Superblue

I feel the long term plan for the club is four centre backs - Fofana, Badiashile, Chalobah and Colwill. All young, two natural left sided, two natural right sided. I think if Silva can continue at the rate it would be foolish to let him leave yet, especially when in likelihood we'll be disposing of a lot of experience in the squad in the summer. People can have their own views on the likes of Jorginho, Azpi, etc but these are still players that have won big games, big trophies through their careers and losing that level of experience in a dressing room at times can present a problem, especially as the club on paper is looking at getting a lot younger overall in squad profile. I'd be inclined to sign Silva up for another year, and loan Colwill out again for one more season of regular football just to polish him up further before he comes back here.

Thought it was the best I've seen Conor play in a Chelsea shirt. Still not convinced by him technically in the longer term in that area of the park but the energy and enthusiasm he possesses would suggest there is a role for him in situations. Kepa made some good saves and I was impressed in the first showing of Badiashile - especially on the ball, very calm and composed, just looks more fluid than Koulibaly who comes across almost clunky in his movements all the time. But eventually the day will come we'll be without Thiago Silva and someone is going to have to step up massively to fill that void. The guy is well past his 38th birthday, plays every game and anchors the whole team. The last half hour in particular as we started to retreat, he was immense. All that mattered today was the result, and that feels a huge 3 points just to try and steady the ship a little bit.

I know the easy narrative is we shouldn't have bought Cucurella but the one silver lining in my opinion is that we've paid more but kept Colwill. That will be more key long term.

The dream in all honesty would be to lumber them with Lukaku if that could maybe shave Felix price down. But in reality, I wonder whether they'd be interested in swapping Havertz and Felix and what sort of price differential each team would have on that.

Does anyone think if we were to move for Felix permanently at the end of the season, Atletico would be receptive to a player or two packaged in?

If we're talking FFP requirements, instalments are irrelevant. The transfer fee will be amortised over the length of the contract so certainly the base fee of 70m will be split over 7.5 years. I'm not sure how the add ons are included, I would assume that either they are realised for FFP in the year in which they are achieved or once achieved, they are then amortised over the rest of the contract length. It certainly allows the club to spend more now and spread funds further, but I guess presents a new risk in itself by having players tied to huge contract lengths if they don't work out. We've already found in the past how difficult it can be to move some players on due to their wages. Of course on the flip side if some of these players prove to be a hit, then it looks an absolute masterstroke. This is where the Enzo deal causes problems because the release clause is one where the player must activate it which means Chelsea would need to pay Enzo the 120m to activate the clause himself. I believe by paying the player, it's treated in a different way for FFP and the whole 120m would be absorbed into the first year. What I am interested in is the conversation @Vesper and @YorkshireBlue were having regarding the sale and its potential impact on FFP. IF it's true that we effectively start again from zero for FFP because of the sale then that is huge. There are still some big FFP liabilities on the books (20m for Lukaku for example), so if they are essentially written off for FFP requirements it presents a significant degree of flexibility (Badiashille and Mudryk for example would be around half of Lukaku's FFP expense per annum).

Does look an exciting, explosive player who could develop into just about anything but that fee is enormous to take that risk on. And until we fix the midfield properly we're still going to have the same issues we have now.

The injuries are the biggest thing for me. I don't mind him having gone an unconventional route for his development and I think he'll wind up back in the Premier League before long anyway - I'm aware that he's been highly thought of through the England age groups. But like you've highlighted above, given the injury issues he has had, I'd much prefer keeping an eye on scouting him in the second half of this season and see if he can stay fit for the rest of the season first. Having lost Gakpo, it'll be interesting to see whether he steps up and thrives having a more prominent role and responsibility to PSV.

I'm not necessarily advocating us signing Madueke but what he certainly does do, and I think we as a club lack massively, is carry the ball with pace and intent. I probably appreciate Willian a lot more now then I did when he was here because since he and Hazard moved on, we lack a player capable of doing this and it regularly leaves our attack looking so cumbersome and predictable. Felix did it a couple of times yesterday and it makes a huge difference (1) to getting the ball up the pitch quickly, and (2) opening spaces up in teams to exploit.

The hope is that a situation like this wouldn't happen because of the footballing structure now being put into place. In some ways the appointment of Vivell is more important than Potter with regards to this rebuild as he will be tasked on joining the dots of each operation to ensure its well oiled. When Pep decides he's had enough, I don't envisage City moving for the highest profile manager available, they'll move for the best fit which suits their squad and can continue their success under Pep. We have never done this, we've always gone for the best manager available in the past and it's left us with a number of players bought under a number of different managers with different ideas, philosophies and even formations. It has left an unbalanced squad put together with scattergun tactics. The hope moving forward is we're either buying younger players who have more propensity to be moulded into what you want them to be, or we're buying immediate first team ready additions who actually fit into the team. Whether Potter remains in the long term or not, the hope will then be that if he is moved on at some stage, the next appointment will be made with consideration to the squad at the disposal and not just the biggest managerial name out there (e.g. buying a number of skilful, technical attacking players and then appointing Simeone to manage them).

To be honest if it was getting to that point then I think that completely changes the complexion and it would be more than understandable the board acting. But if we end up labouring in mid table this season, I don't see the point to make a change. I think Palace at the weekend however will be massive. The last two games, both away, have started to show the murmurs of discontent. A win at the weekend will stabilise things a little bit, but anything less and I do think we could see the first time at home that the crowd could really turn. This will be more vocal and obvious if it were to happen, and that's when it could start to get toxic for the manager and ownership. Facts are we need to start winning games, and that starts on Sunday.

I think it's deluded to think this group of players available is top 4 material. It's certainly nowhere near good enough and shouldn't be 1 win in 9 or whatever it is, but realistically we've been half the team without Kante in it for years and just taking out a couple of key players from our squad has consistently in recent times shown a significant drop off in quality under both Tuchel and Potter. I do think sacking Potter now is worse than backing him for the time being. It sends out the complete wrong signals to managers, players, etc both inside and outside of the club that the hire and fire policy is very much still alive here.

Potter has to take some responsibility for failing to get a tune out of what players he has available right now, but the Champions League win was 18 months ago. What I think is more concerning is the last 9 months under Tuchel. We were top of the league in December 21, and our form in the second half of the season last year was mid table, i.e. exactly where we are now. This isn't just a poor run of form, this is a squad that is starting to now consistently show its level. Before Potter, this season we got thumped by Leeds and lost to Southampton. Out battled, out fought and out ran on both occasions. And the same stands now. A manager change might get a bounce for a few games or so, but it won't deal with the root cause of this issue which is a squad with a weak mentality and zero personality and responsibility. And it would represent an absolute disaster if we're on to a third manager in 6 months. It completely mocks this idea that the new ownership want to breed stability. Potter may not be the long term manager and I don't agree with the notion of just simply giving him 2 or 3 years in the hope things will improve in time, but I think so long as we don't get dragged into a relegation battle, he should at the very least be given this season to see if it can be turned around.

Didn't we go something like 8 or 10 games unbeaten under Potter across the league and Champions League? And on point 2 it just highlights the shambles of our transfer activity in the last few years. Especially when our squad has been either beefed up or some solid funds raised from academy players. Our inability to build around that makes it even worse.

You don't think Tuchel would be demanding and showing a similar way of managing them? This is an extension on the last 9 months under Tuchel. This is now a full 12 months of crap football, mid table at best form across 2 different managers. At some point when are these players going to take a bit of responsibility?

Whatever people think, sacking Potter solves little at this moment in time. This was a group of players showing serious decline for months under Tuchel, with many showing the same problems of inconsistency and poor application under Lampard and Sarri before him. A new manager might get a bounce for a few games and then what? Will we see some of these players get a new contract or a fourth or fifth chance yet again. We're suffering from years of poor signings and planning, flip flopping from one manager with a certain style to another. It has an initial boost and then as soon as things get hard it's back to square one. We'll have the same problem this year as we did last in the league. We're not competing for anything so the right mentality won't be there for it. Matt Law said we're desperate for leaders and he's bang on the money. It's not just about a Terry who will drag you into the trenches but we need players willing to lead the team with the mettle to get on the ball and show personality and courage to play. The freshness with how Felix played in the first half tonight just highlighted how stale this group of players have become. No one wants to assume responsibility with the exception of Thiago Silva who cannot impact the attack and is playing with car crash after car crash around him in the defence. If we were in a much safer position I'd want Potter to start cutting some players out of the squad and playing more of the younger players but we're in a spot where we're a couple more results away from being dragged into a relegation battle this season. We're not 'too good', and if it were to happen I'd seriously worry that the majority of this squad wouldn't have the stomach and pride to fight their way out of it.

Fair play to Carney there. Didn't quite execute the pass well enough because he took a split second too long but I'd rather see him trying that pass into Havertz than the easy ball out wide. The more players willing to try that and we might start actually creating a bit more.

Abysmal from Kepa. 2 games, 2 goals he's cost us now with really poor positioning and decision making. Another position that has to be upgraded.

These injuries are beyond ridiculous now.

Not everything comes off which you have to accept with a player like Felix but what he has showed in those 45 minutes is the lack of invention and creativity the rest of our squad have, let alone the two up top with him.

I assume they may not be able to action it for at least a year, possibly two. If it can be activated in the summer then at least I think it acts as a solid basis for a maximum point of negotiation. Southampton wouldn't really be able to ask for more if City could feasibly buy him for £40m and sell him on for a higher price if someone is willing to pay it. I also think if City did want him back, then it makes sense for Southampton to just be willing to accept offers from other clubs too and give the player the opportunity to decide for himself. Still a lot of money, but he looks like he has huge upside and potential and £40m, whilst not cheap, feels fairly reasonable if he were to have a strong second half to the season.

Personally, I'd be inclined to wait for now and give it longer. I really like him, I mentioned the other day that he has a similarity to Mikel in the way he lets the ball across his body and blocks players off with his frame. It makes him extremely press resistant and gives him that extra second or two on the ball. He definitely offers a physical presence when he plays that the squad as a whole lacks. I would just like to see more first. It's a really small sample size we're going on for now, and its taken him time to gain that fitness and confidence. If he stays fit and plays the bulk of the rest of the season to a high standard, then I think he's a definite possibility to buy permanently. The only way I'd consider taking a punt now is if we could negotiate Juventus down significantly and see if they'd take £10-15m for him now to make it permanent. Given the legal issues around them and that he's surplus to requirements, maybe something could be done there. Will be ironic if we managed to screw them down on the fee seeing as the Italian clubs seem to be the masters of pleading poverty and haggling for a bargain.

It'll either be that or go to America or the Middle East for a payday. I'm glad the decline didn't happen here to be honest. I don't like the way players like Ivanovic and Azpi were/are talked about at times by Chelsea fans because they're past their best despite the incredible service given to the club. Given he's one of the most naturally gifted players to ever play for the club, it would have been brutal if the same happened to him here.

What is City's buy back on him? I genuinely don't see a situation where we can entice them this window. We're short of players as it is currently so trying to package a couple into a deal I don't think will work. Gallagher is maybe the most desirable to them but why would he go there when they're struggling to stay up. He'd at worst I think be looking at a stable mid table club if he were to move on (maybe he'd be more suitable for Brighton if we went for one of their midfielders). I may be wrong, but I think Premier League rules prevent us loaning a player out to another Prem club when we've acquired them that window which rules out the likes of Fofana. I still think out best opportunity is to see if Southampton go down and try for him in the summer. There will of course be the risk of City wanting him back but he has a choice not to join them. He left for a reason in the first place permanently, probably because he saw no route to the first team. If we're also in for him in the summer, he may view us as the more attractive proposition on the basis of being more likely to play regularly. It's the same reason I could see an attempt to buy back Livramento in the future being more difficult than it may seem because he'll know that so long as Reece is fit then he's first choice.

I don't see any value for Arsenal in taking him now. I wouldn't be surprised if Madrid and Hazard come to an agreement in the summer to cancel his contract and he moved back to Lille to start winding down his career.