OhForAGreavsie

Finished 7-0. There were chances to build the score but they turned into near misses rather than goals.

Half time 6-0. Subs coming including at some point I expect teenager Jorja Fox.

6-0 now. Brilliant finish from Jessie Fleming. Firm strike from a very narrow angle having first faked the keeper with the eyes looking like it would be a pull back.

Pattern of play continuing as it was but the efforts have not been going in over the last few minutes. Ten to halftime now.

Now 5-0. Another for Fran set up by Jessie Fleming.

Sam Kerr blazes over from another good chance. Servtte are outmatched it seems.

Now it's four. Kirby to Kerr. Hard to keep up!

Now 3-0. A tap in for Sam Kerr from a Mellie's Leupolz cut back.

Another nice piece of play culminating in a flick from Sam Kerr to get Fran Kirby in sees us move two up but there has been a change in the game. In the lead up to the first goal we were making chances with every possession but between then and Kirby's strike the Swiss girls have had the better of the play.

Brilliant strike by Mellie Leupolz put Chelsea one up in the 8th minute. I do not exaggerate when I say it could have been four already.

Are you speculating Vesper or do you have a feeling this could be viable? With an untrained eye on the map it looks like mission impossible.

Expense is the wrong word to use here lads. 'Expand' is the word you want. 🙂

As I remember it we were massively outbid for that site because, even when income from the redevelopment of The Bridge was taken into account, the revenue generating power of a football stadium was dwarfed by that of a mixed development of residential and commercial property on so large a scale. That meant CFC's competitors for the site could easily rationalise bidding far more than Roman could justify. For various reasons I always was, and still am, in favour of a site away from Stamford Bridge. The problem is that it looks impossible to find one which is geographically appropriate, likely to receive planning permission and affordable.

The women took three points against Villa on Saturday. Like the men they produced a dominant performance. Like the men they failed to take their chances but unlike the men they held on for a narrow win.

FA Cup Semi-Final highlights.

I've never heard this before. If true, it would be hard to understand why Carlo would pin his hopes on something so unobtainable.

Think I got lucky missing this game. When you're just dealing with the result it's easier to do as you suggest and put things into perspective. If I'd been in the ground the frustration would have been strong but I chose to go to Walsall to watch the women instead. Turns out that was a little frustrating too but at least they won.

Since I posted this Charley has announced that he expects to leave Chelsea in the summer. Fair enough. Good luck to him.

I think you're right that Rom can contribute. Though he is now a little off the pace for 20 PL goals this season it's not impossible for him to catch up. In any case, 18, 19 or 20 goals is not likely to be the deal breaker for our title hopes. I would not have signed Rom and was disappointed when we did but he's far from a 0/10 player.

I read posts in the summer about special training Antonio had put on to help Rom improve his touch, and about how these sessions had produced a miraculous transformation. I tried to get people to understand that the mere fact that the sessions were even necessary at the age of 28 simply proved how right I was in 2011 when I said Rom's touch would never improve. That's the point. I wasn't saying last summer that Rom's touch would be the same in 2021, I was saying that a decade ago. This isn't because of any genius predictive powers on my part. It's simply that I accept a reality which many people can't buy into. Namely that players cannot improve their basic talent level. The Messi argument is irrefutable. If players can improve their basic levels then why doesn't everyone simply practice until they're as good as Leo? The truth is that if you ain't got it, you ain't got it. Now, just because Rom lacks some things does not mean that he lacks everything. Think for example of the beautiful second goal against Villa. Minimal back lift with perfect timing to turn the keeper into a spectator and smack the ball into the net. Wonderful play. Evidence that, as you point out, there are situations where Rom can be a weapon. Whatever points we choose to make here, at Stamford Bridge and elsewhere, Chelsea fans have everything to gain and nothing to lose by being100% behind the player.

I wrote Ruben off too but I'm not yet ready to say I was wrong. I hope I was but it'll take more of what we have seen recently to sell me. Throughout the near ten years I've been watching Ruben my complaint has been the same; he has the talent but he does not make enough use of it to create a positive impact . He too often lets the game pass him by as exemplified by his displays for England during the 2018 World Cup. I once saw an England U21 game where Ruben touched the ball just three times in a twenty minute spell. It doesn't matter how talented you are, if you don't impose it you're a non factor. I've argued for years that what was wrong with Ruben is in his head. Has Professor Tuchel reached in there to clear whatever blockage was preventing the penny dropping? I hope so. I'm willing it to be so but I need more, and sustained, evidence.

We've all opted out.

Cobham. Working back from a long term injury. Played a couple of matches for the 23s.