The Artful Dodger

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.

You're just throwing out random numbers now, which you know has no basis on reality and cannot be proven. I don't care about what anyone else said, I'm talking about what is the truth. This Chelsea side was well capable of top 4, this is something I've said right through, you are not in a weak position and you have in no way overachieved in what you've done. I have watched Tammy Abraham very frequently, he is just not good enough, no matter the stats and I said that right from the off too. If you're saying he's 'ala Welbeck' I'd suggest you know I'm right deep down. One of Lampard's good moves so far is realising he's awful, swapping him for Giroud and ultimately bringing in Werner. I'm not sure why anyone would need to 'save face' on an internet forum. You're trying to say you've had a successful season, I disagree, your standards have been lowered because Lampard is a club icon and that's understandable, we all want a romantic story. But to say nobody thought you'd do so well is absolute nonsense, you've a better squad than any of the teams that finished behind you and I'd argue as good if not better than Manchester United's. You haven't overachieved in any sense.

I'm not sure Abraham or Mount have been the raging successes you think they have, Abraham is very clearly not good enough and will surely be moved on in the near future. The jury is still out on Mount but given people were saying he should start for England at the start of this season, I'd say you've come back to down to earth. This transfer ban excuse is hilarious, you bought Pulisic for 60 million. Contrast to Liverpool who bought nobody, what is Lampard's 'achievement' exactly? No other Chelsea coach would be getting the excuses he gets. Look at how you treated Sarri. None of this is hindsight, at the beginning of the season I said Chelsea fans were crying it in about this season just to give Lampard some space. You didn't have it tough, you haven't fought against the tide. You've had a very average season.

Pulisic looks pretty special to me, maybe not peak hazard yet but not too far off. Next year is massive for Lampard, he’s been given a free pass this year.

This isn't some pub team he inherited, they were third last season and got a cup final. The rest of the teams around them have gotten worse mainly. They've haemorrhaged goals all season and he's shown no aptitude to sort it out. Don't get me wrong he doesn't deserve to be sacked but another manager would be getting pelters off the press for a pretty poor league campaign overall. He's one of them though, he's as establishment England as you get.

Lampard has had barely any criticism at all from any of the press either, public school boy, Tory voting prick just like most of the media. Loathe the man.

We're supposed to be going to Greece in September, originally it was for June but I moved it when we had the opportunity. Greece seems to be coping with it fairly well and the hotel is reopening in August so I'm hopeful it will go ahead. I'll definitely go unless they cancel it, cost an absolute fortune and even at the time I knew it was silly money, serves me right really.

Guardiola appears on the precipice of a breakdown over Liverpool. I remember when he had a meltdown and ran away from Barcelona because of Mourinho, I forgave him because Barcelona is seriously high pressure and Mourinho is one of the most obnoxious personalities going but it seems he just gets a bit upset about being beaten. At least he's staying this time.

There probably is a big club factor, especially among writers (the more informed) clubs like Manchester City/Chelsea are still not considered particularly big and Liverpool/Manchester United instantly command more attention. It's only really on twitter/instagram that these clubs are considered 'elite'. A shame but then again it does counteract the deluge of shite you get from 'MCFCloyal' types on twitter who don't know who Mike Sumberbee is.

I think Henderson has won it because of the story, he's constantly doubted (i'm one of the doubters) and disregarded. This season he has shone and there is something appealing to the limited ability but hard work wins the day story.

Henderson gets Writers Player of the Year. Don't think I agree, think he's winning it for romantic reasons rather than his quality.

So Fabinho got in at 4am. Respectable I suppose but I hope there was an after party somewhere and the rest got on it till midday the next day, when you suddenly get that depressed feeling and contemplate your whole life.

Arsenal football club...didn’t sell out a final. Embarrassing. Don’t have the hardcore fanbase of real big clubs.

Remember when Arsenal moaned about their European final allocation and then didn’t sell it out...Celtic and Rangers are both bigger clubs.

Seriously worried about Everton. Ancelotti has proven rather unimaginative in how he sets his team up. Pickford must go, sigurrdson must go and Calvert Lewin is appalling.

I have said many inexcusable and silly things but that is not one I regret. The racism on the German national team thread was rife at the time and was widely ignore by our moderators. Until cannabis left racism was widely let go on here tbh. Well I apologise if you felt I was asking for violence but I sincerely was not. Football and politics are interlinked IMO but anyway that’s a different debate. We clearly come from different walks of life but I would encourage you take a more critical view of your own government from time to times.

The essence is exactly the same.

I'm flattered you remember that. If you actually recall what happened on that thread blatant racism from German members was being completely ignored by moderators on the forum, the hypocrisy I exposed was clear for all to see. You lie again, stop constantly trying to be a victim. I said, as I highlighted again, that it would be funny to see you on the Kop with your views. Nothing about violence, I think you'd realise that football is not just entertainment and you are totally at odds with the city you have piggybacked on.

I'm not sure if that's aimed at me or not but I certainly don't wish to be see anyone beaten up. I remarked that I find it bizarre that someone like you could piggyback on Liverpool when you are almost the opposite of what their fanbase have come to stand for. I understand as a glory hunter you care not one jot and see it as just entertainment value, but it is an odd juxtaposition. Unlike yourself I will criticise anything and anyone who is deserving of it, I like to read from a wide range of sources. You seem to be the lackey of your government, supporting it in whatever it does. This is not the sign of a free mind.

Yes, religious bigotry and hatred is not just confined to fascism, it's popular in many different ideologies.

Wonder who they voted for

Worth noting how this will possibly expose our fragile economy and the brink of poverty that a lot of people live on. Gig economy workers simply cannot afford to 'quarantine' themselves, I hope it doesn't get this far but people are going to risk working and infecting others because they cannot afford not to.

Italy have proper fucked things up here, like the David Luiz of Europe.