LAM09

Isn't it based on the year you were born when qualification started?

We don't. However, it will help massively, going by the amount of points we dropped last season alone, thanks to a makeshift frontline that would even make a non-league side feel ashamed. As do I. I just believe we can't afford to miss out again, as potential signings will start to think more about the lack of European football than our recent triumphs. In addition, considering the amount we've spent (probably adding another £150-200m from now), it isn't too much to ask to have a long term plan in place while also expecting results on the field.

Grealish offers far more on the ball than Sterling ever did, so his goal tally doesn't matter as much. It isn't one of his strong suits either (8 league goals is his highest return). Any desire to answer this as well - Short-term pain means another season outside of the top 4? He just scored. The skill prior to the finish 🤌

Short-term pain means another season outside of the top 4? I'd imagine you're putting Lukaku and Sterling as two of those three. If so, they are extremely inconsistent and aren't what I'd classify as proven PL goalscorers (players that can guarantee 15+ league goals each season). Also, the latter excelled thanks to a set up that worked to his strengths rather than his actual abilities.

We can't afford that. A proven goalscorer is a must, and we should probably let Broja go out on loan in an attempt to rediscover some form. I agree with this notion, unfortunately. He isn't appealing at all.

Scum like him should be locked up and never be employed again. It's shocking that this wasn't "found" much sooner. Also, the fact that this seemingly becomes public knowledge shortly after getting the boot is very timely.

I think Jackson will score more than ten goals. However, I think we need a WC CF to accompany Nkunku.

He speaks French, for starters, so there won't be an issue with him adjusting. I'm more worried about him doing more harm than good to the club, as his managerial record isn't exactly impressive. Kovacic is the only one going to a notable side (will probably be a squad player), while three of those players are going to Saudi Arabia. There's a reason for that.

It's probably just the beginning as well. As I mentioned a few days ago, it's hard to see this crop not turning into Piazon, Nathan, Kenedy, or Baba.

It's been a busy day: a striker in the door, our captain seemingly on the move to join Atletico out of nowhere, and the biggest surprise of all, an Italian side buying a player outright from us; I didn't think that was allowed.

Ah, okay. It's very rare that you come across strikers of similar build who are nimble or tidy on the ball.

Don't insult the latter like that. A large majority of people were saying the former had a much better goal return (it was slight) during his first season in Italy. You know why: Osimhen was busy getting 16 IIRC screws put into his face. His numbers speak for themselves. Osimhen is a whole different player in the box and would have probably taken Napoli to the CL final at least, were he fully fit.

I'd have preferred Gallagher leaving instead of Mount, but it is what it is. We can't afford to keep players around in the hope they MIGHT get better. His performance in the Carabao Cup final will live long in memory.

£65m for Casper. I don't have any qualms about that, and he makes a rival weaker in the process.

I just feel like a number of these players won't make the grade, similar to years gone by. It's one thing to potentially go after the most talented or noteworthy youngsters around, like RM tends to do, but this idea of stockpiling them? Meh. I'd love to be proven wrong, though.

I can see someone doing just that this summer. There was serious talk about Bernardo going, so it wouldn't surprise me to see him join his fellow Portuguese teammates.

I quoted your post in response to another user, so I've addressed that already. I apologise if my post wasn't identical to how you worded yours, but that's the vibe I and clearly other users got. Another topic I touched upon - Players based in the major countries in Europe will develop at a much faster rate than those elsewhere, for obvious reasons. Using the USA as a pointer is odd considering football or soccer is still irrelevant for the most part. However, to partially answer your question, he probably wouldn't have developed at the rate he did, but there's no telling how quickly we would have adapted to European football considering someone with his skillset would have been bought in his mid teens, similar to Alphonso Davis. Alphonso Davis is probably the best example, having thought about it. Someone born in Africa moved to Canada at a young age (goes with your thinking) and was bought by Bayern at 17. Would his career have been different if he had been born in Spain?

Were Morocco tactically naive on their way to the WC semis 6 months ago? I made a brief mention of the problems that, in general, affect African football. Whether it was your intention or not, the way you phrased your post lumped all people from Africa together, which is incorrect on so many ways. The dearth of the best coaching available to players on the continent itself may cause them to play at World Cups with less tactical awareness than the majority of SA nations, which have players who mostly compete in Europe's top leagues. Once again, Africans as a whole don't inherently lack tactical awareness; those still playing on the continent or who moved to Europe relatively late in footballing terms (23+) might have those issues, but Africans that were either born in Europe (most of the Morocco squad in Qatar) or individuals like Ndidi, Salah, or Mane who came early on in their careers don't lack it. This misconception needs to be banished. Edit - Nice change to your post. I'm not going to go round in circles.

"have difficulty grasping the tactical side of the game" 🙄

I gave an example above. People think footballers of African descent lack the mental capability or have difficulty grasping the tactical side of the game. What on earth is that?! I could write a whole list of issues with regards to how African players are viewed by their counterparts, but this is a "Chelsea transfers" thread, not discrimination 101.

No. You presumed that. Discrimination comes in many forms.

I never mentioned racism at all. I just pointed out that Africans aren't viewed the same way. The post that originally started this conversation is a prime example of exactly that point. Incorrect. His post - "Absolutely! and African players often lack tactical discipline -- not a super nice thing to point out, but it is what it is." That's a generalisation of African players rather than him specifically talking about those that play on the continent.

That helps, but where do most of the squad play currently? There's no doubt Europe is the best place for young players to develop, learn from the best coaches, and have the chance to play at the highest level. Those chances have been severely lacking for years, not to mention the amount of exploitation, which is well documented.

There's a reason the majority of France were angry after a large number of the French 2018 WC winning squad stated the triumph was for Africa. If only times were different or players had to play for the country of their birth (country unrest aside).

Eto'o. Drogba and Yaya Toure should have been the conversation at their peaks. Salah would have had a very solid case had he won the CL during his first season at Liverpool as well (Ramos thuggery).