The Artful Dodger

I hope it happens now, I'd like to see Messi play in England/Italy. Barcelona need to build something else too, I love Messi but all this 'Messi is Barcelona' stuff is just weird, you need to build the football club again.

Deaths have been below average for some time now, there has been no corresponding increase in deaths following rises in infections either. Talk of more lockdowns is just absolute madness, people don't realise how bad this going to be soon.

Exactly this. Guardiola is still the best coach in the world for my money. He did balls it up last night though.

Is there anyone more loathsome than Michael Gove? Why can't the provos come back and do some good.

I like London but it's full of Toffs and it's ugly compared to Paris. France is just a lot nicer than England, even the way they speak sounds nice and that is very rare.

I'm surpsrised we're not already banned from France. France is just a better place than England, better food, better language, better girls, better cities. London is a dog compared to Paris. And what's next Birmingham or Manchester compared to Lyon?

I'm not sure where to put this, but we're currently undergoing a huge scandal in terms of the UK education. Obviously A-Levels are disrupted, so instead of working out some way of testing the kids so it's worked out on merit they are awarding them based on various factors, and crucially, one of the main ones is how well your school has historically done. This is an absolute disgrace which is going to fundamentally favour the wealthy and public schools. If you go to Endeavour in Hull you'll be downgraded, if you go to Tory Boy High in Hapley on the Wold you'll be handed good grades. It's a scam, these people are being betrayed.

I know 31 is considered old in football terms, but for his style of play it really isn't. He could have another 3-4 seasons playing at a good level somewhere, just look at Silva going to a decent Italian club. Such a shame really, feels like he's wasted his talent.

I'm sure there are issues but it is quite funny, in a dark sort of way, how desperately the West are hoping for this vaccine to fail. Rather a raging pandemic than any sort of prestige for Russia.

Russia saving the world, it's all so 1943.

At times of crisis like these, then yes, people who can amply afford to pay staff should do. If they don't they are then passing on the buck to me and you. This is the whole rotten core of our economic model, it works if those with big money will take some of the strain at times of greatest need, but they won't. They'll pass it on to me and you, further indebting the country. I'd hope to see some sort of outrage from Arsenal supporters and their unions like what Liverpool and Spurs did, they managed to change their club's minds.

You're owned by a billionaire, Arsenal using poverty as some sort of excuse is horrific.

Really like the look of this Pakistan side, a hell of a lot of quality there and youth. Imagine having top class Indian and Pakistan test sides at the same time, would do wonders for the game.

The islands are the best place to be because you can control travel so easily. My uncle, who has no spleen so is vulnerable, moved the Isle of Harris shortly before lockdown. Incredible fortune really. Now the challenge is getting him ever to leave there.

Not sure. I'd imagine high rates of poverty, obesity and other unhealthy habits will be a big factor. Parts of Liverpool, Manchester and Blackpool are among the most deprived in the country and the life expectancy matches. The cities are very densely populated too. The rates are declining though, talks of second waves are a bit unhelpful, there will naturally be spikes but these seem far more containable and we are not seeing the resulting deaths yet.

You've got to get things in perspective. Caution is necessary and we should all work together to make sure we prevent the most vulnerable people suffering (which is where the UK has failed so appallingly, we in fact managed to spread the disease to care homes very early on) and that includes things like the wearing of masks for the time being. Even if it's only to help people going about their business feel more comfortable. The libertarian lunatics are no help whatsoever. On the other hand, this is not the Black Death. The more young, healthy people hide away then the longer this goes on for. Human beings have lived and thrived through far, far worse than this and I do think we may regret some of the reactions to this in the long term. Being alive is a risk, diseases will come and go but society cannot be shut down indefinitely. In terms of a vaccine, I'm doubtful there will ever be one. It is very closely related to the Cold and they have been unable to get one for that. More likely it will exist among us forever, but in a mild version for the vast majority of people. I am certainly already trying to live as normal life as possible, going to the pub, seeing people, whilst observing the distancing rules. There is something quite admirable but at the same hubristic about the confidence people have that we can even hope to control things like disease, human beings will always be at the whim of nature and I think we sometimes forget that.

Did anyone actually turn up? I can't imagine a Paul Scholes party being very exciting.

There has been an uptick in cases in Europe but most importantly hospitals are not seeing a corresponding uptick in patients. There is a lag but given this has been the case for a week I'd suggest either the people contracting the disease are younger/healthier or the disease is simply milder, like all corona viruses to flourish it must not incapacitate or kill the host. This local lockdown in parts of the North is a farce, pubs/hotels are still open but you can't pop round to see your family?

The usual baying mob at Chelsea who'd hounded out another decent manager after one season, rumours of squad unrest and the loss of Hazard. This is why I thought a title shot was out of the question, never did I think you'd be struggling to finish above those you did this season. On paper you're a top 4 side. In fairness to Lampard he seems to have absorbed the Hazard loss well, you've been pretty impressive going forward at times and Pulisic, after a slow start, seems to have bedded in brilliantly (what you get for 60million). It's the defence that needs fixing and it seemed to be getting worse as the season went on, which is worrying from a coaching perspective. I'm sure Lampard won't be sitting back and admiring his work this season, he knows there's a lot to improve on and that 66 points, 12 losses and 56 goals against would not normally be rewarded with Champions League football.

This is very weak stuff. I made no prediction on what Chelsea were capable of, of course it was difficult circumstances, Chelsea is always difficult circumstances for any manager. Even your most successful manager is mocked and derided by the likes of you nowadays, you get no time and the slightest hint of a decline and the axe comes out. I thought a title bid would be stretching it, but sorry 4th place with 12 losses is not a big achievement given the talent in that squad.

Exactly. Lampard has ultimately got in the top 4 and can win a cup, it's not dreadful by any means. It's just this 'plucky Chelsea against the odds' narrative I disagree with. It's a superb squad brimming with talent, it's ludicrous to suggest pipping Leicester is some sort of marvellous achievement.

You keep saying this meaningless 'hindsight bias', repeating something doesn't make it any less nonsensical. 'Practically 98%', more random numbers that you can't prove etc. What did I say would be difficult? I made no prediction on what Chelsea could or couldn't do, I said it's a difficult job. As Chelsea is for anybody because of the pressure and expectation, if you're not successful quickly you'll be out. Clearly that tallies with what I'm now saying, you have lowered your standards because of who is the manager, if Sarri had had this season there would be a lot more questions being asked. Your squad is full of talented players, it should be finishing top 4. Making out this season has been some feat for ages is just a little bewildering.

People put too much stock in these individual awards, as Spike says, I think the league title is reward enough. It's funny how wound up Manchester City get about it though.

Stop going on about this supposed transfer ban, you signed a 60 million player in the January to circumvent it. The way you go on about it you'd think it's some rags to riches tale. Your squad is better than any you finished above and managed to lose a massive12 games (the same as that disaster year under Mourinho). I'm not having this has been some great season, the standards have definitely lowered. Any other Chelsea manager would be getting some serious stick right now. Let's hope for your sake that this year has been preparing the groundwork for a title challenge next year, that's the minimum I'd expect with the spending you've done already.

Trailed through all my posts for that haha. Not really the gotcha you were hoping for. I state it's a risky job because it is, Chelsea is demanding. Nowhere do I say Lampard will do well to get 4th. I thought Lampard might work and he still might, but he's worked less well than I thought he would. I thought you should have been comfortably top 4 and not losing 12, that's right 12, games in one season. That post by me actually highlights the opposite of what you're trying to prove, I'm trying to say give him a go because he could be the unifying force you need and push you onto good things. Ergo, I think the squad has the ability to do good things under the right manager. Is Lampard that man? The jury is still out but this season isn't this great success you seem to be making out it is. Welbeck is a dreadful player, rightfully discarded by Manchester United after they got over the 'he came through our youth so he must be good blindness'. He will he plying his trade in the Championship next year, if that's the bar you set then no wonder you're happy with Abraham. For context, Conte was hounded out of the club for finish with 4 more points than Lampard and winning the cup. Now Lampard may well go on to do that but I'm just objecting to this idea this season has been a great success when by Chelsea's very own standards it has not been. You have lowered these expectations for sentimental reasons, don't get me wrong, I think all clubs do the same with legend, Liverpool had that bizarre affair with a washed up Dalglish for instance but it's best to look at things with a critical eye rather than an adoring one. Your squad is better than all those you finished above and arguably the team above you. At the most you can say Lampard has achieved par.