Vesper

Germany in the mud at Bratislava, Slovakia down 2 nil in the 67th minute they look horrid

the not sorted list (my list and I am not listing potential sales of regulars like Enzo, Cole, Trevoh, or Tosin, as I want Wes Fofana sold before one of them) Benoît Badiashile is shit and always injured Axel Disasi is shit David Datro Fofana Raheem Sterling Wesley Fofana I am NOT remotely convinced he will ever fully recover to a decent level of both play and injury Tyrique George Gabriel Slonina Mykhailo Mudryk plus the loanees who are not good enough to ever be Chels Sr team: Teddy Sharman-Lowe Brodi Hughes Caleb Wiley Leo Castledine Omari Kellyman (sure looks that way) Jimmy-Jay Morgan Deivid Washington plus Nico Jackson IF the obligation clause is not satisfied Plus our 2 main GKers, Sanchez and Filip Jörgensen, one of whom surely needs to go when Penders comes in OR if we buy a better one (in which case both may go once Penders is ready to at least be the backup to a new GKer)

Levy steps down as Tottenham executive chairman https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c9qng2rj38do Tottenham's long-serving executive chairman Daniel Levy has stepped down after almost 25 years at the helm of the club. Levy was appointed in March 2001 and leaves after Spurs won the Europa League in May to end a 17-year wait for a trophy. The 63-year-old was the Premier League's longest-serving chairman and earned an estimated £50m-plus during his time in charge, but he was also the target of regular protests from Spurs fans, especially last season. "I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees," said Levy, who built a reputation for being a shrewd operator and tough negotiator. "We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level. More than that, we have built a community. "I was lucky enough to work with some of the greatest people in this sport, from the team at Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way to all the players and managers over the years. "I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn't always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately." Tottenham's European trophy success last season came against the backdrop of a difficult Premier League campaign in which the team finished 17th under Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked in the summer and replaced by Thomas Frank. There were a number of protests aimed at Levy last season, with prominent banners at the home defeat by Leicester in January carrying the messages "Our game is about glory, Levy's game is about greed" and "24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy - time for change". There were also regular chants of "Levy out" during the campaign. During his tenure, Levy oversaw the switch from White Hart Lane to the £1bn state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which the club made their new home in 2019. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has described Tottenham as the "most profitable club in Premier League history" because of the money their new stadium generates, a historically lower wage structure and a "degree of caution" on transfer spending. Tottenham have been making key appointments in recent months. Before Frank's arrival, the club named Vinai Venkatesham as their new chief executive in April. Peter Charrington becomes non-executive chairman, a new role, following Levy's exit. Charrington, a director of Tottenham's owners ENIC, was appointed to the Spurs board in March as a non-executive director. In announcing Levy's departure, the club added there would be "no changes to the ownership or shareholder structure". Charrington said: "I would like to thank Daniel and his family for their commitment and loyalty to the club over so many years. "This is a new era of leadership for the club, on and off the pitch. I do recognise there has been a lot of change in recent months as we put in place new foundations for the future. "We are now fully focused on stability and empowering our talented people across the club, led by Vinai and his executive team."

scouse tosser alert https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-15066571/Jamie-Carragher-Chelsea-Alejandro-Garnacho.html

one of the worst articles I have read in the past year whingey Dutch cunt Chelsea deceived Ajax in Jorrel Hato transfer talks Dylan ter Laak 4 Sept 2025 16:30 BST https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/tag/newsnow-features-only/Chelsea-deceived-ajax-in-jorrel-hato-transfer-talks

Josh qualifies for the HG youth B list

I deffo rate him over Julio Enciso

£33.8m in gross salary for the last 2 years of his contract (truly wtf was the club thinking!) goes a long way towards survival

Only four players in the club's entire history – Scott Sinclair (06/07), John Swift (13/14), Jimi Tauriainen (23/24) and Richard Olise (24/25) – have adopted the far-from-usual number.

Chelsea in talks to terminate star’s contract at huge expense after failed summer exit According to Football Insider, Chelsea are discussing ripping up Sterling’s deal two years early to end the saga once and for all. By letting the former England international become a free agent, Chelsea would be helping him potentially secure a Premier League move next. But Maresca’s side would have to pay Sterling big money to terminate his contract. The report claims such a process could cost Chelsea anywhere between £10-20m, which is similar expenditure to a new signing in some cases. Alternatively, a club from abroad could rescue Sterling. Indeed, the transfer window remains open in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Mexico and Portugal. Victor Osimhen was saved last summer after finding himself out of Napoli’s squad and a Turkish club could rescue Sterling this time around. The 30-year-old does not appear keen on moving to Saudi Arabia, but such clubs have the best chance of meeting his wage demands. If no exit can be agreed, then The Times report that Sterling will be forced to train with Chelsea’s reserves until the window reopens in January.

Chelsea receive Champions League boost with suspended Mykhailo Mudryk's wages not budgeted under UEFA rules https://www.goal.com/en/lists/Chelsea-receive-champions-league-boost-suspended-mykhailo-mudryk-wages-not-budgeted-uefa-rules/bltc837505d16745e75 Chelsea have reportedly received a Champions League boost as suspended Mykhailo Mudryk's wages will not be budgeted under UEFA rules. The Ukrainian winger, who has been unavailable since failing an anti-doping test last December, was already struggling to justify the £56 million ($75m) fee that lured him from Shakhtar Donetsk. However, his enforced absence could prove crucial in allowing Chelsea to register all of their big-money summer recruits for Europe's elite competition. Chelsea have splashed the cash on five headline signings: Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap and teenage sensation Estevao Willian. Under normal circumstances, UEFA’s strict financial controls might have forced the club into painful choices about who to leave out of the 25-man “A list” for the Champions League. Instead, Mudryk’s suspension has opened up vital space in the books. By excluding him from this season’s submission, Chelsea will free up a significant chunk of budget, enough to squeeze in all five summer additions without falling foul of European financial rules, as revealed by The Sun. When Chelsea agreed a long-term deal with Mudryk in January 2023, his £97,000-per-week salary was just one part of the outlay. Under UEFA’s accounting system, the annual cost of a player includes both wages and the amortised value of the transfer fee. For Mudryk, that added up to roughly £17m ($23m) per season. By striking his name off the Champions League list this year, Chelsea instantly wipe that £17m ($23m) from their squad budget. To put that into perspective, it’s more than enough to cover both Estevao and Hato combined, based on estimated amortisation and salaries. UEFA rules allow clubs to submit fewer than 25 players on their “A list” if they want to cut costs. Chelsea could realistically name only 22 or 23 senior players and fill the gaps with an army of youngsters via the “B list”. This is where the Blues’ much-vaunted youth system plays its part. Academy talents such as Romeo Lavia, Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George all qualify for the secondary list, meaning the club can bolster the squad without eating into their official budget. It’s a neat workaround that could save millions while still giving manager Enzo Maresca plenty of options. The arithmetic may not stop there. If Chelsea can resolve the futures of high-earners Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, they could free up a further £30m ($40m) worth of Champions League squad budget.

Caoimhín Kelleher Goalkeeper Nathan Collins Center-Back Sepp van den Berg Center-Back Kristoffer Ajer Center-Back Rico Henry Left-Back Michael Kayode Right-Back Aaron Hickey Right-Back Vitaly Janelt Defensive Midfield Jordan Henderson Defensive Midfield Yegor Yarmolyuk Central Midfield Mathias Jensen Central Midfield Frank Onyeka Central Midfield Mikkel Damsgaard Attacking Midfield Antoni Milambo Attacking Midfield Fabio Carvalho Attacking Midfield Kevin Schade Winger Dango Ouattara Winger Keane Lewis-Potter Winger Reiss Nelson Winger Gustavo Nunes Winger Igor Thiago Centre-Forward

did you notice that in the top 21 GKers listed FIVE are current or ex Chels 3 current or ex Chels are in the top 11 https://football-observatory.com/WeeklyPost499 and a full third (7 of the top 21) of the top 21 keepers are over 35yo to over 41.5yo now 4th best Stanislav Agkatsev FK Krasnodar (RUS) 8th best João Ricardo Fortaleza EC (BRA) 9th best Moritz Nicolas Borussia M'gladbach (GER) 10th best Robin Zentner FSV Mainz 05 (GER) 11th best Djordje Petrović RC Strasbourg (FRA) 12th best Evgeniy Latyshonok FK Zenit (RUS) 14th best (and 42 yo in two months!) Remko Pasveer AFC Ajax (NED) come on! the list is a JOKE

Chelsea’s Champions League squad: Facundo Buonanotte left out https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6592380/2025/09/03/Chelsea-champions-league-squad-buonanotte/ Facundo Buonanotte has been left out of Chelsea’s 23-man Champions League squad for the league phase of the competition. Clubs are permitted to register 25-player squads but Chelsea have only named three ‘club-trained’ players — Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill — of the required four, meaning they could only name a 24-man selection. Romeo Lavia, Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong have not been named in Chelsea’s ‘List A’, but are aged 21 or under and have been at the club for two years or longer, meaning they, and other academy players, are eligible for their ‘List B’. Lavia, who joined Chelsea from Southampton in the summer of 2023, has not featured yet this season after suffering an injury at the Club World Cup. What You Should Read Next Chelsea analysis after Champions League draw: 2012 revisited and an Antonio Conte reunion Who will Enzo Maresca's side face on their return to the Champions League, and what are their chances of success this season? Chelsea had been facing a potential UEFA-imposed limit on their squad after breaching its financial regulations. In July, Chelsea were fined €31m by UEFA and told that they had to have a “positive transfer balance” from their List A squad for the second half of the Conference League last term, to their List A squad for this season’s Champions League. From their previous List A, Chelsea have managed to sell Noni Madueke, Mathis Amougou, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Christopher Nkunku, while Nicolas Jackson has left on loan. Third-choice goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom departed on a free transfer and Jadon Sancho returned to Manchester United at the end of his loan spell. Mykhailo Mudryk is still registered to Chelsea but has not been included as he faces FA charges for allegedly violating anti-doping rules, for which he maintains his innocence. Moving those players off List A has made space for summer arrivals Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Estevao, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Dario Essugo and Jorrel Hato to be registered — but not Buonanotte, who was a surprise deadline-day loan arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion. What You Should Read Next Why Chelsea and Aston Villa (and Arsenal) are wary of UEFA’s financial rules PSR is at the forefront of everyone's minds, but it is not quite that simple over the rest of the window Clubs are permitted to make a maximum of three changes to their List A between the league phase and the knockout rounds. Enzo Maresca’s side begin their Champions League campaign on September 17 at Bayern Munich. Chelsea’s Champions League fixtures All times BST/GMT Bayern Munich vs Chelsea — September 17, 2025, 8pm Chelsea vs Benfica — September 30, 2025, 8pm Chelsea vs Ajax — October 28, 2025, 8pm Qarabag vs Chelsea — November 5, 2025, 8pm Chelsea vs Barcelona — November 25, 2025, 8pm Atalanta vs Chelsea — December 9, 2025, 8pm Chelsea vs Pafos — January 21, 2026, 8pm Napoli vs Chelsea — January 28, 2026, 8pm Chelsea’s Champions League squad for league phase Goalkeepers: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen Defenders: Marc Cucurella, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Jorell Hato, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo, Andrey Santos, Moises Caicedo Forwards: Pedro Neto, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Marc Guiu, Estevao, Alejandro Garnacho

argument from authority which is a genetic logical fallacy as you are employing a subjective authority figure (in this case the International Centre for Sports Studies) as conclusive evidence

I am well aware of most all remotely acceptable keepers and simply do not rate them enough to list. GKers almost never explode out of nowhere. The only other one who I came close to also listing is Noah Atubolu of SC Freiburg

IF Penders fails to become viable and we still refuse to upgrade then we are in serious trouble I fear at GKer. It isn't like there are even many options left now. Diogo Costa Mike Maignan Guillaume Restes and three 30-somethings bridge (to Penders) players Jan Oblak Emiliano Martinez Alisson (IF he leaves Pool next summer) Not 100 per cent sold on Zion Suzuki Kobel is poor with his feet

Why? I patiently waited until the window closed to state my take on it all. I think we are in a needlessly dangerous environment at multiple positions. Some of the damage was already there from multiple incredibly shit buys during windows past, but some also has come from poor decisions this window.

They are fools in that regard.

Nothing irrational in my stance. I detest Sterling. You have no ability to take away my agency. Deal with it.