not fussed. Maybe he was asked a leading question, maybe he wasn't but either way he spoke the truth. I really don't care what he says or does and would be perfectly happy if this comment of mine turned out to be the last one ever posted in this thread.

Best of luck to Josh. Hope he picks up a contract at Wednesday, or a good level club somewhere. Meanwhile I'm delighted that his little brother George signed a new contract this summer because I feared he might leave. I don't mean it as a slight to Josh, but I think George has more talent and works harder too. I was happy when Maurizio put him on the bench against Vidi, but very disappointed he didn't get on, even after the result was safe. Operating as a deep playmaker, George was a key contributor to England's U17 world cup win twenty-one months ago. Check out the assist in the video below. I've tired to cue up the video to the right spot but, just in case, it comes a little before 02:10.

I read, well more like skimmed, an article making statistical comparisons between William and Zaha. These statistical charts aren't really my thing, hence the skimming, but the headline takeaway is that William beats Zaha in all but two categories. Those two are goals and expected goals. For those who take more interest than I do in these things the article is at WAGNH.

Arsenal have been playing some really slick, impressive football in pre-season. In the main they've avoided the type of clunky passages of play we've suffered in our games. (Including some against Barcelona.) They also have a young lad up top who they stole from our academy. I never saw him play for our junior sides but he's looked good, confident and composed. Could be one to watch. There's something of the Andy Cole about him. They have been closer to full strength in those games than we have but it doesn't feel to me like we can confidently expect to be better than them in the coming season.

Oops. Deleted.

Of course you are right. Stupid of me. Thanks for pointing it out. It wasn't a totally serious comment mind.

I advocated giving the gloves to Marcin last summer. Someone responded in the same way you have now by asking the question did I really think the club would go with a teenager. (Perhaps it was you I don't recall.) My answer was that I did not expect the club to take the radical approach. It's easier for me to be brave when I don't have the responsibility for making the real decision so I don't criticise the club. You are absolutely justified in concluding that club did not believe Marcin was ready. I'm saying I did not agree with them. A key component of my attitude was Keppa's cost. I absolutely believe that we should have focused on outfield recruitment and spent as much money as was available doing that. As I put it then, "There is no way that Keppa is £71m better than Marcin and we need to use that money elsewhere." Keppa is a good keeper but I wonder how much you have seen of Marcin in forming your judgement that our starter is much, much better than the young Pole? I do not believe that young goalkeepers should ever be considered for the backup role. A young keeper who starts will build experience as he plays but a man walking into a crucial situation off the bench needs to bring a been there, done that attitude with him. If a young keeper is not going to play then he, far more even than outfielders, needs to go somewhere where he will. Chelsea's recruitment policy for backup goalkeepers has shown that they agree with this. Marcin would never have been considered as a bench warmer so the fact that he was overlooked for that role can't help us with this conversation. It is clear from his treatment last season that Marcin had a bad falling out with the club. Almost certainly this was prompted by his refusal to sign the new contract he was offered, and almost certainly that was because of Keppa's arrival. I have said that although I would have made a different decision, I do not blame the club for their choice. Having made that choice however, Marcin was really left with no option but to leave.

We, or perhaps I should say "I", don't know what Marcin was, or wasn't, offered. I've always believed however that the backup keeper role is one for an experienced footballer. Not for nothing is that place in the squad so often filled by players in the twilight of their careers. I would be disappointed if Chelsea move away from that policy. As you know, I was in favour of taking the radical option last summer; give the gloves to Marcin and spend the £71m elsewhere. His height is a factor but Marcin is an impressive shot stopper. He also has an air of authority, a presence, about him which I don't think Keppa matches. Distribution wise, is kappa so far ahead? I don't feel I've seen enough evidence of that yet.

I hope, for the sake of my health, that Marcin fails to get games in Paris and that, if he does, he struggles. If it goes the opposite way; if he gets some games and does well, I'm going to remember how I felt when we spent £71m to deny the lad a chance. I can really do without that grief.

Agreed. More evidence today that the ten position is the one which suits him best.

I reckon that Mason vs Ross is also a debate.