Vesper

I would like to know what were the differences of opinion he had with the ownership that caused him to leave he was pretty damn successful there

yes, he is now my top choice left

thanks and I am happy with this I still wish Christoph Freund would change his mind about Sporting Director I know, I know he has said no, nein, nej, nyet, non but I am a never give up type of girl, lolol

Denis Zakaria: ‘They said I was like an octopus. It was positive – or I hope it was’ https://theathletic.com/3665342/2022/10/07/denis-zakaria-Chelsea-juventus/ Denis Zakaria wants nothing more than an opportunity to show Chelsea why he was called an octopus. The Switzerland midfielder was given the affectionate nickname by appreciative supporters of Germany’s Borussia Monchengladbach, one of his former clubs. “It’s because I have very long legs,” he says with a smile. “There, I used to win a lot of balls in midfield, so that is why they said I was like an octopus. It was funny and it was positive… or I hope it was!” After starting out at Swiss clubs Servette and Young Boys, it was across the border at Gladbach that Zakaria forged his reputation. He scored 11 goals and created nine assists in 146 appearances, despite playing most of the time as a defensive midfielder. That form secured a permanent move to Juventus only in January of this year, yet he now finds himself at Stamford Bridge. Zakaria was the last player to join Chelsea in what was a remarkable summer window for the club. They spent a record £250million-plus ($279m) on players and it would have been more had they succeeded with offers for one of Edson Alvarez (Ajax), Ibrahim Sangare (PSV Eindhoven) or Romeo Lavia (Southampton) before the deadline. With N’Golo Kante ruled out by a knee injury, plus the reality of the Frenchman and fellow 30-something Jorginho having less than 12 months left on their contracts, Chelsea’s new owners wanted to bring in another defensive midfielder to provide extra cover. After having offers for the three mentioned above rejected, they moved to do a loan deal for Zakaria on deadline day. There was little time to spare, and the official announcement only came at 1am UK time — two hours after the window shut. It was allowed to go through because a deal sheet (the Premier League website explains this is “where a club confirms a deal has been reached in order to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documentation”) had been submitted before the 11pm deadline. “It was very, very late,” Zakaria says. “Everything happened in six hours, so it was very fast. It was crazy, because I finished training with Juventus and my agent called me. He said, ‘We have Chelsea (making an offer). Is that interesting for you?’. I was like, ‘Oh, yes. It’s Chelsea, you can’t say no’. After that, I got home and had to wait while the clubs agreed the deal and everything. “In the end, it happened. Was I worried it would collapse? Yes, of course. It was really close. I stayed in a bureau in the (club) office in Turin until, I don’t know, maybe one hour after midnight. So yes, it was really close. But in the end, everything was perfect. “It’s an amazing feeling that a big club like Chelsea wants you. It means you’re doing a great job and you’re a good player. It gives me more power to give my best, to feel better in myself.” An option to make the move permanent for £30million is included in the loan deal, but Zakaria hasn’t had the chance to prove he is worth that sum yet. He has yet to get a single minute of action for Chelsea, although it should be highlighted Chelsea have played only five times since he signed. Despite arriving a little more than a month ago, Zakaria is already serving under his second Chelsea head coach. Thomas Tuchel was in charge when he joined but was fired and replaced with Graham Potter, who had been Brighton boss, less than a week later. “I didn’t speak directly with him (Tuchel, about joining Chelsea),” he adds. “I just know that he agreed with the deal, that he wanted this deal. For me, it was clear that when you can have a trainer like Tuchel, it is a big opportunity for a player. He is a big, big (name as a) trainer and I was really happy to have the chance to train with him. “But yeah, after just some days, it was already finished. It was disappointing for him, of course, and for me. I think he is a good trainer and he could have helped me a lot. But we have a new trainer now and I’m really happy also. I will give my best to be the best and to help the team.” The 25-year-old wasn’t naive and knew what kind of challenge he was facing before the shock of Tuchel’s departure. As someone who has followed Chelsea throughout much of his life — his biggest idol is club royalty Didier Drogba and he reminisces fondly about watching the club’s 2012 Champions League final win on TV with his brother — he knows all too well the calibre of players he is competing against for a place in the team. Even with Kante on the treatment table, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher have all been played in central midfield instead of him. Then there are all the internationals occupying the other positions. To emphasise the point, he picks out Hakim Ziyech as an individual who has impressed him so far — the Morrocco international has played just nine minutes in Potter’s first three matches in charge. “I never saw a left foot like it,” he says. “Oof, it’s crazy. Then there is N’Golo, he’s an amazing player. He’s a little bit back with the team (after his injury). We trained together. I can see the quality. N’Golo, I think, is an inspiration for every midfield player. What he does is incredible, amazing. And I’m really happy to have the chance to play with him also, to learn from him, and I will take every minute to be better with him. “But every player is really amazing in this team. I can say that here the quality of the players in training is one of the best I’ve seen. Of course, Juventus is also really good quality. But here, at Chelsea, I have to say it is really an amazing-quality team. Also, you improve yourself in every training (session). I came here to improve myself and that’s why I feel like it will be a good decision to come here. “It is not easy to be on the bench. Like every player, I want to play. But yes, we have to train hard and prove ourselves. In the end, when you have a chance to play, you must prove yourself in that moment. “I spoke with the new coach (one-on-one, as all the players did soon after Potter took over) but it was the first meeting to see where my position was and to get to know each other. After that, we’ve not had the time to speak again, but we will have the time to speak in the future. In the end, I have to work 100 per cent on the pitch and in training. After that, we’ll see. “In the first meeting, he (Potter) said he likes the style of player I am. In training, he is pushing every player, which is good. We have a lot of games (before the World Cup break begins on November 13) and I think every player will have their chance. It’s in that moment the player has to take their chance and play well. After that, you see what happens. I am training hard to be ready for that moment and be ready to have a place in this team.” When asked if his aim is to play at a level which will convince Chelsea to make his loan permanent, Zakaria replies: “Of course. If you don’t do good, you don’t have the chance to stay. Chelsea is a big club and if you’re not good enough, you can’t stay at this club. I am here to prove I deserve to be here, that I am a good player and I can help the team. We will see what happens at the end. “I hope only the best for Juventus. I hope they can win the title in Italy and I would be very happy for that. Juventus is a big, big club, like Chelsea. I learnt a lot there, with big, big players. And I can only be grateful for that because they gave me a lot of chances and everything. I am a fan of Juventus and I follow Juventus, of course. But now I am a Chelsea player, so I’m focused here and I want to give my best to help the team. For me, I’m a new player, but I feel like I’ve been here one or two years already. “It was not an easy solution (to join Chelsea) but in the end, I am a player, I need also this challenge to be better. For me, I am better when I take challenges. To change everything, like language, is not easy, but I think I can do it.” While he hasn’t had the chance to speak to Drogba yet about how to make an impact at Chelsea, he has had a conversation with another of his heroes — Claude Makelele, who won five major trophies with Chelsea between 2003 and 2008 and now works as a mentor in the club’s academy, so is a regular at their Cobham base. Zakaria plays the same role Makelele starred in. The latter also knows the difficulties of joining Chelsea from abroad, having moved from Real Madrid for £16.8million 19 years ago. “Claude is very funny, a very good guy,” Zakaria says. “He is also a big legend and I will take any advice from him. I’ve seen him two or three times. We don’t really have the time to speak about football and everything. But if I have the chance, I will take every advice because he was in my position and knows how to play it. “I am a really flexible player. Yes, I can adapt myself. That’s also a good part of me. But I am a midfield player first. I can play in a lot of positions, but I am a midfield player.” After he joined, Tuchel spoke about Zakaria being able to play wing-back — which came as news to the player. “Oh, no, no, no,” Zakaria replies. “I didn’t know (he said that)! OK, I can run fast, but I didn’t know I can play in that position. In the past, I played as a central defender in a three, in the middle, that was a position I have played. But in the end, I was always a No 6 or a No 8.” Zakaria has another motivation for forcing his way into Potter’s first XI as soon as possible. The World Cup starts on November 20 and he wants to represent Switzerland in it. He won his 41st and 42nd caps in the Nations League games last month, although only as a late substitute in matches against Spain and the Czech Republic. A lack of minutes at club level going into a major tournament is obviously not ideal for impressing coach Murat Yakin. “Of course, we speak to each other and have a good contact,” Zakaria says of Yakin. “They follow what we do in the clubs. It is important for me to have some game time before the World Cup. You have to work to have your chance. I work on my side and will give my best to be ready for it.” No interview with a new Chelsea player would be complete without asking them if they have performed their initiation song — a tradition brought in by former captain Dennis Wise in the 1990s — in front of the other players yet. Zakaria’s face lights up. “It was (Ivory Coast band) Magic System’s song Premiere Gaou,” he says. “It was a hard but funny night. I wasn’t the only one. It was all the new players, which was good. Maybe someone will say I wasn’t the best but, for me, I was the best!” All Zakaria wants at Chelsea now is to be given the chance for someone to praise his ability with a football.

that goal, ironically, was a prototypical Diego Costa type strike, on the day of Costa's return to the Bridge bounce, bounce to the right near the top of the box, burning the markers, waiting for the opening, and then slam it low, hard daisy-cutter style into he bottom corner

he looks like an SAS colonel back on holiday from some shit in the Sudan circa 2011 in the 2nd pic, lolol

now the shit press have moved onto a new blast: 'KK lacks personality' fucking cunts apparently they did not watch him for years at Napoli, or when he, Mendy, and Mane drug Sengal over the line to finally win AFCON

Christopher Vivell, our new technical director, is over 2 years YOUNGER (born Dec 15, 1986) than Thiago, roflmaoooooooooooo

He has said he wants to play in top league footie until 40 years old, like Maldini did. That would mean the 2023/2024 season, and then the final one, 2024/2025 Born: September 22, 1984 (age 38 years), Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

rise of the Millennials 🤣

question are we also going to have a SPORTING director? it is my understanding (perhaps a wrong one) that a technical director is in charge of the of the overall club structure, and a sporting director is in charge of the on the the pitch/recruiting side

Chelsea to appoint Christopher Vivell as technical director https://theathletic.com/3667533/2022/10/07/Chelsea-christopher-vivell/ Christopher Vivell will be appointed as the new technical director at Chelsea. The west London side have been looking to recruit a technical director after Petr Cech departed the club in the summer. The process in identifying a candidate is now over as Vivell looks set to take charge in his new role at Stamford Bridge. Vivell, 35, left former club RB Leipzig on Friday due to “differences of opinion.” He had held his role with the Bundesliga side since 2020. Owner Todd Boehly was acting as Chelsea’s interim sporting director throughout the summer and played a key role in signing eight players during the transfer window. Chelsea originally held an interest in recruiting the sporting director from Red Bull Salzburg, Christoph Freund, who had emerged as the favourite to fill the sporting director vacancy at Chelsea. Although he initially refused to rule out a move, he later confirmed he would be staying with the Austrian club. Vivell will now likely play a key role in Chelsea’s future recruitment. The Athletic revealed earlier this week that forward Christopher Nkunku, who plays for Leipzig, has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Graham Potter’s squad for the 2023-24 season. Chelsea are preparing for their upcoming match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this Saturday. What will Vivell bring to Chelsea? RAPHAEL HONIGSTEIN: Vivell has been an integral part of the Red Bull football group’s successful recruitment network since joining RB Salzburg as Head Scout in 2015. A sports science graduate of Karlsruhe’s Institute of Technology and former analytics coordinator at TSG Hoffenheim, Vivell was promoted to Head of Scouting in Austria before joining Leipzig as technical director in August 2020. His main focus there has been on long-term squad planning in line with the club’s footballing principles. Of his work, he said: “I’d like to explain it this way. Managers think from one game to game to next, sporting directors think from one transfer window to the next, technical directors think three transfer windows ahead.”

this is so true it's why they have a fiercely loyal Theo (grrrrrrrrrrrrr) for instance when you have the best (or second best, Beckenbauer v Maldini is like Pele v Maradona) defender in football history (and a one club man for over 30 years, from age 9 to almost 41, way over 1000 games total) come calling and then following up like a father, ts hard to say no to. Plus it is Milano, incredible quality of life (well, we shall see what transpires under the new fascist (for sure) slash borderline neo nazi (on the edges) government) and also that insane football tradition (AC Milan is second biggest club over the entirety of footballing history, only trailing Real Madrid, both in front of Bayern, and even farther in front of Barca, Manure and Pool and of course Ajax, who have been vastly reduced since the end of the 20th century by the rise of the Big 5 leagues). Chels still needs 20 to 30 more years of excellence (CL, league, and club world champions trophies must keep flowing in) to start to be tossed into the grand sweep of history arguments.

Marina had a blind spot for renewals. She assumed that she could strong-arm players like Cuntois, Rudiger, and AC. when the Sukhoi Su-34 rubber hit the runaway. Just those 3 cockups have cost us around £175-200m or so at the end of the day, when Kepa's crazed world record for a keeper panic fee + salary for 7 years, plus £100m (or so) in lost transfer fees for AC/Rudi combined are figured in.

Diego Costa's unseen moments on Chelsea return as Wolves star proves he's still box office Diego Costa returned to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, the former Chelsea striker leading the attack for new club Wolves and making his first Premier League start since departing the Blues in 2017 https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/diego-costas-unseen-moments-Chelsea-28187614 Diego Costa returned to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with all eyes on the ex-Chelsea star as he led the Wolverhampton Wanderers attack against his old club. The Brazilian-born hitman, who turned 34 on Friday, joined the Black Country side when they sent out an SOS for a new striker after summer signing Sasa Kalajdzic suffered a serious knee injury. He was duly thrust into action as a second-half substitute during the defeat to West Ham United last weekend, the final game for Bruno Lage as Wolves boss. Here, on the opposite side of London, the idea that Wolves caretaker boss Steve Davis had was that, against a Chelsea side who had played in the Champions League on Wednesday night, and with £20million defender Nathan Collins and club captain Ruben Neves both absent due to suspension, attack would be the best form of defence from the outset. Thus Costa, back in this parish for the first time since his rather bitter and controversial exit that saw ex-boss Antonio Conte inform him he was no longer required via text, was handed a starting spot on Saturday afternoon. Here's a look at how El Diego's Stamford Bridge comeback unfolded, with home fans delighted to see the return of a hero. Pre-game: As the two sides lined up around the centre circle ahead of both sides taking the knee before kickoff, Wolves fans in the away end broke into a chant of “Diego, Diego.” It was quickly taken up around the ground by Chelsea fans, who duly broke into spontaneous applause for their former striker. Costa reciprocated, applauding back and waving to all four sides of the stadium. Four minutes: Clever little two-yard set on the left touchline as he linked tidily with Daniel Podence. Six minutes: A first sign of aggression, as Cesar Azpilicueta’s block at a dead ball is met by a two-handed shove to the chest. 35 minutes: Chasing back, a little shoulder charge into the back of Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Little complaint from the Chelsea man, more mere acceptance. A first sign of frustration perhaps, having touched the ball only five times up to this point. 42 minutes: Met in the centre of the field by a thunderous challenge from Kalidou Koulibaly. The ground may have shook. 45+1 minutes: Finds a good position inside the Chelsea penalty area, but can’t sort his feet out and the danger passes. 45+2 minutes: Utterly furious, El Diego is left punching the floor after Wolves concede the opening goal to Kai Havertz. Half-Time: No messing about, one of the first down the tunnel. 47 minutes: Darts to the near post but can’t meet Adama Traore’s cross from the right. 49 minutes: More chants of “Diego, Diego” from the home crowd as Costa tends to the injured Keep Arrizabalaga as he lies on the ground after a heavy landing, having flapped at a cross. The Chelsea physios are waved away after Costa’s intervention. 56 minutes: Another roar of “Diego, Diego” as Costa’s afternoon is brought to an end with Wolves 2-0 down. On the far side of the pitch, he gets a hand slap from Trevoh Chalobah and a little farewell cuddle from Jorginho before a more powerful embrace from Azpilicueta. Walking behind the goal in front of the Matthew Harding stand, serenaded by applause and chants all the way until he gets back to the Wolves bench. He reciprocates with waves of his own and even smiles for some snapping shots with their camera phones. There may even have been a little bow. Wolves caretaker boss Steve Davis calls him over for a hand-slap and a quick hug before he takes his seat. It was no doubt not how he wanted his day to end. He sat on the Wolves bench beside Portugal international Goncalo Guedes - himself hooked at half-time after a dire first-half display - his arms outstretched across the backs of the seats. After five years away, he may not be as sharp, as fit, as boisterous as he once was. But for one day only, he was again revered at the kingdom over which he used to rule.

Mendy is just so so horrid with ball

grrrrrr pure shithouse Spuds win

it's crazy 1Hugo Lloris 15Eric Dier 33Ben Davies 17Cristian Romero 38Yves Bissouma (and he has hardly continued his monster form at Brighton) 30Rodrigo Bentancur 5Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 19Ryan Sessegnon 2Matt Doherty 10Harry Kane 7Son Heung-Min plus Emerson Royal Japhet Tanganga Dejan Kulusevski (injured, but good) Lucas Moura 24Djed Spence cannot get a sniff 29Pape Sarr youth 9Richarlison 14Ivan Perisic showing age atm 20Fraser Forster 6Davinson Sánchez 11Bryan Gil 4Oliver Skipp 34Clément Lenglet

I have little faith in Fraudgate atm starting Slabhead and Luke Shaw, wtf

he damn well needs to do that for England in the WC if we are to have a chance to even make even the quarter or semi finals

he has 12 goals in his last 12 EPL games 24 goals and 9 assists in his last 23 EPL games absolutely carrying Conte

depressing that Colwill cannot get start over a 30yo right back (Veltman, who, by only being able to play RCB, forces Dunk or Webster to play LCB) at CB

I like the Brighton kit

it looks like a 1997 MLS kit that neon shit and colour clash

Nike has lost the plot