OhForAGreavsie

😀

My guess is that Frank feels he needs to hang on to both Kurt and Fikayo until Rudi returns fully to action. If Everton really want Kurt, maybe their best chance would be to offer cash plus a CB on a one year loan with an option to recall when Rudi is back.

Interesting that Juan played for the development squad yesterday after returning from the loan group's tour. Significant?

Can't blame them for trying.

Exactly, although those two are not the names which have surprised me most. In my case I was particularly surprised to read of Frank 'opening the door' for Kennedy. A player who has never impressed me from the moment I first saw his YouTube videos. That said, your Victor Moses analogy is a good one. For Victor then, perhaps we can read Kennedy now. We'll see.

This is true. I was disappointed to read some of the headline statements attributed to Frank about chances for some players but he has the right to judge things as he sees them. We'll just have to hope that he's right.

It says Saturday 19th in the original post but that was just a mistake. It should have said Friday 19th.

I'm pretty sure that the club do look at all the options and then settles on what seems best. Why would they do anything other than that? They know any and all existing contractual obligations. They know the opinions of the coaches who have worked with the player. They know the player's own intentions. They know what possibilities exist for both a permanent, and a temporary transfer. In short they know all the facts and we know none.

Thanks Vesper, Just downloaded the podcast and an audio version of the book. I'll let you know what I think. If you like history, and you're prepared to risk another yank, try One Summer by Bill Bryson. I won't try to write a summary because you'll read better ones if you search for the book. Just to say that the summary made the book seem really interesting to me, but in fact it's even better than I imagined. Way better. Check out a summary and see if it seems like your sort of thing.

Turns out Juan played in the team featuring loan players, not the development team. Interesting.

There were two games at Cobham this morning. One featured the development squad, the other featured players who are already a part of the loan army, or who are perhaps set to become a part of it. Juan played for the loan team. Should we take that as a clue to the next step? Probably.

To be fair, I think most regulars here saw through Lukaku. Nainggolan probably did split opinion a bit more.

Reece is ahead of all of them in my opinion. That said, we probably need to carry three strikers so Tammy's path into the squad looks clear.

Petr in coaching gear working with Kepa is a worrying photograph. It's not news to anyone that Petr's role is undifined, but we need him to work out a function where he operates with the executives of the club. Instead that photograph suggests he is tempted to gravitate toward what he knows, the training ground. Obviously there is no problem with Petr attending training. He needs to take a step back from hands-on involvement however. His brief now is to observe, assess and advise. Importantly, that advice needs to flow upward. It's perfectly natural for Frank and Petr to trust each other, so if the new manager wants to use his mate as a sounding board that's fine. If Petr allows this to become his role however, he'll be letting the club down. I'll be more encouraged if I see him wearing shirt and tie at least as often as training tops and boots. Of course, it's entirely possible that Petr is just having a chat with Kepa.

Juan hasn't been listed in the squad to goto Japan. Unless there's an innocent reason for it that's disappointing. The development group have a game tomorrow. If he's in the squad for that game we'll have some information.

Further ticket update for Chelsea Women vs Tottenham Hotspur Women at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 8th September The the club announced earlier today that all available tickets have been requested. As far as I know tickets for the two middle tiers were not made available, but every other seat in the ground has been claimed. That's more than 30,000 I reckon. Of course, when tickets are free not everyone who asks for one actually turns up. Here's hoping at least two-thirds of the people who requested a seat will use it.

Ticket update for Chelsea Women Vs Tottenham Hotspur Women at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 8th September. Tickets are going much faster than I expected. All seats have been allocated for The Shed end, only singles remain in The Matthew Harding plus the lower tiers of both the East and West stands are also fully taken. Looks like you'll need to be quick if you want to get down there and support the female blues. Details here, tickets here.

They already had him for free but let him go. 🙁

I wonder if everyone here is aware that Chelsea Women will be playing their opening game of the Women's Super League season at Stamford Bridge against Tottenham Hotspur Women on Sunday 8th September. The men will be on an international break that weekend so, if you haven't yet experienced a live game of women's football, this is a good opportunity to take in a WSL match. What's more the tickets are free. More details here.

All the best to Kaz from a CFCW season ticket holder. Hoping she'll be doing a lap of honour at The Bridge on September 8th.

Oh yes, I agree we should try. Just don't think we'll be any more successful with him than we have been with other sought after players recently. Bayern are in an incredible position which even the Spanish giants must envy. In effect, all 52 professional clubs in Germany serve as their academy.

In the scenario you describe his Leipzig contact would end but the preagreed contract with us would then start. Think he'd turn us down however.

It is now online and free.

Agreed. I feel for those lads and the situation they find themselves in. Identifying the right club for a permanent move is clearly proving difficult. Fingers crossed for them that they manage to get something worked out this summer.

The midfield is going to need some quick and decisive decision making. Bakayoko, Barkley, Drinkwater, Jorginio, Kante, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Mount can't all be accommodated and there are other midfielders we could list in addition to these. Some need to leave one way or another.