robsblubot

Be sad all you want... just please don't try to rewrite history. All players perform well in a team because of the circumstances the system provides them with. The whole reiterated point made by Eden's fans is that he will do better in a better system. No player does "great" (your word) without qualities. Terrible comparison there too. You are comparing a player (Alonso) who had MoTM performances against tough opposition, played most if not all games in our winning season, had a record of goals and plenty of assists to show for it, to subs and fringe players who played little (kalou a bit more). Like I said, let’s not rewrite history. He's actually started well under sarri, see manager's comments on him. And is playing very poorly, but it is NOT his fault Chelsea has no alternative to an underperforming player. Alonso showed terrible decision making in the first goal, but I was also unhappy with Eden's nonchalant approach there - he was markiing noone. Alonso shouldn't have to tell hazard to mark the wide player. Watch now how a few players not running for the manager will make even the good players look bad. In my TV City scored just as easily with Emerson on the pitch.

Spot on on the ratings. alsonso was awful. Kepa and Barkley were poor too. not many players were focused enough for a game like this. Every city player was far more focused and disciplined.

Shit attitude by a group of players who are no longer running for the manager. another one goes and ppl blame Roman. The problem is 5at we have too many players without a backbone. No excuse for me. KDB is a great player and needed stopping.

It's not even that... If emerson were a Roberto Carlos (most overrated LB in history), then Sarri would indeed deserve criticism. Because Emerson is an average player, similar to what Alonso has been lately, it's really a toss up. In which case, it is entirely within the Manager's right to pick the player who he thinks will help *his* system more. Unless folks are also advocating that they know which one would help Sarri's system better than he does.

heh football is business! These particular business people are tuned in a particular way that may be detrimental to the club, agreed. This is going to remain the same until a major change in the ownership happens. It could be imminent or not really... it is the status quo. I disagree that Willian is deadwood. He's def not my favorite player, but hardly deadwood. I consider Drinkwater a pretty desperate signing for group and pretty expensive for a filler - pretty unsellable right now. Bakayoko is one of the players who would've been in a wish list by many people and he turned out to be the worst signing I've seen at the club. He showcases how hard it is to improve at this level (matic is really twice the player). have to agree with @Clockwork on emenalo. The worst was his bias towards nigeria, which while good for a the NT and a few players did not help the club in any way. Mikel, Moses, and Omeruo had no business at chelsea. There are better ways to do charity if that was the intention.

stumbled upon this video of Ronaldo #9 from when he still had knees: Highlights from one game... hard to believe. He was still pretty good at real, after losing his knees, but nothing like the above.

Oh I'm sure they could be doing a better job, but we don't have all the info. I'm on the boat that they are doing exactly what they are told to do... I mean people don't really retain jobs otherwise. On the other hand, I feel folks just don't accept that we aren't that competitive in the transfer market. Some of the players we complain about are adequate for the level we are at. Improving on them would either take an herculean effort and money, which we may not have to invest, and/or make huge bets, which we may be unwilling to do (and lots of money too). Signing players at this level is hard... and improving on players we already have even harder.

Yeah, but that's not really how this works. I know it is fun to bash the board at every opportunity, and they make their mistakes for sure, but as soon as our initial offer goes in, the player's agent will start calling other clubs, other agents, and esp scouts. It's hard to sign any player these days. On top of the, "do the player really want to join us" bit, there are now a myriad of agents and cuts along the way. It's rumored FIFA is looking at that, but boy are they slow to act!

Neymar has been playing in the center for Brazil for some time, just behind the striker. Think they could play together quite easily. Only it's a matter of cost, but Hazard will not be that expensive for a club like Real anyway :(. They can also mode some of their good attacking mids to make room.

Football is so interesting... Watched a little of the Everton vs City match and Davies ended most of the attacks with poor first touches (showing too much or losing control). Walcott was right below in the ability to end attacks. If you read fan's opinion on twitter, Davies had a monster game showing "lots of grit." Dedication and aggression are secondary attributes. Important? sure! However ONLY if the player in question has good technique, esp at this level. Davies is young, so he may improve and become a good player, but that first touch isn't reassuring.

Prediction: Chelsea hires Pochettino on a long-term deal. Pochettino to make Alonso his "go to" guy.. pretty much like Conte and Sarri. A few TC members commit hara-kiri immediately after pochetino's first PL game.

Another bizarro world on TC I must say. Team plays well, Alonso plays well with great linkup play with Hazard, yes, even in the first half. People complain... Alonso is shit and what not.

footballer god... the world does not know it yet. Nor do chelsea fans.

heh good luck with the second part. Agreed. Football is a very competitive market and it is VERY easy to attract top players when you offer top wages. Can't really agree with the idea that Hazard is carrying the team when every manager, and now himself, tells us otherwise. Mourinho said that Hazard had a free role and the rest ran for him. Some into the ground (like Oscar). Conte did not say anything, but hazard performances in his second season spoke for themselves. Now Sarri is saying that Hazard plays for himself and not the team. The player's answer is that he does not care about what the manager says, and that he does play for himself (to be happy or whatever other nonsense he said). I honestly cannot understand how folks don't see a pattern here. It's really not about the stats, but the context in which we take them. Hazard is not a team player and either he is shining on his own, in which case the team benefits from it, or he is useless and the team hurts a lot. Because when a different type of player has a bad day, he might still do the defensive phase (like Sarri likes to say), which Hazard does not seem willing to (which drives the criticism from the manager). So, while Hazard's and this other player may have similar attacking stats, their defensive numbers, or even the more subtle ones (like how many off-the-ball runs), can be drastically different.

Can’t wait for hazard to leave, because so will hazard fans. Only Chelsea fans will stick around... because suffering is part of being a fan. well, we will get a new batch of player's fans, for pulisic, and they will be very much alike in fanboysm as well as Naïveté.

yeah with long-ass contracts! Honestly his last cameos, and the fact he's been in the senior squad this season seem like a desperation move. The player is being "professional" and looking for the best option for him. Can't say the same about the club though.

Right, but we really can't. And it's not just the fact that all our managers are constantly under pressure. The transition for 18yo players is very difficult at this level. That's why the vast majority of them make the jump from 18 to, well playable, in smaller teams and in weaker leagues. The club certainly has some funny business model, prob attached to some very peculiar requirements, but this is one thing I find it hard to fault the club. In all likelihood, Odoi is still a couple/few years away from actually being able to influence matches. Either way, this ship has sailed. Now we can either take the (very little) money or make a point.

Back to youth team for a year and a half and move on. Use it as a deterrent for similar behavior in the future. Don't get bullied by a kid, his agent, or another club.

wow! what a shitty response! Could not believe the headline and actually watched it... and it was even worse.

If you are referring to me, you are probably mistaken since I merely said I had not seen Emerson play, like ever. And pointed out that the manager(s) and the myriad of coaches are better equipped to know whether he should. Now I think taking too much from one home game after a strong public criticism from the manager is, let's say, a bit premature? But I guess that's what these forums thrive at: faulty comparisons. If Emerson really plays well for the remaining of the season, then I will come here and come clean (:)): which is to say that the player I had never seen play a proper game of football appears to be a good player. Still won't change my opinion of Alonso one bit though ;), a good player who directly helped us win a PL title.

Yes, goal threat is his biggest asset. He’s a strange one though and a bit similar to Eden in how inconsistent he can be. And like Eden, it’s really not about when he wants it, but rather when the opponents let him. He struggles against tight marking and against physical players... he’s really frail and will not help a lot with the pressing. so, a player who gives a lot but also takes away some... definitely NOT a Barcelona player.

Jean Pyerre, 20, is still well under the radar because he's only had cameos in 18, but will likely get a lot of playing time this season at gremio. I should be able to catch a couple of libertadores matches over here. not a whole lot of footage, but his control looks pretty good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VaTW-_Kass * been hearing a lot about him

Spot on. just to add that the occasional bad touch or miskick from Salah may also be the price he pays for his quickness. perhaps his game would be a lot cleaner if he slowed down a bit. Good for Liverpool that he does not.

Nailed it on the head right there. Contract blunder. In a truly professional environment, someone would be in trouble there.

fair enough, but the point stands. Make it the "biggest" club then, if you count structure, youth system, franchise, and silverware.