Chelsea Thread - 2023/24

[Vialli98]

So for years everyone has told city that its all about money, we couldnt do it without money etc etc and to some extent that is right but how is it that chelsea can spend nearly a billion pounds and it be acceptable that they only get a champions league spot, why arent all the same pundits saying they should be nailed on for winning the league this year, why are chelsea getting a pass

I just think context matters. People might say the expectations should be the title but I don't think anyone looks at this team and thinks they'll be in a title race. It hasn't gone uncriticised. Don't think that Chelsea are getting a free ride here. We've been criticised for this spending a lot. Every single day there's a new pundit or columnist taking potshots at Boehly and Chelsea about the spending. Let alone what all non-Chelsea fans are saying.

I'm just saying, for me (I'm pretty sure @waspish asking what my opinion was) it was around 4th or 5th and that's because of the added context of us coming from a 12th place finish, completely revamping the squad over the summer and now we have a whole new squad who barely know each other's names yet and a brand new manager. That's the context. If had finished 3rd or 4th last season, I'd say a title challenge is a must.

 

[mancboy]

I just think context matters. People might say the expectations should be the title but I don't think anyone looks at this team and thinks they'll be in a title race. It hasn't gone uncriticised. Don't think that Chelsea are getting a free ride here. We've been criticised for this spending a lot. Every single day there's a new pundit or columnist taking potshots at Boehly and Chelsea about the spending. Let alone what all non-Chelsea fans are saying.

I'm just saying, for me (I'm pretty sure @waspish asking what my opinion was) it was around 4th or 5th and that's because of the added context of us coming from a 12th place finish, completely revamping the squad over the summer and now we have a whole new squad who barely know each other's names yet and a brand new manager. That's the context. If had finished 3rd or 4th last season, I'd say a title challenge is a must.

wasnt a dig at you at all in any way shape or form its just that the landscape seems to have changed a little compared to how things have previously been reported in the past

 

[Vialli98]

wasnt a dig at you at all in any way shape or form its just that the landscape seems to have changed a little compared to how things have previously been reported in the past

I didn't take it as a dig, don't worry :) I was trying to clarify the difference between what people think should be the expectations and the expectations people actually have and I think the fact that we aren't considered title challengers has been criticised roundly almost on a daily basis, so you can rest easy knowing that we aren't getting preferential treatment.

I think it's mental to spend this much and not end up with a team capable of winning the title. But here we are. They've decided to spend big on a load of young talent knowing that they will need to time and guidance to fulfil their potential.

 

[mancboy]

I didn't take it as a dig, don't worry :) I was trying to clarify the difference between what people think should be the expectations and the expectations people actually have and I think the fact that we aren't considered title challengers has been criticised roundly almost on a daily basis, so you can rest easy knowing that we aren't getting preferential treatment.

I think it's mental to spend this much and not end up with a team capable of winning the title. But here we are. They've decided to spend big on a load of young talent knowing that they will need to time and guidance to fulfil their potential.

unfortunately time is one thing that premier league does not afford you, i would love to see city give some of their younger players a chance but because of the media and the need for it to be fed, every negative result is a disaster and every p0or performance is analysed in minute detail, to the extent where young players are routinely crushed, its a bold statement and will be interesting to see if it works

 

[Vialli98]

unfortunately time is one thing that premier league does not afford you, i would love to see city give some of their younger players a chance but because of the media and the need for it to be fed, every negative result is a disaster and every p0or performance is analysed in minute detail, to the extent where young players are routinely crushed, its a bold statement and will be interesting to see if it works

I think if City didn't have KDB, Haaland, Rodri, Walker, Dias, Edersen etc maybe you'd get a bit of leeway when there's a bad result or some iffy form but those are among the best players in the world in their positions being coached by the undisputed best coach in the world, so I guess the expectations match that. If City suddenly overhauled their squad after Pep left, sold all their big names and filled it with young players who are very talented but have achieved nothing yet I'd bet the expectations would be similar to what we're seeing with Chelsea now.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

Absolutely no way are these finishing top 4. They'll be lucky to finish in the top half. This young team are going to be on the wrong end of some right cricket scores if yesterday's anything to go by.

 

[mancboy]

I think if City didn't have KDB, Haaland, Rodri, Walker, Dias, Edersen etc maybe you'd get a bit of leeway when there's a bad result or some iffy form but those are among the best players in the world in their positions being coached by the undisputed best coach in the world, so I guess the expectations match that. If City suddenly overhauled their squad after Pep left, sold all their big names and filled it with young players who are very talented but have achieved nothing yet I'd bet the expectations would be similar to what we're seeing with Chelsea now.

and i would put money that they absolutely wouldnt be

 

[Vialli98]

and i would put money that they absolutely wouldnt be

I honestly think it would be.

 

[Oddchild]

I am struggling to understand how spending a billion pounds has actually made them worse. I mean how is that even possible. Who is running the club

It's staggering. I'm too busy to do it right now but I'd love to see the Chelsea first choice team when he arrived compared to yesterday. I can't imagine how any sane person with even a smidgeon of football knowledge could have done worse for $1B??!

 

[Vialli98]

Absolutely no way are these finishing top 4. They'll be lucky to finish in the top half. This young team are going to be on the wrong end of some right cricket scores if yesterday's anything to go by.

West Ham sucked punched us. It was honestly a very good performance until Enzo missed the pen. We battered them until that point and should have been winning comfortably. Antonio always has a random R9 moment against us, which is so frustrating but when that went in, heads dropped. We barely created anything after that and we gave a few silly chance through our own errors. I think if we put the same performance in 10 times vs West Ham we win 8 or 9 of them.

 

[waspish]

Absolutely no way are these finishing top 4. They'll be lucky to finish in the top half. This young team are going to be on the wrong end of some right cricket scores if yesterday's anything to go by.

5th

 

[HumbledGooner]

Boehly is too involved. I also think he is the driving force behind buying certain players rather than the manager or scouting department. Way too much player movement. Its almost like he is addicted to the rush of player trading.

I also dont think Poch has enough control. You dont want to give the manager the keys to the kingdom because they can often think short term relative to their own tenure to the club and give little regard to how the club will do once they leave. However I dont think Poch would feel comfortable enough going to Todd and picking one expensive Chelsea player and say this guy isnt it & is a drag on moral, he needs to go ASAP. Like Arteta did with our most expensive player at the time Pepe, and then best player and captain Aubameyang - froze both out and management backed him. Could Poch do that to Mudryk if Mudryk keeps flattering to deceive on the pitch, and continues to behave like a washed up backstreet boy doing weird shit in public all the time.

If a football mockumentry in the style of the office was ever made, the owner of the club would be a caricature Boehly type figure. Sitting in on team meetings and offering his tactics on offense and defence while a frustrated Mauricio looks dead pan into the camera after he is told a new quarter back has been signed.

8th

 

[Vialli98]

Boehly is too involved. I also think he is the driving force behind buying certain players rather than the manager or scouting department. Way too much player movement. Its almost like he is addicted to the rush of player trading.

I also dont think Poch has enough control. You dont want to give the manager the keys to the kingdom because they can often think short term relative to their own tenure to the club and give little regard to how the club will do once they leave. However I dont think Poch would feel comfortable enough going to Todd and picking one expensive Chelsea player and say this guy isnt it & is a drag on moral, he needs to go ASAP. Like Arteta did with our most expensive player at the time Pepe, and then best player and captain Aubameyang - froze both out and management backed him. Could Poch do that to Mudryk if Mudryk keeps flattering to deceive on the pitch, and continues to behave like a washed up backstreet boy doing weird shit in public all the time.

If a football mockumentry in the style of the office was ever made, the owner of the club would be a caricature Boehly type figure. Sitting in on team meetings and offering his tactics on offense and defence while a frustrated Mauricio looks dead pan into the camera after he is told a new quarter back has been signed.

8th

The bolded part is I guess speculation based on the fact that Boehly gets mentioned everywhere and he's the guy everyone focuses on but other than stepping in to close a complicated deal, it's the two sporting directors who are the driving forces behind all the deals. I've mentioned this before in this thread but Boehly's heavy involvement in transfers ended around World Cup, so we've now had 2 windows without him running things but we still see people just blindly saying what you just said.

As for the rest, none of us know the relationship Poch has with the board. But Mudryk has yet to start a game for Poch. When Nkunku was injured, everyone assumed Mudryk would be guaranteed to start but it's Chuku, a teenager, who has kept him out of the team, so maybe you don't know what you're talking about?


I think the narrative around Boehly has taken on a life of it's own. When people regurgitate internet memes about Boehly and the Chelsea structure in a serious, it's a good sign to ignore everything else they said :)

 

[mac]

Chelsea get so much leeway it's unbelievable. I for one cannot see them challenging this or next Yr. You have paid way over the odds for average players . Potential is a clever word which you American owners have fallen for. There is only one player from Chelsea I would have.

 

[Vialli98]

And like us, it took him a full year to settle into a new club.

He is still a top quality, dangerous player.

It would have potentially have been a great partnership with Haaland

I was actually really impressed with his chemistry with Jackson yesterday. I hadn’t seen this spark in preseason, so it was a pleasant surprise.

 

[Vialli98]

Chelsea get so much leeway it's unbelievable. I for one cannot see them challenging this or next Yr. You have paid way over the odds for average players . Potential is a clever word which you American owners have fallen for. There is only one player from Chelsea I would have.

Well that’s like saying Palmer or Lewis are bang average. Well they’re a young players with potential. Saying they’re average right now is pointless when clearly the idea is that Pep will help develop them and very soon, with Pep’s coaching, they’ll be a very good players.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

 

[KS55]

The bolded part is I guess speculation based on the fact that Boehly gets mentioned everywhere and he's the guy everyone focuses on but other than stepping in to close a complicated deal, it's the two sporting directors who are the driving forces behind all the deals. I've mentioned this before in this thread but Boehly's heavy involvement in transfers ended around World Cup, so we've now had 2 windows without him running things but we still see people just blindly saying what you just said.

As for the rest, none of us know the relationship Poch has with the board. But Mudryk has yet to start a game for Poch. When Nkunku was injured, everyone assumed Mudryk would be guaranteed to start but it's Chuku, a teenager, who has kept him out of the team, so maybe you don't know what you're talking about?


I think the narrative around Boehly has taken on a life of it's own. When people regurgitate internet memes about Boehly and the Chelsea structure in a serious, it's a good sign to ignore everything else they said :)

When they appointed the sporting directors Boehly said he was stepping back. I assume that has happened. My worry would be why 2 sporting directors? 99 times out of 100 such sharing of responsibility ends in tears.

 

[Vialli98]

When they appointed the sporting directors Boehly said he was stepping back. I assume that has happened. My worry would be why 2 sporting directors? 99 times out of 100 such sharing of responsibility ends in tears.

I think there's a separation of duties somewhere along the lines. I'm not sure where though. It's just something I've read somewhere, that they don't follow each other around all day, stuck at the hip, taking every meeting together. Who knows though? Would love to get an insight into the structure.

 

[Sir peace frog]

personally didnt see a lot wrong with chelsea that a little bit of time and confidence would make, they have the makings of a very good squad when they get used to playing a certain style and get to know each others strengths and weaknesses , thought the first half they dominated, a lack of spirit saw them drop a level after the penalty miss,but spirit will come when they all get to know each other and the manager, thought raheem looked excellent yesterday.

i think what chelsea need to do is take a breathe for a window or two, let things settle down, let the players build relationships with each other, i can see them getting stronger over the season, and being a danger next season.