Chelsea losing their strength in depth as well as having to integrate numerous new players into the first team ? Doesn't bode well for a full 4 competition season ?
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.
I maintain it's been an odd Summer from Chelsea.
Not really sure what their plan is. They seem to have a very small squad.
Not really sure what their plan is. They seem to have a very small squad.
I'm sure they'll buy at least 2 players for depth.
Gist of it is 5 out (Costa, Oscar, Begovic, Matic, Terry) and 5 in (Morata, Rudiger, Caballero, Bakayoko, Christensen)Chelsea losing their strength in depth as well as having to integrate numerous new players into the first team ? Doesn't bode well for a full 4 competition season ?
Its looking likely that the club will land one out of Barkley or Oxlade-Chamberlain and possibly another wing back.
The squad strength if fine, its the quality of the first 11 that has gone down with Costa leaving.
Yet like Liverpool you had a restricted program last season .. at least 8 CL matches on top this and most of your players weren't rotated last. YOu need more depth (yes of course 1 month to go in the window).
That is correct but several players (even those on the fringes) can play multiple positions. I am not worried about depth as much as the quality of the players.
I know Kante covers a lot of ground, but not enough to cover up Fabregas' deficiencies 
Kyle Scott making the bench! USA!
Kyle Scott making the bench! USA!3, 2, 1...Conte: "I fecking need more players".
"I didnt want to sell Matic!"
But isnt most of your squad, outside the starting 11, made up of reserve players?
I think guys like Oxlade Chamberlain & Michael Antonio would be good wingbacks for them.
Chelsea look a weaker side since January with things getting worse with Costa and Matic. Title will be between us and City. On attacking quality I'd have City favourites.
They will.miss.matic. kante looked very less kante ish today. Costa will also be missed, lukaku would have made them more lethal but now their first 11 look weak in comparison to last season.
If I was a betting man, i'd put some money on Conte not finishing the season with Chelsea. Not saying that based on the CS today, but the general impression you get from him whenever transfers are discussed.
He seems like he didn't get his first choice striker and he didn't get to increase the numbers in his squad the way he wanted to. They need options for wingbacks. He got another midfielder but then sold one he already had and relied on. I guess he did get to add Rudiger but that was Terry's replacement.
With more games this season and the same size squad, and a serious lack of options at wing back, they're going to have some issues.
He seems like he didn't get his first choice striker and he didn't get to increase the numbers in his squad the way he wanted to. They need options for wingbacks. He got another midfielder but then sold one he already had and relied on. I guess he did get to add Rudiger but that was Terry's replacement.
With more games this season and the same size squad, and a serious lack of options at wing back, they're going to have some issues.
We have to show that we're not a joke in attack before we're close to being favourites. It's hardly as though he magin between us and Chelsea was that slim. We could be in with a shout but we have to prove that we've changed.
Could have a very similar season to Jose's last season with Chelsea.
Does feel a bit like his tenure there is doomed. Great first season, but the constant fallouts make me think that once he has a difficult patch, he won't last for long.
That game had actually set my mind at rest. Despite no Hazard and Bakayoko we were actually strong. Looking forward to the season now.
So Chelsea will avoid the Mourinho season, but instead they will invent the Conte season. A 12th placed finish should do it
The team needs another spark, surely Mahrez is worth a look as the deadline approaches.
They were missing 5 Kos, Mustafi, Ramsey, Ozil and Sanchez. We would have been battered if Arsenal were at full strength.
We need to sign 3-4 good quality players and by the looks of it the board has neither they money nor the inclination to do that.
They're very light in depth which not having European football last season helped. Now they're replacing position for position of their outgoings which is up for debate whether the replacement would be adequate, yet to add to squad depth.
Kante screening the back 4 is always a problem as Kante is not the care take of the back four but a robust destroyer pressing machine. Just as this game showed, that almost every Arsenal chance Kante either late not close enough in key moment. Bakayoko is similar in his style, and forcing him to play pure protecting role maybe the trouble.
Yeah, I am okay with it since we were able to compete. I am not dreaming of a title challenge though.
I'm not either, although I won't write it off until I see how well this City team clicks together. The smart money has to be on them though.
Funnily enough I am, I expect more signings before the window closes and also believe we will retain the title despite our rivals strengthening.
Chelsea is hosed. Roman is going to lose half his stack as he's now separated and heading to divorce son money isn't going to flow like it needs to ...
Looks like a repeat of 2015-2016. Hopefully Hazard can pull Chelsea to a top 4 finish.
Looks like a repeat of 2015-2016. Hopefully Hazard can pull Chelsea to a top 4 finish.
Didn't he divorce years ago?
Separation from his second wife. All over the newspaper today. Good grief this is a giant shambolic cluster F to be less than one week before the start of the season with 14 outfield players.
I can't see Conte sticking around and Chelsea will probably get stuck with the Spanish waiter again or even worse "the King".
I would be shocked if they're still in the title race come March or so, let alone win it.
But surely he was wise enough to have a prenup? Also, Chelsea would be able to spend some money regardless.
One or two injuries in midfield away from a mid table finish
Considering his net worth was over $23 billion in 2008 when he married her and it's now down to $9 billion, I'd be surprised if she was entitled to a significant amount in the billions.
Wont help if we end up with players like Djilobodji and Hector again. Even last year the likes of Alonso and Luiz were more likely than not to fail. Conte wont be able to pull us out of the ditch this time and it would be a struggle to make top4 ahead of Spurs and Liverpool.
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I'll be beyond shocked if you's even get close to retaining it. Very wishful thinking on your part.
I had them 2nd in the prediction thread, but I may have overestimated them.
Their squad is no better(arguably worse) than last season while being in the CL. No Costa and no Hazard for the start of the season.
I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make top 4.
Their squad is no better(arguably worse) than last season while being in the CL. No Costa and no Hazard for the start of the season.
I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make top 4.
I honestly dont think they will make Top 4. It will be both Manchester clubs fighting it out for the title, with Zlatan to come mid season and conquer England
Because obviously Russian oligarchs are really casual when it comes to marriage contracts..
Can see Conte resigning if they don't buy him the right players. He looks so pissed off these days.
Ever since Marina Granovskaia has gotten her position, the board has been missing targets left and right to make it CL worthy.
Why did they have such a selling spree? Now they have to sign players just for depth.
Ivanovic, Mikel, Oscar, Terry all needed to go. I believe Oscar was the only who's contract wasn't running out anyway. Chalobah came out and said the club were going to have him go out on loan and he was tired of that. Ake I wish we kept but people are saying there's a buy back clause. Matic looked done for 2 years.
I wish Mourinho kept his word about playing youth. Conte seems uninterested in even rotating the squad let alone playing youth.