King Kante

If James isn't a WC RB to you, I don't know what you're looking for. Additionally, Mount is close to being WC If you can appreciate off the ball work and not just be obsessed with OPTA stats. Even if be comes back at the start of March that gives him 13 league games (so essentially 1/3 of the season) plus the important end of the FA Cup and CL. Still plenty of football left for him. It is obviously disappointing, and I do not expect him to re-sign; because of the offers he will get elsewhere. However, he still has a important role to play this season.

I think we'll see him again this season as he'll be back for the run in. However, I do not see him getting a contract that'll match what he'll get offered elsewhere.

Good summary 👍

Let's see how he deals with Brentford's aerial bombardment and shots from long range. He has been impressive recently, but the reason he lost his place wasn't due to his reflexes or feet. It was always to do with his lack of ability to deal with crosses and long rangers to the top corners.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/mason-mount-doubters-a-puzzle-to-Chelsea-boss-graham-potter/ar-AA135JS6 And yet there are still people who fail to realise how good Mount is and want to slag him off as soon as he goes a few games without a goal or assist.

Rice isn't signing a new contract. If he was going to do that he would've already done it. West Ham having been trying to tie him down for more than 24 months now and he hasn't signed. That 24 months has cost him real money, as he cannot get that back. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8825235/West-Ham-ready-double-Declan-Rices-wages-huge-120-000-week.html https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11685/12611298/declan-rice-rejects-west-ham-offer-of-eight-year-deal-worth-83m-but-club-determined-to-keep-midfielder By doing that he has already lost £6m with the first offer and £3.6m (and counting) with the second offer. In particular, not taking the second offer shows he isn't going to stay. £200k is about the best he can achieve per week; although if he gets to a free I guess he can expect a mega signing on fee....(although I am not sure he'll get to that.) I think with Rice it is abundantly clear he is looking to come back here. Anyone that takes a couple of minutes to watch an interview with him outside of post match will realise a few things; 1) He loves London and has no intention of leaving. 2) Has a slightly unhealthy love of Chelsea, considering he is a WHU player. His mistake was signing that 5+1 deal in 2019. Who advised him that was a good deal shouldn't be near such an advisory role as it was always bonkers as he didn't get serious money (£60k a week for essentially 6 years) from it and as a young English player with potential he was always going to have options. As a result, I think it is clear he is just running down his contract. Next Summer he will get to two years left (1+1) and have turned down the best part of £10m from holding out. As a result, WHU will have to recognise that they'll have to either keep him until the end of his contract or take offers in the £50m-£60m category. I think they'll do the latter as that'll given them some money to play with. If they keep him for another season, then expect that fee to go down to £30m (this is also possible) but at that point he can probably expect a decent signing on fee. Either way, next Summer means he will start to enter the territory where he becomes more of a reasonable cost in regard to fee. Whether WHU hold put for another year is up for discussion but they're no longer at the point where they can demand £100m etc.

I don't trust us without him tbh.

Yeah, by Sunday we could be 9 points clear of them.

FDJ I am not so sure about. He seems like someone who has got there money and is now comfortable with the life that contract gave him. Personally, I would pick Rice over him. As for Bellingham, I like him a lot but I think he needs another year in the Bundi. I fear if he comes back next year he may get over awed like a lot of the young players coming in from there; although I do appreciate he has some experience of England already.

No more crazy sh*t like Cucu as LCB when we have KK on the bench. No need for that sort of thing. Kepa Dave Silva KK RLC Gallagher Jorgi Cucu Mount Auba Havertz

Personally I would take off Sterling for Jorgi.

We do. Need him on asap.

Kepa, is unbelievable today.

FDJ wants him money. He isn't leaving until he has that. I mean, isn't he on something like €600k a week now owing to his deferrals? Him leaving is just the Barca boards wet dream.

Guys, just discovered who our new Sporting Director is going to be!! https://twitter.com/LucasNavarreteM/status/1579827309929934848?s=20&t=oxB-sSp88RyTSvzm52FUEw

Every six months or so, we always get the Mount needs to be dropped/he isn't that good stuff. Problem is, even when he isn't producing offensively he is still doing more than anyone else on the pitch with his off the ball work; barring Kante when available.

Need to be keeping tabs on that A.Silva kid at Benfica. Looks uber promising for a 18 y.o. CB.

Was a strange signing. If Bellingham is an option in the Summer than. I doubt he will be here very long. That said, as an emergency CM he is a reasonable option.

Depends on what he wants. PL is tough. He may decide after this year he would be better off in a league like Italy where he can play at a slower pace. I think next year is 50/50 but the one after that I think he leaves unless he has absolutely fallen in love with London. Ideal situation would be that he becomes a player/coach after next season. Reckon he would be quality in a coaching role.

For sure, medium to long term GK needs to be sorted out. Neither are top level.

Problem for Kepa has always been high balls and long range shots. He hasn't had many of these to deal with but against Wolves he did flap one and was lucky to get away with it. Good to see him with some confidence again, but I think Mendy takes the place back once a couple of teams bombard him with crosses and start taking a few pot shots.

Bayern were always winning that group, while Plzen are there to get ripped a new one by the top three. Hopefully, Inter can get the better of Barca in there two games, which means it will be back to the Ropey for Barca which isn't in there accounts (apprantly they need last 8 CL to make the figures add up.)

Just finished reading this seven part book series about his time at school. It was slightly unbelievable in parts, but even so, I think the guy may genuinely be a wizard.

Don't see him turning us down. I think how quickly this has gone means we have had this lined up. I suspect the club got agreement with Potter some days/weeks ago that he would join. The only thing we needed to do then was to match the clause. If that isn't the case, then this is some real ass clown stuff. If he turns us down and then we have to go on a hunt, we'll be deservedly 'a banter club'.

For sure. English manager means we will probably be elevated to the Utd category of commentary whereby we get protection on the 50/50's. Dippers will still get the best coverage, but they would still get that even if they hired Ian Huntley as their groundskeeper for their academy tbf.