Chelsea Banter 2

28 Sep 2026 07:39:11
{Ed's Note - KingCarlos has posted a new article entitled, Manchester City and Alleged Rule Breaches

27 Sep 2026 09:40:19
I was told that Gittens has picked up a bad injury while in England U21 duty?

That would be a shame. As I have said before, in my opinion the lad can play a bit. As I also said when we signed him he does tend to play with his head down but nothing that good coaching couldn't put right. Hope it's not too serious.

27 Sep 2026 12:22:47
He got a kick on the ankle Tom and was replaced by Tyrique George. Seen on crutchez.
Pender also got injury.
Gittens is way down pecking order and won't play much under alonso and will be sold or loaned.

27 Sep 2026 14:27:09
EbW, according to many pre season reports Gittens had impressed Alonso in pre season. Unfortunately he got yet another injury and that stopped him getting the mins his pre season form deserved.

As I mentioned weeks ago, I'm struggling to see how Alonso can play both Roger's and Palmer at the same time. The only way I can see that happening is if Alonso plays with an extra midfielder.

I can see Alonso giving Gittens a run as a Roger's replacement. I can't see how we play two talented players who only operate in one segment of the pitch. I very much hope I am wrong and Alonso finds a solution.

27 Sep 2026 14:48:37
Tom, I think ED01 has come up with a solution to our defensive woes in an earlier post when I asked him a question about 3 or 4 at the back.
By having a solid backline of Hato, Levi Colwill, Josh and Reece James we could protect them with Jordan Henderson and MoisesCaicedo then you also get another forward in like Estevao or Neto or your man Gittens.

27 Sep 2026 18:13:05
I also noted Ed01 mentioned my historic point about playing Roger's and Palmer.

In my opinion our best defender so far this season has been Josh. So for me he has to play.
I'm am not a fan of three at the back. I would play 433 or 4312 but if that happens he can't play Roger's.

In years gone bye we had players who could cover for a player like Hazard but as good as those players were they couldn't have coped with two players who are not prepared to do the hard work.
JBS and I have been having debates on this issue since virtually the start of the season. This situation is why Alonso gets paid the big bucks. As I've also said, Jose would have made the call a few weeks ago.

27 Sep 2026 21:41:10
I agree with you Tom, Jose would of sorted this but surely we give Alonso a chance before you change him?

27 Sep 2026 22:15:39
I have never suggested replacing Alonso. I am a believer in giving people a long time before I make a decision about their abilities.

Also, just for the record, I would definitely not want Jose back as our manager.

27 Sep 2026 07:39:28
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Bournemouth v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

26 Sep 2026 21:43:36
The best idea I've heard to date on suitable punishments for Man City is to require the sale of the club. After all, that is what happened to ChelseaFC simply because Abramovich was Russian & mooted to have ties with Putin.

Those ties weren't voluntary.
Let's see how this pan's put but Chelsea were screwed by the UK governmemt and press, will City be treated the same?

26 Sep 2026 17:17:41
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Bournemouth v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

26 Sep 2026 07:39:18
{Ed's Note - Reddevilfan has posted a new article entitled, United Need a Leader, Not Another Nice Guy

26 Sep 2026 07:35:27
I've seen a few reporting that they can go to CAS for this and the appeal grounds will be weak, so it might not be a long and drawn out appeals process. That's good news for English football, all of which has been scared by this.

As a Chelsea fan, supporting a club who, to a lesser degree, has cooked the books in the past, I'm not sure I'm in the best position to point fingers and demand retribution. But, we owned up to it all immediately and were open and honest from the outset (at least, the new ownership did/were). Man City have denied and dodged this for years, that and the pure number of offences means the punishment has to be severe.

For me, that punishment has to mean expulsion from the Premier League, I'm not sure how the Football League would need to deal with the situation, but I think there's a fair argument that City should have to start from League 2. In reality I think it'll be a points deduction the effectively means relegation to the Championship, it's the least messy in lots of ways.

The removal of titles feels like a fair punishment, maybe it did for us too, but that's a messy operation. One thing that's not in doubt, all those titles, all those years under Pep are tainted and have a huge asterisk next to them.

City fans are up against the ropes on this one, some will come out punching, but they're victims in this too, the club has lied to them too - they've been massively let down.

26 Sep 2026 07:44:13
Sorry, should read can't go to CAS.

26 Sep 2026 09:11:42
J, I am a believer in "do the crime be prepared to do the time."
We have been found guilty and punished. If I'm honest, I think we got off lightly and probably deserved a points deduction. Self reporting and being fully cooperative probably saved our bacon.

Well done the owners.
Obviously City will appeal any penalty imposed but I would like to think that the regulator can also appeal if he thinks the penalty is too light? Or maybe, increase the penalty if they believe any appeal to be frivolous?

26 Sep 2026 12:04:01
Will hope so too Tom and that no bulging brown envelopes full of Emirati cash find their way to. members of the new three person independent tribunal who will hear the appeal!

Do hope that the next phase can be completed far more rapidly than the first two - ie investigation and then the three year hearing just concluded - for EPL sake in general and indeed J even the sake of City fans.

25 Sep 2026 22:28:27
Just back from the pub with a cross section of football fans. A big spread of ages, supporters of different clubs.
The football topic was obviously City, with us all giving our views on a suitable punishment. At the end we seemed to strangely agree that a "one" season punishment didn't reflect the "term" of the transgression.


So, we ended up with a 50pts deduction every season for five seasons.
There was also agreement that any club directly affected "should" take legal action for compensation.
I wasn't drinking but the debate was very loud with more than a touch of anger, especially from a couple of spuds fans.

25 Sep 2026 20:30:39
ED033, could you run a poll on what we think the outcome should be i.e. How do we think Man City should be punished?, like you have running on the Liverpool page please.

{Ed033's Note -


Man City poll

25 Sep 2026 17:22:52
FA finally announced that City is guilty on most of the 115 charges.

But City still saying they are not guilty of anything so appeal likely - and could take a long time too you'd think.

But punishment could be serious.

25 Sep 2026 18:20:21
Invesrigations started in 2018.the tribunal finally challenged with coming to a verdict took 3 years. how long will the appeal. process take or given that City offered no assistance in aiding the investigation can the FA ensure it is swift?

Not sure if you Ed001 have any idea what might happen?

{Ed001's Note - it really could be anything but unfortunately I expect Citeh to appeal first and so it might yet be more years before any punishment. Being as they were found guilty of pretty much everything, it will have to be a big punishment. They can't go with fines, it has to be points deductions or automatic removal from the Prem or face a problem with the whole rest of the league wanting to sue for damages etc. I really can't see them stripping titles, even if that should be also part of the punishment.}

25 Sep 2026 22:07:39
Many thanks Ed001 and think you are very likely to be proved righr.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome mate.}