OhForAGreavsie

I don't think Baba is good enough to offer any help.

Indeed, he is a terrific footballer. I don't think you'll find anyone who disagrees with you about that. He is very high on most people's wish list for the summer ahead.

For me, replacing Matic is priority number one so I've put the midfield as most urgent.

Poor old Nando. Doesn't even get his own flop labelling scheme.

If they have to lose anyone to injury, I'd far rather it was Aguero. In my opinion this injury to Jesus will strengthen City's first XI, not weaken it.

I suppose you mean it's criminal that there aren't many questions in the TalkChelsea forums. Well, it has been mentioned by a number of people, but among the squad builders of Europe's top clubs, I guarantee you there are plenty of questions.

That team is too risky for me. Wolves will be the best side we've played in the cup so far and, of course, we're away from home. I'd therefore go stronger. That means no place for any of Aina, Kennedy or Musonda.

In fact it had been 44 years since City's previous title.

I wouldn't ever want to see anyone injured of course, but I was especially disappointed in this case. I've yet to see what all the fuss is about with Gabriel Jesús. To be fair I have only watched Jesus play twice, but, as far as I could see, he demonstrated no exceptional talents during those games. To me, substituting Aguero for Jesús is a major improvement for Manchester City. It may be that I just haven't spotted what it is that makes him special but, based on my current assessment of Jesús, I can only think that Guardiola is using him to make some sort of point to Aguero. Somewhere down the line I am expecting the Argentinian to be reinstated as City's first choice. In my opinion he remains the Citizens' best striker by far.

This doesn't sound harsh to me in the least. In fact, it sounds way, way too generous.

I can only believe that if we saw what Antonio sees in training, we would understand why he prefers Nemanja over Nat. Since we don't see training however, Nemanja's continued selection looks more and more strange with every passing game.

So boringly predictable. What exactly is it the board have done that you are blaming them for? Why make up just one thing to blame them for? Why not invent 100 things you don't like, and get stuck right in? Let yourself go. Let your imagination roam free then rant away and be as happy as a pig doing what a pig likes to do best.

It's so weird to read the expression "drew to".

😂

I think we are fortunate they adopted that attitude. Had they really gone for it we might have been in even deeper trouble.

In the circumstances this is a great result. That's the only sensible attitude to take when you gain a point from a performance that deserved none. Those who prefer to bury their heads in the sand and imagine our side to be all conquering can get back to that way of thinking tomorrow. For now, our frailties and weaknesses have been on full display but, fortunately, they cost us just two points, not three. I'm pleased and I'm ready to think about Wolverhampton Wanderers. We knew we had urgent work to do this summer even before today's game kicked off and we also knew many tough games remained to be played before then. Nothing has changed.

Time to stop assessing this performance against what is required to win. Instead let's just get behind the lads and judge what we are seeing in terms of hanging on to a point. Anything else will be a bonus. There will be better days.

I'd say that your comment is five words too long.

Sadly you are right. Yet media know-nothing's everywhere continue to speak of him as one of our strengths and not our major weakness, which is the truth.

Being found guilty of motoring offences usually results in a fine and, more than ever now, these fines are related to the offenders earnings. Somewhere down the line we may get some more clues about the income level of Chelsea's development squad players.

Still laughing.

Me too, since half their squad began to be linked with us. There is more than one way to play the 'six' position but to be a genuinely good team you need a player capable of playing it as you describe here. It simultaneously makes your side more threatening going forward and more solid defensively. Before the start of next season we need to acquire a player who can do this. Bakayoko is such a player. It's worth mentioning that he put in a number of really good tackles in those games too. 90% of the time a non-defender touches the ball, the next thing he needs to do with it is make a simple pass. Opportunities to do more impressive things don't happen all the time but the key is having the quality to exploit them when they do. Even players of the highest calibre experience games like Bakayoko endured vs PSG. Games where chances to do special things don't present themselves, or where the player is just not on it. The secret during times like those is to do the simple stuff, avoid hurting your team, and live to fight another day. My feeling is Bakayoko fits the template. Is he the final answer? I don't know, but he would certainly be a major upgrade over what we have now. I've been looking forward to this game for weeks. Can't wait.

This would make Atleti the only 'top' club in the world which makes that definition hard to work with.

Depends how he means 'major' I suppose. He may mean it in the sense of numbers, not of budget. One signing, at huge cost, may therefore fit within his definition of no major overhaul.

Thank you for the correction on Bernardo's nationality. Bernardo attempts more dribbles at pace than David Silva because he has more pace. Their similarity comes in the attributes I described earlier and is clear to see when they carry the ball, which David Silva does do a lot of. He just can't run away from people. Both Silvas beat opponents with sharp stops and momentum deifying changes of direction, demonstrating the tremendous body control I talked about. In those attributes they are indeed remarkably similar but, to me, the City man displays even more control and greater balance than the Monaco player. Something which makes him more difficult to dispossess in tight areas. Where space permits Bernardo has the option to run away from people. Both are, unquestionably, outstanding talents. I don't see why it would be an injustice if Bernardo was not to join us but if that's just your way of saying you really hope we get him then so do I, and a lot of others judging by this thread.