OhForAGreavsie

Have to admit I never read any of his printed work but I can't say I've picked up on this in any of his audio/visual output I've come across.

But how do we decide which is which? For example, many believe that Alonso was a Conte signing and yet you are describing him as an average player. I do agree agree with your overall view though. Antonio, just as Jose did in 2014/2015, massively overachieved with the squad at his disposal. His judgement should absolutely be backed.

OK thank you for the correction although I have heard him introduced numerous times as, "Dan Levene of The Daily Mail", and, if I remember correctly, have even heard him say, in a 100% Chelsea video, "...in the office, at The Mail...". Perhaps my memory is faulty on that second one however. Seems from your info that it must be, or at least the inference I took (that it was his normal place of work) must be wrong.

A Daily Mail journalist, lifelong Chelsea fan with good contacts at the club and a regular on Chelsea Fan channel, "100% Chelsea".

Since the investment arrived at City they have spent a great deal more money than Chelsea have in the same period. They have built successful teams, playing football which is widely admired. In that time we have won a League Cup, a Europa League, a Champions League, three FA Cups, three Premier Premier Leagues plus reached a number of other domestic/European finals and semifinals. City's record is less impressive, so maybe "dominant" is a bit too much praise for the blue Mancunians' methods, and a little too much implied criticism of ours.

Ignorance of the highest order. You have no clue what decisions the bloke does or does not make, yet you decide they're bad ones anyway and blame him for them. For example, what might people say has been the club's best decision of 2016/17? Signing Kante? Signing Conte? Who among us can definitively say which individual proposed those choices, or argued in favour of them at board level? Not me for sure, and not you either. I've read opinions in which posters give the manager credit for any decisions they approve, but blame Michael Emenalo for any they disapprove. Unless the person giving the opinion is among the cadre of rabid Jose heaters of course. In which case any credit goes to the club and the blame is dumped on the manager. It's not rational to invent what you think someone has done and then blame them for it.

I'd like to think that few can have been on the fence about RWB, although I can see more reason for fence sitting in regard to our LWB. The last few months have seen LWB slip from upgrade priority number four, to priority number five in my own summer wish list. Antonio's pre Cup Final comment that he and the club were in agreement about squad building, in conjunction with his post-game statement that we need to improve both qualitatively and quantitively, suggest that the situation is well understood by those who matter. The issue isn't whether the problems are known, it's whether we can fix them.

Only two? You're a lot more optimistic than most of us.

Class.

This will be a blow to City's followers of their academy teams. Many of them had been hoping that Brahim Diaz would come through to fill that role. In truth I think they recognise that, even if Diaz is good enough, the timing was never going to be right since D. Silva will almost certainly need replacing before Diaz is ready. Assuming Bernardo does inherit the role, Diaz will one day find his path blocked by a player in his prime. For now they've bought a player who might come close to replicating David Silva's output when the Spaniard is out for any reason but apart from that, Bernardo in the City line up will just mean another good player isn't.

There is something seriously wrong with your post. Where your comment contains the word, "your'" it should contain the word, "You're", or the words, "You are". Apart from that it's fine. 100% fine in fact.

I'd put it a little differently and say that Antonio is in the best position to identify the players we need to recruit, and that I'd like to think that he will identify exactly the right targets. Like you, I hope he wants to strengthen our RW position but I doubt Chelsea will reveal whether he wanted Bernardo Silva or not. We may get that info from another source at some point but for now Antonio won't talk about anything other than the match at hand. Quite right too.

4-1-4-1 with no Jesus, and with Gundogan as DM? Now, I have not yet seen enough of Jesus to put aside my doubts about him, but most people, including many who have seen more of him than me and who therefore are in a position to know better than I do, think Jesus is the real deal. If he is, then it still looks like B. Silva can only play if a good player sits on the bench. Net gain for City? My claim is that it's probably marginal.

That's why this deal wouldn't overly disappoint me. If new Silva plays, then another good player doesn't. Of course this would strengthen their squad but it's pretty powerful already. I don't see B. Silva making as big a difference for them as additions in other areas, or a more pragmatic tactical approach, might. I don't think there is any argument to be had to be honest. He is their best player I would say, and it seems to me that most posters on Bluemoon see it that way too. But you forgot to mention that water is wet.

Had they made the top four, I'd have been fully behind a United win tonight. As they did not however, Chelsea had something to loose from a United victory so I was backing Ajax. Ho hum, we don't always get what we want. Only upside for me is that Jose has won another trophy. Pleased for The Special One.

Been there, done that. Mind you, I think they've already won it too.

First of all, congratulations to Ronaldo. Those are remarkable numbers. It's a shame for Jimmy that he ruined himself with alcohol. As early as 1961 he was hitting the bottle to a degree which damaged his fitness. There's a story told of his time at Spurs when a teammate complained to Bill Nicholson that Greaves was, "Standing around on the half way line doing nothing again." The Spurs manager replied, "Yes, and when you score 40 goals a season you can go and stand there with him!" The truth hidden by that anecdote, is that Jimmy couldn't have worked harder even if it was his inclination. The booze sapped away his fitness and his record, as amazing as it is, does not do justice to his talent.

One of the greatest of any nationality.

Ah, yes I had somehow managed to forget that.

We lost that didn't we?

Interesting ideas and a good read. Thank you.

I was a bit fragile myself today. So fragile that The Bridge has given me a headache. My daughter says I have to learn to sing not shout. Whatever that means. And by the way, East Stand shame on you for breaking the chain.

Although there are exceptions, generally speaking I tend not to defer to the views of ex-professionals. I've heard too many of them, talking too much nonsense, for too long, to see their opinions as automatically more credible than yours or mine. Whether to rest players ahead of the final, and, if so, who to rest and in which game or games to rest them, are questions where I would give weight to their opinions however. Their experience must give them a valid insight into the right way to approach this. Has anyone heard any ex-Chelsea players talking about this?

I hope the 1st XI wins what ever training game is arranged for the 24th, but I'm sure the game on the 27th will be of more importance to Antonio and the lads.

The BBC Sport website is running a combined Chelsea team from 2004/05 & 2016/17 selector. It would be interesting to see people's ideas. My selection is below. I've chosen a 3-4-3 line up because I just can't leave any of Billy Gallas, Riccy or JT 04/05 out of the team. Those three occupying the centre back positions is a fantasy to end all footballing fantasies. When it comes down to it I just think Thibaut is a better, more athletic keeper than Petr. The best Chelsea performance I ever saw from Duffer was as a wing back. He won't make the side as a wide attacker but would fit Antonio's system well I think. Gerimi was born to be a wing back I think. I believe Ngolo is a better player than Maka. Obviously he is better in possession but I think he is also better out of it. Arjen & Eden in tandem would be a nightmere for any opponents. Diego has been poor for half a season, but The Drog was poor for nearly all of 04/05. I was very tempted to go for Eidur. He might well have linked better with Arjen & Eden.