Chelsea 2023-24

[planetgeli]

You lot need a new team thread.

But I'll just leave this here. Brilliant satire from Jonathan Liew

Go big or go gnome: how Chelsea’s transfer dealings inspired my new venture | Jonathan Liew

Asking a rival to take one of your best players for no fee while still paying most of his wages is a level of hustle I cannot match

www.theguardian.com

 

[The39thStep]

You lot need a new team thread.

But I'll just leave this here. Brilliant satire from Jonathan Liew

Go big or go gnome: how Chelsea’s transfer dealings inspired my new venture | Jonathan Liew

Asking a rival to take one of your best players for no fee while still paying most of his wages is a level of hustle I cannot match

www.theguardian.com

Pleased he has gone, Sterling that is, although I'd be just as pleased if Liew went tbh. Every writer and pundit has a joke about Chelsea and there's nothing wrong with that.

For whatever reason, and there are some mitigating ones ie having 5 managers and coaching staff in his time at the club , as one of our more senior players Sterling hasn't led by example and has been very inconsistent. It was made clear that he wasn't in the coach's plans his ludicrous wages would always be a stumbling block. The positives are that Arsenal are paying him £150k, hopefully, he will get some game time , a bit of a shop window and after this season he finds a new club. I wish him all the best. We've also finally got Lukaku off the books, really hope someone picks up Chillwell who is another high earner that isn't in the first team squad in January.

I think our net spend is around £55m.

 

[Lotte]

Lukaku should have stayed in Italy. Why he came back to Chelsea is a mystery. I don't understand why they bothered with Sterling either, what was he even for? I get every team needs an experienced/big brother figure player, especially with a young squad like Chelsea's, but I forgot Sterling was even there half the time.

I try not to take the piss out of Chelsea around my stepdad because I think the neverending madness of Chelsea genuinely depresses him, but they're Everton on steroids. Except they can afford to throw money around and don't have some whacking great ex-Burnley players and a feral nutcase in goal.

 

[The39thStep]

Lukaku should have stayed in Italy. Why he came back to Chelsea is a mystery. I don't understand why they bothered with Sterling either, what was he even for? I get every team needs an experienced/big brother figure player, especially with a young squad like Chelsea's, but I forgot Sterling was even there half the time.

I try not to take the piss out of Chelsea around my stepdad because I think the neverending madness of Chelsea genuinely depresses him, but they're Everton on steroids. Except they can afford to throw money around and don't have some whacking great ex-Burnley players and a feral nutcase in goal.

Sterling was one of Boehy's buys when he took over the responsibilities for recruitment . The club had no real recruitment team due to the transfer ban/government take over and then the purchase of the club. Tuchel was asked to take more responsibility but refused . Safe to say despite good intentions mistakes were made . In the absence of both transfer strategy and experienced staff the club used agents which led to some over priced arrivals and an expensive scatter gun approach with wages. Sterling was one of them that I was pleased to see however the Sterling that turned up wasn't the one that I wanted to see. Koulibaly who had been sought after was another however he way off the pace. Neither bought any leadership onto the pitch. We paid over the odds for Curecella however he has had a good last 6 months and paid well over the odds for Fofana and then lost him through injuries for a season and half. Caciedo was also very expensive however :Liverpool matched bidding for him. Fernandes also was overpriced however he does make a solid contribution. Liverpool also matched our bid for Lavia who if he can ever get over whatever is preventing him from playing looked very good preseason

We've now got a recruitment infrastructure and the direction last year was to scout young talent which has resulted in an array of potential talent. This year there has been some older players recruited like Neto etc. Financially I think we are restricted unless we sell or find ways of getting round the sustainability accounting . The long term issue is matchday income and that wont be resolved unless we expand the ground or move.

 

[Lotte]

And Nkunku seems decent but he's an injury magnet as well.

 

[The39thStep]

Good warm up against West Ham for our tougher upcoming fixture against Barrow

 

[marshall]

ffs, Palmer is special

fingers crossed he's gone off the boil by the time you play the mighty ars.

 

[The39thStep]

ffs, Palmer is special

fingers crossed he's gone off the boil by the time you play the mighty ars.

We looked very sloppy in defence on occasions , both their goals were terrible errors by our keeper, but Palmer certainly made up for it at the other end

 

[Aaronf]

I don't often watch MOTD these days as don't support any PL club but just watching the Sunday morning repeat and boy, Cole Palmer was a joy to watch.

 

[Lotte]

Palmer is ridiculous. He's miles ahead of the rest of the squad.

 

[Humberto]

Think they will at least push Liverpool all the way.

 

[The39thStep]

Think they will at least push Liverpool all the way.

The squad is very young with few players with any real EPL experience, with a coach who is enjoying his first season in the EPL. If be more than happy with a top four finish in what is below Liverpool a very competitive top 7/8.

 

[The39thStep]

True

 

[Lotte]

I was at a family get-together yesterday and was sandwiched between my Manc uncle (a City fan) and my stepdad (a Chelsea fan), so football came up a lot. Stepdad is really happy with how Chelsea are starting to click under Maresca. They already were under Pochettino but fuckwit Boehly got rid of him. Cucurella's improving even if he does dive a lot.

Also, Palmer. City must be kicking themselves for letting him go.

 

[marshall]

If players really want to go, Pep, apparently, doesn't stand in their way. So maybe Palmer pushed really hard.

On the face of it, though, it looks like a monumental fuck up on Pep's part, like not signing the Beatles or something

 

[The39thStep]

I was at a family get-together yesterday and was sandwiched between my Manc uncle (a City fan) and my stepdad (a Chelsea fan), so football came up a lot. Stepdad is really happy with how Chelsea are starting to click under Maresca. They already were under Pochettino but fuckwit Boehly got rid of him. Cucurella's improving even if he does dive a lot.

Also, Palmer. City must be kicking themselves for letting him go.

Poch did indeed make progress ,whilst there might be a discussion to be had about whether or not Maresca could have equalled that progress at the same time, there is no doubt in my mind that Poch wouldn't have kicked in the same way as Maresca has.

 

[Lotte]

If players really want to go, Pep, apparently, doesn't stand in their way. So maybe Palmer pushed really hard.

On the face of it, though, it looks like a monumental fuck up on Pep's part, like not signing the Beatles or something

It makes up for Chelsea losing Salah and de Bruyne!

 

[marshall]

True, although were Salah and de Bruyne such obvious, instant losses to Chelsea, or was it a case of them becoming great a few seasons down the line elsewhere? I may be wrong, but I don't recall pundits immediately saying, 'Oooh, Chelsea have fucked up here', only later. Palmer's loss to Citeh instantly feels major.

 

[tommers]

True, although were Salah and de Bruyne such obvious, instant losses to Chelsea, or was it a case of them becoming great a few seasons down the line elsewhere? I may be wrong, but I don't recall pundits immediately saying, 'Oooh, Chelsea have fucked up here', only later. Palmer's loss to Citeh instantly feels major.

I remember my Liverpool mate being very happy when they signed Salah.

There was talk of West Ham signing Palmer. And yeah, he went to Chelsea, but he wasn't perceived to be this world shattering talent then. We knew he was good, but not like this.