OhForAGreavsie

1-0 Chelsea Millie Bright. Great finish at the far post from a cross after a corner had been cleared.

The women start their Champions League campaign tonight away to PSG. It is free to watch now on YouTube:

I think the cup-tied rule was a good one. I'm old and like traditions but that rule is no more.

I agree that, on the face of it, Zakaria would have to get at least a look for us. The fact that he hasn't means that everybody's favourite theory about why he hasn't, is probably right: - Potter would like to bring in a different midfielder in January The budget won't allow him to do this unless he can move a midfielder out Denis is the player Potter is willing to sacrifice Juve do not want Zakaria back and will only take him if they can loan him elsewhere The two clubs per season (maximum) rule means that if Zakaria plays for us he can't then be sent on a second loan All of this makes Denis a victim of the Tuchel sacking. If TT had stayed, Denis would probably have played.

Hutchinson isn't giving me sure thing vibes like Reece was at age 18 but he's making encouraging progress and has a chance I'd say. I hope GP includes him in the squad for the League Cup game at City next month. Can't see Hutchinson getting a start but 10/15 mins would be good. I suppose that for him to get on we'd have to be comfortably ahead, or comfortably behind, but if Hutchinson just makes the trip, it'll be a start.

Agree with this though Hutchinson is impressing and is possibly above Lewis now in my reckoning. Casadei will have to deal with another suspension after his second 'two yellows equals red' of the season last weekend.

I made this point last season to which someone replied that the idea was nonsense. Well not using that word but they definitely saw it differently. Guessing it wasn't you. 🙂

For me, Bellingham is the type of player that you automatically take if you can and set things up around him. That said, it's all moot anyway. He isn't coming here.

According to an earlier post in the forum the comment you are referring to came from a fake account and not from Kounde himself.

I was dead set against us signing Juan Veron despite the fact that I thought he was the best player in the world in the mid 90s. My reasoning then was similar to yours here; if SAF couldn't make it work for him at Utd, how were we going to make it happen for him at Chelsea?

Yes it was. Just the usual excuse. Never good enough. Purple patch at Liverpool was the exception not the rule.

Ehm, ehm.

I remember very well that you did.

I'd like us to try again for that Lavia kid from Southampton. Mega difficult negotiation given City's buyback clause, but we should definitely try.

One more time for the record, NG should have been sold during the 2021 summer window. Failing that then definitely in the last window.

The League Cup can't come quickly enough for me. I want to see Zakaria in Blue at least once before he leaves. 😞

I still think Nkunku is already done. I also still think Gvardiol would be a great alternative LB/LWB though that would imply selling Ben or Marc. My main hope though is that Shakhtar will take second spot in group F and eliminate Leipzig so the German side might be willing to discuss completing the moves in January. A big 'might', I know.

Listening to Fikayo's press conference it certainly sounded that way. He made it seem that they feel they let themselves down at The Bridge, that they are angry, and that they are very motivated.

As you guessed, I had in mind that Fikyo fits into group 3, "Was given a chance to impress over many games but the manager eventually decided they were not for him." Remember my post is aimed at rebutting the myth that first team capable Cobham graduates were not given chances by Chelsea because of the club's culture. 'Fik' benefitted from a good loan, was brought back and given a place in the first team squad. Further, he was relied upon and picked numerous times. Eventually however the manager decided he preferred other options. That decision by Frank may, or may not, have been the right one but that's not the point here. The point is that Fik absolutely was given a chance. That he did not establish himself was nothing to do with club culture and everything to do with the manager's preference.

That is not why Jamal left. Once he decided that his life would be in Germany, and that he would play internationally for Germany not for England, the move to Bayern was always on the cards. I thought the myth of us denying opportunities to deserving young players had died. It just isn't true. Marc Guehi perhaps but he's the only candidate. All of the others fit into one of four categories: - Never good enough in the first place Near miss but ultimately still not good enough Was given a chance to impress over many games but the manager eventually decided they were not for him. Play right back, grew up with Reece James and are not idiots. The only players showing signs of top-flight careers fall into the last two categories.

Maybe I was happier with that nice run he had to the edge of their box than was really warranted, but he looked way better in that one moment than he did at any point when I saw him against City U21s earlier in the season. Another potential positive from a good day.

I wasn't happy with Reece coming in either. I didn't see what we had to gain from it.

Am I the only idiot who didn't know that the District Line was not running between Wimbledon and Fulham Broadway today? Turned up at Wimbledon about 2:25pm as usual for a 3 o'clock start. An hour and a half later, after negotiating train strike (more power to the RMT), TFL misinformation, and chaos on the roads, I arrived at The Bridge so I only saw the second half today. I was though able to see Mando's composed finish and now I'm looking forward to seeing what that does for him going forward. As I said to the lad from Cleveland, Ohio who was enjoying his first visit to The Bridge for 9 years, that could prove an important goal for our season.

According to a chart I saw last night only Kjaer has any chance and even he is unlikely to make it.

Accor Sssshh! Don't tell Clearlake.