OhForAGreavsie

I completely agree in principle, but would add a note of slight disagreement. What you say here makes perfect sense to us. Not because we are football geniuses, although we are of course , but because it's a statement of the obvious. It's obvious to you, it's obvious to me, and it's obvious to every member of the board. I know some views expressed around here make it sound like Chelsea's executives can't tie their own shoe laces, but no one can really believe that. These people can't, on average, be any less bright than the average poster here. Yet, they have not been able to do what obviously needs to be done. There has to be a reason for it. If there were an unlimited budget available, if the owner was willing to spend it, if we could attract all the players we wanted, and if the money could persuade their clubs to sell, then why wouldn't the board just hoover up all the quality and the trophies that go with it? Clearly there are limitations on the budget, on the willingness of other clubs to sell to us, and on the attractiveness of our club to players of the highest calibre. For example, according to a 2016 story, Ousmane Dembele's agent says his client turned us down in summer 2015. He said that Dembele's dream was to play for Barcelona and that he saw Dortmund as the perfect place to develop. I've been dreaming of our club signing this player since I first became aware of him a little before Christmas 2015 but the board has to deal in realities, not dreams. These days, I'm dreaming of Chelsea signing another Dembele. This one plays for Celtic. He's only 14 but he looks to me to be a very special player in the making. If that assessment is right, Barca will want him too and I'll be left to dream on once more. The world in which Chelsea operate is real, not ideal.

If he'd had our view he clearly would have had to give it but, although by the time Eden hit the ground the ref had come into frame, at the moment of the challenge he was a good way behind play and at a tougher angle. Even on TV, the tackle only looked 'suspicious' until the third angle which made the foul abundantly clear. If that decision happened on Sunday afternoon I guess we'd both be a bit more bothered about it, but last night was very much mission accomplished. Eden:- Put minutes in his legs, ✅ Blew off some cobwebs. ✅ Showed glimpses of magic. ✅

Something else to remember about Renaldo's record compared to Greavsie's is the fact that when the Madrid striker broke Jimmy's record, he was already a year older (32) than the age at which Greaves retired (31). It was sixty years ago yesterday that the greatest footballer ever to grace this club was given his first team debut. Seventeen year old Jimmy Greaves made his first appearance away at White Hart Lane against Spurs. He scored of course. Here is a nice article from TOCWS.

Of the two, I prefer Dembele.

Thanks.

Southgate has always been a big fan of his. I wonder if a conversation with the England boss might not have played a part in Nat's insistence on joining Watford? Pure speculation but possible I suppose.

I was there following on twitter. And an absolute joke it was too. Twitter took at least a minute to update the draw with each new tie, and several minutes between some.. Just as well I didn't actually wake up for it. Meanwhile a little sympathy for Arsenal please. They've picked up what counts as a tough draw for them; a mid table, League One team. At home of course.

If he did, and it was made public, then I don't remember it.

Only if we change shape. Azpi is not a good wing back.

Just from YouTube highlights it was easy to predict that Gabigol would flop. I would boast of having done so, but in fact my prediction was slightly wrong. My assessment of him, on here (I think) and definitely on WAGNH, was that, "I'd be amazed if any top club signs him." Well a top club did take him but they must be regretting it. I'm a Gabriel Jesus non-believer too as I said before he joined up with City. There is a quickness and an industry about him that opponents will always have to contend with. A good player, yes, but his touch is too loose to qualify him as a 'gem' in my opinion. A watcher of Brazilian football, whose opinion I generally respect, posted to say that Jesus was a terrific player and would be a big success here. I could never see that myself and was happy with the idea that he might keep Aguero out of their side since GJ is a clear downgrade in my opinion. Having been very excited about him during his honeymoon spell, City fans are beginning to sober up. They are recalibrating their opinions, and starting to trot out the excuses for his his displays.

Leicester were always going to play hardball come what may. They don't want to sell and don't need the money. What other type of ball would they even think of? As for Drinkwater being a Matic downgrade, let'a see about that.

You mean we should have held out for more?

Never going to happen. Why? Because, I saw Antonio watching the game on Sunday. The boss may have described David's performance as "amazing" but he won't have been fooled by it. DL did really well in the defensive side of the midfield role. I hope he'll do equally well each time he plays there because he'd need to. Despite much hype to the contrary, DL is no midfield player. He was pretty horrible in possession. Instead of helping to solve our problem against the press, he just contributed to our troubles. With David in the middle of the park the ball will keep coming back at us. Just like it did on Sunday. Hence the opportunity for David to make tackles and interceptions a plenty. Just like on Sunday. Media types can say what they want. I don't care that their opinions so often bear little resemblance to reality, but I have more confidence in Antonio. Emergencies apart, David ain't becoming a midfield regular for Chelsea.

If you reward people for doing something, they will continue to do it. As consumers of media we lap this stuff up so, naturally, they keep pumping it out. Alderweirald's agent is almost certainly the source of this story as he chases an improved deal for his client. Good story, good source. Of course it's going to be published.

No that regulation has a size limitation. It does dot apply to the larger grounds, Old Trafford for example. Spurs have the same exemption at Wembley. For security reasons, the local council prohibited tickets for today's game going on General sale. That meant only season ticket holders and members could buy a seat. Hence the 'small' attendance. Apparently, Brent are not so worried about the possibility of trouble between Spurs and Burnley fans. Tickets have been on general sale for that game so it is expected to sell out. Still only 3,106 official tickets for Burnley, though their fans have probably bought a fair few general sale tickets.

Spurs policy decision to preserve home advantage.

DL mostly good defensively, mostly dire in possession.

I don't believe in David as a midfielder. Claims of his quality in that role are pure imagination in my view.

Yep, I've already had my usual thought 2 or 3 times. If he was playing for us we'd be comfortable favourites for any game against Spurs.

Thanks. Antonio has said this?

My guess? 3-5-2 with Rudi in midfield. Other ideas?

Exactly. It's an argument for losers to obsess about. United are indeed huge. The biggest of them all maybe but take a look above Ossie's statue at The Bridge over the next nine months. What's written there are the words winners obsess about. Home of The Champions. United can be as big as they like, we wear the crown.

So what? They are. People who get upset by the truth should work on getting over it, not blame those who speak it.

Nonsense. Why post drivel of this type? You are asking rational human beings to imagine you have a better understanding of the transfer market than professionals who work in it. You want us to believe that the most mundane ideas, ideas which any junior football fan could conceive, are beyond the grasp of every single member of the Chelsea FC board. What, are the board members all 8 years old or something? Sorry, but rational people won't be drawn into your fantasy nightmare. Surly people who are unhappy with what the board have done, or with what they have not done, can find a way to complain without requiring the rest of us to navigate around so much, frankly silly, content in order to find the good points they may be making.

Read the tweet again. 😊