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

[Anubis]

Just now, Boss said:

We haven't invested since losing the Champions League final. It's criminal what FSG have done, but it's been swept under the rug by Klopp's genius. It's simply unsustainable to mount title challenges with a negative net spend when your rivals are spending £150m+ every season. 

Smartest guys in the room, innit?

[J-V]

We spent £90million on two absolute shit midfielders who we can't get rid of.  Lets not pretend Klopp hasen't spent shit loads on that midfield.

 

I still don't don't know why we gave Hernderson a new contract when he had two years left at the time.

[torahboy]

Love Souness, who broke a player's jaw with a punch, saying Mane's 'wristing' of Azpilicueta was violent. The idiocy of the pundits and the commentators beggars belief.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

It's always tougher watching a team in decline, and this group - whilst still near the summit - have passed their apex.

 

The spectre on the horizon of Klopp leaving makes the finite chances of success all the more precious, and painful when they slip away.

[johnsusername]

Martin Tyler is a bellend.

[waddy78]

1 minute ago, J-V said:

When are we getting the up and coming talent.

they deemed Sepp Van Der Berg as an up and coming talent Harvey as well (he looks a good shout to be fair) then its been squad fillers for minimum outlay basically what they done in boston, selling for big money and buying on the cheap with the hope of selling them in a few years at a profit. Probably works for a Southampton type club but not for ours.

[J-V]

1 minute ago, waddy78 said:

they deemed Sepp Van Der Berg as an up and coming talent Harvey as well (he looks a good shout to be fair) then its been squad fillers for minimum outlay basically what they done in boston, selling for big money and buying on the cheap with the hope of selling them in a few years at a profit. Probably works for a Southampton type club but not for ours.

Both of those were ages ago now.  One before the title win and the other during it I believe.

[waddy78]

2 minutes ago, torahboy said:

Love Souness, who broke a player's jaw with a punch, saying Mane's 'wristing' of Azpilicueta was violent. The idiocy of the pundits and the commentators beggars belief.

Some of them (not saying Souness is one) just like to stay relevant and to seem controversial  Evra is one. 

[ManéMan]

17 minutes ago, TheDrowningMan said:

10 points I think.

Draws against:

 

Brentford

City

Brighton

Spurs

Chelsea

Think half of them were from 2-0 up as well.

[Pureblood]

4 minutes ago, J-V said:

I still don't don't know why we gave Hernderson a new contract when he had two years left at the time.

Because his contract was running down. 

[TheDrowningMan]

1 minute ago, Leyton388 said:

We have owners who sack managers for winning trohpies and missing out on top 4. 

 

Thats all the proof we need on what their priorities are. 

Thing is, I have no problem with the first part in isolation (as far as domestic trophies go) because they don’t bring in any money. You can’t mount a consistent challenge for anything off the back of a domestic cup nowadays.
 

The part I find hard to stomach is the lack of investment from a position not only inside the top four but having won (and consistently going deep into) the Champions League and the Premier League title. It’s pathetic.

With an ageing squad that probably needs at least £200m worth of players in the summer, FSG are in danger of waiting another few years and snookering themselves into owning a club permanently locked out of the CL given the wealth of City, Chelsea, United and Newcastle.

 

 

[J-V]

Just now, Pureblood said:

Because his contract was running down. 

Two years left and 31 as it was.  Should have been allowed to leave on a free in 22/23 season.

[Scott_M]

Super frustrating.

 

On the balance of play, a draw was a fair result but after being 2-0 up, it’s annoying not to win.

 

Draws at Spurs or Chelsea can never be considered bad points. The damage has come this season v Brentford, Brighton and Leicester. Three absolutely inexcusable games we should have won. That’s put us 4 points behind City with a game in hand. 
 

I’m not giving up, not in my nature, but come May, I feel we’ll look back at those 3 results with contempt. 

[Pureblood]

Just now, J-V said:

Two years left and 31 as it was.

In that case he should be banished forever. 

[El Rojo]

Our game management has been diabolical this season in the league, particularly in those draws. 
 

If a team scores one against us, they’ll nearly always score a second.

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

1 minute ago, Scott_M said:

we’ll look back at those 3 results with contempt. 

I think this team will get a mid to high 80's point total and finish second.

 

That will be more than 9 points behind.

[J-V]

1 minute ago, Pureblood said:

In that case he should be banished forever. 

That's the spirit

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

2 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Super frustrating.

 

On the balance of play, a draw was a fair result but after being 2-0 up, it’s annoying not to win.

 

Draws at Spurs or Chelsea can never be considered bad points. The damage has come this season v Brentford, Brighton and Leicester. Three absolutely inexcusable games we should have won. That’s put us 4 points behind City with a game in hand. 
 

I’m not giving up, not in my nature, but come May, I feel we’ll look back at those 3 results with contempt. 

If you think we can win it now Scott good luck to you mate. Think you will be in a very small minority probably worldwide. 

[Jairzinho]

Still fairly confident we'll finish in the top four. 

[torahboy]

1 minute ago, waddy78 said:

Some of them (not saying Souness is one) just like to stay relevant and to seem controversial  Evra is one. 

Relevant to something other than what we're all watching, but I agree with you that they have a passion for a certain form of recognition.

[sir roger]

Seen in isolation it wasn't the worst performance and point in our history , but the aberrations at Spurs and Leicester meant we needed a special performance not an ok one. Three games against City and Chelsea this season and we have given away leads in two and failed to score against 10 men in the other. Unacceptable if you want to win titles where your main opponents bring guns to a knife-fight.

[waddy78]

1 minute ago, J-V said:

Both of those were ages ago now.  One before the title win and the other during it I believe.

since them weve brought in Tsimikas (cheap at £11m and is worth more now) Minamino (£ 7m probably worth more now) Jota (£40m spread over 4 years and deffo worth more now) Konate (£35m if he continues the way he has been will also be worth more than we payed) Thiago (£20m bargain for the player he is but was in his last year of his contract probably would get atleast our money back if we sold him now) every signing is based on us being able to resell were City and Chelsea dont think that way and it seems FFP is only questioned once in a blue moon so the get away with it. FSG need to go out and blow £150 - 200m and not worry about what will come back in.

[J-V]

1 minute ago, El Rojo said:

Our game management has been diabolical this season in the league, particularly in those draws. 
 

If a team scores one against us, they’ll nearly always score a second.

 

 

Mentality monsters

[Scott_M]

Just now, El Rojo said:

Our game management has been diabolical this season in the league, particularly in those draws. 
 

If a team scores one against us, they’ll nearly always score a second.

 

 

Completely agree. I don’t think that’s us missing Wijnaldum or other players at times, to me, it’s symptomatic of instructions.

 

To be fair, very little could have been done for their first (yes a daft foul by Milner but Keheller did well) but we can’t batton down the hatches like we used to do. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

11 minutes ago, torahboy said:

Love Souness, who broke a player's jaw with a punch, saying Mane's 'wristing' of Azpilicueta was violent. The idiocy of the pundits and the commentators beggars belief.

And odd leg or two.