CHOULO19

We'll be in better physical shape than them. I'm calling 3-1 for us with Eden on the score sheet.

lol I thought we had already loaned him out!

It'll be 433 with the exact same lineup as last season with the exception of Kante coming in next to Fabregas in central midfield. Also, we'll need to score at least a couple because a Carrol goal is almost inevitable.

Why the hell is this thread on top every time I visit the forum? FFS let it go!

The reason for that is we're still paying the amortized fees of those players which are added to the FFP budget. But with Mikel the initial fee has all but been fully paid. So on the FFP budget he costs less than any other first team player bar Chalobah. That is also why older players usually have higher wages despite their abilities declining: because their market vales and fees decline.

HAHAHA Give this man a statue already!

Yeah, this wasn't aimed at you but A LOT of people keep saying that. Mikel is actually on less than that. He costs 3.9m per year on the FFP budget according to WAGNH. Assuming the amortized fees are now almost zero since he's been here 11 years, that would mean that he's on 75K/wk. When you factor in the taxes then he'd probably be earning less than Muslera if he is to move to Turkey. But this argument about his supposed high wages was mentioned even when he was being linked with a move to the Serie A and people even have said in the past that we need to get rid of Mikel because we need to get rid of his wages. It's prime time that this myth, much like the myth of Jose Mourinho turning Mikel into a defensive midfielder, is put to bed.

Yeah, sure, treat markets as some infallible omniscient god and let them dictate your life then act surprised when half the world is in debt and everyone is unemployed...

No idea where this myth about Mikel being on big wages comes from or why it won't go away. He is LITERALLY on the lowest wages in the first team apart from Chalobah.

Shhhh Now is not the time for rational thinking!

Forgetting anyone?

Reading this thread, I can't help but laugh at the fact that this time last year he was "the best defensive midfielder in the world" The reality of course is somewhere in the middle. He's a good but limited player who thrives in certain roles and systems.

Good goal. Not great defending, granted, but cool control and finish.

If he wishes to leave it shouldn't even be a question. We don't keep players who want to leave. We're not Everton or Tottenham!

Why? There is nothing illegal about it. That's why it is usually stated in the contract. I don't think clubs 'accept' loanees from us, certainly not talents like Christensen. They ask to take them on loan and we pick the club we feel most suites them. You can say that it would make them less likely to want to sell us one of their own players in the future if we want them, which would be a fair point.

This is the full interview that the quotes above are referring to: Really brought a smile to my face. What a proper Chelsea legend

I don't disagree with that (apart from seeing him in an Arsenal shirt!), but what I'm saying is that the board messed up so badly over the past few transfer windows that he's still a key player when he's reached an age and level where he should be a squad player at best.

What makes the last couple of pages funny is that he is still our best available CB and the second best defender in the entire team Yes he is not good enough to be starting for us anymore and OF COURSE we need several signings in defense, but how in the world is HE alone the one setting us back when he is still better than every fit defender at the club bar Azpilicueta?! The board and management have shockingly failed to sign badly needed top defenders since Luiz left. That can't be pinned on JT.

lol he didn't seem to know much about that goal. But you need a bit of luck to get you started. Happy for the lad.

I didn't read about this yesterday and only found out the full story today so it was kinda hilarious reading the overreaction in this thread knowing how it all ends

But...he once maybe picked Chelsea while FIFA on a plane!

Hector might be starting against West Ham!

You mean the West Ham that were just out-playing Juventus?

Obviously I knew that our defense is bad, but I didn't realize that it's even-Claudio-Pizzaro-scores-against-you bad!

The movement in attack is very good but we're still looking shaky in defense. Also, Willian is really not having a good preseason.