Chelsea (A) - Sun 2nd Jan 2022 (4:30pm)

[an tha]

Yeah Alisson and Firmino.

 

Dare say we'll play on just like at Tottenham and just like at Tottenham suffer because of it.

 

We are fucking cursed this season.

[an tha]

So missing:

 

Robbo (suspended)
Thiago
Minamino
Origi
+3 with Covid

[George Costanza]

Lookling like a weakened team on Sunday. Meanwhile most other clubs seem to be getting their games postponed.  Only the two mugs playing on Sunday have plowed through playing on despite both managers being vocal about the workload. Both teams have dropped points while City have gained the advantage playing against much weakened opposition

[Pete]

57 minutes ago, George Costanza said:

Lookling like a weakened team on Sunday. Meanwhile most other clubs seem to be getting their games postponed.  Only the two mugs playing on Sunday have plowed through playing on despite both managers being vocal about the workload. Both teams have dropped points while City have gained the advantage playing against much weakened opposition

We should be pushing for a null and void season. See what reaction we get when the boot is on the other foot. 

[George Costanza]

11 minutes ago, Pete said:

We should be pushing for a null and void season. See what reaction we get when the boot is on the other foot. 

I wouldn't go that far but the integrity of the league has completely evapourated.  Certain teams have used covid outbreaks to their advantage and have conviently manged to get games postponed.  Why on earth they are including injuries into the equation is baffling. It has made a mockery of the whole league.  The PL have shown absolutely zero leadership and made a complete mess of everything.  They should have gone into the season with a clear & stated plan and not changed it halfway through Decemeber when it evident clubs were trying it on.  Personally none of the games should have been postponed and if the clubs can't field a team then they forfeit 3-0. No grey areas, clear cut rules.  UEFA did it with Spurs in the conference league and its also what European Rugby have done in their tournament.  It may seem harsh but its the same rules for everyone which is absolutely not what we have now.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Last time it was the same for everyone but this season its totally made a mockery of the integrity of the competition. It should be null and voided, asterisk , Everton relegated, City dismantled,  ambramovich arrested and Newcastle owners banned from the entire world. 

 

[an tha]

30 minutes ago, George Costanza said:

I wouldn't go that far but the integrity of the league has completely evapourated.  Certain teams have used covid outbreaks to their advantage and have conviently manged to get games postponed.  Why on earth they are including injuries into the equation is baffling. It has made a mockery of the whole league.  The PL have shown absolutely zero leadership and made a complete mess of everything.  They should have gone into the season with a clear & stated plan and not changed it halfway through Decemeber when it evident clubs were trying it on.  Personally none of the games should have been postponed and if the clubs can't field a team then they forfeit 3-0. No grey areas, clear cut rules.  UEFA did it with Spurs in the conference league and its also what European Rugby have done in their tournament.  It may seem harsh but its the same rules for everyone which is absolutely not what we have now.

Is right.

[Lee909]

I do wonder how much of Newcastle 2anting games postponed is knowing replays will come after they spend in January 

[Pete]

12 minutes ago, Lee909 said:

I do wonder how much of Newcastle 2anting games postponed is knowing replays will come after they spend in January 

Hmmmmm…

No team would use a global health emergency to cheat the system would they? 

[George Costanza]

Don't forget injuries to their 2 best players in the previous game as well. Would be all too convenient for them to be available for the rearranged fixture. Not the only ones though.

[No2]

3 hours ago, George Costanza said:

Lookling like a weakened team on Sunday. Meanwhile most other clubs seem to be getting their games postponed.  Only the two mugs playing on Sunday have plowed through playing on despite both managers being vocal about the workload. Both teams have dropped points while City have gained the advantage playing against much weakened opposition

Klopps greatest strength is one of his biggest weaknesses when surrounded by poison. 

[an tha]

PL should ban any players bought in Jan from playing in any rearranged games from this period.

[VladimirIlyich]

6 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

Carragher spouting shit in the Telegraph, effectively saying we should settle for 2nd best and 'learn to love the cups' instead. Fuck off with that attitude and was a major factor in us going 30 years without a title.

It's most likely what will happen, if you think that way. We have become a team of winners so that's the way we must think.

[TheHowieLama]

6 minutes ago, an tha said:

PL should ban any players bought in Jan from playing in any rearranged games from this period.

Good shout

[niallers]

11 minutes ago, an tha said:

PL should ban any players bought in Jan from playing in any rearranged games from this period.

Add suspended players into that too. Robbo was supposed to be back for Chelsea but the Leeds postponement fucked that for us. 

[suzy]

8 hours ago, paddyberger said:

Another 2 positives, pending PCR confirmation and some staff too. Thiago out as well.

 

Rumours are Ali and Bobby.

That is not good news.

[suzy]

5 hours ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Last time it was the same for everyone but this season its totally made a mockery of the integrity of the competition. It should be null and voided, asterisk , Everton relegated, City dismantled,  ambramovich arrested and Newcastle owners banned from the entire world. 

 

Seems fair.

[an tha]

On 31/12/2021 at 11:28, dockers_strike said:

Carragher spouting shit in the Telegraph, effectively saying we should settle for 2nd best and 'learn to love the cups' instead. Fuck off with that attitude and was a major factor in us going 30 years without a title.

No he didn't say that at all.

 

He said we should look to try and win all 4 trophies.

 

And he cited how Chelsea have done exactly that....you can't win the big one every year, but you can pick up other trophies as well if you maximise chances of winning them - fuck all wrong with that and not what you are claiming he said at all.

 

 

I make him right.

 

Winning trophies is the clubs only reason for existing.

 

If course the league and the european cup are the top priorities..

 

But we absolutely should try and win everything and doing so contrary to popular belief does not mean jibbing off the big ones for smaller ones....building a squad that can push for all 4 and hopefully pick up as many as they can each year absolutely should be our aim...you won't win everything every year even Abu Dhabi don't but you absolutely should be trying.

 

If you do find yourself 12 pts off the title pace and or out of europe in April having a league cup in the bag and or an fa cup semi to look forward to is something.....of course still being in for everything is great and better...or being bang in title mix and or european cup mix is better than just being in cups of course....but nothing at all wrong with wanting to maximise chances in everything which is what Carra is saying.

 

There is a broader lesson to learn, for Liverpool especially, when the margin for error in a title bid is so small,” Carragher added. “The club have to maximise their chances of winning all four competitions they enter every season, recognising the League Cup and the FA Cup as worthy prizes.

“To put it simply, Liverpool need to become more like Chelsea.

 

“In the past 22 seasons, Chelsea have won the Premier League twice (2015 and 2017). A good return, but a reflection of how the balance of power changed after the City Abu Dhabi takeover.

“In the previous six years, Chelsea were Premier League champions three times (2005, 2006 and 2010).

 

“What they have done so well during the Roman Abramovich era is to become serial trophy collectors: five FA Cups, three league cups, two Europa League titles. That’s in addition to being Champions League winners twice.

 

When the Premier League is a step too far, Chelsea have shown there is nothing wrong with occasionally redefining themselves as a cup team.”

 

“Liverpool need to get on board that Wembley bus to ensure the promise of another campaign packed with brilliant collective and individual performances does not go unfulfilled.”

 

 

 

[TheDrowningMan]

3 minutes ago, an tha said:

No he didn't say that at all.

 

He said we should look to try and win all 4 trophies.

 

And he cited how Chelsea have done exactly that....you can't win the big one every year, but you can pick up other trophies as well if you maximise chances of winning them - fuck all wrong with that and not what you are claiming he said at all.

 

There is a broader lesson to learn, for Liverpool especially, when the margin for error in a title bid is so small,” Carragher added. “The club have to maximise their chances of winning all four competitions they enter every season, recognising the League Cup and the FA Cup as worthy prizes.

“To put it simply, Liverpool need to become more like Chelsea.

 

“In the past 22 seasons, Chelsea have won the Premier League twice (2015 and 2017). A good return, but a reflection of how the balance of power changed after the City Abu Dhabi takeover.

“In the previous six years, Chelsea were Premier League champions three times (2005, 2006 and 2010).

 

“What they have done so well during the Roman Abramovich era is to become serial trophy collectors: five FA Cups, three league cups, two Europa League titles. That’s in addition to being Champions League winners twice.

 

When the Premier League is a step too far, Chelsea have shown there is nothing wrong with occasionally redefining themselves as a cup team.”

 

“Liverpool need to get on board that Wembley bus to ensure the promise of another campaign packed with brilliant collective and individual performances does not go unfulfilled.”

 

 

 

As long as we accept that managers deserve to be sacked for only delivering those trophies, because that’s also part of Chelsea’s MO.

 

I’m always conflicted about domestic cups - I love the journey when we go deeper into them, but hate how they’ve been devalued and hung out to dry by the powers that be, becoming competitions won all too often by the clubs (one in particular) with super-squads who have about three world class players in every position to rotate in and out. 

[an tha]

8 minutes ago, TheDrowningMan said:

As long as we accept that managers deserve to be sacked for only delivering those trophies, because that’s also part of Chelsea’s MO.

 Ha! Chelsea's managerial policy goes against all known logic, but the instability still works for them somehow (££££'s)

 

 

If you do find yourself 12 pts off the title pace and or out of europe in April having a league cup in the bag and or an fa cup semi to look forward to is something.....of course still being in for everything is great and better...or being bang in title mix and or european cup mix is better than just being in cups of course....but nothing at all wrong with wanting to maximise chances in everything which is what Carra is saying.

[No2]

Chelsea will have this postponed. 

[TheDrowningMan]

Klopp misses the game with COVID.

 

 

[Freddo]

This is really biting now. We need this game off. 

Rumours that there will be none of the following

Bobby, alli, naby, jota. Plus the injured lads. 

Shambles of a season

[Pete]

2 minutes ago, Freddo said:

This is really biting now. We need this game off. 

Rumours that there will be none of the following

Bobby, alli, naby, jota. Plus the injured lads. 

Shambles of a season

Absolute farce of a season and far more justified to null and void it than in 2020

[TheDrowningMan]

We need the reintroduction of mandatory bubbles (off the pitch too) for all players and staff or the season seriously needs to be voided. Its sporting integrity is massively undermined at best.