OneMoSalah

I would be more annoyed at Zidane taking off the only natural defensive/holding midfielder for a winger.... even if it was 3-0... as Madrids midfield and back 4 has been suspect for almost 18 months now.

Piatek is still needing to develop his game outside the box at times. Good predatory instincts and movement but when the ball doesnt come in and around the box/in behind he can become easy to mark as he doesnt drop in a lot or link quite as effectively, although hes not the worst at it and he has a good physical presence as well but doesn't seem to utilize it as much as he perhaps could. He 100% much prefers being on the shoulder running in behind though than coming to the ball. Still a very promising player but doubt hed of hit the ground running in the PL if we got him with Sarri.

Think when this deal is finally signed most of us will have aged at least 3 years. How in the fuck has it taken this long...? We are normally pretty efficient in tying players down with new contracts (Luiz, Pedro, Ruben, Zappacosta, Giroud, Mason, whomever else in the last year and a bit alone)...

Only thing I am concerned about is if the goals dry up, which may happen as Tammy is still young. His general player is decent but it is far from perfect. If Costa didnt score he was still able to occupy a defence for instance with his physique and clever movement. Drogba could occupy the CBs with his physique when not scoring etc. Good start and goal return from Tammy so far though, he and Mount have shown they can do it at this level but it is still early doors too we need to give these guys and Tomori the time to continue to grow at their own pace.

Changed the system today which was smart as it accommodates Alonsos strength more although he was still quite poor but still conceding goals.

Said it last season, and I will say it again, although I think everyone sees it now. If anybody thought Jorginho was average or holding our team back they were quite simply wrong. He has been good under Frank and the last 15 games of last season with Maurizio as well after the team had a sticky spell before the turn of the year. If he went to City with Pep everyone would of been gushing about him 100%. Without even mentioning his actually ability with the ball what has always stuck out to me is how willing he is to receive it and his leadership that was becoming more and more apparent after the bad spell we had last season. Frank also touched on it early doors in pre season. Then put his passing ability, composure and his very much continuously improving defensive contribution in too.. he is a top player. Obviously the team is still growing and does have faults but keeping Jorginho in the team is essential.

The last 6 or 7 months he has been really good. I think its form that shows that he is definitely worthy of a renewal. He is our first choice LB comfortably. We could wait longer but again undoubtedly other clubs will have noticed, Juventus especially who have wanted him before (and this summer). Wouldnt be surprised if there were other clubs too. Plus its not always as easy as offering a deal and it being signed the next day, as we have seen with CHO. Dont see why being in a rush is an issue? Its hardly as if we are offering him 180k after 10 Europs Leagues like certain others. It makes perfect sense.

Yeah seen the rumors. Idiot. Apparently said "shes coming home with me mate" too. Deserves a doing for that but not jumping on his legs etc.

Well deserved, hes starting to change my mind. Didnt think he was really gonna be good enough but hes really kicked on the last 6 or 7 months.

Dont think he will. Navas is 32 and a great GK, he could easily play regularly for 3 or 4 years at least. He will be first choice undoubtedly, Bulka would be 22 or 23 by then and probably not that much better off in terms of playing games although he did make a start for PSG recently hut would expect Navas to play every week. He could have went to a smaller club and gave himself a lot more.of a opportunity.

On a second note, must admit we looked soft under Sarri last year but this year is actually ridiculous. 2 teams who got promoted from the Championship have managed to play against us with ease in the second half of games. Doing things that in the larger scale of football are the simple things, recovering 1st and 2nd balls, workrate, being organised etc. Take the whole technical side of the game out of it and the team should be able to do this at least. It always is the 2nd half, does Frank tell them to relax or do the performance levels drop? It has happened at United, Leicester, Norwich and now Sheffield United.

Think he deserves the flak hes gotten this season compared to times last season. Reece in my eyes wont just come in and be like Cafu 2.0 but we need another fit RB so we can switch Azpi out for a week or 2 cause he is struggling hugely.

Lets be honest even at 2-0 we were pretty shite. Never created more than maybe 2 chances from open play (Kova and Tammys chances). A better performance from their GK for 1 of the 2 goals and for the other if their 2 CBs didnt cock up, we wouldnt of scored. Simple as that. If we keep playing like this for the next couple of months (which I wouldnt be surprised as this team and manager beeds time ) and results dont improve, with the clubs history and when someone like Max Allegri is sitting unemployed, who knows what will be going through the boards minds. Its the harsh reality of being at a club like Chelsea. On a positive note though, Tomori very reassured today. Billy Gilmour came on and obviously more minutes for Mason and Tammy. Be interested to see what Franks interview says. It is alarming how easy it is to score goals against us. Frigthening really.

Niver mind 21st century, what about in the last 10 transfer windows alone. Likes of Papy Djilobodji has to be a shout (only signed as deemed 37m for Laporte too expensive despite bidding 40m for Stones...). Or Bakayoko bar one game v United. Or Torres yes. Or Falcao. Or Pato. Or whoever. Weve had some absolute shite players when weve been at very high levels and been successful.

Notice all the big games in the 13/14 season bar Liverpool he played next to Matic though, someone who was actually disciplined enough to actually sit and be in position. Matics influence and what he gave the team when he arrived in 2014 to 2015 is hugely forgotten. He allowed Luiz and Ramires to recover and play higher up.

If Emerson is fit he will play every week. Alonso will play cup games. So he wont play at LB. Willian, Pedro, Pulisic and Callum will soon all be avaliable to Frank so again, plenty of options. Even then Frank has used Mason and Barkley on the left too. Its a waste of our time and a waste of his if he sits about not making the matchday squad or playing to progress his career.

Imagine the irony if he did. The whole him getting playing time thing is pretty obvious now as the least important thing regarding his contract negotiations of late. Its money. Usually wage demands are the only makes these things an issue. Fair enough I am sure he will get what he wants as Frank is desperate for him to stay but its about time the club put a timeline on this renewal.

If we dont get out of that group, then fuck knows. Valencia and Ajax shouldnt be underestimated though.

Aww I see. Yeah would be good. Be a tough match though.

I dont think the fans would do that at the game tbf. Wouldnt like to see us against Inter either.

He never said anything directly or handed in a transfer request but I feel he wanted the move, like most who Barca try to buy, but didnt want to push it through so the club could be in a good position to get a good fee. Similarly to Edens situation this summer although he had asked to leave last summer and did talk about Real Madrid and his future a lot on international duty over the years.

If we are to get a winger, get someone in their prime say 27 or 28 who can come in and deliver. So the young guys can still get minutes and that we dont just have 4 wingers who are still learning and need to develop. Then sell one of Will/Pedro and phase out the other.

I still think a safe (although unpopular in some folks eyes) bet would of been with Luiz's sale, keeping Cahill as a back up (although we knew he was going last season) and loaning Tomori but it didnt happen. Gaz struggled in Sarris system (well technically he rarely played so harded to judge as Sarri decided he didnt suit it without really giving him a fair crack In think but again Luiz, Rudi and Andreas were always his preferred 3 ahead of him) and under Conte in his 2nd season but in a back 4 he would of still been capable enough for rotation I think. Dont think Zouma is that much better than him or even at all.

Either that or go 433 and push the front 3 right up on their 3 at the back like City and Roma did to us under Conte. Interesting to see how it goes but think it will be 4231 still. Be a tough game too as they always look to switch the ball fast to create overloads out wide.

Not neccessarily true. Oscar played as a 10, Mourinho saw de Bruyne as a wide player. Im sure the games he played he was always on the right side on the 3 in a 4231. So it was really more Willian and Mata (although both him and Kevin left same window). It was a mistake but again, I think Kevin needed the move to fully progress and you never know what might have happened had he stayed. He might not have gotten to the level hes at now, he might have been better, its hard to judge. A mistake though to get rid of him but thats just how it was. Looking back on it, at the time, dont think anybody really seen Kevin going to one of the top 5 attacking midfielders in the world back then or complained after Matic came in because we really needed that sort of player in midfield to build the team up. Then we built on it the next season. Short termism but thats how the clubs run and how Jose thought. But even then a few additions to our 14/15 team and we would of been in a better position. Doubt anyone seen the next season coming, I certainly didnt think we would be miles off, just wasnt the same calibre of players in as the previous summers to refresh the team. I mean if a top winger, another more combative midfielder at a good level and a good striker came in to compete with Diego, we could have easily gone and probably been up there to possibly have won the league again I think. We were horrible but I dont think we would have finished so low if we got a few good players in.