Chelsea Banter 3

06 Oct 2026 22:35:16
I hope to be at the game on Saturday.

Will be interesting to see how many of the players injured pre the international break are now fit. It will also be interesting to see the shape we adopt and if the manager can get Palmer and Roger's working all over the pitch.

I am hopeful of a win, so it's Come on my mighty Blues.

07 Oct 2026 09:47:46
Hope you make it Tom.

I am also intending to be there and not quite sure what to expect both in terms of CFC line-up, quality of play and result.

I see that Alex Scott is sidelined for two months - does just being linked with transfer to CFC lead to such misfortune?! - or so which is a blow for Bournemouth but we know where are own weaknesses lie.

05 Oct 2026 07:39:23
{Ed's Note - OptimumShots has posted a new article entitled, Everton Scouting: Page, Porto Trio and Ebnoutalib

04 Oct 2026 12:50:31
So we had a behind closed gates friendly versus Posrtsmouth yesterday, obviously without our international duty players and probably some of the injured left behind, and lost 0-2. Perhaps meabs little but certainly suggests not great strength in squad depth and one suspects that some of the previously injured - like Palestra - may have been involved but who knows.

The predicted (unconfirmed) CFC lineup v Portsmouth yesterday was not a hugely weak one on paper:

Predicted Chelsea XI to face Portsmouth (3-4-3): Sharman-Lowe; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill; Palestra, Caicedo, Henderson, Chavarria; Paez, Welbeck, Emegha.

04 Oct 2026 14:47:33
JBS, thanks for the info mate. Holly Molly that is a poor result.

05 Oct 2026 07:45:19
Only Palestra and Emegha got a run out. The rest was mainly under 18 and the better ones were away themslves at their levels so nothing to report here.

05 Oct 2026 10:21:10
Do you know how either Palestra or Emegha looked EbW?

05 Oct 2026 10:43:46
No idea mate, behind closed doors. Just a training session.

06 Oct 2026 09:03:04
I see it as a poor result with the team we put out. I personally do not believe it's ok to lose any game and all training sessions should have intensity. Bad habits start on the training ground.

What do you think Ed?

{Ed001's Note - without knowing What the plan was impossible to say. The year LFC won the league under Klopp I seem to remember losing every pre-season friendly,

06 Oct 2026 11:00:15
Chelsea lost 2-0 to Portsmouth in a closed-doors friendly at Cobham on Saturday 3 October, but Xabi Alonso's priorities were recovery, tactical work and youth development rather than the scoreline.

Alonso used the Portsmouth friendly to work on three priorities

Football. london reported that the Blues were beaten by the Championship side during the three-week international break. With a number of senior players away on international duty, the match was treated primarily as a training exercise, not a competitive fixture.
That distinction matters. The result is still a defeat, but this was a chance for Alonso to get useful work done away from the pressure of a league match. Chelsea's squad-management challenge makes those quieter sessions important, particularly when injuries and international call-ups leave the group looking different from week to week.

The first objective was to step up recovery for several injured players. Tactical work was another, while the game also gave younger players the opportunity to feature alongside first-teamers. Those are three clear reasons for arranging the exercise; the 2-0 scoreline was not the measure Alonso was using.
The youth element is worth watching. Alonso has previously indicated that teenagers can be called on when the squad is short, naming Madhi Nicoll-Jazuli, Geo Quenda and Estevao as players who have trained with the group. A friendly like this gives young players experience in a senior setting without pretending that one appearance guarantees a place in the next competitive side.

It also gives the manager space for tactical work, though there is no confirmed formation or line-up from this match. Chelsea's tactical development under Alonso is a bigger question than whether a particular shape was used at Cobham. The primary report suggested the break offered an opportunity to improve the defence, not that a specific change had already been settled.
The defensive record gives that work real urgency. At the time of the report, Chelsea had conceded 12 goals in five Premier League games, the most in the division, and had let in at least twice in every league match. They had also conceded three against Leeds in the Carabao Cup. A friendly cannot fix that on its own, but it can help Alonso test ideas and prepare the players who will need to execute them.

There was also an uncertain fitness picture. Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Reece James and Marco Palestra had all had injury issues and may have featured in some capacity, but their involvement was not confirmed. Joao Pedro had withdrawn from Brazil's squad with a knee problem and was understood to be seeing a specialist, while Jamie Gittens had suffered an issue with England Under-21s and left the stadium on crutches. None should be assumed to have played against Portsmouth.
We should judge the session by whether it helped players build fitness, sharpen the tactical work and gave younger Blues useful exposure. That does not make the defensive numbers disappear, and a 2-0 loss is hardly a confidence-boosting result. But the primary report is clear that this should not be assessed like a competitive fixture.

Alonso's league start had included wins over Fulham and Brighton, defeats to Arsenal and Brentford, and a draw with Hull City; Chelsea were 10th after five league matches. The next proper test comes at Stamford Bridge against Bournemouth on Saturday 10 October. The point is not to assume the friendly produced a particular change, but to see whether any of its work carries into the league.

06 Oct 2026 13:20:26
The "so called" Alonso priorities do not align with mine.

I am a fan of coaches who make every minute in training or friendlies a must win atmosphere.

06 Oct 2026 13:26:51
Are you not a fan of Alonso.

06 Oct 2026 14:16:51
I sincerely hope the 2-0 loss does not hmget carried forward into the Bournemouth game.

At the moment we are wide open and any decent team will score a hateful of goals against us.

06 Oct 2026 14:24:30
Bill, I think Tom is right and Alonso needs to go if we lose the next few games. Clearly not got the right Chelsea attitude if he is not trrating things serulious.

06 Oct 2026 17:09:06
I have never suggested Alonso should "go" now or a few games in the future.
I always support our managers and I always give them time (usually a season or maybe two) to prove their worth.

I have only expressed how I prefer my team to train and play. I firmly believe that playing a game is a replication of training.

Train hard, play hard.

07 Oct 2026 09:19:07
4 at the back anybody?

07 Oct 2026 09:19:36
And back to man marking at set pieces.

07 Oct 2026 09:27:20
Bill, I hope we go to four at the back and three in midfield.

07 Oct 2026 09:57:37
So do I.

04 Oct 2026 07:39:11
{Ed's Note - EHL2020 has posted a new article entitled, Can Rangers Replace Morelos's Tactical Impact?

03 Oct 2026 21:20:35
New to the site as a poster, what a great win by England tonight and I thought Morgan Rogers was very good.

07 Oct 2026 09:58:12
Completely agree Micky and welcome to the site.

03 Oct 2026 12:03:19
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new player profile about, Jahnoah Markelo

03 Oct 2026 11:22:44
Just been watch Chelsea thump dirty Leeds 4-0 (1971/72) on the Big Match revisited.

The match itself was attended by 51k fans and that was with no East Stand.

After the match the commentator (Brian Moore) showed a plan of the proposed new wrap around Chelsea stadium, with a 60k capacity. The existing railway mainline had a road flyover for extra car access to the ground.

If only we had finished the job.

03 Oct 2026 12:49:37
Tom,

It would be nice if the new ownership started something never mind us finishing it years ago, even showing us the future plans and giving a timeline, that would be a start.

03 Oct 2026 16:36:58
Bill, if I remember correctly, it was widely reported that a board split was one of the major reasons for any decision. Well that excuse has now disappeared.
Will be interesting to see if there is a least a question on this subject in the next FAB meeting minutes.

Can I also say, the model shown on that 1971 program was quite futuristic. Obviously no problems with building over the main railway line in those days.

29 Sep 2026 17:18:49
This is a very strong statement from the Premier League.
My mates and I went for a 50pt deduction for the next five seasons. Maybe it is going to be stronger than that and they get drummed out of the leagues.

29 Sep 2026 18:23:35
it is Tom- and the key part is the misstated accounts and lying to auditors- in the 'normal world' that would be cause for very very serious consequences.

29 Sep 2026 19:23:08
Three independent KC's sit on a panel and find them guilty of all charges.
I would be totally flabbergasted if they won an appeal.

30 Sep 2026 07:55:06
I always thought that fake / false accounting was a serious crime especially in this magnitude, are the police involved? Or are they waiting for the final outcome?

30 Sep 2026 09:17:38
This is probably a watershed moment for all aspects of so called financial fairplay. If City were to avoid serious sanctions then surely that spells the end of it.
ED01, what is your take on the whole thing?

{Ed001's Note - it is not just that, it is also the fact they refused to cooperate with the investigation (unlike Chelsea, Everton and Forest) plus the fact they have also committed crimes in legal terms, not just breaches of footballing rules. They have to be absolutely smashed or there will be no reason not to do it again and again and again.}

30 Sep 2026 11:22:14
Thanks Ed001

My feeling is that once this is sorted a criminal investigation will swiftly follow, this could involve Execs being arrested / questioned and ex managers and possibly players.

Could someone pass the popcorn 🍿 please.

{Ed001's Note - I hope so, but I think it will just get brushed under the carpet.}

01 Oct 2026 06:26:08
Gary Neville on UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's comments about Manchester City:

"I find those comments absolutely staggering. At a time when Manchester City have just been found guilty of serious financial rule breaches, the Prime Minister is talking about how concerned he would be if their owners left. What message does that send?

Are we now at the stage where money, investment and tax revenue matter more than the integrity of football? Because if that is the message coming from the top, then we have a serious problem.

You cannot have one set of rules for the smaller clubs and another set of rules for the biggest and wealthiest clubs. If the rules have been broken, they must be dealt with properly. It doesn't matter how much money the owners have brought into Manchester.

And let me be very clear — nobody should be influencing the independent process. The courts, regulators and football authorities must be allowed to do their jobs without political pressure.

If Manchester City escape meaningful punishment simply because they are economically important, then forget sporting integrity. Every club in England will ask themselves why they should respect the rules.

The Premier League cannot become a competition where the bigger your bank account, the safer you are from consequences. That would destroy the credibility of English football.

I think the Prime Minister needs to clarify those comments, because right now they sound like he is more worried about losing Manchester City's owners than protecting the integrity of the Premier League.".

01 Oct 2026 11:56:59
Breaking news, Gary Neville makes reasonable point. 🤣😇

Thanks K, I personally hadn't picked that comment up in the media.

01 Oct 2026 15:29:05
EDOO1

Why do you think legal action will be brushed under the carpet?

{Ed001's Note - because the govt will put pressure on to ensure it does.}

01 Oct 2026 17:35:23
Bill- legal action on the back of this will get really messy, think sanctions will be kept to a sport level on the whole- with small scale/individual legal cases ongoing for years- when sporting sanctions are handed out think will be on agreement from rest of league/big orgs like govt+HMRC that they won't pursue any legal action after.

01 Oct 2026 18:41:43
I disagree. When and if sporting sanctions are met out to City, it is my opinion the pressure will grow to such an extent that HMRC will have to investigate.
I have no idea about the process or responsibility but I assume the auditors used by club will also come under scrutiny.


Also, given Burnhams stupid comment, loud noises will be made for an investigation into other UAE so called Manchester investments and how or if Burnham was actively involved.

01 Oct 2026 19:04:21
I wish you were right Tom but I fear Burnham and co have far too much to lose both personally and the country.

I would not mind betting this will lead to a break away from the prem.

01 Oct 2026 21:55:34
Bill, I think Burnham has already lost credibility with the majority of football fans when he puts finance above integrity. It says a lot about him as a person in my opinion.

Yes, the UAE are considered an Ali but they have a a very small impact on our GDP. I can't see either civil service wanting to destroy the relationship for the sake of City, given what's going on in the world at the moment.

If I was advising them I would just start negotiating a deal with the premiership. I certainly wouldn't be prompting a state run sponsor to issue threats of legal action.

For me, they are going to get a massive points deduction. The only question is for how many seasons? European ban's probably don't matter because they won't qualify. Massive fine and maybe a transfer ban for a number of windows.

I can't see the owners walking away and I can't see the premiership forcing that issue. They probably should but I doubt they will.

01 Oct 2026 20:13:23
This will either stop all this arab sportwashing or go the other way and prove the UK is in dire straights and owned financially by them.

02 Oct 2026 09:29:18
I would go for the latter K.

02 Oct 2026 08:43:29
With 30 year gilts at over 6% we do not need anyone's help to be in "dire straights.".

02 Oct 2026 09:58:11
sportswashing isn't reserved for arabs. we had our own russian version before you start singling out specific groups


Tbh the prem are largely to blame- they had no complaints when the sheikh arrived and starting splashing his cash on the city- same way it was with us and roman, if we're being honest. it was 'good for the league' and 'good for manchester and everyone conveniently ignored the negatives and brushed them under the carpet and now they're left between a rock and a hard place. this whole saga will continue dragging on for years. in the meantime they really need to reform the current financial rules as they're just not fit for purpose.


another point i'd make is this case/investigation largely came off the back of a hacker obtaining and leaking info. i dread to think about our potential bad behviour during the roman era and beyond. the likes of the infinite athlete sponsorship are murky.

02 Oct 2026 13:44:03
Kazblue

You mention us and Man Cheaty but what about the secrets other clubs could be hiding.

Dont forget the prem league did not find out about us or cheaty, our new owners self reported and Cheaty got hacked.

I just think others could be abusing the system without anybody knowing.

02 Oct 2026 12:05:13
EDOO1

Can you see a situation where no club would play man cheaty.

{Ed001's Note - would: cost them too much to do that.

02 Oct 2026 15:33:48
I agree there would be a cost and point lost for each club but the prem league as we know it would surely end and maybe that's what's needed.

02 Oct 2026 15:47:03
Bill i agree- we self reported and sham city got hacked anorher reason why i still believe a deal will be made eventually.

03 Oct 2026 10:04:51
bluekaz,

Just because they got hacked didn't mean they are less guilty.

03 Oct 2026 10:59:43
Surely these arab owners must be forced to sell if found guilty of corruption and cheating?

{Ed001's Note - why does casual racism have to slip into it? Does it matter that they are Arabs?}

29 Sep 2026 07:39:20
{Ed's Note - OptimumShots has posted a new article entitled, What a Fair Punishment for Manchester City Should Look Like

29 Sep 2026 17:31:55
I like your ideas on a suitable punishment for City. The only thing is, I would. make it 50 pts per season.

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