Hutcho

It wouldn't be TC if a meh pre season performance wasn't reacted to like we'd just been relegated

Meh but I'm happy with what I saw when the starters were on

Ziyech and Werner quality as expected. The rest looked somewhat rusty but we'll get there. Ziyech on set pieces all year is gonna be beautiful

Omg that was beautiful. Barring the CHO assist

Let's get it. Some quality and experience that is much needed. Sure we aren't getting peak thiago silva but on a free and given the issues we've had that's a great signing

Height isn't everything though. Sure it helps but none of the players you mentioned are short. All around 6ft or just under. Havertz is 6ft 2 and we'd still have giroud and RLC to come off the bench if we are defending a lead. Tammy is lanky as hell but he's terrible in the air. We had quite a tall team defending set pieces last year with rudi, alonso, tammy etc but we were terrible at defending them. It'd also help if we can bring in a big keeper who can come out and catch a lot of those that come in around the 6 yard box something kepa didn't do once all year.

Yeah he's way too old for a free transfer on a defence that conceded a shit ton of goals last year. Yes that was sarcasm.

No one is acting like that. He's our left back now and he's performed better over the last 2 years than any left back we've had for a while other than in a wingback system. Not sure why he needs to "grow the fuck up quickly" and what he's done to make you think he isn't grown up. Also players develop at different rates. What 24 means to one is different to another. A players prime is generally mid to late 20s of which he currently isn't. The market is the way it is and the fact of the matter is if we want a play we have to pay a premium 9 times out of 10. No one is expecting or should be expecting him to be Ashley Cole 2.0. It'd be great if he became that but it's unlikely.

The difference is that the upgrade from what we had is bigger. Also he's 22. He can still get better. Club interviews need to be taken with a pinch of salt and all but he seemed happy to be here and on board with what the club want. If he tracks back in the 93rd min when it's 2-2 vs West ham then he's already an upgrade on alonso and I think he'll do that. KTBFFH

Let's get it. New Ashley Cole

He should have a flashing light on him in case of low flying planes

Yeah I haven't seen him play but being 6 ft 6 makes me have more faith in him automatically. As I have said from day 1 kepa just doesn't look big enough. He might still be shite but taking a punt and signing someone will be better than not

We aren't getting Messi. We defo can't afford him anyway with what we have already spent this window especially. Now city could well get Messi. We're building a squad to challenge for titles but is that this year... Who knows, probably unlikely so it may be that the timing (if he went to City) wouldn't work out terribly as they were massive favourites to win the league anyway. Now if someone like united somehow signed Messi we'd have a problem but I can't see that one happening

Don't want much then [emoji23]

Massive improvement on what we currently have then

Much better than a window where we don't at least try to address our problems. Big sign that the club is backing FL (if these are his guys which it would appear so at least in part). Going forward is gonna be exciting. May take a few years off your life defensively but damn we will have some exciting games next season (hopefully)

I think the key thing to note with chillwell despite his flaws. We know he's not the best left back in the world. But... The upgrade from what we have be it azpi playing left back or marcos alonso is a big jump even if he puts in solid above average performances which I'd say is something he can do. Which makes it different from the other signings which turned out to be busts. Of course you could argue we could buy xyz for cheaper at left back but it's not as easy as that. And a young player who can still improve will hold his value seems ideal to me. Plus it weakens a team who's been a rival in recent years. Of course if its actually 80 mil then that does change things but I think 50 is a fair price

We're gonna be the youngest team in the league for the most part (barring a few players bumping up our average). And with the way the market is going all of these deals so far seem good value for us barring their performances falling off a cliff. Werner, ziyech etc would all have gone for a lot more if they had longer contracts etc

Given its not a position whereby you should drop of a cliff in terms of performances as extremely as positions reliant on pace etc I'd like to think they'd offer a 2 year for the right wage. But who knows. JT and Frank didn't get that offer in their mid 30s

Would be a big u turn for the clubs current model

If he's shit then we're stuck the wage bill but at least we have an experienced head in the dressing room and someone who is a true captain (which I think is something we have missed since JT has gone not that anyone will ever replace him) . And if he's good then great. My point being there's minimal risk to the reward and given how we are working on spending a lot of money this window getting some players for cheap to bolster the squad sounds good. Time will tell. Could all be bullshit by the agent to get bigger offers. Who knows

Of course as with most things. But our current defence and keeper situation is shocking. So taking a punt on an experienced veteran for relatively cheap doesn't seem too risky and is a positive that we are starting to address our problems.

Any tall keeper would do. Hell I'd take a 6ft 6 guy whos never been in goal before over kepa. At least he looks intimidating when they're one on one

Everyone's worried about pace but our bigger issue is getting ripped apart from corners and set pieces. Central defenders being slow isn't a massive issue. Some of the best there have ever been weren't known for their pace. Hopefully we'll have a fit kante all season and fast fullbacks so it shouldn't be a problem

I mean... Kepa is the only bad one in the last few years, very bad but shit happens. Werner, pulisic, ziyech have all been steals purely based on market value and who wanted them in the current market. The problem here is everyone expects us to spend city levels every year so when a deal doesn't go through straight away everyone starts crying. Chillwell hasnt been done yet. The market is forever moving, chillwell whilst expensive is still young so given the current market would be able to be sold for a similar figure if not more in the future unless his performances fall off a cliff. These things need time, it's not football manager. This expectation that we should be spending 300 mil in a window given the economic situation is ludicrous. There's hundreds of clubs spending very little so we are very lucky we can even do what we have done already. It'll be great if we could get him and some of the others but we shouldn't expect and then start blaming the club because of 10-15 mil like it's nothing