CHOULO19

Yup. Then he went a minute later and gave them the equalizer!

That's normal but yesterday's result should not be used to justify that. If anything, using the result of a preseason match only serves to discredit those claims. But I think you could see from about 35mins that the players were already knackered. EDIT: WOW! What a save by JT!

No based on this match? I'd suggest you check the thread title at the top! People are using this 'loss' to justify their whining for new signings when this match shows less than nothing about the capabilities of the team. I'm not debating our need for new players, I'm saying that using this match to try to prove that is pure knee-jerk reaction.

I'm watching it now. Remy looking sharp. Excellent finish. Did Mikel really just play that incredible long ball to put Traore through? NYRB are really riding their luck in the first half. We should have been a few up already.

This part:

Prime example is this year's CL finalists, Juve. Buffon apart, I think their entire 10 outfield players combined cost less than 25-30m.

Go back for the 5 or so seasons, check our results in preseason and compare how we did in preseason to how well we did in the following season and how much we win. I did it last season to make a point. Generally, (and pure coincidentally) whenever we do badly in preseason we end up having an excellent season and whenever we win all our preseason matches we tend to have a poor season. There is no correlation between preseason performances and the capabilities of a team. None. You cannot anything about what the team lacks or needs from these fitness training matches.

Based on our first preseason match which is beyond a joke. Seriously, just do what I said and go back and check our preseason results with our trophy count.

Typically we take out Mikel and concede 4 goals! What else did you lot expect?! LMFAO at people talking about the result and actually scrutinizing the performance! When will we learn? Preseasons have absolutely fuckall to do with results and performances. They are about fitness and getting the players back up to pace. We were never going to perform even remotely good in the first preseason match. Get some perspective. For anyone calling to ditch the entire squad and sack the manager based on preseason match, go over the last 5 or so seasons and compare our preseason results to what we actually achieved and won in the following season. Do it. It's fun Never make bets, Michael. At the end of the day only the betting companies are who make the money. Otherwise there would be no such thing as betting!

It will be broadcast live in the middle east and in the US (I think). There should be plenty of streams available.

Just found out that the game will be rerun on TV just after I come back from work tomorrow...The urge to sleep through it now is just too great!

Plus it's the gooners and Petr's first match against us. I'll be properly pissed off if we don't win and put them in their place.

Really? I hadn't checked. That's A LOT better. That's reasonable. 3am kick offs are probably the worst because you don't know if you should stay up and then sleep afterwards or go to bed early and wake up for them. Either way you don't get nearly enough sleep!

I'd absolutely love to see City splash out 70m for Kevin.

That would take a change in system, specifically in our pressing, and possibly even change of personal. That is something we have absolutely no need to goo into right after we just won the league and cup double. Also, if there is one thing we've learned, or at least should have, from this past season is that Fabregas at number 10 sucks...HARD! Instead of making us more attacking he actually makes us more defensive because he simply doesn't have the pace to help the striker press the back four and hence the whole block is forced deeper as a result. Even offensively, he is a lot more consistent in his delivery from a deeper role than around the box unless the opposition have 10 men in the box.

Hahaha The things we do fo Chelsea!

See? Even Jose is pointing out how fat he's gotten! PS: This place seems to have painfully lost its sense of humor...

3 am kick off Going to bed at 5 only to wake up at 7:30 for work...brilliant.

This is a nice story:

Regardless, I find it absolutely delightful to read. Like a breath of fresh air.

People talking about Zouma's situation if we sign Stones, but it affects more, and really just ends the careers of Omeruo and Kalas at Chelsea. Shame, as both have shown that they can become great defenders.

I know everyone is frustrated with our lack of activity in the market while our rivals are making big signings, but as good as Vidal is, there is a very simple reason why we did not go after Vidal: Matic-Fabregas is a more balanced and suitable midfield for our team setup than either of Vidal-Fabregas which lacks positional discipline or Matic-Vidal which lacks creativity and passing range. At the same time, none of the three can be relegated to the bench.

Can't help but feel that people are building incredibly high false hopes and that he's getting loaned out after preseason. I hope I am wrong, though.

If it's really 15 or 16m quid it is an unbelievable piece of business by the club to get back what we overpaid for him last season. If it's a two-year loan, it would be one of the stupidest things we've done on the market in some time. So, I really don't know what to feel about this...

Yeah, for some reason we've planned it latter than everyone else. Not sure what the reasoning behind that was but maybe something to do with the post-season tour we did. But it's gotten so bad I actually watched Arsenal vs Everton in that Asian EPL trophy thing....