OhForAGreavsie

Do you remember the old shack (that’s the only way to describe it) that doubled as a ticket office and merchandise shop? I turned up there one day to buy some tickets (a very rare event in those days of pay on the turnstile) and Duncan was in there, new fag on, old one still hot in the ashtray, chatting up the girls in the office. He looked totally disgusted that they had to take their attention off him for a minute to sell me three tickets and a mug. Even back then I thought to myself, chain smoker, that explains a lot!

I didn't miss a thing. Not even the intended slur. Oh dear. I know you know what discernible means so you’ll forgive me for avoiding further comment on the statement about whether I know who is, or isn’t, interested in Traore. You’ve responded to many of my posts so I assume you’ve read them. You perhaps don’t remember any of their content, which is fair enough, but if you did you’d be aware that my opinion of a player is not informed by where he plays his football. Traore being outside the Premier League doesn’t create my opinion of his abilities, it just supports it. In fact I formed that opinion, and posted about it, while Traore was playing in the top flight. Zaha was taken from a Championship side to a club with world status. Although that move did not work for him, he remains a Premier League player. What, in comparison has been Traore’s history to date? Somewhat the opposite, I think you’ll agree. I accept that this proves nothing, but it is evidence that, so far, higher level clubs have passed on Traore and he has slid down the ranks. It would be illogical to draw conclusions from the level at which Traore plays, but not illogical to take his trajectory into account. Zaha climbed up the ladder and, although he slipped, is clinging on to a higher rung than the one to which Traore has fallen. This comparison suggests that Zaha is a more highly regarded footballer than Traore, however, my own view is not based on any of the above. It’s based on the fact that I’ve seen Traore play and I don’t believe he’s effective enough for any role at Chelsea.

Bear with this, I do get to Mason in the end. A few years ago someone on a different Chelsea site (WAGNH) asked for opinions about which of our then current youth squad had the best chance of a Chelsea future. My answer was Jay Da Silva. If I answered the same question now I'd say Callum is second most likely, and that Reece James is currently our top prospect. He's tremendous. I'm also pretty excited about sixteen year old Tino Anjorin who I think looks likely to be our next U18 level 'star'. I love Mason's game but I put him behind all these names. Mason will surely make it as a professional but watching him in youth games I felt he got away with many things, mainly his dribbles, that would fail in senior football. I couldn't wait for him to go on loan and get the experience that would help him make better decisions about when to carry the ball. However I've gotten into the Chelsea Ladies team, bought a season ticket and watched them a lot. For that reason I've seen much less televised football than I have in the past so I have not been able to assess what Mason might have learned, or how well he's learned it. P.S. Randomly, we are rumoured to have agreed to sign a young striker to join us from PSV's academy next summer. The deal has been posted by @ChelseaYouth, who seems only to report from authoritative sources, and is also listed on Transfermarkt as having been completed. Although I've read other statements which contradict that and say the player is not coming to Chelsea, I really hope that we have won the race to sign him. Jayden Braaf is an impressive youngster who will immediately become the best development level striker on our books if he arrives.

Bamford I wrote off the first time I saw him play for one of our development sides. When people moaned about Charly being dropped for some 'big' academy games, I posted in support of those decisions. When he was being praised to the hilt for his performances in Spain I was posting to say that in fact, barring one outstanding display, he was not playing well and would be dropped unless he improved. Five years ago I posted (elsewhere) to say that Ruben was a terrific prospect but that he needed a kick up the backside so that he'd learn to get more involved in games and make an impact. He's always shown flashes of brilliance which excites us all but then he strolls around or makes blind runs so that his effective contribution is close to zero. I watched one England age group game where he touched the ball only three times in a twenty minute spell. Maybe he has cured that now. We'll see. Baker I never believed in and said so. Abraham I said I like the way he makes the most of his attributes but that I didn't see him as a player who is good enough for the team we want Chelsea to be. You may read this as me trying to boast about getting things right but in fact I'm trying to suggest that I'm not susceptible to hype. About Callum I confidently say he is a terrific player who will make it somewhere. Possibly here.

Nor should they. CL11 is right as often as most of us in his player judgements but I think he's got this one wrong.

I was calling for Dybala's signature before he left the lot with the pink shirts. Traore on the other hand is a Championship player.

You are welcome to call me a football expert, or anything else, if you wish. I think of myself as a fan with opinions. You and I have often disagreed before and clearly we do so once more. I simply do not see anything elite in Traore. Things sometimes go right for him, as they do for all players. Demonstrating elite ability however is about being able to replicate excellence repeatedly. Traore does not. He has good age, a good profile, great pace and outstanding power. If he also adds elite dribbling skills as you claim then, never mind Europe's second tier club competition, what's he doing in England's second tier league? Why too is there no discernable clamour for his signature? I know that this last point is an appeal to authority which is not usually a sound way to debate but top level managers are not always wrong you know, and they are not wrong about Traore.

I don't see the attraction in this player at all. Simply not talented enough, or football-smart enough in my opinion. Pace, power, and still not good enough.

I like Koulibali. If we can get him, I think we should. After a year out on loan for experience I believe Reece James will be ready to start for Chelsea. At the beginning of the 2019/20 season he'll be approaching his 20th birthday. That's fearfully young for a centre back but the lad is the absolute real deal. He will be a Chelsea player and he will be ready while still a teenager. Dave, Reece & KK as starters, with Andreas, Tony and one other to round out the CB group, would make us really well set at that position.

Add the fact that Dembele already turned us down in 2015 and you speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Sadly.

In fact they go top even if they only draw. That said... In my post above I asked anyone who saw the ladies for the first time on Saturday to get down to Kingsmeadow tonight and lend your voice to the title push. That was on Saturday however. On Saturday it looked like the Huddersfield game was just going to be another end of season fixture with nothing much riding on it for the Blues. Now it matters however so I have to confess that I'll be at The Bridge tonight. The men's game is sold out though so if you don't have a ticket, Kingsmeadow is still the place for you. They are sure to have the men's game on in the bar so you'll be able to catch the whole second half after the ladies' match is finished. Tickets can be bought from the box office stall at Kingsmeadow and cost £6 for full paying adults and £3 for concessions. Box office at the ground opens at 5:30pm, game kicks-off at 7:00pm.

Not to mention that Jay Da Silva has won Charlton Fans' Player of The Season. Another season or two and he'll be ready to to be considered for us I think.

Does anyone know how things stand with Malcolm? Reports say that he'd like to join Munich, but that they are not interested. Any hope for us there? I like him better than Fakir.

That sums up the two ninety minute performances in which I watched him very closely before he joined united. He was great in one and poor in the other. Has he done enough since to get excited about? Not enough for me, no. Throw in that his preferred areas of operation seem to be those in which both Eden and Callum Hudson-Odoi like to function, and I'd say invest in someone else. I know all the usual caveats people would apply to Callum, but I'm confident he'll make it. There are flaws in his game but these are of the kind that can be coached. He sometimes believes too much in his ability and either tries more than he should, or else takes more time than he has. Meanwhile, the things which can't be coached; talent and football instinct, he has in abundance. From comments Jody Morris has made it's clear the coaches are going to work on this issue with Callum and it will be solved. He is the real deal; season after next he'll be ready to be a serious squad member, season after that he can start. Let's not block his path.

Agreed, it was a fantastic moment for them, and for us :). I'm only saying that they'd have won the league with or without us preventing a Spurs win. On the other hand we may well need them to beat Tottenham.

Not really. They'd still have won the league no matter what the result that night. Still, if they want to do us a favour anyway....

Could have been the greatest season ever. Still one of our greatest ever. Think about Michael Ballack that season; Premier League - Runner up, Champions League - Runner up, League Cup - Runner up, World Cup - Runner up. And they were all very, very near misses. Talk about if onlys.

The real slip wasn't the last day, it was dropping home points by conceding a last minute equalizer to Wigan four weeks earlier. Had we beaten Wigan we'd have gone into the last game knowing the title was in our own hands. If that was the case I'm absolutely convinced that we'd have smashed Bolton on the last day.

Yep was great. i have two daughters. The younger one loves football and comes to The Bridge with me. The older one is totally indifferent to the game but she went with me today. What an occasion for your first ever game of football. Her verdict? “It’s a lot better than watching on telly!” As for the double, it’s back to work on Wednesday night for the girls. If anyone reading this watched CLFC for the first time today, I hope you’ll be tempted to turn up at Kingsmeadow stadium in midweek. It’s a must win game and the women could use your help. It’d be great to see as many of you as possible down there. One thing I definitely don’t want to see at our next game is The FA Cup. It’s business time, not party time. The ladies need to have a good night in the office to force Manchester City Women to have to keep winning, and winning well.

My over all point in a nutshell, and this was an under 18's game with a higher than usual percentage of kids in the ground.

Just on the scolding point. No one has ever told me to sit down when I’ve been in the MH lower but it does happen is the West if people overdo it. Thing is not everyone wants to stand but if the lad or lass in front is doing so ‘persistently’ then they are basically saying everyone has to if the want to see. Obviously I get the opposite point of view. Not everyone wants to be left with no choice but to sit. I am genuinely worried though about what we might allow back into the game along with standing. The idiots of the 70’s & 80’s are old now but new idiots are born every minute. Things do become more boisterous when young men stand in large groups of like minded individuals. Allocated seating breaks up those groups, safe standing facilitates them. When boisterous people congregate tribalism rises. When people are shouting wankers at opposition fans and gesturing at them, they are much more likely to be standing than sitting. All of this turns the temperature up and I don’t think the risk is worth it. Remember, it only takes the animosity to be raised in the ground, the trouble can be sparked anywhere. I hope that MP’s are not going to cave on this but, if they do, then I hope it turns out I was wrong to be worried.

Because testosterone is testosterone.

Shame. If this happens I can only hope that my fears about the implications are unfounded. I have little faith in the good behaviour of football fans. At the Emirates the other night there were grown men supporting Chelsea who were chanting F’s and C’s with little Children sat all around them. Last year someone posted a video of Chelsea fans in a stadium baiting fans of the other team. There were F’s, W’s and the obligatory hand gestures. The caption said ‘Great support’. I don’t agree.

The ladies play their third FA Cup Final in four years this Saturday 5th May vs Arsenal at Wembley. Kick off is at 17:30 and a record crowd is expected. We met Arsenal in the 2016 final and their fans probably made up the bulk of the crowd. If you're in London on Saturday and fancy swelling the Chelsea contingent tickets are £15/ £5 concessions and up to four kids go free with every paying adult. Chelsea have sold out but tickets are still on general sale through The FA, or from the Wembley box office on the day. Get down there; you'll enjoy it.

Those clubs are on the ‘list’ because you’ve expanded it to the top 20. (From the top 10 I showed.) Had we looked at 2003’s top 20 I’m pretty sure further English clubs would have been included. The clubs you name are on the list because they are in the Premier League and benefit from the second biggest TV rights deal in world sport. Throw in a big stadium for West Ham, plus a Champions League run for Leicester, and there is no mystery about their turnover. I say again, they are achieving those numbers because they are members of the Premier League, not because Roman bought Chelsea. The question is not that the Premier League is rich; that’s a given. The question is why. You say it’s because Roman bought Chelsea. I say that’s not it. I notice the fact that the league was already rich and getting richer before Roman arrived. I notice too that the growth in TV revenues is strongly linked to the business models of Sky, BT and other ‘media partners’, and I stick to the argument that the league’s continued growth is not because of Roman.