OhForAGreavsie

I think talking about Reuben getting his game back is a very generous assessment. Reuben has quality and physical attributes but he has never, not even in youth football, turned those into consistently effective performances. His reputation, and his career to date, are both built on the promise of what he might be capable of doing, not on what he has done. What he has done amounts to more or less nothing. You seem to be prepared to keep waiting at the station but I don't think the train is coming.

Yes he is.

Listen to @Vesper people or regret, even if not repent, at your leisure.

Love that he has the honesty to say what all of us know he must have been thinking. He'd have to be an idiot not to have been jolted by how easily Bayern brushed us aside. Taken together with his hugely impressive 'press conference', I think this confirms that we've signed a young man of the highest calibre. His talent, plus his intelligence, plus his character makes this an outstanding capture. I can't tell you how glad I am that Liverpool did not try harder to get Timo.

I have to get out of this thread. I can't believe what I'm reading.

It was significant moment in the game and bad odds calculation by Andreas. Ten minutes to go, ok, you commit that foul but a minute before half-time, you take your chances on Mane missing.

The minute he became available to Chelsea was the moment for expectations to be recalibrated and, at the very least, for the replacing of highlights videos with all touches ones. I like Kai. I'm glad we have him. He can drift and he can loose possession but he can also be devastating. If and when we get more fluent, and especially when we get Hakim and Chris into the team, we'll create opportunities for him to hurt opponents. Remember, Eden had plenty of games where nothing was happening for him.

And I believe him but, as I say, if they had wanted him they'd have made him feel better about joining them. If they had really wanted him, I still think they'd have gotten him. I'm glad we have Timo however. He's good and seems like a terrific character.

I always believed, and said, that the story about Liverpool being unable to afford Werner was a nonsensical fabrication. Their actions in the market today, along with rumours of further spending to come, seems to end that debate. If they had really wanted him they'd have made Timo an acceptable offer and reached an agreement with Leipzig. Clearly they did not want him enough and that's our gain.

And Pernille Harder.

Then let's get working on that.

May not be good for Connor but it would give Ruben a chance I'd like to see him get.

He still is all of that but he simply has never been a consistent influence on football games. He sometimes shows a glimpse which keeps everyone hoping and waiting but it is not enough and never has been.

I don't think he ever really had much chance of making it because what's wrong with him is in his head and he's never given much hope that he would be able to fix it. Rubes has the tools but he simply does not influence games and never has. Seven or eight years ago someone asked me to rate the chances of Ruben and Jeremie Boga. I said that Jed was 50/50 but that Ruben had virtually no chance unless he got a huge kick up the backside and that that lesson sank in. I'm sure he's had the boot but if it was going to work it would have done a long time ago. In that same post I said that RLC would be lucky to get a gig in League One unless he changed. I hope, I really hope, he can do better than that but it's not certain. In fact I think he has to do better because he has to be able to contribute to a strong side. He does not have enough 'battle' in him to earn the trust of coaches at weaker teams.

I assume Kova is just a one game ban?

He was no more than average before it.

A few seasons ago I posted to say I thought it was time to allow Ruben to move on and find a new chance to make his name. I really don't think there is a reason to put off that decision any longer.

I love, love, love the fixtures against Tottenham. If they went down I'd laugh my head off, but then I'd miss the fixtures like crazy. I think you're allowed to laugh if we were to go down. In fact I doubt anything could stop you.

I wonder if you know how happy Blues like me are to have Leeds back where they belong? For us, Tottenham home and Tottenham away will always be priority fixtures numbers one and two but, after those, it's just brilliant to have the long running, and deep, rivalry with Leeds United resumed. It's been too long. Can't wait for the games to come around.

As I've been saying since before you were born; all goalkeepers make mistakes. All of them. Relatively regularly. It's a little bit like the non debate about small clubs getting worse decisions from referees than big clubs do. It is 100-percent not true. People just notice more and care more. Big clubs get plenty of dodgy decisions and big goalkeepers make big mistakes. For a club in the situation we found ourselves experiencing in recent seasons they are not difference makers. This is why, as I said it the time, there is absolutely no way that Kepa was worth £71m pounds more to Chelsea than Marcin Bulka. That deal was hugely misconceived. Anyway, it was a howler but much more important is the assessment that he looked bad all game. I didn't see it so can't comment but that of course is what you judge the keeper on, not on the fact this week it was his turn to make the mistake.

Why do you say marina is second the second most powerful executive at Chelsea. How do you know this?

Agreed

This is the problem with the rune reading exercise we call the transfer window. That's exactly what Chelsea would say if they were determined to keep him, and exactly what they'd say if they were determined to maximise his price from a sale.

I think this is a good move for Ethan. I have never believed in his talents as much as some do but, hopefully he'll earn game time and make a case for his Chelsea future.

Excellent reporting on an encouraging demonstration of the club's recruitment process.