The Liquidator

I am sure you have heard the breaking news over night... If true. This is a must watch for you mate. Neville, warts n all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OzggnN4OiM @Redcanuck

I think the bottom line with todays United is, they have performed extremely poorly in almost all of the transfer windows since Moyes was appointed. I am sure you remember what I said on the Pogba signing & as I have been telling you since that time, you do not have one defender who is good enough to be in a title winning starting 11 and none of them would be good enough for Jose. You only have to look at ALL the different selections he makes in those positions for proof of that. Jose is successful when all players buy into him 110%. Porto and Inter squads lived n died for him. When he came to Chelsea first time around he had a great young squad who had won nothing and they all bought into him. It's fair to say in both Madrid and Chelsea (2nd time) squads over time he had numbers who were not 100% into his style of management. At United I think its fair to say he again has players who are not into him, plus the current squad is bang average, which again highlights the very poor windows. Just as a matter of interest, if he was to leave, who would be your choice as permanent manager? @Redcanuck

Strange game last night. We found it very difficult to break down a very enthusiastic strong bodied side who looked every bit the kinda side tippy tap teams struggle to break down. I dont think I have been as disappointed in a substitution one of our many managers have called as I was when Hazard was introduced last night. For me it showed weakness in our current manager. If you are going to go into a game resting what you believe to be our key players, have a little more faith in them to get the result you desire. As much as Morata's reaction to his goal was moving, his latest run around his left foot in the first half yet again illuminates his uncomfortableness in front of goal. As long as he continues to favour his right foot, we will be shaking our heads as often as we have since he arrived, no matter how many tears he sheds.

Do you think he is doing this on purpose and do you find it strange Giggs n Neville are so open with the view United should stick by him, but their mate, Scholes, is sticking pins into his Jose doll every chance he gets? Who would have thought your 100M man, that statement your club felt they had to make according to Gary Rio ect would end up being the cancer in your dressing room?

@Redcanuck Is it time yet mate?

I was at the game and have watched full recordings of the game twice. This is a cut n paste of my posting elsewhere as I don’t have the time to re-do for this board. I agree with a few of the postings before me passing comment on Saturdays game. I never felt once during the game we would get more than a point out of the game and come the end we were VERY lucky to get a point. While Liverpool are much further along than us, of the two sides we have by far have the better upside to come. I don’t think Liverpool can get any better than they are with their current squad, where’s there is so much improvement to come for Chelsea. For that said, Liverpool are better than us and should have won the game. While the first half seemed to be a half of two carefree sides going for it, sitting watching the second half I felt it was no different than watching a Conte side as we allowed (There is a case to say they attacked at their free will) them to come onto us and we counter attacked. So much so we saw our manager use Moses for Willian to tighten the right hand side, then the mistake of bringing on Barkley, when a better choice would have been Zappacosta for Kovacic. Barkley is an attacking player and I lost count of the amount of times he became flustered on the ball in our half when pressed by the super fit Liverpool team. Also, in the second half both our full backs were not allowed to leave our CH’s. It was a ridged back four with Kante running around like a maniac infront of them doing the other two midfielders defending. I think the poor little feller was so tired come the equalizer, he was unable to close down Sturridge (who had given fair warning to our goalkeeper weds by hitting the bar from exactly the same part of the pitch) Granted we had enough chances to score a few in that second half, it was still less than Liverpool manufactured during the full game. 7OaksCFC is quite right, the Liverpool defence did seem a bit punchy, but they wont come up against Hazard every week and its to be seen how they fair over the season. There is a bit of the we will score more than you attitude about Klopps teams and its also to be seen if their players can keep up the outstanding workrate they produce each week. There is no doubt in my mind they are the second best team at this stage of the season. Our manager said after the game we are closer to them than he thought, hmmm ok. I think with a few tweaks to his starting line up we could continue to play in the system he is famed for, but be so much stronger. TheRealFatFrank points out how well Cesc played up at Anfield with more penetrating passes forward finding their targets than Jorginho has all season. While I agree he did play well, I don’t think he is mobile enough to play in a game against Liverpool. Maybe from the bench, but not to start. I believe Liverpools mobile players would have passed him as thou he wasn’t there (Afterall, they went past Jorginho & Kovacic as though there wernt there for most of the game). You are not alone ChelseaTotty in wondering why in the second half we didn’t hit our target man while he was still on the pitch? I think the manager became frustrated with him not being over mobile which allowed the two CH’s marking him to be first to what ball he did see. Morata was as poor for me when he came on, although he did hold the ball up a little better than he has previously this season. Many are talking up David Luiz performance in the game. For me he got away with murder over the 90 mins. Where was he when Rudiger ran behind our keeper to clear the ball off the line? Is it me or does he look far slower since we reverted to a 4 man backline? Obviously his distribution when on is wonderful, but I just feel if either Cahill or Christensen were more comfortable on their left side, they would both be better options as defenders. Alonso was terrible as an out n out defender. The way Salah shook him off before rounding the keeper was painful. There are plenty of other negative things I could list from the game, but I would rather finish off with some positives. Eden continues to be all we have dreamt him to be. He truly is playing at a even higher level than the seasons he was the main reason we won the league. I am desperately trying hard to not think he will sign a new contract to avoid disappointment, but there is a part of me that thinks he seems so happy, he might just stick around. Rudiger is proving to be our best signing for sometime. I am more n more impressed with his need to win everything. Id like him to be a little more sensible when up tight behind a player as he tends to give away silly free kicks, but there is no doubt whoever got him to the club needs a heavy slap on the back. I don’t agree with Robsmisfiringknob on Dave. I think Dave is still playing at a high level without Moses buffering everything that comes down that flank. Like MHEnd777 FrankieBoy & NewYorkBlue23 I am warming to the manager. There is tons I don’t agree with in how he picks his teams and I will continue to highlight these thoughts, but the guy is very calm infront of the cameras and tends to take the sting out of any probing questions. I along with many others watch all his interviews hoping to catch the question he answers without touching his Nose - Head. Could become a alcoholics dream drinking game!

Currently I don’t have the time to post here, however my amusement at reading the postings of the last few days I cant allow them to pass without short comment. Jorginho I have been flagging up since the pre season and for the last few weeks others are seeing him for what he is. I believe he is a modern day Ray Wilkins for Manchester United, short passing sideways n backwards no more than 10 yards at a time, with the ball passed straight back to him for him to fucking do exactly the same again. Many saying, including the manager we were too slow with the ball. That’s BECAUSE FUCKING JORGINHO takes 6 passes to do what it takes a decent player only one. As I said, no time to post here so Goalie Luiz Kovacic Morata ect escape having their constant faults listed, but I cant go without flagging up a major reason why we never for one minute looked like we were going to get all three points Sunday. The Manager. I was warned he is a one trick pony and true to form this weekend he didn’t do anything to help the team find a way to break down a well drilled West Ham. It seems when he hasn’t got one or other of Pedro n Willian to replace each other, he has very little ideas of whats needed. The bloke who can no longer run who was sitting on the bench was the ideal game breaker for that game, but didn’t get the shout. Hazard was switched wings when he should have been pushed alongside Giroud much earlier in the game. Kante is being wasted out of position which weakens us as a attacking threat as well as us losing what he is the best at in the world. To his credit, he has agreed the defence must improve. Being Italian, that should be fucking easy for him. Slowly the penny is dropping with everyone, over a month behind me.

I was at the game & have watched numerous highlight packages since the game. Not sure the boy has got the credit for his performance on Saturday. Callum Wilson was as hot as Mustard during the first half, ripping David Luiz a new one and terrorizing our back four with his pace. He should have scored and we should be thankful he didnt and for manager Eddie Howe's decision to move him up against Alonso after he had got booked. That gave Luiz some relief until half time. Come the 2nd half Wilson wasnt as effective, but still managed to get Kante booked who waas covering for the two invisible other midfielders caught upfield again . Before we move onto our forward play I want to highlight one of the times Luiz lost the ball causing keystone kop running back defending. The ball ended up between the positions of Luiz and Alonso, the chase starting around the half way line. Kante ran from the right side, passing Jorginho who looked like he was running in sand, before blocking the attack. Kovacic nowhere to be seen. Better teams will have a field day, pretty much like the Arsenal 20 mins, if we dont tighten up. For all the pretty play of Kovacic & Jorginho, we get very few clear chances from either player. It's the partnership of Hazard & Alonso which produces the clear chances, something which is now being pointed out by a few pundits, a couple of weeks behind me. For me we can do with just the one from the start, moving Kante to the middle as he is at a huge disadvantage starting on the right n using one of our more powerful midfielders to support the woeful CF. During the first half it was obvious to everyone how our attacks failed from midfield to CF. If teams are going to continue to set up 5 4 1 against us, then we need to think carefully how we can get the ball further up the pitch. Both Willian and Hazard played well during the first half, often moving the ball inside which would have benefited more if we had a CF who is born to lead the line. Morata isnt that guy. Feller sitting next to me in the ground said at least Torres used to run about n make a nuisance of himself, this bloke is more of a lamp post without any light at all. Up to now it looks like he is right. Manager waits for 60 mins n hooks him. Point of order about the 2 other CF's we have now out on loan. Mitchy is third string at Valencia, impact sub. He could be that here. Tammy gone down a division, which is the correct decision if he isnt going to play for us. Anyway, 4 from 4 should not be harshly thought of. We have been lucky with the fixtures, with Cardiff at home next. While there is alot I dont agree with, the managers positional selections, he can do no more than he has. Wonderful start and from what we have seen of the teams who we expect to be finishing in the top positions come the end of the season, I believe we, along with United have the most progressiveness in us. We could be much better with a couple of tweaks or better selections. I am told this manager is not one for change. We will see. Two weeks before proper football returns ~ Time to get the Golf clubs back out while our players go raise money for the people in control of their countries football associations. I Always found those of people who continually berate Willian or Alonso as more "know nothings" than most others. Remarkable how many of them were so desperate to recruit this manager who has selected both players, in Chelsea's 4th win out of four.

But the smoke keeps coming..... https://www.arabianbusiness.com/sport/403460-opinion-why-saudi-should-jump-at-news-of-chelsea-sale

Tammy Abraham has joined Championship side Aston Villa on a season-long loan deal. Que Mad Lad

Alas, soft lads do

Bradley Collins has joined League One side Burton Albion on loan until 2 January. Collins spent last season on loan with League Two club Forest Green Rovers, where he made 45 appearances and kept nine clean sheets.

Might make you smile ~ Or is it too soon? https://

Poor Jose https://

Josh, from a neutrals point of view, how far along do you think Jose's current team is to being a Premier League contender?

Do you think the United's fans reaction to Jose leaving the pitch saved his job and is that reaction with the majority of United fans? Seems to me the ones who wouldnt have applauded him had already left the ground?

Then on the other hand..... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/08/28/chelsea-investment-could-thaw-stamford-bridge-redevelopment/

Interesting ~ I wonder if its an accurate translation. https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/its-time-for-russian-oligarch-abramovich-to-sell-chelsea-fc-62699

Maybe, but the question is, would this manager have played him? Nothing we have seen so far points he would have even made the bench.

Still taking it in the ass I see Mike ~ Hope you dont catch anything

I have watched the Newcastle game twice. Real difficult game to analyse because of the tactics used by Newcastle. Couple of things on them. Sarri said he had never seen the Fat Spanish waiter play 5 at the back before. Well I can remember him setting up at home in a CL semi final pretty much the same against us. It was the game we didn’t have a left footed player on the pitch and everytime the ball got out to Gallas playing as a left back the attack stalled. More on stalling left side later. Remember when Big Sam was Newcastle boss? He was despised by the club's own fans for the negativity of his football. While the Fat Spanish waiter walks among the Gods on Tyneside for that defensive thuggery. As I have already said difficult game to really say anything concrete as only the one team wanted to play. My first impression was if Fabregas had played in the game with 158 touches as Jorginho had, he would have set up at least one great chance on goal, something Jorginho failed to do. Again our whole attacking play was aimed towards Hazard. In the first 20 minutes it looked as thou they had upped from the last 20 at Stamford Bridge and bedded into the same at Newcastle. Jorginho again only looking the one way and for me Kovacic getting in the way of the ball that should go directly to Hazard or Alonso. I am sorry, I really think the manager is missing a trick here by having a midfield player behind Hazard. We have Alonso for that & that midfield role should be given to someone who is going to bust a gut getting up alongside Morata giving Hazard or Alonso a second option attacking the box from the left side. Loftus-Cheek would have been ideal for this roll against Newcastle as he wouldn’t have had to run back as they didn’t want to play. I don’t know if Kovacic has it in him to be that player. From what I have seen he is an admirer of his work, rarely attacking past where his pass has gone, instead waiting for the ball to return to him so he can short pass again. Kovacic and Jorginho together in this game was a mistake. Granted the manager wasn’t to know how Newcastle would set up, but he should have remedied his selection earlier or at least not waited for Alonso to break forward in the second half. Hazard, when out wide on the left, more often than not cuts inside onto his right foot. If we could get a midfielder to bust a gut into that area taking a defender with him it would open up so much more space for Hazard. So many times in the first half Hazard ran inside into waiting Newcastle players making it easy for them to defend. A highlight for me in the first half was Hazard moving away from the left flank and teaming up with the staying wide Pedro on the right flank. If the manager is giving Hazard the license to move around freely, it would get my vote. They linked up along with Dave with Kante moving both forward & more central while Hazard was right side. Again plenty of possession during that period, but again very little in way of good chances created. Must bring up our defending. I said in pre season it looked like we had changed to zonal defending . Sarri has now confirmed this is his way of defending by pointing out how hard it is for defenders to change from 10 years of man marking, to changing to zonal. We have seen in the PL a few times before how teams who have adopted this mainland Europe style of defending suffer with conceding headed goals. David Luiz fell foul of not attacking a ball which had been crossed into the box allowing their bloke to run infront of him to score. It looked as thou David was looking to cushion head the ball out to one of our players. Real poor defending. I guess there might be an argument this is why Arsenal had so many players in our box last week free from any Chelsea shirts. I am not saying the manager was looking to offer an excuse for Luiz by saying he isn’t used to the managers style of defending. I am more pointing out what I sussed early on in pre-season. What can we say about Alonso? It’s pretty much becoming what would we do without him? The game was perfect for him as Newcastle had no interest in attacking allowing him to become more n more bold attacking down the flank and into that space I was talking about alongside Morata, again winning us another penalty. I figure it wont be long before we see the other side of him, but credit where credit is due, his forward play while he has been with us had been exemplary. I found it very interesting what Ruud Gullit had to say about our full backs. We will see as the season progresses. Morata was back to normal and needs to shut up about the amount of goals he wants to score, just do it. I felt Pedro played well and had obviously been told to hug the right touchline. Kante did attack the space that created, but the guys on the left struggled to get the ball to him. Again, Fabregas springs to mind. It's another 3 points which we must be very grateful for as its at a ground where we have failed so often in the past. I dont think its was much of a performance and for all the possession we had we failed dismally to create anything of substance. I ask the question did we look any different than any other time we faced a packed defence in the last 5 seasons? Lastly. I have to admit I have not taken much interest Sarri the man\coach before he turned up at my club. Now he is here, I tend to listen to every word he offers. For me, he has changed since being introduced. He don’t look well to me. Granted the Track suit he wears does him no favours, but his face looks drawn, tired. Maybe its withdraw symptoms from not being able to get the nicotine into his body through a game ect. Obviously I hope I am wrong, but………

You have to evaluate the writer and his standing within the football club or Player he is reporting on. Belgium reporter was way ahead of the news that De bruyne was out for months, so much so, his name was used as the source on SSN. Then you have someone working for the Star Or Sun, and they write in riddles covering all stations like a poor weatherman. Best source is the clubs website... They maybe late with a story, but you can be sure its true..... Mainly

Yeah, sure looked like it at the weekend ~ How long left on his contract? I very much doubt any top club in England will allow players to leave unless they have no future at the club.

Tammy said to be chewing over a season loan to Villa. Buzz was he would only consider another PL loan. Looks like there hasnt been any takers although Newcastle are said to have sounded out Chelsea before the Kennedy loan. Villa a great club for him, hope he makes the correct decision for himself. Well see what happens