Chelsea 2017/18 thread - FA Cup Champs, League chumps
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
AshfordLad seems to have anger man
Loved how you are nit-picking now. Training rift and bust-up among team-mates big deal.
Thanks for the contracto
So Conte is unwilling to extend the contract. Wonder what that says about the state of the relationship he has with the board. Does not look like its going to end well.
Just pointing out the fact that Lukaku isn't this angelic team first player that was implied, be interesting to gauge his reaction if/when Ibra returns, although his price tag would probably save him being dropped even if Zlatan is outperforming him (a bit like how he never got dropped in his first permanent season at Everton despite Eto'o playing better for a while).
Liverpool have just arrived in Hong Kong.
Contract length means even less with managers. The only thing to derive from that new contract is an explicit commitment from Conte to Chelsea. It means that he is on board for the new seasons which allows to conclude that the club somehow satisfied his demands. It wouldn't look good if no contract was signed. But this way I wouldn't worry about it.
Chelsea need another set of wing backs and a new forward though. And the market isn't exactly looking great in that regard. I thought Ake looked decent when he played, could've been the cover for LCB and LWB. Maybe he didn't want a back up role.
Seems like face saving to me. Chelsea were always looking to extend but at lesst it means he is hear for the season.
Chelsea's preseason tour squad: http://www.chelseafc.com/news/lates...ere-we-come.html?extcmp=SOCIA_TW_ENG_ARTICLES
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Willy Caballero, Eduardo, Marcin Bulka
Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Andreas Christensen, Tomas Kalas, Jake Clarke-Salter, Fikayo Tomori, Marcos Alonso, Victor Moses
Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Mario Pasalic, Lewis Baker, Kyle Scott, Pedro, Willian, Kenedy, Charly Musonda Jr, Jeremie Boga
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi, Loic Remy.
25 players, 4 goalkeepers, 10 youngsters.
No Matic (probably about to join Juve), Bakayoko (injured until September), Hazard (same), Rudiger (probably going to join up later), Costa (bridges burned) or Zouma (going to Stoke on loan)
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois, Willy Caballero, Eduardo, Marcin Bulka
Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Andreas Christensen, Tomas Kalas, Jake Clarke-Salter, Fikayo Tomori, Marcos Alonso, Victor Moses
Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Mario Pasalic, Lewis Baker, Kyle Scott, Pedro, Willian, Kenedy, Charly Musonda Jr, Jeremie Boga
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi, Loic Remy.
25 players, 4 goalkeepers, 10 youngsters.
No Matic (probably about to join Juve), Bakayoko (injured until September), Hazard (same), Rudiger (probably going to join up later), Costa (bridges burned) or Zouma (going to Stoke on loan)
So Conte just improved his contract, right?
Yeah higher pay, good for us though because unlikely he would've signed anything unless he's been promised more transfer activity. I reckon part of it is Conte wants to see how it develops under him and how much we back it, if next season goes according to plan I would expect him to commit long term.
He's contracted for another 2 years, what would more really mean? When was the last time we had a manager for more than 3 years anyway?
Has it ended well for any Chelsea manager ever??
I know this hasn't been the best of summers for them, but I'm surprised to see us at shorter odds than Chelsea to win the league this season. In fact we're 2nd favourites for the title with bet365, behind City.
Better contract is fully deserved imho with the new superstar coach status, proven both domestically and abroad at league level. He now needs stepping up his game at short tournaments though and rely on individual quality more than unit organisation. No extension means no comfort zone so it's good imho, the marriage will be strictly based on achievements.
Talks of us losing Danilo to city which if so whilst a blow would be okay as their are other options we can explore, Morata more importantly though! Definitely something to be excited about, feel out of all strikers available he fits our style the best and more importantly has a lot of respect for Conte.
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You were favorites with just about every betting firm last pre-season ! Larger fanbase equals more people putting down their dough = bookies shortening odds on United.
Like Rafa said, bookies odds are related to where punters are putting their money. Taking into account that Chelsea currently don't have an established striker, one of their midfielders is leaving, another one is injured until September and so is their star player and it isn't surprising not many are betting on Chelsea at the moment. Their squad is looking thin.
I think Conte must have been on the verge or walking hence the new big money pay rise.
He's obviously still unsure though given he's not extended the length.
Really odd. As mentioned I don't see this going well.
He's obviously still unsure though given he's not extended the length.
Really odd. As mentioned I don't see this going well.
An extension would mean his confidence in the board. Its true that longer contract does not mean things will go well but a lack of extension does mean that things right now are not well.
The manager walking away when the club wants him would be a first.
I personally wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over missing out on Danilo at the reported price; he's a thoroughly average player. I'm much more keen on Toljan or Aurier personally.
Some of the Chelsea fans 
Prepared videos to prove Morata is shit when ManUtd were favorites to sign him.
Prepared videos to prove Morata is shit when ManUtd were favorites to sign him.
I can understand that sentiment, as Danilo definitely disappointed at Real, but I still think he's better than this fact suggests. At the same time I often miss perspective when it comes to the performance level of players who failed at that club (same goes for James, although he didn't really disappoint imo). The question in a comparison would have to be: How would Jeremy Toljan have fared at Real last season? Or the next? My bet is that - at least in the upcoming season - Danilo would play at a significantly higher level for Chelsea (or Real) than Toljan, who I don't think is ready for a top club yet.
Imo, Toljan (provided he makes a big leap) would be a better choice to replace Moses/Alonso in 1-2 years, entering the competition with two more established wingbacks as a backup.
Yeah, I think Danilo isn't as awful as he seemed at times at Real and he'd be an upgrade over Moses, but I just don't think he'd be worth €35m. I'd rather go for Toljan for significantly less than that and go through growing pains; perhaps we'd be marginally worse this season but I don't actually think by that much. It'd limit our options to use a back 4 but I don't think Toljan would be significantly worse as a RWB to be honest. Especially given that he's out of contract next year, I'd say there's so much surplus value in pushing for him now than later when he'd cost potentially 3-4 times as much.
I think Moratta will be a good player for them and he will probably notch up a decent tally. Obviously I hope he flops but I'm wondering if Real have a vested interest in this deal as they have previously flirted with Eden Hazard in the past. I wonder if this deal could pave the way for Hazard going to Madrid next season, I think it is more likely with Ronaldo coming to the end of his tenure at Madrid.
Also Madrid should buy Courtois and feck off trying to buy De Gea
Also Madrid should buy Courtois and feck off trying to buy De Gea
If this happened (and knowing how Chelsea worked lately), I'd expect him to become part of the loan army at first. To me, Toljan still needs perhaps two seasons of steep development before he might be at the level Conte expects. He has a lot of potential, and I have hopes for him to become a special player, but he's still in the process of fully establishing himself at Hoffenheim after all. I think the best option for him would be a renewal, or at least seeing out his contract.
Some of the Chelsea fans
Prepared videos to prove Morata is shit when ManUtd were favorites to sign him.
if trueYeah, I could see that. I guess I sort of buried the lede with my original post-I'd really prefer Aurier at this point of the two on the right side, and Mendy on the left (if the Sandro deal is as dead as it would appear).
We are only just getting rid of one lunatic in Costa and you want him ably replaced? Honestly I would play any of Moses, Azpi, Willian, Pedro in that role than risk having Aurier. I hope his conviction is upheld and he does not get permission to work in the UK.
That's fair enough, he's certainly unsavoury. You'd have to evaluate him carefully to see if he's matured enough, though I'd back Conte to not tolerate any nonsense.
Yes. Conte will likely tell him to get fecked after the first training session.
We should have picked up Semedo when he was available or atleast made barca's life tough anyway. Right now though Danilo is the best bet available in my opinion.
Yeah I've been banging on about Semedo for a while, I'm gutted personally he went relatively easily. Danilo seems done to City. Not sure what other options there are really-maybe you could do something unconventional like try to get Renato Sanches? He's played as a shuttler on the right in the past for Benfica; whether he could be drilled to play RWB is a major question mark. If Conte can get Moses to do it then there's no reason to think he couldn't do the same with Sanches though...
Rudiger, Bakayoko, Morata. Solid transfers, all young players with their best years ahead of them. The window has went well and it's not even August.
I think we'll finish atleast top 2 next season with the current squad.
I'm not sure who else we need, maybe a full back that could play both left and right and maybe a winger/attacking mid.
I think we'll finish atleast top 2 next season with the current squad.
I'm not sure who else we need, maybe a full back that could play both left and right and maybe a winger/attacking mid.
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a Right Winger?
Rudiger and Morata weren't first choices. And Bakayoko right now is not an upgrade on Matic. Not been a good window so far.
I suppose we do need to replace Terry.
We need either depth or upgrades at both wing backs as well as another body in CM. Another forward, too.
I don't think we're near finished yet in the market.
I really like the look of Mario Pasalic.
He looked pretty solid on his loan at Milan last season and he's currently in the pre season squad. I was hoping he'd stay but there's talk that he's leaving. He's in the preseasons squad and traveling, I hope he impresses Conte, he could be a useful midfielder for the future.
We could just fill the midfield and forward numbers with the reserve players, for squad depth. I think Lewis Baker and Musonda will both stay.