Chelsea Banter

09 May 2024 12:58:48
Back from a two week trip for work and so pleased with the progress I've seen from Chelsea while abroad. Wasn't able to watch the Villa game but managed to catch all of Spurs and the first half of West Ham. Maybe I should move away from London?

Some interesting questions raised from these three games. Firstly, should Chalobah really be the CB we are marking for a sale? Since coming back from injury I think he has shown what many of us think, that he is a better player than Disasi. Personally, I'd be more comfortable with moving on one of Badishile or Disasi than Trev.

Secondly, how much of an impact was the hernia having on Enzo? It's clear for all to see that having a more mobile partner next to Caicedo has really enabled him to show what he is about rather than constantly plugging holes and trying to figure out the least worst decision to make from a list of terrible options. I think we are all old enough to know that Enzo will be first name on the team sheet next season, but on this evidence, should he be? I notice Todd Boehly was reported saying that 'things have come together over the last 3 games', maybe so, but it's not much of a victory lap when your 105m CM isn't playing and two of the best players are so openly for sale.

Finally, the battle between Madueke and Mudryk. For me there is only space in the squad for one and while I think Mudyrk has more of a special, unquantifiable talent, Madueke seems far more capable of actually sticking to a game plan and understanding what is required. Who will win out? I would also add that while it is good to see Madueke's development, Olise showed everyone who is boss vs United. That's the type of player and performance we need to see from our wide players.

Also it was great to see Nkunku back. My how we need him to stay fit and be back ready for the start of next season. I would imagine he will be picked for France, a good tournament would be a fantastic reminder of his talent and hopefully enable him to hit the ground running for Chels.

09 May 2024 09:22:01
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new player profile about, Thiago Alcantara

09 May 2024 02:11:08
Submitted too early by accident 🙃
RW: Olise, M. Edwards
LW: Kvicha, Vinicius Jr, Leao, N. Williams
ST: Osimhen, Gyokeres, Sesko, S. Gimenez, Thalys, V. Roque, Toney, J. David

Think I might have missed some but that seems to be the comprehensive list. Some of them are 1st and 2nd choices like: Diomande 1st and A. Silva 2nd at CB. Balde 1st choice at LB. Think Kvicha or Musiala is 1st choice LW.

08 May 2024 21:52:42
And that's why I don't want Tuchel again so negative and defending at Real Madrid with half hour to play. Are you mad.

08 May 2024 22:22:35
I’m not sure why the late Munich goal was disallowed.

08 May 2024 22:44:28
Due to refs lineman’s and VAR ruining football all these things and extra help they have and they still get it wrong.

09 May 2024 07:22:46
I didn’t see any line drawn across so I’m not sure if he was offside but the lineman had no need under the present rules to put his flag up until that period of play had finished. The ref just followed the linesman by blowing his whistle immediately, so therefore it seems as if the decision couldn’t be referred to VAR.

So, on this occasion it wasn’t an actual VAR decision that was wrong because we never got that far in the process.

09 May 2024 07:42:58
Referees meant to allow close calls to go and var would check them.

Linesman must of been confident and I think he got it right, he was offside. So var would have checked and only disallowed anyway.

07 May 2024 22:21:55
Congratulations to all the Chelsea award winners tonight.

Probably the biggest certainty ever that Palmer would win POS from his peers and the fans! Well deserved.

08 May 2024 09:42:28
Yes well done Palmer, v wdell deserved and did seem an absolute certainty.

Yet I nominated CG in the little poll we had on this site as PoS - with CP as obvious best signing - mainly because I feel amid rumnours he will be sold in the summer (if no contract agreement with club) CG's outstanding efforts in every game and stats that bear them out must be recognised by club. I think most fans already do, though there could still be some doubters.

I don't know how well known it is on this site, for instance, that CG has the highest number of final third turnover tackles not just in the EPL but of ANY player in the top SEVEN European leagues this season. Managers rate that ability very bighly indeed, TT on record as doind so for instance, as it so often leads to goals if not direct assists as opposition struggles to reform defensively. Declan Rice has had an outstanding season for Arsenal and is rightly recognised as being a great signing and player and one many of us wanted to come back to the Bridge, but CG's stats this season are far, far better than DR's in almost every category: eg tackles won, shots on target, assists, goals scored, duels won etc. as well as his defensive stats being better than either MC or EF. Stats may not be everything but.

I think even his detractors will admit CG has improved immensely this season under v tricky circumstances. But it does need to be repeated just how good he has become. This is why some of us see him as absolutely vital to retain and the club really must realise this too, though am sure Poch has done for yonks. A player like CG is a stand out in high pressing turnover game that most clubs and fans want their sides to play, and hs energy allows others more space and ball through which to flourish.

But, yes, CP's goals in quality and number, and many brilliant assists, and incisive forward passes have been utterly fantastic. He was utterly predictable and deserved winner of CFC PoS and many MoM awards. Without his goals we would not be having anywhere near a sniff at a European place. What a signing.

Yet sometimes it is missed that a player of such skill and creativity can flourish that mnuch more easily when there are less galamorous but ball winning work horses who cover the whole pitch, and CG just beginning to show he might be able to emulate Kante-esque stamina and ability i this area. and does have more assists and goals than the magical legend that was NK. Early days, but he seems to have formed a superb uncerstanding and partnership with the ever improving and more impressive MC at the same time as beginning to contribute more goals and assists.

08 May 2024 10:32:11
I’ve never known a big club to sell polished jewels like Chelsea. It really is a blemish. CG was a diamond in the rough. Steaming about the park without any thot for positional sense, making rash challenges and misplacing simple passes. Yet Chelsea saw something, they loaned him, brought him in and out of the first XI, flushed out all those mistakes until they had made an accomplished top end combative PL midfielder and an international footballer. Now they won’t pay the lad the going rate, whereas Spurs will? Not Real Madrid, or Barca, but Spurs? Jeez. Not having it. Get him paid, and let the fans enjoy 10 years + of a Chelsea product brilliantly captaining the team. Or has everyone forgot the name John Terry.

{Ed002's Note - He won't sign a new contract. It is hardly the fault of Chelsea.}

08 May 2024 10:43:25
Agree with all the above JBS.

08 May 2024 10:45:08
JBS, CG does have good stats and he is certainly playing well this season.

It sounds from Ed as if the club have offered him a new contract. So we can only hope that a solution that satisfies the player and the club can be found.

08 May 2024 12:18:49
Sorry Ed, I have to disagree. If CG moves to Real Madrid (for instance) I see that as a move for prestige, money, glory. But to move from Chelsea to Spurs it is for one reason only, money. Imo, Chelsea are deliberately coming up short on his offered contract to sell him and find the reported £104m to stay within FFP and ultimately the league. They are in that position because of wretched purchases and huge salaries given away to below par players. Why not flog Sterling, Chillwell, and James? Btw they may very well be trying to do that, but that is not an easy sell. Particularly Sterling who is reported to be on £300k a week.

08 May 2024 12:33:27
It's just a disagreement on salaries but if we won't pay what he thinks he's worth another team will. Now, I don't want to blow out our wage budget just to keep him but I find it hard to believe he wants North of 200k. Anything below that I think he is worth.

If he played for another team, is he a player we'd chase? Absolutely.

08 May 2024 12:38:40
London, James is from our academy so under the relentless “pure profit” commentary he would qualify.

Chilly was signed by the previous regime and his contract was something that the present owners inherited. The Sterling, KK and maybe one or two others who were signed in a rush have been seen by many as a mistake and an act of haste and supposed bad advice.

The supposed amount required pre June 30th is apparently £105m. There is supposedly enough sales revenue due pre that date for there to be no need to se Gallagher to meet that deadline.

I have no idea what demands CG is making and I have no idea what the club have offered but it doesn’t follow that the club are “deliberately coming up short” on any offer they may have made.

I would guess that the club have a salary a contract term in mind that they think is reasonable. If CG thinks he is worth more then he will leave in the same way Mount left last summer.

If the two parties cannot agree terms then I guess he will be sold. I would rather that than loose yet another player on a free transfer.

08 May 2024 14:05:21
Well this campaign and gaslighting for cg is beginning to make me sick. He's has done well this season no doubt but has he even came close to what kante did for Chelsea but was sold when he got blighted by injury and wasn't given time to fully recover before selling him. He's not been getting injured since he left and I feel his impact would have helped this season. Imagine having him in addition to mc and then cg. Hemade us look like we had an extra player when fit. Often clubs do what they had to do, they valued a player and decided what contract it worth for the player but the player wants more. But instead of allowing the player leave for free when his contract expires.
Constant nagging won't change much. I won't ordinarily want to sell him but the club choose what is the best option for them.

08 May 2024 14:24:20
I don’t believe that club are using Gallagher’s contract negotiations as a guise to sell him. Our newer signings are not earning the kind of wages Sterling, Chilwell and James are on. As for selling the aforementioned, why would they want to leave, they are on long lucrative contracts?
Tom, I believe the new owners extended Chilwell’s contract last year presumably it was during one of the weeks he was fit.

08 May 2024 14:44:20
I haven’t got a clue what “gaslighting” is but it sounds dangerous.

Jimbo, I wouldn’t have a clue about any Chilly contract renewal but I’m sure you are correct.

08 May 2024 15:20:39
I personally wouldn’t have minded up til Jan with selling Gallagher as I’d felt he was all effort no substance. But the second half of the season he’s contributed more goals and assists and he looks a proper player now. I think he’s worth the £150k he apparently wants. But if a contract can’t be agreed upon then we have to sell him.

08 May 2024 15:50:20
Tusole I don't understand your post. I don't think anyone gaslights on this site - how could they, or I camt think how they could - but we do offer gfrequently strong opinions but realise others naturally can disagree, and often do, and sometimes they might cause us to think again about our former posts.

I don't know what CG or his repetresentatives are demanding or what the club are offering, so I don't know what the gap is between the two. All I was doing was expressing my strong hope that CG will stay or at least that the club did not make up its mind about him before his vast improvement in the course of this season.

I also made it clear that Kante was a legend for me as am sure for all, and so admirably modest with it. I only hope/ speculated that CG was at least heading in the prime NK direction even if he can never actually equal the quality of the French midfield maestro. NK is certainly up there with the v best midgfielders CFC has ever had.

But perhaps bear in mind the different circumstances in which NK and CG have been playing for CFC especially in terms of squad experience. Obviously the sides he played in changed much over time, but from memory (perhaps faulty) NK at times had the likes of Courtois, Dave Azpi, Matic, Hazard, Cahill, Costa, Fabregas and later prime Kovacic around him in terms of experience and skill. CG is learning and improving with a lot of relative youngsters around him and many who are EPL inexperienced.

08 May 2024 23:20:47
I think the club needs to do what they can to keep Connor. I don’t think we will be able to buy another player anywhere near the same quality as CG with the money we will receive. Hopefully an agreement will be reached.

Saying all that the club can’t be held to ransom if his demands are excessive and over market rate the club needs to move him on as sad as it is we are a business.

09 May 2024 00:01:44
I doubt whether the club will be held to ransom by Gallagher. As for a replacement, do we really need to replace him? We have plenty of young midfielders. I guess it depends on which position people think he needs replacing at that can’t be filled by the existing squad.

07 May 2024 21:00:46
Two questions on the Champions League.

1) am I the only fan who thinks the away goal rule was ok?

2) the team at home in the semi final 2nd leg, is that all down to the luck of the draw?

07 May 2024 22:03:53
Tom, I agree with you I favoured the away goal rule. I don’t know the answer to your second question.

07 May 2024 23:04:00
TomB yeah I’m pretty sure the 2nd leg is just whoever’s picked 2nd out of the hat.

08 May 2024 09:04:05
I also liked the away goal rule as gace an incentive to away side to try and get something in first leg plus often additional excitement in second (not least when we played Barcelona away in 2012!) .

But your question Tom makes me wonder if you or anyone knows if its abolition has reduced number of away goals scored in knock-out stages? Or have more in fact been scored as home sides worry less about conceding them?

08 May 2024 11:05:32
JBS, good question and I wouldn’t know how to look that stat up but my guess is someone will be able to help.

08 May 2024 13:40:55
Not a fan of the away goal

As in extra time if level it gave the team playing the 2nd leg away an extra 30 mins to score an away goal

Also think it should be ninety minutes at each ground then penalties.

08 May 2024 14:46:07
Seymns, I agree that the home team for the second leg can get an advantage. Maybe straight to pens would be fair.