CHOULO19

On the first point, it's a very dangerous game when you start giving people's (or in this case nations') votes different weights based on 'quality' as it can be extremely subjective and will almost inevitably to domination and more misuse of power and corruption. Obviously Blatter did not do it for the right reasons but for the long run this is without a doubt the best system going forward. Football is a global game and the Africans playing barefooted on the streets have every right as the billionaires of the EPL to decide the course for the future of the game. As for the second point, I personally don't care about aesthetics, FIFA was corrupt well before the Qatar WC and is still so. Obvious corruption is just as wrong as non-obvious corruption in principle. In practice non-obvious corruption is more dangerous and thus worse than obvious corruption. Blatter has no response to the mostly correct accusations, so his attitude towards it is pretty much the only one he could take right now.

And suffer the full consequences of his choices.

You two are stupid!

Not the koala?! You heartless man...

^^ I like that one @.

Can we take a moment just to remember that Arsenal were making fun of the turn out at our parade:

This is just going to be another "legends" tag fiasco isn't it?

Can we add a "Most Boring Comments" award so that @Jason can get the credit he so much deserves?

I expect a BIG season from him if he, fingers crossed, manages to stay away from injuries. I still have high hopes for this lad.

I'd rather a PL loan for him. I think he is good enough to be a starting LB at a relegation battling team.

Aina, Clarke-Salter, Houghton....no that's our youth B team!

Chelsea team to play the Thailand All-Stars: Cech ©; Aina, Ivanovic, Clarke-Salter, Ake; Mikel, Colkett; Remy , Boga, Brown; Solanke. #CFC Chelsea subs: Blackman, Azpilicueta, Terry , Christensen, Dasilva, Matic, Houghton, Musonda, Loftus-Cheek, Hazard, Diego Costa. #CFC

Are we really still going on about that one statement? Goodness... We have no idea what happened between Jose and Kevin so we can't fully judge but regardless it was a bit unprofessional and childish from Kevin to give that answer publicly. He should have just said "I don't know" as the media and PR trainers tell him to.

That's all true and I agree with most of it but I wonder why you quoted my post as none of the points you make refute or even relate to any of the points I made in my post. Go back and check if you wish. On that note, I apologize if you got the impression from my post that Blatter was somehow unaware of the corruption, as that was NOT my intention at all and I even said a few times that he was incredibly corrupt. A couple of questions though about your points: 1) Why in the world is it "ridiculous" that Africa has more votes than UEFA? There are more African nations and hence get more votes, isn't that the basic principle of democracy? 2) I get the impression from your second paragraph that you think that corruption is okay as long as it is not obvious. Why on earth is that?

[severe rant warning] CAUTION: The following is a rant that may actually challenge your views. - First, LMAO at people who actually genuinely believed that Blatter would not get reelected. With all due respect, your understanding of power and politics is naive to put it lightly. - Secondly and more annoyingly naive is the general belief that had Blatter failed to get reelected FIFA would be fixed and the corruption would go away and life would be full of flowers and daisies. That's not to say Blatter is the same as Prince Ali in terms of corruption but to link all the corruption at FIFA to just one man is beyond ridiculous. It would take years and years to de-corrupt FIFA if there was a genuine desire to, which there is not. - Minor point: You really think that the person who person who is supposed end the corruption and the misuse and monopolizing of power at FIFA is a 21st century prince who comes from a family that unilaterally rules an entire country? You genuinely think that that guy made it to where he is on merit and not abuse of power?! Well, if you say so... - Thirdly, the fact that the whole world has fell for the incredibly simplistic view of the whole matter as good vs evil makes me lose hope in humanity. Yes, Blatter is insanely corrupt as are the people around him, but has done a lot of good for FIFA and the game. While it may well have been done for all the wrong reasons the Japan/South Korea and the South Africa world cups were HUGE steps in a great direction. Under Blatter the FIFA has done A LOT of good for many third world countries and helped include those countries in the decision making in football and raise awareness that football is a global game. - Related point to the above: The role that the media played in creating this general consensus about good vs evil is probably as corrupt as Blatter himself. FIFA has been obviously corrupt and run by money and power for decades, yet all the papers suddenly noticed when Russia and Qatar beat the UK and US for the hosting of the WCs? Every single WC bid for the past two decades at the very least would have had to play the system and do bribes in one way or the other to even be considered for nomination and that includes the US and UK bids for the 2018 and 2022 WCs. The media don't give a shit about how much Blatter or any other FIFA member gets from who, what they care about is that Blatter destroyed the Western/European domination of FIFA and football. - Lastly, UEFA boycotting the WC? Don't make me laugh! The failure of UEFA to produce a single candidate from withing its ranks to run against Blatter speaks volumes about how unified it is in battling Blatter's corruption.

Completely forgot it was match day LOL. Hopefully this is on TV.

You expect a terrified 19yo on his first ever game with the first team to take risks? I bet you anything that Jose's and JT's advice for him would have been to relax, enjoy and keep it simple. That's what you'd want from your debutantes, to not make big mistakes so they gain in confidence. He can take risks when he's an integral part of the first team.

And THIS is why post season tours are just stupid.

Yeah, but my pretend god is more powerful than yours!

What a weird way to 'equate' things. By that logic, Bradford would have taken the EPL by storm! I think the way we play is perfect to counter Madrid who had very large and obvious wholes in their system this season that I am confident we would have been able ro exploit.

WWWDLWDWWDDWWDDWWWWDWWDLW We played smartly in the second half of the season and we would have countered Madrid's approach because they were not at all difficult to beat. Anyway that's besides the point which was: Names alone don't make a great team.

Again it's not about individuals although of course that helps. This year we would have probably tore that Madrid side a new one despite all the names they had because their system was not working.

And turn into Madrid with probably the worst trophies per investment ratio? No thanks. Teams and systems win CLs, individuals don't. I think that should be very clear by now.

More importantly, what's with the Iron Man figure?!

Hazard will be the first name on the sheet. This is a marketing event and he's our most marketable player. I don't like it but that's the reality.